What a unique and captivating book! In the beginning, I was unsure how I would feel about this one. But as the story started to unfold I found myself unable to put this down. The plot was so unique. I've never read anything like this before. It was a very refreshing change from the usual fantasy books I read. Even the slower parts of the story were engaging and full of character development. The world building was rich and beautiful. I loved the characters in this book, good and bad. They were so well thought out. They were deep and felt so real. The friendships and relationships that were made in this were so intense and heartwarming. I highly recommend this for any fans of fantasy, vampires, gangs, and of course, tea!

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story was a super fun read that will be easy to recommend to patrons. I dare say this is the best YA I have read in quite some time!

First and foremost, let’s take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous cover.

Okay, now onto the book. The gritty aesthetic, the London crime gang vibes, the imperfect melding of upper class and slum dwelling, the grim and cynical self-made girl and her sunshine bestie / bruiser… and that’s just the setup. Add in the balance of a “poor little rich girl” (personally, I love me a poor little rich girl character) and throw in two more people that may or may not be trustworthy - oh and did I mention there were vampires? - and you’ve got a recipe for a fascinating heist.

I loved our POV trio (Arthie, Jin, and Flick) but the other two, particularly in their roles as potential love interests for Arthie, didn’t quite work for me. I think we didn’t really get to know them well enough, ESPECIALLY Matteo, for their respective roles to really play out.

But where this story really shines is in its twists. There’s a few you definitely call early on or at least before they happen, but it keeps the momentum and the tension high, particularly in the last 1/3. Though I think there’s going to be a bit more backstory needed for some of these in the next book to help cement their impact.

Tried twice to read, just could not connect with the characters in a way that made me want to care about what happened to them.

"Every good love story starts with a bullet to the heart."

I've been desperate to get my hands on this novel since Hafsah Faizal announced that she was writing A Tempest of Tea. When I tell you that I screamed when I was approved for an ARC, I screamt. Heists, vampires, and Arthurian legends with a twist. . .yes, please. And oh-my, I was not disappointed.

Arthie runs a teahouse by day, and an illegal bloodhouse by night, think bootleggers and prohibition but with blood and vampires. Immediately I could taste the tea, and smell the rich blood laced with coconut. The atmosphere feels like an industrial fantasy laced with historical elements.

When Arthie's teahouse/bloodhouse is threatened, it's time for a heist and what happens next is nothing short of secrets upon secrets, and conspiracies that threaten everything.

My only gripe, and it's not really a gripe, it's just a trope or element in books that I don't enjoy personally is that there is a love triangle of sorts. I'm not a love triangle type of reader, but whatever, it's fine. I'm also rooting for one in particular so we'll see how that pans out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this fun and fantastical new outing from Hafsah Faizal and can not wait for the sequel. If you are looking for a well-written book with elements that feel familiar while being entirely rich and new, then you seriously need to pick this one up.

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NerGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I absolutely adored Hafsah Faizal’s first series, so I was so excited to hear about her next book, A Tempest of Tea. And once I read it, I was blown away. Faizal’s concepts always feel so unique, even if she’s playing with concepts that have already been seemingly explored to death in the YA fantasy genre, and that’s absolutely the case here.
As anticipated, the world building is the most interesting. I was curious about the role vampires would play, and I loved the idea of vampires covertly living in within a Victorian England-esque society. And the duality of the teahouse, the Spindthrift, at the center of the book, also serving these vampires, was super cool, with Arthie at the center of it.
While there are a few POV characters, Arthie is very much the protagonist. She’s one of a crew of orphans, and the most determined to bring down the colonizers who took over her home country. She’s tough and ruthless, but she also can be very loving to those close to her, and it was fun seeing what made her tick and let her hair down a little.
Jin, who is Arthie’s foster brother, is also a delight. He’s very charming, and uses it to his advantage. His partner-in-crime relationship with Arthie is absolutely a standout.
Flick, the third POV character, made a bit less of an impression by comparison. She’s not unsympathetic, but she’s definitely more of the typical “naive girl who grows more competent over the course of the book,” who got overshadowed by some of the other, stronger characters.
The romances were fine, but didn’t really blow me away, especially the attempt to give Arthie a love triangle. It’s especially underwhelming, given that Faizal wrote a much more interesting romantic plotline in her prior duology. However, the romance aspects are mere subplots, so they’re not grating.
With a lot going on, it’s fairly action-packed and evenly paced. As a result, the book kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly turning pages, wanting to know what would happen next. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy with a heist plotline, I recommend checking this out!

A Tempest of Tea is an enthralling, gritty fantasy for fans of Six of Crows and The Last Magician but with vampires. This book really hits the mark for vibes with excellent characters, fun banter, heist shenanigans, found family, vampires, magical artifacts, a love triangle, 1920s Victorian London aesthetics, all the romantic tension, and a female protagonist that’s loosely based on King Arthur.

While most of the book follows the crew planning an elaborate heist, the action picks up at the end with enough exciting twists and reveals to sate any voracious readers’ appetite. And that ending will definitely leave readers eager for book two.

This book will appeal to both teens and older YA readers and is sure to be a top book for 2024.

Even though I wasn’t a fan of her first duology the hype for this one got to me and I couldn’t help but request it! The blurb about a heist and the cover really got to me too! Unfortunately, it started slow and never got better for me.

My biggest gripe is that everything felt so bland. The characters were bland, the vampires were bland, and even the heist was bland. There is so much that the blurb offers when it comes to the tearoom and heist, but I never got anything out of those two things. The tearoom was really only discussed. I think they were there for one scene and that was about it. I wish that since some of the characters owned it that it would be more prominent to the story. Give me it as a setting!

The same could be said for the vampires. We meet a few and hear about their mysterious disappearance all the time, but there wasn’t much that was expounded upon. I think this also leads into the problem of world-building. There wasn’t much to go off of.

For the heist, there was more talking about it than doing. The blurb made me think this would be a book that was fast-paced but it was very slow and I lost interest quickly.

The positive is that I did like the narrator. She did a great job!

Overall, this was okay but wasn’t for me. I really wanted to give this author another chance as I tend to do but I think it’s time to call it quits.

A 3.5, or maybe even a 3.75.

This book is good and it strives to be great, but it makes the climb to great too late for me. The characters, most of them, are very interesting, with wells of potential that I think they might tap into even more in the second book. Not all characters are on the same level though.

What strikes me about this story is it really wants to be Six of Crows, but only Six of Crows can be Six of Crows. Had this story taken the Six feel and improved upon it in some way, I might feel differently, but unfortunately, for me, there are too many comparisons and Faizal doesn't make them feel unique.

Ultimately, though the downfall of this story is a lack. Even through the end of the story, which really worked to pique my interest for the sequel, I really had no idea what the ultimate goal was. I didn't get a clear picture of what the characters wanted, other than to save their "home." Then, a secondary goal was thrown in and that was stronger, but it came to light far too late for it to make any real difference. There is random worldbuilding thrown in here and there, but its all very scattered and doesn't amount to a clear picture of this world. The only thing that IS clear, is that Ettenia is a stand in for the British Empire and the habit of colonialization. (habit is too weak a word, but as of writing this i hadn't had coffee).

The strongest part of this book was the heist. Faizal focused on quick changes of POV chapters to keep the action moving and that was perfect. Speaking of POV chapters... none of them felt different enough to truly feel like different characters. In some instances, I found myself forgetting who was actually the POV. I don't know WHY but there was something generic about the way they were all written that does the story a disservice.

And yet... i do want to know what happens next!

Thank you to Edelweiss+, Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A tempest of tea is an ambitious powerhouse of a book that meets every expectation set by the incredible concept it promises. There are so many details to love about this book - from vampires & tea, to the stunning writing style, entwined discussions of the impact of colonialism and the beguiling heist plot line - but everything is drawn together by its cast of compelling characters.
Hafsah's writing skills only got better since We Hunt the Flame, now her words and her characters are unbelievably smooth and effortless; the story picks its own pace - almost like a haunting lullaby - turning and trapesing around the narrative while still managing to keep you captivated. It's an exquisite book, with characters you easily get attached to and a storyline that pulls you in without you noticing. It's a lush, deep, multifaceted story. Every word feels like it's put there lovingly, with care and reverence. The easy way to describe this is that the book feels like an ode to the art of writing itself. The ONLY reason I did not give it a full 5 stars is because at times the book felt too "perfect". I, at times, was left feeling like the characters were not given enough leeway to be wrong, to make mistakes, and then correct themselves. Every instance felt exceedingly scheduled, leaving the book with next to no character development.

Young adult at its best. I can’t wait to recommend this one to our YA patrons, and to see our community love it just as much as I did.

A Tempest of Tea is set in a world where there are vampires. People know they exist but they are still a bit taboo and lurk in the dark. This world also has a very powerful government in which they take over lands and declare colonies, leaving the natives dead. Arthie is an orphan whose homeland was destroyed by the powerful Rams. She makes it her mission to collect secrets and use them in order to gain power. She does pretty good for herself, she owns a tea shop with her best friend Jin and they are respected around the city. This tea shop turns into a vampire hub at night where they serve blood. When their shop is threatened, they team up with an unlikely group of characters in order to complete a heist for a ledger that they can use to save their shop.

I am having a hard time rating this book. I think I will settle on 3 stars. Going in to this book, I knew it probably was not for me. It is a YA fantasy with romance and that is not a genre I typically enjoy. However, I thought maybe with the vampires I would like it. Alas, I did not really enjoy myself. I do think it had good qualities that others will enjoy though so that is why it is 3 stars for me.

I think people who like YA fantasy and romance will enjoy this book. The vampires were a fun element and added some darkness to this story. I also liked the different characters and the different backstories that everyone had. I love when unlikely characters team up. The heist was interesting to read about and unfold.

I do feel like it took a long time to actually get to the action of the book and I was a bit bored in the beginning. I also feel like the romances throughout were all just based on physical attraction and there was not a lot of chemistry between the characters. I feel like there were a lot of clichés in this book as well. Certain things kept hitting us over the head a lot and it was like "ok we get it!" The story just fell a bit flat for me.

All in all, there were parts I liked and parts I didn't. It just fell in the middle for me. I probably will not continue with this series. I think this book was not for me but others who enjoy this author or this genre will probably really enjoy it. Thanks so much to netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other than the frustration of wanting the rest of the duology NOW NOW NOW, please and thank you, I found this to be a total delight! Tea and vampires and romantic tension and betrayal and moral ambiguity? More, please!

4.5 stars

A Tempest of Tea was so much fun! I really loved the world building and lore in this one. Faizal shines when it comes to her characters. Everyone was so well fleshed out and I truly adored this cast. Arthie was my favorite. She is a badass and I love her so much. I love a heist plot and I think this one really checked off all my boxes. I do wish we got a little more insight into Arthie’s thought process here. I struggled a bit with the pacing at times, especially leading up to the heist and right after, but I understand that things had to slow down to ramp back up again. The ending had me looking like the surprised Pikachu picture and I absolutely cannot wait for book two!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️ rounded to 4 stars! let me start off that this book was extremely anticipated for me and I had really high expectations for it. It sounds right up my alley, however it fell a little short for me. my biggest issue in this book was the pacing. I had a very hard time staying engaged in the plot and found that dragged for awhile. Once it got to what should have been the climax, it was a bit anticlimactic. The ending had me interested in the next book and I most likely will read it.

I was actually surprised this was considered YA and I feel like maybe it should be more NA. The plot is a bit dense for young adult, but that’s just me!

Let’s talk characters! I did really enjoy Arthie and Jin as main characters. Jin had me giggling and I really loved him. Arthie has such bad ass energy and I loved that about her. The love interest and connections just didn’t do it for me though. They just didn’t feel natural.

I would recommend this book if you like a heist book and the authors other books! The vampires are not a huge aspect of the story and if you want romance maybe pick up a different book.

An engaging, fun, fantasy heist novel that includes a lot of representation where the main motivations behind some of the characters--and the heist--is going against colonial power and political corruption. While the book definitely gives Six of Crows vibes--with its clever quips, scoundrel-like group of teenagers who are able to intimidate adult gangs, and fast-paced heist sequence--Faizal's writing lends itself to more poetic prose.

Some of the twists were really fun and as soon as I finished the book, I felt the urge to flip back to the start and reread it! Overall, I think A Tempest of Tea is a great installment to the YA fantasy genre and I'm excited to continue the story and see where these characters end up!

The world-building is really great, though I wish we had spent some more time understanding it a little bit better. My biggest complaint was there were times when my attention-waned during chapters that focused on world-building and character backgrounds, but it was mostly repetitive information. One character would think something that gave the reader information about the world, its policies, etc, and then another character would say nearly the same exact thing, but it felt like it was supposed to be new info to the reader when it wasn't.

I really enjoyed the characters but I wasn't sold on the multiple POV's. All three of them did not feel distinct from the other, especially with Jin and Archie--so many times Arthie would narrate how Jin felt about something (because she knows him so well) and vice versa, but it verged on omniscient POV's and detracted from the POV characters voice.

"It's teatime, scoundrels."

The minute I finished this book, I wanted to read it again and I honestly have no idea how I am supposed to just go on with my life of reading other books. Despite this giving Six of Crow vibes, the premise for this book was so unique. From the premise to the characters to the plot, everything felt familiar but new and fresh.

While the beginning of this book may seem slow, it truly sets the reader up for all of the action, twists, and reveals that are going to be slapping you in the face left and right once the heist is underway. Hfasah's decision to make each of the chapters (from the various POVs) during the heist shorter, had my heart racing and I felt like I was right there alongside our characters.

I could not turn these pages quickly enough, and honestly, had no idea what was going to happen. This is definitely one of my top reads of 2024, and I am not sure how any other YA book is going to compare.

This was such a fun young adult fantasy and I don't know why I'm surprised. I absolutely ADORE Hafsah Faizal. I highly recommend & think you should read Hafsah's entire backlist too <3

Thank you to Netgalley, Hafsah Faizal, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the eARC.

I've not read the author's previous work, but I am interested to see how this shapes up in comparison. I do have some mixed thoughts, but let's get the elephant in the room out of the way. If you're looking for a SIX OF CROWS-like experience, you're going to be disappointed. Faizal isn't anywhere near the same skill level as Bardugo, but I've seen this book pitched against it, so I wanted to clear up that straight away. If you're comparing those books, you're going to like A TEMPEST OF TEA a lot, lot less than you should. There's a lot to like about this book that would just get shadowed if you're comparing the two.

The characters--unsurprisingly for this type of novel--are the standout, along with the world. It felt rich and intriguing, and although I did feel at times there was maybe too much telling instead of showing, it was a solid, good premise. I have some minor irritants with the cast but that's more due to personal preference rather than fair criticism. Telling aside, I liked the writing mostly, though at times I felt it lacked punch at emotional junctures.

My advice? Don't compare to SoC (you'll just be disappointed) and instead enjoy this for what it is.

THOUGHTS

I'm somewhat conflicted in this review, because I loved every single element of this book. But at the same time, I found my attention constantly wandering. I think this is more a me problem than anything else, because there's nothing here that isn't really well done.


PROS
Tools Against an Empire: You know what I like? Fantasy that isn't just Eurocentric. And that's definitely what we get here. But more than that, this fantasy world has elements of colonial power, and the team of misfits that come together to pull of their epic heist... are also actively working against that colonial power that has directly affected their lives, their cultures, and every aspect of their identity. They're caught up under the influence of an empire, strangers in the land they live in, and they face persecution on the basis of ethnic identity and skin color. And they're not ready to take that lying down. And I really, really like that.

Love Triangle: Love triangle isn't my favorite YA trope to come around again, but this is a love triangle done right. Because none of the corners, if you will, of this triangle are quite right for each other, and yet the attraction is still obvious. They're not perfect matches, but they wouldn't necessarily be bad matches. They're also not entangled with one another already. There are no commitments, said or unsaid, between any of them. There's just the sort of tension of what could be, and if a love triangle has to exist, I'd much prefer it like this--possibilities, not "I have to choose!" You know what I mean?

Intricate: The world that Hafsah Faizal creates really comes alive. Every nook and cranny of White Roaring feels real, from the shady vampire haunts in the lower classes to the glitzy chambers of the vampire elites. There are shady dealings, lots of scheming, and a bit of conspiracy. Blood and imported coconuts, knife fights and gunshot wounds that come with a touch of magic: this is the absolute best type of fantasy world because it is a world wholly its own and wholly realized.


CONS
Intricate: This book is incredibly well-written, from the plot and character arcs to the intricate worldbuilding. But the writing, too, is intricate and not necessarily in the best way. There were times when I would find myself distracted, and I'd have to go back to reread sentences or paragraphs at a time because each word was so important to the writing. If I missed any little thing, I was quickly lost. This isn't necessarily a problem, but it's not a light read, that's for sure.

Timeline Troubles: The biggest complaint I think I have with this book is that, in all of the intricacies of its worldbuilding and great writing, the sense of tension was a little bit lost. I think this comes down to timeline trouble. I knew they were on a time crunch, because it said as much... but I never had a great sense of exactly how much of a crunch that time crunch was. I didn't know exactly how quickly, on what timeline, all of these little pieces had to be executed. The tension at times felt low, which is unfortunate in a high-stakes heist fantasy like this one.

Who?: There was a whole cast of characters working behind the scenes in this book--specifically, those employed by Spindrift. And we didn't see much of these characters. Which is absolutely fine, except for the few times when their names are dropped in at (seemingly) random. Because they're mentioned by name so rarely, these instances shocked me out of the story as I tried to recall who was who and why they were significant. Not a major problem, but anything that pulls you out of the story, I think, is at least a bit of a problem.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10

Fans of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows will love this ragged band of misfit criminals. Those who enjoyed Emily Lloyd-Jones's The Drowned Woods will like this new high-stakes heist fantasy.