A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows. 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. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

DNF 33% Too slow and boring.

+1 star for babygirl Jin.

arthie casimir runs spindrift, a tearoom that transforms into a blood house for vampires at night. her business is threatened and as a result, her and a ragtag group of outcasts have to set out on a heist.

this novel has:

a heist

high stakes

vampires

talks of colonialism and racism

found family

and a set of diverse characters

i think this book really shines when it comes to the characters and all the complex dynamics between them. i especially loved the dynamics between arthie and jin. there is always something special about found / chosen family in fantasy books for me. i liked that it had multiple POVs as well. it really helped get to know the characters since we do follow quite a few in this book.

the romance was always super fun to read. the tension and slow burn was a very enjoyable aspect. i liked the push and pull that was going on that made me want to yell at the characters at times (in the best way).

the action scenes were very well written, in my opinion, and kept me on the edge of my seat. i find in books like this, the action scenes can really make or break the book and thankfully they made it in this case. there was also plenty of twists and surprises thrown in that added a lot of fun to the reading experience.

the audiobook narrator captured the characters personalities very well and kept me engaged the whole time. there were rarely times that mind wandered while listening.

overall, i had a really fun time reading this book and, especially with the ending, i cannot wait to read the next book! would highly recommend this one.