UNBOXING | Illumicrate: Mystery Box

 When I saw Illumicrate were selling mystery boxes again, I decided to get one considering how happy I had been with the last one that I bought, and I think again I can say that the price is definitely worth the risk of not knowing what you might get. Here's what I got in my mystery box!

Mulan silk scarf, designed by Feifei Ruan.

Nevernight Corvere Crest necklace, designed by Danielle.

Game of Thrones inspired phone ring, designed by Fable and Black.

Hermione Granger Harry Potter magnetic coin, designed by Monolime.

Monsters of Verity quote pouch, designed by Stella Bookish Art.

Nevernight art print, created by Nan Fe.

Wicked Saints triptych print, illustrated by Nicole Deal.

Throne of Glass quotes book tin, designed by Moledro Craft Co.

The Raven Cycle notebook duo, designed by BookMark'd Tattoos.

C.S. Lewis quote book sleeve designed by Sparrow + Wolf.

Witchlands pin banner, designed by Hey Atlas.

Although I already had three of the items from previous Illumicrate boxes, the Throne of Glass book tin, the Game of Thrones phone ring, and the Monsters of Verity pouch, I have a friend who is happy for me to send those to her so they will not go to to waste, and the rest of the items were all of high quality and I can find a use for them. I think my favourites were the silk scarf, which will look beautiful on display, the pin banner, because my other pin banner is filling up and I love displaying my pins, and the notebooks, because I just adore pretty notebooks and am always looking for something new to write in.
I would definitely recommend considering purchasing an Illumicrate mystery box if they go on sale again, although make sure to take the time to think about the risk of getting items you already have or might not like, and decide whether it might be worth it for you!
Have you ever bought a mystery box? What items did you get? Did you think it was worth it? Let me know in the comments below!
If you'd like to find out more about Illumicrate, you can visit their website here.

Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Name: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Children's Books
Date published: 2012
Rating: 5/5

Even if Blue hadn't been told her true love would die if she kissed him, she would stay away from boys. Especially the ones from the local private school. Known as Raven Boys, they only mean trouble.

But this is the year that everything will change for Blue.

This is the year that she will be drawn into the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys. And the year Blue will discover that magic does exist.

This is the year she will fall in love.

- From Goodreads.

The Raven Boys had a slower pace than some of the other books I have read recently and I found I actually enjoyed it for that. It took its time and it was not episodic, with one big event after the other. It let you take the time to get to know the characters and was still interesting to read without having constant action. As it went on, especially towards the end, the story did pick up pace well, with added excitement and suspense which kept me eager to read and intrigued with the events of the story. The book was also structured well in that the mysteries of the story were very clever and the answers were hinted at in such a way that you did not realise the hint was a serious one until the answer was revealed.
The book had fascinating and complicated characters whose personalities were developed and revealed as the story went on, and continued to show their depth and potential to surprise throughout it. The language was used to provoke such feeling and empathy for the characters that you really came to connect to them and there was a fun sense of humour in the writing that added some brilliant lighthearted moments that explored the playful sides of the characters without ruining the mood of the darker moments.
There was also a really enjoyable exploration of magic and how it works in the world of the novel, how it affects each character and what it means to each of them. It was fascinating to read about Blue's family's relationship to magic and how they worked with it, and how that contrasted with the Raven Boys' relationship to magic and their almost desperate search for it.
Despite the fact that it is set in spring, it really does feel like a perfect book to curl up inside with on an autumn day, and I would definitely recommend reading it this season if you have not yet. I am very much looking forward to when I get the chance to read the other books in this series.

Add the book on Goodreads | Author's website