A Tempest of Tea

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.