This book was one of the best YA fantasies I've read in a while! It had all the great qualities (especially the writing) of an adult fantasy, but of course, for young adults. The characters were all unique with their own fleshed out backstories (and you can't help but care for each one). I expected another vampire fantasy to feel stale, but it felt new and didn't overpower the story. The author really didn't skip on a single thing from a good fantasy book. The only thing I didn't like was that I wanted to keep reading!

Am I...back in my vampire era? Oh my god, I have found the book that has cured my Six of Crows hangover!!!

A Tempest of Tea is my first introduction to Hafsah's work, but I will for sure be hunting down her previous titles after this. The action? The characters? The romantic subplots?? This was YA heist perfection, and I loved it!
I loved the worldbuilding and how the political corruption is a big driving part of the plot and the character's background stories. There were fun twists revealed along the way and I couldn't put this down once I started it!

Definitely recommend this for a fun and fast read, filled with complex characters and excellent worldbuilding. I can't wait to return to this world already!

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Blood and Tea series. I got an eGalley for this for review through NetGalley.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this a lot. This was a fun read in an intriguing world with a lot of interesting characters and a bit of a heist feel to it as well. This is the first book I have read by Faizal and it made me want to go back and read her other duology (Sands of Arawiya).

The world building here is well done. You have a world with corrupt politics, vampires, and an empire trying to take over everything. The characters are intriguing too. Arthie is a tough young woman with a lot of secrets but her teahouse, the Spindrift, is her life. When it is threatened she assembles a crew to get it back. The crew consists Jin (co-owner and like a brother to her), Flick (a young woman with a noble background who is a wonderful forger), Matteo (vampire artist); and Laith (mystery boy who works for the enemy but wants to switch sides).

This is fast-paced and well done. I really enjoyed the characters and some of the twists and turns to the plot. This has a very Ocean's Eleven or Six of Crows feel to it at points but with vampires and deadly world politics. There is a bit of a steampunk vibe to this as well because Jin excels at building clever contraptions.

The writing style feels a bit juvenile at times but was still easy to read and follow.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this book it was a fun and fast-paced read. There are quirky characters, intriguing contraptions, a bit of a romance, lots of action, and deadly politics. It was a well done blend that I found entertaining. I look forward to the next book in the duology and will probably pick up "We Hunt the Flame", the first book in the Sands of Arawiya, to read at some point as well.

3.5 stars rounded up. A Tempest of Tea is a solid heist drama, with King Arthur references, East India Company references, and vampires. It would be impossible to read this book without comparing it to Six of Crows, which in my opinion, is the best of the heist/fantasy genre. And the cast of characters that are part of Arthie's gang def draw parallels to the characters from Six of Crows. And it's probably not fair, but since I can't really help compare them (the vibes truly are SO similar), Six of Crows just packs a bigger punch, and Arthie just doesn't quite live up to Kaz. But that's not to say there isn't a lot to enjoy about A Tempest of Tea. There definitely is.

A Tempest of Tea is super fast paced and like any good heist drama, there are twists and surprises. And if there's something I really enjoy, it's twists and surprises. I really appreciate that we get multiple POVs from several of the members on Arthie's team. And even though she's not Kaz, I still did like Arthie as a character. I love that she made some decisions I wasn't always a fan of (because any realistic character needs to be fallible). I loved how multilayered and complex she was. Loved her backstory. And I loved her relationship with Jin. So, why only 4ish stars? It's not just because Six of Crows is better. If I'm honest, some of the surprises/ twists were a bit obvious. And while I loved Arthie and Jin's relationship, I felt like the majority of the other relationships in the book fell flat. If I'm reading a heist drama, I need me that found family vibe. And Arhtie's team just didn't really feel like a team to me. Sure, some of the characters had a good banter, but in general, I had a hard time feeling like there were real emotions/ feelings between the team. And this is especially true for the characters who still played a big part in the story, but didn't have their POV shared. And at the end of the day, the relationships between all of the characters was a big part of the book. A Tempest of Tea does end with some pretty big surprises and cliffhangers. And to be honest, I love a cliffhanger. Do I recommend this? Yes. Will I read the next book? Most likely yes.

Thank you so much to Faizal, Macmillan, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

You know how sometimes you come across a book, and you read it, and you know that's there absolutely no one you can ever be normal about this book because it's THAT good and you love it THAT much? This is one of those books for me. At various points throughout reading, I had to stop and marvel and share my thoughts with my family and co-workers because they NEEDED TO KNOW how good this book is. It's got just about everything I love in a book: heists, fantasy, vampires, action, slow burn romance, "enemies" who flirt a little too much, found family, a critique of colonialism, tea, betrayals, twists, a cute cat! The minute I finished reading the last word, I quite literally scream-laughed because THAT ENDING? If cliffhangers are not your jam, buy this book now (gotta support amazing authors, after all), but wait until the second one comes out before you start reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/Fierce Reads for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed the city of White Roaring and its characters — the world, cultures, and fantastical handling of real-world social issues were all standout facets. While there were times that I felt like the plot was moving around me instead of carrying me with it, making it a little hard to follow the characters’ pace, I loved spending time in this world, and cannot wait to see what happens next. Excited to read more of Hafsah Faizal’s work, too, since this was my introduction to her!

Strong cast of characters, Mischief, Angst!! ugh the angst, Found Family, Duel POV, Can't help but root for them and more! These are all the things you'll find in A Tempest of Tea.

Hafsah Faizal is one of my favorite writers. She writes about characters who shouldn't get along but some how do, gives us love interests and will they won't they vibes, is so great at pacing and makes you want the sequel out as soon as you read the last sentence.

I loved ARTHIE and you can feel the power she has whenever she's mentioned on a page. She comes off tough and cutthroat but really she's a marshmallow.

Let's be real JIN is a babygirl, but don't let that fool you into thinking he can't hold his own.

FLICK is the one to keep your eye on. She is finally becoming the person she was always meant to be.

LAITH.........well all I can say is he's from Arawiya (IYKYK)

And no one could ever forget MATTEO. He gives off confidence and is carefree.

The way this book is written makes you think you're watching a movie. Her world building is clear, the pace is perfect, the action and interactions are spot on. It's so easy to get lost in this story. My only complaint is that it's not long enough haha.

This is a fast paced, very entertaining heist story that also has vampires. Actually it’s got a lot more than that going on. We have a verrrry Six of Crows style heist. We’ve got vampires. We’ve got a soupçon of Arthurian elements. We’ve got an East India Company stand-in with British colonialism. You’ve got characters of color fighting to surreptitiously fight the established power. And you’ve got a mysterious character with questionable motives who comes from a land far away with magic.
All that being said, I did have some issues with the story. Arthie isn’t exactly Kaz, and her crew seems a bit less buttoned-up. They luckily seem to get away with being sloppy in the execution of their plans and schemes for the most part. I did figure out one of the big twists, but another took me completely by surprise. The end left me in shock and absolutely needing the next book though!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a preview. All opinions are my own.

Tempest of Tea was everything I thought it would be. Immersive from the very first paragraph. Faizal's writing is immaculate and her characters are enjoyable. Her world building is effortless and effective . A great vampire story without all the tropes were sick of reading.

3.5 stars! I’ve been looking forward to this one since loving We Hunt the Flame (not so much its sequel) and was even more excited when I found out there were vampires and heists! It’s been awhile since I’ve read a multiple POV book, which I usually love.

Read about 40% of this a few months ago and it wasn’t really clicking so I set it aside. I finally looped back around to it, and though it was enjoyable, I still think it’s a bit slow at times. I love Arthie a lot, but wasn’t as interested in Jin or Flick’s POVs. I am BEGGING for Matteo POV in the next book!!

The ending of this is fun though and it’s why I’m rounding my rating up to 4. Lots of twists and it has me SUPER excited for the next book. I have a feeling I’ll like that one a lot more!

I really enjoyed this book! Vampires and a heist plot? Yes please! Some of the reveals were a little obvious, but it did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. I also appreciated the commentary about colonization from the viewpoint of those being "colonized." I would recommend this to people at any chance I get!

If you are looking for something different but still want the paranormal world then I would definitely pick up this book. In my personal opinion, I really enjoyed reading this book with a cup of tea and comfy chair by a fire because once you start reading you won’t want to stop. Go in and enjoy the ride.

This book is literally THAT GIRL. I would love to write an intelligent, professional sounding review, but honestly, I am so obsessed, I don't think it's possible. It's just so good. The characters? Complex and lovable and so real. The setting? Love that. The plot? Iconic and I'm not even a huge plot girly, I'm usually just here for the vibes (which were immaculate). I am, however, a fantasy girly, and this one may just be my new favorite? It's truly that good. I couldn't stop reading. Faizal truly just did everything as perfectly as I could imagine. I have no notes. I cannot wait for the sequel and for release day so I can put this in the hands of everyone. I would recommend this to anyone, I feel like it has such a wide appeal. If I could give this 100 stars I would. Just know the hype is absolutely correct and you need to read this.

Content Warning: violence, blood drinking, fire, death

+ I love when a book totally catches me off guard and surprises me. This book was full of surprises! How do you combine King Arthur, Vampires and Peaky Blinders (never watched it though I’ve always wanted to) together and make it work? I don’t know but this author just did it! I also loved how she adds historical fiction to the mix as she covers the colonization of countries liked Ceylan (in our reality that would be Ceylon-now Sri Lanka). This story is set in Ettenia which I’m assuming is England. And the vampires are just a race of people that live among them. This book just had everything I wanted, things I didn’t even know I wanted in one place and I loved it all. There are a lot of twists and turns in the second half of the book and that cliffhanger ending left me wanting book two now.

+ I am in love with Arthie and Jin. I love their story, their friendship, their love for one another – even though this story had hints of a romance for Arthie (a love triangle even that never came to fruition-an no it didn’t involve Jin), the love between Arthie and Jin appeased my soul. I also loved that this was told in multiple POVs because Jin’s voice was important to this story. He is Arthie’s right-hand man and I loved that he was the lightness in their relationship. They are found family, they are to one another the siblings they never had, they are soulmates and I knew they would have each other’s back no matter what. Also, I need Jin to have a happy ending, that guy deserves the world!

+ Because this story is about a heist, there are other characters involved and part of the crew. Flick, Matteo and Laith. All of them intriguing and we do get Flick’s POV but not Matteo and Laith who are very intriguing and added to the story in various ways. I like how they all have complex backgrounds.

+ Arthie is a complicated character which I love. She’s had trauma and holds a lot of secrets, not only her own but she’s a phoenix who basically rose out of ashes. I love that she was smart, and still allowed herself to love (Jin and Spindrift) even though she doesn’t open herself to anyone else. She is flawed. I love that she is a business woman and she’s the leader of their crew.

~ I can’t call what was in this book a true love triangle. There is flirtation, there is desire that Arthie doesn’t want to explore because she is a person who is in control at all times. But I think it makes her mistrust even more heightened. She has a crew of people she doesn’t totally trust (except Jin) and her weakness was a good-looking mysterious man. She isn’t perfect, she can only hold so many of the right cards in her hand and I honestly loved every part of whatever romance was building for her because the tension between them was delicious! 

~ I think Flick’s POV was the weakest and she seemed like the weakest link because she’s not like the rest. She grew up in luxury as a lady’s daughter but she has her own agenda. Out of all of them I felt like I didn’t trust her the most because all she wanted was to please her mother and she had such a shiny upbringing. 

My Thoughts:

Why was I surprised that I loved this book? I loved the We Hunt the Flame series. The writing is so good, the slow burn in the romance is enticing and the relationships are heartfelt. Honestly, Arthie and Jin, they have my heart. It might be a slow build in the beginning as the pieces are set on the chessboard but I was riveted from the moment I started the book. Once the pieces started moving, it was a fun, twisty, emotional ride to the end. And then of course we get a crazy cliffhanger that made my jaw drop! I need the second book asap and this book solidifies that this author is a must-read for me.

Unfortunately, A Tempest of Tea did not work for me. I did not find that this book kept my attention, other than the inclusion of the cat who was very cute. The characters Jin and Arthie did however stand out to me, and their dynamic carried the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc. 👏

This book was a lot of fun! I enjoyed all of the characters and thought that they had really distint personalities. The plot was engaging and fast paces. My only complaint is that there could have more a little more character and world building. I'm planning on picking up the sequel when it is released.

Well done, Hafsah Faizal, Well done, Mam.

When I said I love fantasy with fond-family tropes, I mean this. This is it. Period.

Arthie was kind of cliche but I love her. Her action, what she spoke, her thoughts, everything of her was alluring. On other hand, we had the playflul Jin with his confidence (and handsome face). The banter between these two was perfect. Hilarious.

The world building, as a fan of Hafsah's previous writing, I don't think there was any change. Still so "Hafsah" with detail narrations here and there. It would be boring for some people who seek for quicker and noticeable pace, but as for me, the pacing was tolerable.

So many hopes. So many twists. To be honest, I don't like the ending. It left me kind of dumbfounded and betrayed. I understand that was part of mystery to be unravel in Book 2. But still. The cliffhanger was killing me.

Thank you netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux for an e-copy of this novel. All thoughts are my own.

What. a. Book.

Incredible. Amazing. The ending? The reveals? Epic.

I loved returning to the world of We Hunt the Flame but years later, in a very different way, and with different characters because it’s a different world in a way. The characters are all different and nuanced and the story tugs at your heartstrings because it’s not just an adventure, it’s also about family and connections and keeping secrets and falling in love but also about a harsh world with power dynamics at play and power players demanding their due.

I don’t even want to tell you what this is about because I don’t want to spoil anything but I’ll say this: Vampire fantasy with epic characters. You’ll figure out the plot within the first few pages anyway. But will you see the ending coming? That’s the question.

I already ordered a hardcopy of this. I’m so ready.

Tea Shops... Vampires... Heists... and the importance of Coconuts. What is not to love?!

I absolutely adored seeing the bonds develop between characters, and being able to join Arthie, Jin, and Flick alongside their adventures, and their dive into the vampire society Athereum to save their livelihoods.

also, as Matteo says “Every good love story starts with a bullet to the heart.”

I can't wait to own my physical copy... and for Book #2.

5/5

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Group for the digital ARC for "A Tempest of Tea" by Hafsah Faizel!

I really wanted to like this one, especially with being a fan of Faizal’s previous work but her storytelling in this felt more telling than showing. I wish the story would’ve been stronger because it felt like there was a constant onslaught of info dump that didn’t add to the flow of what I was reading. The premise is interesting but I felt I couldn’t really immerse myself in this story as much as I wanted to.