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indeedithappens's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Blood, Gaslighting, Classism, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Grief, Terminal illness, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Torture, War, Alcohol, Kidnapping, and Murder
rtaire's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Violence, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Vomit
azrah786's review against another edition
4.25
**I was gifted a copy by Titan Books in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, blood, injury, murder, death, death of parent, animal cruelty, animal death, terminal illness, medical content, grief, bullying, confinement, torture, sexism, misogyny, classicism
--
As a massive tea lover the mention of a magic system involving tea had me running to pick up A Magic Steeped in Poison and it did not disappoint!
Wracked with guilt after unknowingly serving her mother and sister poisoned tea, Ning is determined to do anything to save her sister. So when word from the Imperial Palace arrives inviting the apprentices of the Shennong-Shi (masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making) from across the kingdom to compete to be the court’s tea-maker, Ning is driven to participate by the promise of a favour from the princess for the winner.
However, being double-crossed by fellow opponents soon become the least of Ning’s worries as she unintentionally becomes entangled with the politics and conspiracies around court.
Judy I Lin’s prose is just as dreamy as the books cover and immediately draws you in to a page-turning story and setting imbued with spellbinding magic. Not only will the magical tea charm your senses but the vivid descriptions of places and all the mouth-watering food will undoubtedly immerse you fully into the world.
The pacing really keeps you on your toes in this one because the plot is just constantly rolling with Ning being swept away into the competition almost immediately. Now this tempo keeps up for pretty much the whole book and once you settle into the story it isn’t too much of a problem.
The only real place that I had an issue with it was when it came to the romance.. It definitely came around a little too fast and felt quite insta lovey which isn’t a favourite trope of mine. Though I will say the banter and spark that there was between the MC and LI was great, I just wish more development could have been shown between them on page.
That aside the overall plot was fascinating and though there were some twists that were a little obvious the political tensions of the empire were brilliantly woven around Ning’s personal story. Her love for her family was big driving force over the course of the story which I really loved and it was great to see wholesome female friendships there too!
Really looking forward to picking up the sequel!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
CW: violence, blood, injury, murder, death, death of parent, animal cruelty, animal death, terminal illness, medical content, grief, bullying, confinement, torture, sexism, misogyny, classicism
--
As a massive tea lover the mention of a magic system involving tea had me running to pick up A Magic Steeped in Poison and it did not disappoint!
Wracked with guilt after unknowingly serving her mother and sister poisoned tea, Ning is determined to do anything to save her sister. So when word from the Imperial Palace arrives inviting the apprentices of the Shennong-Shi (masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making) from across the kingdom to compete to be the court’s tea-maker, Ning is driven to participate by the promise of a favour from the princess for the winner.
However, being double-crossed by fellow opponents soon become the least of Ning’s worries as she unintentionally becomes entangled with the politics and conspiracies around court.
Judy I Lin’s prose is just as dreamy as the books cover and immediately draws you in to a page-turning story and setting imbued with spellbinding magic. Not only will the magical tea charm your senses but the vivid descriptions of places and all the mouth-watering food will undoubtedly immerse you fully into the world.
The pacing really keeps you on your toes in this one because the plot is just constantly rolling with Ning being swept away into the competition almost immediately. Now this tempo keeps up for pretty much the whole book and once you settle into the story it isn’t too much of a problem.
The only real place that I had an issue with it was when it came to the romance.. It definitely came around a little too fast and felt quite insta lovey which isn’t a favourite trope of mine. Though I will say the banter and spark that there was between the MC and LI was great, I just wish more development could have been shown between them on page.
That aside the overall plot was fascinating and though there were some twists that were a little obvious the political tensions of the empire were brilliantly woven around Ning’s personal story. Her love for her family was big driving force over the course of the story which I really loved and it was great to see wholesome female friendships there too!
Really looking forward to picking up the sequel!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death of parent, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Classism, Death, Terminal illness, Bullying, Confinement, Torture, Sexism, Grief, and Misogyny
haylzno's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The most unique magic system ever.
TEA. BASED. MAGIC. AHHHHH
Loved the competition setting, the found family of sorts, and the mystery.
The ending left me BEGGING for more!
TEA. BASED. MAGIC. AHHHHH
Loved the competition setting, the found family of sorts, and the mystery.
The ending left me BEGGING for more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Classism
Moderate: War, Death of parent, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Confinement
karcitis's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, War, Vomit, Torture, Bullying, Sexism, Animal death, Death of parent, Blood, Murder, Gore, Confinement, and Classism
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Police brutality
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to B2 Weird bookclub, Fierce Reads and Feiwel and Friends for a review copy in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
4.5/5 rounded up! I need everyone to pick up this book immediately!
A Magic Steeped in Poison features a magic system based on Taiwanese tea culture! This story follows Ning as she navigates the grief over her mother's death and trying to find a cure for her sister who is deathly ill. When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi, she travels to the imperial city to compete in the hopes that winning will grant her a favor to cure her sister.
Between dark court politics, backstabbing competitors and the challenging contest, Ning has her hands full. Not to mention Ning wasn't actually her mother's apprentice, so her knowledge about the art of brewing tea is not as strong as other competitors.
I was swept away by the world building and amazing magic system. I loved seeing Ning navigate the challenges of the shennong-shi. Competition books like this are some of my favorite fantasy books to read. The competition is so fun and cool. I loved the various events, except the one that involved birds. Ning's skill and magic was so freaking cool. I loved that she could do so many things with tea and I need her to come over and make me so magic tea.
I loved Ning’s character. She was curious, protective and dedicated. I have a feeling we’ve only seen the tip of her magical abilities and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the sequel.
Chinese coded cast. Cis female MC, sapphic female side characters, achillean male side characters, various side characters are poisoned and terminally ill.
CW: Violence, bullying, grief, death of parent, classism, animal cruelty, animal death, death, attempted murder/murder, blood, medical content, injury/injury detail. Moderate: alcohol consumption, misogyny, sexism, terminal illness. Minor: vomit, confinement, torture, war.
4.5/5 rounded up! I need everyone to pick up this book immediately!
A Magic Steeped in Poison features a magic system based on Taiwanese tea culture! This story follows Ning as she navigates the grief over her mother's death and trying to find a cure for her sister who is deathly ill. When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi, she travels to the imperial city to compete in the hopes that winning will grant her a favor to cure her sister.
Between dark court politics, backstabbing competitors and the challenging contest, Ning has her hands full. Not to mention Ning wasn't actually her mother's apprentice, so her knowledge about the art of brewing tea is not as strong as other competitors.
I was swept away by the world building and amazing magic system. I loved seeing Ning navigate the challenges of the shennong-shi. Competition books like this are some of my favorite fantasy books to read. The competition is so fun and cool. I loved the various events, except the one that involved birds. Ning's skill and magic was so freaking cool. I loved that she could do so many things with tea and I need her to come over and make me so magic tea.
I loved Ning’s character. She was curious, protective and dedicated. I have a feeling we’ve only seen the tip of her magical abilities and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the sequel.
Chinese coded cast. Cis female MC, sapphic female side characters, achillean male side characters, various side characters are poisoned and terminally ill.
CW: Violence, bullying, grief, death of parent, classism, animal cruelty, animal death, death, attempted murder/murder, blood, medical content, injury/injury detail. Moderate: alcohol consumption, misogyny, sexism, terminal illness. Minor: vomit, confinement, torture, war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Classism, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Grief, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Sexism
Minor: War, Torture, Vomit, and Confinement
etherisapoet's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Grief, and Classism
kwkich's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The cover art is absolutely stunning and was the first thing to catch my eye but even better than the beautiful illustration is the world building and characters within!
The magic system and framework for the world is a mesmerizing mix of a Chinese mythology, ancient tea traditions and wuxia and xianxia influences. There’s such a beautiful lyricism to the descriptions and a haunting mystery just waiting under the surface. This is a world that is just bursting with layers upon layers of secrets, devious backstabbing and courtly intrigue. Dreams and schemes living alongside immense greed and growing fear all wrapped up around a magic-infused tea competition.
But beyond the politics, at its heart, this is a story about how far a young woman would go to protect and save her family. It’s a beautifully woven tale of perseverance and strength and familial devotion.
Judy I. Lin has crafted an absolutely brilliant debut novel that is sure to thrill and delight. Without a doubt, Lin is a new author to watch for and what I can only expect to be a rising star in the YA fantasy world!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse and Slavery
bookbrig's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I received an ARC of this, and I'm excited to bring it to schools and discuss it with our teens. The writing is lush and beautiful, with mouthwatering descriptions of food and vibrant, tactile world building. There's mystery, danger, and twisting loyalties throughout. It's perhaps a dated readalike, but I think fans of Dhonielle Clayton's The Belles would love this as would readers looking for a fascinating magic system. As an adult reader, I wasn't the target audience for the often impulsive choices Ning makes, so the things that I didn't love probably won't be as much of an issue for our teen readers. One note, this ends on a major cliffhanger which is very rarely something I enjoy, and I didn't love it here. Still, highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Bullying and Terminal illness
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Thanks to Macmillan for the free copy of this book.
- A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON is gorgeous and action packed. The descriptions of the teas made even this tea hater want to try some of them.
- I did take some issue with the pacing in some parts, and didn't really understand and/or buy the motivations of some characters.
- However, if you're looking for an atmospheric, inventive read with a determined heroine, it's worth giving this book a try.
- A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON is gorgeous and action packed. The descriptions of the teas made even this tea hater want to try some of them.
- I did take some issue with the pacing in some parts, and didn't really understand and/or buy the motivations of some characters.
- However, if you're looking for an atmospheric, inventive read with a determined heroine, it's worth giving this book a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Medical content, Murder, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
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