I’m feeling torn over how I feel about this book because I loved the first book, but found it difficult to get into this one. I am an audiobook enthusiast, so that may be the disconnect. I am going to revisit the story once the audio is available, I don’t think it would be fair to pass judgement right now as it’s a me problem.

A very intense read. The extremely serious topics were very needed but it doesn’t make it any easier to consume. I enjoyed it quite a bit but def not a happily ever after type book.

This wasn’t my favorite, but I know students will love it. Perfect for readers who love Six of Crows.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me this eARC.

I give this a 3/5 stars. I think I need to sit with this book a little more. This fell flat for me because I felt that a lot of it was filler. I felt there was a disconnect with the characters in this compared to the first. I read them back to back but I am not a fan of all the POVs. I do however liked the action and how many twist and turns there were. Some will really like it but others may be expecting too much.

This book said “I’m gonna drown you in blood, betrayal, and bisexual yearning” and honestly? I let it. Arthie is spiraling, the gang is fractured, Matteo’s heart is one heartbreak away from exploding, and everything burns. Literally. White Roaring is a mess. We’ve got vampire politics, hot people being sad and angry, and a heist so stressful I nearly bit my own nails off. The drama is gothic, the romance is intense, and the found-family tension is hotter than dragon breath in a tea shop.

But also? The pacing be trippin’. One chapter’s punching you in the throat with emotion, the next one drags like it’s trying to remember what story it’s in. Some plotlines got abandoned like yesterday’s leftovers and that ending—whew. It wanted to be tragic and moving but lowkey felt like someone hit fast-forward and left me sobbing in confusion. Still, I respect the chaos. It’s messy, it’s moody, and it tastes like blood-spiced chai. Would I read it again? Hell yeah. Would I scream while doing it? Also yes.

I loved "A Tempest of Tea" and I'm happy to say that I loved "A Steeping of Blood" just as much!

Tempest ended in chaos and betrayal and it would be so easy to rush through the aftermath of that to move the story along, but Hafsah doesn't. She shows us how the characters struggle with the changes within themselves as well as with the changes in their family. The team continues to move forward in their charge to unmask and unseat the Ram while simultaneously wrestling with all the revelations brought about at the end of Tempest. I love the honesty there.

I also love that the story doesn't lose steam. With the Ram's grand event only a couple weeks away, Team Spindrift has to keep moving to unravel the Rams ledger - and quickly! The story is fast-paced with plenty of twists and turns . . . and heartbreak. A wonderful, engaging read!

Absolutely loved this as a series finale. So much action, so much blood, and the found family moments gave me all the feels. Arthie and Flick’s growth was top tier. That ending though… I’m wrecked. It was epic and hopeful but also completely heartbreaking.

A great ending to the series, Lots of action and blood for sure. The found family trope is front and center and gives all the feels. My only complaint is the ending it was perfect and heart breaking all at the same time. Like why did my favorite character have to die....

I am DEVASTATED by the ending. A satisfying conclusion to the gang's story, but definitely not a HEA 😭 We got our epic love story for sure, and it concluded in an epic fashion. Everyone went through traumatic events this book, and recovering is a group effort. The story moved fast and had a lot of surprises and I'm so so heartbroken by the ending, but the story ended with hope.

This was a good sequel to The Tempest of Tea. I liked the characters and the overall story. The pacing of this book was a little better than the pacing of Tempest of Tea, but pacing was still an issue for me with reading this book. I found myself picking it up and putting it down several times. Mostly, I was invested in the outcome of the story.

Arthie's crew is worse for wear after the heist at the Athereum. With two more of the crew now vampires and another member presumed dead, they are even more determined to bring down the Ram, Ettenia's ruthless ruler.

I'm really mixed on this conclusion of the duology. I continued to enjoy these characters and the themes of found family, but I struggled to get invested in this story. It left me unsatisfied with the resolution. That said, this may be a good read for you if you enjoy:
- YA books
- Found family working to fight colonizers
- Vampires

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on 9/23/25.

OH. MY. FANGS. 🖤🩸
This sequel didn’t just deliver, it drank my soul through a velvet straw. With one twist after another, the plot had me on the edge of my seat—heart pounding, popcorn forgotten, completely hooked. If A Tempest of Tea had you hooked, A Steeping of Blood will have you screaming, sobbing, and slow clapping in awe. Hafsah Faizal served high stakes, sharp twists, and vibes so darkly delicious I’m still recovering.

It’s bloody, it’s bold, it’s everything a sequel should be times ten.

Tropes you’ll love:
🩸 found family with fangs
🫖 morally gray mastermind
🦇 vampire rebellion
🔥 betrayal and loyalty
📚 slow burn angst
🎭 secret identities and schemes

Huge thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), Hafsah Faizal, and NetGalley for this dark gem. A Steeping of Blood releases September 23 so get it on your TBR yesterday.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book. I was so excited when I was approved for this book and was eager to get back to the Peaky Blinders world of Arthie and Jin. I highly recommend listening to the show soundtrack while reading. The Vampires were perfect, the plot was great, and the storyline wrapped up nicely. I loved the character growth and development of Arthie and Flick the most in this one. I am a huge fan of Hafsah Faisal and I feel like her writing gets better every book. I loved that she chose to take on colonialism as the real villain in these books and I think the way she did it was expert. I have really enjoyed reading and hearing her and her spouse promote these books and I loved that in the author’s note she flat out blames Cayce for one of the emotional twists. So anyway, I think he is a bad influence and I don’t forgive either of them. This book was definitely more heartbreaking than I was expecting, but that didn’t keep it from being engaging till the last page. I hope she writes more in this world with the characters. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves Six of Crows, or just really entertaining books with great writing.

I was excited to get this arc for this book. I enjoyed the first book. This book was fun to read a little bit of a slow burn .

Hafsah Faizal can do NO wrong! This epic conclusion to Tempest of Tea was PHENOMENAL! After the cliffhanger Tempest ended on, I have impatiently waited for the second book in this amazing heist-y vampire duology. I could not be more satisfied with the ending Faizal has given this series. There were plot twists I didn't see coming and character development I craved! The found family makes my heart melt! The way the importance of the colonialism issues are still strong in the second installment and didn't lose any focus is so impactful. I have no notes because Hafsah ate and left zero crumbs! I can't wait to get my preordered copies of this as well as the special editions! The series is an absolute must read!

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book on NetGalley. My review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal.

I have been a devoted fan to Hafsah Faizal since We Hunt the Flame. Reading her second duology has been a special journey and she packed so much into this sequel.

In A Steeping of Blood, we see Arthie rise back form the trenches to finish what she started and fight back against the Ram. I enjoyed the banter once again between the characters and found myself laughing a few times out loud.

The heist sometimes felt disconnected making this entire plot one of my not so favorites. However, the characters really save the day on this matter and make reading about them interesting.

I love Jin and Flick! And am depressed that Laith did not get enough page time. Matteo was a gem.

Through laughter and tears, I made it through this vampire, heist, tea-filled book!

Hafsah Faizal does it again. I loved Tempest of Tea so I had big hopes walking into its sequel. I am so happy that it was essentially perfect. I think the end could have been a bit longer and more detailed but I feel good about the duology now that it's over. These characters have become a family that I'd like to be a part of and I feel fiercely protective of them. Fingers crossed maybe we get another look into this world in the future.

This book wrecked me in the best way. Hafsah Faizal really said "what if we made everything worse before we made it better?" and I was just along for the ride. Arthie’s anger and grief felt so sharp and real—I loved how messy she is in this one. She's unraveling, holding it together with teeth and thread, and I couldn’t look away.

The tension between the characters? Immaculate. Every alliance felt like it could break at any second, and the betrayals hit hard. I kept flipping pages just to see who would make it out alive—and who wouldn’t. Also, the slow-burn romance? Torture. Delicious, painful, worth every second.

There were a few moments in the middle where I lost the thread a bit—like the plot was catching its breath—but once it picked up again, it did not stop. That ending had me staring at the wall like, wow, okay, guess I’ll just sit with this ache now.

Not a perfect book, but it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Four stars, because while it didn’t quite stick every landing, it absolutely bled for its story—and I respect the that.

Arthie and her crew are in a state of disequilibrium. In order to take down the Ram, they will need to come to terms with all that has transpired and what has become of their relationships with one another.

This sequel to A Tempest of Tea was just as thrilling, edge of your seat adventure and just as funny as the first. The team is going through their challenges, coming to terms with their identities, growing and wondering if they still connect to each other as strongly as before. The emotional growth was realistic and the connection with one another was healing. These characters are so lovable and I never wanted this book to end!

If you enjoyed the first, you will love the second!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to the eARC of this book!

A Steeping of Blood had me hooked from the dedication to the acknowledgments. This book is a beautifully heartbreaking story of strife, imperialism, growth, love and loss. The found family aspect of this book and its predecessor are beyond words; the characters feel like they become part of your own family while also being there for each other.
The twists in this book kept me guessing and my jaw dropping to the floor, but nothing was ever too convoluted. Both of these books paint a beautiful and real picture of the world while still giving you the taste of fantasy that is so very popular right now.
It has been an absolute pleasure to be part of this journey and to live and love these characters. May we all save the world and have our tea as well.