Review - Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

A guest review by @gurlwithbooks

An official synopsis:

“The compelling story of two outsiders striving to find their place in an unforgiving world. Drifters in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other and a dream–a dream that one day they will have some land of their own. Eventually they find work on a ranch in California’s Salinas Valley, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie, struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy, becomes a victim of his own strength.”

This is the fast paced story of two friends, Lennie and George. I was indeed fascinated by the diversity of our two protagonists, especially the way Lennie’s character was described. It was extremely beautiful - it even had me in tears a couple of times.

I devoured this book in a couple of days because the story totally had me at the edge of my seat. The ending was unexpected and tragic.

All in all, I really loved the story, especially the diversity of characters and landscape. I’m so glad I got a chance to read this tragic yet beautiful story and it was surely a 5 star read!

Of Mice and Men was featured in the November 2019 Classic parcel from the NovelTea Book Club. If you’d like to learn more, or sign up to receive one of our monthly book & tea subscription parcels, please feel free to check out the rest of our website.

7 Gifts for Aussie Book Lovers

It shouldn’t surprise you to know that I LOVE giving gifts. After all, I do run a business that includes handwrapping 60 books every month. Honestly though, the thrill of finding the perfect gift for a friend, and the shared joy as they receive it? It’s hard to beat those warm fuzzy feelings.

I am also incredibly thankful that my life is full of book-ish friends, but whoa it’s sometimes hard to find gifts for them! Buying an actual book is way too tricky - have they already read it? Is it the sort of book they’d rather just borrow from the library? Do they actually secretly hate my taste in books? I’ve basically given up on that line of giving.

Instead, here are a few of my favourite alternative gifts for Australian bookworms, featuring some of my favourite Australian small businesses. Christmas is just around the corner, but these would also be perfect gifts for birthdays, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or just to let a book-loving friend know how much you appreciate them.

Studio Nikulinsky Notebook - from $7.50

I adore the native Australian flora and fauna illustrations at Studio Nikulinsky, and I’ve been eyeing off their notebooks in particular to give to all of my friends this Christmas (shhh!).

Spark and Sparrow Candle - from $7.95

I have a small collection of Spark and Sparrow candles and they’re all so creative and smell amazing! Madi has many bookish options so there’s something to suit all book lovers.

NovelTea Book Club Subscription - from $19/month

Of course I think that a NovelTea Book Club gift subscription would make the perfect gift for any book lover. There are options for a new (Classic) or secondhand (Minimalist) book, and you can also choose between tea or coffee!

Kit Cronk Mug - from $20

Kit has my absolute favourite bookish mug designs. From the hilarious to the poignant to the absolute truths of bookworm life, you’ll definitely find something perfect for the book lover in your life.

Trim and Thread Book Sleeve - from $30

All of the products at Trim & Thread are hand sewn and such wonderful quality. I ordered a custom pouch earlier this year, but I also love Melissa’s beautiful book sleeves - protect your books in style!

Red Parka Cushion Cover - from $40

I love Jennifer Cossin’s collective nouns books and her illustrations are beautiful! What better way to celebrate and display her artwork than one of the stunning cushion covers from Red Parka.

Upcycled Book Club Handbag - from $62

I discovered these bags while browsing Etsy one day and I am weirdly obsessed with them. I love Leanne’s creativity and the idea of giving old books a completely new life!

And a little bonus extra suggestion, because I’m so excited to be launching these very soon:

NovelTea Classic Box - From $69

A premium option from the NovelTea Book Club, these boxes are one-off, limited edition boxes created around a hardcover Clothbound Classic, a box of tea and a curated selection of high quality items.

I hope this helps you the next time you’re searching for the perfect gift for a beloved bookworm. Or maybe it’s given you a few ideas of hints to drop for Christmas this year…

Happy gifting!

Review - We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

A guest review by @lostinstacks

“I'm going to put death in all their food and watch them die.”

Like all of Shirley Jackson’s work, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is equal parts disturbing and magical. Merricat’s voice is sharp, funny and CREEPY - she teases us with what she knows and seems unable to feel remorse. From the beginning we know her whole family has been slipped arsenic in their sugar to gobble up with her blueberries (cur this month’s tea).

Full of themes of female repression, of the stifling life and threat of being a woman at that time, and a similar feel to Yellow Wallpaper, nobody should send Merricat to her room. That is made abundantly clear.

Don’t be wrong, this book is not a confession; you never find out why her family has been murdered, other than Merricat was a naughty child. With her haunting, creepy mannerism and violent outbursts (as well as the many household tasks she isn’t allowed to do), this is a fantastic example of unreliable narration. My love affair with Shirley Jackson continues...

We Have Always Lived in the Castle was featured in the October 2019 Classic parcel from the NovelTea Book Club. If you’d like to learn more, or sign up to receive one of our monthly book & tea subscription parcels, please feel free to check out the rest of our website.

Introducing...

After months of preparation and a few teaser posts on social media, I am beyond excited to finally be able to introduce the NovelTea Classic Boxes.

Our monthly subscription parcels ship as large envelopes to keep shipping costs low. This has provided me with a creative challenge each month as I source books and items to meet the size and weight restrictions that come with envelope shipping. There are so many items and amazing Australian small businesses that I would love to feature in the monthly subscription, but they just don’t fit!

Enter… NovelTea Classic Boxes.

A premium option that would make the perfect gift for any Australian book lover (or why not treat yourself?). These boxes will be limited edition, themed around a beautiful hardcover Penguin Clothbound Classic. Each will included a whole box of loose leaf tea (not just a sample!), a loose leaf tea infuser, and 2-3 other bookish treats that I’ve always wanted to share with you all. Think candles, tote bags, jewellery, cushion covers, mugs as well as exclusive bookmarks and art prints… Can you see why I’m excited?

These gift boxes are one-off purchases, rather than a subscription. But like the subscription parcels, you can expect curated, high quality items, lovingly selected and hand-wrapped. Each box will also include a card with information about each of the items and the small businesses I’ve worked with.

Again, these boxes will be limited edition. They take more time and planning to put together, so at this stage there’s no release schedule. Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to find out when new boxes are on their way!