If you love morally gray characters, this is your book. Arthie and Jin are best friends and business partners in a tea house by day, blood house by night business. But their kingdom is ruled by a ruthless despot named the Ram and the Ram does not like the vampires living in their city, and really doesn't like Arthie. When their business is threatened, Arthie and Jin need to pull off an almost impossible heist. Fun and adventurous.

This book did take me a bit to get started on it. But once I hit about 30%, I was addicted to it and could hardly put it down.

Arthie runs a tearoom that turns into a bloodhouse as the sun sets, getting in good with the vampires while also dealing in secrets of the upper crust. Her business is threatened and, while she is trying to figure out how to wiggle out of this predicament, a chance to steal some of the biggest secrets of the city comes through her door. She gathers a crew with a vast skill set, but will she be betrayed before they can pull off the heist?

I enjoyed seeing Faizal expand the world that she started with [book:We Hunt the Flame|36492488]. It's not necessary to read that duology before this one, but it was fun knowing the few nods to the characters in this book.

There were a few characters that had more "screentime" with their POV and their insights, which I was fine with because some books really overdo it with a group and putting in everyone's POV. I will definitely pick up the sequel and whatever else Faizal writes because she's really honing her craft with each book that gets published.

I was sold on the description but lost with the execution. I did enjoy a few of the characters (vampires are always a plus) and historical setting, but overall, the book didn't resonate with me. I am sure many YA fans will enjoy it, though.

This book was super cool. It balanced an exciting YA story with a totally unique premise and legitimate and well-thought-out historical and social commentary; not an easy feat. Overall, Faizal proves to be an exciting name in YA fiction right now, and this book only cements a well earned reputation.

This was a great book! We really enjoyed reading it and will be recommending it to our students to read. It was a very unique story and the author's writing style is very enjoyable.

This book is perfect for fans who enjoy historical fiction and heist vibes. The book takes place in a fantasy world that feels like the past - with speakeasies and proper societal rules about wearing dresses and needing chaperones. I couldn’t pinpoint what time period it was, but based on the fashion as well as lack of modern technology it felt more like the past. There was also some magic in this book but not a ton - I would not recommend this to those looking a magic heavy world.

The book follows a colorful cast of characters as they pull off a heist to save this tea house from the masked king. Each character is entertaining to read as they are a bit full of themselves in their own way, has their own motivations for joining the heist and it’s interesting to see how everything comes together. It is perfect for readers who love morally grey characters and villains.

I would say the book is a slow build for the plot and very focused on characters for the majority of the book. However the mysterious plot really grew on me and were great twists and turns that kept me interested.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and it reminded me a lot of Six of Crows in writing style, characters and plot. There are light themes of around colonialism, social inequality, as well as trauma. It was not a page turner for me but I was entertained and would recommend it to people who enjoy arrogant/morally grey characters with dark pasts and found family heist books.

I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book, all opinions are my own.

THIS BOOOOOK!! It was slow going but once we got into it (about 50% in) I COULD NOT STOP!! Arthie is so badass and I love that her plans have FLAWS. She isn’t some flawless amazing character but a real young woman pushed into circumstances and forced to adapt. AND JIN AND FLICK!!! Love those two so much. Lastly, let’s take a moment to talk about Arthie’s love story. I understand the criticisms that it feels like the last bit is rushed, but I can also see the other side - she was ALWAYS attracted to him, but never did anything about it. She also still hasn’t done anything. He’s saving her life, and she owes him!

and anyone who’s read this… is THE WOLF MATTEO??? PLEASE SOMEONE??

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I enjoyed A Tempest of Tea. I loved the world building. I felt like I was right there with Arthie and her crew. I loved getting to know all the characters and the found family. This was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to see what happened. I love found family, heists, and spunky, resilient characters. I highly recommend this book and will be purchasing it for our high school library.

I was quite looking forward to this book based on the premise but I was disappointed overall. I found the premise intriguing--I enjoy ensemble casts, multiple POVs and the idea of a heist. Add vampires and I am all in. This book had all those elements but it didn't all gel together for me. I liked the varied characters as individuals to an extent, (although I felt they could be more developed) and at the interactions between some of them (Jin and Archie in particular) worked well. I liked the alternating POVs as well. But the other members of the heist team didn't feel as well delineated and their interest and stakes in the plan seemed less clear.

It started slow and picked up momentum but I also found myself being confused during some of the fight scenes and most of the escapes and escapades in the city. I had to reread the passages to make sure I knew who was where and how they were getting out of the building/down the street/climbing down from the rooftops. That proved a distraction from the narrative. It did feel a bit thin plot wise. It would be some character exposition, then intense action, then some more exposition, and some confusing action again.

I felt Jin was the most compelling and strong character. I wanted to like Archie as much as I like Jin but there was a distance to her that kept me from being invested enough in her. Perhaps that is due to the twist that comes near the end and she is keeping herself distant perhaps. I also had a hard time believing a teenage girl was so well known and feared in a city this size.

The world building is intriguing but incomplete. The aspects of colonialism are met head on. The element of found family exists but it didn't feel like it gelled much other than for Jin and Arthie. Some of the descriptions were lovely.

Overall it was an interesting read but not one that necessarily wowed me. Perhaps I'll get more out of the sequel?

I did not find either of the implied love interests that compelling. There did not seem to be chemistry at all. Even for Jin and his situation I would have liked more development of that.

I think it's a good read, not a great one. I"ll be curious to see how book 2 shapes up.

A 3.5 overall.

An exciting new novel from Hafsah Faizal! I love this world she's created (so different from her last series but just as vivid) and I adore these characters. I can't wait for book 2.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. Just couldn’t connect with characters and stopped reading at 53% point. Thank you so much for opportunity to read it!

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Macmillan publishers for approving this arc for me to read, in return for an honest review.

The premise, the characters, and storyline really intrigued me and pulled me to read this book, as well as my familiarity with the author's previous duology. At first the book took a while for me to get heavily into, as much as I loved the idea of the story, it took me awhile to finally start enjoying the story. All the characters, setting, conflict with each character was stellar, it just took awhile for the action in my opinion to start up, and so I often put the book down to read again. I quite enjoyed the story, and I am really glad I finished the book, as enjoyed the rest and overall the whole book.

'A Tempest of Tea' by Hafsah Faizal is a literary masterpiece that takes readers on a breathtaking journey through vibrant worlds filled with intrigue, romance, and the allure of tea.

The characters are exquisitely crafted, each with their own depth and complexity, making them feel like old friends by the end. The intertwining of culture, tradition, and magic is expertly woven into the narrative, adding layers of depth and authenticity. From the first sip to the last, 'A Tempest of Tea' captivates with its spellbinding storytelling and leaves you craving for more. A must-read for any lover of fantasy and adventure!"

What a let down. The premise for this book sounded so promising that this quickly became one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2024, but it just didn't work for me on so many levels.

Here's why:
-The plot moves slowly, but the character work isn't strong enough to carry the story in the meantime. All the comps for this book focus on the crew dynamic and gives everyone time to breathe and become a fully fleshed out character, but I only felt like we really got that with a couple characters here. Not every member of the crew was given the page time or the space to really matter much at all?

-The heist was incredibly anticlimactic and didn't seem as important to the overarching plot as we were originally led to believe??

-There are two romance subplots - one of them feels forced and cringe and the other is unbelievably flat and lacks any chemistry whatsoever.

-For a vampire book, I just wanted more vampires. It feels weird to pitch this as a story centered around vampires and then just have them casually existing in the world and their vampirism not being a key factor? I will say that this aspect picks up closer to the end of the book and I found that section more enjoyable, but it took a really long time to get there and at that point I had already checked out of really caring about anything.

-I hate to say this, but it did feel like this was trying too hard to be like other similar books. There were very specific nods to various mannerisms or identifying characteristics that felt a bit too exact to be coincidence. And while a nod to other inspirations or source material can be a cool thing, it ends up being disappointing when it's one of the sole defining things about that character.

I expected a lot more and I'm so bummed after how much hype this book received. Still very grateful to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Hafsah’s writing is so savory and magical. I was enthralled from the very first page
Her ability to write complex yet endearing characters is one of my favorite things about her! Another masterpiece that slowly creeps in on you and makes a home in your heart

Overall really enjoyed this book. This is my first read by the author and I’m intrigued to read the next one. A Tempest of Tea is set in White Roaring, seems like a version of London, and the two main characters Jin and Arthie run a tea shop. Well, it’s a tea shop/parlor during the day, but at night it’s a safe place for vampires to come socialize. We have multiple POVs because a third, Flick, is added. I just have to say I hate that nickname. But of course imperial colonizing governments love control and in this world, they don’t like what Jin and Arthie are doing/the business and clients they’re serving. This is a heist story because their business is threatened and they need to steal an important document. But it turns into more than that. We do see them prep for the heist and the heist itself but there are many revelations that come about. Can they trust the people involved in the heist? Can Jin and Arthie trust each other? There were come good reveals and twists and overall, I liked the pacing. I don’t feel super connected to any character—Altho I do like Jin a lot. There is the found family element but it wasn’t fleshed out enough? Still a good read, will read the next one

The book started a little slow for me. I forced myself to power through to at least the halfway point and I'm glad I did. The story is light on plot and mostly character driven, so it's good that Faizal is able to create such compelling characters, the strongest of which is definitely Jin. You learn about his past and his trauma and how he's rebuilt himself. He is fully fleshed out, giving him the best romance in the book too. Arthie falls a little flat. She is supposed to be feared and respected as this mastermind, but we don't really get to see that. I'm hoping with her secrets revealed by the end of the book, she'll open up more, but from what I saw from her was very compelling and left me wanting more. I cannot wait for the sequel!

I've been excited to read A Tempest of Tea, and it did NOT disappoint! In retrospect, I should have seen the twist coming- but isn't that the definition of a good twist?

Spindrift became one of my favourite fictional locations. The crew is awesome, and funny, and this book does found family right 💜

But at its core, A Tempest of Tea is a story about the evils of colonialism, and it does an amazing job of letting it drive the story. I can't wait for the sequel!

I really wanted to love this book but it's. so. HARD.

the writing felt really fancy, just like the Sands of Arawiya series but without the Arabic terms. But i think i'm too stupid to understand every word & every sentence... even the heist-in-action confused me, like I don't know what to imagine here excuse meee?

on the other note, the main casts were interesting, each have distinct personality. especially Jin with his easy charm (Flick... I understand you). Arthie felt like Kaz Brekker in different font. no actually tho whole book reminded me of Six of Crows, which was cool.

I was about to give this 3 stars but thanks to the miltiple twists at the end, it got additional 0.5 star. woohoo. but definitely going to read the sequel when it comes out!

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3