Bookish Subscription Box: Owlcrate Unboxing for February 2017

What is Owlcrate you ask.

Owlcrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on.

The theme for February's Box is "Run Away with the Circus"

Here's all the awesome of this months box

• The book was Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I'm so excited to read this.
• Book plate signed by the author 
• A note as well.

• Tote bag is everything. I love it, and I just finished the book it's from so it's even better. The tote is from Evie bookish.
• "Le Cirque Des Reves" Soy candle from Frostbeard Studios
• Bookmark with a quote from The Night Circus.

• Spoiler Card front and back

 

• Lip Balm from GeekFireLabs (It smells of doughnuts)
• The Pin owlcrate gives us every month
• Notepad made from recycled playing card by Attic Journals

Audio excerpt download of Caraval and The Star Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Quote Print from Caraval

• Page Flags from Girl of all Work (Circus themed)

• Sneek Peek for March theme "Sailors, Ships, and Seas"

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I enjoyed more than I thought I would

Hi everybody! How's everyone's week been going? 

This week's topic: Books I enjoyed more than I thought I would

Love -A-Thon 2017: Mad Libs

This challenge is from Mel at The Daily Prophecy

Once upon a time, in a far away (cave), there lived a smart (Ninja). She lived alone in a (pet store), where she had grown up with the deceased owner. She had beautiful (eyes), and she was known for her shiny red (boots), the only thing she had left of her parents. 

Alas, the (Empress) of the country became jealous and wanted to own this (boots). So, she became a wanted person and had to flee into the forest to find a place to hide. After (skipping) around for hours, hungry and tired, she stumbled upon a/an (canyon). An old lady appeared, offering her shelter from the bitter cold.  She looked at her with (anticipation) and said: "I will protect you, but I need your help first. Years ago I lost something precious and I want it back. You need to climb into the sky and get my (harp) back. Here is a magical (enchilada), throw it into the earth, sprinkle with water and it will sprout a beanstalk. You have (13) days to return before the stalk withers." 

She followed the instructions given to her, and lo and behold, a beanstalk grew and grew and grew all the way up to the clouds. After an exhausting climb, she saw a huge (cottage). She walked to the door and knocked. A (honeyed) voice said: 'Fee-fi-fo-fum, who dares to come and enter my house?" IShe was not afraid and said: "My name is Jamie and I've come to collect an item." 

The door made a/an (purring) sound when it opened and revealed a large (sun room) filled with golden (rings). She stepped inside and walked towards the spiraling staircase, where a figure moved, cloaked in darkness. 
  
"Who are you? Step in to the light, so I can see your face." 
The beast growled angry. "Why did you come here? I just want to be left alone." Still, she moved and stood in front of it. There were three horns on his head, and hair all over his face and his mouth was filled with large teeth. He wore (a white t-shirt and black jeans) 
"What happened to you?" She reached out to touch one of the horns, but the beast flinched. "Many years ago I was cursed by a witch. I have one year left (to read) so I can break the spell, but I'm not brave enough." 
"If you give me the (harp), I will help you." 

In keeping her promise, the beast and her worked for a few hours and that afternoon, the beast transformed into an ordinary older guy. "I can't wait to return to my job as (Pharmacy Tech) in the normal world. Can I come with you?" Together they climbed down the beanstalk, carrying the instrument for the old lady. The moment she saw the guy and her beloved instrument, she started to weep. 
"My husband, you have returned!" They hugged and looked at it. 

"We have to tell you something," the old lady said. "You are our child. We were separated after the curse, but now we are reunited!" From that day, the three of them lived together in the forest, happily ever after. 

Love-A-Thon 2017: The Opening Act

About Ashley

Hey lovely readers,
I'm Ashley and this is my home in the book community.

• Tell us your history with reading. Were you always a reader? Were you a reluctant reader? Was there a book that convinced you to become a reader?

When I was younger I wasn't the type of child who had her nose stuck in a book. I remember going to some bookstore and finding a corner of Clifford the big red dog books and loving those. I remember when the book fairs would come to school (You remember those right? The Scholastic Book Fairs.) I would pick out books like the Baby-Sitters Club and I remember the original american girls books that I loved to read like Samantha, Felicity, Kirsten, but as I grew up I think I fell out of reading. The next time I really picked up a book and enjoyed myself was with the Harry Potter books and then Twilight.

• How did you get involved in the online book community?

I remember I was sitting in my moms room late at night because at the time my apartment didn't have electricity. I think I came across Kristi's Site The Story Siren, and thought that would be awesome to have a blog like that. Then I dug a little deeper and came across Goodreads, and I was hooked. Before my book blog I had a personal blog (which is still accessible) Even before that I had a livejournal. (which I still have). If we want to keep going I've had tons of websites dating back to '98 or '99 when I was in middle school, and my life started falling in a downward spiral. Family issues. 

• How did you choose your primary platform (blog, Instagram, YouTube, etc)? How did you come up with your blog name?

A blog was just the natural thing for me because 1.) there wasn't instagram when I started and youtube wasn't really a booktube place I don't at the time. Also, I had made so many of my own websites back in middle and high school that a blog seemed the easiest to do for me.
The name came because I had another blog for about 20 days and it was okay. However it just wasn't catchy enough for my taste. One day I remember talking to my Sis-in-law, and she mentioned how I should join a group for bookaholics. Then it hit me AA. There should be a group of people sitting around talking about their book addictions. I was in love <3. 

• What’s your favorite thing about the online book community?

I love being able to interact with people who have my same obsession with books. I love that I can find out where signings are gonna be and meet the authors that I love. 

• What sort of posts can readers expect from you?

Normally, I post reviews, discussions, anything that seems book-related. I know right now it looks as if 've abandoned my home here, but I'm still around trying to get back in the swing of things.

• FAVORITES
  • Food? Beverage? I'm not sure I have a fave food maybe Spaghetti and Dr.pepper is my fave drink 
  • Color? Red and Black
  • Things to do apart from reading? Work, Watch Netflix.
  • TV shows? Supernatural, Criminal Minds, Bad Girls Club, I have way too many...
  • Musical artists? No one in particular.
  • Places to shop? I love Half Price Books

• BOOK TALK
  • Favorite child books? Clifford the Big Red Dog, American Girls
  • Favorite books I read in the last 5 years? lol really  
  • Underrated book, series, author you love? The Last First Game by Gina Azzi
  • Book boyfriend/girlfriend? Book BFF? Book family? Dimitri from VA Series, Rose from Va Series, The Weasleys from Harry Potter
  • Books you want to read in 2017? Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab and I'm sure there are more.

Bookish Subscription Box: Uppercase Unboxing for February 2017

From the Uppercase Website

"Uppercase is a young adult book subscription box. Simply put: You sign up and receive a YA book and a bookish goody every month! Plus the subscription comes with online access to extras like a live book discussion & recommendations for similar books."

Follow Friday: It's all about the re-read

I'm not a big re-reader and I feel like there's so many books out there that I want to get to that re-reading gets in the way. -hangs head- There are VERY, very, very few books that I actually have re-read. For those that have been around awhile and read my site will know that Vampire Academy is my favorite book which means I'll re-read it ALWAYS. (come to think of it I need to get around to that this year) My goal this year though is to try and re-read books that I never got around to writing a review for and writing one after I read it again (my book I'm going to try and re-read this month is Legend by Marie Lu.) What makes re-reading better this year is that now goodreads has an option for it and it counts on your challenge. YEA!!!!

Also I want to re-read the Harry Potter books, and I haven't done that.

Kindle Deals (41)

I always see blogs that have a page that show deals for the kindle, and I occasionally find one or two books on there that I would want. I'm more of a YA girl, and seeing as how most my followers are (I'm assuming here) I decided to make a list of the YA books I found that are $3.99 and less for the kindle. There are plenty more Ya books that are on amazon, but these caught my attention because either I have them, I've read them, or I'm dying to read them. :) Just click on the title and it takes you to their amazon page in a new window.

I'm not sure how long these deals will be here so get them while they're available.

(Note: Prices are as shown from the date this was posted. Please be sure to check before hitting buy.)