Pembertea is the perfect box for reading subscription box fans who also love a good tea subscription service!
Each month, subscribers will get a thoughtfully curated mix of jewelry, stationery, or other gifts inspired by Jane Austen's books, as well as loose-leaf, organic tea to enjoy!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Pembertea
The Cost: $35.00 per month, or save with longer commitments
The Products: Jane Austen inspired items, including bookmarks, body and bath products, home items, jewelry, accessories, stickers, and stationery, and a sample or full-size organic, loose-leaf tea.
Shipping: Ships free to U.S. customers via USPS. Ships to Canada for $7.00.
Check out more book subscription boxes in our Book Subscription Box Directory, or explore tea subscription boxes in our Tea Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
The box comes with a folded-paper info booklet with details about the items inside. There's also information about how they create their "Contemporary Collection" of Austen-inspired fan items on the back. It looks like there's a good mix of exclusive items and items made by small companies and artisans in this month's box.
As Long As There Is Tea, There Is Hope Sticker - Listed Value $3.95
What a cute sticker! It's got a lovely velvety-smooth feeling to it, too. It's about 3" x 3" square and relatively thick for what seems like a coated paper sticker. The quote isn't Austen—it's actually by actor Arthur Wing Pinero—but it's certainly relevant in this tea-centered box. $3.95 feels a little too pricey for a sticker like this (I would've guessed it would be about $1-$2), but it is certainly adorable!
Sassy Austen Magnet from FlyPaper Products - Value $5.00 (Listed value $7.50)
Usually, these kinds of sassy-thought-bubbles-on-retro-images items aren't really my style, but I just love this magnet! I wish there were more men who actively love Austen, or that the ones who do love Austen feel comfortable expressing it so enthusiastically as these two gents. This hard, shiny magnet is about the size of a business card and has a good amount of stick to it. I don't think it's the most powerful thing in the world, but if you wanted to hang, say, your book club's schedule on the fridge, I think you could confidently do so with this little guy.
I found that this magnet was listed on the FlyPaper site shop for slightly less than it's listed for in the info booklet ($7.50), just in case you noticed that discrepancy!
Jane Austen Socks by Socksmith - Value $8.48 (Listed value $8.00)
I love a good pair of novelty socks, and these ones are so darn pretty! I love the combination of deep teal blue, purple, and gold tones in these soft, cotton-blend socks. This is a funny quote to use here, since I believe it's said in kind of a superficial way by Caroline Bingley as a means to try to ingratiate herself to Mr. Darcy rather than a quote from a true lover of reading. Still, these socks are really fun and comfortable to wear. They're on the thinner side, so they're light and breathable—perfect for the end of summer!
Pride and Prejudice Bath Salts from the Soap Librarian, 4 oz - Value $3.75 (Listed value $8.00)
First thing to note—there's a big difference between how this was priced in the info booklet and the price I estimated based on what I found online. (The Soap Librarian sells a 16 oz jar of these bath salts for $15.00, so proportionally, this 4 oz container would be just $3.75, rather than the $8.00 the booklet lists.)
Pricing issue aside, this is a really lovely handmade mixture of epsom salt, flowers, and sea salt. The fragrance is kind of like an earthy rose tea. It's really beautiful and somewhat sensual, too.
Austen Bookpages Hair and Scarf Clip - Value $6.00 (Listed value $9.00)
This is another item that was listed on the retail shop's site at a price less than what's in the booklet. Nonetheless, it's a really cute clip that you can wear in your hair, clip on your fall scarf, or use to add a little pop to any part of your outfit that's clip-able. The rose is made of paper pages of an Austen novel (the one I got looks like pages from Emma) that's been glued into a bit of burlap and then onto an alligator clip. I wish the glue was less apparent on the bottom, but you probably won't see if when the clip is being worn.
Jane Austen Temporary Tattoos from Archie McPhee - Value $7.00
These tattoo designs are hilarious! The booklet suggests wearing the "imprudent" one as a lower back tattoo to "scandalize" your book club, haha! My favorite is the Elinor and Edward rose that says "Elinor Greatly Esteems Edward". These temporary tattoos come in a handy flat tin for easy storage. They make me want to host an Austen-themed party just to share them with friends!
Queen Green Tea by Luna Tea Co. - Value $6.00
If the way this tea looked wasn't magical enough, it comes delivered in this cute corked test tube! It really makes it feel like you're putting together a potion when you pour the leaves into your tea infuser or basket. I found this tea to be super rosy, which is perfect for the romantic English vibe of Austen!
Verdict: I thought this was a really cute box! The items were so unique—I think the tattoos were my favorite find. As an Austen fan, I really loved shuffling through these quirky items, and the (gorgeous, tasty) loose-leaf tea was a nice touch, too. There's just about $40.00 worth of products inside this $35.00 box (shipping was free to me in the U.S.), so it seems like a good value. I feel a little odd that several of the items were listed in the booklet as being several dollars more than what their makers sell them for—the box ended up being worth its cost either way, after all. Maybe they're counting in shipping costs you'd have to pay to get each item? I'm not sure. Either way, this is a fun box that I'd definitely recommend for other Austen readers!
What did you think of Pembertea?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.