Mystical Crate Book Subscription Box – September 2019

Hey, (mood) readers!

I’ve decided to include my bookish buying experience to you all, sharing my (brutally) honest opinion, even though no one asked for it. Ha! The things that I will feature are things I have actually bought with my own money, and are no way sponsored by the shops/stores.

My first feature would be Mystical Crate (@mysticalcrate), which is a book subscription box from the Philippines. The particular box I’ll be talking about is there September 2019 box themed Night at the Carnival.

I ordered the box 8th of August and I paid for it on the 11th. I received the crate by August 27, which I can say is fast, since I received my parcel before September came.

The box costs Php 1,350, which is roughly USD 27, and the shipping was Php 400, which was roughly USD 8.

So, let’s dive into the contents!

The Box (Literally)

I forgot to take a photo of the box in itself but it arrive crumpled. I was scared that the book and the contents were all going to be damaged. There was no design whatsoever that would make the box reusable. It was just an ordinary cardboard box.

The Book

The book that I got was The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis, and according to Goodreads, it is “a gripping novel of suspense about a mother determined to avenge her daughter’s murder—no matter the cost to her husband, to her family, and to herself.”

You might notice that it came with a naked hardcover. Yup, I was so disappointed about that. I was also surprised that each book box came with a different one. When I saw the other unboxing posts by other people who ordered from them, I saw that they got great books with pretty dust jackets and my heart broke a little. I wish people get the same book that would actually be related to the theme. This one wasn’t.

Spoiler Card

This was just a basic card which presents all the contents of the box. It says that there are 10 items on the box, which was actually a great price.

Candle

This pretty candle was Harry Potter inspired. It smells like pumpkin, chocolate, and peppermint mixed together. It’s really lovely and I loved the smell of this one.

Book Sleeve

I never owned a book sleeve before, so I was extremely happy that the box came with one. It was a pretty pink and black design that would fit a mass market to a larger trade paperback.

Tote Bag

I actually love tote bags and I bring them everywhere! This has a very beautiful print of Marco and Celia from The Night Circus, which is another book I have yet to read.

Bookmark

The box also comes with a very pretty handmade shell bookmark that I am not sure if I’m going to use, only because it is so dainty and delicate.

Couple of the Month Card

It also comes with an art print of Marco and Celia, the couple of the month.

Character Card

This book box loves art and I’m here for it! Here’s a collectible character card of Legend from the Caraval series which I also haven’t read. Ha! I don’t know everyone, it seems!

Tarot Card

Finally, someone I know! Here’s Dumbledore for a tarot card called The Magician. I think they will include a tarot card like this per box. Not sure, though. It is actually bigger in size compared to the character card and it has a really pretty texture.

Magnetic Bookmark

Mystical Crate also included a magnetic bookmark from the musical film, The Greatest Showman. Here’s Anne Wheeler, portrayed by Zendaya. The magnetic bookmark is done by a shop I’m familiar with, TreasureLoot.PH. They have their own Instagram and Shopee account for interested Filipinos.

Art Print

Finally, here’s a cute Hogwarts houses drawing by the 15-year old entrepreneur.

Final Thoughts

Before I say too much,  I would like to say that I am amazed and proud of the owner of this shop, because at her young age of 15-years old, she has dove into the world of entrepreneurship.

This is my first book subscription box ever, and this was also the first ever book subscription box of Mystical Crate. I had high expectations, but I should have known to manage it since I am dealing with a startup at its opening stage.

But, all in all, I am happy with the entire box. Aside from the book, all the contents of their crate are beautifully designed pieces.

If I were to suggest improvements, here are my thoughts:

• A reusable sturdier book box
• One specific book per month, or just opt for no books at all, just merch
• Credit the artists in the spoiler card, so we can credit them whenever we feature their work on our Bookstagram accounts

Will I order from them again?

Yes, I absolutely would, after they have boosted their experiences. But for now, I would like to try other subscription boxes located here in the Philippines, and a few abroad.

What’s your favorite book subscription box?

Tell me in the comments!