Thursday, August 20, 2009

It happens to be Thursday...

This is probably the first time in months I have realized it was Thursday and thought, "Why not do a Thursday Tea?" As of late, I've been forcing myself to complete them...but not today! Today I am going to talk about Death's Daughter by Amber Benson (yes, "Tara" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Homegrown's Blueberry Cooler.

Thursday Tea was a little thing brought to you by BirdBrain(ed) Book Blog and my inspiration was drawn from Jupiter Sinclair. Here is the schpeal:

Tell us what tea you are drinking (and if you like it). And then tell us what book are you reading (and if you like it). Finally, tell us if they go together.

Meeting Amber Benson at New York Comic Con was amazing. It wasn't until that point that I truly began to understood how diverse her talents are. Sure, acting and directing aren't quite the same cup of tea, but they're similar enough that one could say, "Huh...yeah, I could see that." Writing your own fictional trilogy? Well...let's just say I didn't have the same prior reaction.

The book wasn't at all expensive ($10 I believe), so Jake and I each purchased one for her to sign. We both began reading on the bus ride home, and it was a lot better than I expected (not that I, in any way, doubted her!). While I can still picture Amber Benson narrating the story, herself, Death's Daughter has a style that I have not quite experienced. I think what I enjoy most about the writing is that the main character, Calliope, speaks the same way I do. She uses weird sentence structure while kind of becoming consumed in her own rants, and making up words when none can accurately describe what she's trying to say.

I know a lot of people have been upset about her "destruction of English prose," but I think that every author has the right to creative license. If the character would use that particular wording or "slang," then I think it would be a shame if the reader weren't given the opportunity to experience that.

The premise?:
Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig’s List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss...But when her father—who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil’s Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle— only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first.

The tea?:
Not available on her website, Sarah of Homegrown Herb and Tea has a special summer blend called Blueberry Cooler. It is absolutely scrumptious. No joke. Steeped with mint, lemon verbena, cinnamon sticks, a hint of honey, and fresh blueberries, I am FAR from hell when sipping on this chilled beverage. It is absolutely perfect for these deathly hot summer days we've been having.

I think that these two are a perfect pairing. With the heat wave flashing through Amber Benson's tale, and chilly effects of the Blueberry Cooler, you are left with a very satisfying temperature. What better way to pass a nice summer day then to engulf yourself in an urban fantasy while cooling yourself down with a delicious, all-natural tea?

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations, Kelly!
    You won my giveaway of "Julie & Julia" by Julie Powell.
    Please e-mail me your contact information so that the publisher can send it to you directly.

    http://joyofdesserts.blogspot.com/2009/08/congratulation-to-5-winners-of-julie.html

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