Subscription Boxes
Subscription Box Review: Illumicrate Editions: Darkdawn
Illumicrate now officially has my 100% trust on their special edition boxes being well worth the cost.
Box Date: September 2019
Theme: Darkdawn
I got the special Illumicrate edition box for Iron Gold last January, and was so blown away by that box, that I didn’t even hesitate to order this one when it came up. But as high as my expectations were for this, I was more impressed than I expected to be when I opened everything up. Illumicrate now officially has my 100% trust on their special edition boxes being well worth the cost.
I was so excited to see the same artist returning for these bookmarks as was in the Iron Gold box. I love their take on the characters, and the size and finish is really nice. It’s a slick, but not glossy, finish that feels great to the touch. And the artwork is gorgeous.
This cover is everything. I love it so much. But if I thought it couldn’t have gotten any better, I would be wrong, because they sprayed the edges yellow and now I’m sad that my Nevernight is the only non-sprayed-edge book in the series. Still, I love it.I’m honestly afraid to read it because I don’t wanna mess up the yellow. Luckily, I also got the Goldsboro copy from my sister for the most delayed gratification birthday present ever (my birthday is in January), and that one has black sprayed edges, so I’ll be able to leave this one pristine. Also, this author letter is hilarious.
Okay, first of all, this artwork is beautiful. Second, the foil accent was a lovely and unexpected surprise. I love everything about this piece.
This might be the best quality book sleeve I have come across. It’s made of like pleather or something. It is not only really durable because of this, but it also has gorgeous lettering and artwork on it as well. I can’t pick a favorite side, because they’re both so well done. And then the map, which is made of this really nice, sturdy yet light, wood, is so cool. I have no idea what I’m going to use it for, but unlike much of the stuff I get in boxes, I don’t want to just put it away to figure out later. It’s one of those things I’ll actively be searching for a use for it. Even the back is pretty. I’m honestly not sure which side I’ll end up deciding to face up.
If you don’t know about the short-form film project going on, you can totally catch up with this little pamphlet of extras, which I was excited to see. I’m following the project, but not that closely because I’m always busy and I forget to keep up, so this was nice to have. I love that we also got a fan art version of the cover of the pamphlet. And then we have this lovely little extra story that I can’t read until I finish Darkdawn. I’m very excited about this. But I don’t know much more about it because I don’t wanna spoil myself!
Okay, so these pins and little magnet coin thingy are so gorgeous. They immediately became some of my favorites I own— and I own a LOT. The coin thing might be my favorite, but I love the styles on all three. My designer heart is so happy with these.
The bath bomb is a cat! It smells very potent. Blood orange is the scent. I don’t have a problem with it, but it knocks you back for a second, so it takes kinda breathing in the smell for a minute first before it stops feeling overwhelming. I think this is actually a good thing for the bath, as it will be diluted in the water and still retain its scent, so I’m not mad at it.
Okay so this is basically a custom Funko Pop without being an actual Funko. It’s much sturdier and denser than a pop, but it resides effortlessly among them. It actually sits on the shelf with my only other custom pops, which I painted myself, which are of the shadow creatures. So unless there’s another shadow creature in book three, I’ve got a complete little set!
The artwork on this mug is gorgeous! First of all, yellow is my favorite color. So I love that the background is yellow. And then I’m obsessed with he artist for this piece, so that makes it even better. This mug will earn a spot on my desk with a very select few and never be used except as art and to hold things (probably my pencils) and I’m really excited about that. Yes, I have a lot of mugs I don’t use for drinking out of. My husband is notorious for breaking mugs and cups that hold sentimental value to me, so it’s really just for their own protection.
This necklace reminds me of the Harry Potter Hogwarts House necklaces, but of course, this is the Corvere house crest. It’s really nice quality. The rope its on is that leather angel hair noodle type feel. I prefer a chain, so I’ll probably switch that out for a chain and let it hang lower, as I think heavy pieces need to hang low, personally. But as this is a personal preference, the necklace as is doesn’t detract anything from the value. It’s hard to please everyone when it comes to jewelry.
This blanket is super soft and the artwork is so fun! The only downside of it is that when you scruff up the fabric, it’s harder to see the artwork, but the only times that actually matters are when you are laying it out flat to look at it, which is not going to happen often. It’s going to be living upstairs with me in my office to be both decoration and warmth when needed.
Summary
Like I was saying at the beginning, Illumicrate absolutely nailed it with this one. I am so pleased with everything. Nothing feels like a throwaway item. I am eagerly to use everything. This doesn’t happen often for me. So that’s saying a lot. Seriously, I wish they did boxes like this for every book I love! Of course, I’d be severely broke… but it would probably be worth it still! Ha!
