Miller's Valley

  

Title: Miller's Valley

Author: Anna Quindlen

Narrator: Brittany Pressley

Format: 7 discs, 8 hours and 14 minutes

Published: 2016 by Brilliance Audio

Genre: fiction

Obtained: library





Summary: Mimi Miller shares her life story, most of which involves growing up in Miller's Valley, a small close-knit town in Pennsylvania.  She also relates the stories of her family, friends, and neighbors and how they influence, affect, and help to shape her life. Throughout the story, in the background, is the story of Miller's Valley.  This is a story about how people and places may come and go, but they always remain in your heart.

Thoughts:  This book is about life- the ups and downs, , choices we make- right and wrong, family, relationships- good and bad, surprises, secrets, problems, coping, celebrating, moving on, going back, deaths and births, and day to day activities.  There is no suspense and no action packed adventure.  It is not needed.
     The characters and setting are brought to life.  The characters are realistic, yet diverse.  They have different perspectives and they don't always share everything they know which makes them even more real.  The settings are described in just enough detail, so that I could picture them in my mind.  I felt like I knew each person and could visit Miller's Valley and see them all there.
     The writing style is simple, not flowery or over dramatic, yet the points conveyed are deep and thought provoking.  There are some clever, meaningful lines that I really thought about after.  This is a deep book- not one where you have to really think to understand what the writer is trying to convey, but one where there is so much meaning in a few simple lines.  At the same time, the author is able to move the story along and not get caught up in these underlying notions.  It is up to the reader to do the thinking.  The author tells you just enough.
     The narrator read the story at a good pace and had different voices for each character, which must have been a challenge because of the diverse individuals.   I have no criticism for the narrator, but for those that really like to think about what they are reading, I would recommend a printed copy to make it easier to go back and reread some of these amazing lines that pop up.
   

                                                               

Company: Joy's Teaspoon 

Tea: Cinnamon Roll

Obtained: purchased









     Cinnamon Roll is a black tea with cinnamon chunks from Joy's Teaspoon.  It was in a box of tea samples that I purchased.  Each sample is packaged in a good quality tin.  When I opened the tin, there was a sweet cinnamon scent.  The tea was composed of black tea leaves and light brown chunks of cinnamon.  I pored eight ounces of water that had been boiled over one teaspoon of tea.  I let it brew for four minutes.  The liquid was an orange brown color and the scent was of cinnamon.  It was a strong scent, but not overpowering.  The taste was of sweet cinnamon.
     If you love cinnamon, you'll love this tea.  It would make a wonderful tea to have with dessert, especially  fall desserts like pumpkin and apple pie.  It would also be wonderful for breakfast with a coffee cake or even oatmeal.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

                                                                        

                                                     

Title: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Author: Jules Verne

Narrator: James Frain

Format: 12 cd's, 15 hours, and 10 minutes

Published: 2011 by Random House, first published 1870

Genre: science fiction, adventure, classic

Obtained: library

Summary:  Professor Aronax along with his assistant Conseil, and harpoonist Ned Land, end up as captives aboard a submarine which is home to Captain Nemo and his crew.  These three men go on a great adventure exploring the world under water all the while looking for a way to escape their captor.

Thoughts:  This book is indeed a great adventure!  The con of it is that I wanted to edit about half of it out.  Although the story is presented in a clear, organized manner, there are way too many details about the submarine and how it works, descriptions of flora and fauna, and classifications of sea creatures.  While some people may look at this as amazing attention to detail (which it is), it caused me to zone out while listening to it because it became monotonous.  It really took away from the plot.
     The book did have intriguing characters that I now feel like I know.  There was also a sense of mystery throughout the book, which I enjoyed.  I kept questioning who Captain Nemo really was and what was really going on.  The attention to details did make the setting come alive.

     The narrator was excellent.  He is a clear speaker with a pleasant voice.  He read at a good pace.  You can tell he is an actor by the way he reads, especially the dialogue.

     I don't know how readers in the late 1800's felt about all the details and classifications in this book.  Maybe this was a positive back then to get all this description.  Times are much different now with all our technology and the pictures and videos we can view. A picture is definitely worth a thousand words.    

                                                               

Company: Joy's Teaspoon                         

     

Tea: Emperors 7 Treasures


Obtained: purchased

     This is another tea that was in the Top Tea's Sampler Pack I purchased from Joy's Teaspoon as a treat for myself.  The eight tea samples come in individual good quality tins.  Each tin is supposed to hold enough leaves for two cups of tea, but I believe there is enough for three or four cups.
     "Emperor's 7 Treasures" is a combination of green and black teas with rose and sunflower blossoms and flavorings.  When I opened the tin, the scent was a combination of fruits and flowers.  The leaves were mostly blacks and greens of all different shapes and sizes with a few bright yellow leaves mixed in.  I poured eight ounces of hot water over one teaspoon of leaves and let this steep for four minutes (4-5 minutes is recommended).  The liquid was an orange brown.  The scent was of a fruity green tea.  I did strain the liquid through a fine sieve because there were many tea leaves that went through my tea ball.  The taste was of a green tea with a light sweet floral background.  This was a very refreshing tea.
     Floral teas are not my favorite, but this one is very pleasant.  It would make a nice spring tea and I would like to try it iced.  

The Oxford Inheritance

                                                                         

Title: The Oxford Inheritance

Author: Ann A. McDonald

Published: 2016 by Harper Collins

Pages: 320

Genre: mystery, paranormal

Obtained: library







Summary: Cassie Blackwell applies and is accepted to Raleigh College at Oxford.  She is there for one purpose- to find out the secrets of her deceased mother's past. While she searches for clues, she turns up additional information related to deaths- past and present.  Have these people been murdered, and if so, can she stop the murderer?

Thoughts:  I liked this author's writing style.  It was clear and organized and most of the story flowed well.  The book kept me interested and I wanted to read on until a little over three quarters through when there was a twist.  I didn't like the twist.  It just didn't seem to go along with the beginning and middle of the story. Also, I thought that the climax and ending were hurried.
     I really enjoyed the setting and the mood the author created.  The author did a great job giving the story a mysterious, kind of creepy feel through the setting, especially the parts that took place in an old restricted library.  I would say that this is the best part of the book.
     Some of the characters had distinct personalities, but some were just sort of generic.  Unfortunately, this included the main character, which really was disappointing.  Sometimes she did things that didn't seem to fit with who she was.   I would question what she was all about, but the different ways she acted at times and things she did never came together to make a believable character.  This was similar to the plot.  After the twist I didn't like, the rest of the story did not completely fit in with the beginning and middle, so to me, it made the last quarter of the book not believable, almost silly.
     I think this is one of those books that you could love or hate, depending on who you are and what you are looking for in a book.



                                                              

Company: Joy's Teaspoon

Tea: Earl Grey

Obtained: purchased online











     I bought myself a present. I usually don't do this, but I ran out of tea I haven't reviewed and I had to keep blogging, right?  Tea is what people usually give me for my birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day, etc..  Anyway, I came across a really cute name of a tea company- "Joy's Teaspoon".  So, I decided I'd be daring and try something new.  (Yes, I picked it because of the cute name.)  I ordered a "Top Teas Sampler" box which would give me eight teas to sample.  I would get two cups of tea from each sample.  The cost was $10.49 plus $4.50 for shipping.  I received the tea very quickly in the mail and was delighted with the cute box the teas arrived in (just like a present).  I opened the box up and sure enough, eight samples, all nicely labeled in high quality tins.  I wanted to try something new, but I was reading "The Oxford Inheritance", so I picked the Earl Grey for something English.
     I opened the tin, and got a strong whiff of very sweet bergamot.  The leaves were long and dark brown.  I put a teaspoon of leaves in my tea ball and poured eight ounces of water over it.  I let it brew for four minutes (4-5 minutes was recommended online).  I have to say, there are way more tea leaves left in the tin than one teaspoon.  I will definitely get three cups, if not four out of the tin.
     The liquid was a yellowish brown (the picture's color above is off).  The scent of the liquid was that of the leaves - a very strong, sweet bergamot.
     I sipped the tea.  It did not taste as sweet as it smelled.  I could taste the bold black tea and the light sweet bergamot- a nice blend.  The sweet was very pleasant, not overpowering like I thought it was going to be. I usually put a little honey and milk in my Earl Grey tea.  This Earl Grey does not need anything added.
     If you like Earl Grey tea, I would definitely recommend trying this one.  Joy's Teaspoon also has an Earl Grey Creme that I'd really like to sample.  I can't wait to taste my other samples!  I need to be daring more often.

Turn the Ship Around!

     

Title: Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders

Author: L. David Marquet

Published: The Penguin Group in 2012

Pages: 227

Genre: nonfiction

Obtained: library









Summary:  The author shares his story of taking the crew of the worst naval submarine in the fleet and turning things around so that they became the best.  The captain's focus was to change the leader-follower model to a leader-leader model which focused on giving the crew control and responsibility over their jobs.  The crew would not follow orders, but would let the captain know what they were going to do.  Therefore, they needed clarity of the goals of the submarine and navy and needed to be competent at their jobs.  The captain also gave the crew support in reaching their own personal goals.


Thoughts:  This book is supposed to show how to go from a leader- follower organizational structure to a leader-leader structure.  The author is successful in presenting what the mind sets need to be in the organization at all levels so that everyone is a leader.  There are also some really good ideas and examples in this book about how to be a supportive supervisor,  how to assist in increasing the happiness of employees in their jobs, and how to promote worker's ability to grow in their jobs and careers.  There are also great examples showing how sometimes processes can be a hindrance to success or time waster rather than helpful, and how steps may be able to be cut out of a process or the process may be cut out altogether and the action just taken.
     The team on which the leader-leader model is used in the book is a military crew on a submarine which is a unique work environment.  It is an extremely high stress atmosphere and since it is a military organization, the crew has ranks.  So, at times it is hard to relate what the author did with the submarine to a company or other organization where you might want to use the leader-leader model.  Most companies are not life and death and have job titles rather than ranks.  The workers are also not confined to cramped quarters for months at a time.
     If you are looking for ideas to improve your work place success and morale, this is a good book to read.  If you are looking for a step by step plan to do this, you will not find it in this book.



                                                               

Company: Art of Tea                                                     

Tea: Banana Dulce


Obtained: gift








     Banana Dulce is a caffeine free tea blend created by Art of Tea.  Ingredients include rooibos, chamomile, lemongrass, lavender, banana, and coconut.
     The tea is packaged in a foil-lined brown paper bag which keeps the tea protected.  When you open the bag, there is a strong scent of very ripe bananas.  The blend is made up of very small pieces of brown leaves, long green and brown leaves, and many chamomile flowers- a pretty tea.
     I poured 8 ounces of water over 1 tablespoon of leaves and let this brew for 5 minutes.  The liquid was an amber color and some of the very small leaves had gone through my tea ball into the liquid.  They did sink to the bottom, and were very small so I didn't bother to strain the liquid.  The scent of the liquid was very, very faint.  It was reminiscent of warm banana bread.  The taste was stronger, but more of chamomile with a tropical background of bananas and coconut and a hint of lemon.
     This is a very comforting tea.  It is the end of May and feels like a summer day in New England.  I see this as a winter tea- something to enjoy and be comforted by after coming in from the cold.  To me it is a sweet tea or dessert tea- enjoyable.
   

Library Challenge

                                                   



     I am joining the 2016 "I Love Libraries Reading Challenge" at the "early reader" level.  I will read or listen to at least 9 books by the end of the year that I have checked out of a library.  For more information on this challenge, or to join in, please click here.
     I have always loved libraries.  Just walking in and seeing all those books gives me a wonderful feeling.  Even better, I am then able to browse through them all and then actually borrow some.  Along with the books, at my library, I can borrow music cd's, dvd's, audio books, magazines, digital material, and now even a telescope.  There are free programs offered at the library all the time, not only for me, but for my whole family.  The library has discounts and free passes to museums and other educational places.  Librarians are always willing to help me find information I need.  I am there at least once a week.  Libraries are a fantastic resource that everyone can use.  Please, support your local libraries so all of this can continue to be available to us all.
     I will list the books I have checked out of the library and read here.

At the Edge of the Orchard

Title: At the Edge of the Orchard

Author: Tracy Chevalier

Published: March 2016 by Penguin Random House

Pages: 289

Genre: historical fiction

Obtained: library

Summary:  Robert Goodenough grew up in the Black Swamp of northwest Ohio.  His father and mother had settled where their wagon got stuck.  His father was determined to have 50 apple trees growing on this land, so he could stake his claim.  His wife did not have the same goal.  When something terrible happens, Robert leaves the Black Swamp and makes his way across the country alone, bringing with him his father's love of trees.  Robert is running away from his past, but it catches up with him at last.

Thoughts:  The book starts out in 1838 with the story of James and Sadie Goodenough and their families.  Just as I was getting into their story and starting to feel a connection with these characters, the story stopped and jumped to letters written from 1840-1856 to the Goodenough family by Robert, the youngest son.  The third chapter was Robert's story after he left the Black Swamp.  I didn't like Robert's character at the beginning of the book, so I was disappointed.  Chapter four went back to 1838 and continued the story of James and Sadie.  At this point I felt better about the book because I had grown to like Robert and understood who everyone was and how the story was jumping to and from different times.  Chapter five is letters that Robert's closest sister wrote to him from 1844-1856.  Chapter six goes back to Robert's story in 1856.  By the end, everything is connected.

     This book pulls a lot together which kept my attention.  There is the story of the Goodenough family, but also thrown in are "real" people from history- John Appleseed, William Lobb, and Billie and Nancy Lapham.  I really enjoyed how the author used people from history in her story in a believable way.  There is also the gold rush in California, the Black Swamp, Calaveras Grove (giant sequoias), the redwood forests of California, what it was like to be a botanist in the 1800's, and apples (especially the Pitmaston Pineapple).  The settings change, but are all interesting places and the author does a terrific job of making you feel like you are there. The writing style is easy to follow and clear which helps the story to have a good flow. 

     I believe the weakness of this book is that it takes a long time to get to know the characters, but by the end, the author did accomplish this.  The characters do have their own voices, but the book concentrates so much on settings and history that character development is not at the forefront.  I ended up really enjoying this book once I got to know the characters.  Also, major topics of this book are trees, plants, apples and family relationships.  If you don't like these things, this book is not for you.    

   

                                                           

Company: Tea Forte                                               

Tea: Tupelo Honey Fig

Obtained: gift

                                                 


   Tupelo Honey Fig tea, from Tea Forte, is a white tea.  It is described on the tin as follows: This tea was "inspired by a New England garden of fragrant herbs and summer ripe fruit....."  "A summer medley of organic rare white tea, delicious sweet figs and the taste of tupelo honey.  Cooling peppermint and sunny citrus join in perfect harmony for a most fragrant cup."
     The tea was packaged in a good quality tin with an appealing label.  When I opened the tin, there was the scent of sweet citrus and herbs.  It reminded me of an herbal shop or an herb garden.  The tea leaves were olive green and brown and were all shapes and sizes.  There were chunks of dried fruit and fennel seeds mixed in.
     I poured 16 ounces of water over 2 teaspoons of tea leaves and let it brew for five minutes.  The liquid was a bright yellow.  (The liquid is really a little brighter than in the picture.)  The scent of the leaves was of sweet citrus and herbs.  The taste was more of a citrus / mint with herbs in the background.  The fennel stood out at the end, but was not overpowering.
     This was an enjoyable cup of tea.  I have had some teas from Tea Forte in the past, and most have been just okay.  This one is my favorite from Tea Forte so far.  It is perfect for sitting down to relax with a good book.

A Study in Scarlet

Title: A Study in Scarlet

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Narrator: Frederick Davidson

Format: 4 discs, 4 hours, 3 minute tracks

Published: 1999 by Blackstone Audio, Inc., originally published in 1887

Genre: mystery, classic

Obtained: library

Summary: A dead man is found in an abandoned house. There are blood spatters around the corpse which does not appear to have any wounds.  A gold ring falls out of the dead man's hand, and the word "Rache" is written in blood on a wall.  Scotland Yard is baffled, so they call in Sherlock Holmes as a consultant.  Holmes asks his new flatmate, Dr. Watson, if he would like to accompany him to the crime scene.  Dr. Watson readily agrees because he has become quite interested in Holmes and his oddities.  Holmes, with the assistance of Dr.Watson, takes on the job of solving the case and catching the murderer.

Thoughts: The story has two parts.  The first part begins with Dr. Watson's story and how he meets Sherlock Holmes and comes to live with him at 221B Baker Street.  We learn all about Dr. Watson's life up until this point and then learn about Sherlock Holmes through Watson's eyes.  I really enjoyed finding out how Holmes and Watson met and became partners.  The mystery is then introduced.  We learn about the deductive reasoning and techniques Holmes uses to solve cases.
     The second part is the story of why the crime was committed, which is a good yarn within itself.  It does not include Holmes and Watson.  The second part was at the beginning of the third disc and I thought I had the wrong disc because it was really the beginning of another story!  I checked the disc and found I had the right one, though.  I really liked this added bit- the murderer's story and why he committed the murder.  At the end, the two stories were brought together- an creative presentation.
     I loved the characters.  Both Watson and Holmes are bizarre, yet seem so real.  Neither is very successful in life, but they do make a successful crime solving pair.  It was fascinating to discover what the original Holmes and Watson were like since they have been portrayed in so many different ways since their characters were first created.
     I loved the author's writing style.  The pace of the story was perfect- not rushed, but not drawn out.  The writing was clear and organized.  I liked how the majority of the book was from Dr. Watson's perspective.   The only thing that was not believable was the way Holmes figured out how a crime was committed- the deductive reasoning made sense, but not the clues themselves.  For example, he does a lot with footprints and marks in the dirt.  There are just so many factors that could have affected these markings. It was just presented simpler than it would be in reality.  But, it sure did make for a good story.
     The narrator seemed as if he was reading fast at first, but I got used to it quickly.  I didn't notice it after about 10-15 minutes.  The speaking was clear and lively.
     Any mystery lover should read this book.  The story is a great one, but even more important is that you find out how Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson came to be. 

                                                                                                               

Company: Art of Tea

Tea: Golden Pu-erh

Obtained: gift












     This is the second pu-erh tea I have tried.  To be honest, it tasted very much like the first one.  I think I would have to taste them one after the other to distinguish the differences.  What stood out for me, was the dark color of the liquid (as can be seen in the picture).  Pu-erh tea also has a very distinct taste- to me an earthy taste that reminds me of a barnyard.  It also is supposed to have many health benefits including reducing "bad" cholesterol levels and increasing "good" cholesterol levels.
     I received "Golden Pu-erh" in a Pu-erh tea sampler.  It came in a good quality tin.  The long brown leaves had a very light scent of damp woods.  I steeped one tablespoon of leaves in eight ounces of water for five minutes.  The liquid was a very dark reddish brown that smelled of fresh hay.  It had a bold earthy taste.  I would describe the taste as robust.
     Pu-erh tea is unlike any other tea I have tried.  When I smelled both the leaves and the liquid, I thought I would not like the tea, but I enjoyed it.