Hello!
Hello, my name is Jackie, and welcome to By Golly, Ollie! (formally known as Books & Tea). I have been blogging here for nearly a decade, though recently this site has endured several name changes and facelifts. I have attempted to repurpose this space several times, but I keep going back to my roots, which is writing about books and tea– even if those books are mostly picture books these days. Below, you will find my latest blog posts, my latest TeaTube videos, and all of the tea that keeps me grounded and keeps me going. And of course, thank you for stopping by!
Latest Blog Posts
Books & Tea: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
I used to be adamant about my distaste for Romance novels. I knew them as the Harlequin Romance novels my mom used to devour alongside Junior Mints on a quiet Sunday afternoon or the bodice rippers one of my friends used to have her nose buried in during high school lunches. I thought they were…
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Books & Tea: Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
Like many folks, or at least like the folks in my liberal echo chamber of the internet, I spent a fair amount of 2020 in lockdown unlearning everything I was taught in U.S. History class. Then I was, at some point, struck with the desire to take a somewhat-chronological deep dive into U.S. History and…
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Finding Balance in a Cup of Phoenix Oolong from DAVIDsTEA
Somehow, 2021 has been a more challenging year than 2020. I feel guilty for saying that for obvious reasons, but 2021 has left me feeling languished and stretched too thin (“like butter scraped over too much bread” as Bilbo Baggins might say). However, amid Oliver’s recent recess from school, I finally found relief. Granted, I…
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Teas to Sip While Reading The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Ever since I read My Best Friend’s Exorcism a few years back, Grady Hendrix has topped a very short list of Authors Whose Books I Instantly Buy Hardcover Copies of Upon Their Release, While Simultaneously Reading Their Backlist Books. The list of authors is shorter than the title… So, when the Southern Book Club’s Guide…
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Five March Favorites
I always seem to start these posts by writing something along the lines of, “I can’t believe [insert month here] is already over. How did another one slip through my fingers?” But alas…here I am…wondering how another month flew by. This is absolutely a reflection of how present I am each day. I’m always looking…
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Blooming Tea on an Almost-Spring Day
One of my unofficial New Year’s Resolutions was to enjoy at least one cup of tea outdoors each day. So far, I’ve neglected this practice, but in my defense, I always forget how bitter cold February can be in Michigan. I’m not sure any amount of cabin fever can drive me outdoors in ten-degree weather…
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