I was so looking forward to this one. I mean, vampires? Heists? Tea? It sounded like it was written just for me. Sadly, I couldn't get into it. I don't know if it was the writing, the plot, the characters, or a mixture of all three, but something didn't work for me. The world-building wasn't as fleshed out as I'd like, and it took me a while to feel like I had my footing within the story. I liked some characters, especially Arthie, but most felt underdeveloped. It had a lot of elements that should've made for an exciting read, but the execution wasn't my favorite.

This is going to be a popular book! It reminds me of The Six of Crows books a bit, and was a fun and interesting read. The three main characters are all engaging, and I liked the alternating chapters from different points of view.

I absolutely love Faizal's work, This is such a different feel from her other duology but in the best way, She shows her diversity of writing ability. Arthie is the sort of anti-hero we love to root for and she definitely buries her way into your heart as a reader. I was so invested. I also did not expect the vampires, but I loved every second of it. Cannot WAIT for the next book!

Engaging, immersive, and expertly crafted. A recommended purchase for public YA and high school collections.

This book is easily a 10/10!

I ADORED this world that Hafsah Faizal has created. This world addresses themes of colonialism and racism is such a clever way. Her writing is very atmospheric, with major cinematic vibes. From the start I could picture it easily in my head as a film.
The story is told from three POVs and all three characters were absolutely a joy to be with.
I read the whole book in 24 hs and I was so sad when it was over.
All of my favorite elements were present:
- vampires
- sassy characters
- heist
- mysterious backstories
- shocking revelations
- found family of truly endearing characters you can't help but root for.
- the dialogue, the banter was FIRE!!!!

I haven't read Hafsah's other duology but with A Tempest of Tea she has become an auto buy author for me. And you better be sure I will be reading her back catalogue over the holidays.

If this doesn't convince you to read A Tempest Of Tea then I don't know what will... SO GO PRE-ORDER IT NOW!
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) and #NetGAlley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
A TEMPEST OF TEA IS OUT 2/20/2024!!!

My favorite book of 2024 and it isn't even 2024 yet. This book was hands down every single thing I didn't know I need in a book. It's like peaky blinders with vampires and arthurian legends and just the best book I've read this year. Could not put it down, will be forcing all my friends to read it.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF'ed at 20% of the way through.

I really need to stop trying to read books by this author. I think their writing style just isn't my thing. Confusing worldbuilding, bare-bones characters, and somehow even the vampires were made dull. Definitely not for me.

This book has a very cool vibe to it. Tea and vampires? How unique! I didn't like it as much as We Hunt the Flame, but this cover drew me in. Didn't connect with the characters as much, but I enjoyed their roles in the heist plot.

A Tempest of Tea is incredible. This book is about vampires, heists, found family, betrayals, survival, and colonialism. It has tea houses and criminal gangs and cats. How could I not fall in love? With memorable characters, addictive writing, and powerful themes, A Tempest of Tea is an absolute gem. I can't wait to see where the next book goes! Please read this if you support women's wrongs and love well written, intelligent, and morally grey women.

A highly anticipated book that was as good as I'd hoped, with some extra twists! Definitely worth the anticipation. Eagerly awaiting the sequel.

I absolutely loved this - it reminded me why I love Six of Crows... the found family, unlikely crew, and twists and turns had me turning pages as fast as I could.

I'm very excited to see where Hafsah takes this series go forward and can't wait to put this final copy on my shelves.

Thank you for the early copy.

I consider Hafsah Faizal to be one of the greatest YA authors of this generation. “We Hunt the Flame” was a sensational debut and remains one of my favorite book series of all time. It's why I jumped to read her latest once ARCs of “A Tempest of Tea” became available. And I adored every last bit of it.

I am forever a fan of Faizal’s inimitably gorgeous writing. Her talent alone here makes what she writes addictive and easy to lose yourself in. I would go as far as to say I don’t think there is another YA author out there that comes close to the breathtaking mastery on display in Faizal’s unbelievably tangible descriptions and gut-punchingly good dialogue. Her writing is what makes “A Tempest of Tea” such a treat to read. Each line feels like you’re unveiling a once-in-a-lifetime portrait; one that transforms before your very eyes into a portal to another world.

The world-building here is as impossibly good as it was in this series predecessor, but while the latter was spun around a storyline that was intricate but accessible, with romance and nuanced character relationships that had you following along breathlessly, this series starts off lacking much of that magic. Don’t get me wrong: the big heist at the heart of this is fun, and feels reminiscent of Leigh Bardugo’s finest work. But the undisclosed motivations of some pivotal characters, judgement calls from MCs that don't line up with the characters themselves and the rapidfire pace of the story here left me reeling, somewhat confused and a little discontent.

It's also worth noting that so many new characters are introduced throughout the text it’s harder to connect to the handful that quickly become integral to the story. I’m all for unanswered questions and lingering mysteries, but that’s where the web of intrigue being spun in “A Tempest of Tea” nearly gets tripped up by itself. Still, a redeeming element is Faizal’s focus on the harmful lasting toll of colonization; a timely, important narrative that is powerfully delivered here, and something we don’t see nearly enough in YA.

With multiple POVs throughout the text, the characters in "A Tempest of Tea" are as well-developed as the widely beloved ones from Faizal’s first duology. Arthie, a fascinating, deeply troubled and somewhat morally grey protagonist, leads the fray. Jin, her adopted-of-a-sort brother, has his own dimensions that make his POV also interesting, although not as dynamic as Arthie’s chapters. We also see the world from the perspective of naïve, sheltered Flick.

Needless to say, “A Tempest of Tea” is unquestionably good. Faizal’s latest is both bold and beautifully done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for the ARC. All opinions my own.

I've been eagerly awaiting this book for a long time, and while it didn't fully live up to my expectations, this was still a really fun read. The worldbuilding was fascinating and really strong, and I liked the combo of things that seemed like they could have been too much but ended up being the perfect blend. The characters were also interesting, though a bit shallow and I hope we get a better look into motivations and thoughts in the next one. The plot itself is fun, everyone loves a good heist novel, but can suffer if readers find themselves comparing it to Six of Crows. It had its ups and downs, but i'm looking forward to how things progress in the next book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, but it did have a few ups and downs for me, mostly because I found myself comparing it to Six of Crows. But although there are some similarities (and anyone who loves a found family, heist adventure should definitely check this book out), I found myself making the comparisons less often as I got further into the book. This book definitely branches out and becomes its own story.

I really enjoyed the characters but would have liked to get even more in depth with them; although we see a lot of their thoughts/emotions under the surface, I want just a little more (maybe we'll get that in the second book). There's just enough of some potential romances. A bit of betrayal. And some reveals I was not expecting but found really intriguing. And it was a quick read for me because it moved at a pretty fast pace.

Highly recommend

Loved this one! I've been waiting for the next book from this author for quite some time and can't wait to get my finished copy in the mail when it comes out.

King Arthur. Vampires. Peaky Blinders.

This description alone warrants five stars. I’ve never read a book by Hafsah Faizal so I was pleasantly surprised by the writing. This book has a great collection of characters but I loved Arthie the most. She’s such an intriguing character especially with her background. This book covers so many important topics and the author navigates it so well. Also can we talk about the world building? I felt so immersed in the world.

"Why save the world when you can have tea?"

I'm here for a good heist novel!
Throw in some vampires, imperialism, and tea and there is something for everyone.

Lots of twists. This was a fun one with complex worldbuilding. Already looking forward to the next one!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for an early copy for review.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) and NetGalley for an eARC of A Tempest of Tea!

It’s 5:30 AM and I just finished @hafsahfaizal ‘s newest work of art, A Tempest of Tea. It’s hard not to fall in love with the characters Hafsah Faizal creates. If you know the me, then you the Sands of Arawiya duology is my absolute favorite. And if you loved it too, then you’re going to absolutely ADORE A Tempest of Tea. Absolutely incredible, if I could rate a million stars I would.

-> Multi POV
-> A HEIST
-> King Arthur Parallels
-> VAMPIRES

3.75 ☆

I'd been eagerly anticipating the release of A Tempest of Tea for months. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped, it is still an exciting beginning to a new duology. The novel explores powerful themes such as colonialism that go beyond what you would typically expect in a young adult book. Hafsah Faizal's take on vampires was unique and refreshing compared to the typical young adult vampire books. While the characters in this book may not be on the same level as the ones in We Hunt the Flame, they still have intriguing backstories that drew me in. I particularly enjoyed Arthie and Jin's sibling bond and their humorous moments. Although the book focuses on the found family trope, it didn't grab my attention as much as I expected it to, which was surprising because found family is one of my favorite tropes. There was nothing inherently wrong with their friendship, but I couldn't become as obsessed with them as I was with the characters in We Hunt the Flame.

A Tempest of Tea is perfect for people who …
- Loved Six of Crows
- Are ready for vampires to make a comeback
- Drink tea on a regular
- Want to wander old streets in the UK
- Don’t mind a few twists and turns
- Listen to The Japanese House