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leedolee's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
A great debut!
This novel was such a great read with an interesting, fast-paced storyline! I absolutely enjoyed reading about this mystical art of tea brewing and the magic it possessed. I love reading books about competitions held in a kingdom's capital and about the political turmoils that occur within a nation.
I also enjoyed reading about the relationships between all the main and minor characters within this novel and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!
This novel was such a great read with an interesting, fast-paced storyline! I absolutely enjoyed reading about this mystical art of tea brewing and the magic it possessed. I love reading books about competitions held in a kingdom's capital and about the political turmoils that occur within a nation.
I also enjoyed reading about the relationships between all the main and minor characters within this novel and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, and Death of parent
bookishpriest's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
An engaging young adult (YA) fantasy novel in a setting inspired by imperial Chinese history. The magic system is fascinating and meshes well with the worldbuilding going on around it. The plot is surrounded and influenced by politics, court intrigue, and family secrets from more than one tree.
The characters are interesting, though both they and the resulting plot are frequently predictable. In the middle section of the book there were a few moments where the characters' motivation for their actions was unclear and I had to do a double-take to figure out why events were unfolding as they did, but none of it was derailing. Just a few speed-bumps. There was good 2SLGBTQ+ representation in the cast with characters who had personalities and roles beyond their sexualities while also demonstrating some of the necessary nuances of living as members of a minority group in this world.
Carolyn Kang does an excellent job narrating the audiobook, giving an easy to listen to performance with plenty of drama but never overtaking the story with her own personality.
Overall a very enjoyabler read and definitely recommended if you like mystery, tension, and a great fantasy setting.
The characters are interesting, though both they and the resulting plot are frequently predictable. In the middle section of the book there were a few moments where the characters' motivation for their actions was unclear and I had to do a double-take to figure out why events were unfolding as they did, but none of it was derailing. Just a few speed-bumps. There was good 2SLGBTQ+ representation in the cast with characters who had personalities and roles beyond their sexualities while also demonstrating some of the necessary nuances of living as members of a minority group in this world.
Carolyn Kang does an excellent job narrating the audiobook, giving an easy to listen to performance with plenty of drama but never overtaking the story with her own personality.
Overall a very enjoyabler read and definitely recommended if you like mystery, tension, and a great fantasy setting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Confinement, Gore, and Medical content
theespressoedition's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Alright, well, that was a book.
Tea-based magic system? Yes, please.
Magical completion almost reminiscent of Spin the Dawn? Sign me up.
Secret prince blamed for his father's actions and no clue whether he's good or bad? Tell me more.
Ridiculously convoluted politics, history, and lore with final chapters so packed that there's no way to really decipher what just happened and you're left feeling dazed and confused about the whole thing? Yeah, that's where things went awry.
I had high hopes for this one. I really did. The cover is absolutely breathtaking and tea magic piqued my interest immediately. However, much of the story was drawn out (reminding me a bit of JLA books with tons of detail and description of what's happening and the events leading up to that moment) and then the last few chapters had so much information crammed into them that I lost track of everything. I would say I needed to go back and reread, but I felt like none of the necessary information had really been divulged earlier on. It just all happened and I was left scrambling for purchase.
I'm on the fence about wanting to read the sequel. On one hand, I'd like to see how everything turns out for Ning. On the other hand, if I read the sequel, WILL I even understand what happens??? The world has yet to know.
Tea-based magic system? Yes, please.
Magical completion almost reminiscent of Spin the Dawn? Sign me up.
Secret prince blamed for his father's actions and no clue whether he's good or bad? Tell me more.
Ridiculously convoluted politics, history, and lore with final chapters so packed that there's no way to really decipher what just happened and you're left feeling dazed and confused about the whole thing? Yeah, that's where things went awry.
I had high hopes for this one. I really did. The cover is absolutely breathtaking and tea magic piqued my interest immediately. However, much of the story was drawn out (reminding me a bit of JLA books with tons of detail and description of what's happening and the events leading up to that moment) and then the last few chapters had so much information crammed into them that I lost track of everything. I would say I needed to go back and reread, but I felt like none of the necessary information had really been divulged earlier on. It just all happened and I was left scrambling for purchase.
I'm on the fence about wanting to read the sequel. On one hand, I'd like to see how everything turns out for Ning. On the other hand, if I read the sequel, WILL I even understand what happens??? The world has yet to know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Violence, Death, and Vomit
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
clovelatte's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Grief, Death of parent, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
kartoffel_00's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
8th July 2022:
Wow okay where do I begin.
This book has a lot going for it but also has some very obvious flaws. Especially in the beginning. The pros are the beautiful lore and the fascinating magic system. If this duology ever has a book based solely on exploring the lore and the magic I could get lost in it for days. It was that beautifully written and arranged.
Yet its glaring flaws are in the character interactions. Some things are clearly happening because the author is pushing it to be so. It completely took me out of the story and I very much disliked that part. I also hated the instant attraction elements at play here.
It could be just my suspension of disbelief not being that low but I couldn't believe the interactions were natural and the protagonist's desperation behind her actions seemed weak many a times. I couldn't be convinced.
The plot really staggers until the very last moment though understandably since this doesn't feel like a plot focused book.
My final rating: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars.
Wow okay where do I begin.
This book has a lot going for it but also has some very obvious flaws. Especially in the beginning. The pros are the beautiful lore and the fascinating magic system. If this duology ever has a book based solely on exploring the lore and the magic I could get lost in it for days. It was that beautifully written and arranged.
Yet its glaring flaws are in the character interactions. Some things are clearly happening because the author is pushing it to be so. It completely took me out of the story and I very much disliked that part. I also hated the instant attraction elements at play here.
It could be just my suspension of disbelief not being that low but I couldn't believe the interactions were natural and the protagonist's desperation behind her actions seemed weak many a times. I couldn't be convinced.
The plot really staggers until the very last moment though understandably since this doesn't feel like a plot focused book.
My final rating: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars.
Content Warnings
Minor: Torture, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and Violence
Except SH and violence all the rest of the content warnings are mentioned in passing and not descriptive. SHhaylzno'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 against another edition
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
pvbobrien's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Violence, Death, and Grief
thereadingskeleton's review against another edition
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
4.5
Thank you to B2Weird Book Club, Fierce Reads, and Feiwel & Friends for an ARC in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
Rep: East Asian cast (Taiwanese author), achillean side character, sapphic side characters
What a gorgeous book—and I’m not just talking about that breathtaking cover. This is such a fun, fast-paced read, and it had me hooked from start to finish.
If I had to choose the shining star of this book, I’d say it’s the unique magic system. I’ve never read anything quite like the tea-making magic of the shennong-shi, and that’s a shame because I absolutely adored it. Tea is such a natural part of the world, so obviously ingrained in every aspect of the culture, and that makes it the perfect venue for the world’s magic.
The characters, too, though, shine. So often, side characters (and even love interests!) end up being dull and flat, but here there are so many compelling characters in the cast that it’s almost a shame (because we don’t get to spend enough time with each of them!). What I loved most about the characters is that many of them have mysterious or murky motives. Their reasons aren’t always immediately clear—and in fact are sometimes downright unfathomable—which is how people really are. People are very rarely easy to read, and I definitely appreciate the author trying to capture that here.
Other highlights include the lyrical prose and a cliffhanger ending (this is the first in a duology) that will have you fighting not to throw the book against the wall.
I will say that this is a pretty plot-heavy book. There’s quite a bit going on, and it does sometimes feel like too much. Because of this, as I mentioned before, we don’t get as much time as I personally would have liked with all of the interesting characters. I think it ultimately balances out (and I imagine YA regulars won’t have many complaints about it), but if you’re happier with books that are character-focused and lighter on plot, this might not be your cup of tea (pun intended).
Rep: East Asian cast (Taiwanese author), achillean side character, sapphic side characters
What a gorgeous book—and I’m not just talking about that breathtaking cover. This is such a fun, fast-paced read, and it had me hooked from start to finish.
If I had to choose the shining star of this book, I’d say it’s the unique magic system. I’ve never read anything quite like the tea-making magic of the shennong-shi, and that’s a shame because I absolutely adored it. Tea is such a natural part of the world, so obviously ingrained in every aspect of the culture, and that makes it the perfect venue for the world’s magic.
The characters, too, though, shine. So often, side characters (and even love interests!) end up being dull and flat, but here there are so many compelling characters in the cast that it’s almost a shame (because we don’t get to spend enough time with each of them!). What I loved most about the characters is that many of them have mysterious or murky motives. Their reasons aren’t always immediately clear—and in fact are sometimes downright unfathomable—which is how people really are. People are very rarely easy to read, and I definitely appreciate the author trying to capture that here.
Other highlights include the lyrical prose and a cliffhanger ending (this is the first in a duology) that will have you fighting not to throw the book against the wall.
I will say that this is a pretty plot-heavy book. There’s quite a bit going on, and it does sometimes feel like too much. Because of this, as I mentioned before, we don’t get as much time as I personally would have liked with all of the interesting characters. I think it ultimately balances out (and I imagine YA regulars won’t have many complaints about it), but if you’re happier with books that are character-focused and lighter on plot, this might not be your cup of tea (pun intended).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Blood
mmccombs's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
This was a compelling story that kept me engaged and excited for the sequel. The plot was snappy and the political twists and turns were fun to follow along with. I didn’t really connect with Ning and thought she was just coincidentally around in a lot of the plot points that drove the story forward. I also don’t really enjoy when characters are just randomly incredibly talented (in this case in the art of magic through tea) with no indication that she worked for that talent at all. This magic system seemed to hinge on both natural talent in addition to training, so it seemed strange that Ning was so powerful without her even being aware of it even though we are told training is important. In the end I really had fun reading this and will be on the edge of my seat for the 2nd installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Terminal illness
Moderate: Violence
Minor: War