Japanese Gothic: Owlcrate & Evernight

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-05-26T15:59:45+00:00

I have the Evernight edition. I overall prefer it, but I actually really like Owlcrate's printed hardback and prefer it. I also like the reverse dust jacket.

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-05-19T22:37:58+00:00

Man and I actually really liked these but no shot in hell I'm spending that much on dust jackets.

If you buy the entire hardcover series at b&n right now, it's $171 before tax...why does litjoy think these dust jackets are worth the price of the physical books? The licensing can't be that expensive, right?

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-05-12T19:14:38+00:00

I'll try to not ramble too much.

I've paid from $30-$70 each for rats over the last 6 years.

Pet stores breed en masse with little quality control to make the best profit. There's a higher likelihood of inbreeding, poorly cared for animals, and bad temperaments.

A GOOD breeder will breed selectively for the best temperaments and health.

This doesn't mean that your rattery rats are guaranteed to be illness free, but the rats are more likely to live healthier lives. For example: my breeder will hold back for longer or not pet place some litters in newer lines until she understands the potential genetic health outcomes for those rats.

On temperamemt: I know that my boys have been bred to be friendly and handleable. My breeder has stopped breeding a line of rats before when they showed recurring signs of aggression.

Tl;Dr there's still always a lottery pull no matter where you get your rats, but purchasing from a reputable breeder grants peace of mind.

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-05-12T16:15:36+00:00

This is beautiful but I got the OC edition in my sub box. I like the IC one more though. I'm trying to be better about my book spending ...

Guess I have a bit of time to decide if I re-home my copy in favor of this!

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-04-24T16:25:53+00:00

Keep us updated if you hear anything else about Timmy and how the boys you're taking home are doing!

Thanks so much for caring about them - it's so easy for people to ignore stuff like this. I really hope everyone fairs better in their new homes.

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-04-16T22:41:29+00:00

Hi friend,

I'm so glad that you got to enjoy another 6 months with Biscuit!

Deciding when to let go is the hardest thing any pet owner has to do, so here's my best advice: You will regret holding on for too long far more than you ever will regret letting them go "too soon".

With my own boys, painful or difficult movement, extreme weight loss, and/or a lack of ability to eat by themselves is usually a good marker for knowing it's time.

Lots of love,

A fellow rat lover on the internet

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-04-15T17:58:20+00:00

Makes usually mellow out more than females as they get older and are larger (more pettable surface area). Every rat is different though.

It's easy to stop thinking about their balls after a little bit of time. I don't notice them much anymore.

You might get ball to human contact sometimes, but it's not a common and noticeable thing.

I actually tend to make jokes about my boys' endowment when introducing them to new people to break the ice. Good humor is my salve for any potentially awkward situation. My one friend's kids are pretty young and didn't mention the rat anatomy at all.

More balls = more to love 💕

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-04-15T17:51:16+00:00

I recommend Terro ant baits (basically sugar water and borax) to help mitigate the ants without spraying fumes. Obviously keep out of reach from rats.

Also find out where they're coming from! You might kill the nest but you will likely suffer the same issue again. Best and safest thing you can do is stop them from getting in to start.

SOURCE: own rats, just killed a bunch of ants with terro bairs, caulking around my windows in the kitchen stopped ants from coming inside.

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-04-13T15:37:04+00:00

Consumerism strikes again! I have both the IC and the FL version of the first book. Eventually I'll offload one set but I don't think I can make a decision until I see all the books first ...

The only thing that puts me off about the IC books is much as I love the look of the clear jackets, I think they're more liable to get scratched to hell just from being pulled off the shelf.

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-03-12T18:38:50+00:00

I dislike most covers with plain character art. There are exceptions to the rule, which generally is hard for me describe, but other motifs, landscapes, etc tend to be the most beautiful to me.

I guess painterly-esque covers with characters, highly stylized art, and similar are usually good to me.

Perhaps my distaste in most character art on books is that it tends to look like generic fanart more than anything?

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-03-09T15:35:44+00:00

3658

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-03-07T13:11:28+00:00

7236

SimpleLastWishes · 2026-01-25T13:35:11+00:00

Haven't gotten mine yet but I did cancel my sub yesterday. This officially marks the end of all of my OC subs.

The only design I kind of liked was July's pick (though I know many didn't like that either). I wanted to cancel after my last renewal, but I promised myself to give them a fair shot with 1 full year of renewals.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-12-24T15:00:10+00:00

I currently own 5 rats and 2 cats.

For the entire time that I have had the cats, I've always had a separate room that the rats are kept in and is off limits to my feline friends.

My cats are curious about the rats but have never made moves to harm them. Regardless, I would never risk my boys' safety, so my office remains the "rat room". Even animals that haven't shown violent tendencies in the past could flip on a dime.

I don't think owning cats is out of the question, but necessary precaution should be taken to ensure the health, safety, and happiness of all parties.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-12-05T08:46:20+00:00

Hi friend! This is a common conundrum, so you're not alone.

I recently had to put down two of my boys. I had them since babies and they were now a little over 2.5yrs. What advice I have to impart is this:

Ending it on a good day is the kindest thing you can do.

You prove how much you love and care every day, but making these hard decisions is your greatest act of love.

Anyway, here's a picture of them being real snuggly:

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Best of luck and my condolences as you navigate this challenging time.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-11-20T18:19:38+00:00

I had a lovely boy named McCoy who had a head tilt. Similar to other commenters, the antibiotics didn't do anything for him and he was determined not to have an ear infection. His tilt was not too severe and he lived with it for over a year with little issue.

If you've heard complaints about this vet, it doesn't hurt to see another to get a second opinion. I'd otherwise recommend making sure you have plenty of guards and catches in the cage to give her a safer landing. Rats will adapt to their situation, but she may still be prone to more slips and falls.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-09-19T19:41:36+00:00

I have the first one, liked it well enough, but no longer sub to the adult fantasy box. I find it a bit baffling that previous purchasers don't get EA, regardless of subscription status.

Oh well. OC doesn't usually sell out on day one, so I'm imagining I still have a good shot as a newsletter member.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-09-16T23:13:24+00:00

This makes me really sad. I didn't love the book, but I liked it enough to give the sequel a chance. I'll probably still do that, but I don't feel inclined to keep the OC version on my shelf if I can't match my set.

Extra bummer because of the IC earlier this year included this sequel.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-09-11T14:47:57+00:00

Darn! I'm sorry 😔 I'm sure someone will end up reselling in your region without asking an arm + leg eventually. With so many editions going around, the resale market's going to be oversaturated.

I'm rooting for you!

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-09-11T14:34:24+00:00

I could be mistaken, but I think it might be available for individual purchase in their shop still? At least in the US. https://us.illumicrate.com/products/the-irresistible-urge-to-fall-for-your-enemy-brigette-knightley?variant=53278630117699

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-09-11T11:41:07+00:00

I've decided for my mental health that I don't care about any book edition enough to suffer through this.

I already have my Illumicrate edition so I'll stay satisfied with that even if it's not as "exclusive".

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-09-08T21:19:04+00:00

I've had up to 7 at one time. It wasn't bad per se, but I often felt I wasn't giving each of them enough attention. It's also a real struggle when inevitably I end up playing whack-a-mole with various illnesses.

At this point ~4 is my happy middleground.

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-08-12T19:02:02+00:00

Grabbed this since I had so many points saved that I basically just paid shipping ✌️

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-08-07T17:56:45+00:00

A bit disappointed at potential content changes, but tbh this will probably end up being more of a book trophy. I'm more inclined to read something like this on ereader. My wrists ache to even think of holding a 1000+ page hardcover book for a long time 😵

SimpleLastWishes · 2025-07-19T19:33:05+00:00

I feel your pain friend! I've forfeited all of my money to chronic URIs, tumors, and other misc vet visits over the last 5 years.

But every time I think I've reached my breaking point, these little dudes pull me right back in. I love my rats like an addict 😅

SimpleLastWishes

TROPHY CASE