A big thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me an ARC of "A Magic Steeped In Poison" by Judy I. Lin in exchange for a honest review!

I had originally requested A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON because of its' vibrant and gorgeous cover, but then got exuberant over the plot and all of the good reviews I had heard. After reading it, I am more disappointed than excited, as I feel that Lin kept putting in new plot threads and abandoning the previous ones. I would have loved to see the world built more rather than shoving the reader immediately into the competition, and for them to have focused on one of the subplots offered. Did I hate this read? Absolutely no - I think it has great promise and could be good for someone who isn't looking too much into the details. But will I necessarily pick up the sequel after having read A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON? No, I do not think so.

"A Magic Steeped in Poison" is highly original and a pleasure to read. Judy I. Lin crafted a story that brings you in through the senses with the lavish descriptions of food and tea and keeps you there with the characters and plot.

This was a fabulous exploration of Chinese mythology, told in a way that everyone can enjoy. I loved the detailed descriptions of tea and how it has such a strong impact on everyday life. I connected to the main character, Ning, and her struggles to save what's left of her family by participating in this dangerous competition. There's royal scandal and coups, magic and tradition abundant in this novel, and it's very enjoyable. Thanks Netgalley and yallfest for the chance to read this arc before it was released!

This was BEAUTIFUL. It reminds me of Leigh Bardugo, and is so beautifully written and so unique in it's concept and characterization. I will be buying a hard copy.

Judy I. Lin’s A Magic Steeped in Poison was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 — after all, a magical tea competition, Chinese inspired/coded characters, and a gorgeous cover? How could I not want to read it? I’d never heard of anything quite like A Magic Steeped in Poison.

A Magic Steeped in Poison follows Ning, a shennong-shi in training. After accidentally pouring her mother and sister, Shu, a poisoned cup of tea — inadvertently killing her mother, and rendering her sister ill, Ning will do anything to rid her sister of the poison. When she hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s best shennong-shi, Ning sneaks out of her home to compete. Unlike others competing, Ning doesn’t particularly desire the prestige of winning such a competition. Rather, all she wants is a favor from the princess. Rumor has it that the princess has a cure-all stone, which might be Ning’s only chance to save Shu’s life. Once Ning arrives at the capital, however, she realizes that there’s more than just the competition. There’s always more brewing underneath the surface, however, and Ning is quick to realize that. With backstabbing competitors, and intriguing court politics, there’s a lot more at stake than Ning bargained for.

A Magic Steeped in Poison is filled with lyrical prose, and mouthwatering descriptions of food that’s sure to make you hungry! A Magic Steeped in Poison reminded me of the xianxia and wuxia that I used to watch with my mother, and the writing styles of Elizabeth Lim and Sue Lynn Tan. Lin’s worldbuilding is easy to follow, and completely immersive.

Ning, our main character, is incredibly easy to root for. I found myself feeling for her almost instantly, and just wanted so desperately for her to succeed. I can’t even imagine how much guilt Ning holds. All her actions are rooted in getting her closer to her goal: rectifying her past and saving her sister. I also just loved the side characters, but particularly Lian, Kang and the Princess. I found them fascinating, and would definitely read entire books about them! I loved how we got to learn about each character, and their motivations.

A Magic Steeped in Poison is a wild ride from start to finish, and I’m so glad that the sequel will be out this summer!

A Magic Steeped in Poison is a beautiful debut novel that combines all the elements I love of political intrigue, high-stake competitions, and delicious Asian food. It left me absolutely drooling with the many mentions of juicy dumplings, flaky desserts, and all the soups of my childhood. The story follows Ning who unknowingly poisoned her sister and killed her mother with a cup of tea. When a competition offer arrives for all the shennong-shi of the kingdom to compete for a position at court, Ning is forced out of her village and into the treacherous schemes of court politics. Amidst a competition that could save her sister's life, there's also dissent coming from the people as the rumors of Banished Prince's rebellion begin to rise again.

This is a story that once again highlights a main character whose goals and heart are incredibly family-oriented and I loved it. Despite her family getting very little page time, they still represent such an important pillar in her life and become a force that guides her through all the underhanded maneuvers of court. This made falling into her story so seamless and I was easily able to root for her. Ning's experience highlights the injustice between social classes and the thinly veiled prejudice of the rich, but her newfound friendships and alliances all help her to navigate through and let her incredible affinity towards the magic of tea shine.

Did I happen to mention how hungry this book made me? On top of all the food, the entire magic system based off of tea was incredibly fascinating and something I can't wait to explore more of in the sequel. As the first book in a duology, the author does a great job setting up the exposition to the greater political conflict and intertwining that with the shennong-shi competition. With that being said, because there's this big focus on alluding to the bigger issue at hand, there were moments that dragged or felt inserted for extra action/dramatics and didn't quite fit the general flow of the story.

I do hope that the sequel dives more into the characters themselves especially to flesh them out and provide them the page time to develop their relationships more thoroughly. Could this be the first book where I wanted more of the romance? I am absolutely relieved that the sequel comes out in August and until its release, I'll be holding on by drinking many cups of tea and dreaming of pork buns.

Judy I. Lin weaves an exhilarating tale of political intrigue, court conspiracy, assassination, and betrayal in A Magic Steeped in Poison—a captivating young adult fantasy novel about Ning, a young girl weighed down by grief and guilt over her mother’s death and her younger sister’s illness, which grows worse by the day. In a desperate attempt to save her sister, Ning enters the princess’s shénnóng competition, where apprentices of the ancient, magical art of tea-making will perform the ritual through several trials before the judges in hopes of becoming the princess’s official shénnóng-shi and reap the ample rewards. Ning hopes one such reward will be a cure for her sister; she'll do just about anything to save her. Once within the palace as a competitor, Ning finds herself caught up in the paths of opposing political powers, unsure who can be trusted and who is really at fault for the poison spreading throughout the kingdom.

The world and the magic system Lin created in this novel are lush and vivid, and her prose renders it all so beautifully on the page. The care, attention, and ceremony given to the art of tea-making are breathtaking. Each competitor exhibits a unique way of preparing their tea because they were trained in different schools of practice, from different cultures around the kingdom, but each ritual is reverent. The intricacies of the magic bestowed upon the tea-maker are brilliantly imagined. At times, the magic gives its wielder access to a sort of in-between place, an alternate realm or plane of existence where human can commune with the spiritual and the supernatural. Its construction is ethereal. Because the magic is intrinsic to the natural ingredients of the tea, it grants the shénnóng-shi or shénnóng-tú a sort of communion with the elements of the natural world. The magic ties nature and spirituality so tightly together that Ning has a fierce connection to the flora and fauna around her.

Lin’s thoroughly developed world-building also sets up a complex, intensely stratified society where class and privilege operate insidiously, creating systems of oppression that penetrate even into the inner-workings of the competition. The conspiracies that have only just begun to unravel in this story shock and thrill at every turn.

Although the world was rich and inventive, many of its characteristics were presented to the reader through passages of info-dumping or expository dialogue, which made the middle of the book a bit difficult to push through; it felt weighted down by these moments. This is rather common for a young adult debut and a first installment in a duology. Once the reader becomes more entrenched in the high-stakes plot, however, the novel becomes compulsively readable, nearly impossible to put down.

This book also delivers a slow burn romance between Ning and a mysterious boy she meets upon arriving in the imperial city, a boy whose alliances she cannot quite discern. Their relationship could have been better developed so that the angst of their circumstance put even more pressure on the narrative and the reader alike; as it was, I felt a bit indifferent toward them, but they did share quite a few sweet moments. Where they may have left me wanting in this novel, the princess and her main guard made up for it tenfold. This surprise sapphic ship shared such an intense and deeply devoted love that the few scenes they shared on the page left a lasting impression. I cannot express how desperately I need a companion novel or novella about them... Until I hear news of that, though, I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the sequel.

Zhang Ning is the daughter of a shennong shi, someone who uses tea to perform magic that can be used to help people. When her mother and sister are poisoned by a tea that she prepared, she is desperate for any chance to save her sister, even though it means she must leave home to compete to become the court shennong shi. Throughout the competition, Ning faces trials and obstacles due to politics, a mysterious Shadow, and a boy who is not who he seems. Ning must stay focused on her goal in order to be able to return to her sister in time.

This novel gave me very strong Spin the Dawn vibes, and even some Throne of Glass vibes with the competition to be the court shennong shi. I really liked how all of the competitors were brought to life, even the ones that were eliminated early on. I loved how the magic worked, and I really enjoyed how each tea and added ingredients added different effects to the magic. I liked how Ning was level-headed and smart, as well as honest and true to herself and her friends. She is a very likeable heroine, and I can't wait to see what she will do about the tasks that face her. I am so excited that we won't have to wait long for the sequel, because I really need to know what happens next!

Today's the day! A Magic Steeped In Poison is out now!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for giving me access to this eARC of A Magic Steeped In Poison by Judy I. Lin. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm going to make this quick. Do you like fantasy novels with consumable magic? Do you like a plot that doesn't stop twisting? Do you enjoy books with mysterious elements? Do you like magic systems that are explained with ease of readers' understanding in mind? If you do, then A Magic Steeped In Poison is the book for you!

Readers join Ning as she competes in the kingdom’s shennong-shi competition. This art of tea-making is an ancient and magical skill Ning’s mother taught her before she died of a poisoning. Poisonings have been common in the kingdom and Ning’s sister is one of the newer victims. To save her sister, Ning ventures off into the imperial city to compete in the shennong-shi competition where she meets new friends and finds herself entangled in the lives of powerful political people. This book grips readers from the beginning with excitement and surprises all the way through, ending in a heart-pounding conclusion that leaves readers anxious to find out what happens in the next installment.

A Magic Steeped In Poison by Judy I. Lin is out today. Check it out now!

5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 5/5
AHHHH this book was so good! I just couldn’t put it down. It was so cool reading a book written by a fellow Taiwanese individual, so this book definitely has a special place in my heart.

Writing Style: 5/5
Judy Lin’s writing style had an easy eloquence to it. It flowed very nicely and kept me sucked in.

Plot: 5/5
The plot was great and always had new elements of surprise and all the secrets are so intriguing!

World Building: 5/5
The world building grew along with the story in a beautiful manner.

Characters: 5/5
There were so many characters, but they were all written very well. I didn’t have the feeling that any were just written as part of the plot like many other books, so that was great!

Representation: 5/5
YES. I’m never gonna shut up about the fact that it’s written by a Taiwanese author

A fabulous story about the power of sisterly love, new friendships, and magical tea, this is a 2022 must read!

Read if you:
love tea
like mystery subplots
like tall, dark haired, mysterious love interests

Thank you @fiercereads and @macmillanusa for this eARC in exchange of an honest review!

The magic system in this book is one of the most unique systems I have ever seen in fantasy, though I may be a little biased because I am a huge fan of tea. The writing style was absolutely gorgeous and the plot was complex while still remaining accessible. Overall, this book is a breath of fresh air for the genre and will be a stellar addition to our collection.

If you think the cover is gorgeous you should read the book- it’s even more magical (pun intended?) IT WAS SO GOOD!
This book is beautiful inside and out, it is a fast paced and very magical read! If you love fantasy, court intrigue, unique Magic, or even are just hoping to get into fantasy with a hint of a dystopian vibe I recommend this! It has its own unique concept of magic and very likable characters. It has a sense of mystery to every chapter where I want to know what happens next so I NEED to keep reading! It was hard to put the book down! I’m so excited for the next and the last book ‘A Venom Dark and Sweet’ which comes out in August so we don’t have to wait too long!


{spoiler part} It even a bit of a dystopian vibe, especially at the end, (which I love!) in the way that their are rebels and now they need to work on getting the princesses rule back. I really liked Ning and THAT ENDING?!? I can’t wait for book 2! I hope we get to see more of Lian and I can’t wait for the journey with princess Zhen and Ruyi! I do hope kang is good and ends up helping them but I really don’t know with that ending and the banished Prince being there.

(3.5 stars rounded up)

First of all, how gorgeous is that cover? It definitely caught my eye and made me want to know what the book was about!

This was an atmospheric, beautifully written fantasy and I loved the magic system! Reading about the different kinds of tea and preparation, and seeing how different regions prepared and served it, was so fun to read about! And the setting – I love a palace (and the intrigue that comes with it).

I really liked reading about the competition, and the political intrigue was interesting, but eventually I felt overwhelmed by all the characters and how much was happening. Sometime near 50% through the book, my interest waned.

The end of the story has me very intrigued and needing to read the sequel, which comes out later this year, so at least there won’t be a long wait to see what happens next!

This book was amazing. I loved the writing in it, the descriptions were so vivid that I was genuinely jealous of the foods Ning was eating. And Ning, she’s such a wonderful character. I related to her a lot in the way that she always tried to stay strong even when everything in her life was going wrong. The plot of this book was super interesting and I loved the mystery and suspense of it. I found myself being sucked into this book from the very beginning. I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to do the next book in the series.

My daughter and I flew through A Magic Steeped in Poison and adored everything about it. This book is indigo and fall and the smell of dumplings. It's the feel of a warm tea cup in your hand and a gentle breeze at the window. It's a dream and a wandering stroll through a pomelo grove.

A Magic Steeped in Poison is such an original fantasy story. The magic system is really well thought out and fun to explore and the world Lin built feels so full of possibility. It's the kind of story that made me fall in love with fantasy many years ago and reading it with my child and getting to talk about it together felt like a gift.

On top of all that I was really interested in how the story showed just how important tea is to different cultures while also showing how it was uniquely prepared and made. The story well written and interesting with an compelling cast of characters, Zhen in particular was so well developed character, even if she wasn’t the main one and she helped the reader understand the royal dynamics and how she had a part to play in all of it. We really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the second book.

A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON by Judy I Lin is another one of the debut fantasy novels I've been anticipating. Thank you Fierce Reads/ Feiwel and Friends for an early finished copy of this book.

This book has so many elements that work for me - the love for family, a competition, the making of friends/allies when it seems like the world is against you, a touch of romance.

I love Ning's determination to find the people behind the poisoned tea that killed her mother, and to find a way to save her sister from death. That she intercepts the invitation for all shénnóng-tú to head to the capital to compete to be the next shénnóng-shī and sneaks off. From the first moment of the competition, it appears that Ning is the target of someone, and is constantly sabotaged.

Another thing I loved - the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the art of tea brewing. That there are magical properties in the tea leaves selected, and how added ingredients in the brews work together. That the magic of the tea can help, heal, and be dangerous depending on its aim and the tea master.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, and I for one am glad that the second book in this duology, A VENOM SO DARK AND SWEET, will be released this summer (August), because I really need to know what happens to Ning and her friends.

The cover art is absolutely stunning and was the first thing to catch my eye but even better than the beautiful illustration is the world building and characters within!

The magic system and framework for the world is a mesmerizing mix of a Chinese mythology, ancient tea traditions and wuxia and xianxia influences. There’s such a beautiful lyricism to the descriptions and a haunting mystery just waiting under the surface. This is a world that is just bursting with layers upon layers of secrets, devious backstabbing and courtly intrigue. Dreams and schemes living alongside immense greed and growing fear all wrapped up around a magic-infused tea competition.

But beyond the politics, at its heart, this is a story about how far a young woman would go to protect and save her family. It’s a beautifully woven tale of perseverance and strength and familial devotion.

Judy I. Lin has crafted an absolutely brilliant debut novel that is sure to thrill and delight. Without a doubt, Lin is a new author to watch for and what I can only expect to be a rising star in the YA fantasy world!

I'm excited to bring this to schools and discuss it with our teens. The writing is lush and beautiful, with mouthwatering descriptions of food and vibrant, tactile world building. There's mystery, danger, and twisting loyalties throughout. It's perhaps a dated readalike, but I think fans of Dhonielle Clayton's The Belles would love this as would readers looking for a fascinating magic system. As an adult reader, I wasn't the target audience for the often impulsive choices Ning makes, so the things that I didn't love probably won't be as much of an issue for our teen readers. Highly recommend!

This is a gorgeously written debut fantasy based on Chinese folktales and fairytales (which what a nice change from the prevailing pseudo-Medieval European setting). Magic competition, delicious food and tea descriptions with a bit of swoon. And that cover is perfection! For fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

A Magic Steeped In Poison is hands down one of the best books of the year, one of the best books ever really.

The tea magic in this book was so refreshing to read about because I had never read anything like it and the way it was written was so brilliant, I loved every little detail and it made for some really stunning imagery!

I absolutely adored Ning and seeing her go on this journey to try and save her sister was so heartbreaking but I was rooting for her every step of the way. Her character growth was so amazing as well!

The ending of this book literally left me shaking, I cannot wait to see more of Ning's sister in book two and how the two will interact with each other.

As I read every page, I knew this book would be an immediate five star read! I have been recommending this book nonstop to everyone I know! I eagerly await the conclusion to this beautiful story in the sequel!