Camino Island

Title: Camino Island

Author: John Grisham

Narrator: January LaVoy

Publisher: Random House Audio, 2017

Format: 9 hours, 7 compact discs

Genre: crime fiction

Obtained: library



Summary:  Five original manuscripts written by F. Scott Fitzgerald have been stolen from Princeton University.  Mercer, a writer, is contacted by a woman from a secret organization and is offered a huge sum of money to get close to Bruce Cable (owner of a bookstore on Camino Island) who is thought to be in possession of the manuscripts.  She is then to report back everything she observes to this organization.

Thoughts:  This book was a bit different from what I expect from John Grisham.  Yes, there was a crime and the law was involved in a way, but the majority of the story focused on the inner turmoil, sentimentality, and life of the main character rather than action.  It was also not as complex and had simpler ideas than past books by this author, maybe because it did not involve the courtroom.

There were more minor characters present than in most of Grisham's other novels.  I really liked most of the characters he created, but I just could not feel a connection to Mercer, the main character.  She was well developed, but it was hard to want her to succeed because she was just not likeable to me.

I loved the setting and that the story was all about literature, writing, and authors.  The narrator was clear and read at a good pace, but I did notice that Mercer's southern accent was heavy at times and almost not present at others.  I did not lose interest at all, even though this was not the suspenseful thriller Grisham usually writes.

All in all this was a light, entertaining, quick read.  If you're looking for a nail-biting fast paced thriller, as most of Grisham's books are, you might be disappointed. Nevertheless, Grisham is a very talented writer, and this book shows us a different side to his writing.  This would make a fantastic beach read or entertainment while traveling or waiting for an appointment.


                                                                     

Company: Adagio Teas

Tea: Green Rooibus Key West

Obtained: purchased








I purchased the Green Rooibus Sampler from Adagio Teas which contains four different green rooibus samples, each making 8 -10 cups of tea.  Green rooibus is not oxidized like red rooibus tea which results in a different flavor.  The samples came in a gift box and each sample was in a resealable bag.  Today I tried the Green Rooibus Key West tea.  When I opened the bag, I found long, light brown leaves mixed with marigold leaves.  There was a fruity scent to the leaves. I put one teaspoon of leaves into my tea ball and poured eight ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for five minutes.  The liquid was a light yellow and had a very faint fruity scent.  The taste was smooth and delicate with mango and apricot flavors in the background.  This tea had a hint of sweetness to it.  This is a delicious caffeine free beverage for those that like a fruit / tea blend- especially mangoes and apricots. I will be trying this one iced in the warmer months.

Travel as Transformation

Title: Travel as Transformation

Author: Gregory V. Diehl

Publisher: Identity Publications, 2016

Genre: nonfiction

Pages: 142

Obtained: from author in return for an honest review






Summary: The author explains the process of stepping away from your culture and routines of daily life, and putting your world view, personal history, and beliefs aside, to find your true self through travel.

Thoughts:  What made this book so interesting to me was that the author and I have such different lifestyles.  The author is someone who lives a nomadic life, experiencing many different cultures and people.  I am a mom that has lived in the same small town for 18 years among the same people only experiencing this one culture.  The author has been on a journey, not only physically traveling the world, but an intentional journey to find his true self by continuously immersing himself into new cultures.  Each time he travels to a new place, he puts aside the barriers of cultures and people that he has experienced in the past and experiences a new self.  In this way he can see what makes him who he really is- what is really inside him, not what the outside world is making him.

This book really gave me food for thought.  The author's ideas were new to me and it really made me think.  Also, I have been contemplating the author's lifestyle and the courage it must have taken him to begin this journey.  To me, the idea of immersing myself into a new culture is terrifying, but I can see how it would force someone to grow.

Although the author was describing  new ideas to me, it was easy to understand because of his clear writing style.  He explained a complex idea and process step by step, giving personal examples along the way.  Also, the book was not long and drawn out.  It was just enough to get his point across.

This would be a terrific book for anyone on an intentional journey to find their true selves, someone that likes to travel, or anyone interested in some new ideas related to self.  It would also be a fantastic book for a book discussion.  I can see some heated debates about the ideas in this book.  It is not for someone looking for a detailed travel book or memoir.


                                                                          

Company: Art of Tea

Tea: Bright Eyed

Obtained: gift









I received a 4 ounce bag of Bright Eyed tea for Christmas.  It was handcrafted by Art of Tea, which is an organic tea importer and wholesaler based in Los Angeles, California.  The tea is a blend of organic cinnamon, organic ginger, turmeric, sarsaparilla, and organic black peppercorn.  The package states that it "draws from Ayurvedic principles to energize and awaken your mind and body, all without caffeine".

The tea came in a good quality resealable bag (seen in the picture).  It was a pretty blend of spices in oranges, yellows, and browns. It had a wonderful strong, spicy scent.  I put two teaspoons of tea into my teapot and poured sixteen ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves.  I let this brew for five minutes.  The bright yellow liquid had a spicy, peppery taste with a sarsaparilla aftertaste that stuck around for a long time.

I really liked this tea.  I love that it was a blend containing turmeric.  I have tried adding turmeric to drinks for the health benefits and, every time, all I could think about was pickles.  It was not so with this blend.  It didn't remind of pickles at all.  In a way, it was reminiscent of chai tea, which I love, but with a different spice combination.  It definitely has that very strong spicy, peppery taste.  If you are looking for health benefits and like spicy, this is a must try. 

2018 Audio Book Challenge

I have joined the 2018 Audio Book Challenge hosted by Hot Listens and Caffeinated Reviewer.  My goal is to listen to at least 10 audio books this year to reach the Stenographer level.  I love listening to audio books on long drives and while doing household chores, especially folding laundry.  I will list the books I listen to for this challenge here. Click on the title to see my review of the book.  If you would like more information about this challenge, or would like to join, please click here.

The Woman in White

Title: The Woman in White

Author: Wilkie Collns

Narrator: Ian Holme

Publisher: AudioGo, 2007, first published in 1860

Format: 20 compac discs, 24 hours 37 minutes

Genre: classic

Obtained: library




Summary: Walter Hartright, an art teacher, is preparing to travel to Limmeridge House in Cumberland where he has been hired to teach two young women, Laura Fairlie and Marian Holcombe.  Before he leaves, he encounters a woman, dressed all in white, who is lost.  He assists her, and later finds out that she has escaped from an asylum.  He is somewhat haunted by this woman who is connected to Limmeridge house.  She spent the best years of her life there as a child and remembers it fondly.  What happens when the woman in white reappears in Cumberland?

Thoughts: I LOVED this book.  It just seemed to have everything- amazing characters, intriguing setting, engaging plot, romance, humor, mystery, power struggles, secrets, lies, and surprising twists.  The story was told by multiple narrators, so that the reader got pertinent parts of the story directly from the eyewitnesses, similar to a court hearing.  This was an interesting way to present the story, but it also enabled the author to show the reader extensive details of the characters personalities. The characters were, well, weird.  The villain in the story was a master of manipulation and lies. He was intelligent and charming, showy and conceited, yet creepy and menacing- pure evil.  There was a hypochondriac uncle that was annoying, yet funny.  Marian was an intelligent, masculine, ugly female.  Laura was beautiful, feminine, and unintelligent.  These are just a few examples.  All the characters were odd and quirky.

The setting was mid-19th century, England - perfect for a mystery.  Some of the story took place at Limmeridge House, a beautiful Victorian mansion, while most of the darker part of the story enfolded at Blackwater Park which was more Gothic.  The reader traveled all over, including both the country and the city.

The plot itself encompassed so much.  The story was detailed and started off by having the reader get to know the players in the story.  The story did not bog down, but kept moving forward with the pace picking up a bit in the middle and at the end.  The main themes that stood out for me were the trouble that money can cause, how the justice system does not always help people, and how unfair the law was to women at the time this story took place.

The author's style of writing is hard to describe. He writes with a different style for each narrator which goes along with their personality.  The constants are that all the writing is detailed and easy to follow.  Also, the author gets to emotions, and keeps the reader engaged.  Some of the writing is flowery and romantic.  Other parts of the writing are harsh and simple.  The feel of the complete work was similar to that of Tara Road by Maeve Binchy (one of my favorite books) in that it felt full and complete.  I felt like I got everything and when I got to the end, I didn't want to leave the characters.

The narrator of this particular audio book was incredible.  He portrayed the characters by slightly changing his voice for each, but somehow bringing them to life.  He added to the feelings in the book- romantic, creepy, joyous, haunting, etc...  He read at a perfect pace and spoke clearly no matter the dialogue.

This is a great book for when you have time to fully enjoy it, not for when you want a quick read.  It is a book you immerse yourself into.  It would be a great book for a book club because there are so many things to discuss about this elaborate book, but make sure there is plenty of time to complete it.


                                                

Company: The Whistling Kettle

Tea: Scottish Breakfast

Obtained: purchased



I purchased the Breakfast Sampler from The Whistling Kettle.  It came in a colorful gift box (seen in the picture).  There were 6 resealable bags with different tea samples of "robust, full-bodied" teas in the box.  Today I tried the Scottish Breakfast tea.  This, according to the bag, is a "blend of black tea from India, Kenya, and China".  I put 2 1/2 teaspoons of the long black leaves in my teapot.  The leaves had a sweet, woodsy scent.  I poured water that had been boiled over the leaves and let this steep for 4 minutes.  The liquid was a dark reddish brown and had a light sweet, woodsy scent.  The taste was malty with a bit of sweetness to it.  It was full-bodied.  The website states this tea has a medium caffeine content.  This is a great tea to have with a hearty breakfast.

2018 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

I have joined the 2018 Historical Reading Challenge hosted by Passages to the Past.  I just started reading this genre a couple of years ago, and have found some memorable books.  I would definitely like to explore this genre some more.  My goal is to read at least 2 books for this challenge to reach the 20th Century Reader level.  This may not seem like much of a goal, but I have made many reading commitments for the year, and none of them are historical fiction books.  I hope that by joining this challenge, I will leave some time for this genre.  If you would like more information about this challenge, or would like to join, please click here.

Christmas Carol & the Defenders of Claus

Title: Christmas Carol & the Defenders of Claus

Author: Robert F. Fouch

Publisher: Sky Pony Press, 2017

Pages: 245

Genre: children's fantasy (ages 8-12)

Obtained: from publisher in exchange for an honest review






Summary: Carol loves Christmas to the point that other students at school call her Christmas Carol.  When she finds out that she has powers that give her the opportunity to be a Defender of Claus (someone who protects and serves Santa), she decides to go to the North Pole for training.  There she finds out about the Masked Man who is out to get Santa.  What can she do to help?

Thoughts: I read this book to my 10 year old son. We both enjoyed it. He is a low level reader for his age, but he easily understood what was going on.  He could not have read this on his own due to the advanced vocabulary and sentence structure.  It seems to be written at a middle school reading level.  This would be a terrific book for advanced readers in elementary school.  It would also be a wonderful book to read to a group of kids that are a wide range of ages, but be aware that it has very long chapters.

In this book there is no question that Santa, the elves, and flying reindeer exist at the North Pole. It is a fantastic adventure that starts in Florida, takes the reader to New York City (Rockefeller Center of course), and then around the world with a stop in the Dominican Republic.  The Defenders of Claus are from a variety of countries, but the story mentions mostly American customs and traditions.  It does  make clear that Christmas is celebrated differently around the world and that Santa respects this.  It gives the message that Christmas is about giving, not getting.

It was refreshing to read a story about Santa that wasn't geared toward very young children.  The plot was simple, but the author really engages the reader through the characters he created and his writing style.  The author writes in a way that makes the reader feel he or she is right there with Carol.  He adds details and descriptions that really add to the fantastic adventure.  The characters come to life and as you read, you see them in your head.  Most of the characters are odd, quirky, and interesting.  My son and I wanted to know more about the Masked Man and hope that there will be a sequel to this story so that we can find out more.  What a great book for older kids that believe in Santa!





                                                                      

Company: Adagio Teas

Tea: Caramel

Obtained: purchased



I purchased the Sweet Tooth Sampler from Adagio Teas.  It came in a gift box with four resealable bags of different dessert teas.  Today I sampled the Caramel tea, which is a black tea with caramel flavor added.  When I opened the bag, I got the scent of both the black tea and sweet caramel.  I put two teaspoons of the long, thin, black leaves into my teapot and poured sixteen ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves.  I let this steep for three minutes.  The liquid was a dark orange brown.  It did not have a strong scent, but there was a light scent of sweet caramel mixed with black tea.  The taste was of a full body black tea blended with sweet caramel.  The sweetness and flavoring was not overpowering in this tea.  This is a great blend for when you are looking for something slightly sweet without the calories.  It does have a high caffeine content, so it may not be the best nighttime treat.

2018 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge

                                                    

I have joined the 2018 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge.  My goal is to read 5 to 15 mystery, thriller, or crime novels this year to reach the "Amateur Sleuth" level.  This was one of my favorite challenges last year because I love these genres and I found new authors, books, and series that I really enjoyed.  I love that there are monthly link-ups so that I can see what others are reading and what they think about the books they read.  Stormi, from Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! and Barb from Booker T's Farm are the hosts.  They have set up a Facebook group so that challenge participants can have discussions and they even have a game planned for this year.  If you are interested in finding out more about this challenge or would like to join, click here.

Share-a Tea Reading Challenge 2018

I have joined the Share-a-Tea 2018 Reading Challenge.  I participated in this challenge last year and really enjoyed it.  It is all about slowing down and enjoying a book while drinking a cup of tea.  Everyone is welcome to join.  You don't even need a blog to participate.

Becky from Becky's Book Reviews is hosting this challenge again this year.  She has a wonderful blog that you can check out by clicking here.  For more information on the Share-a-Tea 2018 Reading Challenge and to join the challenge, click here.