Quick take: After weeks of "comfort" reading (see more here), I had a sudden and powerful appetite for spooky Gothic. These four novels were just what I was craving, and I DEVOURED them in a matter of days. (Many thanks to Myra and Melissa for recommendations!)...
Our final tea adventure of the summer took place at The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. We warmed up with a hike to Fort Mackinac, followed by an 8 mile bike ride around the island. By the time we reached the hotel we were ready for refreshment. Tea service begins at...
Recently we attended a reunion in Iowa, as my brother and his wife had flown in from Japan to introduce their son to the American side of the family. I loved meeting little Hal (he is DELICIOUS) and spending time with people I don't see as often as I'd like. I also...
Every time we travel I strive to thoroughly explore the tea options in that area. As it turns out, Georgetown has a lot to offer! 1. Ladurée I've had the pleasure of visiting this French tea room in Paris, London, and New York. Now I can add Washington DC to the list....
No doubt I've said this before, but lately the world is too much with me. More than ever I crave the escape of fiction, and today I'm recommending one of my very favorite "escape artists" -- Dorothy Emily Stevenson. I wrote about D.E. Stevenson a few years ago when I...
As you might have guessed, when visiting a city I always check out the tea scene. Turns out Brooklyn has a lot of tea to offer! I'd already done my research and planned three tea experiences ahead of time, so imagine my surprise when I randomly walked past this store...
I haven't updated "Tea and a Book" since Christmas! I am determined, however, to mend my ways AND account for April with this post... During a recent chat with my friend and crit partner Brandi, she recommended Sue Monk Kidd's The Invention of Wings. (I think we'd...
Note: I did not take the featured photo above, but it inspires me to more seriously pursue tea photography! As I mentioned in a previous post, last week I had a wonderful visit with my friend Michelle. (Even strep throat couldn't keep us apart!) If you know us at all...
I come to you with tidings of tea and holiday reads! For young (and young-at-heart) readers: Christmas with the Savages, by Mary Clive: Seen through the eyes of a prim little eight-year-old, and based on real events and people, this novel perfectly recaptures a...
Quick take: Quirky and endearing. From the book jacket: Jessica Vye introduces herself with an enigmatic pronouncement: "I ought to tell at the beginning that I am not quite normal, having had a violent experience at the age of nine." A revered author has told Jessica...
Quick take: I was in the mood for something light and quirky, and Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce fit the bill perfectly. Goodreads synopsis: London, 1940. Emmeline Lake is Doing Her Bit for the war effort, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire...
I recently finished Tatiana de Rosnay's Manderley Forever, a carefully researched and annotated biography of Daphne du Maurier that reads like a novel. Some of you might remember my scathing reaction to Rebecca back in 2012. In short, I despised the unnamed heroine of...
Years ago I hosted a few afternoon teas at our old house. The budget was very tight back then, and I've never been much of a cook, so none of those events felt like a proper tea. At some point I figured if I couldn't do it right, I shouldn't do it at all. Recently,...
Patrice Kindl's A School for Brides: A Story of Maidens, Mystery, and Matrimony is a delightful romp for fans of quirky characters and unusual conflicts, not to mention all things Regency. It's a companion to an earlier favorite of mine from Kindl, Keeping the Castle,...
Over the last several months I re-read (or in some cases read for the first time) Agatha Christie's novels and short stories featuring Miss Jane Marple. What a delight! In addition I introduced myself to the Joan Hickson TV adaptations (most excellent) and revisited...
