teatimelit

Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

*PLEASE NOTE: This review does not adequately discuss the lack of representation and diversity within this novel, and for that I apologise. For a review that does acknowledge the lack of diversity and representation, I recommend THIS one, written by Aentee over at readatmidnight. Because I’m white, my review does not properly highlight the damaging amount of exclusion of BIPOC in this book. I acknowledge that I have a lot of privilege to be in a position where I do not think twice about being represented in media, so I deeply apologise for overlooking it. I will absolutely learn from this mistake, and do better to continue educating myself and continue to critically analyse mass media.

A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name*

* Review from Goodreads

Read more

Discussion: Leading an Antiracist Book Club

Real talk: race and discrimination is nothing new. What’s new is that people are having more open conversations about it than they have previously. This year especially there have been many posts with reference links to books, articles, films, documentaries and podcasts,all focused on the topic of race. A common phrase being thrown around is “to educate yourself” and we should, especially if it’s not something that we face daily. We should educate ourselves on things that others face, but sometimes doing so can be difficult especially when doing it alone. I personally am someone who likes to process out loud and likes to do so with others, which is why starting an Antiracist Book Club has been so beneficial for me.

While I am not an expert, nor do I have all the answers, there are many things that I have learned about running an Antiracist Book Club and I wanted to share those tips in the hopes that they encourage others to do the same!

In this post, I’ll discuss things that I have found successful as well as some book recommendations to help you start your own Antiracist Book Club.

Read more

Spotlight: Cemetery Boys

Hi, hello! It’s Cossette here, with another round of All Hallow’s Reads, with Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. Cemetery Boys takes place in the days leading up to Dia de los Muertos, and follows Yadriel, a trans teen boy, desperate to prove himself as a brujo to himself, and to his family. When his cousin Miguel is murdered a couple days before Dia de los Muertos, Yadriel, and his best friend Maritza, set off to find his body, and his portaje, in the hopes of releasing Miguel’s spirit. However, Yadriel accidentally releases the spirit of Julian Diaz, one of the resident bad boys of his school. Julian refuses to go quietly, not until they find out what happened to him, and until he receives confirmation that his loved ones are alright. Together, with the help of Maritza, and a surprise appearance of “The Boys”, they set off to find out what happened to Julian. But the more time Julian and Yadriel spend together, the more Yadriel finds himself wanting Julian to stay. Will they be able to release Julian before it’s too late? And will they figure out what happened to Miguel? 

Read more

ARC Review: Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Thank you to Netgalley & James Patterson Books for providing me with this eARC! 

Two sisters.

One brutal murder.

A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…

And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost – even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems.

Read more

Review: I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan

Hi, all! It’s Caitlyn here! October has begun, and with that means it’s the beginning of All Hallows Reads! If you’re anything like me, you also think that Fall is the perfect time to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good mystery/thriller, so I’m kicking off the season with a review of the newly released I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan.

In her small town, seventeen-year-old Delia “Dee” Skinner is known as the girl who wasn’t taken. Ten years ago, she witnessed the abduction of her best friend, Sibby. And though she told the police everything she remembered, it wasn’t enough. Sibby was never seen again. At night, Dee deals with her guilt by becoming someone else: the Seeker, the voice behind the popular true-crime podcast Radio Silent, which features missing persons cases and works with online sleuths to solve them. Nobody knows Dee’s the Seeker, and she plans to keep it that way. When another little girl goes missing, and the case is linked to Sibby’s disappearance, Dee has a chance to get answers, with the help of her virtual detectives and the intriguing new girl at school. But how much is she willing to reveal about herself in order to uncover the truth? Dee’s about to find out what’s really at stake in unraveling the mystery of the little girls who vanished.*

*Summary copied from Goodreads

Read more

Spotlight: Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo

One of Betches’ 7 Books by Black Authors You Need to Read This Summer

One of Elite Daily’s Books Featuring Interracial Relationships You Should Read In 2020

One of Marie Claire’s 2020 Books You Should Add to Your Reading List

When a Nigerian woman falls for a man she knows will break her mother’s heart, she must choose between love and her family.

At twelve years old, Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man and preserve her culture, even after immigrating to Canada. Her mother has been vigilant about helping—well forcing—her to stay within the Nigerian dating pool ever since. But when another match-made-by-mom goes wrong, Azere ends up at a bar, enjoying the company and later sharing the bed of Rafael Castellano, a man who is tall, handsome, and…white.

When their one-night stand unexpectedly evolves into something serious, Azere is caught between her feelings for Rafael and the compulsive need to please her mother. Soon, Azere can’t help wondering if loving Rafael makes her any less of a Nigerian. Can she be with him without compromising her identity? The answer will either cause Azere to be audacious and fight for her happiness or continue as the compliant daughter.

Read more

Let’s Talk: Book Collecting

Disclaimer: All of these books were either purchased with my own money, or were gifts from family/friends. 

I own a lot of copies of The Night Circus. Like, a lot a lot. We’re talking 10 physical copies, and two digital: my audible audiobook and my kindle ebook. This book is the most magical book I’ve ever read, so naturally I felt inclined to collect copies. It’s been my all time favourite book for a while now, and I don’t think that’ll change any time soon. But I know what you’re thinking: “Mary, do you really need that many copies of the same book?” The answer is yes.

Read more

Hello & Welcome!

Hi, hello! We’re Caitlyn, Cossette, and Mary, and we’re really excited to be launching teatimelit! We’ve always promoted our love for books on various other platforms, but wanted an opportunity to connect with other book lovers and a chance to highlight issues in literature that other people may not talk about. We have a passion for promoting a wide range of literature, and hope you find a new favourite book while browsing our blog! 

We titled our blog teatimelit as we all love tea and literature. There’s nothing better than sitting down with a good book and a nice cup of tea. We initially became friends over a mutual love for theatre and literature, which resulted in us making our own book club. In our book club, we took turns to choose our book of the month, and would review them for fun in our group chat. So, we figured, why not make a blog for it instead? 

We hope you enjoy your time here, and thank you again for checking out our blog! 

xo,

Caitlyn, Cossette & Mary.