And Hafsah Faisal did it again. I would read her shopping list, that is how good this book was. I had such a blast reading this, I finished it while I was on the flight.

Six of Crows meets Peaky Blinders!

This book was thrilling, full of great characters and a fab high stakes plot!

Vampires, a gang of misfits and perfect tea puns - what more could you ask for!

"A Tempest of Tea" by Hafsah Faizal promises a thrilling journey into a world where crime and fantasy intertwine, led by the enigmatic Arthie Casimir, a criminal mastermind in the streets of White Roaring. However, despite the enticing premise and Faizal's proven talent as a storyteller, this novel falls short of its potential.

The narrative unfolds in a bustling city where Arthie's tearoom serves as a front for illegal activities, catering to the feared vampires of society. When her establishment faces a threat, Arthie is compelled to form an unlikely alliance to save it. With the help of a diverse group of outcasts, she embarks on a perilous mission to infiltrate the Athereum, a secretive vampire society. Yet, internal conflicts within her team and the revelation of a larger conspiracy complicate their plans, endangering not only Arthie's kingdom but the world itself.

While the premise is intriguing, the execution falters in its pacing and character development. The narrative feels disjointed at times, making it challenging to fully immerse oneself in the story. Additionally, the motivations of the characters remain unclear, leaving readers detached from their struggles and triumphs.

Despite these shortcomings, Faizal's writing retains its signature flair, weaving together elements of romance, revenge, and intrigue. The action sequences are vividly depicted, injecting bursts of excitement into the narrative. Moreover, the world-building, though not fully realized, hints at a rich and complex universe waiting to be explored.

In conclusion, "A Tempest of Tea" falls short of expectations, struggling to engage readers with its convoluted plot and underdeveloped characters. While it offers glimpses of Faizal's talent, particularly in its descriptive prose and imaginative world-building, it ultimately fails to deliver a truly captivating experience.

A Tempest of Tea is an absolute MUST read for fans of Peaky Blinders who also wanted vampires in it! I found this a super fun read, with found family, heists, and suspense. I'm excited now for the second!

Hafsah Faizal’s latest novel is a breath of fresh air in fantasy literature, offering readers a unique blend of thrilling heists, bloodthirsty vampires, forbidden romance, and layered social commentary. The story throws you into the bustling world of White Roaring, where Arthie Casimir, a resourceful orphan, runs a dual-life operation: a prestigious teahouse by day, and a clandestine “bloodhouse” for vampires by night.

Faizal's writing is beautifully evocative, drawing readers into the vibrant world she's created. The city of White Roaring, with its stark contrasts between opulence and poverty, serves as a compelling backdrop for the narrative. The characters, especially the strong-willed Arthie and her diverse crew, are well-developed and engaging. Their motivations and dynamics add depth to the story, keeping you invested in their journey.

The plot itself is fast-paced, filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. The heist element adds a layer of excitement, while the underlying themes of prejudice and societal injustice provide food for thought. However, the ending, while intriguing, feels slightly rushed compared to the meticulous build-up, leaving room for improvement, which feels like a bit of a waste, given that it’s the first part of a duology and Faizal can afford to take her time.

In the realm of fantasy fiction, “A Tempest of Tea” shares common ground with Leigh Bardugo’s novels, such as “Six of Crows” or “Ninth House”, and works by Sarah J Maas and Holly Black, but sets itself apart with its unique setting and its intriguing mystery.

Overall, "A Tempest of Tea" is a highly enjoyable read, especially for fans of fantasy with a dash of romance and mystery. Fans of clever schemes, charismatic characters, and bewitching world building will find this book to be a solid and intriguing choice that will keep them on their toes.

A delightful escapade into a world of heists and monsters, the world-building, intriguing characters, and action-packed plot will leave you eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

this book gripped me from the very first page. I had heard a lot of talk that it was a mash-up of six of crows, heists and magic and that completely sold the book for me. this is the first book that I have read by faizal and I was not disappointed in the slightest - I definitely (and finally) need to check out the other books!!! I think if I had to name a favourite character, it would be jin.

the only grievance I have with the book is that it is MAJORLY character-based and the plot felt as thought it lacked in some spaces. but, nevertheless, this novel was filled with a lot of suspense, a brilliant writing style and intrigue!

I would highly recommend!

Today I’m so excited to share my review for A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal 💖 Thank you so much to the lovely Book Break UK for my e-arc!

I’ve got my hat and I’m ready to join Arthie’s crew if she’ll have me! I don’t have any heist skills but I make quite a good cup of tea 😂

This book was so much FUN! Fair warning, I’m fully back into my vampire phase now 😂

I loved the characters! Our main character Arthie is cunning and steps ahead of everyone else. I loved reading from her POV and her sibling bond with Jin was so special, I loved it! Plus, the tagline “It’s teatime, scoundrels” is one of the best things I’ve ever read! I need that on a teacup! 😂 This ragtag group of misfits definitely have a special space in my heart!

The worldbuilding was so enjoyable and i especially loved Arthie’s teahouse that turns into a blood den after hours! The mechanics of it were so fun and it was described so visually, I felt like I was right there!

I love a story with a heist and this is another great one! The suspense and the twists were absolutely amazing, I loved discovering all of the secrets of White Roaring and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

A Tempest of Tea is a fast paced story with great tension and high stakes (sorry I had to do a vampire pun, I couldn’t resist 😂)

Wow what a book. I have to admit I struggled a little bit with the formatting of the book as the spacing on the kindle were not in the right places. I also didn’t see any of the artwork that was in the book. But overall the story was amazing. It’s as much about love and friendship as it is about revenge and I love how it’s been left with a cliffhanger as I need to know what is going to happen next.

Described as "King Arthur meets peaky blinders with vampires" - well I knew I was in for treat. And it did not disappoint. This may end up being one of my favourite reads of the year. If you need something to fill that Six of Crows shaped hole, this is it.
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Our characters own a tea house, that doubles as a vampire bar in the evenings, but it's under threat. So our motley ragtag crew must assemble and perform a heist, against the elite, to blackmail the elite. What could possibly go wrong?
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I was hooked on this and read it so fast, I couldn't put it down. Arthie and Jin are such amazing characters, and so detailed I felt their emotions and highs and lows as my own! Arthie is a such a badass as well, I'd feel safe in her team no matter how dangerous the heist.
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I can't describe how much I loved this book, and that ending!? I need book two in my life already.

“Why save the world when you can have tea?”

My thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for sending me an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my thoughts about the book in any way.

Hafsah Faizal is back in this new, riveting installment, the first of another incredible duology perfect for fans of Six of Crows and Thieves Gambit! I’ve never felt this way about another book in months, but A Tempest of Tea certainly pulled me out of my miserable slump. Set in the same world as We Hunt The Flame, we now travel to Ettenia and meet a new and equally diverse cast while still seeing remnants of our beloved Arawiyan characters. Not only is this brewed with tea, but it also has vampires, magic, tension, and thrilling politics with a plot that mainly ventures into the effects of imperial colonialism, illegal settlements, and exploitation. The story itself astonishingly mirrors the genocide Palestinians have been experiencing for over 75+ years, so this book was impressively a statement as much as it’s a YA fantasy novel with lots of unpredictable twists that will keep you hooked. Therefore, no one can tell me that reading isn’t political because it most certainly is.

It was a very entertaining read for me, and I’m already looking forward to the sequel! There was no dull moments throughout the book. The humor-filled banter within the found family and character dynamics were truly delightful to read. It was without a doubt, worth the wait and hype. Hafsah is a really remarkable storyteller. It’s high time readers actually support authors who know what they stand for.

“It’s tea time, scoundrels”
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This book has my whole heart! I loved it so much. From the wonderful cast of characters to the tea room and the vampires and most importantly, Opal the cat who is the star of the book.
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I devoured this book, once I started I could not put it down. It’s such a compulsive read and starts with a bang that had me instantly hooked.
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Arthie is the owner of the tea room which also doubles as a blood house at night. She has fought and clawed her way to building a life there and her establishment and is understandably angry when it’s threatened.
She is smart and resilient and uses her rage at how she is treated less than to fuel her and push her forward.
I loved her so much and related a lot to her anger at the colonisation of her people and her land being pillaged for it’s wealth.
How she has to live in the land of her colonisers because they destroyed her home but she isn’t welcome there.
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We also meet Jin who met Arthie as kids and have become siblings to each other. I loved their relationship so much. Jin fast became my fave! He’s charming and kind and cares deeply for those around him. He will also flirt with everything and anything and whenever he called Flick, love, I giggled like a little girl.
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Flick is the third PoV character and she has such a great arc. She will do anything to get the approval of her mother, even be someone she isn’t, but over the course of the story she learns to be true to herself and realise that there are others who care for her and accept her as she is. She is a forger and wants to be her own person.
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We also meet Laith, an assassin from Arawiya and Matteo who is a vampire. Laith also adopts a kitten who is also a member of the crew and he carries her everywhere, even on the heist.
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The story itself was fast paced and I loved the build up to the heist as we got to see each of the characters in their area of expertise. There is also some great banter and of course all the angst!
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I am absolutely dying for the sequel and I need you all to go read it asap!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hafsah Faizal, and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a big fan of heists in fantasy, I was so excited to get into this one and I was not disappointed! I'm new to Faizal's work, but this story was so good that I'll definitely be checking out more of her books soon! A Tempest of Tea had all my favourite things: found family, impossible odds, adorable romance, unexpected twists.

The story follows a group of misfits as they plan and then carry out an elaborate heist in the city of White Roaring. There are three main POV characters and each has a dark and tragic past that is revealed to the reader as the story develops. The characters perfectly balanced and complemented each other throughout, and I found myself rooting for them all right from the start (which is rare for me!). The narrative was fast paced and kept me hooked throughout. Some of the reveals were predictable, but they also distracted from other reveals that really took me by surprise! I absolutely DEVOURED this story in 3 days and the cliff-hanger ending has left me itching for the next book in the series!

I also have to mention just how visually gorgeous this book is! As with all good fantasy books, it opens with a map of the city which always helps me visualise things as events unfold. I also loved that the beginning of each act had a beautifully illustrated title page!

4.5 stars rounded up because of that ending!

thank you to pan macmillan for the early copy for review!

'a tempest of tea' is a fun, rompy heist story that really picks up in the second half. we have multiple POVs - arthie, jin and flick mostly - who we follow as they plan to inflitrate a vampire den to retrieve an item which could bring down their ruler.

this was jaunty and fun, i enjoyed all the characters but definitely arthie's POV the most, and it was a very quick and easy read. i do think this is a case of 'it's me and not the book' to explain why i just feel a bit meh towards it. i just didn't overly mesh with the writing style, there were a few times where i had to read back because i thought i had missed something or skipped a page. however, i really valued the reflections on colonialism and how this affected every decision arthie and jin made in the book.

Arthie, owner of a tearoom by day, bloodhouse by night. Arthies establishment comes under threat and she needs to pull off a heist to save it, but she cannot do it alone

She is joined by Jin, her partner in crime and Flick a master forger... who we see their own sides of things. We also have Mateo and Laith along for the ride

Each of this ragtag bunch has something to bring to the table, but none of them could forsee how this heist will change them along the way, and what they will mean to each other by the end of it.

Slow start, felt took to about the halfway mark to really get invested and the heist to get underway but built up the second half of the book nicely and I'll definitely be picking up book two to see where things go

This was released 22nd February so you can pick this up now, thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian for the review copy (I read mostly on kindle but tuned into the audio whilst working and loved the narration too!)

Book 1 in the Blood and Tea duology.

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.

Without giving too much away, "A Tempest of Tea" is a delightful read for anyone who enjoys a touch of "vampire" in their adventures. Faizal's writing keeps you turning the pages, eager to uncover the next twist in this thrilling book. Whether you're a tea connoisseur or simply love a good fantasy tale, this book is sure to enchant you from beginning to end.

This was only ‘ok’ for me but then I am not the target audience and should have known better! I was unconvinced by the author insisting the two main characters Arthie and Jin were tough Peaky blinder types. And I wasn’t a fan of all the unfulfilled romantic/sexual tension- not sure how many times “his gaze dropped to her lips” happened, but it was many times too many. It’s a heist story with vampires and enough plot for the next in series (but not me). Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, all thoughts are my own.

I was really excited about this book, mainly cause of the premise but also kept my expectations manageable because I was one of the 5 people in the world who didn't like We Hunt the Flame. I've got to say this book didn't convince me that this is the author for me. Ultimately, I just found it a bit mid - I didn't fall in love with the characters, the relationship was wishy-washy and I'm not convinced the book new knew what it was. A dark vampire story? Not really that dark... A heist book? Anticlimactic resolution after initial hype. Even the vampires felt like they took a back seat.

The writing was beautiful in spots but really disjointed in others, I felt confused about the setting, how many characters were in a scene and the logic of some statements.

Overall, there was nothing outrageously wrong with the book but nothing that stirred much emotion either. Not sure I'll be picking up the sequel.

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed getting lost within the world of Tempest of Tea. Make sure to have a cuppa and a pastry ready, as you will be craving a brew by the very first mention. Also beware Jin’s descriptions of raspberry and dark chocolate streusels, I cannot find anything to satisfy the desire.

This book was a really unique and creative take on the vampire genre. I was reminded often of Six of Crows, with the found family and heist plot line. The crew were a bunch of lovable rogues and you do find yourself natural rooting for them. Jin’s burgeoning love story was the most engaging for me and I hope we get to see it play out fully in future instalments.

Hafsah Faizal has a beautiful way with words and was able to interject the action with profound statements and descriptions that give you pause. The type of quotes you want to highlight and save for later or reflect and ponder upon.

I was generously given an e-book ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a review but ended up switching to audiobook on release day and it was such a good choice for me. The narrator portrayed the subtle differences between accents and classes perfectly, it was really realistic.

One criticism is the magic within the world was rarely utilised and I would love to know and understand more about it.

☆☆☆☆½

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.

What drew me to the book / Why I requested: I'd only heard good things about Hafsah Faizal and her books paired with the fact that A Tempest of Tea was said to have heists, Vampires and a touch of King Arthur, I simply couldn't refuse.
How long it’s been on my TBR: I couldn't say how long but as soon as I saw it on Netgalley I simply had to request it.
My expectations: I was expecting a good Fantasy book, interesting characters and well written relationships as well as a solid heist (with tension and action). I also expected some good world-building and a little romance.

My thoughts whilst reading: Starting of at the beginning I loved the first line and I was immediately intrigued by the gun in the stone (Calibore). I was excited when I found that there was more than one point of view and I loved how the main characters compared themselves to tea and said what kind of teas they were. A lot of spoiler-y thoughts (including assumptions and guesses, some of which turned out to be correct) and therefore excluded. Insert me being surprised at 46% because [redacted]. 53% In and I was feeling like the Heist should've been underway by now, but it wasn't long after this when we got to it and then I couldn't stop reading. After this I forgot about my notes and didn't write anything else down but I can tell you the last 20% had me screaming and crying, there were so many twists and turns and reveals that I had to stop reading for a minute to soak in what was happening before diving back into the book eager to know what would happen next.
Overall: A Tempest of Tea was a really good, and enjoyable read. None of the characters fell flat, each had their own well-written motivations, backstories and developments, the relationships too were brilliant, each was so different and yet all managed to be well written and have their time to shine (and not just the romantic ones). Despite feeling like the heist could've happened sooner I appreciated the time we got to know the characters and their bonds and motivations, properly allowing us to connect with them and the time we got to spend in White Roaring and learning of the world, speaking of the world I really enjoyed how it was written and how natural it felt. I really enjoyed Spindrift, the idea, and execution, were so cool, especially how it was tied to many things and what it meant. And at the end I loved how all the threads in the book connected and all came together, whether it be what things represented or throwaway lines at the beginning, it came together brilliantly.
Miscellaneous: I guessed a certain thing would happen so when it did I was surprised but not extremely shocked but it was like the smallest thing in comparison to everything else that happened.
Did it meet my expectations: It met every single one and then went above and beyond.

Favourite character: I loved Arthie, she was a really interesting character from her scheming to her secrets and all that she was carrying around.
Favourite scene: This is a tough one, there were so many great parts to the book but for the sake of giving this a proper answer I'd have to say at the end there was a final confrontation and it was Brilliant!
Favourite relationship: This is another tough one to answer as there were so many great relationships in the book, all of them different which again makes it hard to choose, there were great romantic relationships and great familial ones too, there was also a lot of good conflict in some of the relationships which was a great addition. I think rather than my favourite relationship I'll leave the one I can't wait to see develop further in book 2 which is the relationship between Arthie and Matteo.
Favourite quote: There was a quote I wanted to use instead but it is very, very spoiler-y so I thought it best to go for something else so instead I choose: 'We were made for trouble, you and me.'

Why I rounded the review up: I probably would've rounded it down to 4 stars but the ending was outstanding and so if I didn't round it up to 5 I think I'd kick myself a little, the book deserves it too.
Do I regret reading it: Absolutely not, I'm glad I picked it up.
Will I be reading the sequel: Yes!
Will I invest in a physical copy: Most likely.
Do I recommend it: 100% Yes, everyone needs to pick this one up!

Thank you to Netgalley & Macmillans Children's Books for the E-ARC.

*(for rating systems such as Goodreads)

A Tempest of Tea follows Arthie and Jin as they try to save their tea shop/vampire blood house from closing by embarking on a heist to steal something to use as leverage. The characters are all very unique and have interesting stories of their own which impact their decisions and actions throughout the book and makes for a very fun read.

Arthie and Jin have grown up on the streets together and are renowned for their ability to use the secrets of others for their gain. When their underground activities threaten the local authorities they find themselves facing eviction from their home and business. After gathering together a group of people that they definitely can’t trust but are forced to anyway, they set out to break into the vampire's arthereum and steal a ledger that would be their means of blackmailing their way out of their situation.

I can’t decide whether I loved A Tempest of Tea or not and that frustrates me. The first 60% of this book was world-building and planning the heist. Yes, there is a little bit of flirting between the characters but as this is YA it was very slow and never felt very pivotal to the story. The last third of this book was AMAZING and I sat and finished it in one go, the twists at the end were brilliant and I will definitely be reading the sequel.

Ratings
Spice: 0.🌶
Story: ⭐️⭐⭐️.5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75