Diva Tea Time:

Saffron Tea and The Count Of Monte Cristo Book Review

Hello Divas!

It is time for another book review and tea talk. I haven't done a blog post like this since last year. You can read my other Diva Tea Time posts here and here. When I was in Qatar I came across a wonderful tea shop at the souq. I decided to indulge and buy a few teas that I have never come across before. One of those was a beautiful Arabic box of Saffron tea. I am so sorry that I threw the box away as it was quite unique because it had an Arabian tea pot with matching cups pictured on it. I have never seen saffron tea before and it really intrigued me. I kept the box in my suitcase and shared it with my mom back home. Saffron tea has quite a special taste. It is not sweet, nor sour but has a comforting herbal flavour in the mouth. If brewed too long it can taste very bitter. The smell is the most attractive feature of the tea. It has a fragrance of incense mixed with subtle spices. It's a warm and inviting smell. This scent combined with the herbal taste gives you a calm and soothing feeling when drinking it. I would enjoy a cup at night before I would go to bed and curl up with a good book.

 The most surprising thing about saffron tea is all the health benefits that it possesses. Many studies have shown that saffron tea contains fatty acids which help in the aid of vision. It protects the eye cells aiding in clearer sight. The golden tea contains antioxidants which help in the prevention of heart disease and Cancer prevention too. If you drink it on a weekly basis you can improve your overall health in a significant way. Back in Bible days the Roman, Greek and Egyptian people used saffron tea as medicine because they knew all the health benefits that it contains. How amazing is that?! I am very happy I came across this gem of tea. Have you ever tried saffron tea? Let me know below ;-)

The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Book Review

The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic piece of literature known throughout the world. Written in 1844 by the French author Alexandre Dumas, this book has been published many times in the last century and translated in many languages. I first came across the story when I watched the movie (2002 version) named after the same title. I loved the movie so much and was very excited to learn that there was a book too. I purchased the book in my local book store and started reading with great interest. Soon after a few chapters I realised that the book was extremely different to the movie. The film follows the same premise of a young sailor named Edmond Dantes about to wed his beautiful childhood sweetheart Mercedes and soon to become a captain of a ship. He is then betrayed by his friend and all of the things he loved most dearly and all his future prospects are taken away from him as he is sentenced to a life imprisonment on false charges. The journey of his emotional anguish, torment and despair of ever seeing his family, Mercedes and living out his young life is followed within both the film and novel. 

The most notable differences between the film and book is the array of characters that betrayed Edmond Dantes and their sub plots. In the film only one man betrays him. In the book Edmond Dantes seeks revenge on at least 5 people who had a hand in his demise. The second and major difference is the ending. The endings of both the book and film are vastly different. I was actually so shocked and was wondering if I was reading the right translation. Both the film and novel have great endings. One is very sweet and introspective whereas the other is very dramatic and heart wrenching. I won't tell you which one belongs to the film or book but both endings are amazing. I personally loved the movie and the book even though they are so very different. I encourage you to watch the film and read the book as both will keep you on the edge of your seat.

What I love most about this heart wrenching story, is that it explores the themes of unjust gain at another man's expense, revenge, what is true justice and holding on to hope. So many people will do anything for their greed even if it means trampling and destroying people's lives on the way. What do you do if you are a victim of this injustice? Do you harbour hatred and revenge in your heart? Or will you let God deal with them? Do you believe in the justice of your government or will you make people that did you wrong suffer in the exact same manner that you have suffered and more. If you are caught in a situation where it feels like you will never get out. Do you carry on hoping and living or give up on life? Edmond Dantes had to face all these questions and the story shows his journey of absolute despair, to holding tightly on to hope and revenge burning in his heart keeping him alive. In the end does revenge bring you happiness and restoration or are you the same in heart as the perpetrators who harmed you? 

This is what makes this novel so remarkable. All these themes deals with human beings and their abilities to persevere, hope, the need to seek retribution and dealing with despair. I recommend this book to anyone who loves some epic reading. I do have to warn you that this novel is not light reading material. There are many characters with subplots that are actually very beneficial towards the end. If you read too quickly you can get lost and miss a few things that would be very important later on within the story. This is a novel to be read with great detail. Alexander Dumas never writes anything at random or without a connection to a certain story. What may seem trivial at the time can lead to greater importance later on. I really love reading the book and watching the film. You certainly won't be disappointed with both. 

*I know that this was a very long blog post and I tried my hardest not to give too many important details away as I want to keep you in suspense regarding the film and the book. Hope you like my review. *

Thank you so much for reading. 

Lots of love. 

Xxxx

Hi Divas

This week I will be talking about the benefits of Ginger tea and will do a short little book review on a novel that had me captivated from start to finish. First, let's talk about tea! In my previous Diva Tea Time post, which you can read here, I explain how I love having my favourite cup of tea while reading a good book. These past few weeks I have been struggling with my sinuses. My nose has been blocked and I have been getting sinus headaches. They say that tea is a great way to relax your body and the steam of the tea helps relieve clogged nasal cavities. I have been reaching for a box of Rooibos Ginger tea lately to help me overcome these elements. Ginger tea has some great overall benefits on the body. It helps in combating nausea and soothes sore or irritated stomachs. It can reduce inflammation, help with breathing and sinus problems and reduce stress. You can easily make your own Ginger tea at home or buy a box like me. Ginger tea definitely has an acquired taste. It takes some time getting used to it if you only enjoy sweet tea. Some ginger teas can be pretty strong in taste and feels like a kick in the butt when you first drink it. I love drinking Ginger tea if I am sick or have symptoms of a cold and flu. Do you drink ginger tea? Do you like it?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Review

Guys! I don't even know where to begin with this book review. This is the most unconventional novel that I have ever read and I thoroughly enjoyed every page. The setting of the storyline is a pretty heavy one. The book takes you back to 1939 when Nazi Germany was being established. It follows a girl and her journey in dealing with loss, death, family, friends and the changing political situation in Germany at the tender age of 10 years old. The story has a very unlikely narrator and his telling of the story is filled with comedy, witt, sarcasm and sympathy all rolled into one. This narrator will make you laugh and gasp with shock at different times. It's this clever use of the narrator's character and personality that turns a depressing Nazi story into a pleasant and enjoyable read. The author Markus Zusak uses words so creatively. One of my favourite lines from the book occurs when one of the characters look outside at the night sky, after not seeing the sky for many weeks because he was confined in a dark room, and says: ''The stars set fire to my eyes''. It is that kind of poetic imagery that really lights up my heart. That sentence is beautiful in so many ways and it carries so much meaning. I swear this man is a literal genius in the way he describes certain scenes, emotions and imagery.


 The last line in the book too, skilfully sums up the story and the human race as a whole. The last sentence in the book is very ironic because the narrator is saying it. It is quite an irony because of who he is and what he means to us. There is also a deep theme running through the book on the power of words and how words are seeds that grow and can affect people and their daily lives in many different ways. This book will keep you captivated all the way from start to finish. It hardly ever has a dull moment and you keep wanting to read what happens next when a chapter ends. I want to keep this review as light as possible, because I don't want to give too much information away. I purposely stayed away from watching the movie and reading the book reviews online because I didn't want to spoil the ending for myself. All I can say is, be prepared to ride a roller coaster of emotions.


Thank you for reading.
Lots of Love.
Xxxx

Hi Divas!

Back in February on my Qatar trip I enjoyed a beautiful high tea experience at the famous Torch hotel in Doha. I ordered an exotic blend of tea called Masala Chai that was served in a vintage Arabic tea pot (Instagram picture here) along with yummy biscotti biscuits. Ever since I have been back in my home town Cape Town, I have been on the hunt to find this specific blend of tea or at least it's equivalent. Alas, my hunting skills have been really unsuccessful trying to find the perfect Masala blend. Instead on one of my grocery shopping trips with my mom I found a tea called, Rooibos Chai Tea. Now for my international readers, Rooibos is an indigenous plant group in South Africa that is used to make tea, skin care products and many other things. It is very common and cheap in South Africa. Any way the part that intrigued me the most was the Chai part. I read the box and it said the tea is infused with pepper, cinnamon, cardamom seed, cloves and ginger. From my taste bud memory, it kind of sounded similar to what I tasted in Qatar and decided to give it a try.


I have seriously been enjoying this blend of tea lately. It is spicy as the Chai ingredients suggests but not too overwhelming. I think the Rooibos tea leaves definitely tones down the spicy flavour and adds a sweetness to it. Now, I must say that this tea lacks the Masala kick, that I had in the Torch Hotel. There was just something about that tea that made it so unique and beautiful. Hence my hunt for the perfect Masala Chai Tea continues in my home town, but for now I am enjoying this local Rooibos brand to keep my taste buds satisfied. Drinking tea is a very calming and relaxing experience for me. I love to relax and unwind with my herbal flavoured teas at night while reading a good book.

Speaking of books, I think this will be my first book review on the blog ever. I am an avid reader and love going to the library and finding new books to read. My favourite books are definitely novels. I don't really enjoy reading autobiographies and self help books. I like to read a novel where my imagination transports me into another world or time. I bought The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan at a warehouse book sale more than a year ago. I think I paid R30 ($3) for it at the time. Now I know they always say never judge a book by its cover. But, I have to be honest and tell you I literally bought the book for the cover! Lol. There were so many books at this warehouse that this one and a few other pretty covers really stood out to me. I only started reading this book recently because I had so many other novels to get through. Here is my review:


The story is about an old woman who lives in a quaint little town way up on a hill in the biggest mansion looking over the community. She is known as a recluse and a bit of a strange old lady and sometimes described as a scary witch between younger children. She lives soul alone in this mansion and hardly ever ventures out the house or dares to meet anybody from the town. At the start of the book she dies and all her secrets of why she always lived alone, why she never opened herself up to people and who she really was is revealed. The people of the town hardly knew anything about this little old lady but she knew so much about them and she impacts their lives after her death in a major way. The sub plots are all based on the residents of Mill River and their daily lives. Their stories are all intertwined in one another like a fishing net.


The Book is described as a ''The love story that has touched a million hearts''. This is definitely not your typical romantic love story. It is a story about loving your neighbour as yourself. It is about how important community is and that there is always hope and new beginnings. I really enjoyed this book. It was light reading material and the story was easy to follow. There were definitely some predictable moments and parts where I felt the author took the easy way out with certain stories. But the book really keeps you in suspense with the main story line towards the end. It would be perfect to relax with this book on the beach or under a thick blanket at the fire place during winter. It is a heart warming story and I would recommend this novel if you are looking for some light holiday reading

Wishing you a stunning week.
Much love! Xxxx