Read Between The Vines – Book Club in a Box That is Refreshingly Unique!
Books, Wine and Chocolate! Read Between The Vines – Book Club in a Box That is Refreshingly Unique!
Book clubs are a great way to connect, engage and have fun with fellow readers. This past year Covid brought the world to a collective standstill. We had to quarantine, isolate, abandon workplaces, social activities like book clubs and so much more. But it also brought about incredible resilience and creativity resulting in newfound ways to be and remain connected with each other and our books.
BooknBrunch pivoted to host more events online to connect books, authors and readers in fun new ways like hosting various book clubs on their easy-to-use platform. This month we are excited to feature another bookish business that also saw a way for people to connect like never before!
This July we highlight Emma from @readbetweenthevines.ns and the #bookclubinabox which complements BooknBrunch’s mission to connect books with readers and our unique hosting platform!
Emma and the Read Between The Vines book club are teaming up to present the July book: Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia’s The Son of The House!
Why we Love Emma & Read Between The Vines!
Emma was born in Bermuda and grew up in Nova Scotia. She is a marine biologist and researcher who considers herself a lay wine and chocolate connoisseur.
She is also a passionate reader. Each month Emma from Read Between The Vines curates a monthly “book club in a box” that features diverse authors paired with local to Nova Scotia chocolate and your choice of coffee, tea and wine! Yup – wine! Best of all you get to be part of the monthly book club chats where Emma sets the reading pace with three reading dates for book clubbers to meet, snack, sip and chat!
Image by @readbetweenthevines
How it all Began:
Emma says her inspiration came in the summer of 2020 when Covid had taken hold and shut down many parts of the world. “Last summer I was stuck at home (like everyone else) and was desperately searching for a Canadian Book Box that had an option for a virtual book club and fewer “trinkety” items. I wanted all of the items inside the box to be consumable.” Emma also sought to find books that “were a bit left of mainstream literature.” A fan of book clubs, she wanted to include an element that would connect readers virtually and while in quarantine. Emma combined her love for reading, experience in the wine industry, passion for gourmet chocolate and drive for connection and launched her business in October 2020. The first batch of boxes shipped in November 2020.
What Emma Loves Most About Read Between The Vines:
“The crown jewel of my business is my virtual Book Club. I am most proud that I’ve been able to build a community through my book club of friends who meet weekly and chat, drink wine, munch on chocolate, and pick apart what we love or hate about the characters or plots in the book we are reading each month.” These elements truly make up the perfect book club experience. Emma has found a unique and untapped way to combine these pieces despite being amidst a pandemic where social distancing requirements meant ceasing in-person book clubs. And even with the world reopening, the community Emma has created will continue to flourish as it continues to grow beyond community and provincial borders.
Books Featured:
Emma says she feels it is important to feature “authors with unique points of view” including 2SLGBTQ+ authors, BIPOC and OWN voices, women authors, non-English speaking authors and Indigenous authors and storytellers. RBTV books span a range of genres that seek to bring authentic stories from diverse and indie authors to readers. Emma’s goal: to put books in readers’ hands that they might not otherwise find in their typical searches and social media feeds. Emma feels fortunate to have had several authors join in on the fun such as Bianca Marais (Hum if You Don’t Know the Words), Melissa Rivero (Affair of the Falcons), and Catherine Bush (Blaze Island).
What’s in the Box:
Every good book club includes a few classic accoutrements to the book: something to sip and nibble. With the @readbetweenthevines.ns book club box, you get exactly what you need: a book, a treat and a drink. Each box comes with locally produced artisanal chocolate from small chocolatiers in Nova Scotia. There are three drink options: Wine (red/white), coffee or tea. Emma works with a sommelier to find the perfect vintage to pair with the season and chocolate. For coffee lovers, Emma works with a local cafe to select organic, fair trade and locally roasted coffee. Emma has also connected with World Tea House in Halifax whose owner travels the world to find the best teas and hand blends them to make unique blends for the perfect cuppa. The combination is a thoughtfully curated box that is full-bodied, rich and invigorating!
Image by @readbetweenthevines
Image by @readbetweenthevines
Setting the Pace:
What truly makes RBTV unique is that it is the only book box subscription in Canada that includes a book club! Each Sunday, Read Between The Vines welcomes its subscribers to a weekly virtual book club chat. With your book, glass and confection at hand, simply connect and get ready for robust discussion from participants across Canada! Subscribers simply email Emma stating that they wish to be included and choose between two weekly times (Sunday at 12:30 pm or 5:30 pm AST). Participants receive an email with the virtual link. This month, Emma is partnering with BooknBrunch to host the wrap-up book club chat!
Book Club Tips:
Book club chats can be tricky (especially so without the drinks and treats!). Emma feels that the best book club chats happen when conversations canflow naturally. While discussion points are handy – be flexible! Emma feels that touching on central themes is just as important as allowing people to organically chat about what they have read and tap into their critical reflections. For multiple chats about one book, Emma suggests having a reading schedule and to keep the reading groups on the smaller side to create intimate discussions that allow everyone to share and feel heard.
How to Get Your Own RBTV Book Club Box:
By now you have one question: how do I order?!
You can find Emma by going to readbetweenthevines.ca, and on Facebook or Instagram at @ReadBetweenTheVines.NS. Boxes can be purchased individually for $62; a 6-month subscription for $58 per monthly box; or with a 12-month subscription for $56 per monthly box. All prices include shipping! You also have the option to add unique accessories to your box like bookmarks and coasters made from sustainable materials.
Cheers to new friends & great books!
Looking to take your book club to the next level? Connect with us to host your own BooknBrunch book club event! Sign up for free and learn how to host your event.
Melanie Wagstaff lives with her high school sweetheart (now husband), two children, and cat. Melanie practices social work in child welfare and loves chocolate, hearty laughs, engaging discourse, and the occasional run. Melanie is a voracious reader and believes in the power of knowledge, the written word, and storytelling.
Favourite book: Eek! Just one?! Fave read for 2020: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Favourite brunch spot: My dining room table prepared by my hubby and complemented by fresh food from our local markets.
