4.5 STARS! A Tempest of Tea has a lot going for it. A unique world, with intriguing main characters, and twists and turns that make for a wild ride. Even though the romance is isn't a main, and some of the reveals came a tad too late in the story, overall this is a fun and gritty novel.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for an advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

🌟.5/5
I was hoping this would rekindle my love for YA fantasy after a huge number of disappointing new releases. The comparison to six of crows and the promise of a heist story really hyped me up, but ooof this was a big miss. With such an amazing premise, how the author managed to make this story so agonizingly uneventful is beyond me. The only nice thing about this book was the cat and she wasn't even featured much☹️

First of all, if you're expecting the same nuance and banter that the Crows had, you're going to be sorely disappointed. The characters in this book are devoid of personality and I couldn't care less for them. Arthie is a highly wanted down version of Kaz Brekker who comes off as pretentious and unlikable. The romance (if it can even be called that) is atrocious, insta lovey and poorly executed. Where is the chemistry?? The book would've been better off without it, especially the weird love triangle. It felt like these characters had no actual reason to be in love. And the pacing...the pacing is so damn slow. If I weren't listening to the audiobook at 2x speed, I'd have DNFd this quite early. Two things I wanted to see featured the most were not even focused on much- the teahouse and the heist. Way too many chapters were spent on planning the heist and its execution fell completely flat. It gave me none of the excitement or adrenaline rush that SoC did. The reveals were done way too late, and while I wasn't able to predict them, I wasn't very shocked either.

A Tempest of Tea promises a teahouse setting, an exciting heist and vampires but unfortunately doesn't deliver on any of those fronts. I'd certainly recommend that you don't read this book expecting it to be of the same calibre as six of crows. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 but I was disappointed and won't be reading the sequel. I usually don't like expressing so many negative feelings about a book but this just wasn't for me.

This audiobook was chefs kiss, the narration was incredible and the plot :o I have no words.

A Tempest of Tea is narrated by one person and the effort put into making each charcter sound different was absolutely amazing. I am beyond amazed, the quality of production was unmatched. I loved this listening experience so much. Easily one of my favourite narrators now.

Now, in terms of this book. Faizal does it again, I have never been so invested. This book and the twists and turns, incredible. The amount of plotting that needed to happen in order for this book to happen. I am literally in awe. Hands down one of my favourite reads of the year.

I received an audioarc through Netgalley all opinions are my own.

2,5 stars
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

This is my first Hafsah Faizal book, and I was excited to start it. I'm not exactly let down by it, since I came in with zero expectations. But I don't really see why other arc readers love this book🥲

First of it's called a tempest of tea and the blurb talks about this book being a teahouse by day but blood house by night.
We barely even get anything about said teahouse. It was in like 3 chapters? Or even less. I know it focuses on how to save the teahouse. But it still felt lacking that we don't really get to see it perform you know.

Also the blurb says this is sort of like six of crows. But I didn't really see any mastermind or like a big cool heist. There's a ton of talking about how they are going to do it. Only for when it finally happens that it was just lacklustre. There really wasn't any action when there's supposed to be action.
It was honestly so boring to me.

I also didn't like any of the romances at all. I really didn't feel the chemistry and could have done without the romance. Which says a lot since I'm a romance girlie.

I really enjoyed Arthie and Jins bond! And I liked hearing about their backstories!

Also it's a vampire book. But there's barely any vampires in it😭

Lol I'm like 99,9% sure Hafsah Faizal has read that tumblr post about how coconut water can replace blood😂

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for providing me with the audiobook of A Tempest of Tea in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a Hafsah Faizal novel.
In A TEMPEST OF TEA, we follow a wide array of diverse characters on a heist that will definitely intrigue fans of Six of Crows. However, keep in man mind that romance also plays a big part in the plot and, unfortunately, vampires only play a marginal role here.
Despite the book being off to a slow start (around the 50% mark the characters have just started the preparations for the heist), the plot twists follow one after the other and the novel ends on a cliffhanger.
I think that the audiobook narration fell a bit flat. It didn’t keep me very engaged and I feel like I would’ve enjoyed the book more if the narration were a bit more dynamic and held more pathos…
Overall, a decent YA novel, but the expectations were too high and it tries too hard (without succeeding) to replicate the thrill of Leigh Bardugo’s beloved duology.

Raiting: 3.5 stars

I always enjoyed heist stories and I also loved the previous books by the author, so I was excited to read this story (...well listen). The narrator did really good job and I highly recommend this audiobook.

To the story - it did not dissapoint.
We follow the story of Arthie Casimir, a very mysterious and strong character and the owner of tea room, who after her establishment is threatened, strikes an unlikely deal to save it – and for that she needs her own crew.
We have - Jin, her 'brother' who is very charming, kind and overall interesting character.
Flick sheltered, sweet girl and extraordinary forger.
Laith Sayaad, high captain of the Horned Guard and a hashashin with his own hidden motives.
And Matteo Andoni, skilled painter and vampire who seems to never be albe to stop flirting or teasing.

To be honest, I didn't expect this much romance in this book, but I did not mind, it was fine, little fast but fine.

The ending was phenomenal, I can't wait for the second book.

(The only thing I didn't really like was the worldbuilding, it just felt little flat.)

"A Tempest of Tea" just wasn't my cup of tea. I really liked the idea and I enjoyed the heist parts of the novel, but there were too many romantic subplots for my liking and it really got on my nerves how many times the characters' attractiveness was mentioned. I probably won't continue with the series.

ARC review; thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for the access to the book!

This is my first Hafsah Faizal book and I'm enchanted. I really, REALLY liked this! And the narrator Maya Saroya did a great job bringing this to life.

Vampires, a heist, a strong, feisty female lead, lovable side characters, romance, found family... I mean, this is right up my alley, so I'm not surprised I enjoyed it so much.

My only criticism is that there are multiple POVs and the constant switches do get a bit confusing sometimes. That said, I could get my bearings overall. I will definitely be revisiting this one!

Be warned, it ends on a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see how the story continues in book two, my gosh!

I really wanted to love this one but something about it just failed to keep me engaged. I think I just struggle to listen to multi-pov when it's just one narrator/one voice. As I need to listen to a fast speed, the chapters start quickly so I miss who's pov it is and it makes it hard for me to keep up.

I could tell you the start of this book, and a bit towards the end, but I just didn't retain enough of it for any climaxes etc. to have any affect.

It's one of those I almost don't want to count as having read because I couldn't tell you more than a basic synopsis.

That all said, I do think for those who predominantly read this genre it will go down a treat, it just wasn't my cup of tea (pun intended). I did however like the writing style and will be keeping my eye out for more of Faizal's work.

I loved the book a lot! Give me a mix of Six of Crows and Vampires and I am here for it! Jin was my favourite character. The audiobook was also very nice to listen to.

3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.


This was fun. Super action packed and full of twists and turns, i love the characters and their chemistry, and yet... it felt so crowded with said characters that so many things happened, yet the pacing was so off and so slow that you also felt like nothing really happened. This felt like a prequel, which is weird, but I think it's because of the pacing.
You can feel the SoC inspo (which was distracting) and the Arthurian inspo, and I liked the blend of both.
I liked the vampire lore, and the plot itself is amazing.
The narration was interesting and immersed you instantly in the story. It set the tone and it made the reader part of the story. One of my favorite parts of this reading experience.
Overall, even with the off pacing, this book was a wonderful read. Check it out.

Hafsah Faizal is a genius, and Maya Saroya gives a stellar performance in this audiobook. Absolutely nails the wit and suspense. I've been looking forward to this book for ages, ever since I first read the pitch and saw the INCREDIBLE cover. Vampires are BACK, baby, and oh boy is this book proof of it. It has everything: a feisty female MC, a super clever heist, a super vivid setting... this is such a pacy, mischievous, imaginative, DELICIOUS novel. A real romp, and swoon-worthy in every sense. DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK.

vampires and heists are really all u can ask for in a fantasy novel tbh !!! the plot was fast moving despite the book’s length so it never felt like it was dragging nor did it bore me at all - the world building took me a minute to understand but once it was built it was very well crafted

only downside is that there were multiple pov switches which i don’t typically like unless done VERY well :/ usually 2 is my max but that’s a personal preference

Six of Crows, vampires, a tearoom standing as a front for a bloodhouse, and vengeance.

Spindrift: tearoom by light, bloodhouse by dark. Spindrift was more than just a business though, more than a means of vengeance for Arthie. It was a safe place, and not just for their crew of orphans and castaways, but for vampires who were now indistinguishably hated by the rest of society despite most being as decent and relatively harmless as the next person.

When Laith, a striking figure from Arawiya and a Horned guard, begs Arthie’s help in retrieving a ledger which will topple the King, Arthie assembles a team to do the impossible.

Arthie is a tempest in a bottle, tiny and simmering and ready to obliterate. White Roaring has whittled her sharp as a blade with her homeland destroyed by those claiming to ‘civilise’ it. She is eager to tear down the place which caused so much ruin in their greed.
Her crew consists of Jin, a genius orphan she rescued from a fire and her partner in crime; Flick, a noble daughter practising criminal craft as a forger; Matteo, an artist vampire; and Laith, the mysterious boy who appeared at her window.

The heist was tonight. There was a chance he might die, but there was also the utmost certainty that he would do so in style.

This hit a lot of YA troupes - enemies to lovers (to enemies), a literal ‘touch her and you die’ moment (verbatim word for word), betrayal, dress gowns, instant love…. You name it.

The writing was spectacular. Evocative, luscious, and extremely compelling. I now really want to read an adult historical fantasy written by Faizal.

”We are the same, Arthie. We understand what it's like to grieve with fire and not tears. What it’s like to do anything for those we love.”

Overall, I think this will be a hit! And do be worried - major cliffhanger!
What a bloody good time!🩸🧛🏻‍♀️

Thank you to Pan MacMillan for providing me with the physical arc in exchange for a review!

this is hafsah faizal at her best. she really really outdid herself with this one. it met all my expectations and more. the plot, the characters, THE ROMANCE??? top notch, chef's kiss. i absolutely adored arthie and jin's relationship and the ending had my jaw on the floor. easily one of my favourite reads of the year🙏🏻

Review based on Audiobook ARC provided by the publishers via NetGalley.

Put the words: strong female lead, vampires, tea and heist into the blurb of a book and I am picking it up.

Hafsah Faizal's "A Tempest of Tea" is the first book in a new duology starring orphan Arthie. Arthie and the brother she adopted years ago own a tearoom that turns into a vampire speakeasy by night. When the current ruler threatens to shut the tea/bloodhouse down, Arthie must form alliances with a misfit band of specialists to steal from the ruler.

I liked the world-building, including the descriptions of the city, the society and the vampires. It's obvious that Faizal drew parallels to the colonial history of the British Empire and the East India Company. I especially liked the descriptions of Arthie's tea concoctions, I'd love to try them. (I am sure at least one YA book box will pick up the theme and offer tea with the signed first edition.)

As soon as most of the backstories have been told the story lost a bit of its momentum. The plot now has to work towards the heist and it just didn't pack a lot of punch. I never felt on the edge of my seat to find out how they manage the next seemingly impossible part of the heist. The thrill was missing. I also didn't care very much for the seemingly inevitable YA trope of the love triangle. I really liked the found family vibes of the story and I am sure lots of readers will look forward to see how the romantic entanglements will unfold in the second book.

Although I think that Six of Crows had the better heist, I will certainly read the second book in the Tea and Blood duology.

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars

These are some very interesting characters that form a found family despite being very different. You will find yourself caring for them so much.
And I love a good heist story more than anything!
Sadly I couldn't immerse myself into the book as much as I would have liked to. I think with this book it's better if you're already in love with the world of Arawiya - so maybe read the We Hunt the Flame dilogy first? Honestly Laith was the most interesting of the bunch for me, so I'll definitely dive into the Sands of Arawiya and then maybe come back to A Tempest of Tea.
The audiobook is great, the narrator is calm when she needs to be and emotional when the plot gets heated.
All the concepts are super interesting and the cliffhanger makes me want book 2 despite all said above.
If you want to get to know the characters, look into the author's Instagram. I really enjoyed the reveals of the artwork!

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the eARC!

#ATempestOfTea #Arawiya #Netgalley #Bookstagram

It is truly sad how much this book wants to be The Six of Crows by offering only a tiny fraction of what Kaz's crew's story delivered. And I feel almost personally offended when a book tries so hard to mimic an existing story, while it should focus on developing its own original plot instead. Especially when it turns out to be so unengaging, with spectacularly flat characters.

Most of the promises from the blurb are only half delivered. This tearoom that everyone's talking about is shown operating only in the first chapter, so I didn't really have a time to understand what was so special about it. The vampire lore is underdeveloped and deplored of any enticing mystery, and for a book about vampires there are not enough vampires in it. The heist is boring and plot twists didn't make me feel anything (even though I didn't predict one, but I think the author chose wrong character for it). I read more about the preparations for the heist than about the heist itself and at this point it was hard to tell what was actually happening in the plot.
Arthie is used as this Kaz-like criminal mastermind, except there is no masterfully crafted scheme there or any interesting scheme at all, if I have to be honest.
But there are two romantic pairings, out of which one's chemistry comes from nowhere, and they feel hot for each other just because there needs to be a romance. The other couple is only slightly better, but the characters involved are totally forgettable.
Towards the end of the story we get a new character who we should care about as their death seems like a big deal, but we know almost nothing about them.

Although I feel the book has good intentions with anticolonial themes, everything else is so bland here, that they seem to be thrown into this story just to cross out a buzzword with booktok potential.

All in all I wasn't engaged at all.

The writing is fine, standard YA level, but nothing special. Audiobook is decent work, with narrator trying to use different accents for characters of various ethnic descent.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for a free audio arc in exchange of an honest review.

DNF'd at 30%
Whilst i have DNF'd this book, it wasn't necessarily due to the story and writing. It just wasn't a book for me. I sometimes can struggle with YA and just struggled to want to read this book and pick it up.
The writing style was easy to follow and the storyline did seem intriguing at times- just not enough to keep me wanting to read on.

In regards to the audiobook quality, it is very well made. I enjoyed the narrator and thought the voices suited the characters. It was well paced and quality is high- i would definitely recommend the audio book for this one and if i were to continue it would be through audiobook format.

A Tempest of Tea has been my most anticipated read [period] since it was announced over two years ago. I had just read Faizal's We Hunt the Flame so was extremely excited when I heard she was writing about vampires and arthurian legends and peaky blinders????
And oh my, it did NOT disappoint.
Easiest 5 stars I have probably ever given.

A Tempest of Tea is an incredibly rich and well-written novel, full of intrigue, suspense and just good ideas. It definitely has its comparisons, but it's still so unique.
Arthie is an amazingly well-realised protagonist - everything a YA lead should be. And as for the romance, Faizal KNOWS how to write one. It was great in We Hunt the Flame and it's even greater here.

I suspect this is going to blow up on release so get ready for a wild ride :)
Bring on book 2!