I love the 1900 Esc feel and add my favorite beverage (Tea) and vampires into the mix and I'm set. Although slow at times and widely character-driven the heist was written well enough to keep me entertained. The world-building wasn't as fleshed out as I would have hoped but overall a good listen. I enjoyed the narrator as well! That cliff hanger hurts....I hope she survives can't wait to read the second book when it comes out.

An incredibly wonderful and unique story with characters you will absolutely love!

As a big fan of Peaky Blinders and vampire stories in general this one has been high HIGH on my anticipated 2024 drops. The audiobook is fantastically narrated and keeps the listener perfectly engaged in the story. The plot and characters are so wonderful I found myself loving each individual for their own special reasons. With so many layers this book is perfect to split open and get lost in!

Arthie Casimir caters to the local vampire community through a secret blood-house that fronts as a popular tea room. When the business is threatened, Arthie reluctantly makes a deal with a member of high society to save herself and the people counting on her.

The hype surrounding this book is well deserved. Filled with vivid imager, beautiful language, and the perfect amount of crime, fans of Six of Crows will love this book.

I loved how this book blends fantasy with mystery, while featuring a teenage (I don’t know if they ever said her actual age?) crime boss! I think my favorite part of this book was watching Arthie stand and make orders for her crew to follow. She’s one of the most fun fantasy main characters that I’ve read about, especially as her story kept unfolding.
I also loved many of the other characters. Jin was honestly pretty sweet to watch, especially as he proved himself to be both very suave and adorably awkward in a very relatable way! I also instantly liked Mateo and I’m really curious about where his story is heading!
I enjoyed this audiobook! The narrator did a great job with the wide-range of characters and all of their POVs. I also just really liked her voice, with her having a very smooth and understandable British accent when some British accents simply don’t work for my very American ears.
I’m really excited for the sequel next year!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review! This book was a joyride from start to finish. Hafsah Faizal's wit was delectable and shined through these pages. I had an amazing time reading this heist with endearing characters AND BETRAYALS GALORE. Cannot wait for the next book!

Hafsah Faisal, now and forever. Phenomenal worldbuilding (and ragtag team building) filled with round, winning, complex characters that are a sheer joy to root for. Great narration. Just a true pleasure of a book.

I knew it in my bones this was going to be good.

I loved this so much. The characters were loveable, and you just want good things for them. The world building built on itself throughout the book, and it was just masterfully done. I don't think I'll ever really be ok after that ending, but that does mean I am going to be impatiently waiting for the next book. Thank you for the heartbreak Hasfah.

I was lucky enough to recieve and audio copy from Macmillan, and it was the perfect way to experience the book. The narrator was lovely and perfect for this selection.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio copy!

A Tempest of Tea was an interesting book, and I think it will appeal to a lot of people. For me, I did mostly enjoy it, but it was not one that I was fully invested in. I have never read Six of Crows, and I have seen a lot relating this book to the same feel as that. I did try to read Roshani Chokshi's The Guilded Wolves, which was also compared to Six of Crows, and I had about the same reaction as I did to this book. It wasn't bad, but I never felt pulled into it.

I think the characters in this book were interesting. Their stories and backgrounds were engaging, but a lot of their interactions felt a little superficial to me. Even the relationships that were supposed to be close and solid were just kind of meh to me. I also didn't really feel invested in the romance.

The heist aspects were fun as well, but I felt like the pacing was a little awkward. I felt like a lot of the time I was just waiting for more to happen. It did pick up a bit at the end, and I think the conclusion of this story in the next book will be interesting, but this book just felt like a slow introduction for the most part to me.

I have a feeling I might be in the minority for this, as the writing is generally wonderful and the plot is something I think a lot of people will enjoy. I think for some reason, books like this with a large cast and heist plotlines are just not for me in book form. They tend to feel a little jumpy and confusing to me, and I always seem to feel like something is missing with the character interactions.

All of that said, I did thing the narrator for the audio version of this was wonderful. They did a great job helping to create the world and sounded perfect for the part.

Spin drift is Arthie's and Jin's safe haven. Deeply bonded siblings - through not by blood - the two of them have spent their entire lives fighting to make Spindrift a place where orphans can make a home and vampires can acquire blood without the need for violence. All this is threatened when the new monarch, known only by the codename"the Ram" - begins to see Spindrift, its mission, and its owners as a threat to their power. Desperate for salvation, Arthie and Jin enlist a friend, an enemy, and a frenemy in a dangerous heist in order to protect their home and change the political landscape of their country forever.

This book includes:
- a found family story in the truest sense of the word
- high stakes heist
- vampires both benevolent and ambivalent
- the long term impacts of imperialism under a violent regime
- not being able to trust someone despite deeply understanding and relating to them
- a moody "peaky blinders" type atmosphere
- multiple POV ensemble cast

This is my first book by Hafsah Faizal, who has been highly recommended to me over the years. I can completely understand how she has so many fans, "The Tempest of Tea" is exhilarating and has an eclectic cast of characters. Peaky Blinders vampires is such a fun concept had once I got into the story, the story was a page turner. Teens will be obsessed with this book, for sure, and I am eager to see what happens in book 2. While I didn't feel deeply connected to any of the characters, I did feel deeply connected to the themes touching on the impacts of imperialism/colonialism and the scars it leaves on its victims for generations to come.

I highly recommend this book to fans of the Mortal Instruments series and the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Homes movie and fans of Gaslamp fantasy in general.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Hafsah Faizal, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this book. This review is also available on my GoodReads - check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863

Tea house by day. ☕️
Blood house by night. 🩸
The Tempest of Tea is the first book in the Blood and Tea duology by Hafsah Faizal. Noted as being a great read for fans of Six of Crows however, I don’t entirely agree. Its energy reminds me of Peaky Blinders but more muted. Definitely a lovely storyline, sprinkled with action and intrigue.

I enjoyed the characters personalities which is mostly what kept me reading this book. It did come close to being a DNF because I did get bored with the writing at a few points. I will also say that the ended did make me want to attempt the next book which is why this one has earned three stars.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC. This review is wholly my opinions and voluntarily given.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTL8TdXoY/

Listen, this book should be a five star read for me combing some of my favorite things like vampires, found family, a heist, oh and of course tea.

I’m referring to Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal. And don’t get me wrong there is a lot to like in this story but felt a bit unpolished in my option.

The vibes though, the vibes are on point I love the setting and the casual introduction of vampires into everyday life in a sort of less grimy True Blood.

I did really like most of the characters they felt believable, yet not fully fleshed out. Like with the exception of Flick the others desires were just there to make the plot happened instead of feeling fully developed.

The prose itself flowed quite nicely and was really easy to read and I did really enjoy the individual elements.

I didn’t really care for the Arthurian elements because they never really payed off in a meaningful way, yeah it was a cool ‘visual’ but ultimately it felt like the role should’ve been bigger maybe that will change in the sequel.

I think the largest thing that held this book back is the world building was so shallow. Like there was so much potential here that was left unfulfilled. For me let’s call this one a 3.7

I did listen to the audio and Maya Saroya give a great performance she added a lot of elements that helped keep me engaged in the story and I hope to hear more from her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book early. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

First off.
⭐ 5
I loved the story and characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and FSG for this audio arc.
Maya Saroya, Thank you for bringing these characters to life.

This feels beautiful and fun and very fresh! Vampires, twists and tea. I love Arthie and I need every main character to be as fiery as she is. I am a huge found family lover and this book DELIVERS!
This is a very character driven book and the heist does take a backseat in act two and three, if you’re here for a heist you might not be happy. IF YOU WANT DRAMA AND PLOT TWIST… You want this book.
Spindrift is not just a tea house, it’s a home for everyone she loves and is afraid to love.
NOW Spoiler

<spoiler>FLICK’S MOM BEING THE RAM!? Why? Who is the Wolf? Has he been there the entire time?? Also Penn shouldn’t have died- at all.
Arthie being a vampire is very much in your face but it makes sense to distract you from other twists.
Jin turning into a vampire?? Trauma on trauma. I just want to give him a huge and find his parents. </spoiler>

I LOVE a good heist book, and A Tempest of Tea definitely did not disappoint in that respect. This book follows Arthie, an orphan girl who now runs a tea-house-by-day-blood-house-for-vampires-by-night, her chosen brother Jin, and high-class-girl-with-a-penchent-for-forging-things Flick as they must work with a member of the king’s guard to steal a ledger from a vampire establishment in order to save their own.

This book is vibey and exciting, dropping you right into the action and into a world that you can *see* with the description that the author provides. I had such a fun time getting to know the world and coming along for the ride as Arthie assembled her team and they worked together to pull off their heist.

I can’t wait for book two to come out because that CLIFFHANGER absolutely killed me!

If I had to pick one thing that I didn’t like about this book, it was that the romance, across the board, often felt forced and like the author was really trying to hit on some of Booktok’s favorite tropes. For example, Jin throwing out “touch her and you die” honestly just felt out of character for him. I honestly could have done with a lot less romance in this book!

I do also want to note that I originally started this book as just an audio book, but found it hard to follow because there was a lot going on and only one narrator for three POVs, so I waited until I could get my hands on a physical copy and tandem read it instead, which helped a lot. Overall, I think the audiobook is well done, but it just didn’t work on its own for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing an advanced listening copy of this book.

Genre/Type: YA Fantasy
Format: Tandem Read 🎧📖
Length: 338 pages
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐.75
Series or standalone: Duology
Tags: heist, vampires, found family, deals with colonialism

**Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5**
Conspiracy? Heists? Vampires? Romance? *A Tempest of Tea* by Hafsah Faizal offers all of that and much more! Told in multiple POVs, this fantastical fantasy story centers on the enigmatic Arthie Casimir: a kingpin and collector of secrets in the underbelly of magical city of White Roaring. When the tyrannical ruler of the city threatens her beloved business—a tearoom by day that turns into an illegal bloodhouse by night—Arthie must pull off a heist at the center of vampire society and align herself with a series of dangerous and mysterious partners in the process.

>>What I loved: A major strength of this work is the world-building and characters. I loved the non-Western setting and more diverse cast of characters and experiences. We all need more of this! Arthie was such a captivating and intriguing MC, and before the end of the book I was fully invested in both her journey and all of the supporting cast of characters. The book took a lot of great turns that kept me guessing. Also, the reading in the audiobook was excellent!

>>What I didn’t love: Initially, I felt things moved a little slowly in the setup for the heist, and then the pacing of the book picked up significantly in the second half. Upon reflection, I think this was all largely necessary for the character and world-building that Faizal was doing, so I don’t consider it much of a downside. It’s worth the wait!

*A Tempest of Tea* is another great example of what a well-written YA book can accomplish–it will appear to young people and adults alike! This was my first book by Faizal, and in addition to eagerly awaiting the next book in this duology, I look forward to going back and exploring her other works.

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Hafsah Faizal, and Macmillan Audio, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

It was no surprise at all that I absolutely loved this book. I mean what’s not to love? Peaky Blinders meets Tea House meets Vampires?! I mean seriously, a book couldn’t have cooler elements if it tried. Also, Hafsah Faizal’s writing is top notch. AND, did I forget, there’s a tie in to the world of WE HUNT THE FLAME?! Because that was perfection! The ending of this book destroyed me and I NEED the sequel immediately.

I adored the audiobook of this one! This was my first Hafsah book on audio but her storytelling lends itself so nicely to the medium! It makes me want to re-listen to the WE HUNT THE FLAME duology. I loved the narrators and would definitely look into the rest of their catalogues.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

arthie casimir runs spindrift, a tearoom that transforms into a blood house for vampires at night. her business is threatened and as a result, her and a ragtag group of outcasts have to set out on a heist.

this novel has:
a heist
high stakes
vampires
talks of colonialism and racism
found family
and a set of diverse characters

i think this book really shines when it comes to the characters and all the complex dynamics between them. i especially loved the dynamics between arthie and jin. there is always something special about found / chosen family in fantasy books for me. i liked that it had multiple POVs as well. it really helped get to know the characters since we do follow quite a few in this book.

the romance was always super fun to read. the tension and slow burn was a very enjoyable aspect. i liked the push and pull that was going on that made me want to yell at the characters at times (in the best way).

the action scenes were very well written, in my opinion, and kept me on the edge of my seat. i find in books like this, the action scenes can really make or break the book and thankfully they made it in this case. there was also plenty of twists and surprises thrown in that added a lot of fun to the reading experience.

the audiobook narrator captured the characters personalities very well and kept me engaged the whole time. there were rarely times that mind wandered while listening.

overall, i had a really fun time reading this book and, especially with the ending, i cannot wait to read the next book! would highly recommend this one.

I just finished A Tempest of Tea on audiobook. I will say it look me a hot minute to get into it but when I did I was ALL in. This book has so many elements I love from found family, complicated heists, witty banter, betrayals, double crosses and so much more. If I had been pulled in a little quicker it would be a five star read for me. This book is the perfect mix of Peaky Blinders and Oceans 11 with vampires sprinkled in. I will definitely read the second book in this series.

If there’s one thing you know you’ll get from a Hafsah Faizal book, it’s fantastic writing. This book is so engaging from the very first chapter, and I think I could’ve easily read it in one sitting, especially given how great this was on audiobook. This is very much a heist story that devolves into learning a much bigger storyline, and I found the setting to be very interesting. I was surprised and even more intrigued having read the Sands of Arawiya books and learning this is set in the same world. Arthie is the classic secrets-keeping leader of the group who is far too clever, and really reminiscent of Kaz from Six of Crows. The comparison to Six of Crows as a whole is very fitting, and the book also nods to the tale of the sword in the stone. Jin’s POV was my favorite, with Flick’s feeling almost unnecessary at times. However since we had those three POVs I found myself wanting POVs from Matteo and Laith, and hope the next book has at least one more. The characters and their motives are something I also hope to see more of in book 2, as this book touched on all of them, but really wasn’t long enough to take a deep dive into them. The story was ultimately a wild ride from start to finish (that ENDING!), and I will definitely be picking up the next book as soon as it comes out. Hafsah Faizal is now on my auto-buy author list.

I’m going dive right into this review. When I first saw this book cover I was so excited to read it. I’m a big Tea lover so I love the title of this book . I thought the book characters were well developing but at times it was hard to follow along . I had multiplied moment where I was confused and had no idea what was going on . I wouldn’t mind having the this in the physical version of this book just because of the cover but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone to read it. It’s so hard to follow along at some parts . Maybe it was the audio format ? Also thought the book could have been longer .

A big thanks to NetGalley, BookishFirst, and MacMillian for providing both an eARC, advance audiobook, AND an advance finished copy in exchange for an honest review.

I seriously needed this book after finishing Assassin's Creed Syndicate and Six of Crows. And I blame it on the vibes alone.

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal is a YA fantasy novel that is comped as Peaky Blinders but with vampires and tea. On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by night, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—she can’t do the job alone. Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

This book is literally everything. I loved every second of it. And now I can't wait for the sequel. I will gladly read and love everything that Hafsah Faizal puts out. No matter what it is.