Recommending Books As Per Your Tea Preferences!

Everyone keeps asking whether I’m a tea or coffee lover and I say both!

I didn’t like tea until a few years ago, only because I hadn’t been introduced to the concept of teas brewed with water instead of milk. Since then I’ve been on a tea craze of sorts as I try every type of tea I can possibly find and rank my favourites.

Man saying “Yeah and you know what? Don’t knock it until you try it”

And trying so many teas makes me wonder what kind of books do different kinds of tea drinkers read?

There’s no way to find out but I just want to have some fun by recommending some books tailored to your tea preferences. This isn’t a tag per say but if you want to join in then go ahead and recommend some books for these prompts as well. Now without further ado, let’s get started!

Green Tea: A Book That’s Good For You

You all know the great craze of green tea because it’s super healthy and has an end number of health benefits. I mean I have nothing against it, I occasionally drink green tea myself but I don’t love it per say. But if you do, I certainly have a book for you, one that will be good for your mental health 🙂

The societies we live in are increasingly making our minds ill, making it feel as though the way we live is engineered to make us unhappy. When Matt Haig developed panic disorder, anxiety, and depression as an adult, it took him a long time to work out the ways the external world could impact his mental health in both positive and negative ways. Notes on a Nervous Planet collects his observations, taking a look at how the various social, commercial and technological “advancements” that have created the world we now live in can actually hinder our happiness. Haig examines everything from broader phenomena like inequality, social media, and the news; to things closer to our daily lives, like how we sleep, how we exercise, and even the distinction we draw between our minds and our bodies.

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

I’m a religious reader of Matt Haig, his book are just absolute perfection. This one especially found me at a good time. Whether or not you have anxiety or any mental health issues, I think Notes On A Nervous Planet is a great book to make you think and examine the world around you. I personally felt seen when I read this book and it does contain some really great tips for your mental health. I find myself going back to this book again and again and each time I highlight more lines and passages to the point I might actually end up highlighting the whole book!

Masala Chai: A Spicy Romance

Masala chai is a perfect blend of spices in milk that can be even more addictive than drugs. Seriously, my grandfather used to drink 5-6 cups a day regularly before we waned him off, lol. This one isn’t my cup of tea, don’t come at me you all, it’s because I don’t like milk teas. But I do understand why people would like to spice things up, which is why a steamy and spicy romance would be the perfect thing to go with a cup of chai.

Rhiannon Hunter may have revolutionized romance in the digital world, but in real life she only swipes right on her career—and the occasional hookup. The cynical dating app creator controls her love life with a few key rules:

– Nude pics are by invitation only – If someone stands you up, block them with extreme prejudice – Protect your heart

Only there aren’t any rules to govern her attraction to her newest match, former pro-football player Samson Lima. The sexy and seemingly sweet hunk woos her one magical night… and disappears. Rhi thought she’d buried her hurt over Samson ghosting her, until he suddenly surfaces months later, still big, still beautiful—and in league with a business rival. He says he won’t fumble their second chance, but she’s wary. A temporary physical partnership is one thing, but a merger of hearts? Surely that’s too high a risk…

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph~

I haven’t read a lot of romance novels but The Right Swipe was fucking perfect. It absolutely won me over! And the romance? I would die for that. It’s not an enemies to lovers situation but Rhi and Samson’s relationship is equally spicy and will definitely take you on a rollercoaster ride.

Black Tea: A book With Dark Themes

Black tea is so strong, it’s about as bitter as black coffee depending on how long you let it stew so I see how this may not be something that everyone likes. The first time I had black tea I was not impressed. But I think it’s an acquired taste and now I quite enjoy an occasional cup. Speaking of strong and dark, there are loads of books with dark themes that can fit the prompt but here’s what I’ll recommend.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late. 

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

The Poppy War has a lot of hype surrounding it and rightly so! Just be sure to go through the trigger warnings before you pick up this book because Kuang really wasn’t kidding when she said we’ll get all the grit and gore. I’m not usually someone who picks such dark fantasy books but I absolutely loved this book! The characters, the worldbuilding, the plot – the kind of brilliance that must have gone into writing this series is incomprehensible. Take your time with these books, I know I’ve been reading the second one for three months now… But seriously, this series is definitely worth a shot.

Peppermint Tea: A Book That Relaxes You

Peppermint tea is my elixir. Seriously, I could drink it all day every day. I’m generally not a huge fan of mint flavour because it’s quite strong but when present in milder quantities it’s actually perfect. Peppermint tea is supposed to have many benefits including relieving tension, improving your energy and getting good sleep. It’s the best thing to help you sit back and relax.

Nate Jae-Woo Kim wants to be rich. When one of his classmates offers Nate a ridiculous amount of money to commit grade fraud, he knows that taking the windfall would help support his prideful Korean family, but is compromising his integrity worth it?

Luck comes in the form of Kate Anderson, Nate’s colleague at the zombie-themed escape room where he works. She approaches Nate with a plan: a local tech company is hosting a weekend-long survivalist competition with a huge cash prize. It could solve all of Nate’s problems, and Kate needs the money too. If the two of them team up, Nate has a true shot at winning the grand prize. But the real challenge? Making through the weekend with his heart intact…

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

The Perfect Escape is a book I found very relaxing because it’s short, fun and interesting. It didn’t eat up my braincells, made me laugh and I just find it a great book overall. Would especially recommend it as a beach read!

English Breakfast Tea: A Popular/Hyped Book

Everyone knows that english people love their tea but until recently I didn’t know that English Breakfast Tea is actually a type of tea. Because it’s so popular I decided to recommend a hyped book that I read and loved.

A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo. Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems. Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

Everyone adores Elizabeth Acevedo’s books. I haven’t seen a single negative review for them and The Poet X was probably her most hyped book that I was told repeatedly to pick up. And everyone was right, this is such a masterpiece! All of Acevedo’s books are a huge yes from me but I especially connected with Xiomara in this book and her anger. And of course, the writing was simply chef’s kiss.

Hibiscus/Lavender/Rose Tea: All About the Fluff

Floral teas are all about the natural sweetness and different flavors of flowers. I for one can’t stand much of them but to each their own! When I imagine a recommendation for a lover of floral teas I think of books that are filled with fluff. One such series that I would recommend is the Heartstopper books.

Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more…?

Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn’t been too great, but at least he’s not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He’s heard a little about Charlie – the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months – but he’s never had the opportunity to talk to him.
They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner… 

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

I’m such a huge sucker for Charlie and Nick! They’re absolutely adorable together and I just want to squish them together and protect them forever. The gorgeous art makes this book even harder to resist and this book is basically so much fluff and has a good plotline as well. I challenge you not to ship these two characters at first sight.

Honey and Lemon Tea: An Amazing Classic or A Basic Book You Love

Honey and lemon is such a classic combination! You can literally just flavor water with these two ingredients and it will still be delicious. For this prompt I was thinking of recommending either a classic book that I believe would suit most people’s tastes or a book with some basic or common book tropes which packs a punch. In the end I decided to recommend my all time favourite classic, Little Women.

Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.

It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with “woman’s work,” including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. But she soon discovered she could make more money writing. Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the “girl’s book” her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

This one is a childhood favourite and I’ve read it so many times since then! I’ve heard other people say this and I 100% agree that Little Women doesn’t read like your average classic in the sense it isn’t difficult to read. I personally don’t like classics which need to be properly deciphered or have complex writing styles but I’ve read and loved this book and its characters as a child so don’t let Little Women intimidate you!

Ginger Tea: A Book To Warm You Up

I’ve never had a proper ginger tea but I love ginger flavour and ginger tea is a especially preferred in winters because it warms you up on the inside. Similarly, I picked a book that personally makes me smile and warms me up whenever I so much as even look at it 🙂

Fall in love all over again with the characters from the bestselling Simonverse novels in this highly anticipated epilogue novella. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, the movie Love, Simon, and the new Hulu series spin-off, Love, Victor!

It’s been more than a year since Simon and Blue turned their anonymous online flirtation into an IRL relationship, and just a few months since Abby and Leah’s unforgettable night at senior prom. Now the Creekwood High crew are first years at different colleges, navigating friendship and romance the way their story began—on email. 

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~

Ahhhh this is such a perfect read, especially if you’re a fan of the Simonverse! Every single sentence made me smile and giggle and fangirl. I swear my facial muscles were aching after I finished this book, lol. It’s the perfect read to lift you up and fill you with happiness and sunshine.

What are your favourite types of tea? Or are you a coffee person?

Have you read any of these books or are they on your TBR?

Feel free to contact me if you want to try this idea put it as a tag or give your own recommendations! I would love to see what you all have up your sleeve 🙂