The Perfect Blend

After the death of Holly Gibney's mother due to COVID, Holly accepts a job to help find a mother's missing daughter. As she investigates, she realizes that the missing daughter may be one of a few victims of a serial killer.

Whew! Shelly and I are long time Stephen King fans, listen in to find out if this meets our expectations.

Shelly's tea: Turmeric Tonic

Candy's tea: Tension Tamer

Harry Crane decides to lose himself in the Endless Mountain forest of Pennsylvania after the tragic death of his wife. While there, he meets a young girl that disrupts his plans as they both are on a journey to assauge their loss. In Harry's Trees, Jon Cohen has managed to tell a touching story that ties together loss, grief, fairy tales, magic and redemption.

Shelly's Tea: Blueberry Wild Child

Candy's Tea: Wolfberry Dragon

Young Mia Jacob is raised in a strict commune in Western Massachusetts outside the town of Blackwell called "The Community".  Mia’s adventures outside the community are mostly to the town library where she finds a first edition of the Scarlet Letter that seems to describe the community and her mother’s story. This sets Mia on a larger quest after her mother dies and she runs away from the community and all that she has known.

Candy's tea: Cinnamon Apple (gifted- link is to Celestial Seasoning's brand)

Carrie Soto has only known tennis her entire life.  She is a fierce player, known for winning at all costs.  Her determination and focus have not made her popular, and have earned her the nickname Battle-Axe. Five years after her retirement, she is sitting with her father watching  the 1994 US Open.  When Nicki Chan breaks her Grand Slam title,  she decides to come out of retirement to defend her Grand Slam title record. At thirty-seven, she goes back into training with her father to win one more time.

Shelly's tea: Brunch in Paris

Candy's tea: Crystal Clarity Oolong (The link takes you to the Plum Deluxe site, but unfortunately the tea is not available.)

Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus in an aquarium where Tova cleans at night. The two have a companionable existence together, but both have deep sadness in their lives. Cameron is a down on his luck thirty year old with a plan to meet his unknown father and have him put his life to rights. All three interact and end up helping each other. Remarkably Bright Creatures is an uplifting, entertaining novel written by Shelby Van Pelt.

Shelly's Tea: Black Caesar

Candy's Tea: Einstein's Equation

Shelby’s interview with LA public Library

Octopuses Keep Surprising Us

Dala Horse

World Market Dala Horse, Ikea

Tabitha Knight recently arrived in Paris to stay and care for her grandfather. Paris is magical and delicious- especially with Julia Child being her neighbor who willingly helps Tabitha learn to cook. A seemingly innocent party leads to murder with Julia's knife being the weapon. Tabitha decides to help with the investigation to clear not only Julia's name but her own.

Shelly's tea: ⁠Genmai Cha tea from the tea spot⁠

Candy's tea: ⁠Creme Brulee Earl Grey⁠

⁠Alex Prudhomme discusses Julia and Paul's life in Paris⁠⁠French Omelette⁠⁠Casserole Roast Chicken⁠

⁠Charade⁠⁠The French Chef SNL

Season 2 Episode 33

We love Jodi Taylor's St. Mary's Chronicles! Join our discussion of "Just One Damned Thing After Another" where they "don't do time travel. They research historical events in contemporary time". Everything at St. Mary's seems orderly and perfectly in synch till Max arrives to interview. Is she a jinx or are there other forces involved in this time traveling adventure?

Jodi Taylor's Website

Shelly's Tea: Sunrise Chi - Piper and Leaf Teas

Candy’s tea: Goddess of War- Valhalla Teas

After Serga A. Storms and his sidekick Coleman have been hunkered down in their condo during COVID, Serge comes up with a great way to venture out to all of his beloved Florida haunts. As he is offering road trips to all his fellow condo neighbors, things are brewing up with a reporter, the CIA and adventures in Honduras.

Tim Dorsey has done it again! Another wild ride with Serge and Coleman.

Shelly's Tea: Healing Honeysuckle

Candy’s tea: Insane Cinnamon Orange

Links mentioned:

Celluloid Ping Pong Balls

Abandoned Florida

Come join us in Empis as we continue Charlie Reade's journey. We did enjoy connecting the events to the tales that inspired them in King's fantasy realm of Fairy Tale.

Stephen King

Shelly's Tea- Tiesta Tea Blueberry Wild Child

Candy's Tea: purple basil, butterfly pea flower, Steep 5 minutes, then squeeze 1/4 of a lemon into the tea.

Welcome to The Perfect Blend.

Charlie Reade is a 17-year-old who finds himself introduced to a fantasy world and gets entangled in the battle between good and evil.

We decided to divide this story into two episodes. In Part 1, we will cover the first part of the book that introduces us to Charlie and his life up to he turns 17 and meets Mr. Bowditch and Radar.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2!

Shelly's Tea: Tiesta Tea's Fruity Paradise

Candy's Tea: purple basil, butterfly pea flower, Steep 5 minutes, then squeeze 1/4 of a lemon into the tea.