Early Review – A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, Book 1) by Hafsah Faizal (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: February 20, 2024
ASIN : B09JMX14J7
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Blood and Tea series
Source: eBook through NetGalley for Review
Rating: 5/5 stars
“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 dark and 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.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Blood and Tea series. I got an eGalley for this for review through NetGalley.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this a lot. This was a fun read in an intriguing world with a lot of interesting characters and a bit of a heist feel to it as well. This is the first book I have read by Faizal and it made me want to go back and read her other duology (Sands of Arawiya).
The world building here is well done. You have a world with corrupt politics, vampires, and an empire trying to take over everything. The characters are intriguing too. Arthie is a tough young woman with a lot of secrets but her teahouse, the Spindrift, is her life. When it is threatened she assembles a crew to get it back. The crew consists Jin (co-owner and like a brother to her), Flick (a young woman with a noble background who is a wonderful forger), Matteo (vampire artist); and Laith (mystery boy who works for the enemy but wants to switch sides).
This is fast-paced and well done. I really enjoyed the characters and some of the twists and turns to the plot. This has a very Ocean’s Eleven or Six of Crows feel to it at points but with vampires and deadly world politics. There is a bit of a steampunk vibe to this as well because Jin excels at building clever contraptions.
The writing style feels a bit juvenile at times but was still easy to read and follow.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this book it was a fun and fast-paced read. There are quirky characters, intriguing contraptions, a bit of a romance, lots of action, and deadly politics. It was a well done blend that I found entertaining. I look forward to the next book in the duology and will probably pick up “We Hunt the Flame”, the first book in the Sands of Arawiya, to read at some point as well.
