I absolutely loved the narration for this audiobook, and found the writing incredibly atmospheric. A deeply original story concept; compelling, morally grey characters, and fascinating settings. Would recommend for lovers of historical fiction and dark academia, even though it’s not exactly/strictly a dark academia story.

Wow this was…not good. The pacing was poor and the overall writing struggled. I was extremely disconnected from all of the characters except Flick and Jin. This was a shame because the Arthie/Matteo/Leith love triangle took up <i>so</i> much room and I felt nothing for any of them. I especially couldn’t understand their attraction to each other. As you’re reading, you can see the tension written on the page be each pairing, but something about it feels so insincere that it ultimately falls flat.

There were some predictable twists, other rather creative ones, and one that comes to mind that seems so laughably ridiculous that it feels like something someone would invent in a comedy sketch poking fun at YA vampire romance. I do think this has the makings of an interesting series, however, this first book was trying so hard to be <i>Six of Crows</i> without any of the writing prowess and careful plotting that it became nothing more than a pale imitation which fell apart upon further perusal.

<b>OVERALL RATING:</b> 2 stars.

<i>A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners for this arc!

5/5 stars!

This was FANTASTIC!! I absolutely loved this. Maya Saroya was a brilliant narrator for this. Her accents not only brought more depth and individuality to each character, but I didn't get confused who was who once. All the characters had such complex personalities and rich and painful backstories it wasn't difficult to get swept up in this book. The found family aspect was really lovely, and the twists were great! Vampires and heists, such a fun combo! BUT THAT ENDING!! Pain. I can't wait for the next one!

The setting is what really drew me to A Tempest of Tea - underground criminal activity, vampires, a tea house by day and blood house by night. This is accurate but the story is so fast paced and there were so many characters, that the setting takes a back seat almost immediately. However the fast paced plot and the characters are what kept me wanting to read. The story took so many turns I was always on my toes, but the author left time for slower moments to explore the characters backstory’s and their relationships with one another. The found family element is very heartwarming. I will say, Arthie was not my favorite (which I think will change in the installment), but the other characters really made up for that. All in all this is a really good YA fantasy, but I think it either needed to lean more into the setting or the marketing needed tweaked.

One fun bonus for the audiobook is the interview with the author at the end, which I really enjoyed. It scratched the itch of immediately wanting to discuss a book after finishing it.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

At first I wasn't going to review this because I found the narrator so challenging that I couldn't finish it. However, I've now read the book and feel informed enough to provide a review.

What I liked: The story. It's a great blend of coziness, character development, intrigue and adventure. I loved the world the author created, and would enjoy reading more about it.

What I didn't like: The narration. It was what made me stop the audiobook before I finished it. She has a perfectly lovely voice, but it is so monotone and soothing that I found myself nodding off frequently and it was really difficult to follow the story. I actually think this would be great as a graphic audio/full cast production because the characters are such an important part of what makes the book great. It's a shame when they all start to blend together because of the narration.

Overall, I would recommend the print or digital book, but not the audiobook. 3/5 stars as a balance of good story and bad format.

This was a fun read. I liked that it was a bit darker and grittier than Faizal's previous works. I can't say it was the most exciting or original story, but it was certainly enjoyable. I think most fantasy lovers would like it. I will definitely read Faizal's next book.

When I hit about 30% of the way into this book I called it cozy Six of Crows with a nod to King Arthur featuring vampires. And that's mostly true, though I think the "cozy" part does disappear. At that point we were still vibing in the tea shop, and not on the actual heist.

That being said, I don't have a single clue what happened in this book. I was mixing up characters, the plot was lost on me, but I had a great time! I don't think this is because the book is confusing, I think it's because my brain was doing other things while listening and honestly I was just here for the vibes, which did deliver. So probably 3.5 stars, but I'm going to round it up to 4 just because.

Anything compared to Peaky Blinders is an instant win for me. This book was a bit hard to follow at times, but the narration was nice.

“Imagine your chaos, darling. Stop playing their games, and you can do so much worse.”

If it has a hiest and a found family plot, I’m in. Add in vampires? I couldn’t ask for more. A Tempest of Tea was a fun ride. It was angsty, needy, and brimming with possibility. Banter for me is always key and the dynamic they group had was just perfect. I wish the book was longer so we could explore the dynamic more at length but I am incredbly excited for the sequel.

“She was forged of shrapnel words and gunmetal bones. An enigma wrapped in tailored armor and voilet-gray curls.”

Reading this made me slightly dissappointed in myself for not picking up We Hunt the Flame yet. They way Hafsah Faizal writes is poetic and sharp, which fits Arthie as well as her suits do. Everything, even the bloody parts, were vivid.

The plotline of this story was captivating and stood as great set up for what’s to come. There’s a lot of hype around this one and it definitely lived up to it for me. To anyone who read and loved The Gilded Wolves and SoC, you’ll feel right at home.

What was the last book that lived up to the hype for you?

Ahhhhh I loved this book so much!!!! It was my first Hafsah Faizal book and I quite enjoyed it. I loved the cast of characters and the plot was engaging as well! I can't wait for the sequel.

I did not card for this one as much as I thought I would as a vampire story. I felt the writing could have been better for character development and the story deeper. It was just ok for me

"Every good love story starts with a bullet to the heart."

Vampires meet Peaky Blinders meet Six of Crows.

This book had a lot of potential. Listening to the audiobook and having watched all of Peaky Blinders helped set the scene for this novel, but the world was not set up in a way that made sense without that background, which was disappointing.

I found it hard to visualize the world at large. White Roaring is a city in Ettenia, an island surrounded by other larger nations it colonized (giving the United Kingdom). Ettenia is ruled by a council (never mentioned who they are or how they came to power) with an appointed monarch. The monarch wears a mask? It reminds me of the Chinese zodiac, with each ruler taking an animal's face- Ram, Eagle, Fox, etc. The current ruler is the Ram, who, since vampires became public knowledge twenty years ago, has cultivated the people's fear of vampires.

Arthie Casimir has built a name for herself in White Roaring. By day, she runs Spindrift, a respectable tearoom, but it transforms into something darker at night. Each night, the blood-house opens for business, operating right under the nose of the Ram and the Horned Guard. After Ettenia overtook her home, she set her sights on one thing, and one thing only- vengeance.

She and her partner Jin have found power in White Roaring with the help of Calibore, her magical pistol. In true King Arthur fashion, Calibore was lodged in a plinth in the town square. Legend states that whoever pulls the pistol free is to be the savior and true leader of Ettenia. Arthie is that special special, and she could pull it free.

I only understand all of this now that I have gone back through it to review it. This book had such a clunky, slow start and middle- I only became invested in the story once I was roughly 70% in. Lots of the plot doesn't make sense or seems unnecessary. The heist felt forced, like a knockoff of Six of Crows. I appreciated the aspect of found family. I liked the different POVs, but given that there were five main characters and only three had POVs, it was obvious who wasn't being upfront about their motivations.

It doesn't make sense overall. I wanted it to because I liked the characters, but man, was it character-focused. I'm a plot girly, so I couldn't help but poke holes when things didn't make sense. I zoned out while listening to the audiobook because it dragged on and on until the 70% mark when I switched to reading it on my Kindle because I could not focus. I loved the narration, so it was nothing against that- I couldn't track the lack of plot.

I enjoyed the prose of this book. Hafsah Faizal has a beautiful writing style, especially in describing the characters' pining and budding romance.

"And then you would use your mouth to cut me down in the most wicked of ways, and I realized I'd met countless men and women but never my mirror."

"And now I've found a kindred spirit whose heart beats for the same pain."

"A wound must be tended before it can heal, but oh my sweet, what you will unleash once you're free from that tether."

I look forward to reading the next book because I enjoyed the conclusion, but I wonder if I would have kept reading if I hadn't planned to review it.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I thought this had a lot of promise, and for the most part it held up to that but I did find it hard to really focus on and didn't really relate to the characters. I think I may try this as a physical copy at some point, maybe when the next book comes out, and see how I like it then! The narrator wasn't the problem and in fact I liked their voice a lot.

There was a lot going on in this book.... a lot of really fun ideas.. so many so that I never really got to immerse myself in any of them as much as I would have liked.
Was there a heist? Sure... but it felt like an afterthought by the time we got to it. It was quick and over with and almost felt an extra thrown in.
The tea house was a wonderful setting... an then we were gone. No more time in the beautifully described teahouse, with it's wonderful potential.
Arthie was wonderfully terrifying, in control and amazing... and there was quite a cliffhanger/reveal at the end that definitely has me waiting to read the second book, just to see where it all goes. She's also sort of a special, potential hero because she pulled the mythical "gun from a stone" and she just has it. That's it. It's cool and all... but it's just sort of there? No one seems to care that she has it?
Jin, her bestie that she rescued after his family was killed in a fire, also shared POV chapters, and was delightful, loyal and smart and a little flirty.
Flick was fun to follow as well. A wealthy woman's adopted daughter, ignored and bored, she takes up forgery to help the staff get some necessary days of and it just progressed from there into a bit of a side business... that led her to Jin and some real trouble.
Everyone had ulterior motives while planning the heist, but none were terribly nefarious (well except for Arthie wanting to betray the Guard, but that's rather understandable, as he represents the government holding them all down. Until she seems back and forth on it as he's rather dreamy and carries a kitten he found around with him?)
There was so much I loved about this book individually... the Teahouse.. a mysterious guard who totes around a kitty, Flick, a gun in a stone myth, a Teahouse/blood room for vamps to feed safely, just.. Flick... but it just never felt like it all meshed well together. It was just too many lovely ideas that never got their fair share of page time.

I would have really loved a story about Arthie and Jin running the Teahouse, helping their friends, investigating the disappearance of vampires (yep! another plot line running around in there!)



Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I gave this book 4/5 because its character are really great but the story telling did occasionally lose me. But I really did enjoy the parts that I could follow

I thought the narrator was great. Loved listening to her. I was a little disappointed in the book however. I was so excited for this one and I was over half way through before I became invested. I couldn’t “bond” or connect with the characters. I felt it jumped around in the beginning too much and left me lost it ended strong however. I might enjoy it better a second time around.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. The narrator made the book for me honestly! She made the characters jump to life in my mind and I was never wondering who was talking. She was amazing!

Overall the story was really interesting and had some good twists and turns. I really enjoyed the cast of characters and how the world was built. I am looking forward to the sequel and how it builds on this one.

2.5 and rounding up.
This has an intriguing premise, but it was a lackluster read, and something about the writing style was very disorienting. I was listening on audio, and by the time we were half way through I still was having trouble differentiating between the characters. They all felt like the same person, and there were many times within a POV that it felt like the POV switched even though it didn't. It was a frustrating listening experience.

The comparison to SIX OF CROWS has been mentioned to death, I do agree they have similar vibes, which I certainly would have counted it as something in it's favor, however, the things that make the found family/heist thing work in SIX OF CROWS, just didn't come together very well in this one.

I think a young YA audience will probably love it, more than someone like me who only dips in and out of YA and is comparing it to something like SIX OF CROWS.

I do want to mention that the voiceover did a great job, and it was nothing on their end that made the listening experience difficult, that is fully the responsibility of the author's writing style.

***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

3 out of 5 Stars

Ehh it was okay just not necessarily for me. The entire time I was just kinda bored but not enough to DNF it but the writing was good so I'll probably give her other series a try.

I did not finish this book. While there was a lot of characterization and intriguing world-building, I found the audiobook really hard to follow. I may not have been in the right headspace for it, so while I did not finish, I don't think that reflects on the quality of the book.