(Blood and Tea #1)
by Hafsah Faizal
February 20, 2024
Goodreads Summary:
Why save the world when you can have 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 dark, 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—and 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.
From the New York Times—bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.
Review
I picked up A Tempest of Tea on a whim, and it was a good read. I fell easily into the story adoring each character with their nuanced personalities.
What I Liked:
- fast-paced
- the world was easy to imagine
- blackmail and threats as currency
- characters that each packed their own punch
- Arthie and her toughness were very admirable
- Jin and his easy charms
- Flick’s growth!
- found family
- the cutest interactions between Jin and Flick
- the undeniable tension between Arthie and Laith
- a betrayal I hadn’t seen coming
- that last chapter POV was a great twist
The Not So Much:
- sometimes the writing was awkward- didn’t flow
- I wanted more tea
- instant connections that lacked explanation (maybe for a good reason but the wait was long)
- Matteo didn’t seem all that necessary (until near the end)
- Arthie, Laith and Matteo were a confusing mess (I wouldn't exactly call them a love triangle)
“Secrets were meant to ferment; they aged well.” (p. 11)
“After all, fear became hate when it festered long enough.” (p. 16)
“Ignorance had always been a defining feature of the privileged.” (p. 77)
“Family isn’t who
we live with but those we would die for.” (p.327)
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