Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Little Tea by Claire Fullerton, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Little TeaAuthor: Claire Fullerton
Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Genre: Southern Fiction
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 her friendship with Little Tea can triumph over history.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Bookbub
My Review 💚
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.
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.
My Rating: ★★★★★
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire Fullerton hails from Memphis, TN. and now lives in Malibu, CA. with her husband and 3 German shepherds. She is the author of Mourning Dove, a coming of age, Southern family saga set in 1970's Memphis. Mourning Dove is a five-time award winner, including the Literary Classics Words on Wings for Book of the Year, and the Ippy Award silver medal in regional fiction ( Southeast.) Claire is also the author of Dancing to an Irish Reel, a Kindle Book Review and Readers' Favorite award winner that is set on the west coast of Ireland, where she once lived. Claire's first novel is a paranormal mystery set in two time periods titled, A Portal in Time, set in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. She is a contributor to the book, A Southern Season with her novella, Through an Autumn Window, set at a Memphis funeral ( because something always goes wrong at a Southern funeral.)
Little Tea is Claire's 4th novel and is set in the Deep South. It is the story of the bonds of female friendship, healing the past, and outdated racial relations. Little Tea is the August selection of the Pulpwood Queens, a Faulkner Society finalist in the William Wisdom international competition, and on the long list of the Chanticleer Review's Somerset award. She is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Literary Agency. https://www.clairefullerton.com
CONNECT WITH CLAIRE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive an ebook copy of Little Tea and $5 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 8, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on June 15, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
*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.
*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.
This sounds like a really good read.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debbie :)
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DeleteThank you for sharing! - JustRead Tours
ReplyDeleteThank you for allowing me to! It's truly my pleasure :)
DeleteWonderful review! Sounds like one not to miss. Thank you for hosting.
ReplyDeleteTruly my pleasure! This was a great read. I can't rave about it enough!
DeleteThis sounds like a really awesome book! Looks like one I don't want to miss.
ReplyDelete