The Perfect Blend

Nobody notices Jenny Dove, so much so that even her family call her the nothing girl. At her lowest point, an imaginary horse name Thomas comes to her rescue and with his help, Jenny begins to see that maybe there is more to her than people think.

Shelly's tea: Tin Roof Teas Geisha Chai

Candy's tea: Bigelow Sweet Dreams

Frogmorton Farm Series:

The Nothing Girl

The Something Girl

Joy to the World

Little Donkey

The Alice Network weaves World War I and World War II together. A young socialite seeks the help of a former female spy to find a missing person. Along the way they realize their paths are going to cross in a way they hadn't expected.

Shelly's tea: Plum Deluxe's Brunch in Paris

Candy's tea: Plum Deluxe's Creme Brulee Earl Grey

Links:

Interview with Kate Quinn

Spies of the First World War

Louis de Bettignies

Marie Leonie Vanhouette

Grasse, France

Oradour-sur-Glane

Summer is coming to a close, and Alex is no longer welcome.

Her boyfriend has sent her to the train station and with nowhere to go, she pretends to be whoever she needs to be to fit in with Long Island's high society.

Emma Cline

Shelly's tea: The TeaSpot Turmeric Tonic

Candy's tea: David's Tea Jack Frosted Mocha

Other Links:

"What Inspired Emma Cline to Write The Guest?"

The Vulture Beach Read Book Club

Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Audrey Tatou's movie He Loves Me, He Love Me Not

Christa is part of a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains with her boyfriend Kiernan. A bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region forcing the small group to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn't be more wrong.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates⁠

Candy's tea: Norsk Tea's Nordic Red Tea

Dead of Winter board game

Dead of Winter movie (1987-different from the book)

There's no such thing as the perfect family...

Ruby May travels to Yorkshire to become the new nurse for Mr. and Mrs. England. Her new position at Hardcastle House leaves her isolated and makes it clear that something is not right with Mrs. England. As she cares for the four children, she also must grapple with her own demons.

Shelly's tea: Harney and Son's Red Hat Society's Earl Gray

Candy's tea: Adagio Tea Candy Cane Crush

Stacey Hall's interview

Stacey Hall's newest book Available April 2024

Norland Academy

Spoiler Alert-read AFTER reading the book:

Bristol and the Clifton Suspension Bridge

It's Christmas Eve at St. Mary's. Max has just been visited by a ghost of Christmas past/present/future all at once and that vision has put an idea in her head. With the help of two companions, they head off on an expedition to bring back some lost historians.

Back to AD 60 in Roman Colchester- will they succeed in the midst of a fierce battle?

Shelly's Tea: Highfield Cottage Chai

Candy's Tea: Cinnamon Stick Tea Ceylon Black Pekoe Tea iced

Jodi Taylor

St. Mary's History Blogs

Grace Adams is stuck in traffic in the sweltering heat. Her daughter won't speak to her, but she is determined to make things right with the perfect cake. And that is when Grace snaps...

Fran Littlewood interview

Shelly's tea: David's Teas Valerian Nights

Candy's tea: True Honey Lavender Lemonade

Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, but an unexpected message arrives asking her to teach three young witches how to control their magic. What's a young, lonely witch to do?

Sanku Mandanna

Shelly and Candy's tea: Yuletide - it came in her Tea & Tales Book of the Month- please go give her a looksy!

Faerie Wine

From llewellyn.com:

7 lbs. elderberries, stripped and stalked
3 gallons boiling water
6 cloves
3 lbs. loaf sugar
1 lb. seedless raisins
1/2 oz. ground ginger
1/2 oz. yeast
Place the berries in a large pot, and cover with the boiling water. Let the pot rest for twenty-four hours, then mash the fruit and strain it through a jelly bag. Place the strained fruit back in the pan, and add the cloves, sugar, raisins, and ginger. Boil this mixture for one hour, skimming constantly. Let it cool, and add the yeast. Bottle and cork the mixture, and let it rest for at least three months.

Have you ever watched A Christmas Story? Did you know the movie was based on Jean Shepherd's In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash? Shelly and Candy delve into his stories while sipping some festive teas.

Shelly's Tea: Adagio's Nine Ladies Dancing

Candy's Tea: Shelly's mom made old fashioned Russian Tea.

Russian Tea:

2 cups sugar

2 cups orange flavored drink mix (we used TANG!)

1 cup instant tea powder

I pkg powdered lemonade mix

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix it up and store in a jar. Stir 3-4 tablespoons of dry mix into 1 cup of hot or cold water.

Erika Johansen takes us on a twisted dark journey to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Kingdom of Sweets is a tale of Clara and here twin sister Natasha, cursed and destined for some dark magic on Christmas Eve.

Shelly's Tea: Adagio Tea's Gingerbread

Candy's Tea: David's Tea Sleigh Ride

The Nutcracker Alexander Dumas

The Nutcracker E.T.A Hoffman