Facebook PixelCoffee & A Classic Subscription Box Review – June 2018 | MSA
My Subscription Addiction
My Subscription Addiction
Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.

Coffee & A Classic Subscription Box Review – June 2018

closed Coffee and a Classic box

Coffee & A Classic
5 overall rating
4 Ratings | 1 Reviews

Coffee and a Classic is a monthly book & beverage subscription box, curated by Ashlee Doherty. Ashlee’s mission is to create a complete escape each month for lovers of literature, providing a thought out and curated experience where readers can curl up with the book, a beverage, and other bookish items to retreat from everyday life.

Reviewed by popular demand!

open Coffee and a Classic box

There are two different subscription levels available:

  • The STARTER BOX ($25/month + $12 shipping) provides you with a classic book, something to sip on, and 2 bookish items each month.
  • The STANDARD BOX ($38/month + 12 shipping) provides you with a classic book, something to sip (your choice of coffee, tea, hot chocolate) & snack on, a bookmark, a coffee mug, and 1-2 bookish items based on a theme. This book box is also packaged in a high-quality photo box.

With each level of subscription, you can select from three genres: Classic Literature, Children’s Classics, and Classic Nonfiction.

This review is for the Starter Classic Literature Box.

products inside the Coffee and a Classic box

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

Coffee and a Classic June 2018 review

About This Box

The Subscription Box: Coffee and a Classic Starter Box

The Cost: $25.00 a month + $12 shipping. Save 5%-15% with longer pre-paid subscriptions

The Products: A classic book, something to sip on, and 2 bookish items

Ships to: the US only

Good to Know: Boxes ship between the 19th-23rd of each month. You can cancel your subscription at any time (recurring billing happens on the 1st of the month). Each month, a sneak peek is available and you can change genres if something catches your eye.

Coffee and a Classic Starter Classic Literature June 2018 Review

This month’s selection is Lord of the Flies, a 1954 novel by Nobel-Prize winning British author William Golding. The book focuses on a group of young boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves.   

Interesting Fact: Stephen King has cited Lord of the Flies as one of his favorite books. In a foreword to the 2011 edition of the novel, King wrote:

It was, so far as I can remember, the first book with hands – strong ones that reached out of the page and seized me by the throat. It said to me, ‘This is not just entertainment it’s life-or-death.’

Like most subscriptions, the first item you see when you open the box is an info card detailing the products inside. The contents listed include the book itself, a bag of coffee, 2 bookish items and a bookmark.

Lord of the Flies (Hardcover) by William Golding – Retail Value $25.00

The book itself was buried on the bottom, under all the other items. I dug for it – and wanted to review it first! Part of the reason that I was intrigued by reviewing this subscription was to build my collection of hard copy classics – and it’s always a treat to get a hardcover book. From Amazon:

At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate. This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far removed from reality as the hope of being rescued.

So, I haven’t read this book since 11th grade English class and I think at the time, my view of this book was much different. I remember it being kind of sick, but re-reading it as an adult, with a son, gosh – it got me in the pit of my stomach. The primitive violence – it was scary – and definitely not a feel-good read! That said, it’s obviously a well written, thoughtful piece of literature that is as relevant now, as it was in the 1950s when it was written.

And, Harry liked it.

Toasted Coconut Coffee by Lion Coffee (Hawaii Coffee Company) 1.75 oz

Toasted Coconut Coffee by Lion Coffee (Hawaii Coffee Company) 1.75 oz - Buy a 10 oz. bag for $8.45

I don’t typically drink flavored coffee, but when I do its coconut and I was pleased to get this as a little treat in my box this month. It’s nutty, fragrant, and tropical – perfect for digging into a book about a group of boys on a deserted island! This brew is a bold coffee, with a light coconut flavor. I thought it was delish but did add a little bit of sweetener to tailor it to my palate a bit.

Exclusive! Hand Screen Printed Tote Bag by Coffee and a Classic – Estimated Value $15.00 (based on a similar item)

This bag measures 15” wide and 16” tall, with 9.5” drop handles. It’s a neutral color with green handles. It features a black conch shell and the word “listen” stamped on the front as a nod to the book. The conch shell is a symbol of order on the boys newly created society – when you were holding it, you had the right to speak in the group.

This is a great bookish item, and I can always use another tote bag. I like the subtle message – I can carry it and feel smart, but not too nerdy!

Exclusive! Magnet Set Designed by Coffee and a Classic

This little Coffee and a Classic bag contained three Lord of the Flies inspired magnets. The first says “Sucks to your ass-mar!”, the second says “Maybe there is a beast…maybe it’s only us”, and the third says “The greatest ideas are the simplest.” These are fairly thin, flexible magnetics that probably wouldn’t hold much up, but they would be a cute addition to an English teachers file cabinet. I probably won’t display them in my home – as this isn’t one of my favorite books, and I think these quotes are a bit dark. I prefer a more inspiring message!

Exclusive! Hawaiian Koa Wood Bookmark by Coffee and a Classic

Last month my box was missing the bookmark so I was excited to see it included this month. This is a very thin, beautiful wooden bookmark with the quote “The thing is fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream” stamped on it along with a pig’s head on a stick and some boys dancing around a fire. I always like receiving a bookmark with a book as it’s super handy for obvious reasons!

Verdict: It’s hard to quantify the value of this Coffee and a Classic box, because of the exclusive items. Overall, I liked the cohesive theme and bookish items – but although I agree that this is a classic, it’s not one of my favorite reads.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Your first box will be the July selection. From Coffee and a Classic:

Your box will ship between the 3rd Thursday or 4th Monday of every month. Please order by the 15th of the month to get the current box.

Value Breakdown: This box costs $25.00 + $12.00 shipping, which means that each of the 5 items in the box has an average cost of $7.40.

Check out all of our Coffee and a Classic reviews and the Book Subscription Box List!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of the May 2018 Coffee and a Classic?

Starting at $52.99
Active Deal
Get 20% off new month to month subscriptions
Use Coupon Code HOLIDAY21
Subscribe Now

"Sip, snack, and read your way through the classics with this subscription! Relive, or experience anew, some of the best literature of all time with a Coffee and a Classic book box. The book selection varies each month from the tried-and-true classics to some more modern favorites."

Colette Christian
Colette Christian
Colette's subscription addiction started innocently enough with a few beauty boxes in 2013. As her life has evolved, so have her subscriptions - and some of her favorites now include boxes that cater towards lifestyle (Popsugar Must Have), pets (BarkBox), and children (Gap Outfit Box and Mac & Mia).

Join the Conversation

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.

13 comments

Rebecca Carden

I received the Standard Children’s Classic, “The Wind In The Willows.” I absolutely loved everything! The book was a beautiful copy from Barnes And Noble, with gorgeous illustrations. The bookmark, was a wooden one, and a quote from the book. The mug was adorable, as it had all the characters on it, and also included, was a set of pins to wear, with the characters on them as well. Then were was some Lemonade tea, and some soap! There was a bit of a problem with the snack, as it was chocolate candy, and the bag, had come partially opened, and the candy had fallen out and a lot of it had melted, and gotten on some things, but it was taken care of in a very swift manner, and their customer service is wonderful! Kudos to Coffee And A Classic!

Reply ButtonReply

Rebecca Carden

I ordered the Children’s Classic, Standard box, and it was, “Wind In The Willows”, and it was absolutely delightful! The book was a beautiful hardback Barnes And Noble copy, with gorgeous illustrations. There was a very nice wooden bookmark, with a quote from the book on it. Also included, was the adorable mug, with all the characters on it, along with a very cute set of pins, with the characters on them. Then, there was some Lemonade tea, which I can’t wait to try! I was absolutely thrilled with it, and I love this subscription box! This was my third one, and I’ve loved every one of them! There was a bit of a problem, as the candy was partially opened, and most of it fell out, and it was chocolate, and some things were a little messy, but everything was taken care of, in a very appropriate manner, and I was very impressed with their customer service!! Kudos to Coffee And A Classic!

Reply ButtonReply

Emmy Lou

I ordered the classic non-fiction and was disappointed with the quality of the book. It was a cheap paperback, and I ordered the subscription because the reviews and website video highlighted the quality of the editions and promoted them as collectible. Not so in this case. Otherwise, the box was fine although it lacked the uniqueness and magical quality of some of the other box subscriptions. For instance, Godiva chocolate bars are available in most of the grocery stores in my area. Still, I plan to give it a try for a few months in hope of boxes that match the ones highlighted on the website.

Reply ButtonReply

katie

Harry is SO cute!!! That book is definitely not a favorite of mine. Coffee sounds good to me though.

Reply ButtonReply

Michelle

More Harry please.

Reply ButtonReply

Colette

Haha I can’t keep him out of my photo box, you guys will definitely see him grow up. I might throw in his brother Fred too!

Reply ButtonReply

Sharon in SE TX

I received the standard box for Classic Non-fiction. It included:

1. A Moveable Feast: The Restored Edition by Ernest Hemingway
2. Vanilla Cappuccino Hot Chocolate from McSteven’s (the packaging has the Eiffel Tower on it)
3. Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Oysters (6 packets) from GODIVA (melted beyond recognition, but tasty after freezing )
4. Mug designed by Coffee and a Classic (has a quote from the book)
5. Custom Ernest Hemingway Lotion (It’s called “Writer’s Block and smells wonderful)
6. Handmade Leather Luggage Tag (has another quote from the book)
7. Paris Photo Bookmark (has another quote from the book and a photo of the Eiffel Tower on it)

Loved everything!

Reply ButtonReply

Sheri

I am very interested in this subscription! I thought they always included a mug?

Reply ButtonReply

Colette

Yes, but only in the upgraded box.

Reply ButtonReply

Jackie

Looks like that’s the standard box, and this is the starter box – just based on the description above.

Reply ButtonReply

Britt

I got a mug with mine.

Reply ButtonReply

Nicole

I love your corgi!! My corgi baby looks very similar to yours 😊

Reply ButtonReply

Colette

Aren’t they the best!!

Reply ButtonReply