This conclusion to the Blood and Tea duology brought back the characters that I enjoyed from book one. The rich world building continued and character development was satisfying. I enjoyed seeing the characters from book one back in action and absolutely adored the found family vibes between Arthie and her crew. The romance was included in just the right amount, but there was also plenty of emotion and heartbreak. While there was plenty of action and plot twists, this felt slowly paced, and I found it hard to stay engaged with the story at times. The main highlight for me was the theme of colonialism which was woven into the plot masterfully. It felt powerful and relevant.. The ending was unexpected and shocked me.

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advance copy!

6 stars!!!

I loved the first book in the series, so I was expecting to enjoy this too, but nothing could've prepared me for the absolute masterpiece this was. The writing is stunning (I had to copy down so many gorgeous quotes), the plot is engaging, the banter is witty and fun, the characters are the best. I can't decide on who my favorite character is. Help. Mateo is suave and flirty, Arthie is Kaz Brekker in female form, Jin is hilarious and Flick has grown from an insecure, timid girl to such a baddie!!! They're all so lovable. I have gotten so attached to all of them.

The romances are also so so so good. Mateo and Arthie have such good banter!! She is a very closed-off person and watching him slowly lower down her walls was so beautiful to watch. Jin and Flick are so cute too!!! He's constantly teasing her and she pretends like she doesn't like it, but she loves it, as do I. They're so fun and playful.

The found family they've created is one of the most heartwarming things I've ever experienced. These characters are all misfits and criminals that society, for the most part, ignores. Watching them create their own little special family was so special :,) they deserve all the love this world has to offer

Fun fact: the ending is one of the most excruciating, painful things I've ever read. Prepare yourself with lots of tissues and comfort food. Don't say I didn't warn you.

A STEEPING OF BLOOD by Hafsah Faizal is a satisfying conclusion to Arthie's story. Building upon the drama and magical world building started in a TEMPEST OF TEA, the sequel explores more into the world outside of White Roaring. (For readers familiar with Faizal's other works, there are a few callbacks and mentions!) The last third of the novel is particularly strong with non-stop action, quick pacing, and an explosive chase to the last line.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a freaking ending!!! The emotional damage is on a whole other level. I loved this so much that I wanted to read it as fast as I could to find out what happened. It’s fast paced with some interesting twists. I don’t read a lot of YA but this was done so great that it’s definitely in my top 10 for duologies.

When I received this book form Netgalley, I was excited to give it a try and see what was next in store for Arthie and her friends. And I've got to say, I really liked this book. It gave me vibes of Peaky Blinders and Ocean's 11 but with vampires and set in a fictionalized version of South Asia (particularly the India/Sri Lanka area). Plus, the plot twists and surprises at the end! (Don't worry, I won't give away any spoilers.) Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to when it's published later this fall so that I can purchase a copy to put on my bookcase (and to possibly read again at a later time).

*blog post review will be published 8-2-25

ofc the end of this book has me bawling lmaooo writing a review after i’ve had a few days to process but IM EMOTIONALLY DAMAGED <3

EDIT: (i’m currently writing this at three in the morning lol)

omg okay WELL, a lot of sequels tend to be disappointing for me BUT LET ME TELL YALL RIGHT NOW, that isn’t the case with a steeping of blood. i def was holding my breath for the first half wondering if it would live up to the first book; and wow wow it did all that and more 😭

the world building was just as rich and immersive but i think what really made me fall even more in love with this story and its characters was the growth we see in the whole crew <3 but before growth comes angst, heartbreak and tragedy, and Hafsah illustrates this beautifully- especially with arthie and flick~

flick my darling girl!!! if there was ever one fictional character i desperately need a hug from, it’s her. the way she flourished and was suuuch a bad ass and fought to survive to save her AND her newfound family gave me actual chills. i related to her on such a deep level and there were numerous times in this book where i just felt so damn proud of her!

arthie casimir, the absolute QUEEN that you are 🙌 so much character development on her end, i grew from feeling indifferent (if not oftentimes annoyed tbh) about her in ATOT, to admiring her, empathizing with her, and thinking “oh my god protect arthie at all costs, i adore her” in ASOB. some may think of growth as becoming more resolve or mature; maybe even building walls up, but in arthie’s case, it was the opposite that allowed her to thrive- her walls were knocked tf down and crumbled and still she allowed herself to become vulnerable during a time when her very existence was threatened multiple times! i mean i would have just called it quits by that point lol BUT MY GIRL ARTHIE IS A RESILIENT QUEEN

Hafsah created a lush story that throws light onto the despicable act of colonization and oppression, and also added a vampires meets peaky-blinders-esque element that has me absolutely obsessed!! I WILL NEVER RECOVER 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

tysm to netgalley for the chance to read the epic conclusion to the blood & tea duology:)

Grateful to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the e-ARC!

The sequel to A Tempest of Tea continues the story of Arthie, Jin, Flick, and Matteo as they deal with the aftermath of the Ram's slaughter of the press and the increasing tensions in White Roaring.

The story is action packed and exciting and I enjoyed seeing the expanded world building that took place within the empire. I thought the central concept of a battle between vampires and colonizers - and who really is the monster in that scenario - to be inventive and engaging. The story does wrap up very quickly and the resolution does feel a tad rushed, but ultimately satisfying. I highly recommend this book (and its predecessor) to anyone who enjoyed the Six of Crows duology - the found family of criminals getting drawn into a largely conflict is strongly paralleled in this story.

4.25/5 stars!

A Steeping of Blood picks up right where A Tempest of Tea leaves off, and I'd rate it the same at a solid 4 stars. It’s a story about vampires, revenge, and a fantastic dedication to colonialism (you suck). There is still a solid heist story running through it, but the stakes are higher this time. I appreciated how the characters had to process questions about loyalty, power, and the cost of rebellion.

I liked getting deeper into the world, exploring new places, and seeing the fallout of what happened in book one. The pacing was slower in spots, and there were some parts of internal character growth that felt a bit repetitive, but Arthie continues to be a compelling main character, and the secondary cast of characters really had their time to shine in this conclusion!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review.

I don’t know what happened with this book. The story itself was good. Really good. Creative, thoughtful, interesting. But for some reason, I kept setting it down. I’d read a few chapters, think “yeah, I’m into this,” and then just… not pick it up again for days. I think a lot of that had to do with the pacing being slower for a lot of the book and how the character development played out.

There’s definitely more going on here compared to the first book, and the characters share the spotlight a lot more. But because of that, the three POVs started to blur together for me. Instead of feeling like three distinct voices, it felt more like one collective voice split across chapters. I get that each character needed more development, but even moments like Flick wondering “What would Jin or Arthie do?” made it feel like I was still in someone else’s head, not hers. In the first book, their personalities stood out more clearly. This time, I never fully connected with any of them.

Except Matteo. He was easily my favorite. I kept wishing we could’ve gotten a POV from him too. He felt like a fully separate person, who didn’t blend in.

I really enjoyed that the vampire lore felt more original. These vampires aren’t lurking in the shadows or stalking people through alleys. They’re just... trying to live. Like, live a normal life and blend in and not get accused of crimes they didn’t commit.

The way it handled colonization and displacement really worked for me. It wasn’t preachy or overdone, it just mirrored a lot of what’s happened in real life, and it did that in a way that made sense for the story. It gave the world more weight without slowing things down, and it made the stakes feel more real. You could draw the parallels without the book having to spell them out.

That ending? Yes and no. It wrapped things up in a way that made sense, but I didn’t love how it played out. I can’t say much without spoiling anything, but there was a turn that pulled me out of it a little. I didn’t hate it, it just left me feeling kind of... meh. I wanted to be more into it than I was.

This book brings Arthie and the gang on another heist, this one with more stakes (literally and figuratively). If you're a fan of Six of Crows and want something with similar vibes, heists, and a bit of magic, you'll like this series. I gave book 1, A Tempest of Tea, 4 stars and would rate this one the same. I love the vampire lore Faizal has created, but I wasn't particularly attached to the romances, which is what took away one star. I did really enjoy the ending and found it very satisfying, especially since it deviated from the norm. I would love to read a short, slice-of-life story with these characters post-epilogue! Overall, I found this one to be a very enjoyable read!

Continuing from where A Tempest of Tea left off, A Steeping of Tea provides Arthie and her ragtag crew with another mission: stopping the Ram and the plot against vampires—this time with even higher stakes. Only now, things aren’t nearly as organized as their original heist. They have plenty to lose, even after having just lost so much. With how the first book in the Blood and Tea duology ended, I was very much looking forward to how its sequel would compare; I was especially looking forward to further insight regarding who the Wolf of White Roaring really is, what exactly had happened to Jin’s parents, and why the Ram is so determined to ruin the image of vampires.
I loved the found family aspect in this book. The way the characters were able to come together from such different backgrounds and work against a common enemy was satisfying, and the interactions between them—especially the sibling dynamic between Arthie and Jin—felt so natural. The world-building is rich and diverse, from the streets of White Roaring to the tropical setting of Ceylan, and the theme of colonialism and its downsides is quite clear.
I’m not sure if I’d say I liked the sequel more than A Tempest of Tea, but it was still quite enjoyable and definitely had just as much of an impactful ending as the first. There was plenty of action, twists, and tense moments in this conclusion to the duology. I feel as if there could’ve been a little more information—on the Ram’s motives, for example—provided throughout the story, but all in all, the ending was satisfying enough—if a little bittersweet.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the eARC and the chance to read early.

A steeping of blood picks up where a tempest of tea ends.
The entirety of this book I was on the edge of my seat. I did not know what was going to happen, nor did I expect what actually did happen. This book is the perfect ending to the series and now I'm sad it's over.
Highly recommend you pick this book up if you liked A Temptest Of Tea.

to say I loved this duology would be an absolute understatement.

this book was so well executed. I never actually predicted what would happen, never knew what to expect and constantly in a state of shock and awe.....idk that I will ever be okay after this book

This was a long-anticipated release for me after the first book, A Tempest of Tea, literally blew me away with how much I loved the characters and the intense and politically charged plot. That being said, I unfortunately feel as though this conclusion was a letdown compared to how I anticipated liking it.

There were things that I very much enjoyed, the main being Flick’s character development. She really found confidence and owned it throughout the novel. We love a badass, independent woman and Flick DELIVERED. Not to mention, fans of Flick + Jin will be pleased to know that the flirting and banter come through . . . when they are around each other. And while they do not interact as much as in the first book, we get pathetic, pining Jin which is just as an immaculate flavor. Chef’s kiss. Thank you Hafsah Faizal for feeding us well.

I will also say that Jin wasn’t the only pining man . . . we get so much more Matteo and Arthie. Lord have mercy, the things I would do for this man. But more importantly, we get so much more character development between these two as well, including Arthie in her shy-girl era. Love that for her! And while I love the characters individually, and in their relationships, I love the found family element even more. It is one of my favorite tropes, and we see this continue throughout the novel which was a joy to read.

But while I obviously loved the characters, I enjoyed the continuation of the politically charged elements of the plot, including a more in-depth discussion of colonization and the harm it causes those forcefully displaced.

However, there were things I really disliked that I wasn’t anticipating from such an anticipated conclusion, including the pacing. There were moments that the plot pacing felt incredibly slow and seemed to drag on, followed by fast-paced advancements in the plot that felt too rushed. This was especially apparent when it came to the Ram, the villain and, as revealed at the end of the first book, is Flick’s mother. I felt that her role in the novel wasn’t as fleshed out as I was hoping for. We didn’t get a decent explanation for her motive, besides a very quick reveal towards the end, which wasn’t given much depth. This was severely disappointing.

It was also an issue when it came to Jin’s parents, which were revealed to be alive, according to Penn before his death in book one. This was one of the main plot points of the book. Without spoilers, they didn’t have enough page-time, nor were they given enough development to make me care enough about them as characters. It almost felt like they were devices used to further the plot and Jin’s development, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but was frustrating for me at least.

Aside from these issues, I was most disappointed with the ending. I refuse to give spoilers, but please keep tissues handy and know that not everyone gets a happy ending. It was such a sudden moment at the end of the book that there really was no time to soak in what had happened, nor was there enough discussion following said event. I felt utterly BETRAYED. I honestly just refuse to believe the ending is real. There has to be another book, right? Right?!

All-in-all, I was expecting . . . more? I kind of wish Faizal had made the book longer and really dived into the elements of the plot, side characters and ending in more detail. I’m really bummed, but I just can’t bring myself to rate it any higher, you know?

Our favourite Arthie is back in action with her crew. The story opens with Matteo rescuing Arthie from Ram, Jin being turned into a vampire, and Flick hiding in disguise. Right from the start, the book is action packed and the pacing doesn’t let up.

One of the best parts of this series is how the characters start facing their pasts and rebuilding broken relationships. Arthie and Jin’s evolving bond was especially moving, and we see more emotional depth from them both. And Flick truly shines here.

The book is packed with thrilling, exciting scenes with little bit of tension, and emotional moments to balance it all out. And that ending? Completely unexpected. I still haven’t recovered.

A Steeping of Blood picks up right where A Tempest of Tea left off, and it’s captivating… until it’s not. I disconnected somewhere in the middle and really struggled to get through the story. Then it picks back up at the end for a stunning and emotional conclusion. While I liked the story and its characters, the chapters are so short, and the narrators are constantly switching, which was distracting and hard to keep track of. Then at the same time the middle of the book felt like it was dragging. It’s still a wonderful story, and I loved the overall journey of Artie, Jin, Flick, Matteo, and their allies and enemies. It might not have the ending that you are hoping for, but it’s still a satisfying and fair conclusion.

While there were some parts that moved unbearably slow, I will say that Hafsah Faizal writes some of the best kissing scenes ever. Wow. So while A Steeping of Blood wasn’t necessarily my favorite, it still had some fantastic moments and is definitely worth the read. Thanks and gratitude to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing the eARC via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this sequel to A Tempest of Tea. Overall, I gave this 3/5 stars because of the following issues. First, the plot development was pretty well done. The only issue I had was that the plot twists were few (which can be perfectly fine) and mostly easy to guess.
****SPOILER*****I guessed from the beginning that Laith was still alive and that Jin's parents would likely die (this was evident through how emotional the reunion was and how long Jin had searched for his parents). I did not guess that Matteo would die - though, in hindsight, I should have expected it with Laith's return and Matteo's willingness to advocate for his fellow vampires.
Despite this, I still really enjoyed the plot. Also, I enjoyed the pacing of the plot. The only part that confused me was the timeline leading to the tribute. With how the perspectives changed from chapter to chapter, I lost track of how close the characters were in time to the tribute. This could be easily fixed by adding a line below the chapter number and character name (for example: "three days before the tribute"). Just adding that additional line below the chapter number and character name at the beginning of the chapter would really help. And it's really only needed for those chapters leading up to the tribute.
My second main issue was characterization - and only for Matteo - and only for the first chapter. I thought it odd that the first chapter was in Matteo's perspective (which, okay, I was happy to go with), but then his feelings for Arthie were almost obsessive (which seemed odd to me with how the first book ended). Then - there was never another chapter in Matteo's perspective - which also seemed odd - so the reader never really returned to Matteo's feelings.
Overall, I really enjoyed this sequel - and I hope that the author writes a third book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I approached A Steeping of Blood with some hesitation. While I enjoyed aspects of A Tempest of Tea, I found the first book uneven, slow to start, with a rushed ending and underdeveloped character dynamics. Still, the cliffhanger ending had me curious to see how the story would unfold in this sequel.

To its credit, A Steeping of Blood is a stronger, more engaging read. The pacing felt more consistent, and I found myself more invested in the characters’ fates. The writing style, too, felt smoother, less disjointed in its transitions and more focused overall.

That said, I still found myself wanting more in terms of character and relationship development. While I rooted for Arthie and Jin and their growing connections with Matteo and Flick, those relationships didn’t fully resonate or evolve in a way that felt emotionally satisfying. And though the plot twists were executed well enough, they weren’t particularly surprising.

Overall, this was a more enjoyable sequel that showed growth in writing and structure, but it still left me hoping for deeper emotional payoff. Fans of the first book will likely find enough here to enjoy, especially those eager to see how things resolve, but it may fall short for readers looking for richly developed character arcs.

My goodness what a story! To be back with Arthie and her crew was a joy but this story was a rollercoaster of emotions. Reading about each of the characters struggles and growth left me reeling in so many ways. I fell in love with these characters and it left such a mark I know I will carry this story with me for forever and highly recommend it. The near ending had me in tears and the very end had my heart up in all of my feelings. Having JUST finished this book it has left me a bit at a loss for words but I loved this story so very much and it was an adventure that I can't wait to share and recommend to all my book friends!!

WHAT A SEQUEL.

I was nearing the end and I was like wow this is wrapping up too nice and predictable and then BAM- think again.

A Steeping of Blood follows Jin, Arthie, and Flick as they fight to take down the Ram after pulling off (kind of?) a messy heist in book one. Vampires vs humans but it doesn’t have to be. Searching for Jin’s parents and anything that can help against what’s happening with the Ram, there’s a bit of a sea adventure, lots of cute YA love, and me being sad. If you loved a tempest of tea - you will love this book too.

I was really impressed with everyone’s character development while Arthie had my heart in book one and still did in this one, Flicks development was really special to watch. This book has so much found family and fighting for survival.

As the dedication says “to colonialism: you suck”

Thanks for the ARC - can’t wait for this book to be out!!