Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah with Green Tea

I carried this book around for awhile before actually starting it, but once I finally got past the first few pages I ended up reading the book in one day. I feared and worried about Adeline and felt pain for the cruel treatment she received.

The unnecessary death of a loved pet was absolutely shocking and heartbreaking, it was in this moment that I felt the worst for poor Adeline. Towards the end of the novel, however, I began to lose sympathy for her. Her obsession over the will and constant protest that the money wasn’t important but then happily accepting money from her siblings felt false. Although, I understand that she just wanted to be included it was difficult to believe her motives when she obsessed over the money.

Even with an ending that felt insincere, overall this book evoked feelings of sadness, shock, and heartbreak. I can’t imagine the pain of living your life knowing you were unwanted in your family. Unfortunately for Adeline, her family was dysfunctional at best and overall seemingly incapable of true love or affection.

I enjoyed green tea that my father-in-law brought back from China. The green tea sweetened with honey was a warm and comforting treat to a book about a very cold family. Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah gives great insights into life in China during the 1900s, shows how painful it can be to be unwanted, and proves that you can endure even bleak circumstances.

Cantor’s Dilemma by Carl Djerassi with English Breakfast Tea

Personally, I really enjoy Cantor’s Dilemma by Carl Djerassi,  but I can see why it may not be a favorite of some. The story hinges on your interest in the characters and the moral dilemmas of science. If you are looking for a plot driven novel, this is not a good selection. Other than a minor twist, the plot is fairly predictable.

The characters, however, are complex and engaging. The discussions on their motives for decisions are fascinating. I was particularly interested in Celly, Jean, and Leah’s conversations about being a woman in academia.

It is interesting to see how human nature, greed, and pride factor into the “search for truth.” Driven by the Nobel Prize, greed and pressure begin to cause even the best to falter. I found these moral dilemmas compelling and enjoyed contemplating them.

I recommend English Breakfast Tea with Cantor’s Dilemma by Carl Djerassi, a straightforward drink for a straightforward novel. If you decide to read this novel, take the time to consider the motives, arguements, and ethics. These dilemmas are what make this worth reading.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb with Chai Tea

I Am Malala blew me away with Malala’s courage, her passion and the chance to see the events of the world through her eyes. She spoke of events that were happening to her and her home that I can remember flooding my TV. It was eye-opening to see the differences in the way these same events were presented to us. It reminds me that everyone has their own reality based on their own experience. I think the best part of reading is the ability to have a window into another person’s reality and to add their perspective to your own. I am so grateful that this book exists.

Malala Yousfzai is courageous and passionate in a way that I dream of being. She fears being known as only ‘the girl who was shot by the Taliban’ instead she wants to be known as ‘the girl who stood up for education’.  I think when you read her story, you realize that being shot by the Taliban is just something that happened to her, but her passion for education is what really stands out. This passion is what spoke to me from the book.

The combination of her passion and her perspective were deeply moving for me. I sipped some chai tea with (almond) milk while reading and enjoyed the way the spices were powerful and kind. It felt like the perfect combination for Malala and her passionate story.

Read this book. Please. Especially if you are living in America at this time. Islamophobia is dangerous. Open your heart and your mind – see that people are just people.