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Little Tea
Southern Culture … Old Friendships … Family Tragedy
One phone call from Renny to come home and “see about” the capricious Ava and Celia Wakefield decides to overlook her distressful past in the name of friendship.
For three reflective days at Renny’s lake house in Heber Springs, Arkansas, the three childhood friends reunite and examine life, love, marriage, and the ties that bind, even though Celia’s personal story has yet to be healed. When the past arrives at the lake house door in the form of her old boyfriend, Celia must revisit the life she’d tried to outrun.
As her idyllic coming of age alongside her best friend, Little Tea, on her family’s ancestral grounds in bucolic Como, Mississippi unfolds, Celia realizes there is no better place to accept her own story than in this circle of friends who have remained beside her throughout the years. Theirs is a friendship that can talk any life sorrow into a comic tragedy, and now that the racial divide in the Deep South has evolved, Celia wonders if friendship can triumph over history.
One phone call from Renny to come home and “see about” the capricious Ava and Celia Wakefield decides to overlook her distressful past in the name of friendship.
For three reflective days at Renny’s lake house in Heber Springs, Arkansas, the three childhood friends reunite and examine life, love, marriage, and the ties that bind, even though Celia’s personal story has yet to be healed. When the past arrives at the lake house door in the form of her old boyfriend, Celia must revisit the life she’d tried to outrun.
As her idyllic coming of age alongside her best friend, Little Tea, on her family’s ancestral grounds in bucolic Como, Mississippi unfolds, Celia realizes there is no better place to accept her own story than in this circle of friends who have remained beside her throughout the years. Theirs is a friendship that can talk any life sorrow into a comic tragedy, and now that the racial divide in the Deep South has evolved, Celia wonders if friendship can triumph over history.
252 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2020
72 people are currently reading
2637 people want to read
About the author
Claire Fullerton
5 books420 followersClaire Fullerton is the multiple, award-winning author of Little Tea, Mourning Dove, Dancing to an Irish Reel, and A Portal in Time. Her books have been Pulpwood Queens book club selections, and her 18 book awards include the IPPY Silver medal, and the Literary Classics Book of the Year. Claire contributed to the book, A Southern Season with her novella, Through an Autumn Window. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines and multiple anthologies. She hails from Memphis, and lives in Malibu, CA. with her husband and 3 German shepherds. She enjoys reviewing books for the New York Journal of Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
May 21, 2020
I just click with author Claire Fullerton’s writing. I loved Little Tea just as much as Mourning Dove. She knows how to weave a southern tale.
Renny, Ava, and Celia have been friends since childhood, but they haven’t seen each other in ten years. They reunite at Renny’s lake house in Arkansas with much-needed time together commiserating and catching up.
Something happens that changes the tone of the weekend. Celia’s old boyfriend visits the lake house and causes the women to address the past.
Told in two timelines, the present and the 1980s, the story begins for these three friends. The deep south in which they grew up is not as pretty as it appears. Race and class issues are addressed with a profound but gentle hand.
Bottom line, I absolutely adored this story of friendship and how the remarkable bond of these strong women persevered over a long period of time.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Renny, Ava, and Celia have been friends since childhood, but they haven’t seen each other in ten years. They reunite at Renny’s lake house in Arkansas with much-needed time together commiserating and catching up.
Something happens that changes the tone of the weekend. Celia’s old boyfriend visits the lake house and causes the women to address the past.
Told in two timelines, the present and the 1980s, the story begins for these three friends. The deep south in which they grew up is not as pretty as it appears. Race and class issues are addressed with a profound but gentle hand.
Bottom line, I absolutely adored this story of friendship and how the remarkable bond of these strong women persevered over a long period of time.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 17, 2020
Little Tea is my first Claire Fullerton book and won't be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style and ability to really pull the reader into the story.
The story is told through the voice of Celia who meets up with her childhood friends Renny and Ava after many years apart. Ava, having issues in her marriage, is searching for guidance from her oldest friends. The story alternates between the 1980's and present day. We learn more about the three women and the people in the lives from the past and present. But this is just one part of the story, the other is the friendship between Celia and Little Tea. A beautiful friendship in which Celia doesn't see black or white, despite the racism coming from many sides.
Beautifully written, truly great character development and solid storyline. I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of Southern, Women's or Domestic Fiction. Huge thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for my copy.
The story is told through the voice of Celia who meets up with her childhood friends Renny and Ava after many years apart. Ava, having issues in her marriage, is searching for guidance from her oldest friends. The story alternates between the 1980's and present day. We learn more about the three women and the people in the lives from the past and present. But this is just one part of the story, the other is the friendship between Celia and Little Tea. A beautiful friendship in which Celia doesn't see black or white, despite the racism coming from many sides.
Beautifully written, truly great character development and solid storyline. I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of Southern, Women's or Domestic Fiction. Huge thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for my copy.
May 22, 2020
Family and friends. The Deep south what is not to like about this book. Fullerton is a new author to me and she has a way with words, that I just love.
This is a short read, but full of emotions.
I gave this book 4 stars and I would love to read more of her work.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
This is a short read, but full of emotions.
I gave this book 4 stars and I would love to read more of her work.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
May 27, 2020
Southern Fiction genre is new to me and I have quickly fallen in love with this style and subject matter of storytelling. It is a genre I love for its quirky and fun to read about characters that are full of sass, full of strong women with strong and unique personalities, strong friendships and deeply rooted family legacy stories in a setting I enjoy reading about. The dialogue is superb with the addition of the colloquialism, the story will immerse you into the story.
Claire Fullerton wrote a beautiful story set in two timelines. The current one telling the story of three friends - Renny a veterinarian, Ava their flighty friend in marital distress and Celia from Malibu, California - told through Celia's perspective. The other timeline picks up the story from the 1980's that tells of Celia's history set in Mississippi and alongside her best friend, Little Tea.
The portrayal of a very narrow minded southern culture that is cultivated within the lives of the people were eye opening to me. I loved how Fullerton addressed issues of friendship, love, marriage and second chances. The story was well written, had beautifully developed strong and unique characters that I loved reading about. This was a truly enjoyable Southern Fiction, Women's Fiction and Domestic Drama novel.
Claire Fullerton wrote a beautiful story set in two timelines. The current one telling the story of three friends - Renny a veterinarian, Ava their flighty friend in marital distress and Celia from Malibu, California - told through Celia's perspective. The other timeline picks up the story from the 1980's that tells of Celia's history set in Mississippi and alongside her best friend, Little Tea.
The portrayal of a very narrow minded southern culture that is cultivated within the lives of the people were eye opening to me. I loved how Fullerton addressed issues of friendship, love, marriage and second chances. The story was well written, had beautifully developed strong and unique characters that I loved reading about. This was a truly enjoyable Southern Fiction, Women's Fiction and Domestic Drama novel.
May 14, 2020
BEAUTIFUL. POIGNANT. THOUGHT PROVOKING.
A story of honest portrayal of life in the 1980s in Mississippi with its narrow minded southern culture and the after effects seen decades later. Author Claire Fullerton was mystical in the way she chose her words, bringing me closer to the truth, one page at a time, weaving the past seamlessly into the present. An author's talent sparkled in the storytelling, evoking my emotions until I was left with a film of tears while writing this review.
Three friends, Celia, Remmy and Ava decided to get together to spend three days at the lake house to reminiscence and ponder over the decisions about the future and to heal. Celia had to deal with her past when her ex-fiancé turned up. This was a story about friendship, both past and present.
My first book by this author, and I was gently pulled into the story which felt like a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere was felt, right from the first page when the author decided to take me on a journey into the past, holding my hand at every step. The words were lyrical; they cast a spell of their own. The real world ceased to exist, only Celia and her life in the 1980s with her best friend Little Tea mattered.
Social prejudices and tragedies were slowly laid down like the scenes of the movie. The fortitude of the people until life broke them, only to lift them up unexpectedly was well shown. The author's sheer talent was a sight to behold. Her power over her words came down to simple sentences with vivid imagery. Some of the scenes had to be felt to get the complete impact. The last line of the book, oh my, it was brilliant. It wrenched my heart, squeezed my tears out, and made me sigh. Absolutely perfect ending.
I smiled through my tears, and blood and gore was usually how I spent my breakfast, this book had a special place in my heart. An emotional, absolutely delightful read.
A story of honest portrayal of life in the 1980s in Mississippi with its narrow minded southern culture and the after effects seen decades later. Author Claire Fullerton was mystical in the way she chose her words, bringing me closer to the truth, one page at a time, weaving the past seamlessly into the present. An author's talent sparkled in the storytelling, evoking my emotions until I was left with a film of tears while writing this review.
Three friends, Celia, Remmy and Ava decided to get together to spend three days at the lake house to reminiscence and ponder over the decisions about the future and to heal. Celia had to deal with her past when her ex-fiancé turned up. This was a story about friendship, both past and present.
My first book by this author, and I was gently pulled into the story which felt like a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere was felt, right from the first page when the author decided to take me on a journey into the past, holding my hand at every step. The words were lyrical; they cast a spell of their own. The real world ceased to exist, only Celia and her life in the 1980s with her best friend Little Tea mattered.
Social prejudices and tragedies were slowly laid down like the scenes of the movie. The fortitude of the people until life broke them, only to lift them up unexpectedly was well shown. The author's sheer talent was a sight to behold. Her power over her words came down to simple sentences with vivid imagery. Some of the scenes had to be felt to get the complete impact. The last line of the book, oh my, it was brilliant. It wrenched my heart, squeezed my tears out, and made me sigh. Absolutely perfect ending.
I smiled through my tears, and blood and gore was usually how I spent my breakfast, this book had a special place in my heart. An emotional, absolutely delightful read.
August 8, 2020
“There’s a damp, verdant feel to Olive Branch, Mississippi, in the summertime. From the side of the road, everything is a chiaroscuro of overgrown, tangled green. Moss drips sultry from kudzu-covered oaks, shading twists of the road in canopies of diamond-dappled sunlight. The world there is flat, expansive, and quiet, evoking a mood both eerie and somber.” (from Little Tea)
Claire Fullerton has an enviably light touch, a lilting style that carries shades of Pat Conroy and tinges of Anne Tyler while managing to be be wonderfully of itself. Little Tea is a triumph – a meditation on friendship that's gentle, emotive and, above all, wise. This is a writer who knows the heart, and the world around it, and most importantly, knows how to tell a good story.
Claire Fullerton has an enviably light touch, a lilting style that carries shades of Pat Conroy and tinges of Anne Tyler while managing to be be wonderfully of itself. Little Tea is a triumph – a meditation on friendship that's gentle, emotive and, above all, wise. This is a writer who knows the heart, and the world around it, and most importantly, knows how to tell a good story.
December 20, 2020
About the Book
The 2020 International Book Awards named Little Tea a finalist in the Women's Fiction category.
The book has two main themes: overcoming segregation/racism and standing by your friends.
Plot
Three women, friends since at least high school, meet at Heber Springs AR. Purpose? Support, support, and more of the same.
This story line alternates with one in which we see Celia and her family as a young girl. We see life on the plantation in Como MS and meet Little Tea, daughter of Thelonius Waverley. Little Tea is short for her name Thelonia. Celia endures many heartbreaking experiences. She eventually becomes resigned to them; that's her 'acceptance'.
Characters
Celia (!) - the narrator and lives now in Malibu
Ava - unhappy in her marriage- what IS happiness, anyway?
Renny- practical; the ladies meet in HER territory
Little Tea- a friend from Celia's childhood when she lived in Como, MS
John- Celia's oldest sibling; fastidious, unyielding, a racist
Hayward- Older than Celia by 2 years; the fun and thoughtful one of the three
J.T. - Celia's father
Shirley - Celia's mother
Grandmother Cecelia-another racist (J.Ts mother)
Tate- Celia's boyfriend in high school
Mark-Ava's boyfriend in high school
David- Celia's husband
Stan- Ava's husband
My Impressions
Segregation/Race Relations
Celia is white and Little Tea is black. Everyone at least questions how a white and a black could be such good friends. Some of the characters, John and Cecelia in particular, are outright hateful about it. A biracial love relationship adds depth and meaning to this topic.
Lasting friendships
Twenty years after high school ends, Celia and Ava are married; Renny is divorced. Ava is going through marital/life crisis so the friends meet at a lake very close to Memphis where they had gone to school together.
Relationships that did not really end
Tate and Mark are still in the area and their presence complicates things. Ava is re-attracted to Mark and Celia wants to avoid Tate, who is making advances or at least set things straight on why they broke up.
I liked the story line. The descriptions, however, were frequently contrived. Quicksilver lake? Can't the author just say shimmering?
I also thought that the two stories' connection was contrived until I read the following:
Ava says to Celia: “I’m not trying to bring up any bad memories, but it took a lot for you to come down here. I don’t know how to thank you." That was my aha moment.
I recommend the book with caution. Some people might be annoyed with this over the top writing. But the story WILL stick with you for a long time.
4 stars
The 2020 International Book Awards named Little Tea a finalist in the Women's Fiction category.
The book has two main themes: overcoming segregation/racism and standing by your friends.
Plot
Three women, friends since at least high school, meet at Heber Springs AR. Purpose? Support, support, and more of the same.
This story line alternates with one in which we see Celia and her family as a young girl. We see life on the plantation in Como MS and meet Little Tea, daughter of Thelonius Waverley. Little Tea is short for her name Thelonia. Celia endures many heartbreaking experiences. She eventually becomes resigned to them; that's her 'acceptance'.
Characters
Celia (!) - the narrator and lives now in Malibu
Ava - unhappy in her marriage- what IS happiness, anyway?
Renny- practical; the ladies meet in HER territory
Little Tea- a friend from Celia's childhood when she lived in Como, MS
John- Celia's oldest sibling; fastidious, unyielding, a racist
Hayward- Older than Celia by 2 years; the fun and thoughtful one of the three
J.T. - Celia's father
Shirley - Celia's mother
Grandmother Cecelia-another racist (J.Ts mother)
Tate- Celia's boyfriend in high school
Mark-Ava's boyfriend in high school
David- Celia's husband
Stan- Ava's husband
My Impressions
Segregation/Race Relations
Celia is white and Little Tea is black. Everyone at least questions how a white and a black could be such good friends. Some of the characters, John and Cecelia in particular, are outright hateful about it. A biracial love relationship adds depth and meaning to this topic.
Lasting friendships
Twenty years after high school ends, Celia and Ava are married; Renny is divorced. Ava is going through marital/life crisis so the friends meet at a lake very close to Memphis where they had gone to school together.
Relationships that did not really end
Tate and Mark are still in the area and their presence complicates things. Ava is re-attracted to Mark and Celia wants to avoid Tate, who is making advances or at least set things straight on why they broke up.
I liked the story line. The descriptions, however, were frequently contrived. Quicksilver lake? Can't the author just say shimmering?
I also thought that the two stories' connection was contrived until I read the following:
Ava says to Celia: “I’m not trying to bring up any bad memories, but it took a lot for you to come down here. I don’t know how to thank you." That was my aha moment.
I recommend the book with caution. Some people might be annoyed with this over the top writing. But the story WILL stick with you for a long time.
4 stars
August 9, 2020
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Now with the passing of Congressman John Lewis, acclaimed civil rights leader, was the perfect time for me to read this book. Celia and Little Tea grew up as close as sisters in a time, the 1980s, when some people still believe in segregation, including some in Celia’s family. But these girls had such a strong bond that couldn’t be broken.
In present time, Celia gets together with her other childhood friends Ava and Renny at Renny’s lake house because Ava is having a personal crisis. What evolves Is 3 days discussing life, marriage, choices made, regrets, and triumphs. Celia realizes she still has many things in her life she has avoided and needs to deal with before she can move on.
Ms. Fullerton has written a beautiful, compelling Southern story that grabbed me from the start. The book moves back and forth between the ’80s and present-day with ease. The author has a wonderfully descriptive writing style that brings not only the characters to life but the setting. The characters are strong and develop more within the pages. The settings at times are haunting and other times soothing. This book tells a story rich in history and friendship. It is an emotional story filled with family drama, addiction, depression, love, hate, and more that has stuck with me since I read the final word.
The journey Celia, Ava, and Renny take over the course of the weekend goes beyond what I first imagined was going to happen. Little Tea is a treasure to be savored. This is the first Claire Fullerton novel I have read but it definitely will not be my last.
Now with the passing of Congressman John Lewis, acclaimed civil rights leader, was the perfect time for me to read this book. Celia and Little Tea grew up as close as sisters in a time, the 1980s, when some people still believe in segregation, including some in Celia’s family. But these girls had such a strong bond that couldn’t be broken.
In present time, Celia gets together with her other childhood friends Ava and Renny at Renny’s lake house because Ava is having a personal crisis. What evolves Is 3 days discussing life, marriage, choices made, regrets, and triumphs. Celia realizes she still has many things in her life she has avoided and needs to deal with before she can move on.
Ms. Fullerton has written a beautiful, compelling Southern story that grabbed me from the start. The book moves back and forth between the ’80s and present-day with ease. The author has a wonderfully descriptive writing style that brings not only the characters to life but the setting. The characters are strong and develop more within the pages. The settings at times are haunting and other times soothing. This book tells a story rich in history and friendship. It is an emotional story filled with family drama, addiction, depression, love, hate, and more that has stuck with me since I read the final word.
The journey Celia, Ava, and Renny take over the course of the weekend goes beyond what I first imagined was going to happen. Little Tea is a treasure to be savored. This is the first Claire Fullerton novel I have read but it definitely will not be my last.
May 16, 2020
4.5*
Three childhood friends, Ava, Renny and Celia, grew up together and are now scattered around the country. Even though their lives have taken different directions, the ties of a deep friendship remain. When Ava is having serious doubts about her marriage and needs support, the three women get together for a few days at Renny’s lake house in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Ava has arranged to see her ex boyfriend, Mark while she’s at the cabin, unbeknownst to Celia and Renny, and he brings Celia’s ex fiancé over, which stirs up memories and emotions Celia had long since hoped would stay buried.
Little Tea alternates between the present and 1980’s Memphis, witnessing events unfolding through Celia’s eyes. Her family own a cotton farm in Como, Mississippi but spend a lot of time at their house in Memphis. Celia looks forward to being at the farm and spending time with her best friend, Little Tea Winfrey. Little Tea is African American, the daughter of employees of the Wakefields, and a budding athlete. Not everyone is open minded enough to accept their friendship. The younger generations are mostly more inclined to accept the cultual changes but even in the 1980s there are social and deeply entrenched racial divides in the South which allow a glimpse past the cultured veneer of society. Celia, her brother Hayward and their parents get along famously with the Winfreys, whereas the eldest sibling, John embraces the outdated ways of his grandparents.
Claire Fullerton has crafted a Southern family saga written beautifully with vivid, atmospheric prose and also with attention to detail enough to transport the reader effortlessly to each setting. The story flows seamlessly and builds slowly, encompassing many themes and issues, including racial tension, southern culture, family dynamics and tragedies, friendships, young love and how the past affects the future, and is peopled with a diversity of realistic and believable characters. I enjoyed the banter and friendship between the three women, who each have such different personalities. Hayward was also a wonderful character, a perfect foil for his brother John who has his own secrets.
Little Tea is an engaging read full of intricate layers, with humour, sadness and shocks, up to and including the end twist, which was quite sudden and unexpected. The 1980s Deep South is brought to life evocatively, with appearances being the mainstay of society and where anything distasteful or awkward is largely unacknowledged. The powerful older generation tending to keep the social traditions and unwritten rules alive in direct contrast to the present day and wider world. It’s fascinating.
Three childhood friends, Ava, Renny and Celia, grew up together and are now scattered around the country. Even though their lives have taken different directions, the ties of a deep friendship remain. When Ava is having serious doubts about her marriage and needs support, the three women get together for a few days at Renny’s lake house in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Ava has arranged to see her ex boyfriend, Mark while she’s at the cabin, unbeknownst to Celia and Renny, and he brings Celia’s ex fiancé over, which stirs up memories and emotions Celia had long since hoped would stay buried.
Little Tea alternates between the present and 1980’s Memphis, witnessing events unfolding through Celia’s eyes. Her family own a cotton farm in Como, Mississippi but spend a lot of time at their house in Memphis. Celia looks forward to being at the farm and spending time with her best friend, Little Tea Winfrey. Little Tea is African American, the daughter of employees of the Wakefields, and a budding athlete. Not everyone is open minded enough to accept their friendship. The younger generations are mostly more inclined to accept the cultual changes but even in the 1980s there are social and deeply entrenched racial divides in the South which allow a glimpse past the cultured veneer of society. Celia, her brother Hayward and their parents get along famously with the Winfreys, whereas the eldest sibling, John embraces the outdated ways of his grandparents.
Claire Fullerton has crafted a Southern family saga written beautifully with vivid, atmospheric prose and also with attention to detail enough to transport the reader effortlessly to each setting. The story flows seamlessly and builds slowly, encompassing many themes and issues, including racial tension, southern culture, family dynamics and tragedies, friendships, young love and how the past affects the future, and is peopled with a diversity of realistic and believable characters. I enjoyed the banter and friendship between the three women, who each have such different personalities. Hayward was also a wonderful character, a perfect foil for his brother John who has his own secrets.
Little Tea is an engaging read full of intricate layers, with humour, sadness and shocks, up to and including the end twist, which was quite sudden and unexpected. The 1980s Deep South is brought to life evocatively, with appearances being the mainstay of society and where anything distasteful or awkward is largely unacknowledged. The powerful older generation tending to keep the social traditions and unwritten rules alive in direct contrast to the present day and wider world. It’s fascinating.
August 9, 2020
This southern fiction novel covers several subjects including racial issues, mental illness, homosexuality, love, and loss.
This story is told from Celia's point of view in two different timelines. We have the current day which finds Celia meeting up with her best friends, Renny and Ava, to help sort out Ava's life. The other timeline is Celia's childhood and this is the storyline I really enjoyed the most. It is set in the 1980s in the deep south where a multi-generational family has different views on equality. Celia's grandparents believe in segregation but her parents believe in equality and treating everyone with respect. This causes tension when the grandparents try to get back involved with the farming activities or are visiting. Celia's best friend is Little Tea and their friendship runs deep. It doesn't matter that she is black because Celia doesn't see her skin color. Hayward, one of Celia's brothers, expands their friendship to a trio and he encourages Little Tea in her athletic abilities but there is something more there.
The present day story ties to the past slightly. Ava wants to leave her husband and runs into her first boyfriend, Mark. This potential relationship with Mark is a trainwreck waiting to happen. From comments made by Renny and Celia, it seems that Ava might be depressed and has an issue with alcohol. Those two together never end up well for anyone. But this trip together for the three of them brings up memories from the past that Celia might have been running from and this past story is much more complex. In fact, Celia's first love/boyfriend reappears in the present day. That probably also brought back many memories, some good, some bad.
As I mentioned, the past story was my favorite and the one I was most invested in. As situations unfolded and we learned more about Celia, Hayward, John, Little Tea, and the rest, I suspected several outcomes but some were still a surprise. Some were happy, some were sad, and some were shocking. But each situation added complexity and depth to the story and the characters.
While I won't tell you the ending, I suspected what was going to happen but I don't like how the author ended the book. I felt like there was more information we needed to know. It is hard to say too much without giving away the ending, but there are many questions left unanswered, at least in my mind.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and will check out other books from this author. We give it 3 1/2 paws.
This story is told from Celia's point of view in two different timelines. We have the current day which finds Celia meeting up with her best friends, Renny and Ava, to help sort out Ava's life. The other timeline is Celia's childhood and this is the storyline I really enjoyed the most. It is set in the 1980s in the deep south where a multi-generational family has different views on equality. Celia's grandparents believe in segregation but her parents believe in equality and treating everyone with respect. This causes tension when the grandparents try to get back involved with the farming activities or are visiting. Celia's best friend is Little Tea and their friendship runs deep. It doesn't matter that she is black because Celia doesn't see her skin color. Hayward, one of Celia's brothers, expands their friendship to a trio and he encourages Little Tea in her athletic abilities but there is something more there.
The present day story ties to the past slightly. Ava wants to leave her husband and runs into her first boyfriend, Mark. This potential relationship with Mark is a trainwreck waiting to happen. From comments made by Renny and Celia, it seems that Ava might be depressed and has an issue with alcohol. Those two together never end up well for anyone. But this trip together for the three of them brings up memories from the past that Celia might have been running from and this past story is much more complex. In fact, Celia's first love/boyfriend reappears in the present day. That probably also brought back many memories, some good, some bad.
As I mentioned, the past story was my favorite and the one I was most invested in. As situations unfolded and we learned more about Celia, Hayward, John, Little Tea, and the rest, I suspected several outcomes but some were still a surprise. Some were happy, some were sad, and some were shocking. But each situation added complexity and depth to the story and the characters.
While I won't tell you the ending, I suspected what was going to happen but I don't like how the author ended the book. I felt like there was more information we needed to know. It is hard to say too much without giving away the ending, but there are many questions left unanswered, at least in my mind.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and will check out other books from this author. We give it 3 1/2 paws.
January 25, 2020
I was honoured to be an ARC reader for Little Tea and delighted to share my thoughts for this lovely book.
Little Tea is a simple title that belies a story that is both complex and compelling. Beautifully written, the novel moves seamlessly between the 1980s Memphis and the present, as we become fascinated by the family dynamics, and events that would change the lives of those touched by them. It is a book you will be reluctant to put down, and with some unexpected twists to the story it will keep you captivated to the end.
The story begins with three friends who arrange to meet in a lake house at Heber Springs Arkansas, a few hours outside Memphis. They are coming together in support of Ava, who is experiencing a crisis in her marriage and nomadic lifestyle. The other two women are very different, with Renny the self-sufficient and straight talking veterinarian and Celia, who the author describes as the ‘the friend in the middle, neutral ground, the interpreter’. She is also the narrator of the story as it unfolds.
Others from the past arrive at the lake house, stirring up long forgotten emotions, resulting in Celia in particular, to revisit her childhood and teenage years, despite it raising painful memories she has chosen to bury for over twenty years.
We return at pivotal moments in her story to the 1980s, and begin to see faint cracks appearing in both family relationships and key friendships, as long accepted social mores continue to fade into the past. Just because a law changes, adherence does not happen overnight, particularly when a family is multi-generational, and the young are quicker to adopt the new and more inclusive approach to the way they interact socially.
This is where we meet Little T or Thelonia, daughter of the foreman of the Wakefield cotton fields and plantation, whose family has been in service to the Wakefields for generations. Little T and Celia at age ten are best friends, and with Celia’s brother Hayward two years older often in attendance, they have the freedom to roam the plantation and surrounding countryside together.
All the strands of this compelling story come back to Little T at the centre. She is the catalyst of the events that unfold and will change the lives of the Wakefield family forever. What is acceptable at ten years old is frowned upon in adulthood, and even those who appear to have embraced the new future, hide deeply ingrained prejudices.
The book is beautifully written with a flow that is not disrupted by the time shifts within the story. The characters are wonderfully crafted and even those with more than their share of human flaws, are easy to visualise and connect to. It is a book you will be reluctant to put down, and with some unexpected twists to the story it will keep you captivated to the end.
Little Tea is a simple title that belies a story that is both complex and compelling. Beautifully written, the novel moves seamlessly between the 1980s Memphis and the present, as we become fascinated by the family dynamics, and events that would change the lives of those touched by them. It is a book you will be reluctant to put down, and with some unexpected twists to the story it will keep you captivated to the end.
The story begins with three friends who arrange to meet in a lake house at Heber Springs Arkansas, a few hours outside Memphis. They are coming together in support of Ava, who is experiencing a crisis in her marriage and nomadic lifestyle. The other two women are very different, with Renny the self-sufficient and straight talking veterinarian and Celia, who the author describes as the ‘the friend in the middle, neutral ground, the interpreter’. She is also the narrator of the story as it unfolds.
Others from the past arrive at the lake house, stirring up long forgotten emotions, resulting in Celia in particular, to revisit her childhood and teenage years, despite it raising painful memories she has chosen to bury for over twenty years.
We return at pivotal moments in her story to the 1980s, and begin to see faint cracks appearing in both family relationships and key friendships, as long accepted social mores continue to fade into the past. Just because a law changes, adherence does not happen overnight, particularly when a family is multi-generational, and the young are quicker to adopt the new and more inclusive approach to the way they interact socially.
This is where we meet Little T or Thelonia, daughter of the foreman of the Wakefield cotton fields and plantation, whose family has been in service to the Wakefields for generations. Little T and Celia at age ten are best friends, and with Celia’s brother Hayward two years older often in attendance, they have the freedom to roam the plantation and surrounding countryside together.
All the strands of this compelling story come back to Little T at the centre. She is the catalyst of the events that unfold and will change the lives of the Wakefield family forever. What is acceptable at ten years old is frowned upon in adulthood, and even those who appear to have embraced the new future, hide deeply ingrained prejudices.
The book is beautifully written with a flow that is not disrupted by the time shifts within the story. The characters are wonderfully crafted and even those with more than their share of human flaws, are easy to visualise and connect to. It is a book you will be reluctant to put down, and with some unexpected twists to the story it will keep you captivated to the end.
April 28, 2020
Reviewed by Ankita Shukla for Readers' Favorite
Little Tea by Claire Fullerton takes readers on a journey of betrayal,
young romance, friendship, and racism in the '80s. Ava, Celia, and
Renny had been friends since they were thirteen years old. Years
after, when Ava struggled with her decision to leave her twenty-
three-year marriage, they plan on getting together in Memphis
(their hometown). Ava had been with Stan since she was twenty-
two, but now she feels that they are in a rut. On reaching Memphis,
Ava got back in touch with her ex-boyfriend, Mark. What nobody
could have seen was that Celia's ex-boyfriend, Tate, was also in
Memphis and was eager to talk to Celia. His presence brought up
many memories of the past, sweet and bitter, that Celia had worked
hard in keeping buried. Betrayal of Tate, good times with her
brother, Hayward, and the heartfelt discussions with her
charismatic friend, Little Tea, were the most significant of all those
recollections.
Little Tea by Claire Fullerton is an experience and not just a book.
Most of the time, Celia narrates the story, but that does not
decrease the importance of other characters. Ava is a capricious
woman that brings the fun factor into the plot. Renny is a
straightforward woman whose personality oozes control. Celia is a
thinker who does not speak without analyzing all the facts. Little
Tea, whom Celia considered her best friend, only wishes to get far
away from the racism of Memphis. Hayward, Celia's brother, brings
calm and joy into the plot. He takes a firm stand against the racist
comments of his family without showing any sign of anger or
annoyance.
Claire Fullerton has done a commendable job of discussing the
prejudiced opinion of a few privileged sets of people against the
black community in the '80s. Although Celia and Hayward can find
no flaw in Little Tea, not all members of their family tolerate this
friendship. Claire Fullerton moves both the present and the
flashback parts of the story almost in parallel. Drama, the
innocence of youth, the banter of friends, and suspense are my
most cherished elements of this book.
Little Tea by Claire Fullerton takes readers on a journey of betrayal,
young romance, friendship, and racism in the '80s. Ava, Celia, and
Renny had been friends since they were thirteen years old. Years
after, when Ava struggled with her decision to leave her twenty-
three-year marriage, they plan on getting together in Memphis
(their hometown). Ava had been with Stan since she was twenty-
two, but now she feels that they are in a rut. On reaching Memphis,
Ava got back in touch with her ex-boyfriend, Mark. What nobody
could have seen was that Celia's ex-boyfriend, Tate, was also in
Memphis and was eager to talk to Celia. His presence brought up
many memories of the past, sweet and bitter, that Celia had worked
hard in keeping buried. Betrayal of Tate, good times with her
brother, Hayward, and the heartfelt discussions with her
charismatic friend, Little Tea, were the most significant of all those
recollections.
Little Tea by Claire Fullerton is an experience and not just a book.
Most of the time, Celia narrates the story, but that does not
decrease the importance of other characters. Ava is a capricious
woman that brings the fun factor into the plot. Renny is a
straightforward woman whose personality oozes control. Celia is a
thinker who does not speak without analyzing all the facts. Little
Tea, whom Celia considered her best friend, only wishes to get far
away from the racism of Memphis. Hayward, Celia's brother, brings
calm and joy into the plot. He takes a firm stand against the racist
comments of his family without showing any sign of anger or
annoyance.
Claire Fullerton has done a commendable job of discussing the
prejudiced opinion of a few privileged sets of people against the
black community in the '80s. Although Celia and Hayward can find
no flaw in Little Tea, not all members of their family tolerate this
friendship. Claire Fullerton moves both the present and the
flashback parts of the story almost in parallel. Drama, the
innocence of youth, the banter of friends, and suspense are my
most cherished elements of this book.
January 26, 2020
Claire Fullerton is the queen of the southern family saga. In 2018 we were introduced to the literary world she built in Mourning Dove, set in the gentile but often conflicting social milieu of her home town, Memphis. And now in Little Tea she takes us on another bumpy ride, this time down to Como, Mississippi during the turbulent 1980s, where the landed gentry and their black neighbors and employees are still struggling to move forward from decades of complex racial relationships. It’s those relationships that shine in this powerful story, which is told through the voice of Celia, who meets up with her best friends Renny and Ava at current-day Greer’s Ferry Lake in Heber Springs, Arkansas decades after Celia left the south to start a new life in Malibu, California. Fullerton’s prose is stunning, and her characters are vividly drawn, but it’s the story that kept me turning the pages late into the night, right up to an ending I never saw coming.—Susan Cushman, author of Friends of the Library and Cherry Bomb, and editor of Southern Writers on Writing
Read
May 5, 2020Every so often you read a novel so intricately and exquisitely crafted that it reaffirms an admiration for the whole art of writing. Little Tea accomplishes this considerable feat with sensitivity as graceful as Southern charm. But not everything about the tradition-steeped culture of the past is as pleasant as it looks on the surface.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/05/southern...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/05/southern...
July 1, 2020
Little Tea is a beautifully crafted book about three friends, Celia, Renny and Ava. It's about the complexities of friendship and family, but also of love. These three friends have maintained a friendship over decades. They get together in Arkansas for a much needed retreat. The characters are well drawn and believable. I felt like I knew them. The descriptions of the South are vivid and you are there. Using exquisite prose Claire Fullerton takes us into the South. This is my first book by this author but it most certainly won't be my last. I highly recommend this book.
April 26, 2020
A duel timeline Southern Fiction story. It opens in the present,when three childhood friends Celia, Ava and Renny reunite at Renny's lake house. They ponder the future, marriage,and old wounds. It flashes back to 1980's in Mississippi. To Ceila's childhood family farm. Her close relationship with Little Tea, a black girl and the daughter of workers on her families estate. The haves and have nots. The deep racial tension of the gritty south. A story of friendship, their love for one another, overcoming betrayal and moving forward from the past. A beautifully written, emotional, and powerful Southern Fiction story that stays with you long after you close the cover.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
May 1, 2020
Recommended to lovers of Southern literature and beautiful writing I received an ARC copy of this novel, pre-release, from the author, which I freely chose to review. This has in no way affected my opinion.
I have never read any of the author’s previous books, but I’ve read many positive reviews, and I couldn’t let the opportunity of reading this novel pass me by, especially because of the setting of the story in the American South, as I’m a fan of Southern literature.
The story centres on Celia Wakefield from old Southern Mississippi stock whose family has a cotton farm (no longer called cotton plantations) although now they spend most of their time in the city, Memphis. She is the narrator of the story (in the first person), and a phone call from one of her best friends (Renny, Ava and her became friends in college and have remained in touch through the years, even though now they all live far away and don’t see each other as much as they’d like) sets the action in motion. The three friends reunite to help Ava, who is facing a family crisis. At Renny’s lake house, in Arkansas, they renew their friendship, talk about life, and can’t help but remember the past. As a consequence, the chapters alternate, some set in the present and others in the 1980s when Celia was a young girl. We learn about Little Tea, Celia’s friend, the daughter of an African-American family who’d always lived in the Wakefield’s farm and worked there. She is determined, a great runner, and one of Celia’s brothers becomes her trainer and encourages her to explore her opportunities. But this is the Deep South, and old social rules and mores still apply, especially when it comes to race. The story builds up slowly, and the present struggles Ava is going through in her relationship highlight not only the different approaches and personalities of the three women, but also how the past influences our decisions and our take on life.
The novel deals with many themes: friendship (and the relationship between the three women feels genuine. There are the shared jokes, the strong bonds, the understanding without saying a word, and also the willingness to leave everything and do an intervention to help a friend in need, even if the other women might not agree with her behaviour), first love, family relationships, memory and the past (can we truly run away from it?), identity and family tradition (how much should we sacrifice to keep the family’s reputation intact? Can we choose who we are and break complete free from our family roots?), race relations, tragedy and mourning among others. Although we see all of this through Celia’s eyes and reflections, the separate timelines and her own hindsight allows us to read between the lines and to perceive things than young Celia wasn’t aware of (or tried not to see). This is achieved in very subtle ways, and although the sphere of the story feels quite intimate and domestic, some the themes it discusses are neither lightweight not easy.
Fullerton creates a varied palette of characters, and I think most readers are likely to identify with one of the three friends (personally, I think I’d get on with Renny best of all, the determined and practical one), who fit in well together because they are quite different but compatible. Little Tea and her family (to a lesser extent) are wonderful characters, and Celia’s family is made up of a variety of personalities and individuals, some likeable and some not, some larger than life, and others quite nasty, but they all are fully achieved and, like them or not, come to life in the story. There are others (Tate, Mark, and some of the other young men in the story, relatives…), and although we learn less about them, we still get to see them from Celia’s perspective, and they play their part, both in the past and in the present. I kept thinking about Tennessee Williams and some of his more memorable characters as I read this novel. His mastery at depicting Southern family life and stripping it back to the bone in his plays is something Fullerton also excels at, although her approach is a more understated.
I know some readers don’t appreciate stories written in the first-person, and I seem to be reading plenty of these at the moment, but the writing is beautiful, lyrical, and it makes readers experience everything, from the heat to the excitement of the first love, and from the smell of the food to the disappointment and pain when life takes an unexpected and cruel turn. The story is preciously observed and told, and it will not suit impatient readers who prefer matter-of-fact writing, with only the most basic descriptions strictly necessary to help move the story forward and short sentences that rarely meander along. There are also plenty of airy and fun moments, especially when the friends are joking and having fun, and those allow readers to have a bit of a break from the most intense and soul-searching parts of the story. The author also uses Southern expressions and vernacular to good effect and this adds to the atmosphere of the novel. I have highlighted plenty of the text, and it’s difficult to choose a sample, but I’ll try (remember that I had access to an ARC copy and the final text might have undergone some minor changes):
Nostalgia has selective memory; it softens the heart and strips the details to leave you with what should have been instead of what was.
Combined, we were a girl complete. Separately, we were inchoate and in need of each other, like solitary pieces of a clock that were useless until assembled, but once assembled, kept perfect time.
Happiness seemed to me to be little more than intermittent highlights that faded to memory like the light of a burned-out star. And what’s more, in the times I thought I had happiness by the handle, I discovered that, all along, there were subterranean forces plotting to tell the rest of the story.
I don’t want to discuss the ending in detail, because I want to avoid spoilers, although there is a big twist at the end. I saw it coming, and I wasn’t particularly convinced by it (in my opinion it would have worked fine for a short story but not so much here), but many readers have liked it and it does not detract from the rest of the novel.
In summary, this is a novel beautifully written and observed, and I’d recommend it to readers who are looking for stories with complex female characters, especially those who love stories set in the South, and to fans of Southern writers such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams, although Fullerton has a lightness of touch that is all her own. A great author to follow, and one I hope to read again in the future.
I have never read any of the author’s previous books, but I’ve read many positive reviews, and I couldn’t let the opportunity of reading this novel pass me by, especially because of the setting of the story in the American South, as I’m a fan of Southern literature.
The story centres on Celia Wakefield from old Southern Mississippi stock whose family has a cotton farm (no longer called cotton plantations) although now they spend most of their time in the city, Memphis. She is the narrator of the story (in the first person), and a phone call from one of her best friends (Renny, Ava and her became friends in college and have remained in touch through the years, even though now they all live far away and don’t see each other as much as they’d like) sets the action in motion. The three friends reunite to help Ava, who is facing a family crisis. At Renny’s lake house, in Arkansas, they renew their friendship, talk about life, and can’t help but remember the past. As a consequence, the chapters alternate, some set in the present and others in the 1980s when Celia was a young girl. We learn about Little Tea, Celia’s friend, the daughter of an African-American family who’d always lived in the Wakefield’s farm and worked there. She is determined, a great runner, and one of Celia’s brothers becomes her trainer and encourages her to explore her opportunities. But this is the Deep South, and old social rules and mores still apply, especially when it comes to race. The story builds up slowly, and the present struggles Ava is going through in her relationship highlight not only the different approaches and personalities of the three women, but also how the past influences our decisions and our take on life.
The novel deals with many themes: friendship (and the relationship between the three women feels genuine. There are the shared jokes, the strong bonds, the understanding without saying a word, and also the willingness to leave everything and do an intervention to help a friend in need, even if the other women might not agree with her behaviour), first love, family relationships, memory and the past (can we truly run away from it?), identity and family tradition (how much should we sacrifice to keep the family’s reputation intact? Can we choose who we are and break complete free from our family roots?), race relations, tragedy and mourning among others. Although we see all of this through Celia’s eyes and reflections, the separate timelines and her own hindsight allows us to read between the lines and to perceive things than young Celia wasn’t aware of (or tried not to see). This is achieved in very subtle ways, and although the sphere of the story feels quite intimate and domestic, some the themes it discusses are neither lightweight not easy.
Fullerton creates a varied palette of characters, and I think most readers are likely to identify with one of the three friends (personally, I think I’d get on with Renny best of all, the determined and practical one), who fit in well together because they are quite different but compatible. Little Tea and her family (to a lesser extent) are wonderful characters, and Celia’s family is made up of a variety of personalities and individuals, some likeable and some not, some larger than life, and others quite nasty, but they all are fully achieved and, like them or not, come to life in the story. There are others (Tate, Mark, and some of the other young men in the story, relatives…), and although we learn less about them, we still get to see them from Celia’s perspective, and they play their part, both in the past and in the present. I kept thinking about Tennessee Williams and some of his more memorable characters as I read this novel. His mastery at depicting Southern family life and stripping it back to the bone in his plays is something Fullerton also excels at, although her approach is a more understated.
I know some readers don’t appreciate stories written in the first-person, and I seem to be reading plenty of these at the moment, but the writing is beautiful, lyrical, and it makes readers experience everything, from the heat to the excitement of the first love, and from the smell of the food to the disappointment and pain when life takes an unexpected and cruel turn. The story is preciously observed and told, and it will not suit impatient readers who prefer matter-of-fact writing, with only the most basic descriptions strictly necessary to help move the story forward and short sentences that rarely meander along. There are also plenty of airy and fun moments, especially when the friends are joking and having fun, and those allow readers to have a bit of a break from the most intense and soul-searching parts of the story. The author also uses Southern expressions and vernacular to good effect and this adds to the atmosphere of the novel. I have highlighted plenty of the text, and it’s difficult to choose a sample, but I’ll try (remember that I had access to an ARC copy and the final text might have undergone some minor changes):
Nostalgia has selective memory; it softens the heart and strips the details to leave you with what should have been instead of what was.
Combined, we were a girl complete. Separately, we were inchoate and in need of each other, like solitary pieces of a clock that were useless until assembled, but once assembled, kept perfect time.
Happiness seemed to me to be little more than intermittent highlights that faded to memory like the light of a burned-out star. And what’s more, in the times I thought I had happiness by the handle, I discovered that, all along, there were subterranean forces plotting to tell the rest of the story.
I don’t want to discuss the ending in detail, because I want to avoid spoilers, although there is a big twist at the end. I saw it coming, and I wasn’t particularly convinced by it (in my opinion it would have worked fine for a short story but not so much here), but many readers have liked it and it does not detract from the rest of the novel.
In summary, this is a novel beautifully written and observed, and I’d recommend it to readers who are looking for stories with complex female characters, especially those who love stories set in the South, and to fans of Southern writers such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams, although Fullerton has a lightness of touch that is all her own. A great author to follow, and one I hope to read again in the future.
May 18, 2020
Having read Mourning Dove, by Claire Fullerton, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Little Tea. Little Tea takes readers on a journey of betrayal, romance, friendship, and racism. Readers will identify with the bonds three friends, Ava, Celia, and Renny have and the life-long friendship they share as much as they will adore the author’s lyrical writing. Claire Fullerton is a masterful storyteller!
September 26, 2020
"Little Tea" by Claire Fullerton
I really enjoyed reading "Little Tea" which is beautifully written. It is a story about maturing, love, racism, secrets, tragic friendships and true friendship as well. The characters bond with one another as the story continues. I would highly recommend "Little Tea" to anyone who enjoys reading this type of story theme.
I really enjoyed reading "Little Tea" which is beautifully written. It is a story about maturing, love, racism, secrets, tragic friendships and true friendship as well. The characters bond with one another as the story continues. I would highly recommend "Little Tea" to anyone who enjoys reading this type of story theme.
June 4, 2023
How reliable is the narrator? I asked myself this question repeatedly while reading “Little Tea” by, Claire Fullerton.
I’m not going to recap the story. The publisher did a fine job and plenty of others did it. Let me hit a few highlights and tell you why to bother reading this book of Southern Fiction.
Little Tea is the daughter of the Wakefield family’s overseer. She’s also the best friend of their daughter. This inter racial relationship between two young girls is the catalyst for far more than the title of this story.
Author, Claire Fullerton, is gifted at relationships. Not only do readers get to understand the primaries but 2nd and 3rd tier characters are well developed also. For me, this makes a story come alive and so much easier for me to become part of it. The pacing on this one is a bit slow for my taste but that is due to too many location changes and time jumps between present and “sometime in the 1980’s”. My preference would be to have more development and less TikTok like segments.
There are serious issues tackled within these pages: race, alcoholism, murder, loyalty, family, Family, FAMILY and it’s all wrapped around friendship between 3 or 4 women and their love interests.
Fine southern fiction filled with poetic prose, issues that will give you reason to think or pause and characters to care about. Pour some lemonade, sweet tea or bourbon spiked something and settle down for a trip down south. Buckle up, y’all. It’s gonna get real📚
I’m not going to recap the story. The publisher did a fine job and plenty of others did it. Let me hit a few highlights and tell you why to bother reading this book of Southern Fiction.
Little Tea is the daughter of the Wakefield family’s overseer. She’s also the best friend of their daughter. This inter racial relationship between two young girls is the catalyst for far more than the title of this story.
Author, Claire Fullerton, is gifted at relationships. Not only do readers get to understand the primaries but 2nd and 3rd tier characters are well developed also. For me, this makes a story come alive and so much easier for me to become part of it. The pacing on this one is a bit slow for my taste but that is due to too many location changes and time jumps between present and “sometime in the 1980’s”. My preference would be to have more development and less TikTok like segments.
There are serious issues tackled within these pages: race, alcoholism, murder, loyalty, family, Family, FAMILY and it’s all wrapped around friendship between 3 or 4 women and their love interests.
Fine southern fiction filled with poetic prose, issues that will give you reason to think or pause and characters to care about. Pour some lemonade, sweet tea or bourbon spiked something and settle down for a trip down south. Buckle up, y’all. It’s gonna get real📚
April 29, 2020
This is a beautiful novel about friendships past and present and letting go of the past so that you can be happy today and plan for tomorrow. The novel takes place in Memphis and the descriptions are so well done that you can feel the humid summer heat.
Renny, Ava and Celia have been friends for almost their entire lives but now it's been ten years since they've seen each other. Celia has moved to California and the two other friends remained in Mississippi. When Celia gets a call from Renny asking her to come visit as soon as possible to help Ava, Celia is there the next weekend. The three friends spend the weekend in a lake house while they re-visit many of their memories and talk about their futures. The novel goes flawlessly back and forth between two time lines - present day and the 1980s. As the friends visit their past, they are reminded of the south that they grew up in - prejudice between races and classes, no choices for women beyond marriage, and the accepted behavior of southern women during this time period. Renny and Ava have accepted their memories of growing up, but Celia is unable to let go of hers. One of her strong memories was about her childhood friend Little Tea. Little Tea's family had been working for her family for generations and Celia and Little Tea were best friends. Their friendship was accepted when they were young but when they grew older friends and family were not as accepting. Despite all of the Civil Rights laws that had been passed, racial prejudice was still rampant in the South.
This is one of those few novels that you want to read fast to find out what happens but you also want to read slowly to savor the writing. The main characters were very well written - they were all very different but together they balanced each other out. This is a novel of friendship and love, family and forgiveness and a look at the prejudice and social mores of the south in the 1980s. It was also a look at female friendships and how they help form our memories and help us plan our futures. This book definitely has some humor especially in the conversations between the three friends but it also has some tears as memories are discussed. It's a powerful look at friendship that I won't soon forget.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Renny, Ava and Celia have been friends for almost their entire lives but now it's been ten years since they've seen each other. Celia has moved to California and the two other friends remained in Mississippi. When Celia gets a call from Renny asking her to come visit as soon as possible to help Ava, Celia is there the next weekend. The three friends spend the weekend in a lake house while they re-visit many of their memories and talk about their futures. The novel goes flawlessly back and forth between two time lines - present day and the 1980s. As the friends visit their past, they are reminded of the south that they grew up in - prejudice between races and classes, no choices for women beyond marriage, and the accepted behavior of southern women during this time period. Renny and Ava have accepted their memories of growing up, but Celia is unable to let go of hers. One of her strong memories was about her childhood friend Little Tea. Little Tea's family had been working for her family for generations and Celia and Little Tea were best friends. Their friendship was accepted when they were young but when they grew older friends and family were not as accepting. Despite all of the Civil Rights laws that had been passed, racial prejudice was still rampant in the South.
This is one of those few novels that you want to read fast to find out what happens but you also want to read slowly to savor the writing. The main characters were very well written - they were all very different but together they balanced each other out. This is a novel of friendship and love, family and forgiveness and a look at the prejudice and social mores of the south in the 1980s. It was also a look at female friendships and how they help form our memories and help us plan our futures. This book definitely has some humor especially in the conversations between the three friends but it also has some tears as memories are discussed. It's a powerful look at friendship that I won't soon forget.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
April 26, 2020
Claire Fullerton, author of "Little Tea' has written an emotional, poignant, memorable, captivating, intriguing, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are Southern Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Domestic Fiction. There is some Historical background mentioned in this story. There are two timelines mentioned in this story, the 1980's in the south and the present day. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. This is also a coming of age book. This is a book about family, friendship, betrayal, loyalty, forgiveness, love, and hope.
The author discusses important issues that existed in the south in the 1980s, discrimination, and the differences between the poor and richer classes. Sometimes you have to revisit the past, to accept what is in the present and what will be in the future. I love that Claire Fullerton vividly describes the characters, events, and landscape in the story.
In the present, Celia who now lives in California with her husband gets an urgent phone call from her long time friend Renny pleading with her to come to her Lakehouse in Arkansas to discuss and deal with their troubled friend Ava. Celia decides to go, and what is supposed to be a helpful visit to her friends, becomes a visit to the past, memories, and tragedy. Is it possible to learn, forgive, and move on? I would highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy reading about southern culture.
The author discusses important issues that existed in the south in the 1980s, discrimination, and the differences between the poor and richer classes. Sometimes you have to revisit the past, to accept what is in the present and what will be in the future. I love that Claire Fullerton vividly describes the characters, events, and landscape in the story.
In the present, Celia who now lives in California with her husband gets an urgent phone call from her long time friend Renny pleading with her to come to her Lakehouse in Arkansas to discuss and deal with their troubled friend Ava. Celia decides to go, and what is supposed to be a helpful visit to her friends, becomes a visit to the past, memories, and tragedy. Is it possible to learn, forgive, and move on? I would highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy reading about southern culture.
August 6, 2020
Have you ever had a book haunt you long after you finish the last page? A book that is so evocative of a particular time and place that it stimulates the senses? Claire Fullerton’s ‘Little Tea’ did that for me, and left this Yankee wishing she could take a trip to the south just to wander the beautiful Mississippi woods that are so eloquently described here.
At first glance, the story seems to be about three childhood friends who meet up to help one of them sort out her strained marriage. It soon becomes clear that ‘Little Tea’ is more than that, with most of the action taking place in the 1980s. Here, on the beautiful Wakefield Plantation, main character Celia bonds with ‘Little Tea’ Winfrey, the daughter of her father’s farm manager. She meets the local golden boy and falls in love, her life a caricature of perfection until an unexpected event changes everything.
Fullerton’s strength as a writer lies in her lush descriptions of Southern Living, as well as the intricate emotions of her characters, each of whom take on a life of their own. I cared about them, became invested in what happened to them, and was thoroughly entertained (and surprised) by the time I finished reading.
This is a novel written for those who appreciate a multi-faceted story about the strength of friendship and the power of human kindness during difficult times. I cannot wait to read more books by this fabulous author.
At first glance, the story seems to be about three childhood friends who meet up to help one of them sort out her strained marriage. It soon becomes clear that ‘Little Tea’ is more than that, with most of the action taking place in the 1980s. Here, on the beautiful Wakefield Plantation, main character Celia bonds with ‘Little Tea’ Winfrey, the daughter of her father’s farm manager. She meets the local golden boy and falls in love, her life a caricature of perfection until an unexpected event changes everything.
Fullerton’s strength as a writer lies in her lush descriptions of Southern Living, as well as the intricate emotions of her characters, each of whom take on a life of their own. I cared about them, became invested in what happened to them, and was thoroughly entertained (and surprised) by the time I finished reading.
This is a novel written for those who appreciate a multi-faceted story about the strength of friendship and the power of human kindness during difficult times. I cannot wait to read more books by this fabulous author.
June 9, 2020
Little Tea packs a powerful punch, especially reading it in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. I do not tolerate prejudice of any kind, and reading about southern prejudice, even in fiction, makes my skin crawl, but Claire Fullerton paints a picture that I was not expecting, and left me with all the feels.
Celia, the main character, is a peacekeeper by nature, and has gotten really good at suppressing her feelings about life's circumstances, and running away from it all. It's been years since she's been home, but when one of her best friends needs her help, she immediately flees home. Oh, to have friends that have your back like that. One of the things I admired about this novel is the friendships, the loving despite flaws, and backing the other person even if you don't quite see eye to eye on certain actions.
While Celia's mission during her trip is to help her friend, she finds herself facing her own tortured past that she has fought to run away from. Written in Celia's own words, she parallels her past story with her present situation in a seamless way, telling a tale of growing up on a plantation in a privileged family in the deep south, alongside her brother and her best friend, Little Tea. Little Tea's family have worked for Celia's family for generations, and to Celia they are like family, though not everyone in her family shares her sentiments, some continuing to hold onto outdated racial discrimination.
Reading about Celia and Little Tea growing up was hands down my favorite part of the story, the innocence as sugary sweet as tea on a hot summer day. I especially loved the races, and how Little Tea and all her sass just shine. It was in those moments that I fell in love with this character, and admire how strong and independent she was, even at a young age.
Incredibly written, Claire Fullerton takes you into the life of a woman struggling to find closure, yet fighting the past at the same time, painting a vivid picture that I think we all can relate to. The character development is splendid, and while I do not understand southern traditions, or this world described, I felt it was true to life.
My only beef, if you can really even call it that, is the ending. Though there is a resolution, I was still left with questions, and actually groaned, "No..." when I realized it was the end. I craved to know more at the final revelation, but alas I must use my own imagination.
Despite feeling unfinished (most likely only to myself), Little Tea is a wonderfully written memoir with enviable friendships, excruciating heartache, and courage to face the past to better your future.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
Celia, the main character, is a peacekeeper by nature, and has gotten really good at suppressing her feelings about life's circumstances, and running away from it all. It's been years since she's been home, but when one of her best friends needs her help, she immediately flees home. Oh, to have friends that have your back like that. One of the things I admired about this novel is the friendships, the loving despite flaws, and backing the other person even if you don't quite see eye to eye on certain actions.
While Celia's mission during her trip is to help her friend, she finds herself facing her own tortured past that she has fought to run away from. Written in Celia's own words, she parallels her past story with her present situation in a seamless way, telling a tale of growing up on a plantation in a privileged family in the deep south, alongside her brother and her best friend, Little Tea. Little Tea's family have worked for Celia's family for generations, and to Celia they are like family, though not everyone in her family shares her sentiments, some continuing to hold onto outdated racial discrimination.
Reading about Celia and Little Tea growing up was hands down my favorite part of the story, the innocence as sugary sweet as tea on a hot summer day. I especially loved the races, and how Little Tea and all her sass just shine. It was in those moments that I fell in love with this character, and admire how strong and independent she was, even at a young age.
Incredibly written, Claire Fullerton takes you into the life of a woman struggling to find closure, yet fighting the past at the same time, painting a vivid picture that I think we all can relate to. The character development is splendid, and while I do not understand southern traditions, or this world described, I felt it was true to life.
My only beef, if you can really even call it that, is the ending. Though there is a resolution, I was still left with questions, and actually groaned, "No..." when I realized it was the end. I craved to know more at the final revelation, but alas I must use my own imagination.
Despite feeling unfinished (most likely only to myself), Little Tea is a wonderfully written memoir with enviable friendships, excruciating heartache, and courage to face the past to better your future.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
August 15, 2020
Claire Fullerton can tell a story! Powerful, bewitching, and lyrical. Wonderful snapshot of the Deep South. You will get taken in and swept along with her tale of friendship with a twist of an ending! Well done! Claire Fullerton's characters deeply explores their friendships as well as the friendships that haunt them from the past. I highly recommend this book.
June 26, 2020
Y'all come on over to my house. I want to tell you about Little Tea by Claire Fullerton.
Celia, Renny, and Ava, have been close friends for decades. The story is told from Celia’s point of view in two timelines, present day and the 1980’s.
The three friends gather together for a weekend at Renny’s lake house in Arkansas to reflect upon their time together in Mississippi, where they grew up. While the women enjoy each other’s company, Celia and Renny help Ava deal with her broken marriage.
Celia reminisces about her relationship with a black girl, who was the daughter of parents who worked on Celia’s family estate. High-spirited Theolonia, nick-named Little Tea, and Celia were best friends. Their friendship was accepted when they were young, but not as they grew older. Despite all of the Civil Rights laws that had been passed, racial prejudice was still rampant in the South.
This is a story of friendship, betrayal, romance, and social injustice. The characters are real and developed well. I could relate to the friendship they shared, and was reminded, more than once, of the girlfriends I’m still in contact with today.
I look forward to reading Claire Fullerton’s backlist.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Because the thing about being a Southern girl is they let you run loose until the time comes to shape you.”
NUGGET GAINED: Anti-racism in America has come amazingly far, and still, we have so much farther to travel to achieve true freedom for the black community.
Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours and Claire Fullerton for my copy of this book and having me on your tour.
Celia, Renny, and Ava, have been close friends for decades. The story is told from Celia’s point of view in two timelines, present day and the 1980’s.
The three friends gather together for a weekend at Renny’s lake house in Arkansas to reflect upon their time together in Mississippi, where they grew up. While the women enjoy each other’s company, Celia and Renny help Ava deal with her broken marriage.
Celia reminisces about her relationship with a black girl, who was the daughter of parents who worked on Celia’s family estate. High-spirited Theolonia, nick-named Little Tea, and Celia were best friends. Their friendship was accepted when they were young, but not as they grew older. Despite all of the Civil Rights laws that had been passed, racial prejudice was still rampant in the South.
This is a story of friendship, betrayal, romance, and social injustice. The characters are real and developed well. I could relate to the friendship they shared, and was reminded, more than once, of the girlfriends I’m still in contact with today.
I look forward to reading Claire Fullerton’s backlist.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Because the thing about being a Southern girl is they let you run loose until the time comes to shape you.”
NUGGET GAINED: Anti-racism in America has come amazingly far, and still, we have so much farther to travel to achieve true freedom for the black community.
Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours and Claire Fullerton for my copy of this book and having me on your tour.
June 10, 2020
“Little Tea” is the first book that I have read by author, Claire Fullerton and will not be the last. From the minute I opened the book to the last page, I was pulled into the story.
The story takes place in Mississippi and is about Celia who meets up with childhood friends Ava, Little Tea and Remy after spending some time apart. We learn about the past and present of the women and the people in their lives.
Ava is having marriage problems and looking for help from her friends. Little Tea is about the friendships that span a lifetime, racism, the gap between poor and rich and adultery. A beautiful friendship where Celia does not see white or black, despite the racism coming from both sides.
If you love Southern Fiction I recommend the book. Pull up a chair and dive into the beautiful story.
“I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.”
The story takes place in Mississippi and is about Celia who meets up with childhood friends Ava, Little Tea and Remy after spending some time apart. We learn about the past and present of the women and the people in their lives.
Ava is having marriage problems and looking for help from her friends. Little Tea is about the friendships that span a lifetime, racism, the gap between poor and rich and adultery. A beautiful friendship where Celia does not see white or black, despite the racism coming from both sides.
If you love Southern Fiction I recommend the book. Pull up a chair and dive into the beautiful story.
“I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.”
June 3, 2020
Set in the Deep South with three friends, especially the friendships that has been made stands the test of time and is what I call true friendship along with tragedy and family ties this is a story that you won't soon forget.
Claire Fullerton is a new to me author and I really do like her style of writing.
I like how she smoothly pulls her readers into her stories and keeps them captivated until the very end.
I'm not sure what fascinated me most about this book. Probably the friendships that were made.
I love the cover of the book. It looks so mysterious like it has secrets to hide.
It's why I wanted to read the book. I wasn't disappointed.
This book will make you laugh in certain places and it will bring you tears in others.
This book is about forgiveness. Forgiving someone means that it is possible to move on and to give yourself peace. Yes, forgiveness is hard but in order to be of a Christ like mind it is required of us.
I wanted to savor this book so I took my time reading it. I didn't want to leave Remmy, Ava, and Celia. I loved getting to know them.
I highly recommend this book
My thanks to Just Reads Tours. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
Claire Fullerton is a new to me author and I really do like her style of writing.
I like how she smoothly pulls her readers into her stories and keeps them captivated until the very end.
I'm not sure what fascinated me most about this book. Probably the friendships that were made.
I love the cover of the book. It looks so mysterious like it has secrets to hide.
It's why I wanted to read the book. I wasn't disappointed.
This book will make you laugh in certain places and it will bring you tears in others.
This book is about forgiveness. Forgiving someone means that it is possible to move on and to give yourself peace. Yes, forgiveness is hard but in order to be of a Christ like mind it is required of us.
I wanted to savor this book so I took my time reading it. I didn't want to leave Remmy, Ava, and Celia. I loved getting to know them.
I highly recommend this book
My thanks to Just Reads Tours. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
May 20, 2020
Enjoyed this book.. the style reminded me of Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, also a story about the friendship of a group of southern women.
August 20, 2020
Three friends, Celia, Renny and Ava meet up after over 10 years of not seeing each other. Rennie called Celia and said that Ava needed her, so she hopped on a plane from Southern California to Memphis. For three days, they are going to reminisce and talk over their decisions and problems at Rennie's lake house. Secrets are shared, alcohol is consumed and their past is reevaluated. A story of true friendship, accepting responsibility for your actions and decisions, racism, small-mindedness, and acceptance.
This story is told in a dual timeline, 1980 in Mississippi and the present. Through Celia's flashbacks we learn about life in 1980s Mississippi. It dealt with racism and narrow mindedness. Because of that, tragedy strikes Celia's family that changes the direction of the lives of everyone in her family. Celia and her brother Haywood were beyond the times with their thinking of acceptance of Little Tea and her family, but others were not in the same place. I loved Claire Fullerton's descriptive writing. I could feel and see the woods, the lakes and the old marshes she described. The heat, the bugs, the drinks, and the music were all so well described that the atmosphere was as much a character as the three women were. I am not going to tell you anymore about this story because I believe you have to experience it yourself. I read it in one day, wanting to find out what happened in the past to bring the characters to where they were in the present. This would make a great book club read, there is a lot to discuss and there are some great questions included at the back to start those discussions.
This story is told in a dual timeline, 1980 in Mississippi and the present. Through Celia's flashbacks we learn about life in 1980s Mississippi. It dealt with racism and narrow mindedness. Because of that, tragedy strikes Celia's family that changes the direction of the lives of everyone in her family. Celia and her brother Haywood were beyond the times with their thinking of acceptance of Little Tea and her family, but others were not in the same place. I loved Claire Fullerton's descriptive writing. I could feel and see the woods, the lakes and the old marshes she described. The heat, the bugs, the drinks, and the music were all so well described that the atmosphere was as much a character as the three women were. I am not going to tell you anymore about this story because I believe you have to experience it yourself. I read it in one day, wanting to find out what happened in the past to bring the characters to where they were in the present. This would make a great book club read, there is a lot to discuss and there are some great questions included at the back to start those discussions.
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