A surprisingly sweet ending to this duology, A Venom Dark and Sweet continues Ning’s adventure in hunting down the root of the poisoned tea that killed her mother.

While I felt this half of the story was more straightforward than the first book, the magical elements really came to the forefront here. If dramatic, slightly star-crossed lovers separated by an all-consuming evil are your jam, then I recommend you read The Book of Tea. It isn’t a complex story, but I enjoyed its simplicity and the magical world it took place in.