A community of quirky, mismatched, and endearing women struggle to find meaning and purpose on a ramshackle monastery in upstate New York. Having spent their lives in service to a church that seems to no longer serve them, they are confused about their own futures and the future of the entire monastery. Led by Mike,
A community of quirky, mismatched, and endearing women struggle to find meaning and purpose on a ramshackle monastery in upstate New York. Having spent their lives in service to a church that seems to no longer serve them, they are confused about their own futures and the future of the entire monastery. Led by Mike, the practical no-nonsense prioress, and Augusta, the grand ancient mystic hermit, they are joined by Gemma, a self-punishing novice, and Arielle, a firebrand jailhouse conversion who was sent there out of rehab by a “sort of angel.” The personalities, commitments, philosophies and beliefs of these and all the characters conflict and converge in ways at once perilous and enlightening. Throughout the tempestuous journey, Augusta’s magical sacred teas draw the inevitable closer and closer. Mystic Tea is a contemporary love story between young and old, franchised and disenfranchised, pedestrian and mystic. Most of all, it is a story of female empowerment as the women find the courage to confront epic challenges, creating a surprising future from the oppressive ashes of the past. It will make you smile as much as it will make you think.
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A Fine Cup of Mystic Tea Rea Nolan Martin is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her ability to blend spiritual elements with complex character development, plot twists, humor and humanity is rare. “Mystic Tea” revolves around a group of nuns and two novices barely keeping their small community up and running. Written in the revolving POV of three main characters, Martin builds a story unlike any other I can recall. Gemma is a young woman who works hard at being the perfect nun, keeping tightly wound. Her…
A Satisfying, Feel-Good Read. This book is more about character development than plot – not that it doesn’t have plot! It does! That’s why I like it so much. The characters are real and raw and the plot is surprising in places. What I most appreciate about it is that it colors faith with the many shades of doubt, uncertainty, indefinably, and inexplicable hope that anyone with faith invariably experiences. As a woman of faith I appreciated it very much. I don’t know anything about Catholicism, which is the faith presented…
A fun book that will make you think and hope for a sequel! This book is a real page turner full of vivid imagery and compelling characters. It is uplifting as well because it allows the characters to develop their own solutions to the problems and choices they are faced with. I had to delete a bunch of lines just now because I realized I was giving too much away! This truly original book will not disappoint anyone – it really isn’t a religious book, even though it takes place in a crazy convent. It isn’t a romance either. It has plenty to satisfy…