A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON was a delectably beautiful book to read. Aesthetically, the book itself is GORGEOUS. The cover? The end pages? The chapter illustrations? All amazingly beautiful. And the story itself is just as gorgeously written. I adored Judy Lin's lyrical prose that brings to life a land filled with inequities, injustice, and tradition. You can't help but love Ning from the outset as she leaves her home to save her sister from a poisoned tea. To do this, she must become the new court shennong-shi, or a magical teamaker, but she must overcome SO many hurdles to not just win the competition, but just to survive. The whole magic system was totally fascinating and wholly unique. Magic based on different types of tea is something I have never seen before. I loved how Lin's writing engages all of your senses, including taste. It really makes reading AMSIP a wonderful experience. I was also totally here for all the doomed romance, political intrigue, and secrets that are revealed throughout the plot, which I thought was paced and developed very well. I was definitely intrigued by this book and all its gorgeousness, and am here for more from this author! I have to see what happens next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the way the magic is handled through the tea, and how it embraced a culture different than the Western norm. I enjoyed the different characters and how they interacted together. I was rooting for all of them, and the ending was very good.
But, really I feel like the potential with Kang stole the show. I really hope there is more to the character than meets the eye.

After reading an excerpt of A Magic Steeped In Poison, I was hooked. Judy I. Lin brews pure magic in this young adult book. This is a fantastic debut! The amount of research she poured into this Chinese mythology is amazing!

In the steps of her mother, Ning enters a magical competition at the palace in hopes of saving her sister from the same poison that took her mother. I nearly cried for Ning, her family, and her village!

The mystery of who is responsible for the poisonings and who will be the next shénnóng-shi for the next palace held my attention. However, there is a bit of a lull in the middle, but the ending took me by surprise. I gasped!

A Magic Steeped in Poison is part of a duology, and I look forward to reading the second book!

How far would you go to save your family?

Ning illicitly obtains a scroll, poses as a shénnóng-tu, and joins the shénnóng-shi competition to earn a favor from the princess.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, Judy I. Lin and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this magical book!

I was so surprised with how much I loved this book! The writing was beautiful and I found myself obsessed with the plot and unable to put it down. This is for fans of Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn!

"Human hands make mistakes, Ning, but they are the hands the gods gave us. We use them to make amends, to do good things."

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me access to this book before publication in exchange for an honest review.
AAAAHHH this book is amazing!! Automatically one of my favorites!! OMG it's so good!!

Idk where to start with my review because I love this book so much lol. The setting is beautiful, inspired by China and portrayed through such beautiful language you feel like you're actually there. The greatest things from mountains to small things like flower petals are described with loving detail, so the whole book is basically a love letter to China and to the Shénnóng art.

The descriptions of magic, especially Ning's shénnóng-tu magic, are breathtaking and they rope you in immediately. I so wish I saw the world through her eyes. I loved every bit of the contrast between the handcrafted and secretive opulence of the court and the simpler but even more exquisite beauty of nature Ning is so familiar with. loved seeing her knowledge and expertise of interpreting tea as well as people grow throughout the novel. The other major female characters were all amazing as well, my favorite besides Ning being the princess. I can't say too much about the princess for fear of spoiling, but I'm eager to see how her character grows in the next novel in particular. I'm not usually one to go for political intrigue plots, but the princess made this one worth it.

Strangely, I didn't love Kang as much as the rest of the main characters. He's not a bad character, I just don't feel there is much to set him and the romance apart from others in the YA genre. In other words, he's well written but a bit stereotypical, so he doesn't shine as much as the other character's more nuanced personalities. The romance feels a bit underdeveloped as a result, but since the romance was overshadowed by the politics, that kind of makes sense. The book is so amazing in other aspects that I don't mind a lack of well developed romance, and I won't actually mind too much if the second novel continues with the romance in a necessary back seat. Readers who like a splash of romance but don't want one that dominates the plot would probably agree.

I really can't say enough about this book to do it justice, so just go read it already!! This is seriously one of the best YA books I'll probably ever read, and I'll pick up the sequel ASAP. And I HAVE to get physical copies of the duology so I can display these absolutely gorgeous covers!

Thanks to St. Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

First off, the cover is absolutely stunning.

Inspired by Chinese history and mythology. The story follows Ning. She is gifted in the art of tea-making, and she fights to save her dying sister by entering the magical tea-brewing competition that was held in the palace.

The idea of the shénnóng magic was interesting to read, and the plot was fast-paced and well-written. I loved the atmosphere of this book and the bonds between the characters. The book ends with a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

Overall, I recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy books.

3.5 stars

Truly a noteworthy YA fantasy set in ancient China that was heavily steeped in myth and lore.The use of tea as a medium for magic within the book was a unique choice that I really enjoyed reading about. I definitely would recommend this to any fans of period dramas, the writing was rich with vivid detail and lush imagery.

The plot does take a while to pick up and the political intrigue left a bit to be desired as at times it felt to be thick with interlude without any of the intrigue. That being said, the second half of the book was when things really picked up and it quickly became unputdownable. I found this to be a very solid debut with a strong, capable protagonist and I thought the finale was a gripping buildup for the sequel.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Magic Steeped in Poison has a great beginning and ending, but a bit of a confused middle part with some logic holes and things that made no sense to me, as if the author had not had the time to edit the middle as thoroughly as the rest.

I'm actually still looking forward to the sequel--this is only a debut, and the author clearly has a lot of talent for beautiful prose and creating tension. With a bit more attention to more thoughtful plotting, characterization and world-building, this series could become a favorite.

I wanted to read this book ever since I saw the cover, and the story did not disappoint. This had one of the most unique magic systems I've read in quite a while. Ning was a complex and lovely protagonist and her relationship with her sister was one of my favorite parts. Politics in fantasy always get me, and this one was just as exciting, but somehow with even more elevated stakes. The person I will become when its sequel comes out...

An interesting read! I liked the magical tea aspect and the mythological tie in. I find myself liking the political aspects of fantasy reads more and more and Lin does a great job of keeping you intrigued by the happenings within the palace. The worldbuilding was also well done and I think this book does a great job of setting the stage for the final book in the duology.

My only qualm with the book is with it being so fast paced, I don't think the relationships (friendships and otherwise) were adequately fleshed out and so some of the interactions between characters fell flat for me. That being said, I'm looking forward to seeing more of Ruyi and the princess in Book 2 as well as Ning's power and maybe even a wider look into the world of the Gods.

A dazzlingly gorgeous story about magic, tea, and court intrigue. First of all, this is one of the most beautiful book covers I've seen and it really captures the vivid and enchanting prose of the novel. Secondly, for whatever reason I had a difficult time focusing on the story but I think that's a me problem. It's an immersive world and I think my brain was too distracted for the deep dive into fantasy. What impressed me the most was the mouthwatering descriptions of food and the magic invoked from tea. The main character, Ning, is also very impressive. She's determined to find answers, right wrongs, and speak up for her people. Unfortunately, she comes to realize that the royal court is super shady, and she struggles to find someone to trust. Her entry into the competition to become the emperor's next shennong-shi is further complicated by duplicitous contestants, scheming court officials, and a surprising romantic intrigue with one of the empire's most wanted. There's a lot to enjoy in this sensuous feast of a book, and it definitely leaves you anxious for the sequel!

Once I read "the magical art of tea making" and "competition", I was all in. What else do you need to know? Ning will do anything for her family and with her sister dying of poison, she decides to travel to the imperial city to win access to a cure. Ning is strong, even when she's afraid, and kind to others. She immediately makes some friends and catches the attention of the princess. Things get crazy and Ning has to decide who to trust and who's out to take the kingdom for themself.

I enjoyed listening to this and thought the story was engaging and well written. The different events in the competition were fun to follow and the tea magic was so awesome. I did think the romance was a bit flat and it could have been left out. Maybe it will develop more in the sequel and I'll be more invested in the couple.

Thank goodness the sequel isn't far out because this doesn't wrap up anything and I still have a lot of questions. I'll be eagerly waiting for August over here.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for the copy.

“She is my family, and they tried to hurt me through her. I’ve tried to send her away for her own protection, and she crossed the entire empire to save me. I will never leave her again.”

This book has those familiar YA fantasy tropes but the magical properties of tea - from the ingredients to the brewing process to the person performing the tea ceremony -  thow the tournament was played, the female friendships and lovely descriptions all made for  a fun and quick read.
I thought the plot was kind of boring and so similar to a LOT of young adult books, and I enjoyed the side characters more than the MC, but I still barreled through. I haven't decided if ill be picking up the next installment of this series.

A Magic Steeped in Poison is so atmospheric. I enjoyed the historical drama aspect as well as the tea based magic system. There is a revenge plotline, hidden family secrets, assassinations and court intrigue. The pacing is slow burn, just like the tea.

Here in the UK we take tea very seriously but reading MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON makes it clear that the basic British brew is no comparison to the beautiful art of Chinese tea making that is exquisitely showcased in this book.

Tea can poison, Tea can heal, tea is magic and in the search to find a cure to save her sisters life, Ning travels to the imperial city to compete to become the kingdom's next greatest shennong-shi—a master in the ancient and magical art of tea-making. If Ning wins she will gain the favour of the princess but what she didn’t expect to find is that there is a lot more to this competition and court life that meets the eye.

There was a beauty to the descriptive language and world building of MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON that immersed me into the story. It is rich in Chinese mythology and culture which naturally comes through even as the political drama and court intrigue thickens. I enjoyed the budding romance, the betrayals, the mysterious villains, the sapphic rep and of course, the creation and essence of tea shone through. I felt I needed more background to or interaction with the other competitors however, as it would have given an additional tension and enhanced the class and gender prejudices. Saying that, the surprising friendships and alliances were lovely to witness and after the shocker ending I must find out what happens next. I am so looking forward to the next book in this duology, A VENOM DARK AND SWEET, which will be published August 23rd 2022!!

I need everyone to pick up this book immediately! Thank you to @B2Weird, @FierceReads and @JudyILinAuthor for including me on the tour and for my copy of the book!

A Magic Steeped in Poison features a magic system based on Taiwanese tea culture! Ning uses her magic while brewing tea and different kinds of tea allow her to do different things.

I was swept away by the world building and amazing magic system. I loved seeing Ning navigate the challenges of the shennong-shi. I loved Ning’s character. She was curious, protective and dedicated. I have a feeling we’ve only seen the tip of her magical abilities and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the sequel.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for the eARC of A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin in exchange for my honest review.

What a stunning debut. This book was everything I look for in a fantasy novel -- found family, an interesting and complex magic system, intriguing characters. I loved every second of it and can't wait until the next book comes out.

Every second I wasn't reading this book, I wanted to be. Not only is the cover a work of art, but so is this book. It immediately draws you in and holds your attention the whole way through. The magic system is interesting and the characters are well rounded and intricate. It's so good and I can't wait for the next one.

5/5 stars, highly recommend.

I loved the book. It was so interesting and used a new magic system with tea! The descriptions of food and teas had me snacking all through out. Also the love story was so good and a true slow burn! This book was steeped for too long because it left me bitter with that cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book has a very intriguing premise, and while I did enjoy certain aspects of the plot and the main character’s personality and journey, the story overall felt a little disjointed.

I think my biggest issue was that key world building information was not well established at the beginning of the story, so therefore I always felt a little lost as to how the magic of the tea worked, the importance of the competition, even the history of the political unrest. Perhaps if there would have been a prologue of some sort to initially explain the key characters and the setting, then the story would have flowed better for me.

The second thing that I both liked and found to be challenging is that there are a lot of things happening in this story: Ning enters a royal competition in order to save her sister who has been poisoned; there is a mystery of who is poisoning the tea bricks and why; there are a lot of court politics and conflicts to sort through; there is a subtle romantic storyline; and then there’s a cliffhanger ending that will take readers to the second book in the duology.

The descriptions of food and clothing and the tea-making traditions are excellent, and I appreciate the author’s attention to detail in all aspects of the setting and characters.

Overall, this book was enjoyable, but for me personally it was not a favorite.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4663308786?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I was instantly pulled into this #YoungAdultFantasy. I wanted to know all about Ning, her mother, and Shu. Also we get a glimpse of #TheShadow pretty early so my intrigue was on high alert.​​​​​​​​
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The trials themselves are very intriguing. The magic is complex and ever changing depending on the tea, which kept my interest the entire book. The palace politics were also another element that hooked me in as I tried to figure out who was trustworthy and who was not. ​​​​​​​​
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Normally I hate it when authors throw romance into my fantasy, but romance did not bother me. I liked their interactions and the author used it as a way to give us some of the background we needed to understand the palace intrigue and some of the characters motivations. The last couple of chapters had me on the edge of my seat.​​​​​​​​
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Book two comes out this year and I need it now!