I have been looking forwards to A Tempest of Tea for ages now. All someone had to tell me was a tea house and I screamed sign me up! I am so excited for the rest of the world to read this teahouse meets vampire fantasy. Keep reading this book review of A Tempest of Tea for my full thoughts.
Summary
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 upon a band of misfits, Arthie formulates a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not every member of her 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.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
In A Tempest of Tea Arthie just wants to save her tearoom. And what starts out as a quest to save our home, turns into a story about revenge, decade long secrets, and pulling a rug out of the secrets of this society. With a group crew dynamic, and multiple POV, A Tempest of Tea is a fantasy world steeped in colonization, in vampire lore, and heists. Set in the same world as We Hunt the Flame, this is a world of dangerous secrets, information as currency, and sharp edges.
It’s a world where having information is having leverage. I can definitely see where the Peaky Blinders comparison comes in! Loyalty is forged in fire and sacrifice. It’s a world where there’s the burden and danger of standing out. A Tempest of Tea was entertaining and action packed. While I think I missed a bit of emotional connection regarding their motivation, I had such a fun time reading. It’s one of those situations where I knew the motivation – to save their home, for the ones they loved – but because of the action, I was missing a few moments of quiet connection and introspection.
Overall,
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A Tempest of Tea very much is about the mix of betrayal, love, and allegiances. I wanted to know a bit more about the history of the vampires – since it’s also been a while since I read the first duology – I hope we will get more context in book two. This series opener asks us if we let rage fuel us or dictate us. However, I love books about transformation. About what happens when we rise from ashes of what we knew, so I’m so excited for book two!
Find A Tempest of Tea on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.