heartbrekker's Reviews (797)

"It's teatime, scoundrels."

A Tempest of Tea was phenomenal.

"Family isn't who we live with but those we would die for."

It was worth the extra long wait this last year, and I've never been so happy to read and review a book early.

"Every good love story starts with a bullet to the heart."

I don't know what I was expecting going into this novel, but Hafsah blew me away immediately. You can tell as a reader of her previous work that her writing technique and style has grown immensely. She seems more confident with her writing, more sure, and it's reflected in the distinct POV characters/chapters as well as the characterization of supporting characters and the world building. If you're a fan of Peaky Blinders, Six of Crows, or even The Gilded Wolves, you'll have zero problem with falling in love with this new duology. It's a heist + vampires book—what more have we ever wanted?!

"It was hard to believe in fairy tales when she'd lived a nightmare, and it just so happened that legends were good for business."

WARNING: SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

Don't even get me started on the wider world building, particularly when it comes to Arawiya and Ettenia. The implications of the Arz curse on Arawiya's relationship to the rest of the world was one of my favorite gems in this new book because it's bridging that gap in our knowledge between what's happening within the Arz's borders during We Hunt the Flame vs. outside of them. Obviously, A Tempest of Tea takes place years (maybe a decade at most?) after the Arz curse was lifted, but Arawiya is still separated from the world due to the lingering aftereffects of the curse. Furthermore, Ettenia, our new main setting, is very similar to Great Britain's ruthless, colonizing history, much like the East Jeevant Company's comparison to the horrific East India Company. Ettenia does not hold control over Arawiya like most of the other countries/continents within the area, but I definitely have this feeling that Arawiya, specifically in the sequel, could be targeted or next on Ettenia's list. This is definitely a theory, but after learning about the Ram's weaponization of kidnapped and starved vampires for their own colonizing needs, I think it's safe to say the sequel will show us the in-person ramifications of this. And this honestly terrifies me in terms of what could happen to my favs in A Tempest of Tea or even back in Arawiya.

"Words themselves can't always unfold a person the way their writing can."

But enough after the broader setting and world building. I want to talk about this new cast of characters, and why I love them with my entire heart and soul. There are three POVs throughout the course of this first book, and all of them stole the show in their own unique way.

"And yet, there was something to be said about a girl who knew everything about everyone and a boy more mysterious than the moon."

Arthie Casimir is the lead of not only this book but also the leader of White Roaring's popular establishment Spindrift—a tearoom turned bloodhouse depending on the time of day. Her mauve tinted hair and masculine outfits mark her distinctly against the dresses other women wear in Ettenia, but she thrives off of that difference. Arthie is most known by the people of White Roaring for pulling the gun Calibore from a plinth, but what these people don't know is Calibore is no ordinary gun. Arthie and Calibore seem to have bonded on a magical, deep level, so the gun can change into any weapon of her choosing and can kill anything—even a vampire. But only Jin is privy to this knowledge from Arthie. Now for years, Spindrift has been threatened by the Horned Guards due to its apparent vampiric clientele, but nobody can find or show legal proof. Arthie very much falls into a similar category to other heist leaders like Séverin (The Gilded Wolves) and Kaz (Six of Crows). She's intelligent and sneaky, but also loyal and fiercely protective. I'd argue she's not quite as ruthless, but her sympathies are still not easy to come by. You mess with her Spindrift, and you get the claws.

From the beginning, I held the belief that Arthie was on some level of vampirism—whether full or half was the true question for me—so I was not surprised to learn of her half vampire status at the 2/3rd point in the book. Her starvation and coconut water drinking techniques to alleviate the desire for blood was heartbreaking to read. Arthie's been a strong character throughout the book thus far, so it was jarring to see her sink to her lowest when it comes to her toxic relationship with blood in this book and as a child. I was not anticipating her bloodlust as a half vampire child, so those moments brought tears to my eyes, especially the refugee boat scene soon after she first turns. I cannot imagine the self-loathing Arthie feels that brought her towards starvation as a tactic to quench her "monstrous" ways. I'm excited to see her journey towards self-acceptance in the sequel because this was only the first step towards healing her hatred towards the vampire side of herself.

"The one who draws Calibore free is our savior. The one who wields Calibore is Ettenia's right and true leader."

In sharp contrast, Jin Casimir is Arthie's second in command and closest confidant. Before the two met, he was eleven, and Jin lived with his scientist parents, who worked under the Eagle then Ram's clutches, and attended one of the most prestigious young boys' schools in White Roaring. One fateful day his home caught on fire and burned to the ground. Jin was unable to find his parents within the burning house and was ultimately saved by Arthie. He's always held a bit of hope that his parents survived, but in the meantime, he has grown to be a prime businessman for Spindrift's needs. He's charming and witty, well-dressed and flirtatious. The amount of times I'd blush or kick my feet in the air during his antics was immeasurable. He's definitely going to steal the hearts of many readers, particularly mine since he's my favorite character of this entire book lol. While I expected Arthie's vampire reveal, Jin's near death and subsequent turn into a vampire was a HUGE twist. My mouth was gaping like a damn fish on a hook as he lay bleeding out from the gunshot to his heart (the freaking foreshadowing of this to the first quote I included is insane btw) by ARTHIE'S FREAKING GUN CALIBORE. Stupid betrayer taking my girl's gun!! I was a MESS. I'm extremely curious to see the consequences of his vampirism on both his mental health and relationships, particularly with a certain sunshine queen herself...

"I'm not a plague, official. You broke your oath, and here I am. Your reckoning."

Which leads me into the third and final POV, Felicity "Flick" Linden. We learn early on that Flick despises to be called Felicity, so much like her forging talents, she's forged her own name for herself as Flick. She is the daughter of the renowned East Jeevant Company's head Lady Linden, and Flick is very much ignored/neglected by her mother. When Flick is brought into the heist by Jin and Arthie, she's initially wanting to double cross Spindrift and take the heist's item for herself to win back her mother's love and attention, but throughout the course of the novel, Flick's allegiance sways to her healthier and new found family. She's definitely the most naïve of the group because she never once expected her forging to lead her to jail, and she's been sheltered her whole life by her rich, powerful mother. Flick still continues to stick to her dresses and etiquette throughout most of the book, denying pants plenty of times until a particular sequence of events. Flick does shine the most during the heist, which is the first time we see her stark growth, and she holds her own against some of the most intimidating characters. I really think her storyline in the sequel is going to be EXTREMELY fascinating. Who would've thought the Ram is Lady Linden herself? NOT ME. What does this mean for Flick and her overall relationship to the Spindrift crew? Is she the Ram's one, true weakness? I have too many questions about this!

"Sometimes I think even vampires hunt for the flame. For the light. It's what we need to live, undead or otherwise, isn't it?"

The heist itself does not begin until the 62% mark of the book. The setup, albeit longer than anticipated, definitely held my rapt attention, especially at the end. Arthie and the crew are tasked with stealing a ledger from the infamous Penn Arundel who runs the Athereum (a vampire society). Laith Sayaad of Arawiya is one of the captains of the Horned Guard, and he comes to Arthie specifically for help in obtaining this ledger. By obtaining this ledger for the Ram, he believes this act of good faith can go towards saving Spindrift, which is CURRENTLY threatened to be overtaken and stolen via the Ram's forces. Arthie has zero intention of letting Laith take the ledger; she plans to blackmail the Ram herself—thereby saving Spindrift. Overall, I found the heist to be fun. It's not as detailed as some of the other heists I've read before, but by the 62% mark, I had realized this book is far more than just the heist. I was drawn in by the characters and their relationships, so I was focused more on their growth going into the heist and hopefully coming out alive. Surprisingly, the heist reveals Penn as Arthie's stepfather and protector during her childhood years in White Roaring before she runs away and starts her own path that leads to Spindrift. I found this to be monumentally more interesting than the heist itself, and I loved adding another layer of complexity to Arthie and her relationship to others/this city. This is the point where we learn of Arthie's half vampire background, and I was in tears by the end of it. Then, the kidnapped vampires via the Ram's nefarious, colonizer plans is revealed too. Upon reflection, the heist was meant to give us all of this knowledge, not necessarily be about stealing the ledger—if that makes sense.

"Stop punishing yourself by refusing to accept what you've become. Imagine your chaos, darling. Stop playing their games, and you can do some much worse."

The last thing I want to cover are the romances. I hinted at it earlier, but Jin and Flick are a romantic pairing. Their tension and interest in one another is the sweet romance of this book. It's very pure and warm, and I'm excited to see them finally act on their feelings in the sequel. I know Jin's vampirism is probably going to have him pushing Flick away because "she could never be with a vampire" blah blah blah, but I know they'll kiss eventually hehe. And I'll be anxiously devouring that scene when it does arrive.

Now the romance that is certainly going to cause chaos is the love triangle between Arthie, Laith, and Matteo. I have not talked about Matteo much, but he's a vampire added to the Athereum heist by Arthie. He clashes with nearly every other character, but he seems to have a particular interest and maybe even slight soft spot for Arthie. (I actually believe he may secretly be the Wolf of White Roaring, who was a half vampire that was allegedly let loose by the Ram on White Roaring and started the intense prejudice against vampires. I believe he has this soft spot for Arthie because he is also a half vampire that could not control his bloodlust and led to the slaughter of many people. I think Penn may have known this and taken Matteo in to help him get past that part of himself and now Matteo wishes the same for Arthie.) Readers are going to be feral when it comes to this love triangle. I can see people going for either side. The scene between Arthie and Laith when she bites/sucks his blood was quite frankly insane. Hafsah writes about the sexual nature of vampires (scene with Jin getting bit being the big example at the start of the book) and their biting, but she really digs deep into that during this scene. It's the first time Arthie has bitten someone in YEARS, and it's simultaneously a vulnerable, intimate moment for both of them. Too bad Laith uses this moment to try to get Calibore!!!! Freaking idiot and a half. Laith and Arthie are the main couple of this triangle in ATOT, but after the ending, I'm a bit unsure if this love triangle even still exists. The sequel will definitely be Matteo's time to shine haha. I'm rooting for him.

"What is a monster if not a man pushed to the brink?"

Overall, as you can see by this eternity long review, I loved A Tempest of Tea. Complexity is quite literally thrown into nearly every detail of this world and characters, and I was eating it up. I'm only sad that I now have to wait for the sequel. If you were not a fan of Hafsah's first duology, I URGE you to pick up this new one. I'm probably going to return to this review to theorize more, Calibore and Arthie specifically, but I have written enough analysis for now.

"Death bleeds red no matter the color of one's skin."

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

IMMEDIATE THOUGHTS:WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED. HOLY—

I’m not in the mood to finish this book currently. It hasn’t snagged my attention since those first 165 pages, so I’m taking a break. Hopefully, I can come back to it later this year.

"Better to pen a story of your own. Better to build your own house, with a foundation that was strong, with windows that let in plenty of light."

I have officially found my favorite book of 2023. I definitely didn't expect it to be a young adult book, but I'm certainly glad that it is Ava Reid's newest release.

“Lovely and dangerous and vast beyond mortal comprehension, the sea makes dreamers of us all.”

WARNING: SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

"I was a woman when it was convenient to blame me, and a girl when they wanted to use me."

"I know you think I am a little girl, and what could a little girl know about eternity? But I do know this: whether you survive the ocean or you don't, whether you are lost or whether the waves deliver you back to the shore—every story is told in the language of water, in tongues of salt and foam. And the sea, the sea, it whispers the secrets of how all things end."

Along with not expecting a YA book to become my favorite this year, I did not expect Effy to become the protagonist I connect to the most of Ava Reid's characters. I've always felt a particular bond to Marlinchen, so when I had to marathon A Study in Drowning because I could not get enough of this world or Effy, I was pleasantly surprised. Effy actually ended up comforting me in the most surprising circumstance. I had a triggering experience at my jury duty, and it was A Study in Drowning and notably Effy's constant push through her own anxieties that got me through that day. Her thought process (ex: her anxiety in thinking about the perceptions of her trauma from loved ones or strangers) particularly about Ianto and Corbenic were helpful for my own digestion of my youth and triggers. Effy's still coming to terms with her trauma and experiences—much like myself—and it was a balm on my heart to have her going through it alongside me.

"I will love you to ruination."

I think this book, much like Ava's other books, is going to comfort a ton of readers like myself and even help people start their journey to healing. I never thought Effy would bring so many emotions and tears out of me, but she is wringing me out to dry in the best way possible for my mental health. Effy and even Angharad's journeys will stay with me for as long as I'm able to hold them close.

"There's very little worse than when our heroes fail us, is there?"

Now getting beyond my own emotional attachment to this book—A Study in Drowning is the type of gothic, dark academia literature that I YEARN for and rarely ever find. It has the perfect blend of those genres with its own unique magic. I want dark academia in particular to branch out away from books like The Secret History because the genre has more to it than focusing solely on those narratives.

"But stories were devious things, things with agendas. They could cheat and steal and lie to your face. They could crumble away under your feet."

Moreover, Ava adds in some wonderful commentary and criticism between the North and South stereotypes and biases within A Study in Drowning's world. This tension between these two regions only intensified the mystery and world building of this world. I'm actually from the south here in the U.S., and while I don't believe Ava was basing this part of their world off of the US. north and south regions, I felt very vindicated in Effy and Preston's understanding and respect of the region. Their desire to actually understand the people living there rather than trivializing or stereotyping them was sooooo refreshing. It made their search for Myrddin's truth more genuine.

"I come for the girls who are left out in the cold. They cannot belong anywhere else but with me."

Furthermore, if you are a big fan of traditional faerie/fae lore, look no further than this book! While it does not taste immediate center stage, the faeries are an underlying current throughout the entirety of this book. A Study in Drowning is also one of the only examples I can give nowadays that actually leans into true faerie lore and not the ones dominating the romantasy genre. The Fairy King is terrifying and creepy. He feels like a culmination of so many nightmares and toxic men that thrive off of abusing their power. His deep, unsettling connection to Effy also made so much sense. Her being left by her neglectful mother in a clearing because she was believed to be a changeling just... it blew my mind to learn of that in the reveal. It also brought so much of her personality and relationships (mother in particular) into better perspective. I wanted to squeeze Effy so tight and never let her go in those moments. Lastly, in terms of the Fairy King, his final scene with Effy is one that still hasn't left me. It was electrically charged and horrifying. Again, Ava's callback to mirrors and faerie lore made this entire end to the antagonist so much sweeter. A lore-obsessed child using her own wits and intuition was a perfect conclusion to her big bad.

"Maybe the idea of constancy is what's actually terrifying. Fear of the sea is fear of the eternal—because how can you win against something so enduring. So vast and so deep."

Books overall play such a tumultuous relationship in A Study in Drowning. Honestly, it is very meta from Myrddin's role as a Sleeper all the way to Effy actually meeting Angharad. A Study in Drowning talks about authors, readers, the influence of books and literature on society, and I find that incredibly fascinating. I could write a whole entire thesis about the ins and outs of books' effects on society at large. Even Effy's own unique relationship to Angharad as a strong, independent female lead is a stepping stone on how ASID's world negatively depicts women besides this singular book. Without Effy's deep connection to Angharad, we would not have a plot. A Study in Drowning goes to show that books are not what they seem, same with authors, and while we may create our own assumptions about authors or books based off of the material, we do not know the reality behind the written word—or very few actually do. Readers abilities to revere authors and public figures is not a healthy lifestyle and usually will only lead to disappointment. Power almost always taints the wielder, maybe already has, and Effy's journey to understanding this was a long and hard one to read. But it was also beautiful in this coming of age story.

"Ret eo anavezout a-raok karout. 'One must know before loving.'"

Finally, I couldn't write this review without commenting on Effy and Preston's relationship. I am a slow build romance junkie. It will always be the best trope when don correctly, and obviously, A Study in Drowning did it perfectly. Preston reminded me a ton of my own partner in many of the scenes where he gives Effy the space or time to understand her own anxiety or feelings. He's the type of love interest, especially in young adult books, that makes me excited for young readers. He teaches respect and gentle love in the best manner possible. In the climax, I was shaking with horror as he was chained near the drowning basement steps. I was so stressed that not only something would happen to Effy (fuck the Fairy King), but that Preston would die immobile, knowing he could not do everything in his power to help her fight off the Fairy King. It was something that brought on his own trauma, and it empowered him and Effy's bond, their complementing of one another's strengths and weaknesses, when she came back for him. It's leads like Preston that make me excited for this age range/genre of books.

"Trees didn't die when they were cut down, did they? Their dying took months, years. What a terrible fate to endure."

Also, Ava Reid's acknowledgment to Zelda brought my tears back on full blast. I thought of Zelda many times throughout the course of this novel, and I even theorized Myrddin's wife was the actual writer of Angharad. It felt full circle to see Zelda referenced and remembered—believed in—in the acknowledgements.

"What defines a romance? All scholars seem to converge on a single point: it is a story that must have a happy ending. And why is that? I say, it is because a romance is a belief in the impossible: that anything ends happily. For the only true end is death—and in this way, is romance not a rebuke of mortality? When love is here, I am not. When love is not, I am gone. Perhaps a romance is a story with no end at all; where the end is but a wardrobe with a false back, leading to stranger and more merciful worlds."

Thank you to Harper's Children's team and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC. It was so special to read it early, and I'm eternally thankful. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The sea is a thing no sword can slay."