I am so obsessed with this. The tone is different from #WeHuntTheFlame, but I still really enjoyed it. I also think the perspectives are very well balanced and I am super excited for the sequel. I highly recommend ATAT and I can't wait to discuss it with more people!!

This book was a page turner. I found the characters to be immensely likeable and relatable. The interesting look at colonialism and the addition of tie into King Arthur and Excalibur brought the book to the next level. Arthie is a well-rounded character who has overcome the odds to find a family and create a life for herself. It seems like this will have a sequel and it is definitely one I would want to read.

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

How many tea puns can there be in one review, I wonder.

A Tempest of Tea has a lot going for it. A unique world, with intriguing main characters, and twists and turns that make for a wild ride. Even though the romance is subpar, and some of the reveals came a tad too late in the story, overall this is a fun and gritty novel.

Characters:

There's quite a large cast of main characters, but one stood out. Our three POVs alternate between Arthie, Jin, and Flick. Arthie is easily the most intriguing out of the bunch. After her island was brutally colonized, Arthie can think of no better revenge than to succeed in a country that ruined her life. She's gritty, ruthless, and determined in the best of ways. She takes care of her own and doesn't hesitate to destroy her enemies. Completely unapologetic in her anger towards colonialism and how it has ruined her life and so many others, Arthie has such a strong voice that it overshadows the other characters.

Jin is Arthie's brother in all but blood. He combats racism and discrimination with his unending charm and wit. The relationship between Jin and Arthie is so strong, in the platonic sense. Their bond is unbreakable, and seeing them outwit and outrun their enemies together was fantastic. Some of his chapters focused too much on his crush, but otherwise, his POV is enjoyable.

Flick's POV felt unnecessary in this book. She's incredibly naive in certain aspects, and her constant blushing and nervousness are hard to read about. She isn't the worst POV, and towards the end, her voice and confidence finally gained some strength, but by then I was content to skin her chapters and only pick up the necessary information.

Plot:

Heists, undead vampires, and posh tearooms that double as blood providers. The plot had a great deal of potential. It follows a heist, but my lord it is so slow in the beginning. There's a lot of prepping and conversations about what is going down, but the action segment was disproportionally short in comparison. It is disappointing that so much time was spent talking about what was going to happen, but then the heist was anticlimactic. Maybe this is on me since I was expecting something very detail-oriented and riveting, but some of the plans Arthie's crew brewed didn't make much sense. There is a lot of luck and coincidence needed for everything to go relatively smoothly.

The plot's saving grace is the world-building. Think Victorian England, but with fantasy. The rich, poor, humans, and vampires all layer into a complex world I am dying to visit. Our characters move between all different social groups and areas, so there's constantly new information and places being visited. The political/government structure is just touched on, but by the end, it's clear why much isn't revealed. I'm already looking forward to the second book, so hopefully, there are more details on that side of things.

Romance:

Way too much time in the book is dedicated to the romance, so let's keep it short and sweet here. I didn't like it. Arthie is described as emotionally unavailable. For the most part, she is. Yet, she ends up in the middle of a weird love triangle. She spends way too much time ruminating on her feelings for these two boys that I as a reader didn't get to know. It's not the worst love triangle in YA, but it is unbelievably silly for it to be there. Considering this is a duology, it would have made sense for Arthie's character if the romance was more of a slow burn.

The other romance is only slightly better. At the very least, it makes sense for the two characters to fall in love. Again, it just took up too much page space. For what's supposed to be a high-stakes book, the sheer amount of tension, flirting, and almost kisses is ridiculous.

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This book hovered at three stars for me, but the ending took me by surprise. The lackluster heist faded from my mind at the incredible and reveals and twists towards the very end. I was frantically turning the pages at 2 AM desperate to know what happened next. I don't know how I'm supposed to wait a whole year for the next one. Maybe I'll take a lesson from Arthie and turn to blackmail...

If you're a fan of Hafsah Faizal already, you'll like this one. While I didn't enjoy her debut, some of my issues with it were improved on in A Tempest of Tea. If you're willing to sit tight for a fantastic finale, and meander through some cheesy romance, give this one a go.

The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Exceptional. Unputdownable.

Vampires, heists, speakeasies- what more could you ask for?

This book is bound to lure you in but prepared for surprises and secrets along the way. And a whole lot of banter 😍

A Tempest of Tea is a wonderful installment set in the same world as Hafsah Faizal’s We Hunt the Flame duology, shedding light on what the rest of the world is doing while Arawiya is recovering from its age of magical separation. This title is a grand high stakes adventure story about a ragtag band of misfits trying to save their home and livelihood by executing the most daring heist ever to have been attempted. Steeped with intrigue and shrouded in mystery, with vampires and magic, and charming characters.

A Tempest of Tea ended up being so much more than I expected. It is about Arthie, a nineteen year old who runs her own teahouse with her adoptive brother Jin and a motley crew of friends/family/fellow outcasts. It is an open secret that the teahouse turns into a bloodhouse for the local vampire underworld at night, but they make such good tea that most people don't care. Most people except the emperor, who has a major problem with vampires, and more especially with immigrants like Arthie who rise above what the emperor thinks they should.

There is so much topical, hard hitting stuff in this book, about colonialism, racism, classism, the list goes on. It handles the heavy topics well, Arthie is angry, so so angry, but she is using her justifiable rage as fuel to succeed in a world against her. The writing is lush and the pace is fast, and the setup to the ultimate climax is well done, there are things that happen which I did not see coming but looking back, I can see how they were hinted at and built up throughout. The book ends on a cliffhanger which I always find frustrating, but there is enough resolution that it didn't take away from my enjoyment. It's going to be hard to wait for the sequel though!

Hafsah Faizal's A Tempest of Tea is a thrilling heist packed with romance, revenge, and the beautiful and thoughtful prose that she is known for.

Arthie Casimir is the criminal mastermind who owns and runs Spindrift - a tea house by day, and a bloodhouse serving the city's vampires by night. Think of her as a feisty, anti-colonialist Kaz Brekker. She is an agent of chaos hellbent on revenge, and she enacts that revenge by maintaining careful control over the business that she's built collecting secrets from the city's most powerful. Her establishment thrives despite opposition from the Ram - the city's mysterious and corrupt leader - and his Horned Guard.

When Spindrift is threatened in a way that Arthie can't maneuver her way out of, she is faced with a choice: steal a document containing damning evidence of the Ram's corruption from the Athereum - a highly secretive and heavily guarded vampire society - or lose the safehaven she's built for herself and the city's outcasts.

Together with her charming adopted brother Jin and a ragtag, highly skilled crew, she plans a heist worthy of the history books and ends up in more trouble than she bargained for.

A Tempest of Tea is delight to read. It overflows with the vivid imagery and beautiful prose that you expect from Hafsah, and she's crafted a diverse cast of characters whose competing priorities create meaningful conflict. With each chapter the crew's secrets unravel, drawing you into their inner world in a way that makes the twists and betrayals feel especially heartbreaking.

The book has a medium pace, steady mystery beats, and some really delicious romantic tension, which makes it a strong fit for ADHD readers.

If you love heists, found families, and surprising plot twists, you're going to love A Tempest for Tea!

Thank you to Macmillain Children publishers and Net Galley for providing a digital ARC copy for review! I've added to Goodreads and The Storygraph and will post additional content on my Instagram profile.

Hafsah Faizal has done it again! This new duology has the same wonderful world building and likable character that made me love her last series.

Arthie, a tea shop owner that doubles as a blood den at night for vampires is dragged into a heist in order to save her tea shop.

What I found to be this books strong suit was it's examination of colonization. Faizal brings that perspective and does a great job of talking about it.

She created likable character that you want to root for. Arthie is a strong leader. The other characters complemented each other and some brought levity.

A weak point I'd say was the pacing of the romance. There was very little development for them to be declaring such feelings for each other, but maybe that's just a me thing. I enjoy slow burn and lots of development before any romance.

Definitely recommend to anyone who loves heist books or found family!

Thanks netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book sounds so good and on paper it’s a book I should have loved. Found family, heists and cats! It breaks my heart that I didn’t. I kind of think I just don’t vibe with this authors writing style. I DNFd We Hunt the Flame when it came out.

However, I do feel like this will be a widely loved book. It just wasn’t for me.

This is the kind of book you find yourself reading with a mix of trepidation, elation, and utter awe because you never know what the characters might do next. Simply can’t wait enough for the next book already!

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been waiting for this book forever. I feel like it's been on Goodreads with expected dates that keep getting pushed back and we finally have an actual release date.

I LOVED A Tempest of Tea. Arthie is a morally gray character who is doing what she can to survive in a world that aims to tear her down. She is an orphan who saved Jin after his parents died in a house fire. She runs a teahouse that transforms to into a vampire bloodletting room at night. The Ram and the authorities have done random raids in hopes of catching Arthie's elicit dealings, but they have never been able to prove that it is anything over than a teahouse. When Arthie's teahouse is threatened by The Ram and is about to be shut down, Arthie is forced to join up with Laith, a member of the Horned Guard looking to get retribution for his sister's death, to find a ledger that they can use as leverage. Arthie and Laith have different goals in pursuing the ledger, and others have different plans as well. Therefore, the "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" is prevalent throughout the story. Betrayal is inevitable as they seek to both accomplish their goals.

A plan is formed with Arthie and her right hand, Jin, as well as a forger, member of the Horned Guard, and a vampire to infiltrate the most prestigious vampire convention in order to find the ledger. And the cliff hanger at the end. I have some speculations, but it leaves you guessing about who the Wolf of White Roaring is. I can't believe I have to wait so long for the next book!

I love a good heist books with well developed characters and sub plots.

I'm a huge fan, again, of Hafsah Faizal and her storytelling. I highly recommend this one and am anxiously awaiting the next one!

I wish I could re read this right now like it was the first time because Hafsah Faizal HAS DONE IT AGAIN. I'm officially OBSESSED like I cannot believe what I just went through in the span of 350 pages what A RIDE! Genuinely I loved that this had such dark sinister historical fantasy vibes and really brought in the colonialism aspect of it! And the CHARACTERS oh my gosh I love them all (except [redacted] I actually hated [redacted] the entire time). Of course, Arthie was so much fun to read about especially as the plot thickened my jaw was oN THE FLOOR as the book was beginning to come to a close!

AND JIN MY LOVE OH MY GOSH I LOVE HIM. LIKE I LOVE ALTAIR BUT JIN IS RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP AND MAY BE PUSHING ALTAIR OUT OF THE WAY WHICH IS REALLY JUST WILD TO ME! I can't even discuss how cool this book was in terms of setting and just how *chef's kiss* the historical tidbits were! I loved the heist a lot but I lvoed the political discussion even more!

Really can't wait to have every copy of this book in my hands!

With a strong start and a strong end, A Tempest of Tea is a promising start to the series. I enjoyed most of the characters and while I think the middle of the book is bogged down by some plot twists that weren’t set up as well as they could’ve been, I had a fun time with the book and liked the world that Hafsah Faizal introduced to us.

Set in a universe where vampires exist and are known to the general public, A Tempest of Tea follows a group of ragtag characters who have to pull off a heist and insert themselves into the center of vampire aristocracy. Headed by Arthie, a young woman who was forced to come to the country after her parents were killed by colonizers, the group finds themselves in over their head as a new conspiracy comes to light.

Arthie was my favorite and I’m glad that we got so many chapters from her perspective because she’s such a compelling voice. I love her ruthlessness and her charisma, and I found her relationship with Jin very sweet and my favorite in the book. The ways in which these two are basically siblings and how they grew up and survived together was done well and I felt truly invested in them.

In contrast to these two, the other members of the gang are much weaker. There’s Flick, a forger whose issues with her mother ultimately felt too neatly packaged and shallow, and Laith and Matteo, a guard and vampire respectively that act as love interests for Arthie. I did enjoy Laith’s relationship with Arthie and how it develops throughout the book, but I really hope Matteo gets more character development and moments to shine in the sequel since he was just here in this book to be sexy.

As the heist actually goes down, I felt pretty underwhelmed. While the steps of it make sense, it’s just not very interesting. There’s also a twist at the end of it that made me go, “Really?” because it wasn’t properly set up and I had to read a monologue from a new and random character to get the info. This twist is offset by a couple of great twists near the end and I can see people reading the next book just to see what happens–I definitely will.

One final thing I’d like to praise the book for is its clear denunciation of colonization. Through Arthie in particular, you see a child whose life was shaped by the trauma of colonization and also see the self-made woman she became. There’s defiance in the ways she opposes the empire and allies herself with marginalized people of all kinds.

Overall, I enjoyed A Tempest of Tea and am interested in picking up the sequel. I’d love to know where Faizal is going next with what she’s set up in this book and what happens with Arthie and Jin in particular. While some of the characters resonated with me more than the others and the heist itself is a bit dull, I’m intrigued and invested enough to step back into this world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This review will be posted on my blog (clearsummers.wordpress.com), Goodreads, and Amazon on February 6, 2024.

"A Tempest of Tea" by Hafsah Faizal is a thrilling and captivating fantasy novel that transports readers to the enchanting yet perilous world of White Roaring. Arthie Casimir, a street-smart and resourceful orphan, leads an intriguing double life. By day, she runs a prestigious tearoom, but by night, her establishment transforms into an illicit bloodhouse catering to vampires who are shunned by society.

The story kicks into high gear when Arthie's teahouse faces a dire threat, forcing her into an uneasy alliance with an alluring adversary. She quickly realizes that to save her beloved establishment, she needs help from a diverse group of talented outcasts who come together to infiltrate the enigmatic vampire society known as the Athereum.

Hafsah Faizal crafts a vivid and immersive world filled with intricate characters, political intrigue, and simmering tension. The city of White Roaring comes to life with its complex societal structures, where vampires are both feared and alluring. Arthie's character is particularly compelling, as she is a charismatic and determined protagonist willing to do whatever it takes to protect her self-made kingdom.

The novel is a rollercoaster of action, suspense, and hidden agendas. As Arthie and her eclectic crew delve deeper into the mysteries of the Athereum, they uncover a conspiracy that has the potential to upend their world. Faizal masterfully weaves together elements of romance, revenge, and adventure, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The author's writing is lush and evocative, painting a vivid picture of this fantastical realm. The storytelling is engaging, and the pacing is brisk, ensuring that readers remain engrossed in the narrative. The diverse cast of characters adds depth and richness to the story, each with their own secrets, motivations, and backgrounds.

"A Tempest of Tea" is a remarkable beginning to a fantasy duology that promises much excitement and intrigue in the books to come. Hafsah Faizal delivers a narrative that is both dark and action-packed, with a touch of romance that will surely appeal to fans of the genre. This book showcases Faizal's growth as a writer, and it's clear that she's at the top of her game. If you're looking for an enthralling and multifaceted fantasy adventure, this book is a must-read.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book. I remember enjoying We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah but struggling to deeply connect with the characters. I decided to give THIS book a try because I understand that as writers our craft develops over time. I could definitely tell that she's grown a lot in her writing and I LOVED the vampires (when do I not?). But unfortunately I couldn't connect to the characters. I'm not exactly sure why that is but I am hoping to come back to this in the future because I could just be in the wrong mood for this book.

Thank you SO much to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for my e-ARC

3.5/5 stars
Not sure if it's my mood reading or the story in particular but this one took me a while to get through. We Hunt the Flame is one of my favorite duologies ever so it really bums me out that I didn't vibe with this one as much. The writing is beautiful and lyrical (my favorite style of writing) but it was missing **something** I can't quite put my finger on.
However, if you love vampires with a whole lot of mystery in a setting that gives all the Six of Crows feels this is definitely the book you should read! I might give it another go after the book is out to see if my feelings about it change any.

I think this is a great book for the right person, and that person was simply not me. I'm not an enjoyer of fantasy set in modern times, so I was immediately turned off by the specific way modernity manifested in this book. That being said, Hafsah Faizal is a wonder and an incredibly talented writer, and I'm going to be excited to stock this.

Kind of debating rating this, but I feel like I got far enough in the book to earn it. This will be my last attempt with Hafsah Faizal. I know she’s weirdly divisive as an author- we hunt the flame is either a ride or die series for some or a massive disappointment. If you did not like that book, don’t try with this one.

Faizal has amazing ideas for stories, but her prose absolutely kills it for me. It’s very purple and slow. I’m tolerant of slow books, but something about her writing feels like work that doesn’t have a strong enough payoff to be worth it. I was hoping that as a seasoned author we would see a slight adjustment in style but I think we are simply not good for each other and this is just how she writes.

A side note on this, I do feel like she meets the criteria of “author who basically writes adult books but ages the characters down” and she would probably see a lot of success in adult spaces. For all my issues actually reading this book, it’s a mature and surprisingly dense read for a YA romp.

For those who adored we hunt the flame who also love fantasy heist books, I think this is going to be a favorite.

I may pick this up again in audiobook format later to see if listening will help me “get it” more.
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This was an EXPLOSIVE, action-packed new series from Hafsah Faizal! The Sands of Arawiya series is one of my favorite YA fantasy series of all time, and I knew that I would devour whatever other book Hafsah Faizal would write next. A Tempest of Tea is set in the same universe as Arawiya, just in a different city, and it was so cool to see this world expanded. The cast of characters we follow in this book--Arthie, Jin, Flick, Matteo, and Laith--were so much fun and I loved seeing their dynamic and banter. The subtle hints and not-so-subtle hints of romance dropped between some of the characters also had me kicking my feet. There were so many incredible plot twists and revelations dropped throughout this story as well, and I think any fan of Hafsah Faizal's previous books will love discovering them.

This book is a must read for fans of Hafsah Faizal and I can't wait to see where book 2 takes us, especially after that huge cliffhanger at the end! I'd rate this 4.25 stars rounded up.

SIX OF CROWS MEETS HOT VAMPIRES

As per usual for Hafsah's books, I simply loved this one. The writing was poetic, lyrical, and each chapter left me wanting more. This book had tension, suspense, and a plot twist I was not expecting. Pick up this book if you want a good read!