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Tea and Dark Chocolate

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Meet a cat called Cecilia, a disgruntled android named Doris, and a weasel called Popgoes and discover that with enough Tea and Dark Chocolate you can achieve anything. A Collection of Flash Fiction and Poetry from the author of P.A.W.S.

86 pages, Paperback

Published March 26, 2016

3 people are currently reading
167 people want to read

About the author

Debbie Manber Kupfer

88 books297 followers
Debbie grew up in the UK in the East London suburb of Barking. She has lived in Israel, New York and North Carolina and somehow ended up in St. Louis, where she works as a writer, editor and a freelance puzzle constructor of word puzzles and logic problems. She lives with her husband, two very opinionated felines. She believes that with enough tea and dark chocolate you can achieve anything!

Sign up for Debbie's newsletter at http://eepurl.com/cRhORP

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5 stars
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16 (43%)
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8 (21%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Bookish Barbi.
646 reviews41 followers
May 27, 2020
A collection of short stories based off of fairy tales/nursery rhymes. Nice light listen. Some were weird, some were cute, some I said "huh" and looked at my device. Worth a listen if you're in the mood for something short and sweet, while trying to relax and unwind.
I received a free Audible review copy from Story Origin.
Profile Image for K.E. Andrews.
Author 15 books216 followers
June 18, 2024
An Eclectic Collection

This book is a collection of short stories and poems that range from sweet to eclectic to slightly dark. It was a wide range that aimed to be more funny and silly reads perfect for those who want a chuckle.
Profile Image for SheReads.
700 reviews91 followers
May 7, 2016
This book was everything I've come to expect from Debbie Manber Kupfer. Crisp and engaging. Charming and witty. I enjoy her stories very much and this one was no exception. I don't typically read flash fiction because I don't find that there's enough to keep me wanting more, but this one had me smiling right up until the very end. It was a quick an easy read that made my day that much more pleasant.
Profile Image for Patrick Hodges.
Author 48 books122 followers
May 9, 2016
It's tough to critique a book like this, as it is made up of various short stories, REALLY short stories (some are only a paragraph or two long) and poetry.

In this book, I was treated to some very nice poems, a couple of welcome references to the author's P.A.W.S. series, some truly "catty" stories, and a couple of severely fractured fairy tales.

It was lighthearted and whimsical, and a pleasant read.
Profile Image for Christina Frøkjær.
245 reviews7 followers
February 5, 2022
A great collection of modern fairytales with just the right amount of horror to be fairytales in the classic Grimm genre.

The individual stories are short, so it is easy to get through them. They have lots of layers so that readers of every age will get something out of them.

I liked, that the stories didn't have moral endings, but just horror, when that was called for.

The narrator did a wonderful job, and she had me immersed in the different universes from the very beginning.

Thank you to StoryOrigin for the audiobook for my honest review.
Profile Image for Kelley.
667 reviews16 followers
December 22, 2019
Debbie is a talented writer. This is a collection of short stories and story threads yet to mature. They are all well written and point to a very creative imagination. You're often left wanting more. The sci-fi and fantasy elements are fancifully woven in, so that often you aren't aware where the story is leading you. Fun surprises. I received this in audiobook format in exchange for a review. I was hoping for more Hanukkah stories. There are a few but this collection is not exclusively for the holiday. I'm still on the lookout for a cosy read for Hanukkah or any of the Jewish holidays. Maybe Mrs. Kupfer will expand on one of hers here. I would enjoy delving into one of her worlds again.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
857 reviews26 followers
December 17, 2022
"There's a cat here. Don't you know how privileged you are that I chose you?"

This was such a fun series of short stories, some of them were incredibly short indeed. Listening to the audiobook was a great way to experience these stories, as the narrator - Fiona Thraille - brought each of the stories to life. There were several stories told from the point of view of a cat, one of which provided the above quote, and were incredibly funny. With 27 different short stories included in this collection, one would have to try very hard indeed to not find a story they liked.

Of them all, I think my favorite is the one with the android cleaning bot who is tasked with caring for her owner's home and is bullied by her owner's dog when her owner leaves the house for a few hours one day. The reasoning of the bot was so logical and her self-talk was so dark, that I was giggling while listening to it.

This collection of short stories was my first experience with this author, and I really enjoyed them. I will definitely be looking for more works by this author to add to my TBR list that I can enjoy in the future.
Profile Image for Rose English.
Author 22 books183 followers
December 30, 2018
Book 64 of my Goodreads Challenge

A small collection of fiction, flash fiction and poetry. Some of which I really loved and some not so much.
Profile Image for MasterReader.
34 reviews
March 13, 2020
Story:
A delightful collection of short stories, a poem, flash fiction and fairy tales.

There's the young cat Cecilia, trying to find and to train "her" perfect human to live with and we also witness her first encounter with snow.
Doris, an android has a very stressful time with two very snobby dogs, but finds her own solution to the problem.
There's the strange land of Pantaloon, where the nasty fray is out and about to run havoc and we meet a wee flower sprite celebrating Christmas, or listen to a monster, who is a movie star of old, but out of work nowadays due to CGI and many more stories to enjoy.

Narrator:
I love to listen to Fiona Thraille. Her narrations are always relaxing, beautiful and a total joy.

Overall:
Pour yourself a nice cuppa and together with some lovely pieces of dark chocolate settle down in your favourite spot, lean back and simply enjoy.
Tea and Dark Chocolate is a total delight.
Profile Image for Jill Anna  Freeman.
549 reviews10 followers
February 25, 2023
Tea and Dark Chocolate
By Debbie Manber Kupfer
Narrated by Fiona Thraille
Is An Audiobook Collection Of Charming Short Tales Told From A First Person Perspective…Whether Felines Or Fairytale Characters …& More…With Occasional Other Characters As Well…..….My Favorites Tales…Are These: …Chapter 8 Mr. Dumpty Off The Wall….Chapter 12 Code Name Whiskers ….Chapter 14 Doris - The Android ( Robot)
Chapter 15 Ancient Beasts
Chapter 16 Dead Set
Chapter 23 Fluffy’s Request
Chapter 24 North Pole Problems
Chapter 25 Reindeer Games
…However They Are All Engaging…& The Narrator Did A First-Rate Job!! Give A Listen and See. Much Enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I Voluntarily Reviewed An Advanced Copy Of This AudioBook.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,604 reviews18 followers
February 11, 2020
This is a cute selection of short stories using some twisted versions of nursery rhymes and fables. Some are fun orhers strange. So you have a cat, a disgruntled android and a weasel what more do you need. You have an author who has creatively made situations to draw your attention and make you laugh. The narration by Fiona Thraille fits the theme of the book. She does a great job putting excitement into this book.
270 reviews3 followers
January 11, 2021
This is a sweet little collection of various short fiction pieces, some under a minute and few much longer. The subjects range from nursery rhyme pastiches to Christmas and Hannukah pieces, and of course stories from animals' POV.

I think it's something you can curl up with for a little escape. Maybe while indulging in the title's namesake treats.

I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for a fair review.
Profile Image for M.R. Pin.
151 reviews4 followers
October 30, 2022
A collection of various styles of stories, all of them short, some reeeeeally short, but all set in various scenarios, various religions, various setting, even in animals points of view.

It's not really my cup of tea, but it's an enjoyable fast different reading that will surely break from what you'll be reading before or even after!

Thank you to both the author and StoryOrigin for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook!
Profile Image for Sharon.
682 reviews
December 5, 2019
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Very small but interesting short story's sometime one line of two. Cute and amusing leaves you with something to think/wonder about. Everything from androids, animals to religious and Santa stories. Fun and different enjoyed the book. Good to read if you don't want to make a large time commitment.
Profile Image for Laura.
3,205 reviews348 followers
December 29, 2019
A strange little book of comments and very short stories based off of fables and fairy tales.
Some humorous, some odd, a few that I would like to see developed further.
Some will make you smile, others will have you asking yourself, what did I just hear? Did I hear that correctly?
I was granted a review copy via Story Origins but the thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Catrina.
498 reviews81 followers
February 18, 2021
This was quite the collection of very short stories. I have to admit, some spoke to me much more than others. I would say I enjoyed the tales of Cecelia the most.

Debbie Manber Kupfer pulled together quite an eclectic set of stories.

Fiona Thraille did a nice job with her performance.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
40 reviews
November 11, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised by this short book and audible of flash poetry and stories. Only an hour and a few minutes long it serves up some very amusing stories and even nursery rhyme backstories for adults. Just about perfect for listening or reading while cooking dinner, taking a long bath, or reading on the beach. Take a chance and enjoy every second of it. I did.
630 reviews14 followers
April 4, 2022
I have to say that this was a great book and I really did like this book with this author's useal writing style and so on and this is my opinon. I have to say that I recommend this book to almost everyone as it has all the things you would want in a book like this and this is my opinion. I receieved this book for free thru an Advanced Review Copy, ARC, with an honest review freely given.
Profile Image for Debbie.
408 reviews33 followers
November 24, 2019
This is a cute little collection of some very funny short, short stories. You have to listen closely to catch all the meaning to the stories, but I enjoyed the book and might look for soething by this author again
The narration was very good and made the stories enjoyable.
30 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2020
Tea and Dark Chocolate was full of fun short stories and prose. Much of this book put a smile on my face with the clever writing. I love how the book looped back to the first short story. Fiona Thraille's narration was perfect and made the listening experience quite enjoyable.
Profile Image for Katherine Jordan.
589 reviews3 followers
December 19, 2020
This is a hodge podge of short fairy tales told from a different perspective. Some are only a sentence long and didn’t make any sense to me, but overall it was good enough to pass the time. The narration was good.
53 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2020
I listened to the audio book.
Interesting collection of fanciful tales. Each distinctively unique. Creative ideas and situations that make you think and laugh.
Profile Image for Assortedtrashprincess.
431 reviews6 followers
January 17, 2020
Collection of children's short stories. Frustrating that audible doesn't let you know that some other titles and included in this collection.
138 reviews1 follower
July 4, 2020
A sweet little story regarding little lost kittens and smelly dogs. Of vacuum cleaners that could take revenge when pushed too far and lots of different kinds of love.
163 reviews7 followers
August 31, 2020
Apart from the fact that I love dark chocolate, I thoroughly enjoyed these little short stories. Narrator, as always, was amazing.
786 reviews4 followers
January 31, 2021
Food for thought short stories. l did enjoy this variety of short stories. sometimes it is nice to listen to this size, it certainly helped my housework pass quicker. Nicely narrated. Recommended.
Profile Image for Ayezu Tamarapreye Okoko.
610 reviews13 followers
October 2, 2023
BOOK:-DARK TEA CHOCOLATE (AUDIOBOOK)BY DEBBIE MANBER KUPEER NARRATED BY FIONA THRAILE COPYRIGHT 2016.
BOOK REVIEWER-OKOKO AYEZU TAMARAPREYE.
SYNOPSIS
This story is one that speaks of the act of waking up and the tasking nature of human life.This is told through the working life of Cecilia and Esmeralda as Cecilia wondering of her ability to cope and faith against all to conquer.It is a collection of inter twined stories.In the story we see a struggle for friendship by Spider ;the faith to hold on in seemingly impossible situations and menacing storms that keeps everyone awake.We also have a story of the blame on the sweet smelling tea pot for not having intention to leave the milk jug and be poured out.It also features discussion among utensils such as spoon,cups,etc.We also have in it an ancient beast story condemning excessive use of special effect in TV programmes.The stories profers vegan diet for balanced diet and the healthiness of food not stale while looking at gaming and the fear of winning and losing.The story also looks at the relaxation and comfort of room service in vacations.
Profile Image for Stacy Jones.
Author 4 books2 followers
June 6, 2016
What a delightful collection! I enjoyed reading this in five minute snippets. When I had a moment to have a few sips of tea and just read something that was going to make me smile, I broke this book out on my phone and it felt like the perfect way to experience it! It's just full of whimsical fun!
Profile Image for emeraldragonlady (Maddie).
583 reviews8 followers
November 25, 2024
I wasn’t sure what to expect when started listening, but I found it to be a nice collection of short stories. Some I knew and other I didn’t.
If you want something to take your mind off things this is the book for you.
Profile Image for Debbie.
Author 88 books297 followers
Read
April 6, 2016
This is my collection of silliness put together as a gift for my mum! I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had creating it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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