Special Edition Sunday

 

Special Edition Book Boxes

Let's talk about the Special Edition book scene. It's crazy to see how much it has evolved over the years. Started with a couple subscription book boxes that did redesigned dust covers and a solid sprayed edge When they started a lot also included 3 to 5 goodies to go with such as, candles, bookmarks, teas, mugs and much more. Compared to now, with so many on the market and now publishers wanting in on the action and making them available to all. 

We are going to deep dive into each subscription and give you all the details so that if you're looking for something specific this could help. How will these be broken down well let me tell you now. Cost, Quality/Design, Book Choices, Availability, Skip Policy, and Benefits.

We are starting with what I believe to be the first on the market in 2015 Owlcrate began with modern YA and quickly grew to a wider range of genres. 

Currently Owlcrate offers Sub boxes for Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantasy, Horror, and Romance.

Let's break them down for you.

Cost

Starting with the Young Adult: This is a monthly subscription for ages 14 and older. They offer two boxes a book only and a book and goodies. The book only runs $29.99 + tax. They do offer multiple months prepay with then discounts the boxes slightly. Such as 3 months $28.99/box = 86.97 total (charged every three months).

The book and goodies offer you the monthly book plus 4 to 5 bookish items are $38.99+ taxes. They also offer multiple prepay month plans. 

Adult Fantasy: This is another monthly subscription for 18 and older. As of right now this is only a book box subscription. They do not offer a goodie box option. The Adult monthly run $31.99 + tax. They also offer a multiple monthly prepay plan.

They have three Quarterly Boxes 

Romantasy, Horror, and Romance: They each will be billed every three months. (listed below is the months they will be charged) They each cost $31.99 + tax and do not have Multiple Monthly Prepay options. 

Romantasy: This one will be billed every three months. Ships books January, April, July, and October.

Horror: Billed every three months. Ships February, May, August, and November.

Romance: Billed every three months. Ships March, June, September, and December.

Skip Policy

Adult and YA monthly subs have unlimited skips unless it's your first box with them. 

For the Quarterly boxes they don't allow skips. So, if you don't want to buy then you'll have to cancel and rejoin the wait list or get the book and hope you can sell it. 

Availability

YA book only and book and goodie are both currently open with no wait list.

Adult Fantasy and the Quarterly book subscriptions are all currently on a waitlist.

The waitlist for each can take anywhere from 3 to 8 months depending on how sought after the current book selections are.

Book Choices

This will depend on what you're looking for. I'll just give examples of the past three boxes for each so you can see the verity they do.

YA: All We Hunger For by Anna Mercier, Storm Breaker by Nisha J. Tuli, To Steal a Throne by Gabi Burton

Adult: Strange Familiars by Keshe Chow, Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

Romantasy: City of Gods and Monsters, The Wolf and the Crown of Blood by Elizabeth May, What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

Horror: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker, The Body by Bethany C. Morrow, Dark Sisters by Kristi De Meester

Romance: Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti, Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder

 

Benefits

The benefits with Owlcrate are exclusive access to sales and special editions. They use give subscribers access two days before general access for additional special editions. They also have a point reward system that lets you get discounts on one-time purchases. So many points equal a percentage discount to apply to non-subscription books.  

Quality/Design

This one is probably personal also. I been a current subscriber since April 2025 and have been on and off their subs throughout the years of 2020. I currently subscribe to only the adult fantasy. I have in the past subscribed to the Ya box only, romantasy, and horror. I stopped the other 3 due to the selections of the books. I had received them in other book subscriptions, and they were the ones who seemed to do them after the fact. (Little late to the game) or I didn't like the choice for the quarterly and didn't want to pay so cancelled and then haven't rejoined because the choices are still not what I'm looking for. The quality and designs are gorgeous, not saying I have loved every design they have done no but they do have some beautiful editions. I haven't had any problem with them. I have read a couple and haven't found any flaws. No loose bindings, not mis prints, no broken spines, nothing to be upset about. I personally haven't had to use the support with company so I can't give insight on response time or willingness to help with damage goods.