A Tempest of Tea

Starred review from December 15, 2023
Bestselling author Faizal returns to the universe of We Hunt the Flame (2019) with a stand-alone duology opener. Orphaned Arthie, brown-skinned with mauve hair, has created a criminal empire out of sheer pluck despite being Ceylani in Ettenia, where laws favor white people. She pulled legendary pistol Calibore from a stone plinth (though the prophecy that doing so would make her the nation's leader turned out to be a hoax). She's also built Spindrift, a teahouse-cum-bloodhouse, where she gathers secrets from wealthy humans and vampires, amassing power and security. Now Arthie has her sights set on vengeance--and the Ram, Ettenia's masked monarch. When she and Jin, her brother-by-choice (who's cued East Asian), are drawn into a heist, they assemble a diverse crew of immigrants whose roles riff on genre archetypes. The lush prose pulses with feeling as revelations are dropped and the tension ratchets up, keeping the pages turning as the motley gang plans to infiltrate a vampire society, retrieve a stolen ledger, and double-cross one of the Ram's guards (who might be planning to double-cross them). Their ultimate goal: taking down the colonizing Ettenians and the exploitative East Jeevant Company. It's all very exciting right up to the action-packed finale, which promises more conspiracy and (hopefully) justice to come. This compelling read offers interesting commentary on our society while feeling entirely real within the context of its own worldbuilding. Crowd-pleasing fun laced with political fire: a winner. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)

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Starred review from January 22, 2024
After mauve-haired, brown-skinned Arthie Casimir—an orphaned youth from a colonized island who lives on the streets—gains notoriety for drawing the legendary pistol Calibore from a stone, she opens Spindrift, a popular tearoom by day and a “bloodhouse” covertly frequented by vampires and their thralls at night. Arthie and her staff, along with her chosen brother Jin, who reads as East Asian, gather the secrets of their moneyed patrons, using their influence to improve their own lives in White Roaring, the impoverished capital city of the gluttonous Ettenia empire. Arthie soon learns that the monarchy’s armed guard is plotting to take ownership of Spindrift and shut it down for good, until a ranking guard presents Arthie with a deal: retrieve a stolen ledger capable of destroying the guard to save Spindrift, and possibly bring down the monarchy as well. In this captivating duology opener, Faizal (We Hunt the Flame) crafts a steadfast love letter to the security of found family, the strength and struggles of immigrants thriving in the face of violent colonialism and white supremacy, and the wondrous experience of a good cup of tea. Faizal draws on well-known adventure tropes then delightfully subverts them via sumptuous writing, making for a sublime heist novel and revenge tale. Ages 14–up.

February 15, 2024
Grades 9-12 There are vampires in White Roaring, and by night, Arthie's tearoom, Spindrift, caters to them (illegally). Arthie, who came to the British Empire-like Ettenia as a child, following the brutal colonization of her homeland, forged a living in White Roaring, where she would never be powerless. Spindrift is the seat of her power; the city's laws may not be kind to immigrants (or vampires), but Arthie trades in secrets and favors. So when Spindrift is threatened, she cuts a deal with an enigmatic figure from the city guard who almost certainly has ulterior motives. With her livelihood on the line, Arthie assembles a crew for a heist that could not only save Spindrift but also expose the rot at the very core of their nation--if they survive. Six of Crows (2015) readers may be disappointed by the slow start and broad strokes of this heist, but the true strengths of this series opener are its nimble critique of colonialism and its layered, mercurial characters. And then there's that cliff-hanger: hold on for book two.

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February 1, 2024

Gr 10 Up-Arthie runs Ettenia's notorious Spindrift; tea house for humans by day, blood house for vampires by night. Arthie's masterful secret collecting and infamy as the owner of the pistol Calibore shields her establishment. But when Spindrift is threatened by Ettenia's tyrannical ruler, the Ram, Arthie strikes a deal with a mysterious young man, putting together a small crew to pull off a heist at the vampire's elite stomping grounds, the Anthereum. Set in a paranormally enhanced country inspired by historical England, Faizal dives into the impact of colonization, driven by the powerful and greedy rulers. Savvy readers will immediately recognize key components that tie this story to the author's "Sands of Arawiya" duology, expanding the world to a country where Peaky Blinders meets Arthurian legend. Shuffling between three points of view (Arthie, Jin, and Flick), the story balances mysterious intrigue and budding romances quite well. The quips and wit between characters infuse the plot with humor as the crew learns that to beat the Ram, they must stop playing by society's rules. Add in the spine-gripping revelations at the end, and readers will be scrambling for more. Additionally, tea drinkers will emphatically appreciate the ode to tea championed by the diverse cast throughout. VERDICT Sweet danger abides in this heist novel perfect for fans of Faizal's first duology and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.-Emily Walker

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