Warning: Spoilers for the previous books in this review. Please skip if you hate spoilers and are going to start this series. Do you think that spending too long away from a series can make you fall out of love with it? Because while I enjoyed this instalment of the Flavia de Luce series, I… Read More The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley
Bekah came back from a visit to the States and gave me some tea! In the true spirit of the Boston Tea Party and the liberty teas that followed, the tea that she got me was actually a tisane: chamomile almond. Fun fact: although the Boston Tea Party took place on December 6, 1773, the… Read More Tea Review: Chamomile Almond by Revolutionary Boston
I guess my UK-trip inspired interest in history is still continuing because I just finished She-Wolves by Helen Castor. After the death of Edward VI, England faced the prospect of female rule, something they considered unnatural. But as Castor shows, that wasn’t the first time England was in the hands of women. Before the Mary… Read More She-Wolves by Helen Castor
So one thing my counsellor pointed out early this year was that I have the tendency to create certain false narratives. I’ll believe things about myself that, when examined, aren’t really based in reality. Now that I know about this, I’ve been ‘catching’ my thoughts and trying to stop myself. But my brain still fights… Read More Lies My Brain Tells Me
Before I went to Yakushima, I went online to look for some itineraries for inspiration. I quickly realised that most of the online itineraries were based around hiking, which is great if you’re a hiker but not so great if you’re me and only planning some beginner-level hikes/walks. In the end, I decided to just… Read More My 2D1N Itinerary for Yakushima
I’m finally back with my World of Genji project research! This isn’t strictly about Heian Japan, but it is about the relationship between Japanese and Chinese culture, which is one of the things that I want to look at. Although the title specifically mentions China and Japan, the history of these creatures covers a few… Read More Creatures Real and Imaginary in Chinese and Japanese Art by Walther G. Von Krenner
I bought this tea for a very shallow reason: I liked the name. In my defence, I really do love books and it is so hard to resist anything that combines two of my favourite hobbies (see also: books about tea. I’m definitely going to be A Thirst for Empire sometime in the future). I’ve… Read More Tea Review: Book Lover by Karel Capek
After reading Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession, I decided that I should read one of Alison Weir’s nonfiction books ASAP, before I forget that I wanted to do so (so many books on my TBR list are languishing there because I did not read them ASAP). Katherine Swynford sounded interesting, especially since I know nothing… Read More Katherine Swynford by Alison Weir
Since I’ve started learning about tea, I’ve been focusing mostly on the tea leaves. But I’ve recently started on a tea-adjacent path: teaware. Teaware has been something that I’ve been wanting to get into for some time, but never dared to take the first step because there were just too. many. choices. Let me introduce… Read More Start of Something New
I saw this in the Heathrow bookstore, but since I was running low on pounds, I decided to just note it down and read it later. Well, it’s later and I’ve read the book. The Stranger Diaries is a crime novel set in the English countryside. Clare Cassidy lives a fairly uneventful life as a… Read More The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
