What do you think?
Rate this book
Mystic Tea
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.
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.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2013
2321 people are currently reading
3325 people want to read
About the author
Rea Nolan Martin
6 books81 followersRea Nolan Martin is the author of four novels: THE SUBLIME TRANSFORMATION OF VERA WRIGHT (2009), MYSTIC TEA (2014), THE ANESTHESIA GAME (2015), SUNNYSIDE UP (2022), and a collection of inspirational essays, WALKING ON WATER (2016). She is the author of numerous short stories and poetry published in national literary magazines and anthologies, and a founding editor of INKWELL literary magazine. MYSTIC TEA was the recipient of the prestigious IPPY gold medallion in 2014 and US BEST BOOK award for Visionary Fiction, as well as the 2014 PINNACLE gold medallion in Literary Fiction. THE ANESTHESIA GAME is the recipient of a five star insignia from both Readers' Favorite and Clarion/Foreword, as well as the 2016 IPPY gold medallion in the category of Visionary Fiction. THE ANESTHESIA GAME is also an award-winning finalist in the current 2017 International Book Awards, as well as the recipient of Book Viral's first Crimson Quill Award. WALKING ON WATER won the silver medallion in the coveted 2016 Nautilus Awards for books that transform lives. Her inspirational blogs are appeared in HUFFPOST, CHARTER FOR COMPASSION, and SIVANA EAST.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews
February 5, 2015
Confessing my prejudice against what might be chick-lit, I somewhat skeptically started into Rea Nolan Martin’s Mystic Tea after seeing it reviewed by a colleague on the Visionary Fiction Alliance website. I was, however, quickly drawn into its quirky world, inhabited by dopers, grumpy nuns, and genuine mystics, all drawn together into a decaying convent along the Hudson River. And I thoroughly enjoyed its superb blending of all the elements of an excellent story. Rea even wielded the ax against “established” patriarchal religion without coming off like a harridan.
Unlike some visionary fiction that is little more than diluted didacticism, Rea is masterful storyteller whose message, promoting genuine spirituality over stodgy ritualism, is dripped into the reader’s mind by very real characters stumbling hilariously along in their quest for the “meaning of life.” She sneaks the higher dimension (spirituality) into the skeptic’s awareness in the same way that the unseen Universe insinuates Itself into our daily lives, crisis, glimmer or laugh at a time. An excellent application of the Hermetic principle: “As above so below. As below so above.”
Highly recommended as a work of visionary fiction in “mod” mode, or just a darn good book, especially if read with a steaming cup of mystic tea.
Unlike some visionary fiction that is little more than diluted didacticism, Rea is masterful storyteller whose message, promoting genuine spirituality over stodgy ritualism, is dripped into the reader’s mind by very real characters stumbling hilariously along in their quest for the “meaning of life.” She sneaks the higher dimension (spirituality) into the skeptic’s awareness in the same way that the unseen Universe insinuates Itself into our daily lives, crisis, glimmer or laugh at a time. An excellent application of the Hermetic principle: “As above so below. As below so above.”
Highly recommended as a work of visionary fiction in “mod” mode, or just a darn good book, especially if read with a steaming cup of mystic tea.
January 25, 2014
As diverse a collection of women as I've ever encountered, and nuns, to boot! The richly drawn characters in this book range from an ex-junkie novitiate to an aged prioress who seems part religious and part wizard. Holding them together as the once tranquil world around them frays and crumbles is a nun/psychotherapist, who is facing her own questions about a much-tried faith. Martin delivers a wild ride--at times hilarious and often poignant--that keeps you riveted to your seat until the last page. A compelling read, and one that demands a sequel!
May 20, 2020
Mystic Tea by Rea Nolan Martin is an unexpected story of six eccentric nuns and two novices, who live on a needy monastery that is not much more than a run-down farm. Quote: Two seamstresses, a TV junky, a hermit who creates magical teas and consecrates her own Eucharist, a sickly invalid, a psychotic runaway, a teenage ninja*, and a lame prioress.
*A former addict and reincarnation of St. Grace, the miracle-working founder of the order.
We experience the estrogen-soaked chaos in the limited POVs of Gemma, the psychotic runaway, Arielle, the teenage ninja, Mike, the lame prioress, and Augusta, the mystic tea brewer. I almost forgot. One chapter belongs to Maya, Gemma’s hidden split-personality that gets to run Gemma’s body for a day and dies. Captivating tragedy.
The Order of St. Grace is a Catholic monastery, hence, don’t expect too much enlightenment, rather worldly problems, church politics, brawls with (inner) demons, and angelic interventions.
The enlightenment threat of Mystic Tea revolves around Augusta, the hermit saint, who secludes herself in a trailer. She reminds me of the Old Testament patriarchs and the fact that they weren’t cliché saints either. Abraham disowned his wife, Ham committed incest, Elisha summoned two bears to maul some kids that mocked his bald head, David slew Uriah because he wanted to bed his wife Bathsheba, and Solomon was a fornicator of a thousand women. None of them were saintly, but God still accomplished great things with them. There is hope for all of us. Hope - the greatest Catholic virtue.
Despite the chaotic appearances to the contrary, there is divine guidance throughout, although largely unrecognized. Augusta’s testimony: Most people don’t know the first thing about the luminous signals provided by divine providence to point them in the direction of their intended lives. Most people step into the luminous crosswalk in the middle of rush hour against the light. Most people get hit head-on, stunned by their own ignorance, and blame it on God.
As the nun’s worldly and psychological complications progressively escalate, Augusta brews mystical teas that catalyze a climactic event she calls Convergence. Quote: The teas work, is all she knows, though their true power may not be realized at first. With patience they cannot and will not disappoint. The teas focus, manifest and accelerate a sacred process. No recipe has ever been given to her that wasn’t essential to someone’s evolution.
I enjoyed Rea Nolan’s subtle sense of humor, in particular, at the end. While the Convergence’s external appearance has the hallmarks of an ultimate disaster, it turns out saving the odd Order of St. Grace in a surprising but inevitable way. Happy holy ending.
*A former addict and reincarnation of St. Grace, the miracle-working founder of the order.
We experience the estrogen-soaked chaos in the limited POVs of Gemma, the psychotic runaway, Arielle, the teenage ninja, Mike, the lame prioress, and Augusta, the mystic tea brewer. I almost forgot. One chapter belongs to Maya, Gemma’s hidden split-personality that gets to run Gemma’s body for a day and dies. Captivating tragedy.
The Order of St. Grace is a Catholic monastery, hence, don’t expect too much enlightenment, rather worldly problems, church politics, brawls with (inner) demons, and angelic interventions.
The enlightenment threat of Mystic Tea revolves around Augusta, the hermit saint, who secludes herself in a trailer. She reminds me of the Old Testament patriarchs and the fact that they weren’t cliché saints either. Abraham disowned his wife, Ham committed incest, Elisha summoned two bears to maul some kids that mocked his bald head, David slew Uriah because he wanted to bed his wife Bathsheba, and Solomon was a fornicator of a thousand women. None of them were saintly, but God still accomplished great things with them. There is hope for all of us. Hope - the greatest Catholic virtue.
Despite the chaotic appearances to the contrary, there is divine guidance throughout, although largely unrecognized. Augusta’s testimony: Most people don’t know the first thing about the luminous signals provided by divine providence to point them in the direction of their intended lives. Most people step into the luminous crosswalk in the middle of rush hour against the light. Most people get hit head-on, stunned by their own ignorance, and blame it on God.
As the nun’s worldly and psychological complications progressively escalate, Augusta brews mystical teas that catalyze a climactic event she calls Convergence. Quote: The teas work, is all she knows, though their true power may not be realized at first. With patience they cannot and will not disappoint. The teas focus, manifest and accelerate a sacred process. No recipe has ever been given to her that wasn’t essential to someone’s evolution.
I enjoyed Rea Nolan’s subtle sense of humor, in particular, at the end. While the Convergence’s external appearance has the hallmarks of an ultimate disaster, it turns out saving the odd Order of St. Grace in a surprising but inevitable way. Happy holy ending.
December 30, 2013
greatly enjoyed this book. excellent character development, unexpected. difficult to put down.
July 6, 2020
I liked this book even if it was a bit slow and that's because it is a character driven story , I usually prefer plot driven stories , when I was reading it I was fully immersed and when I put it down I didn't think about it , I think that is one of the criticism I have : it's not a page turner , but like I said that is a personal preference so I don't think other readers will be bothered . Overall it was a beautiful story .
This book is mystical , I would recommend it to anyone who loves magical realism with christian themes , some readers might even connect with it on a spiritual level .
This book was given to me by the author to give an honest review . All opinions are my own .
This book is mystical , I would recommend it to anyone who loves magical realism with christian themes , some readers might even connect with it on a spiritual level .
This book was given to me by the author to give an honest review . All opinions are my own .
July 24, 2016
Rea Nolan Martin crafted the most ingenious characters ever and threw them all together in one book. I don’t typically get into stories or even movies, for that matter, where there are so many different characters, each with a different tale that has to be told…because it makes me feel as if there is just too much going on in one place. Martin gave life to Gemma, Arielle, Mike, Maya, Grace and Augusta to name a few, and she did it with such ingenuity, I was blown away! As soon as I started reading page 8, which begins Gemma’s story, I knew that this was going to be an impeccable read… AND, it was, all the way through.
I love "clean reads" and this one quickly shot to the top of my chart because of this. This writer is talented beyond measure and she has what a lot of us are in dire need of … a damned good EDITOR!!! (And if I find out that she is her own editor, I will bow down at her feet because even I am not worthy). I didn’t find one printed hiccup throughout this entire 357 page read (I could have missed something but I truly doubt it). The stories within made me laugh, some made me cry, others made me feel very odd emotions as I tried to, at times, wrap my mind around the journey she was taking me on {as a reader} thru them, and although I took it upon myself to sip green tea while reading the book, I wished I was being served up some of Martin’s Mystic Tea, as I know it has magical powers. How do I know this, you ask….because the book, with it’s many characters and story-lines, kept ME willfully engaged all the way through! I hope to see this book as a BOOK OF THE MONTH selection for RRBC in the very near future! Seeing an almost perfect written piece of work such as this one, might be just the thing needed to send some back to the drawing board until ours falls in line with Mystic Tea. You don’t have a copy yet? Well, what are you waiting for? Get one today!
I love "clean reads" and this one quickly shot to the top of my chart because of this. This writer is talented beyond measure and she has what a lot of us are in dire need of … a damned good EDITOR!!! (And if I find out that she is her own editor, I will bow down at her feet because even I am not worthy). I didn’t find one printed hiccup throughout this entire 357 page read (I could have missed something but I truly doubt it). The stories within made me laugh, some made me cry, others made me feel very odd emotions as I tried to, at times, wrap my mind around the journey she was taking me on {as a reader} thru them, and although I took it upon myself to sip green tea while reading the book, I wished I was being served up some of Martin’s Mystic Tea, as I know it has magical powers. How do I know this, you ask….because the book, with it’s many characters and story-lines, kept ME willfully engaged all the way through! I hope to see this book as a BOOK OF THE MONTH selection for RRBC in the very near future! Seeing an almost perfect written piece of work such as this one, might be just the thing needed to send some back to the drawing board until ours falls in line with Mystic Tea. You don’t have a copy yet? Well, what are you waiting for? Get one today!
May 23, 2014
This book exceeds a five star review! The writing is wonderful and flows very nicely. The characters appear so consistent in their differences. They all complete one another, despite the sometimes massive gap between them. Life puts them in each other's path for a reason. Basically, they all matter and all have a role to play - it just takes them some time and life changing events to realize it! I love this book. By the end of it, I was in tears, and at peace - like a lot of the characters themselves.
August 8, 2019
Enjoyed Martin's ability to intertwine the lives of women from different walks of life and ages in a nunnery of all places. Opening their heart to each other and God enables them to realize despite differences, the love of God is unconditional allowing them to embrace and discover who they are even if it does not fit in the mold that others might follow.
Note: Received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Note: Received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2025
Such an interesting and clever read! Enjoyed every page!
January 24, 2015
Becoming the member of the week of an internet support group I belong http://tinyurl.com/mqo65sj afforded me the opportunity to choose a book written by another member from a list of books. Amd as a Book Reviewer I prefer to read REAL BOOKS especially when they’ve been signed, which is why I’ve chosen “Mystic Tea” for my next book to read/review. The following review is my honest opinion for this book.
While not being a Catholic has prevented me from knowing what nuns are really supposed to be like. On one hand, for me, the nuns in this book seems to me to be juxtaposition from what I’ve have been led to believe in the dramatic movies, etc., I’ve seen. On the other hand I can’t help but wonder whether the Sally Field character in “The Flying Nun”, Sister Bertrille; or Whoopi Goldberg’s character in “Sister Act”, Sister Mary Clarance, had any influence in Ms. Martin’s writing of this book.
“Mystic Tea” is a wonderful conglomeration of mixed-match women/nuns with each one seeking empowerment in their daily existence as the threat of possibly losing their home, the monastery, looms over their heads. The empowerment they find comes from within themselves as each discovers who they truly are, as well as from each other. The diversity for each character to each other aids in making their interaction quite interesting, and adds to the beauty for the book as a whole. This is especially true when it came to dealing with a relatively large change in their lives as I’ve just mentioned.
By naming each of her chapters in a somewhat helter-skelter random manner with one of her character’s name, seems to add to the realization of their differences while at the same time seeing how complex their relationship. And depending to what extend you’ve read this book, you might be able to see a collection of stories, one for each character which have been skillfully merged to give you this 5 STAR book.
Robin Leigh Morgan is a prize-winning Flash Fiction writer who's the author of "Micro Fiction - An Anthology," as well as the author of a MG/YA Paranormal romance novel entitled, "I Kissed a Ghost."
While not being a Catholic has prevented me from knowing what nuns are really supposed to be like. On one hand, for me, the nuns in this book seems to me to be juxtaposition from what I’ve have been led to believe in the dramatic movies, etc., I’ve seen. On the other hand I can’t help but wonder whether the Sally Field character in “The Flying Nun”, Sister Bertrille; or Whoopi Goldberg’s character in “Sister Act”, Sister Mary Clarance, had any influence in Ms. Martin’s writing of this book.
“Mystic Tea” is a wonderful conglomeration of mixed-match women/nuns with each one seeking empowerment in their daily existence as the threat of possibly losing their home, the monastery, looms over their heads. The empowerment they find comes from within themselves as each discovers who they truly are, as well as from each other. The diversity for each character to each other aids in making their interaction quite interesting, and adds to the beauty for the book as a whole. This is especially true when it came to dealing with a relatively large change in their lives as I’ve just mentioned.
By naming each of her chapters in a somewhat helter-skelter random manner with one of her character’s name, seems to add to the realization of their differences while at the same time seeing how complex their relationship. And depending to what extend you’ve read this book, you might be able to see a collection of stories, one for each character which have been skillfully merged to give you this 5 STAR book.
Robin Leigh Morgan is a prize-winning Flash Fiction writer who's the author of "Micro Fiction - An Anthology," as well as the author of a MG/YA Paranormal romance novel entitled, "I Kissed a Ghost."
July 28, 2015
Delightful Tale of Spiritual Redirection
This was a very good story centered around a monastery of nuns that presumably lost their way in life; just moving forward almost hypnotically. They're then invaded by two unforgettable characters (perhaps divinely) that would change their lives forever.
I loved this book because of the author's attention to detail, the message of forgiveness and the reminder that it's never too late to live the intention God has for us.
I was drawn to this book as Christian Fiction and enjoyed it despite the Catholic rituals I wasn't familiar with (I'm not Catholic). I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys fiction about women trying to overcome choices they've made and their journey to contentment.
This was a very good story centered around a monastery of nuns that presumably lost their way in life; just moving forward almost hypnotically. They're then invaded by two unforgettable characters (perhaps divinely) that would change their lives forever.
I loved this book because of the author's attention to detail, the message of forgiveness and the reminder that it's never too late to live the intention God has for us.
I was drawn to this book as Christian Fiction and enjoyed it despite the Catholic rituals I wasn't familiar with (I'm not Catholic). I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys fiction about women trying to overcome choices they've made and their journey to contentment.
July 9, 2023
Mystic Tea by Rea Nolan Martin. This is a women's fiction, historical story about women of all ages living in a convent. It's funny, whimsical, mental health rep, tackles patriarchal issues without being preachy. I'm telling yall this is the best book nobody talks about. I wrote the author for a signed copy I was so moved.
November 25, 2013
I completely enjoyed this tale, more than I anticipated. I think the author could have drawn out the stories of the other nuns a little bit more; I would have like to have known them a little better. All in all, a delightful read.
January 25, 2014
The pages take you on a journey from the heart as you follow the lives and unconventional antics of these women all thrown together. You will be touched by so many emotions, most delightfully by Ms. Martin's humor. Not to be missed!
June 17, 2017
Different
Very different, never sure where it was going. I put this book down, once but finally struggled through. Would not recommend.
Very different, never sure where it was going. I put this book down, once but finally struggled through. Would not recommend.
February 1, 2018
This was a charming, insightful story told through the eyes of strong and unique women. Being a Catholic, I enjoyed the setting of nuns in a monastery. It was familiar, but it took its own twist into the unknown. Each character had her own strength and weakness. I was drawn to the journey, particularly the relationships of: Prioress Mike searching for her faith, Gemma’s self-abuse, Arielle’s past addictions, and the most intriguing character the Mother, or Augusta. The self-reflection and growth were riveting to read as the story progressed. There was a lot of magic, hope, and redemption that left me feeling the same thing reading it, but there was also truth, consequences, and reality. The characters were strong, and I was fully invested in the intertwining results. In the end, all I wanted was a cup of that magical tea and the hope that came with it. I highly recommend this book!
June 11, 2020
Rae Nolan Martin’s Mystic Tea brims with possibilities. The nuns who serve as protagonists present a variety of viewpoints: some having been in place for generations, some new and some in training for even understanding Christianity. When the threat of closure of the monastery by the head church looms, a spunky young woman named Arielle (recently sober from divine assistance) arrives and turns everything upside down. The book shows the reader multiple angles as there are not chapter dividers but each of the main characters is given alternating powers of narration.
The imagery in the book shines in passages like this: “Gemma treads barefoot in a fairy forest along a winding fairy river lit by a glistening fairy sun. Everything is light and effortless except Gemma, who is heavy and weighed down by gravity.” Mystic Tea is strongest in its description of the New York countryside and portrayal of each of the women as independent, with unique outlooks. I enjoyed the multiple naturally humorous moments as Arielle re-introduces all of the older nuns to each other with new nicknames and appreciation of each of their talents.
I found the language used in multiple passages to be childish in an effort to show personality differences between the characters. In addition, it felt sensationalistic reading a character appearing to have Dissociative Identity Disorder (affecting 0.1%-1.0% of the population) when nearly 1 in 13 individuals worldwide experience a depressive episode.
If you are looking for a comforting reading with a guaranteed positive ending, then this could be the book for you!
The imagery in the book shines in passages like this: “Gemma treads barefoot in a fairy forest along a winding fairy river lit by a glistening fairy sun. Everything is light and effortless except Gemma, who is heavy and weighed down by gravity.” Mystic Tea is strongest in its description of the New York countryside and portrayal of each of the women as independent, with unique outlooks. I enjoyed the multiple naturally humorous moments as Arielle re-introduces all of the older nuns to each other with new nicknames and appreciation of each of their talents.
I found the language used in multiple passages to be childish in an effort to show personality differences between the characters. In addition, it felt sensationalistic reading a character appearing to have Dissociative Identity Disorder (affecting 0.1%-1.0% of the population) when nearly 1 in 13 individuals worldwide experience a depressive episode.
If you are looking for a comforting reading with a guaranteed positive ending, then this could be the book for you!
July 14, 2017
This was an enjoyable story about a group of women living in a monastery and the Vatican is investigating them. None of the women act typically like nuns. They are all very different and not attuned to normal life in any sense of the word. The story is told from different POV so you see and understand what makes them act the way they do. Even with the changing POV, the story flows and is very easy to follow. The character development is exceptionally well done.These people are very believable and you feel that you know them. And the story is very well written. I understand why the story spent a lot of time on Gemma, but I did get rather tired of her and really did want to just slap her occasionally. Even with that, this is an excellent story and really does need to be read by everyone.
April 28, 2020
First time reading this particular author's work. It was sure interesting to find such a grand variety of characters.It is a nun's monastery, but ever the fun place to be since the arrival of the boundless,crazy,fun-loving Arielle.
She has her demons that haunt her but never allows anything to get the best of her.
It was awesome turning each page.Always finding something unexpected.
It's a great read.
She has her demons that haunt her but never allows anything to get the best of her.
It was awesome turning each page.Always finding something unexpected.
It's a great read.
November 23, 2023
I wasn't sure I would particularly enjoy a book about nuns. I'm not Catholic or anything. It wasn't very focused on religion though. It was actually pretty fun. There were a couple kooky young characters keeping it interesting. The old characters were sweet. Plus, there's an element of "magic." I liked the way the story unfolded and the characters evolved. I also really like the picturesque setting of the monastery. Very well-written.
November 19, 2025
Never in a million years would I have ever believed I’d truly and totally enjoy a book about a bunch of nuns…
SO well written, I loved the addition of Magick via all of Augusta’s ‘special’ teas, and especially the part where they all believe exactly what I was taught, that we all travel thru many lifetimes with the people we love the most ❤️
SO well written, I loved the addition of Magick via all of Augusta’s ‘special’ teas, and especially the part where they all believe exactly what I was taught, that we all travel thru many lifetimes with the people we love the most ❤️
March 16, 2023
Love this book! I couldn't put it down.
April 27, 2023
So Much Love
Mystic Tea is in the top 10 stories I've had the pleasure to read. It's hilarious, deep, and quirky--all things I aspire to be.
Mystic Tea is in the top 10 stories I've had the pleasure to read. It's hilarious, deep, and quirky--all things I aspire to be.
February 28, 2024
Just a lovely simple little quirky story. I loved it but you just need to accept there’s not a lot of depth to the plot. Just a cute little story about women and their relationship to each other living in a nontraditional monastery serving as a nontraditional family to each other.
May 17, 2024
Beautifully written. I throughly enjoyed reading this story.
January 24, 2025
Loved this book. Easy to fall in love with all the characters.
April 18, 2025
I just loved this, I really wish it were a series, I could just happily spend years and years and dozens of books with these ladies. Full of hope, and tragedy, and silliness, and heartbreak... More please?
June 1, 2021
This is definitely not a book I would have read without a recommendation from a trusted fellow reader. I thought that while the premise of the book was good, it was slow and character, not plot driven. Still, it has merit because the writing is good and the development of the characters was strong. I also like the strong female storyline and the way the women bonded over the mutual goal of keeping the convent alive.
September 13, 2014
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 in this book, so I don't know if it's a fair representation. What I do know is that it was presented in a respectful and honest way that made me like the nuns at the monastery very much.
I loved Arielle and her irreverence. The colorful chorus of nuns makes the monastery feel like home. It was a place I wanted to go and maybe why I finished the book in 2 days! I didn't want to put it down. It's definitely a book written for women to appreciate but it could be enjoyed by an open-minded man.
It blends mysticism with Catholicism in a seamless way. There are some very deep thoughts an musings presented from the different women. It's a very philosophical book. Mother Augusta and her mystic teas draw together the plot threads and bundle them up, steep them in mystery, and get served piping hot at the end. There are no cliff-hangers or unresolved plot-lines. The end is satisfying. I cried a bit... not gonna lie. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a satisfying read and a feel-good ending.
I loved Arielle and her irreverence. The colorful chorus of nuns makes the monastery feel like home. It was a place I wanted to go and maybe why I finished the book in 2 days! I didn't want to put it down. It's definitely a book written for women to appreciate but it could be enjoyed by an open-minded man.
It blends mysticism with Catholicism in a seamless way. There are some very deep thoughts an musings presented from the different women. It's a very philosophical book. Mother Augusta and her mystic teas draw together the plot threads and bundle them up, steep them in mystery, and get served piping hot at the end. There are no cliff-hangers or unresolved plot-lines. The end is satisfying. I cried a bit... not gonna lie. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a satisfying read and a feel-good ending.
October 5, 2014
I don't remember choosing this book, but there it was on my Kindle, all unread. Plus it was a bit chilly and the cup of tea on the cover looked good.
Was I in for a surprise!
This is not the type of book I would normally select, and I don't even know how a synopsis would read...I thoroughly enjoyed this story!
This is the tale of nuns and potential nuns living on a farm in upstate New York. Their monastery is under threat of being revoked and this tale is of the crises of faith faced by the Prioress and the two young women considering the nun life. There is mysticism woven into faith, tackling women's issues (such as stillbirth, giving up a child) and a wildly weird medical-psych issue. The characters are richly drawn and it is easy to get sucked into their lives. I fell in love with the sage and mystic Mother Superior Augusta who brooked no nonsense and still firmly believed in signs as well as God. What a delightful character. And Arielle as the free-spirited reincarnation of an saint who moves to the monastery because of an angelic vision that she matter of factly believes even though everyone else thinks she is insane is just the breath of fresh air the nuns need to remind them of their worthiness in life and their place in the rural community.
Definitely recommend this--it's a read that will get you thinking.
Was I in for a surprise!
This is not the type of book I would normally select, and I don't even know how a synopsis would read...I thoroughly enjoyed this story!
This is the tale of nuns and potential nuns living on a farm in upstate New York. Their monastery is under threat of being revoked and this tale is of the crises of faith faced by the Prioress and the two young women considering the nun life. There is mysticism woven into faith, tackling women's issues (such as stillbirth, giving up a child) and a wildly weird medical-psych issue. The characters are richly drawn and it is easy to get sucked into their lives. I fell in love with the sage and mystic Mother Superior Augusta who brooked no nonsense and still firmly believed in signs as well as God. What a delightful character. And Arielle as the free-spirited reincarnation of an saint who moves to the monastery because of an angelic vision that she matter of factly believes even though everyone else thinks she is insane is just the breath of fresh air the nuns need to remind them of their worthiness in life and their place in the rural community.
Definitely recommend this--it's a read that will get you thinking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews