About the Blogger
Hello, my name is Jackie. Iām a thirty-something mother of a rambunctious toddler from a small town in Michigan. When Iām not toddler-wrangling, Iām often seeking refuge from lifeās most chaotic moments in a cup of hot tea. I also love getting lost in storiesāboth in books and virtually. I enjoy speculative fiction the most, and I am especially eager to read fantasy novels and horror novels. When Iām feeling especially indulgent (usually after everyone in the house has gone to sleep), I like to dive into video games and explore the sprawling worlds in Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect.
About the Blog
By Golly, Ollie!, formally known as Books & Tea, started as a mostly-YA book blog back in 2011. It was a little niche I carved out for myself post-college as a way to get back into reading. (All of those college textbooks burned me out!) These days, the the luxury to sit down and read seems non-existent, but I do enjoy an audiobook when cleaning the house. So, Books & Tea has evolved into By Golly, Ollie!, a lifestyle blog that features some of my favorite things: books, tea, and geekery.
Are you new? Start here!
Good Reads
- The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix — Check out of teas I paired with Hendrix’s terrifying vampire novel.
- The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie – The Mistresses of Versailles series is one of three book series I actually finished. It even inspired me to bake up a tasty treat: Pain au Chocolat for the Mistresses of Versailles. (See also: Four Reasons Why You Should Read the Mistresses of Versailles Series).
- The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson – Bryson is my favorite non-fiction/travel writer. He’s one of the few authors I make space for on my book shelf. (I also wrote about his books Shakespeare: His World as Stage and A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail)
- Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern – I rarely read YA these days, but I have a special place in my heart for Halpern’s geeky coming-of-age story.
Tasty Teas
- Yunnan Golden Buds from California Tea House – a reflection on the less glamorous moments of motherhood while sipping a comforting black tea with cocoa and malt aromas
- 2020 Rohini First Flush from Masters Teas – a fleeting moment of luxury among the chaos with the “Champaign of teas”.
- Gyokuro from Japanese Green Tea Co. – a sense of nostalgia with a green tea that is savory umami that fades to sweetgrass in later infusions
Geekery
- 2019 Motor City Comic Con – loot from my first comic book convention!
- Five Reasons Why You Should Read Ms. Marvel, vol 2 (or, if Ms Marvel isn’t your thing, check out my thoughts on Fables vol 1 & 2 or Batman: the Dark Knight Returns or Nimona)
- Back to Hogwarts with the Boy Who…tea from Adagio Teas – fandom teas blend two of my favorite things– geekery and tea! But, if Harry Potter isn’t your think (and I don’t blame you), perhaps you will appreciate the Tardis Tea Pot de Creme I baked up a few years back. (I also have a fandom blend series on my TeaTube channel *inconspicuous wink*)
Lifestyle
Other posts that may interest you are:
- My 2021 Word of Intent: Joy
- Five Monthly Favorites (spoiler: it’s usually tea and my son)
- Reflections on Motherhood
- Travel Guides to Portland, Maine (2) or the Slate Run Living Historical Farm in Canal Winchester, OH
Can I please just say: I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU DO TEA REVIEWS. Seriously, I’m so impressed by that. I’m more of a coffee girl, but I’m getting into tea as well, since one of my friends is slightly obsessed with it and keeps giving it to me for birthdays/Christmas/every single occasion in between. (Like, way to be subtle, right? š ) Hm… perhaps I should hook you guys up…
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Thank you!
I’m still a bit of a coffee gal too. Especially since my town has a coffee company that sells packages of coffee beans that have been roasted in the store THAT DAY. So good. But one Christmas (about 8 years ago), I just out of the blue asked for a tea pot. And that was that.
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I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award: http://thereadingwench.com/2015/02/21/the-liebster-award/
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Congratulations! I have nominated you for the Beautiful Blogger Award.
For more information:
https://thelitmermaid.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/beautiful-blogger-award/
Have a great day. ā¤
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How have I not found this blog before. Lovely reviews cant wait to read more from you!
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I don’t know, but I’m so happy we’ve found each other at least, Laura!
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Hey Jackie, I nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award. Check it out here https://diminishingthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/tagsawards-and-such-the-sunshine-blogger-award/
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Tea reviews!? This is a blog after my own heart š
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Book and tea, what else could we ask for??
Looking forward to discovering your blog š
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