Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) A Tempest of Tea

Good

I had high expectations for A Tempest Of Tea after seeing it promoted in various bookstores and I was not disappointed! It is like being swept up in a storm with vampires, romance, and betrayal. The story cleverly brews a tale as rich and complex as the finest cup of tea, where you can almost smell the spices in the air. This is an easy 5 ⭐️s and here's why..Hafsah beautifully builds character development where each has their mystery and motives that drive them. The lead character Arthie is sharp-witted and strong, giving off the vibes “do not mess with me”. She finds herself standing at the forefront of a rebellion with her best friend Jin, set against power and societal conflict. Their journey is riddled with obstacles that challenge their physical limits and force them to face the shadows within themselves.The author's exceptional world-building presents a universe where magic simmers are just below the surface and alliances are as fragile as glass. This story explores themes such as loyalty, romance, and ambition with a few heated scenes that left me wanting more. I was particularly rooting for two characters' love to enfold, and reading about their journey was a treat.A Tempest of Tea" is a compelling blend of fantasy and adventure. The plot will keep you hooked from start to finish! It is like money heist meets true blood. I can easily see this book turning into a movie I would love to watch!

I bought this book on a whim after seeing someone rave about it on Bookstagram. A heist with vampires? Yes, please! I wasn't sure what to expect going in, and while it started off slow, it really ramped up in the second act. By the time the third act hit and all the twists and reveals came in, I was totally hooked.At the center of the book is teen orphan Arthie Casimir, a criminal mastermind who runs a prestigious tearoom that doubles as an illegal bloodhouse for vampires. Arthie receives notice from the city's powerful and mysterious king, known as "The Ram" informing her that her beloved tea shop, Spindrift, will be closed, jeopardizing her home and livelihood. Arthie, and her close friend Jin know they have to fight back. The pair are certain that The Ram is involved in some questionable dealings via ships that come in and out of the port near their tea shop. They also have a feeling that The Ram is behind the disappearances of several vampires.Arthie devises a plan to expose and potentially bring down The Ram, but she needs help and pulls together a band of unlikely allies. Arthie and Jin team up with Mateo, a vampire, Felicity (also known as Flick), the daughter of a government official, and Laith, a member of the High Order. Together, they plot a daring heist, hoping to overthrow The Ram, but what they find is much bigger than anyone could have expected and puts them in even more danger than they were before.Faizal did a great job of weaving together a tale of danger, intrigue, and unexpected alliances. Sometimes, when I read fantasy books, it takes me a while to settle in because I need to understand the world, but I didn't struggle with this one at all. The world-building is rich and detailed. White Roaring (which seems very similar to Victorian London) was easy to slip into, and it didn't take me long to get a feel for the city or its politics.As far as characters go, this book is filled with many memorable ones. Arthie is a complex and compelling protagonist. She's a young woman who experienced loss at a very young age when colonizers destroyed her homeland and killed her parents. She is a young woman who is not afraid to break the rules in order to protect what is hers - mostly because she feels she has nothing to lose. Jin was probably my favorite character. He, too, is an orphan, and while he and Arthie aren't blood siblings, they consider each other to be. Flick is another complex character dealing with her own family drama, and Mateo is quite the charming vampire. I think the only one in the group that I felt a bit disconnected from was Laith. I wanted to know more about him.While I ended up really liking this book, I must admit it took a long time for it to really take off. The first act was a lot of setup and not a whole lot of action. While it was important to settle us into the world and introduce all of the players, I found myself bored, waiting for something exciting to happen. By the time the second act rolled around, things were definitely put into a higher gear, and when the third act came around, I couldn't read fast enough. That last act introduced some mind-blowing twists and reveals that pulled me back in. Until the second act, I wasn't sure that I cared enough about any of it to continue with the series, but the third act definitely changed that for me. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!If you are a fan of fantasy novels with political undertones and a healthy dose of intrigue, I would definitely recommend this one. It's slow to start, but once things finally take off, it's a whole lot of fun!

3.5 stars. I see this compared Six of Crow often and it really does not compare at all. I found it boring in comparison to that. Character development and world building focused. Not very plot driven. I really struggled with the pacing of this book. The planning stage seemed to drag while the actual heist was super quick. Left me with a lot of questions and I have no idea where the next book will go.

"Why save the world when you can have tea?"I ADORE this story! I had high expectations for this book after loving the Sands of Arawiya series, and it exceeded all of my expectations! It was also set in the same world as Arawiya, and I loved all of the references to the other series! This book gave Six of Crows vibes in the best way but with a tea shop instead of a gambling hall and vampires instead of Grisha. The heist plotline was intense and stressful, and the setting was so atmospheric! The twists at the end had me gasping out loud in shock. I truly did not see most of them coming. But what was even more magical about this story was the characters. Each character was so well crafted and complex, and I loved them all. The crew had amazing family vibes, and I loved to see them work together to overcome the heist, their motivations, and their past traumas. I also loved the romance plotlines! The romantic tension between a few of the characters was insane for a ya book with only a few kisses, and I loved it!I can already tell that this book is one of my favorites of the year! I already want to reread it, and I cannot wait for the next book!

After reading her first two books, We Hunt The Flame, and We Free The Stars, I preordered Tempest Of Tea as soon as it was available. Different pacing to the first books, but I love how a brand new empire and storyline was created. The way Hafsah experiments with her storytelling is refreshing to read, and I was gasping the whole way through. If you love vampires, romance and intrigue (think Six of Crows but a female protagonist and vampires) I highly recommend reading this book!