So I've been getting Owlcrate for 4 months now. With their themes and carefully curated items, I always get a little giddy when I see the infamous Owlcrate box at my door. Recently, I've taken on to Uppercase, also another young adult book subscription service, along with some cool items.
A little about each service:
OWLCRATE: A monthly subscription box service. Every month, a theme is chosen (for the month of March, it's 'Writer's Block'), and a carefully selected brand new Young Adult novel (new or soon to be released), along with 3-5 bookish items to keep. Many times, they will work with designers to custom design something exclusively for Owlcrate to tie into the month's theme. You can order personal or gift subscriptions starting with 1, 3 or 6 months at $29.99 + shipping for one month. Subscribing to several months at a time will save you a little more money. More plan options are available online.
MY THOUGHTS
Personally, love the bookish items included. There's always at least one item I fall in love with, and others that are nice to have. The specially designed Owlcrate card that comes in each box, with the back giving a little description and where it came from of each item are always pretty and great for collecting, and maybe frame. So far, with 4 boxes, there's only one book that doesn't interest me at all, but the others are on my TBR list and I will eventually get to them.
UPPERCASE: A monthly subscription box service. Every month a carefully selected brand new Young Adult novel (new or soon to be released) that includes a signed bookplate (or signed in the book) by the author. Along with the book, 1-2 "high quality" custom and exclusive bookish items to keep. There's also a bookmark/card with exclusive content and special reading experience related to the month's book that you can check out online (link and password provided on said bookmark/card). A special handwritten and personalized note about the book or the items. Like Owlcrate, it is available in a various quantity of months you choose. The difference is that with Uppercase, you are able to choose a subscription of just the book (Book Exclusive Plan - $17 + sh) or the book with the goodies (Expert Plan - $23 + sh).
MY THOUGHTSSo far, I'm excited for the book I received, since it was already on my TBR list, and a signed bookplate with it! The items are definitely good quality, and though I haven't tried the reading experience yet, but for a booknerd, it sure sounds like fun! Unlike Owlcrate, Uppercase "box" really isn't a box, but a drawstring bag that holds everything. It comes in a USPS priority bubble bag to ensure safety. For the first month, I'm genuinely impressed with the book and the items.
O, but I must mentioned that the "gifting" process was quite a headache. An Uppercase subscription was on my wishlist, and it took a lot of confusion on the gifter's part to finalize it. There doesn't seem to be a "gift note" to send it directly to me, but it went to the gifter's to finish processing. Owlcrate's gifting option was easier.
MARCH 2016
Owlcrate's March 2016 Box:
- Owlcrate's Writer's Block Theme Card
- Brand new The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
- A letter from the author and quote card
- Out of Print banned books socks (1 pair)
- Bookworm Boutique Button Pins (set of 3)
- Kikkerland Quill Pen (in white or black)
- 642 Tiny Things to Write About (journal/notebook)
Uppercase March 2016 'Box':
- Brand new Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton with signed bookplate
- Bookmark of codes for special reading experience and exclusive content
- Personalized Note from Lisa, founder of Uppercase
- Decal stickers related to the book
- JewelSugar Quote Earrings (1 pair)
- Badge Bomb Read More Big magnet (about 2.25" in diameter)
Verdict?
For the Month of APRIL 2016, here are the scoops:
UPPERCASE: "If you love Harry Potter, you definitely don't want to miss this month's box
😉 PLUS, we're including another signed book this month!"
So, which one would you choose this month and why?
March was my first month trying subscription boxes. I did Uppercase, OwlCrate, and LitCube. Of the three, I think I was most impressed with OwlCrate. My book was wrapped in plastic and boxed, whereas Uppercase just has the soft packaging which worries me a bit. I love that Owlcrate (and LitCube) actually announce a theme; Uppercase doesn't do that. I also liked the bookish items in OwlCrate slightly better (found them a bit more useful). On a separate note, I was a bit disappointed with LitCube. Their bookish items were awesome, but their book was older (2014), and it was very obviously from Book Outlet (less than $3 there, by the way), and had the remainder mark. So, I paid for a full priced book and got a $3 one that is part of a duology that is 2 years old. I'm not sure if that is their standard practice or not, but I could easily see myself getting a duplicate from them if they're using older/bargain basement books in their boxes. I think, for now, OwlCrate is my favorite, but only based off one month. Partly for the items I received in March, but mostly for the announced theme (there are some themes I would probably skip, so the heads up is very nice). But I did read Rebel of the Sands (and The Serpent King) and I loved them both!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristy. So did you try Uppercase's online special exclusive reading content?
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the heads up on Litcube.
ReplyDeleteOh I've been wanting to do one of these boxes but haven't had the chance (or the extra finances at the moment) to do them. But they both look amazing. Eik! I will in the future but *which one, which one*??? :)
ReplyDeleteI've not tried this type of service. Annie, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDelete