The Whistling Kettle Book Club

For the month of March we're pairing The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey with Vanilla Cream tea.

The List of Suspicious Things follows twelve-year-old Miv in 1979 Yorkshire, a period overshadowed by the fear and mystery of the Yorkshire Ripper murders. As the adults around her try to shield her from danger, Miv and her best friend Sharon start compiling a “list of suspicious things” and set out to investigate their neighbors and surroundings. What begins as childlike sleuthing becomes a subtle coming-of-age story about friendship, community, and the dawning awareness of the complexities - and prejudices - of the adult world.

Inspired by a story that blends youthful curiosity with both light and shadow, Vanilla Cream black tea offers a smooth, velvet-rich sip with hints of vanilla and subtle floral notes - mirroring the novel’s mix of nostalgic innocence and the deeper, sometimes unexpected truths Miv uncovers.

Read & sip along! Use code: MARCHBOOKCLUB26 for 10% off Vanilla Cream tea, valid through 3/31/26 at 11:59pm EST. Shop in-store at The Open Door Bookstore for 15% off the book all March long!

For the month of February, we're pairing Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt with Mango Pear tea.

In Remarkably Bright Creatures, a quiet widow named Tova works the night shift at a small aquarium where she forms an unexpected bond with Marcellus - a giant Pacific octopus whose cleverness and hidden life mirror her own un-seen depths. Interwoven with a younger man’s search for connection, the novel explores grief, second chances, found family, and the surprising ways life remains luminous even in the shadows of what’s lost.

Mango Pear White combines juicy tropical mango with soft pear sweetness and a smooth white-tea base - mirroring the story’s balance of humor, heart, and discovery. Its bright, uplifting character reflects Marcellus’s clever charm and the fresh sense of wonder that unfolds as the characters’ lives intertwine. It’s a radiant sip for a novel that celebrates second chances and the beauty of connection.

For the month of January, we're pairing Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch with Belgian Chocolate tea.

In Pony Confidential, third-grade teacher Penny Marcus’s once-ordinary life is upended when she is arrested for a decades-old murder she doesn’t remember committing. Meanwhile, her childhood pony - embittered by their separation and his own mistreatment - embarks on a cross-country journey of vengeance, redemption, and reunion. Through alternating perspectives, the novel blends dark humor, mystery, trauma, and the curious bond between human and horse.

The story’s blend of sharp edges (betrayal, legal stakes) and heart (loyalty, reunion) calls for a cup that is comforting but deep. Belgian Chocolate is smooth and warm, offering indulgent cocoa richness without caffeine, which aligns with the novel’s emotional undercurrent of healing and reflection. The chocolate note evokes the pony’s long-buried resentment turning into something tender; the rooibos base suggests calm and a gentle glow after the storm. It’s a comforting sip for a story that surprises you with wit, heart, and grit.

For the month of December, we're pairing Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell with Earl Grey Cream tea.

Hamnet is a moving, lyrical novel imagining the life of Shakespeare’s family, centered on the death of his young son Hamnet. Set against 16th century England and the sweep of plague, the story follows Agnes - his wife - as she navigates love, grief, motherhood, and the lasting resonance of loss. It is intimate, vivid, and deeply human - and soon to be a major motion picture.

Inspired by a tale steeped in emotion and memory, Earl Grey Cream offers bright bergamot layered with soft vanilla warmth - echoing the novel’s balance of sharp grief and tender love. Its smooth, comforting finish evokes the lingering connection between those we love and those we lose. It’s the perfect sip for a story that stays with you long after the final page.

For the month of November, we're pairing The Life Impossible by Matt Haig with Apple Ginger tea.

Grace Winters is a retired math teacher in her seventies, living a quiet, somewhat joyless life in England, weighed down by grief and regret. Out of the blue she inherits a house on the island of Ibiza from a former colleague she barely knew - spurring her into taking a one‐way trip to the Mediterranean, leaving behind her familiar but stagnant life. On the island she encounters strange and magical phenomena, meets new people, and begins to unlearn old patterns, eventually discovering that life still holds wonder, connection and possibility even when you feel you’re past the “main act”.

Inspired by fresh beginnings and quiet transformation, Apple Ginger green and white tea blend offers crisp apple, gentle sweetness, and a hint of ginger warming spice - mirroring the novel’s themes of renewal, discovery, and rekindled wonder. It’s the perfect sip for a story that reminds us it’s never too late to rediscover life’s flavor.

For the month of October, we're pairing The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden with Masala Chai.

Set in 1961 rural Netherlands, the novel follows Isabel, a reclusive caretaker of her late mother’s impeccably preserved country home - until her brother’s vibrant girlfriend, Eva, arrives and sparks a tense, obsessive relationship that gradually forces long-buried emotional and wartime secrets to surface.

Warm, complex, and richly spiced, Masala Chai weaves together cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and other bold flavors to evoke both comfort and depth. Its layered spices reflect the charged dynamics between Isabel and Eva, heightening the tension and stirring of suppressed desires that simmer beneath the surface of the story - just as each spice in the tea unfolds with every sip.

For the month of September, we're pairing The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride with Ancient Forest Yunnan tea.

In 1970s Pottstown, Pennsylvania, the discovery of a skeleton unravels the long-hidden stories of Chicken Hill, a neighborhood where Jewish and Black residents lived side by side. Through the struggles of survival, the fight to protect a deaf boy, and the resilience of community, James McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community - heaven and earth - that sustain us.

Since Ancient Forest Yunnan comes from old-growth tea trees and carries deep, grounding flavors with notes of honey and earth, it felt like the perfect match for this novel’s themes of heritage and strength. Just as the book invites reflection on the power of community, this tea encourages you to slow down and savor each layered sip.

For the month of August, we're pairing The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl with Almond Lemon Panna Cotta tea.

A quiet woman inherits a mysterious Paris apartment and is swept into a world of vintage fashion, fine food, and long-buried secrets. Set against the charm of 1980s Paris, it’s a story of self-discovery, sensuality, and transformation.

Inspired by a decadent European dessert, Almond Lemon Panna Cotta black tea blend offers creamy vanilla, zesty lemon, and delicate almond - mirroring the novel’s elegance, indulgence, and awakening of the senses. It’s the perfect sip for a story steeped in flavor and flair.

For the month of July, we're pairing The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan with Raspberry Lavender herbal tea.

Perched on a seaside bluff, a lavender Victorian house holds a century’s worth of secrets. In The Cliffs, past and present collide as a woman uncovers the haunting, hidden history of the home she’s inherited. Atmospheric, emotional, and beautifully written - this story pairs perfectly with our Raspberry Lavender tea.

Raspberry Lavender tea combines floral and fruity, which aligns beautifully with the novel’s emotional layers - bittersweet memories, family ties, and unexpected discoveries.

For the month of June, we're pairing The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden with comforting Total Body tea.

A hauntingly beautiful tale set amid the shadows of World War I. Echoing with memory, loss, and the flicker of the supernatural, it’s a story that lingers like a chill in the air.

To complement this atmospheric read, we’ve chosen our Total Body blend - a gentle, comforting infusion of chamomile, peppermint, spearmint, honeybush, hibiscus, and delicate flower petals. With every sip, this calming tea wraps around you like a warm memory - the perfect companion for a novel filled with ghosts, grief, and glimmers of hope.

For the month of May, we're pairing North Woods by Daniel Mason with earthy, grounding Comfort Chaga tea.

An absolute tour de force of gorgeous writing, mesmerizing storytelling, and stunning imagination. This is one of the best books we've read in at least a decade!

This unforgettable novel intertwines human lives and the natural world across centuries - and Comfort Chaga is the perfect companion. Made with wild-harvested chaga from the Adirondacks, bee pollen, black pepper, and cinnamon, this earthy brew lets you taste the forest in every sip.