A Venom Dark and Sweet is the second book in Judy Lin’s duology, The Book of Tea. It stands alone, but to get the full sense of the world building and to fully understand the complex relationship between the two main characters, you should read them in consecutive order.

Lin develops a truly original system of magic and carries it through both books. She lovingly blends in Chinese and Taiwanese mythology and tosses in court intrigue and dastardly plots—and a bit of romance. Two courageous young people, Kang and Ning, embark on a hero’s journey to save the world as they know it. The kingdom of Dàxi is threatened by a great evil serpent, a banished prince of the days of the earth’s formation. He has been torn apart by other gods and his organs buried separately. He wants to reclaim his body parts and seize power. Ning is a powerful shénnóng-shi, using magic derived from the ancient art of tea-making. She escorts the Princess Zhen into exile. Together with the princess’s body guard Ruyi and Ning’s little sister Shu, they travel through the kingdom searching for allies to take back Zhen’s throne. Kang is the son of the man who has taken over Zhen’s throne and has mixed feelings about being his father's heir.

A Venom Dark and Sweet picks up where A Magic Steeped in Poison left off. It’s the finale of an amazing fantasy for young adults. The world-building is exceptional as are the historical and cultural influences. There is a bit of enemies-to-lovers romance between Ning and Kang with just a touch of sexual tension, safe enough for those parents who worry about what their children read.

I love the concept of this duology, but for me, it was really hard to follow. However, the magic construct of this universe is made in impeccable taste, and I really loved the mechanics of how it worked. Just wished the author could've sewn story and world together in a bit of a more understandable way.

review ♥
a venom dark and sweet- judy i. lin
★ ★ ★

•chinese mythology
•tea and magic
•princess and her bodyguard
•sisterly bond

“I’ve been waiting for you, Zhang Ning… for a long, long time.”

Ning has just escaped the palace after being accused of spreading the poison that infected her sister. After she cures Shu, they set off with Princess Zhen and her bodyguard Ruyi to come up with a plan to overthrow the Banished Prince in his attempts to obtain the dragon throne. However, the serpent god, Gongyu, is the mastermind behind the chancellor and the Banished Prince’s takeover of the capital. Kang, the Prince’s adopted son, still has feelings for Ning and wants to do what is right. He is caught in the difficult position of either staying loyal to his father or helping Ning defeat the evil serpent that dreams of death and destruction. Ning is chosen to figure out a way to defeat the serpent, avenge her mother’s death, and restore the throne to Princess Zhen.

I was so excited when I heard this book was coming out just a few months after the first! Usually, I’ve had to wait at least a year for the next book in a series, and Judy Lin gave us exactly what we were impatiently waiting for. I loved A Magic Steeped in Poison, and am so happy to have been accepted for an eARC of both books!

The first half of the book was a little hard to get through because of the plot building, but once Kang and Ning finally got back together, my interests were piqued. I loved the growing bond Ning shares with Shu. It reminds me of the relationship I share with my sister. I also love the magic system in this duology. The Chinese mythology and tea rituals are insanely cool, and I enjoyed reading about Ning and her connections to others through the magic of tea. I was a little sad about the romance between Kang and Ning because it was almost absent. I wished there was more exploration of their connection and the pain they share at the end of the story. Overall, this book was a fun ending to the duology and demonstrates the vibrant joys of young adult fantasy novels.

A Venom Dark and Sweet is the sequel to one of my favorite books of the year, A Magic Steeped in Poison, and the conclusion of this duology. It is also special to me because it is the first ARC I have ever been approved for after reaching out to the publisher directly. Special thanks to Sara at Macmillan Children’s for being so kind and helpful!

The tea-based magic system in this series is still one of the most interesting that I have come across in a while. Something that I missed from the first book was the frequent discussions of the tea magic and how tea ingredients affect the magic. While we don’t get these details as much in A Venom Dark and Sweet, we do learn about a darker side of the magic through Ning’s attempts to rid people she meets of poisoning. I was especially glad to see Wenyi’s story come full circle, though I won’t say how to avoid spoilers!

I am also impressed with how seamlessly Lin pulls in Chinese myth, language, and stories while keeping Ning’s story fully her own—an addition rather than a retelling.

I have to admit that I liked the first book better, and I think that’s because the pacing in this sequel felt a little off to me. Much of the book seems to go a bit slowly, while the conclusion felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly.

That said, this is still a very fun and interesting duology. I was glad to see more of Kang in this book, though some people might find it jarring that his perspective is written in third person, while Ning’s is written in first.

Overall, this was an engaging sequel that fell a bit short of its predecessor for me. However, it is an interesting conclusion to a strong YA duology, and I would highly recommend this (now completed) series to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy. I will be keeping my eye out for more for Judy I. Lin in the future.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanusa #feiwelandfriends for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for my honest review.

A Venom Dark and Sweet will release August 23, 2022.

The worldbuilding in this book is magical, and it’s so easy to get swept up in it. The story starts up right after the first one ended, and while the pace begins slowly, it picks up about 40% into the story. The story ends and it feels finished, which can be a struggle for duologues.

This book was just as gorgeous and mystical as the first novel but boy was I not expecting the wild ride it took me on. From start to finish I was hooked in the story and the more laid back magic from the first novel was truly tested in the sequel. It had me hooked and the latter half had me turning pages so quickly. The writing of this world is so vivid and gorgeous I cannot wait for more books from Lin.

In this sequel, Lin takes us on a mythical journey to rid the kingdom of an ancient evil with Ning’s magical shennong abilities. We are no longer navigating the intricacies of life at the royal courts and instead navigating a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind the coup and the evil awoken in the kingdom.This part of the Book of Tea Duology felt more like a magical quest and took a more serious turn as the fate of the kingdom lies in Ning’s hands.

This book is still written in a third person omniscient point of view, however the book follows Ning and Kang as they both search for the truth instead of only focusing on Ning. I thought this helped build more suspense and allowed the reader to gain insight into Kang’s mind. Getting to see Kang’s point of view in this sequel allows his character to really grow on the reader as we learn more about his past and his experiences. Since this book focuses on these two characters, it is really hard to pick a favorite as they both are compelling in their own ways.

For this sequel, I noticed themes of learning how to trust others and learning to accept the help of others through your journey. Additionally, there are themes of learning to choose your own path even when shouldering the expectations of your family. I felt that the first book showed Ning learning to trust in herself and her abilities while this book focused a lot more on Ning finding her confidence and was a great ending to her journey.

I loved the way the story unfolded and how mythical the whole journey ended up feeling. A lot of the scenes were woven with magical imagery and just a splash of Ning’s tea magic. I didn’t feel like this was the most impactful ending, but it was still a nice way to tie everything up.

I also enjoyed the journey we are taken on to save the Kingdom and felt like this sequel felt more like a young adult fantasy novel and less like a drama. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an epic adventure fantasy read or a light fantasy read with magical imagery. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance or a high fantasy read.

The world building in this story was incredible. Unfortunately, I did not read the first book but THIS encouraged me to go and read it and then come back and reread this story. The fantasy world was dynamic and captivating. The story had good pacing which is essential for a fantasy story. The story focused on relationships instead of shoehorning a relationship which is honestly refreshing. Judy I. Lin has a wonderful world here. I know this is the end of a duology, but I hope this world can be used again. It was amazing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

A Venom Dark and Sweet picks up where A Magic Steeped in Poison left off, with Ning exiled with Princess Zhen and searching for a way to eradicate the great evil taking over the kingdom.

A Magic Steeped in Poison was a stunning and memorable read, and I am so glad that A Venom Dark and Sweet has lived up to its legacy. This second installment in Judy I. Lin's Book of Tea duology is a gorgeous, fast-paced adventure that offers a gripping conclusion to a phenomenal fantasy story. I loved getting to be with Ning again, and aspects of the story that had me hesitant in book 1 -- the romance, specifically -- were wonderfully fleshed out and given space to breathe.

The conclusion wrapped up nicely, with all the threads accounted for, and has left me wanting to go back and pick up book 1 and live the story all over again.

A Venom Dark & Sweet was a book I wanted to read to find out the conclusion of the Tea series. My first review of this book was not in a positive light and this one did not sway my position much.

I finally started getting captivated by this book by the 76% mark. Everything before was a blur. I am the first person in line for world building, but this author just really gives SO much. Maybe I am in the unappreciative side or maybe I’m in the majority.

I also still find the romance in this book so lack luster, there are no flames no tension. It’s not a book focused on love and it’s a book focused on details and lined with plot.

I suggest reading this series to learn more about Asian culture, but not for romance or truly anything else. This book will still be a 2 star read for me. Happy reading!

tore through this eARC very quickly (despite having other reading to do for grad school and also work) but it didn’t leave me satisfied in the way the first book of this duology did. I love this world and love the magic system, and the quality of writing in this book remains beautiful, but the actual plot felt like it didn’t quite give me the character and world development i hoped for. the book is still gorgeous and i would still recommend it, but without any spoilers, i just think the resolution fell a bit flat; it felt like there was a real lack of hard choices for our leads— much of what they overcame was because they were backed into a corner, didn’t have another choice, or, the stakes never felt that high to begin with (some characters who had a chance to be morally gray ended up being and remaining good with very little nuance, and that makes their arc feel like nothing, like they end up in nearly the same place they started). i do think this book handles intense, dark subjects (like death!) with more reverence and thoughtfulness than any YA i’ve ever read, and i want to see more of that, and i would love to see more of this world and/or more of this stunning prose anywhere! so 4/5 stars- so much good, but not quite the glowing new favorite the first book was for me😭

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for my advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I LOVED "A Magic Steeped in Poison". Judy I. Lin's writing is as beautiful as the cover designs lead you to believe. the magic system in this duology is some of the coolest and definitely more unique than the magic systems we tend to be used to in fantasy. The duology has quickly become one of my favorites as the great world building, tension, character work, and visual writing from the first book continue on in this conclusion.

I feel like as a whole, the duology is perfectly balanced and Lin gives us all of this with a cast of memorable and grounded characters. Ning, our heroine, is strong and persevering as ever as she is joined by her courageous younger sister Shu, Zhen, and Ruyi. As their paths diverge, I was worried that the narrative would drag, but man, the dual perspectives of Kang and Ning was such a good narrative choice. I love that we were able to follow Kang working things out "on the other side" just as Ning is working things out on the outside. I think that balancing the more character driven perspective of Ning with the action oriented perspective of Kang was a smart move too cause it helped keep the narrative from feeling too slow.

All in all, I found this to be a satisfying and wonderful conclusion to the "Book of Tea" duology and it has me looking forward to Lin's future work.

This was a satisfying ending to the series, with everything wrapping up nicely. I like that the conclusion was bittersweet, not a complete fairytale ending. The characters all struggle and are changed at the end of this journey, still carrying the scars they received from having to take down the villain.

I love the magic development in this book and seeing how all the different styles come together. Lin's magic system is unique, and I loved seeing it develop even further in this book.

All in all, a very solid end to this duology and one that I will be recommending to fantasy lovers everywhere.

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin is the conclusion to The Book of Tea duology. After a disastrous ending to the competition in the first book (A Magic Steeped in Poison), Ning finds herself on the run with Princess Zhen, Zhen's handmaiden Ruyi, and Ning's sister Shu. Meanwhile, Kang is growing more and more uneasy with the practices his father employs as the emperor-regent in Jia.

The magic system in this book was fascinating. Lin did a wonderful job expanding on the magic further from the previous book. The world-building was also great. In the last book, the reader was shown very little of the empire. In A Venom Dark and Sweet, I enjoyed exploring the empire and the history of the Gods further as Ning was pulled through various regions on impossible missions.

Unfortunately, I found the pacing in this book to be incredibly slow. I felt that much of the story was bogged down by lengthy descriptions. Most of the action scenes were somewhat boring and slow. The pace did pick up at the end, however.

I didn't connect with Ning as much as I normally would with a main character. Ning's character arc fell somewhat flat compared to A Magic Steeped in Poison. Indeed, I found myself eager to read Kang's chapters - I found his journey more interesting.

With that said, there is certainly a reader who will savor the beautiful descriptions of the land, tea, magic, and food in this book. This is a satisfactory ending to the duology, and I would recommend this for readers of fantasy inspired by East Asian folklore/mythology.

A tidy conclusion to the Book of Tea duology. The stakes weren't as high in this gripping conclusion. This was a perfect book for what it is: an amazing fantasy world, for a YA audience, and good writing. The world-building in this series is phenomenal and I would be a huge oversight to not mention the deep cultural and historical influence Judy I Lin injected into her work. We need more of this in all commercial genres and for all audiences.

"The enthralling conclusion to Judy I. Lin's Book of Tea duology - #1 New York Times bestseller A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet - is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust.

Ning, a young but powerful shénnóng-shi - a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making - has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning's newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne.

But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world..."

Whomever at Feiwel and Friends thought to release both volumes of this duology this year I salute you!

If I am being honest...this book was a little bit of a disappointment. I loved the first one-the magic, the main character, the competition, even the light romance. But this book seemed to have lost its way. There wasn't a clear objective until about 80% into the book. There is a lot of telling instead of showing so we didn't get the same depth of character as the first. It was almost like this book suffered from "middle book syndrome" except this wasn't a middle book.
I will say that the cover art is stunning and I like how the ending was wrapped up. Overall, this book was just okay.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I was very excited to be able to review this novel. It was amazing, and I didn’t know how I would feel about it since the first one wrapped up [what I thought to be the ending] pretty well, but the second one was far more enlightening than I expected. Nothing felt dragged out, and the pace kept me engaged the whole time. Highly recommending this duology to everyone.

I enjoyed the second book in this series more than the first. The pacing was better, and the plot held my interest throughout. I also loved that the characters were more fleshed out in this book. I know this is supposed to be the end of the series, but I’d love to read more about them.

A Magic Steeped in Poison was one of those books that I devoured, so when I got my hands on an eARC of A Venom Dark and Sweet - I was so eager to find out what happened next. I LOVED the turn that the story took and how the story was told in both Ning AND Kang's POV. It made the story so much more enjoyable and allowed the reader to see everything from both sides. The magic system continued to WOW me in this book and I loved being able to see Ning grow into their powers. Overall, I just thoroughly enjoyed the way this book concluded the duology story and tied the ends together. This was so beautifully written and kept the readers' attention throughout. This will definitely be an author I continue to read from.