Hello everyone! Sorry it's been a while. With the new school year starting, everything got a little crazy. But I'm back and ready to review something completely new: Owlcrate. For those of you that don't know, OwlCrate is a monthly subscription that sends you a book and a bunch of "bookish keepsakes" to go along with it. Each month there's a theme; this month's theme is "Leading Ladies."
"OwlCrate was created to share the joy of reading with the world. We believe in the importance of literature, and the magic of the written word. Stories help to expand our minds, expose us to new experiences, and show us that we're not alone. But we also know that reading can often feel like a solitary activity, and we wanted a way to bring book nerds together. " (OwlCrate).
Now that you know a little about it, I'm excited to share with you this month's unboxing! However, if you are still awaiting your box, look no further. I wouldn't want to spoil this for anyone.
First Opening
I open my box with impatience. This is what I've been looking forward to for the whole month! Couldn't wait to see what was inside.
Divergent Tote Bag
1. A Divergent Tote Bag- I actually haven't read these books, but I do love the movies. Possibly more than Hunger Games! I think it's perfect for the theme "leading ladies" because it shows the traits of Tris- brave and fearless. I can definitely see myself using this bag for books or to go to the gym. It's very versatile.
Funko Key Chain
2. Daenerys Key Chain- Again, I haven't read the books. If I'm being totally honest, I don't like GoT at all (I'm sorry, I'm sorry). However, this little Funko girl was just too cute. So while I probably won't be carrying it around on my key chain (or else I'd look like a fake fan), it's cute enough to sit on my desk!
Arrow Necklace
3. Arrow Necklace- One of the cutest, most practical, things in here is this adorable necklace. Apparently, it was inspired by Katniss from the Hunger Games (which I can see why). I love this almost the most, because it's something I can see myself using every day!
Cute Little Things
4. Other Cute Trinkets- Not sure exactly what to title these, but the box also came with some cute little gifts. A really cool picture of Hermione (from Harry Potter of course), a sticker from the book, another Hermione postcard (with her wonderful cat for all you cat lovers out there), and a cute Divergent bookmark. There were also another things not pictured which was a note from the author. Which brings us to...
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
5. The Book- This month's book was Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. I'll quote what OwlCrate said about it as a little insight. "...one of the most hilarious, strong, and unconventional female leads we've ever come across. Willowdean Dickson will have you laughing, cheering, and tearing up throughout the entire novel." I'm sure I'll be reviewing this in the future, so I'm not going to go into too much other details. Basically, it's about a strong girl who knows who she is.
The Finished Unboxing
Overall, I am so happy with what OwlCrate does. It gives me the chance to discover new books, remind myself of the nerd I really am, and have access to such cute trinkets on a monthly basis. When the daily struggles of life get to me, this is something that cheers me up instantly. I hope you all have the chance to check it out! OwlCrate is a friendly company that loves all of the people involved. However, there is a wait list. The theme for next month is Spooky, so I definitely recommend you get over there as fast as possible!
I'm sorry I didn't get any reviews out this week! School started and it was a little crazy. But I won't let the reviews stop because of school again. I just needed to get the hang of things. So here are this week's releases:
September 8
Maggie Sanders might be
blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing
her sight six months ago, Maggie's rebellious streak has taken on a life
of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called
it genius. The judge called it illegal.
Now Maggie has a
probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when
she's still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and
furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as
she could no longer lead the team to victory.
Then Maggie's whole
world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again.
But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she's
ever met.Ben's life isn't easy, but he doesn't see limits, only
possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her
sight doesn't have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if
what she's currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the infuriatingly
attractive lead singer of Maggie's new favorite band, who just happens
to be Ben's brother.
But when she learns the real reason she can
see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable
future... before she loses everything she has grown to love.Source
A captivating and
profound debut novel about complicated love and the friendships that
have the power to transform you forever, perfect for fans of The Perks
of Being a Wallflower.
Mira is starting over at Saint Francis
Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to pretend that
she could act like a functioning human this time, not a girl who can’t
get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with
Sebby.
Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis
who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his
last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the
school lawn, it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with
mischief glinting in his eye.
Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a
boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him. Even as life in his
foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a
world of magic rituals and impromptu road trips, designed to fix the
broken parts of their lives.
As Jeremy finds himself drawn into
Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they
hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those
who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible. Source
SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.
Lush
with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age
story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing
otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By
day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very
wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even
daybreak can quell.
When her plight can no longer be denied,
Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to
retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time. Source
Lorrie Hollander used
to be a rich girl, but now she’s lost everything because of the secrets
and lies of the people around her. It’s been 12 years since Lorrie’s
mother skipped town and left Lorrie in the care of her unstable aunt
Gigi. Together they live in a neglected, decrepit mansion called
Edgewater, the eyesore in a town of extraordinary wealth and privilege.
When Charlie, the son of an esteemed senator, takes an interest in
Lorrie, her shame for her family and lifestyle runs deep. But what she
doesn’t know is that Charlie’s family is hiding something, too, and that
their secrets are inextricably tied. Now Lorrie must confront the truth
about her family—and everything she ever thought she knew about
herself.Source
Fourteen-year-old Joan
Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real
life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art
on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over
the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks
a new, better life for herself—because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl
cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl
could only dream of—a woman with a future. Newbery Medalist Laura Amy
Schlitz relates Joan’s journey from the muck of the chicken coop to the
comforts of a society household in Baltimore (Electricity! Carpet
sweepers! Sending out the laundry!), taking readers on an exploration of
feminism and housework; religion and literature; love and loyalty;
cats, hats, and bunions.Source
Sibling rivalry goes too far...
Sixteen-year-old
Kasey Fishbein has a lot to repent for. She single-handedly abandons
the dance team right before Nationals, ruins her best friend’s love
life, alienates the guy she loves, and permanently injures her older
sister’s hip, effectively destroying Lara’s prominent dance career.
Guilt keeps eating away at Kasey but no one will listen to her
apologies. So she does the next best thing: she starts a blog to confess
her sins.
But the only way to truly earn forgiveness from those
she wronged isn’t to offer them an explanation. It’s to fix everything
she broke. She may not be able to help her sister dance again, but there
has to be another way to get her back on her feet. Literally. Right?Source
Fifteen-year-old bender
Kivali has had a rough time in a gender-rigid culture. Abandoned as a
baby and raised by Sheila, an ardent nonconformist, Kivali has always
been surrounded by uncertainty. Where did she come from? Is it true what
Sheila says, that she was deposited on Earth by the mysterious
saurians? What are you? people ask, and Kivali isn’t sure. Boy/girl?
Human/lizard? Both/neither? Now she’s in CropCamp, with all of its
schedules and regs, and the first real friends she’s ever had. Strange
occurrences and complicated relationships raise questions Kivali has
never before had to consider. But she has a gift—the power to enter a
trancelike state to harness the “knowings” inside her. She has Lizard
Radio. Will it be enough to save her? A coming-of-age story rich in
friendships and the shattering emotions of first love, this deeply felt
novel will resonate with teens just emerging as adults in a sometimes
hostile world. Source
Dark times have fallen
on remote Balrog County, and Mack Druneswald, a high school senior with a
love of clandestine arson, is doing his best to deal. While his family
is haunted by his mother’s recent death, Mack spends his nights roaming
the countryside, looking for something new to burn. When he encounters
Katrina, a college girl with her own baggage, Mack sets out on a path of
pyromania the likes of which sleepy Balrog County has never seen
before. Source
Jarra never wanted to be
a celebrity. All she ever wanted was to gain some respect for the
people left on Earth: the unlucky few whose immune system prevents them
from portaling to other planets.
Except now she's the most famous
Earth girl in the universe - but not everyone in the universe is happy
about it, nor the fact that she has found love with a norm. Jarra's
actions have repercussions that spread further than she ever could have
imagined, and political unrest threatens to tear apart the delicate
balance of peace between humanity's worlds.
On top of everything,
the first alien artifact ever discovered appears to be waiting for
Jarra to reveal its secrets. But to do so, she must somehow find a way
to leave Earth - or else the alien artifact will be lost forever. Is
there a way for Jarra to travel to another planet? Or is her destiny
only to look to the stars - but never to reach them?Source
Set in medieval Venice,
this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo
Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love
through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an
island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but
her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of
making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an
island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind
widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their
grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues
to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and
so evil begins in innocence.Source
