tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47415425070754230992024-03-13T08:25:25.661-07:00A Book and a Cup of TeaA Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-55564824529537239712019-05-07T09:09:00.000-07:002019-05-07T09:09:21.246-07:00Review Break<a href="https://www.shareiin.com/sites/default/files/DES_749_New_Ambassador_Instagram_C_0.jpg?id=0010z00001UutwEAAR" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://www.shareiin.com/sites/default/files/DES_749_New_Ambassador_Instagram_C_0.jpg?id=0010z00001UutwEAAR" style="width: 250px;" /></a>I am starting a certificate program in Health Coaching in a few days with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, so I will be taking a break from blogging about books and tea. I hope that once I get into a routine, I will be able to have the time to return to posting once a week. <br />
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I will continue to enjoy reading and tea during my hiatus, and hope that you all do too. Right now I am reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Crows-Kyle-Alexander-Romines/dp/1620066467/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">The Keeper of the Crows</a> by Kyle Alexander Romines. It is, so far, a terrific horror / mystery set in Gray Hollow, a small farming town in Kentucky. It has some pretty good characters.<br />
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If you follow me by email, Facebook, or Bloglovin', you will receive notification of any posts and updates on this blog. Thanks so much for reading!<br />
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A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-44896966046102959812019-04-29T07:10:00.000-07:002019-04-29T07:10:41.455-07:00Justice Gone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nsp4PJ_hItI/XMWVErEirJI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/vl-vwUV5KyQ6RNdG_lAwrGdtxC--Vj-OQCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25289%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="181" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nsp4PJ_hItI/XMWVErEirJI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/vl-vwUV5KyQ6RNdG_lAwrGdtxC--Vj-OQCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25289%2529.jpeg" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N175RZJ?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B07N175RZJ">Justice Gone</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/roundfire-books/authors/n-lombardi-jr">N. Lombardi, Jr.</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Roundfire Books, 2018<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 322<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: legal thriller, mystery<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from author in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: After Donald Darfield's best friend, who fought alongside him in the Iraqi War, is killed by the police, someone murders the three policeman that had been involved. Donald is arrested for the crime. Can Donald's legal team and counselors win the court battle?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: This was a good book. I liked that it involved some heavy topics- how veterans are treated, the way the homeless are regarded, and police brutality. The mystery was a good one and I was surprised at who committed the murders in the end. The characters were developed and the writing style was organized and clear, which made the story easy to read. The story moved at a good pace and I wanted to keep reading, but I wouldn't say I felt much suspense. The settings were described, not in a way that I felt like I was there, but just fine if the reader is all about the mystery and courtroom showdown.<br />
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If you like a good mystery or legal thriller try this one. Just be aware there are some bloody descriptions and bad language, and many of the vets have disturbing flash backs. PTSD is a major topic in this book.<br />
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This morning, I enjoyed a cup of <i><a href="https://www.artoftea.com/earl-grey-creme.html">Earl Grey Creme</a> </i>tea. I purchased this canister from <i><a href="https://www.artoftea.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwwZrmBRA7EiwA4iMzBNvSQIpalTHlzF_PAvyDfXpdAagAgYmoXLprcGPm2Rf3l0ieGsCyGhoC7EIQAvD_BwE">Art of Tea</a><span id="goog_1131116646"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1131116647"></span></i>. The ingredients were organic and biodynamic Sri Lankan black tea, organic cornflowers, organic oil of bergamot, and natural flavors. The leaves consisted of medium sized twisted black leaves with some long, purple flower petals mixed in. The scent of the leaves was of very strong bergamot. 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 three minutes. The brown liquid had a much milder scent of vanilla. The tea had a rich, robust taste that is balanced by citrus, vanilla and bergamot flavors. This is a tea I drink often, mostly in the morning. It has a medium caffeine content. If you like earl grey tea, this is definitely one to try. Don't be fooled by the scent of the leaves or the liquid. The taste is a wonderful blend. <br />
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<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-26240607743627374642019-04-22T08:39:00.000-07:002019-04-22T08:39:13.838-07:00The Stranger Diaries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-999lySHlocY/XL3UUYcsgkI/AAAAAAAACz0/0UNQcp5DBw0-jmF9zjkh8BEnrclPKR8MwCLcBGAs/s1600/51sUFwavJcL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-999lySHlocY/XL3UUYcsgkI/AAAAAAAACz0/0UNQcp5DBw0-jmF9zjkh8BEnrclPKR8MwCLcBGAs/s320/51sUFwavJcL.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1328577856?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=1328577856">The Stranger Diaries</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/elly-griffiths/">Elly Griffiths</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 337<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: mystery<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: ARC from publisher in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: One of Clare Cassidy's colleagues is found murdered. Who did it? Is the answer in Clare's diary?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I really enjoyed this book. It was a great mystery that kept me guessing. I liked the writer's style and how she organized the book. She jumped between narrators and showed some of the same occurrences from different perspectives. It was repetitive at times, but didn't drag the story down because it was interesting to discover what each character thought about what was going on. Also, the author did not overlap everything- just enough. She wove in a short story by the writer who Clare, the main character, was writing a book about which added to the creepy feel of the setting. The focus was on the mysteries (there was more than one), not gore and horror. The setting of a private high school, part of which included an old building called <i>Holland House</i>, that had mysteries of its own, was a fantastic place for this story to unfold. The characters were developed and interesting and there was even a dog, Herbert, who I would also consider a character. I need to check out other books written by this author. She has written two series that I have not tried yet.<br />
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I recommend this book to mystery lovers, dog lovers, and diary lovers. <br />
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Today I enjoyed a delicious cup of <i>Royal Garden</i> tea from my tea of the month club by <i><a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe</a></i>. This is a black tea and peach blend that I have been enjoying hot, but will be making it iced as well, when the weather warms. I highly recommend this <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/tea#join">Tea of the Month Club</a>. It is a wonderful Mother's Day gift for tea lovers. There are two options. I get the one ounce of tea per month which is just enough for me, but there is an option to get one ounce each of two different teas per month as well. Also, you get a one cup sample of another tea and discounts, offers, and free shipping on purchases. I also enjoy the weekly email that arrives in my inbox each Sunday morning (the perfect time) with news from <i>Plum Deluxe</i> and a special thought to ponder for the week.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-13334863051617687322019-04-15T14:54:00.000-07:002019-04-15T14:54:01.964-07:00The Doldrums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbrytMm2mfg/XLRnzNamEyI/AAAAAAAACzc/T7qfGS1B8ys52Zb5lhEiQAfXDsyhpe-2ACLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25288%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gbrytMm2mfg/XLRnzNamEyI/AAAAAAAACzc/T7qfGS1B8ys52Zb5lhEiQAfXDsyhpe-2ACLcBGAs/s320/download%2B%25288%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YD4GYSG?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B00YD4GYSG">The Doldrums</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.nicholasgannon.com/about">Nicholas Gannon</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronson_Pinchot">Bronson Pinchot</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Blackstone Audio, 2015<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 5 compact discs, 6.25 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: juvenile fiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. It must be in his blood since his grandparents were famous explorers who got lost on an iceberg. Will Archer have his adventure?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: My son and I listened to this audio book in the car. We both really liked the narrator who did a wonderful job bringing this story to life, but while looking at the author's website I discovered some of the <a href="https://www.nicholasgannon.com/drawings">illustrations,</a> which the author created himself, and I feel like we missed out. They are fantastic! Also, the author has written and illustrated a second book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WGP28N6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1">The Doldrums and the Hemsleys</a></i>, and the illustrations in that book are also beautiful. I especially like the ones in the second book because I love snow and part of the story takes place in a blizzard.<br />
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The writing style is humorous and whimsical, which adds another level of entertainment. The characters have great personalities with details that make them come to life to a point- more like cartoon characters than living people. The settings, of which some are quite eccentric, are brought to life by particulars the author provides.<br />
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<i>The Doldrums</i> is a story about friendship, family, and adventure. It shows how you can have an adventure anywhere, even just in your own backyard. This may be the one disappointment for the reader. If reading the book to experience a grand Antarctic adventure, the reader is let down because this never happens. There is a different kind of adventure, so expectations may not be met. Sorry if this is a spoiler.<br />
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If you are looking for a book that is whimsical and funny with good characters, check this out. If you are looking for an Antarctic adventure, look somewhere else.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=aboanacuofte-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0062320971&asins=0062320971&linkId=0fb2a7677c5f7ce5e5088735b4c0642a&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-81175459496241917172019-04-09T10:05:00.002-07:002019-04-09T10:13:33.899-07:00Last Woman Standing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aES0mszfgLs/XKnuuPACaBI/AAAAAAAACyw/15q21mxzqIolxUImh0GeP5u4l8kh1-IpgCLcBGAs/s1600/51BqEF3P%252BVL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aES0mszfgLs/XKnuuPACaBI/AAAAAAAACyw/15q21mxzqIolxUImh0GeP5u4l8kh1-IpgCLcBGAs/s320/51BqEF3P%252BVL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544962532?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=0544962532">Last Woman Standing</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.amygentryauthor.com/#about">Amy Gentry</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 2019<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 312<br />
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<b>Genre:</b> thriller<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: ARC from publisher in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Dana Diaz, a stand up comedian, and Amanda Dorn, a computer programmer, meet at a bar and quickly bond over some very serious issues they both have with men. Amanda thinks they should get revenge.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I loved the setting of this book. It was fresh and new. I also thought it was ironic that a book about serious issues was set in the comedy scene. It almost made it lighter to read even though most of the book was quite disturbing.<br />
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I really had trouble feeling for the characters. I couldn't relate to them and I didn't really care for them. This took out some of the enjoyment of reading this book. What made up for this was the author's writing style. I loved how she started off slow, providing details, and picked up the pace as the story went along and as the suspense started. I also loved the twists and turns. The style made me want to come back to see what would happen next.<br />
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If you don't mind disturbing topics such as rape, revenge, harassment, and assault, definitely try this one. If unlikeable characters ruin a story for you, skip it.<br />
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Today I felt like I needed something cold and refreshing and I couldn't find any tea that I wanted iced, so I just had some cucumber water while reading this book. I like to add cucumbers to water and leave them in there for about four hours or overnight. The cucumbers give the water a clean taste, and for some reason, the water seems to quench my thirst better and tastes more refreshing.<br />
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</iframe>A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-89241486633122534432019-04-02T09:28:00.000-07:002019-04-02T09:31:52.894-07:00Rain Reign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rlfvnoWGU8/XKE3VWTC_xI/AAAAAAAACyQ/XMaRZCCQDO8OLqnltJR4crHUDKSekAjRACLcBGAs/s1600/616Pv1uuf4L._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rlfvnoWGU8/XKE3VWTC_xI/AAAAAAAACyQ/XMaRZCCQDO8OLqnltJR4crHUDKSekAjRACLcBGAs/s320/616Pv1uuf4L._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMSY03A?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B00NMSY03A">Rain Reign</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/ann-m-martin/">Ann M. Martin</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/narrator/44620/laura-hamilton/">Laura Hamilton</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Brilliance Audio, 2014<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 4 compact discs, 4 hours and 9 minutes<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: middle grade realistic fiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Rose Howard's dog Rain Reign gets lost when Rose's father lets the dog out during a hurricane. Can Rose find her dog?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: This was a wonderful book. There is MUCH more to this story than my basic synopsis. It is about a girl and her love for her dog, but it is also about persistence, courage, stepping out of your comfort zone, acceptance, love, and friendship. The story involves Asperger's syndrome, an absent mother, and an alcoholic father. It is told by Rose who loves homonyms, prime numbers and rules- which are all very interesting. Rose is a lovable character who is different in many ways, but very easy to relate to. The author does a fantastic job showing how people do things for a reason and how sometimes we just have to take the time to get to know someone to understand.<br />
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This was a book that played with my emotions. I listened to this story with my eleven year old son. He was not upset by any of the book even though some of the scenes were disturbing and emotional. He understood what was happening in the story but didn't get all of the underlying themes and connections that were going on. This book would probably be better for 13 year olds and above due to some of the content.<br />
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The narrator was terrific. She told the story at a great pace, spoke very clearly, and was extremely easy to follow.<br />
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If you like emotional stories with excellent characters try this one- unless homonyms annoy you.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--s4deJozY8g/XKONcLp1aEI/AAAAAAAACyc/klump_o8uWcOQrRQckWi68WUHiI3tgniACLcBGAs/s1600/101_3238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--s4deJozY8g/XKONcLp1aEI/AAAAAAAACyc/klump_o8uWcOQrRQckWi68WUHiI3tgniACLcBGAs/s320/101_3238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/sale/rhubarb-cream-soda/10666US01VAR0044896.html">Rhubarb Cream Soda</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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This was a caffeine free herbal tea which was in an ice tea sampler that I purchased. The ingredients were apple, rose hip shells, mango (mango, sugar), pineapple (pineapple, sugar), hibiscus, red currants, rhubarb, and natural flavouring. The "leaves" were chunks of fruit and pieces of rose hips. The scent of the leaves was of fruit. I put my packet of tea into my tea maker and poured 10 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for 5 minutes. I poured this over ice. The liquid was a lovely dark pink. The scent was of fruit, but also there was a background scent that reminded me of play dough. The taste was a nice sweet and sour combination, but the taste again reminded me of play dough. I didn't care for this one at all...A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-52889434831709299382019-03-28T08:20:00.001-07:002019-03-28T08:20:04.240-07:00Evil Winds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ooLX_2M9mk/XJfpXyDE8VI/AAAAAAAACx0/AvpT_BhnAUo6psUQHxStONdX1EVo1yAlACLcBGAs/s1600/41hoRomPXxL._SL500_AA130_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="130" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ooLX_2M9mk/XJfpXyDE8VI/AAAAAAAACx0/AvpT_BhnAUo6psUQHxStONdX1EVo1yAlACLcBGAs/s320/41hoRomPXxL._SL500_AA130_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CT7GBLJ?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B07CT7GBLJ">Evil Winds (Tradecraft Phase 2)</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.michaelshusko.com/about-michael.html">Michael Shusko</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: self published, 2018<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: military thriller<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from the author's publicist in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Angie Bryant goes to Darfur to do research for a story about the atrocities happening to the people who live there. With the help of Jason Russo, a medical doctor, she uncovers more than she thought she would. Will they make it out alive to share their discoveries with the world?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I had never read a book that took place in this setting and knew very little about this part of the world, so the best part of this story, to me, was learning about Sudan and Chad. The author did a terrific job showing the reader what it is like in this part of the world. The plot was good and the writing was organized. The characters were okay, but I didn't feel like they were real, so that kind of turned me off. I didn't really care what happened to them, so I didn't get into the story as much as I would have liked to.<br />
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If you are interested in reading about other parts of the world and like military thrillers, definitely give this one a try. If you are all about the characters when it comes to a story, skip this one.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DT4PtsTKBOk/XJzd2vzAkWI/AAAAAAAACyE/N3suD88oLQY-jDqzm43Y5nEUfMIcY8gKgCLcBGAs/s1600/101_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DT4PtsTKBOk/XJzd2vzAkWI/AAAAAAAACyE/N3suD88oLQY-jDqzm43Y5nEUfMIcY8gKgCLcBGAs/s320/101_3235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4fHkBRDcARIsACV58_G9EPSRb8KePhgG71iFgWrshStKy3lClE9O8DHodGo92Kk-AYiI34waAmA3EALw_wcB">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/sale/moringa-mermaid/10667US01VAR0044948.html">Moringa Mermaid</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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Moringa Mermaid is a caffeine free herbal tea. The ingredients are melon pieces (melon, sugar, citric acid), apple, carrots, pineapple (pineapple, sugar), moringa, blackberry leaves, rose petals, and natural watermelon and lemon flavouring. The leaves were beautiful. They were a light green and there were orange and off white chunks mixed in. The colors went perfectly with each other and reminded me of spring. The leaves had a fruity scent. I purchased the single serving iced tea packets, so I dumped the contents of one packet into my tea maker, poured 10 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves and let this steep for 4 minutes. I poured this over ice. The liquid was a yellowish brown and the scent was a blend of fruit and grass. The taste was odd- both fruity and vegetal, but overwhelmingly sweet. I didn't care for this one.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-37628719796188502472019-03-19T08:06:00.003-07:002019-03-19T08:06:32.531-07:00Lethal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CsdbfmaJ2dI/XI-3sUKx4cI/AAAAAAAACxU/NU0KA00sSY8ClVkeP9iGQUXUYzYTLogXQCEwYBhgL/s1600/516jB3pEi-L._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CsdbfmaJ2dI/XI-3sUKx4cI/AAAAAAAACxU/NU0KA00sSY8ClVkeP9iGQUXUYzYTLogXQCEwYBhgL/s320/516jB3pEi-L._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005O5KLK0?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B005O5KLK0">Lethal</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://sandrabrown.net/bio/">Sandra Brown</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="http://victorslezak.com/bio/">Victor Slezak</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Hachette Audio, 2011<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 11 compact discs, 12.5 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: fiction, mystery, thriller<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: borrowed from friend<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: When Honor Gillette and her four year old daughter find a "sick" man in their yard and he turns out to be the man accused of murdering seven people the previous night, what will happen?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I liked the author's writing style, especially the way she used dialogue. Her characters were interesting and I liked that they were all ages and very different from one another. There was suspense and mystery to the story. What took away from the story was the corny romantic relationship between the two main characters that was just not believable. I don't think this is a spoiler because it is very obvious what will happen as soon as these characters meet. That piece really spoiled this book for me. I also did not love the ending- everything was tied up, but when I finished the book I didn't have that satisfied feeling. <br />
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If you like romance books along with suspense, this might be a book for you. I am not a romance fan. Romance books very often seem silly to me unless they are extremely well written.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=aboanacuofte-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B005O5KLK0&asins=B005O5KLK0&linkId=68787551b04dca34688a58278091a113&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5cL__wM0cy4/XJD2HZbluII/AAAAAAAACxc/pqzAbWQVEB4bsJb2Pi9XRcNxBw7ATAIGwCLcBGAs/s1600/101_3229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5cL__wM0cy4/XJD2HZbluII/AAAAAAAACxc/pqzAbWQVEB4bsJb2Pi9XRcNxBw7ATAIGwCLcBGAs/s400/101_3229.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/organic-japanese-sencha/10057US01VAR0012968.html#cgid=root&q=japanese%20sencha&sz=24&start=1">Organic Japanese Sencha</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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Today I tried <i>Organic Japanese Sencha</i> from <i>Davids Tea</i>. This is a steamed green tea with a high caffeine content. The leaves were a very dark green of all shapes and sizes, with the majority being long and thin. The scent of the leaves was vegetal. I put 1 1/2 teaspoons of leaves in my teapot and poured 12 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for 1 minute. The scent of the pale yellow liquid was almost floral but still had a vegetal quality. The taste was of spinach with a slight floral note to it. The texture was a bit creamy. This is a pleasant, refreshing tea.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-64611180310238684382019-03-12T10:37:00.002-07:002019-03-25T17:05:45.348-07:00Wolf Hollow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1avi1NhRCAw/XIe26KnM3TI/AAAAAAAACw0/fNrQhRBijJ4dT-KtVgYCqtMzlOSlS7VmwCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25287%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1avi1NhRCAw/XIe26KnM3TI/AAAAAAAACw0/fNrQhRBijJ4dT-KtVgYCqtMzlOSlS7VmwCLcBGAs/s320/download%2B%25287%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DFJJA94?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B01DFJJA94">Wolf Hollow</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.laurenwolk.com/about.html">Lauren Wolk</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/narrator/168821/emily-rankin/">Emily Rankin</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Listening Library, 2016<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 6 compact discs, 7 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: young adult fiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Someone has thrown a rock causing Annabelle's friend, Ruth, to lose an eye. Was it Betty Glengarry, the mean and manipulative bully, or Toby, the odd World War I veteran who keeps to himself, but has only shown Annabelle kindness?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: My synopsis does not come even close to describing what this story is about because there is so much more to this book, but I don't like knowing too much going into a story. I think it can take away from the reading experience and I don't want to do that to any potential readers. This story is about bullying, stereotypes, judging people, friendship, family, looking at the outside of a person and not what's inside, jumping to conclusions, manipulation, psychiatric disorders, death, courage, speaking up, lying, finding your voice, taking responsibility, standing up for what you know is right, truth, kindness and strength.<br />
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This book is recommended for ages 9-12, but I have to warn that it is a haunting story with depressing topics. My 11 year old son and I listened to this book for the <a href="chrome-extension://ihgdgpjankaehldoaimdlekdidkjfghe/viewer.html#https://mrsmagliozzilibrarypage.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/massachusetts-children_s-book-award-master-list-for-20191.pdf"><i>Massachusetts Book Awards</i> project. </a>It was in the 5th grade section and listed as a level X F&P and 800 Lexile. My son is immature for his age, so this was not really a good match for him. He followed the story and felt the ending was sad, but didn't really get all that the author was trying to convey. I wonder if a mature 5th grader would even "get" it all. I also believe that for those preteens that "get" it, the book could be disturbing to them. I encourage parents to read this wonderful book to see if it would be suitable for the child they would be giving it to. Personally, I think it is more appropriate for middle school and up.<br />
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As an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I usually don't like books without a happy ending, but I was okay with this one. I loved the author's writing style and her characters. The story was told at an excellent pace and was balanced with action, thoughts, and descriptions. The narrator was excellent and a perfect fit to read this story. I felt like I knew the characters and that the setting was real. The story was unique and interesting. It is very hard to write more without talking about what happens in the book, so I will stop there.<br />
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I highly recommend this book to adults. I also recommend it for mature kids ages 12 and up, but I really encourage the adult to read it before giving it to a child to make sure it is appropriate for that particular kid.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UylzypcVPEw/XIfGiRqZMeI/AAAAAAAACxA/Yn4vReWjhrYyYfwQPms66SobNny__YMYgCLcBGAs/s1600/101_3224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UylzypcVPEw/XIfGiRqZMeI/AAAAAAAACxA/Yn4vReWjhrYyYfwQPms66SobNny__YMYgCLcBGAs/s320/101_3224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/orange-spice-black-tea">Comfort Blend Black Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: sample with tea of the month club delivery<br />
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I tried <i>Comfort Blend Black Tea</i> from <i>Plum Deluxe</i> today. The ingredients were black tea, cinnamon chips, orange peel, ginger, clove, and orange extract. This tea is also available without the caffeine. The black tea leaves were all shapes and sizes and were mixed with off-white and brown chunks. The leaves had the scent of oranges and cinnamon. I put the teaspoon of leaves in my tea ball and poured 12 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for 3 minutes. The liquid was a yellowish brown and had a mild scent of oranges and cinnamon. The taste was a wonderful blend of oranges and spice. It is sometimes hard for me to find an orange spice blend that I really like- but this one is excellent. It is a tad lighter on the orange and a bit heavier with the spice than other orange spice teas I've purchased . I found it refreshing, revitalizing and delicious. It gave me a calm, yet awake feeling.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-2327855920901035182019-03-05T08:23:00.002-08:002019-03-05T08:23:59.328-08:00The Haunting of Hill House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6_aKR9ulH0/XH6QfTyh3pI/AAAAAAAACwc/fXzEwH9RSYMIHOv2d6Yik3kToP6ob5QxQCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25286%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6_aKR9ulH0/XH6QfTyh3pI/AAAAAAAACwc/fXzEwH9RSYMIHOv2d6Yik3kToP6ob5QxQCLcBGAs/s320/download%2B%25286%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045XRA1K?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B0045XRA1K">The Haunting of Hill House</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://shirleyjackson.org/">Shirley Jackson</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="http://bernadettedunne.com/">Bernadette Dunne</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Blackstone Audio, 2010 (story originally published in 1959)<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 6 compact discs, 7 hours and 27 minutes<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: fiction, horror<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Dr. Montague invites two women that have had supernatural experiences to be his guests for the summer at a house that is said to be haunted. Also joining them is the heir to the house. The doctor's goal is to find scientific evidence of the supernatural.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I loved the author's writing style, especially how she described Hill House, and how she conveyed mood and atmosphere. The way she introduced the remarkable characters before they even got to the house, then the way she slowly built tension and suspense when they arrived, and finally how she wrote the ending was all superb. Many times I have not been truly satisfied with the ending to a horror story, but I was with this one.<br />
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The narrator did an excellent job telling this story. Her reading was easy to follow and held my attention throughout the book. I was never lost or confused.<br />
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I don't want to write much more about the story itself because it would spoil it. I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good writer and psychological horror stories with no blood and gore. <br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe</a> <br />
<br />
<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/vanilla-creme-herbal-tea">Vanilla Creme Herbal Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: sample with tea of the month club<br />
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Today I tried the <i>Vanilla Creme Herbal Tea</i> from <i>Plum Deluxe</i>. I received this one a couple of months ago with my tea of the month club package. I've been putting it off because vanilla and honeybush are not my favorites, and the ingredients of this tea are honeybush tea, calendula, and vanilla extract. Honeybush is too sweet for me and I don't usually like vanilla unless it is blended with another flavor.<br />
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The tiny brown and orange leaves were mixed with yellow flower petals. The scent of the leaves was sweet vanilla. I put 1 1/2 teaspoons of leaves in my teapot and poured 12 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for 3 minutes. The dark orange liquid had a sweet vanilla scent. The taste was also a very sweet vanilla. For those that like vanilla and sweet tea, I'm sure this would make a wonderful dessert tea, especially along with a creamy dessert.<br />
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<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-38768002915377114172019-02-26T05:46:00.002-08:002019-02-26T05:46:40.536-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gT70n8FgFgQ/XHH0Jq6jfGI/AAAAAAAACvo/2zfwRyXGdpUhpGNxHFI9AsMn5oxp-56jgCLcBGAs/s1600/51C5xDv4APL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="351" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gT70n8FgFgQ/XHH0Jq6jfGI/AAAAAAAACvo/2zfwRyXGdpUhpGNxHFI9AsMn5oxp-56jgCLcBGAs/s320/51C5xDv4APL.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G4L229K?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B07G4L229K">Stories of Elders: What the Greatest Generation Knows About Technology that You Don't</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://storiesofelders.com/about/">Veronica Kirin</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Identity Publications, 2018<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 309<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: nonfiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from publisher in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: The author traveled across the United States, interviewing people born before 1945, focusing on technology and how it has changed our way of life.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: For a nonfiction book, this was an easy, quick read. The author is an organized writer who writes at a reading level appropriate for teens and up. She divides her chapters into subjects and uses the material she gathered through her interviews in somewhat of a discussion format, using many quotes from interesting people that draws the reader in.<br />
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The book was thought provoking, and personally, really made me look at how much has changed over the last 100 years. I am one of the 20% of Americans who do not have a smart phone, and it got me wondering how far I'd be behind in another 10 years if I don't get one. I enjoy a great feeling of security carrying around my cell phone, but if I had a smart phone, I, like most, would be constantly checking my emails, texts, and looking up information instead of paying attention to what is going on around me. And is it becoming NECESSARY to have one? Maybe. This question was not discussed in the book, but this is where my thoughts led me after reading this book.<br />
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The book looks at how things have changed over about the last 100 years in the areas of communication, war, politics, rights, transportation, energy, amenities, work, medicine, relationships, food, money, poverty, safety, community, generational proximity, family, child development, religion, and integrity. It covers a wide range of topics and I think, in a small amount of space. The author chose well what she put in and left out so that she wrote enough without the book becoming monotonous. Although the book covers things most of us know, I did learn some new things, for example, how the credit card developed into what we use today- something I have never thought about.<br />
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This would make an excellent book club book, especially for intergenerational clubs. It would give the opportunity to share some personal experiences and really get to know each other. If you are looking for a nonfiction book, I highly recommend this one to young adults and up.<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwc7jBRD8ARIsAKSUBHLrvwbVbtf7aHf0DFMRI6KobVFNU9i-Sas57uUmJej6AwqxAGT4mwwaAjWwEALw_wcB">Davids Tea</a> <br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/organic-north-african-mint-iconic-tin/960495US01.html#cgid=root&q=north%20african%20mint&sz=24&start=2">North African Mint</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: free sample with order<br />
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Today I sampled <i>North African Mint</i> tea from <i>Davids Tea</i>. The ingredients were green tea, ginger, peppermint, cardamom, licorice root, fennel, clove, and black pepper. This tea has a low caffeine content and the spices in it are supposed to be good for digestion. The leaves were all shapes, sizes, and colors, and so were the seeds that were mixed in. The scent of the leaves was of peppermint. I poured 16 ounces of water that had been boiled over 2 1/2 teaspoons of leaves and let this sit for 3 minutes. The liquid was a dark yellow with a very slight scent of mint. When taking a sip, the peppermint taste was there, but the spices were also present, and the aftertaste was this peppery / minty experience- you could feel as well as taste it. The result was a delicious blend. This was a calming tea that helped to settle my stomach. After reading the ingredients I was a little doubtful that these herbs and spices would complement each other, but I love how they tasted together!<br />
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<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-59081222204428511892019-02-20T12:55:00.001-08:002019-02-20T12:55:51.350-08:00All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_i7VkQXKm1I/XGbn7sjAXVI/AAAAAAAACvE/s9fiPvbYTLkiJq4KNYGrfdrDmfox01w5ACLcBGAs/s1600/51FS02o7cNL._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_i7VkQXKm1I/XGbn7sjAXVI/AAAAAAAACvE/s9fiPvbYTLkiJq4KNYGrfdrDmfox01w5ACLcBGAs/s320/51FS02o7cNL._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AKR1OPM?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B01AKR1OPM">All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.leslieconnor.com/mylife">Leslie Connor</a><br />
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<b>Narrators</b>: <a href="http://www.michaellockwoodcrouch.com/">Michael Crouch</a> and <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/narrator/44376/kathleen-mcinerney/">Kathleen McInerney</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Blackstone Audio, 2016<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 8 compact discs, 9 1/2 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: middle school fiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Perry T. Cook has spent his life growing up in the Blue River Co-Ed Correctional Facility. Although a nontraditional upbringing, Perry has had a great life with a "family" that loves him. When the new district attorney finds out about the arrangement of letting Perry's incarcerated mother raise him in jail, he acts swiftly to have Perry removed and put into a foster home. Will Perry be reunited with his mother?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I just loved this book! My eleven year old son and I listened to this book in the car as we drove to places we needed to be. It is one of the books nominated for the <a href="http://massachusettschildrensbookaward.blogspot.com/">Massachusetts Children's Book Award</a> sponsored by Salem State University. If my son reads, has read to him, or listens to at least 5 books on this list, he can vote for the winner in March. Logan, my eleven year old son, liked this book too, but it was a bit above his comprehension level. As we talked about the book, I noticed he sometimes didn't quite understand parts of it, but he got enough out of it to enjoy the story. This book is recommended for grades 5 through 8, but I think this is a great book for the whole family. I am always looking for audiobooks for family trips and this is a fantastic one, especially if you have older kids.<br />
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The reader gets to know the characters in this story on a personal level and I felt like they were real people. The complex characters was the biggest, of the many strengths of this book. The story was captivating and unique. The setting was new and interesting, especially for a middle school book. I felt like I was right there with the characters. I could picture the story happening in my head. The narrators were terrific and read at just the right pace and with emotion, and made the story very easy to follow.<br />
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The author gently discusses some heavy topics including incarcerated parents and foster homes. She focuses on hope and perserverence when things aren't looking too good, and shows that it is okay to get support when you need it. She uses Big Ed to give excellent advice on how to handle tough times. The author conveys what community is and talks about laws and trials on a level kids can understand. She expresses that everything isn't black and white nor good or bad, but there is always something in the middle. Most importantly, she shows that there are many different types of families and just how important it is to have one.<br />
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I highly recommend this book!<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/vanilla-sugar-cookie-dessert-tea">Vanilla Sugar Cookie Dessert Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: sample with tea of the month club<br />
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<i>Vanilla Sugar Cookie Dessert Tea</i> from <i>Plum Deluxe</i> is caffeine free. The ingredients are green rooibus, cinnamon chips, blackberry leaf, ginger root, fennel seeds, and vanilla essences. The small leaves in my sample package were all shades of browns and creams and were mixed with chunks and seeds of similar colors. The leaves smelled like an oatmeal cookie fresh out of the oven. I poured a cup of water that had been boiled over a teaspoon of leaves and let this sit for four minutes. The liquid was a yellowish or orange brown, depending on how the light hit it. The scent was of an oatmeal cookie, but not as strong of a scent as the leaves. The taste was a combination of sweet and spice. At first the taste was of a snicker doodle- a very sweet cinnamon taste, but after swallowing the liquid there was a peppery taste, which I believe came from the combination of fennel seeds and ginger. This is not a tea I would normally choose to drink. I usually don't like sweet tea or vanilla, but the peppery finish just added something extra here that made this one enjoyable. This was a wonderful afternoon treat!A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-3930112042680579682019-02-13T11:58:00.000-08:002019-02-13T11:58:45.374-08:00The Emissary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_cYSanwWfsw/XFsA-ltJJkI/AAAAAAAACuk/RRt4BX0zxzMIqQ76Tg7ir8O8jctE_5cBgCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25285%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="179" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_cYSanwWfsw/XFsA-ltJJkI/AAAAAAAACuk/RRt4BX0zxzMIqQ76Tg7ir8O8jctE_5cBgCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25285%2529.jpeg" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/194763772X?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=194763772X">The Emissary</a> (The One Great Year Series #1)<br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://onegreatyear.com/">Tamara Veitch & Rene DeFazio</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Waterside Press, 2018<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: fantasy<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 201<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Marcus and Theron have been chosen to be eternal Emissaries. They make the commitment to protect the secrets of their civilization and attempt to lead humankind to enlightenment through numerous reincarnations. They are separated soon after they are bound to this obligation. Will they be reunited?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: This is a hard book to review because when I was finished with it, I felt like I had just finished the introduction to a story, not a whole book. There were some engrossing parts, and some where I found my mind wandering. The characters were interesting. The reader did not get to know them as much as I would have liked, but they were developed. The authors did a great job describing the settings and beings of the worlds they created. <br />
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I would say don't read this unless you plan to read the whole <i>One Great Year Series</i> because it was kind of disappointing where this book left off. It felt like the main story was just about to begin. My feeling was not that I couldn't wait to read the next piece of the story. It was like I was ready to start the actual story. It reminded me of when Stephen King's <i>The Green Mile</i> was released in six parts, except that I was prepared for that so I knew what to expect, which made it was okay. This was not.<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAnY_jBRDdARIsAIEqpJ36s8jSjaM3dP4vtVcQsFmaRggw4QShdWWQZrhTr3aeC7UhujyyD_MaAg1iEALw_wcB">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/buddha-s-blend/10348US01VAR0017249.html">Budda's Blend</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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The leaves of <i>Budda's Blend</i> from <i>Davids Tea </i>have the scent of peaches. The blend is made up of long black leaves with some jasmine pearls and lighter leaves mixed in. The ingredients listed are white tea, green tea, jasmine pearls, white hibiscus blossoms, and natural and artificial flavouring. <br />
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I put about two and a half teaspoons of leaves into my tea maker and poured sixteen ounces of water that had been boiled, and then cooled slightly, over the leaves. I let this steep for one minute. The liquid was yellow and had a light scent of jasmine and fruit. The taste was a floral and fruit blend. This is a light, delicate tea- something I would drink to relax. The tea does have a medium caffeine content, so I don't recommend drinking it before bed. This is a great one to try if you like jasmine and peaches.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-76720559419446168232019-02-05T07:09:00.001-08:002019-02-05T07:09:19.925-08:00The Last Mile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cfFprwr1v_E/XFh0RjPrbiI/AAAAAAAACuM/znjEP9laCv0Z3hqN059jNeo1InsRLPwxACLcBGAs/s1600/51LIjVShWfL._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cfFprwr1v_E/XFh0RjPrbiI/AAAAAAAACuM/znjEP9laCv0Z3hqN059jNeo1InsRLPwxACLcBGAs/s320/51LIjVShWfL._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ATTRBUI?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B01ATTRBUI">The Last Mile (Memory Man #2)</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.davidbaldacci.com/">David Baldacci</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: Kyf Brewer & Orlagh Cassidy<br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Hachette Audio, 2016<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 10 compact discs, approximately 12 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: mystery, thriller<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: borrowed from friend<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Melvin Mars was convicted of killing his parents and his execution is hours away. At the last minute, Mars' execution is put on hold because someone else has confessed to the murder. Can Amos Decker find out the truth? Did Mars kill his parents, or was it someone else?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I hate it when a series of books has a change in the narrator. It really makes it hard to reconnect with the main character. It just doesn't seem like it is the same person as in the previous book because of the change in voice, but also in the way the narrator portrays the character. This happens with the other characters as well. I think this is the first book I listened to that I was glad of the change. I had no problems with the narrator of the first book in <i>The Memory Man</i> series, but in this second audio book, Kyf Brewer presented the main character, Amos Decker, as lighter (not as serious), which really made me like Decker more. It did take awhile to get used to the new voice and slight personality change, but I did fairly quickly.<br />
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I enjoyed this story more than the first Amos Decker book, <i>Memory Man</i>. It had many of the same characters, but added Melvin Mars who was likeable and was an interesting "friend" for Decker. The writing was good, although some parts were just not believable, and the story moved along at a good pace. It was entertaining, drew me in, and held me there until the end because there was so much going on. <br />
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I would recommend reading these books in order. The first book has Amos Decker's history in it which is very important to this second story. The reader would not be lost, but would understand the "whys" better.<br />
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<b>Company</b>:<a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/about"> Plum Deluxe</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/apple-cinnamon-black-tea">Apple Cinnamon Warmth Black Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: sample with tea of the month club order<br />
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Today I tried <i>Apple Cinnamon Warmth Black Tea </i>from <i>Plum Deluxe</i>. This is a black tea, so it does contain caffeine. The ingredients are black tea, cinnamon chips, apple pieces, orange blossoms, and apple / cinnamon essences. The tea looked like a combination of black tea leaves of all shapes and sizes and some chunks of apple. It had a deep, warm scent of cinnamon and apples. I poured 8 ounces of water over about a teaspoon of the tea and let this steep for 3 minutes. The orange- brown liquid had the same scent as the leaves. The taste was of a rich apple cake with cinnamon. This would make a wonderful replacement for dessert, or a treat when in need of something warm and comforting. It would also go great with scones, muffins, or coffee cake.<br />
<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-45875446319105145942019-01-31T09:17:00.001-08:002019-01-31T09:17:01.267-08:00Our Frail Disordered Lives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t34y73_6tco/XFHaRfvooHI/AAAAAAAACts/N3LK3pk-dsYsEZGCVGs-5b7IU6HHCUMqACLcBGAs/s1600/61mqtmTkrcL._SX260_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t34y73_6tco/XFHaRfvooHI/AAAAAAAACts/N3LK3pk-dsYsEZGCVGs-5b7IU6HHCUMqACLcBGAs/s320/61mqtmTkrcL._SX260_.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1483485102?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=1483485102">Our Frail Disordered Lives</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?AuthorID=201688">Mary M. Schmidt</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: self published, 2018<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: humor, horror<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 195<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from the author in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: What happens when a disgruntled demon wants to show his boss (the devil) what he's made of?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: First of all, I thought this was going to be a horror book, but I would classify it as humor. There were demons and an exorcism, but the story was presented in a comical way. The story was told from the point of view of the demon that needed to be exorcised, which, to me, is really what made this story unique. The writing was good, the story original and fresh, and the characters interesting. I was entertained, especially at the beginning, and I am not a big fan of the humor genre. <br />
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The only thing that bothered me was that there was just something about the book that was lacking. It is hard to pinpoint, but I believe it was the cohesion. The story flowed, made sense, and wasn't confusing, but the way all the characters came together didn't work 100%. It wasn't believable because it was just too easy- not complicated enough.<br />
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If you are looking for something entertaining, quick, and different to read, this is one to try. If you are looking for a creepy horror story, look someplace else.<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/organic-cinnamon-rooibos-chai/10063US01VAR0012971.html#cgid=root&q=cinnamon%20rooibos%20chai&sz=24&start=1">Organic Cinnamon Rooibos Chai</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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<i>Organic Cinnamon Rooibos Chai</i> is a caffeine free chai. The ingredients are rooibos, apple, cinnamon, and cinnamon flavouring. This tea is made up of tiny orange and brown leaves with a few brown chunks of, I am assuming, dried apple. The scent of the leaves is cinnamon. I put one heaping teaspoon of leaves in my tea ball and poured 12 ounces of water over it. I let this steep for 4 minutes. The liquid was an orange brown with a cinnamon scent. The taste was mostly of cinnamon, but the apple and rooibos gave the tea a slight sweetness. If I wanted a cup of chai, I wouldn't pick this, but if I were looking for some cinnamon tea, I'd want this one. This tea did not have the spiciness I look for in chai, but it is a delicious cinnamon tea- loved it!A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-55789649016678088182019-01-23T09:37:00.001-08:002019-01-23T09:37:48.498-08:00Massachusetts Children's Book Award Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My eleven year old son, Logan, is participating in the Massachusetts Children's Book Award Program. The goal of this program, founded in 1975, and sponsored by Salem State University, is to encourage children to read. The students were given a list of 25 books. If they read at least five of the books on the list, they can vote for their favorite one in March. They can read the book themselves, have someone read it to them, or listen to the audio book. They do not have to do anything else, but are encouraged to share book reviews with one another.<br />
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My son's school kicked off this project with a "Book Tasting". They purchased several new copies of each title on the list and laid them out on the cafeteria tables, which were covered with red and white checkered tablecloths- just like a picnic. The students were supposed to read the book description on the back cover and look at the front cover, and then decide if it was something they might like to read. What a great activity, right? Not to my son who HATES anything to do with reading. It was the most miserable day ever for him!<br />
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I looked at his list and my fifth grader had one book, just one, marked that he might like to read. He LOVES to run, and the book, <i>Ghost</i> by <a href="https://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/about/">Jason Reynolds</a>, had a picture of a boy running on the front cover. The description on the back starts out with one word- Running. I could see why this appealed to him. He probably didn't read any further. Logan struggles with reading and has just reached a fifth grade reading level (an R in Fountas and Pinnell). <i>Ghost</i> is a Level Z. I got the audio book at the library to try. I was told by Logan's teachers that his comprehension level is way above his reading level and he likes being read to, just not reading books himself.<br />
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We decided we would start to listen to it in the car, and if he didn't like it, we'd try a different one. Well, he loved it! So did I! AND my husband and 16 year old son listened to some of it and they were laughing and enjoying it too. I have to say it is one of the BEST books I've ever read. And the narrator- maybe THE best I've ever heard. It is a great story with wonderful characters. It has meaningful underlying themes with life lessons that are pertinent to older kids. It is about serious stuff, but it's told in a light, humorous way. Logan did not like the ending, and I can't say why because it would spoil the whole book for those who have not read it, but I thought it was perfect. Logan understood the story, but not all the underlying themes, and I know that's why he didn't like the ending. We talked about them, but he still wanted more information at the end. Since Logan's reading level is not exactly where it is supposed to be, I think most fifth grade students and up would grasp more. I didn't tell Logan yet, but <i>Ghost</i> is the first book in a "Track" series. There are three more books, each about a different character from <i>Ghost</i>. I want him to finish his five from the list before we go astray, but I am hoping he'll find out what he wanted to know from reading the other books in the series.<br />
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The next book on the list that Logan picked to read was <i>The Bad Guys</i> by <a href="http://www.aaronblabeybooks.com/people/aaron-blabey">Aaron Blabey</a>. He read this one on his own. It had lots of pictures and not a lot of writing. It was a Level P, so below his reading level. He read it in two sittings, which is amazing for Logan! He said it was <br />
"okay". After seeing him read it so quickly, I, of course, had to read it too. I could see it being entertaining and funny to 4th graders and up (especially boys), and great for kids like Logan who get overwhelmed by a page full of words. This is also a series.<br />
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We are now listening to <i>All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook </i>by <a href="http://www.leslieconnor.com/mylife/">Leslie Connor</a>, another advanced book, which we are both really enjoying. I'll do a review on this when we've finished it. If you have a child in grades 4 to 6, I would definitely check out this <a href="http://massachusettschildrensbookaward.blogspot.com/">reading list</a>, no matter where you live. These are some really good books and I believe this program is accomplishing its mission.<br />
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</iframe>A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-50872259349402422542019-01-16T07:21:00.000-08:002019-01-16T07:21:21.675-08:00Death and Taxes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aI9K0g1E3Dk/XDOcmzM9IYI/AAAAAAAACso/_P9E2TvMxFIw4KoJgW880qi1kUD5deXwwCLcBGAs/s1600/61saCmvX-ZL._SX346_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="348" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aI9K0g1E3Dk/XDOcmzM9IYI/AAAAAAAACso/_P9E2TvMxFIw4KoJgW880qi1kUD5deXwwCLcBGAs/s320/61saCmvX-ZL._SX346_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0971237468?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=0971237468">Death and Taxes</a> (first book in a series)<br />
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<b>Author:</b> <a href="https://www.markzaslove.com/">Mark Zaslove</a><br />
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<b>Publisher: </b>Aperient Press, 2018<br />
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<b>Pages: </b>219<br />
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<b>Genre: </b>mystery / crime, humor<br />
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<b>Obtained:</b> from author's publicity manager in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: When Mark Douglas' friend and supervisor, Lila, is brutally murdered, he is determined to find out why and catch the bad guys.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: This book begins with an action packed, humorous raid to collect back taxes, and quickly introduces the good guys. The main character, Mark, was a Marine and is now an IRS agent. There are some quirky, colorful characters in this book. In a way, in the beginning, this book reminded me of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743216393?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=0743216393">Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series</a>, but with a male protagonist. The story line itself was simple and easy to follow. The focus of the writer seemed to be the humor, but even more so than in Evanvich's writing.<br />
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I have never liked comedy shows and there are many comedy movies that I just can't get into. I find about the first five minutes funny, and then, I just lose interest with line after line of jokes that are supposed to make me laugh. They're just not funny to me after those first few. The same happens when I read comical books. I enjoy a book more when there is a really good story and all throughout the book, every once in awhile, there is something funny unexpectedly thrown in. When there is just line after line of humor, I lose interest. Unfortunately that is what happened with this book and it was hard for me to get through. Now I know MANY people just love this type of humor, and you'll probably love this book, especaiily if you like unconventional characters. So, if you're looking for a good old fashioned mystery or crime novel, this is not what you are looking for, but, if you are looking for a comical book that doesn't let up on the funny lines, this is for you. This book is definitely for adults.<br />
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<b>Company</b>:<a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/"> Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/toasted-walnut/10198US01VAR0013057.html">Toasted Walnut</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: free sample with order<br />
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Today I tried <i>Toasted Walnut</i> tea from <i>Davids Tea</i>, which is a green tea that has a low caffeine content. The ingredients were sencha green tea, nut brittle (sugar, hazelnut), pineapple (pineapple, sugar), coconut (coconut, coconut fat, sugar), walnuts, almonds, and natural and artficial flavouring. Some of the leaves were long and thin, while others were small, short pieces. There was quite a large piece of walnut in my sample, along with chunks that looked like dried, sugar coated pineapple. The scent of the leaves was of toasted coconut, sweet nuts, and a hint of fruit. I put my sample packet in my tea steeper and poured 16 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this sit for 3 minutes. The liquid was a cloudy yellow with a scent of toasted coconut and nuts. The taste was a nice combination of coconut, nuts, and fruit and had a slight sweetness to it. This was a warming tea that gave me a cozy feeling. This would be a great tea for a relaxing, snowy day. I think it would go great with any book. A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-69181451968404426662019-01-08T06:53:00.001-08:002019-01-08T06:53:05.068-08:00Memory Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n8r10YX2_sE/XDDBwH57jXI/AAAAAAAACsc/_5j23kboLmI9WIzAvGpOwwKrpoa4szDnACLcBGAs/s1600/61gTd1AfFLL._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n8r10YX2_sE/XDDBwH57jXI/AAAAAAAACsc/_5j23kboLmI9WIzAvGpOwwKrpoa4szDnACLcBGAs/s320/61gTd1AfFLL._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V6FUY0E?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B00V6FUY0E">Memory Man</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://www.davidbaldacci.com/landing-page/david-baldacci-about/">David Baldacci</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://www.ronmclarty.com/bio">Ron McLarity</a> with <a href="https://www.orlaghcassidy.com/about-1/">Orlash Cassidy</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: <a href="https://www.hachetteaudio.com/">Hachette Audio</a>, 2015<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 11 compact discs, 13.5 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: mystery, crime fiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: borrowed from friend<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Amos Decker, a police detective, arrives home to find his family brutally murdered. Over a year later a man turns himself in to the police, confessing that he was the one who murdered Decker's family. Decker feels the need to meet this man and ends up getting himself involved in helping the police with another high profile investigation. Can Decker use his gifts to solve both of these crimes?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I listened to this book while doing mundane chores and driving. It kept me entertained and I enjoyed it. The story itself was not believable, and there was too much repetition at times, but it did hold my interest. There was a lot going on throughout the book which is a big plus to me. The author also gave details throughout the book which helped me to picture the story in my mind, along with the characters.<br />
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Although the main character was not exciting or charismatic, I liked that he was different- overweight, homeless, and couldn't forget anything due to a brain injury that occurred playing football. To be honest, it was hard to connect to him at first, but by the end I sort of liked him. The narrator did help to bring him to life. The other characters were interesting and I was pleased that the author gave the reader some of their stories, but I wanted to know more. This is the first in a series though, so maybe the author will share more about these characters in future books. I have actually started the second book, which I am, so far, enjoying even more than the first one.<br />
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I would definitely recommend this book to mystery / crime fiction lovers looking for a new series. I do have to say that some of the crimes are quite gruesome, so if this really bothers you, skip this one.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sS5Xy5Dt-X8/XDSzyRod1YI/AAAAAAAACs0/UsXyAeMQqNgqW7gfNc5l8kZHG3Xzr4R3gCLcBGAs/s1600/101_3164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sS5Xy5Dt-X8/XDSzyRod1YI/AAAAAAAACs0/UsXyAeMQqNgqW7gfNc5l8kZHG3Xzr4R3gCLcBGAs/s320/101_3164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/organic-super-ginger/10396US01VAR0017123.html#cgid=root&q=super%20ginger&sz=24&start=1">Organic Super Ginger</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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Today I tried a caffeine free rooibos tisane- <i>Organic Super Ginger </i>from<i> Davida Tea</i>. The ingredients were ginger, green rooibos, black pepper, white pepper, pink peppercorn, and natural flavouring. The small, brown, thin leaves were combined with chunks of ginger and pink peppercorns. The scent of the dry tea was of ginger. I poured about a cup of water that had been boiled over approximately a teaspoon of tea and let this steep for five minutes. The liquid was yellowish brown and had a ginger scent to it. The taste was of ginger and spice, which balanced each other out resulting in a delicious tea. I could not taste the rooibos at all. This tea left a soothing tingly feeling in my throat and cleared my sinuses. This is a warming , comforting tea, that would definitely be good when fighting off a cold or the flu.<br />
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<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-6500958651098507432018-12-28T11:09:00.000-08:002018-12-28T18:26:28.012-08:00Dracul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tne4911CUq0/XBqUzY_qLQI/AAAAAAAACr4/c0EeHL313JU_umHXTl3YzTqvN3kDOJ6JQCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25284%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="183" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tne4911CUq0/XBqUzY_qLQI/AAAAAAAACr4/c0EeHL313JU_umHXTl3YzTqvN3kDOJ6JQCLcBGAs/s1600/download%2B%25284%2529.jpeg" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735219346?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=0735219346">Dracul</a><br />
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<b>Authors</b>: <a href="http://www.bramstokerestate.com/Dacre_Stoker_CV.html">Dacre Stoker</a> and <a href="http://jdbarker.com/aboutjd/">J. D. Barker</a><br />
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<b>Publishe</b>r: Penguin Random House, 2018<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 493<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: horror, gothic fiction<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from publisher in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Ellen Crone, the nanny of Bram Stoker when he was a child, was a strange woman. At times she would disappear and then return, acting like nothing was out of the ordinary. After some murders in a nearby town, Ellen disappeared for good. Years later Ellen has been spotted by Bram's sister Matilda. This sighting has coincided with Matilda seeing an obituary with a picture of one of the murdered victims who has not aged since his first death. How can the same man die <i>twice</i>?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: <i>Dracul</i> was written as the prequel to <i>Dracula</i> by Bram Stoker. Dacre Stoker, the great grand nephew of Bram, teamed up with author, J.D. Barker to create this novel. The authors used a combination of notes from the journals of Bram Stoker (which included such things as story ideas and information about vampires), and the actual history of the Stoker family, weaving both fiction and nonfiction together to construct this novel. The result is a book written with a similar writing style to Bram Stoker, which again brings the world of Dracula to life, giving the reader more information and insight into this character. In addition, it also brings Bram Stoker and his family to life since they are characters in the novel. The atmosphere and pacing are much like that of <i>Dracula</i> (although I actually found the beginning of this book to be even more creepy), but the story is new. Although the book was 493 pages and looked long, the book did not seem too lengthy while reading it.<br />
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Dracula has always been one of my favorite books and I was very skeptical of a prequel to it, but this did not disappoint me at all. I loved it, and I don't think it could have been done any better. I was sucked right into the story and stayed there until the end. This is a must read for anyone that likes the old school horror stories. Well done!<br />
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I now want to reread <i>Dracula</i>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=aboanacuofte-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0735219346&asins=0735219346&linkId=75ee49f7e82825c735fed845f7e7d9cf&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/?gclid=CjwKCAiAmO3gBRBBEiwA8d0Q4sNI7fbD8A2UWLEMt7OQUr8XNC2rQga65RcMpCWW4unQLQteYno07RoCxIgQAvD_BwE">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vnR4N6LLogQ/XBvrCjsdXmI/AAAAAAAACsI/QTzhTXzUt2ABlmcfl5HvRGWloDkLx2RwwCLcBGAs/s1600/101_3128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vnR4N6LLogQ/XBvrCjsdXmI/AAAAAAAACsI/QTzhTXzUt2ABlmcfl5HvRGWloDkLx2RwwCLcBGAs/s320/101_3128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/loose-leaf-tea/herbal/strawberry-rhubarb-parfait/10376US01VAR0017171.html?cgid=herbal-tea#sz=12&start=82">Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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Today I tried <i>Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait </i>tea from <i>Davids Tea</i>. Did you know that, in Romania, hot teas are thought of as something to drink when you have a cold or other physical ailment, and that in a restaurant you would probably only be able to get a fruity, sweet herbal tea? Well, this is what I read on <a href="https://kingofromania.com/2010/09/28/romanian-cultural-practices-beverages/">kingofromania.com</a> . And isn't this the perfect color tea for a vampire novel?<br />
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Anyway, the leaves of this tea were not really leaves, but looked mostly like chunks of dried fruit, which had a strong, fruity scent. The ingredients of this herbal tea were apple, hibiscus, raisins, carrot, yogurt bits (milk powder, sugar, maltodextrin, modified starch, citric acid), beetroot, strawberry, rhubarb, and natural and artificial flavouring. I put about two teaspoons of tea into my teapot and poured sixteen ounces of water that had been boiled over this. I let this brew for about five minutes. The liquid was a stunning red and the light scent was of sweet strawberries. The taste was a mix of sweet and tart fruits with the strawberry in the forefront. It reminded me of strawberry rhubarb pie, maybe with whipped cream on top because it had a creamy aftertaste. If you like sweet strawberry herbal tea, I'm sure you'd like this!<br />
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<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-10571597776767315842018-12-11T11:17:00.004-08:002018-12-11T11:17:56.473-08:00Rogue Lawyer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pYPfwf6yBJ4/XAxKcW6xJPI/AAAAAAAACrY/F0R33p981CA35QhL1tzWg83IAjbygPsWwCLcBGAs/s1600/51IO08myfuL._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pYPfwf6yBJ4/XAxKcW6xJPI/AAAAAAAACrY/F0R33p981CA35QhL1tzWg83IAjbygPsWwCLcBGAs/s320/51IO08myfuL._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rogue-Lawyer-Novel-John-Grisham/dp/0553399829/ref=tmm_abk_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Rogue Lawyer</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.jgrisham.com/bio/">John Grisham</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/78887/mark-deakins">Mark Deakins</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Random House Audio, 2015<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: mystery, legal thriller<br />
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<b>Forma</b>t: 9 compact discs, 11 1/2 hours<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: passed on from friend<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Sebastian Rudd is a criminal defender who works out of his van and has one employee, who may also be his only friend. In this book, the reader follows Rudd's life along with his cases.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I really enjoyed the characters in this story, especially Sebastian Rudd. If he was a real person, I don't think I would even like him, but I enjoyed reading about him. The book itself was a collection of Rudd's cases with his life story intertwined. I enjoyed this format which was quite different for John Grisham. It kind of shook things up. I also enjoyed learning about different aspects of the legal system through the various cases.<br />
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I like John Grisham's writing style, and although the format of this book was a bit different, the writing style remained the same. He seems to write about complicated legal matters in a way that an individual not involved with the courts could understand. He also has many things going on in the story at the same time, but writes so as not to confuse the reader.<br />
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The narrator portrayed the characters very well, and spoke clearly. He told the story at a good pace. The narrator and the story held my attention and I looked forward to listening to this book.<br />
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If you like legal thrillers and interesting characters- give this one a try.<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA3b3gBRDAARIsAL6D-N_iNwVZr811tmfU7U1FSVjxHa9eloJ6UMALH-7PwJpAcL8wu03pI1saAqTtEALw_wcB">Davids Tea</a><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muPUwWrKT9o/XBAK91v17TI/AAAAAAAACro/NTi00vvUePQoaG3FG0hiH3eazhFkoR_TgCLcBGAs/s1600/101_3117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muPUwWrKT9o/XBAK91v17TI/AAAAAAAACro/NTi00vvUePQoaG3FG0hiH3eazhFkoR_TgCLcBGAs/s320/101_3117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/organic-cream-of-earl-grey/10076US01VAR0012981.html#cgid=root&q=earl%20grey%20creme&sz=24&start=2">Organic Cream of Earl Grey</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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Today I tried the <i>Organic Cream of Earl Grey </i>from <i>Davids Tea</i>. The ingredients were black tea, marigolds, cornflowers, and natural flavouring. This tea has a high caffeine content. The black tea leaves were long and thin and there were marigold petals mixed in with the tea leaves. They had a sweet scent, not of bergamot like I expected. I didn't see any cornflower petals. I put a little over a teaspoon of leaves into my tea ball and poured about 8 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for 3 minutes. The dark orange liquid had a faint sweet scent. The taste was a mixture of flavours. There was a taste of bold, rich black tea, and in the background was a bit of citrus and a bit of sweet vanilla. I really liked this tea. It was very different from other earl grey cream teas I have tried. It wasn't quite as creamy and the background flavour was more of citrus than the usual bergamot taste. I also liked that the black tea was so bold. This was a wonderful blend that I really enjoyed on this cold winter day.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-56770071558792025502018-11-29T09:22:00.000-08:002018-11-29T09:22:06.915-08:00Colossal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0PRmHw6Xe4/W_K-rRH4wiI/AAAAAAAACqg/KQNXB-reE3Ykr3O48TUyPFn9SY98WPctgCLcBGAs/s1600/41U-%252BBOkMiL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0PRmHw6Xe4/W_K-rRH4wiI/AAAAAAAACqg/KQNXB-reE3Ykr3O48TUyPFn9SY98WPctgCLcBGAs/s320/41U-%252BBOkMiL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Colossal-Issue-1/dp/151533001X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">Colossal</a> (Issue #1)<br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="https://lennoxmccaskill.com/">Lennox McCaskill</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: self published, 2015<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: mystery, fantasy<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 372<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from author in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Detectives Wreings and Donnelly are assigned to investigate a fiery crime scene in which a body has been found. When they begin their examination, they make some very odd discoveries, eventually leading to the revelation that this was no ordinary crime.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: There were so many things that I liked about this book. It started out as a police investigation mystery, but I soon found that this was not a typical mystery. As the story progressed, it almost had an X-Files feel to it. I found the story to be fresh, and new, and I liked how the author combined a mystery with the story of super humans. I also liked the author's writing style. It was organized, descriptive, and his characters were developed. The story was told at a good pace, and the writer held my attention throughout the book. <br />
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The only thing that may bother readers is that there were so many unanswered questions at the end of the book. This gave me an unsatisfied feeling, but did make me want to read the next book. It is the first book in the series and I'm sure at least some of the questions will be answered in the books that follow, but I know some readers do not like loose ends at the close of a book. So be aware- this is not a stand alone read. Although there is violence in this book (not more so than movies and video games), I would recommend it for young adults and up.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2G6NGzuXtyE/W_LKPLGwKnI/AAAAAAAACqw/OJxDFY7WOpAtZWlcz8iVihFL394zS6upACLcBGAs/s1600/101_3098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2G6NGzuXtyE/W_LKPLGwKnI/AAAAAAAACqw/OJxDFY7WOpAtZWlcz8iVihFL394zS6upACLcBGAs/s400/101_3098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/">Davids Tea</a> <br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/organic-cold-911/10277US01VAR0013135.html#cgid=root&q=organic%20cold%20911&sz=24&start=1">Organic Cold 911</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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Today I tried the <i>Organic Cold 911</i> tea from <i>Davids Tea</i>. The ingredients of this caffeine free, herbal tea were peppermint, apple, juniper berries, and natural eucalyptus and orange flavouring. According to the Davids Tea website, this tea may help you feel better if you have a cold because it is "cooling and cleansing on the respiratory system". The leaves were a potpourri of tiny brown and green leaves, orange brown chunks, and dried berries. The leaves had a light mint and herbal scent. I put 1 1/2 teaspoons of tea into my tea ball and poured 8 ounces of water that had been boiled over the tea. I let this steep for 5 minutes. The yellow liquid had a peppermint / eucalyptus scent. The taste was of peppermint with a hint of fruit and eucalyptus. It had a slight sweetness to it. This was a soothing, comforting tea, not only to drink, but just to hold and take in the scent. I have a slight cold and this tea seemed to drain my sinuses and sooth my sore throat. I highly recommend this tea if you have a cold.<br />
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<br />A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-5088300802493860092018-11-20T07:36:00.000-08:002018-11-20T07:36:00.228-08:00Behind Closed Doors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9H41uJS5B2w/W-GqflNu6PI/AAAAAAAACps/SXpQpk55b68Yj9s0hYxqeqZ_kyuPF6qKwCLcBGAs/s1600/51TbR8sHIQL._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9H41uJS5B2w/W-GqflNu6PI/AAAAAAAACps/SXpQpk55b68Yj9s0hYxqeqZ_kyuPF6qKwCLcBGAs/s320/51TbR8sHIQL._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GW1N8HC?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B01GW1N8HC">Behind Closed Doors</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>:<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/author/baparis/"> B. A. Paris</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://audiobookstore.com/narrators/georgia-maguire-audiobooks/">Georgia Maguire</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Macmillan Audio, 2016<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 8 hours and 23 minutes, audio book download<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: psychological thriller<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Jack and Grace seem to have the perfect marriage, but what goes on behind closed doors?<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: The best thing about this book was the way the author told the story. I loved the little unexpected twists and turns, not huge ones, just little ones, throughout the book. The story did not always go where I thought it would. Also, I liked the way she organized the story, jumping around in time. It was not confusing, but creative. She told the story in a way that was quite different from other psychological thrillers I have read. It was not fast paced, although it was a quick read. I wanted to know what would happen next, but it was more horror than suspense. <br />
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The downside of this book was that it was really unbelievable. The characters had unique personalities, but did not seem realistic and I didn't feel like I got to know them on a deep level. The actual story was disturbing and did not seem plausible.<br />
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The narrator was a good match for this book. She told the story in a clear voice and at a good pace. She portrayed the characters wonderfully and made me shiver the way she had the villain say "perfect". I would love to listen to more books that Georgia Maguire has narrated.<br />
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If you can read about domestic abuse and animal cruelty without being offended and don't mind fiction that is unbelievable, you might appreciate the author's way of writing a psychological thriller. <br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/home/">Davids Tea</a> <br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/just-peachy/10436US01VAR0016991.html">Just Peachy</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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The <i>Just Peachy </i>tea from <i>Davids Tea</i> is supposed to make the "perfect peach iced tea", according to the website. I tried it and it was just too sweet for me. My review can be read <a href="https://abookandacupofteablog.blogspot.com/search?q=just+peachy">here</a>. Today I was in the mood for something warm and sweet since I just came in from driving my kids to school in the snow. I tried the <i>Just Peachy</i> tea hot. This is a caffeine free herbal tea which includes apple, apple pomace (apple pomace, citric acid), sweet blackberry leaves, peach (peach, sugar), and natural and artificial flavouring. The leaves had the scent of peaches and were really chunks of brown and off white fruit with some green leaves mixed in. I put 1 1/2 teaspoons of leaves into my teapot and poured 16 ounces of water over them. I let this steep for 5 minutes. The pale yellow liquid had a strong peach scent. The taste was of sweet peaches with a hint of berry in the background. The aftertaste was a bit too sweet for me. I am a person who does not like sugar in her tea, so for those that do, this would not be too sweet. I did love the strong peach flavour with the hint of berry. I did like this tea better hot than cold, but I was craving sweet, so that may have been why. If you love sweet peach tea, this one is for you.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-38834088845114400182018-11-15T08:57:00.001-08:002018-11-15T08:57:29.940-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vidSh9WRBxs/W-2OTbXHQ9I/AAAAAAAACqE/Y0oSMZW2CiwVeczQWDWcSYTTa8NmkezqQCLcBGAs/s1600/51d0jKSagNL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vidSh9WRBxs/W-2OTbXHQ9I/AAAAAAAACqE/Y0oSMZW2CiwVeczQWDWcSYTTa8NmkezqQCLcBGAs/s320/51d0jKSagNL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1981970916?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=1981970916">Lessons From Life: Four Keys to Living with More Meaning, Purpose and Success</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://peoplemanagementsmd.com/about_darter.htm">Steven M. Darter</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: self-published, 2018<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: self-help<br />
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<b>Pages</b>: 233<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: from author in exchange for an honest review<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: The author describes how human beings are designed for certain things and how each person is given a specific set of talents and gifts to use toward his or her purpose. How can we use what we have been given to do what we were intended to do successfully? <br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I really enjoyed this thought provoking book. The author describes a process of self exploration using his life experiences as examples. He looks at identifying gifts and interests, making sure they are being used in a positive way, and how to stay on the right track to achieve meaning, purpose, and success in one's life. Some of the ideas the author presented were very familiar to me since I worked as a career counselor, but many were new. I kept thinking how, if I had read this book when doing this work, my clients would have benefited from this information. I also liked that though the author's background is in career counseling, especailly at the excecutive level, he writes this book so that ANYONE can benefit from it, even those that don't necessarily have a career (someone retired, or a stay at home Mom or Dad). The best part about the book, though, was the author's inspirational, amusing stories from his own life and how he used and continues to use the ideas in this book to grow. He told his story in such a way that I could relate to it. His struggles were not the same as mine, but I believe anyone could use his examples to help understand the points he was trying to make.<br />
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I liked the author's writing style. It had a down to earth flare and was engaging. I liked the humor the author used throughout the book. He used just the right amount of repetition to make the most pertinent information stick in my brain. The small problem I had with the book, and it may have been the way I process information, was that I had trouble bringing everything together at the end. I could take in each piece and understand it and think about my life in regards to it, but at the end I felt like I had a bunch of pieces and not a full picture. It may be a book I just have to read more than once because I just cannot pinpoint how it could have been organized differently to bring everything together more tightly for me. I do think one more read through with pauses for thinking and reflecting would bring it all together.<br />
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Although I would not describe this book as religious, one of the central parts of the book is God. How can I say I would not describe it as religious? I believe that even if the reader does not believe in God, the other pieces of the book would be beneficial and thought provoking.<br />
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This is a fantastic book for self reflection and self exploration. It would be helpful for an adult of any age, no matter where you are on your life journey. <br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>:<a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/oregon-breakfast-black-tea"> Oregon Breakfast Black Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: sample with tea of the month club<br />
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I got this sample of <i>Oregon Breakfast Black Tea</i> with my November, <i>Plum Deluxe</i> tea of the month club delivery. The ingredients were black tea, honeybush tea, orange peel, and hazelnut essence. The brown and black, small, thin leaves were mixed with white and light brown chunks and smelled of hazelnuts. I put 1 1/2 teaspoons of leaves into my teapot and poured 16 ounces of water that had been boiled over the leaves. I let this steep for 3 minutes. The brownish orange liquid also had a hazelnut scent. The taste was of hazelnuts and was slightly sweet. I could taste a hint of orange in the background, but I don't think I would have noticed it if I hadn't read the ingredients first and knew there was orange peel in the tea as it is very subtle. I really had to search for it. This was a delicious, rich, warming tea that is perfect for breakfast. I imagine this would go wonderfully with most desserts as well. If you are like me and love the scent of hazelnut coffee, but are not a coffee drinker- definitely try this one!A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-38923543139625401602018-11-07T06:33:00.001-08:002018-11-07T06:33:16.805-08:00The Couple Next Door<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLILeTcfBAM/W9cG3OTrTUI/AAAAAAAACpE/4N0JwrpatD4PV1tWqOKg8PaCPOLXb1dOACLcBGAs/s1600/61Web4qTSWL._SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLILeTcfBAM/W9cG3OTrTUI/AAAAAAAACpE/4N0JwrpatD4PV1tWqOKg8PaCPOLXb1dOACLcBGAs/s320/61Web4qTSWL._SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IIABQYC?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B01IIABQYC">The Couple Next Door</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.sharilapena.com/">Shari Lapena</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/narrators/kirsten-potter/">Kirsten Potter</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Penguin Audio, 2016<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 8 hours and 40 minutes, audio book download<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: psychological thriller, mystery<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Anne and Marco Conti go next door to a dinner party and leave their baby home asleep in her crib. They bring the baby monitor with them and check on her every half hour. When they get back home from the party, their baby is gone.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: This psychological thriller was not as good as the last couple I read. The characters were all terrible people- all of them. Usually if there is an unlikeable character that is interesting, that doesn't matter to me, but having all the characters unlikeable was just plain depressing. The world that was created was grave and I felt that I was not rooting for any of the characters and didn't really care how the story ended. The writing style was good in that the story was easy to follow, the pace was good, and I wanted to know what was going to happen. The down side was that it was more like someone was telling me a story than I was experiencing it. I also felt that the writing style was almost too simple and definitely too repetitive- like the author thought her audience was not too bright.<br />
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The narrator was just okay. She spoke clearly and I could follow the story. She did not seem to add much to the experience, though.<br />
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All in all this was a simple, entertaining story, but if likeable characters are important to you, this is not for you. Also, if repetition is annoying to you, don't even try this one. Would I read something else by this author? Absolutely.<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/">Plum Deluxe</a> <br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://www.plumdeluxe.com/product/dragonfruit-herbal-tea">Dragonfruit Desire Herbal Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: sample with tea of the month club<br />
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I received this sample of <i>Dragonfruit Desire Herbal Tea</i> with a monthly subscription from <i>Plum Deluxe</i>. The ingredients were green rooibos, mango pieces, apple pieces, hibiscus, orange peel, lemon peel, strawberry pieces, blue malva flower, and calendula. The leaves had a fruity scent, and were different shades of brown. They were small, thin, and short, and there were chunks of fruit mixed in with the leaves. I poured about 12 ounces of water that had been boiled over about one and a half teaspoons of leaves and let this steep for three minutes. The liquid was a brownish yellow and the scent was of tart fruit. The taste was a blend of tart berries and fruit with floral mixed in. There was a sweetness after swallowing that balanced out the tartness of the fruit. This was a soothing, refreshing blend for those that like fruity herbal teas.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4741542507075423099.post-49169222886551028062018-11-01T08:49:00.000-07:002018-11-01T08:49:13.717-07:00In a Dark, Dark Wood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XWSLEHU?ie=UTF8&tag=aboanacuofte-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B00XWSLEHU">In a Dark, Dark Wood</a><br />
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<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://www.ruthware.com/">Ruth Ware</a><br />
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<b>Narrator</b>: <a href="http://imogenchurch.com/voice">Imogen Church</a><br />
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<b>Publisher</b>: Simon & Schuster, 2015<br />
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<b>Format</b>: 8 compact discs, 9 hours<br />
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<b>Genre</b>: psychological thriller, mystery<br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: library<br />
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<b>Summary</b>: Nora gets an invitation to a weekend hen party for a college friend she has not seen in many years. She thinks it odd, but decides to attend. When she gets there, strange things start to happen. Then someone dies and Nora can't remember what happened.<br />
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<b>Thoughts</b>: I was not going to read this book because a few people that had really liked some of Ruth Ware's other books told me this one was not good, but I'm very glad I read it. I enjoyed it. It had a creepy feel, and I looked forward to listening to it. The clues to what was going to happen were not hidden well, but to me this didn't matter. The story was a good one and the characters were interesting. The setting was perfect for this tale, and I really like Ruth Ware's writing style. She pulls you in with the way she creates her characters and setting and the menacing feel her books possess. Even though, most of the time I had a sense what was going to happen, the suspense was still there and I was never disappointed with where the story went. <br />
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Imogen Church does a good job reading the book. She reads at a good pace and uses voice inflection well to keep the listener engaged. She did a great job portraying the main character.<br />
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If you don't like predictable moments or obvious clues, skip this one. If you don't mind, and like a sinister story and Ruth Ware's writing style, you will probably enjoy this.<br />
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<b>Company</b>: <a href="https://verdanttea.com/">Verdant Tea</a><br />
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<b>Tea</b>: <a href="https://verdanttea.com/teas/2016-qianjiazhai-loose-leaf-gu-hua-mao-cha-sheng-puer/">2016 Gu Hua Sheng Pu'er Tea</a><br />
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<b>Obtained</b>: purchased<br />
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I purchased the 5 teas for $5 special from <i>Verdant Tea</i> which is available to first time customers. This is the last tea of my 5, which I am sad about. Each of these teas were excellent quality and delicious in their own way. I also enjoyed the short steep times and that I could keep using the same leaves over and over until I had my fill, without loosing the flavor. I will definitely be trying more teas from this company.<br />
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The <i>2016 Gu Hua Sheng Pu'er Tea</i> is from Mt. Ailao in the Yunnan province of China. The trees are grown at an elevation of 2140 meters. The leaves were long and twisted and were many shades of brown. They had a sweet earthy scent. I put 5 g (the envelope) of tea into my tea maker and poured 6 ounces of water that had been boiled and then cooled slightly over the leaves. I let this steep for approximately 6 seconds. The liquid was pale yellow and had a spicy, earthy scent. The taste was full bodied and rich, but lighter than most pu'ers I have tasted. There were fruit and vegetal notes in this tea that balanced with the earthy base to make a wonderful, unique flavor. I highly recommend trying any tea from this company. They deliver quickly, and have high quality, unique teas.A Book and a Cup of Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563195025602483418noreply@blogger.com1