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Tea Princess Chronicles #1
A Coup of Tea
When the fourth princess of Istalam is due to dedicate herself to a path serving the crown, she makes a choice that shocks everyone, herself most of all: She leaves.
In hiding and exiled from power, Miyara finds her place running a tea shop in a struggling community that sits on the edge of a magical disaster zone. But there's more brewing under the surface of this city—hidden magic, and hidden machinations—that threaten all the people who've helped her make her own way.
Miyara may not be a princess anymore, but with a teapot in hand she'll risk her newfound freedom to discover a more meaningful kind of power.
In hiding and exiled from power, Miyara finds her place running a tea shop in a struggling community that sits on the edge of a magical disaster zone. But there's more brewing under the surface of this city—hidden magic, and hidden machinations—that threaten all the people who've helped her make her own way.
Miyara may not be a princess anymore, but with a teapot in hand she'll risk her newfound freedom to discover a more meaningful kind of power.
402 pages, ebook
First published May 12, 2017
About the author
Casey Blair
13 books146 followersCasey Blair writes adventurous fantasy novels, including the completed cozy fantasy series Tea Princess Chronicles and the action anime-style novella Consider the Dust. Her own adventures have included teaching English in rural Japan, taking a train to Tibet, rappelling down waterfalls in Costa Rica, and practicing capoeira. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest and can be found dancing spontaneously, exploring forests around the world, or trapped under a cat.
For more information visit her website caseyblair.com or follow her on Twitter or Instagram @CaseyLBlair.
For more information visit her website caseyblair.com or follow her on Twitter or Instagram @CaseyLBlair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
October 26, 2022
Look, I need escapism as much as the next person who's living through *gestures vaguely*, but I have my limits. I was willing to buy the story of Miyara, a princess, who randomly and without any planning decides to run away from home with nothing but the clothes on her back. I was willing to accept that she is almost immediately offered a job. Because after that it got quite cute. Miyara works in a tea-shop, makes friends and tries to solve minor problems. I would have loved a book that is just some low-stakes magical tea-shop shenanigans. It would have been delightful escapism. But that's not what this book was about. No, it needed to be high-stakes. And for that, Miyara has one conversation that makes her realise her privilege and then she immediately goes off and fights gentrification and internalised racism.
Yeah. Escapism is great but I am too cynical for this.
Yeah. Escapism is great but I am too cynical for this.
October 27, 2022
I had the opportunity to back the Kickstarter for A Coup of Tea earlier this spring, which means this lovely book arrived on my e-reader earlier this year and has been waiting ever so patiently for me as I've battled my reading slump. This story is actually a bit of a re-read for me, as I also had the chance to read a draft of it when it was first posted as a web serial. I really enjoyed it then, and sinking back into it now has been a delight, and definitely helped me continue to pull myself out of this slump.
Princess Miyara is Not Your Typical Princess in the best of ways--she wants to serve her people, but can't find the way to do so in the roles that have been laid out for her. At the point of choice, when she's expected to ritually dedicate herself to a particular path, she does the unthinkable and takes the back door out, effectively disowning herself. But she still wants to serve, and as she sinks into a new life working at a tea shop at the far border of her kingdom, and begins to truly understand the plight of refugee populations living there, she begins to find her way. This is very much a story of a privileged person learning to leverage their abilities and knowledge to act as an ally, while both protecting those they are supporting and doing their best to center their voices. It's a delicate balance, and Miyara doesn't always get it right, but kudos to Blair for writing a story that models allyship in a fantasy setting.
Add in a snarky witch, an assassin bodyguard, a tour guide for the Cataclysm, an aristocratic villain, a magical teapot, and a gentle and sweet romantic subplot, and really, what more could you ask for?
Princess Miyara is Not Your Typical Princess in the best of ways--she wants to serve her people, but can't find the way to do so in the roles that have been laid out for her. At the point of choice, when she's expected to ritually dedicate herself to a particular path, she does the unthinkable and takes the back door out, effectively disowning herself. But she still wants to serve, and as she sinks into a new life working at a tea shop at the far border of her kingdom, and begins to truly understand the plight of refugee populations living there, she begins to find her way. This is very much a story of a privileged person learning to leverage their abilities and knowledge to act as an ally, while both protecting those they are supporting and doing their best to center their voices. It's a delicate balance, and Miyara doesn't always get it right, but kudos to Blair for writing a story that models allyship in a fantasy setting.
Add in a snarky witch, an assassin bodyguard, a tour guide for the Cataclysm, an aristocratic villain, a magical teapot, and a gentle and sweet romantic subplot, and really, what more could you ask for?
April 30, 2022
If you think you'd like a novel about a privileged outsider finding romance and demanding social justice, written *earnestly*, then this may be the book for you. It was not the book for me. A fun twist toward the end did bump up my rating to a 3, and made me glad that I stuck with it and finished the book, but I have no desire to read the rest of the series.
I liked the characters and world, but did not like the writing. The author would benefit from a good editor.
I'd recommend this to an idealistic teenager.
I liked the characters and world, but did not like the writing. The author would benefit from a good editor.
I'd recommend this to an idealistic teenager.
September 5, 2022
This book was a struggle. We follow a princess who turns her royal role of service to the crown. She then goes into hiding and that’s when the adventure is supposed to begin. But, it doesn’t.
What I liked about it at first was the female friendship, which I always want more of. However, that was not enough to save this book. The MC just has everything magically work out for her. She’s super privileged and tries to understand the “outcast” or what appears to be the group of people who face racism, but it comes of as “white savior” type trope. The politics did not work for me.
This book takes a lot from Asian culture, being Asian, I tend get a little worried when non-Asian authors do this. While nothing seemed disrespectful, it didn’t really feel like it worked. The setting and characters don’t feel Asian, yet they are doing, wearing, and eating a lot of things that are Asian. I’m not saying it should be cancelled, and to other people it might work. But for me it just didn’t feel relatable at all.
Halfway through I felt so bored. It was really hard to keep reading. There are some twists, and some romance but meh.
I just didn’t like the MC. I did like her friends.
I think this would be a 3 star and that’s being a bit generous.
What I liked about it at first was the female friendship, which I always want more of. However, that was not enough to save this book. The MC just has everything magically work out for her. She’s super privileged and tries to understand the “outcast” or what appears to be the group of people who face racism, but it comes of as “white savior” type trope. The politics did not work for me.
This book takes a lot from Asian culture, being Asian, I tend get a little worried when non-Asian authors do this. While nothing seemed disrespectful, it didn’t really feel like it worked. The setting and characters don’t feel Asian, yet they are doing, wearing, and eating a lot of things that are Asian. I’m not saying it should be cancelled, and to other people it might work. But for me it just didn’t feel relatable at all.
Halfway through I felt so bored. It was really hard to keep reading. There are some twists, and some romance but meh.
I just didn’t like the MC. I did like her friends.
I think this would be a 3 star and that’s being a bit generous.
December 13, 2022
After reading the rather heavy and depressing Native Tongue, I wanted something light and undemanding to read. A Coup of Tea was ideal for this purpose. Initially published as a web serial, it is a cosy fantasy that follows Miyara, a princess who resigns from the monarchy and starts a new life working in customer service. The setting is a fantasy world with a variety of magic types: innate and learned, controlled and dangerous, mundane and wild. There is some theological importance to the elements, but no indication that magic can be subdivided in such a way.
I particularly appreciated the practical applications of magic as a technology. Magical kitchen appliances (e.g. rice cookers, ovens, hot water systems) are ubiquitous, but no magical phones, radios, or signs of industrialisation. The economy still seems to be based on local trade, guilds, and cottage production. A peaceful world, or it would be were it not for the villain: gentrification! I can’t believe I’m comparing this light and fun fantasy novel to The Wire, but it is similarly focused on urban poverty as an outcome of processes rather than the fault of one individual. I found this far more interesting than fantasy plots where the villain is That One Evil Wizard.
A Coup of Tea is easy to read, amusing, and cute in a good way. Rather than magic, the element that required the most suspension of disbelief for me was Miyara’s self-awareness and ability to have deep emotional conversations with people she’s just met. So I decided these were her magical powers, which made it reasonable. After fleeing royal life, she rapidly finds friends, a home, and a job thanks to these abilities. It’s endearing to follow her progress as she becomes part of a community, negotiates workplace conflicts, studies for an exam, falls in love, and resists gentrification. Comparisons with The Wire notwithstanding, this is a gentle and enjoyable character-driven fantasy rather than being intense and allegorical. It’s a nice rest from the brutalities of fantasy series like She Who Became the Sun, Jade City, Foundryside, Iron Widow, etc - not that I don't enjoy them too. If you don’t mind a narrator who tells you all of her feelings all of the time, I recommend reading A Coup of Tea during winter evenings while curled up under a blanket.
I particularly appreciated the practical applications of magic as a technology. Magical kitchen appliances (e.g. rice cookers, ovens, hot water systems) are ubiquitous, but no magical phones, radios, or signs of industrialisation. The economy still seems to be based on local trade, guilds, and cottage production. A peaceful world, or it would be were it not for the villain: gentrification! I can’t believe I’m comparing this light and fun fantasy novel to The Wire, but it is similarly focused on urban poverty as an outcome of processes rather than the fault of one individual. I found this far more interesting than fantasy plots where the villain is That One Evil Wizard.
A Coup of Tea is easy to read, amusing, and cute in a good way. Rather than magic, the element that required the most suspension of disbelief for me was Miyara’s self-awareness and ability to have deep emotional conversations with people she’s just met. So I decided these were her magical powers, which made it reasonable. After fleeing royal life, she rapidly finds friends, a home, and a job thanks to these abilities. It’s endearing to follow her progress as she becomes part of a community, negotiates workplace conflicts, studies for an exam, falls in love, and resists gentrification. Comparisons with The Wire notwithstanding, this is a gentle and enjoyable character-driven fantasy rather than being intense and allegorical. It’s a nice rest from the brutalities of fantasy series like She Who Became the Sun, Jade City, Foundryside, Iron Widow, etc - not that I don't enjoy them too. If you don’t mind a narrator who tells you all of her feelings all of the time, I recommend reading A Coup of Tea during winter evenings while curled up under a blanket.
July 13, 2022
This is a lovely little YA story of a princess finding her own way and building a found family in the process. It is reminiscent of Tamora Pierce for me, very nostalgic since I grew up on those kinds of fantasy stories.
As other reviewers have noted, this is a very earnest story, and I think it works well for its genre. It has some very nice rep without being an information pamphlet or feeling performative. I think it has good messages, even as it is delivered a little blatantly.
Plotwise, it has a fun adventure/fantasy plot with the requisite mean villain who is a little two dimensional. It has very nice descriptions, maybe a little heavy on them at times, but it does set a beautiful and cozy scene. Same vibe as the cover (which is gorgeous!).
This does have the issue of strongly centering the heroine, as she is the privileged outsider swooping in to help the downtrodden etc. It’s a little iffy at times, since side characters occasionally serve only to teach the MC an important lesson…but again, that’s getting a little picky for the genre.
Overall, I found this to be a delightful YA fantasy adventure with a princess finding herself and her way in a new setting. I would have absolutely adored this as a young teen, and enjoyed it as an adult. I think it has very nice messages built into it as well, and would definitely recommend it to those its written for.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
As other reviewers have noted, this is a very earnest story, and I think it works well for its genre. It has some very nice rep without being an information pamphlet or feeling performative. I think it has good messages, even as it is delivered a little blatantly.
“Not all witches are women,” I say automatically. Our current understanding is that all witches are born with female reproductive organs, but that isn’t the same.
Plotwise, it has a fun adventure/fantasy plot with the requisite mean villain who is a little two dimensional. It has very nice descriptions, maybe a little heavy on them at times, but it does set a beautiful and cozy scene. Same vibe as the cover (which is gorgeous!).
This does have the issue of strongly centering the heroine, as she is the privileged outsider swooping in to help the downtrodden etc. It’s a little iffy at times, since side characters occasionally serve only to teach the MC an important lesson…but again, that’s getting a little picky for the genre.
Overall, I found this to be a delightful YA fantasy adventure with a princess finding herself and her way in a new setting. I would have absolutely adored this as a young teen, and enjoyed it as an adult. I think it has very nice messages built into it as well, and would definitely recommend it to those its written for.
I grimace. “Wonderful. A hitherto untasted bug. I hope it’s at least magically inert and you haven’t poisoned me?”
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
February 28, 2023
This book and author is so problematic. The author made the “oppressed” group white and the others in power POC. It’s not even something that’s minor. She addresses the issues of the oppressed group later and it’s literally issues black people face. It’s written as if she cares/knows about the oppression black people and other POC face but totally disregards that because white people are the “victims”. I’m surprised no other reviews have addressed this. Won’t be supporting this author.
January 23, 2023
Tea, princesses and dragons? Suspicious, this seems too good to be true… during the first chapters I continued to be skeptical. Then she reached the teahouse and I had a hard time putting the book down.
The world is a mix inspired by various Asian cultures, which is lovely. What's pure fantasy though is the strong female leaders. For a long time all the important characters are women and I got a strange feeling. A feeling I later identified being that the way Blair treated gender roles were swapped. Male characters were in the background or they were just eye candy. There was a certain reason for them to be male, like being a love interest. I found this extremely refreshing and it made me really happy!
There's a whole lot of slow romance going on, most of it is straight though. But we do get to know that Lorwyn is bisexual/pan and Risteri clearly has a preference for other women. There's also a trans character who's pretty powerful, which is nice.
I really enjoyed reading this book, but it's also perfect to stop after this one. I got my ending and I'm happy. So, so happy!
The world is a mix inspired by various Asian cultures, which is lovely. What's pure fantasy though is the strong female leaders. For a long time all the important characters are women and I got a strange feeling. A feeling I later identified being that the way Blair treated gender roles were swapped. Male characters were in the background or they were just eye candy. There was a certain reason for them to be male, like being a love interest. I found this extremely refreshing and it made me really happy!
There's a whole lot of slow romance going on, most of it is straight though. But we do get to know that Lorwyn is bisexual/pan and Risteri clearly has a preference for other women. There's also a trans character who's pretty powerful, which is nice.
I really enjoyed reading this book, but it's also perfect to stop after this one. I got my ending and I'm happy. So, so happy!
August 3, 2022
Very enjoyable cozy fantasy.
I am so glad I’ve become aware of this sub-genre of cozy fantasy. I had never heard of it before and once I realized it existed it helped to make so much of my recent reading preferences make more sense. I loved this book because it is fairly low stakes, has some really likeable characters and feature people coming together as a kind of found family. It is pretty heartwarming fare and is perfect for lying in bed and the end of a long day and drifting off to sleep with a good story. Oh wait, not that it is dull and makes me fall asleep … oh you know what I mean. It’s something I can relax with.
This book features a good heroine. She is aware that she doesn’t really fit into the classic princess roles that are available to her, so she makes the IMO very brave choice to throw it all away and go live on her own terms. Absolutely frightening prospect to be clear. I immediately thought, this girl has absolutely no clue how to go about this, which becomes immediately clear. Thankfully, she finds her footing fairly quickly, and is able to lean on the skills she learned as a royal to make her way.
I feel like any good cozy fantasy book needs a strong food aspect to make it truly cozy. This one is very tea focused which is nice. I love the descriptions of the tea services and accoutrements.
This was an enjoyable read and I am adding volume 2 to my TBR.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley.
I am so glad I’ve become aware of this sub-genre of cozy fantasy. I had never heard of it before and once I realized it existed it helped to make so much of my recent reading preferences make more sense. I loved this book because it is fairly low stakes, has some really likeable characters and feature people coming together as a kind of found family. It is pretty heartwarming fare and is perfect for lying in bed and the end of a long day and drifting off to sleep with a good story. Oh wait, not that it is dull and makes me fall asleep … oh you know what I mean. It’s something I can relax with.
This book features a good heroine. She is aware that she doesn’t really fit into the classic princess roles that are available to her, so she makes the IMO very brave choice to throw it all away and go live on her own terms. Absolutely frightening prospect to be clear. I immediately thought, this girl has absolutely no clue how to go about this, which becomes immediately clear. Thankfully, she finds her footing fairly quickly, and is able to lean on the skills she learned as a royal to make her way.
I feel like any good cozy fantasy book needs a strong food aspect to make it truly cozy. This one is very tea focused which is nice. I love the descriptions of the tea services and accoutrements.
This was an enjoyable read and I am adding volume 2 to my TBR.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley.
February 15, 2024
warm hearted
Honestly, if you like the cover, you are pretty much guaranteed to like the book.
This book has an Asian-inspired setting, a deeply conscientious heroine, beautiful descriptions of tea and ceramics, a gentle and respectful love interest, and a surprising plot about refugees and governance.
At one point I thought it was going to be a snarky bodyguard love interest, and I was so pleased when that character turned out to be a friend instead. I enjoyed the way the heroine uses her training in diplomacy and palace intrigue to negotiate business contracts and local council regulations!
Honestly, if you like the cover, you are pretty much guaranteed to like the book.
This book has an Asian-inspired setting, a deeply conscientious heroine, beautiful descriptions of tea and ceramics, a gentle and respectful love interest, and a surprising plot about refugees and governance.
At one point I thought it was going to be a snarky bodyguard love interest, and I was so pleased when that character turned out to be a friend instead. I enjoyed the way the heroine uses her training in diplomacy and palace intrigue to negotiate business contracts and local council regulations!
February 11, 2023
Really enjoyed this!
One minor thing I didn’t like: the way the princess thought and talked sounded pretty unnatural/stiff so it was a bit weird to read at first but then other characters pointed out how weird she sounded so I just went with it.
Also, as much as I love tea, and loved the concept of this, not sure how I feel about the tea ceremony and tea master program in this book… it is very (completely?) taken from East Asian cultures and honestly I’m not sure if these characters were [fantasy equivalent] Asian, so it feels like it was stolen for this book and that much more should have been changed about the ceremonies so as to not be so close to real world practices. Especially knowing the author is not a part of any of the cultures that have these practices. Maybe I just missed some things and I don’t want to be accusatory because I’m also white but it did feel strange especially when I’ve read books like A Magic Steeped in Poison which was about tea ceremonies and tea magic from an OwnVoices author (not comparing them)
One minor thing I didn’t like: the way the princess thought and talked sounded pretty unnatural/stiff so it was a bit weird to read at first but then other characters pointed out how weird she sounded so I just went with it.
Also, as much as I love tea, and loved the concept of this, not sure how I feel about the tea ceremony and tea master program in this book… it is very (completely?) taken from East Asian cultures and honestly I’m not sure if these characters were [fantasy equivalent] Asian, so it feels like it was stolen for this book and that much more should have been changed about the ceremonies so as to not be so close to real world practices. Especially knowing the author is not a part of any of the cultures that have these practices. Maybe I just missed some things and I don’t want to be accusatory because I’m also white but it did feel strange especially when I’ve read books like A Magic Steeped in Poison which was about tea ceremonies and tea magic from an OwnVoices author (not comparing them)
August 3, 2024
This was a super cozy story that was the perfect palate cleanser to my recent reads. It was comfy cozy but also was fairly high stakes, which was nice. All of the characters were intriguing, interesting, and left me wanting to know more about them all. I loved all the tea ceremonies and the amount of good Miyara wanted to bring to her people, her friends, and ultimately herself. She set her mind to it and got shit done and it was a lot of fun watching her become herself. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. If you like Legends and Lattes and Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, you will most like fall in love with this story.
August 12, 2024
Is it normal for a cozy fantasy to make you alternately gasp and cheer, to the great alarm of the other passengers on the bus? Perhaps I’ve misjudged the genre, or perhaps A Coup of Tea is in a hybrid genre: cozy with adventure characteristics, maybe. In any case, it is cozy and it is a page turner. Highly recommended!
December 3, 2022
I found this to be a very odd story. Interesting but it feels unfinished.
For the positives:
The dialogue and characters are fantastic, easily the best part of the story. Every character has a distinct motivation and watching them interact felt organic.
Descriptions were detailed, and often focused on details that similar stores overlook, emphasis on the food and fashion.
Having said all of that; the world feels half finished. Many aspects of the royalty, cultures and magic systems of the world are never touched on. There are strong themes of racism but only throwaway details about the races themselves. The difference between mages and witched for example, a rivalry so intense that the former engaged in witch hunts, is mainly explained in two sentences, five chapters before the end of the book.
TLDR; A book with great characters and compelling plot, matched with a frustratingly unique but vague world.
For the positives:
The dialogue and characters are fantastic, easily the best part of the story. Every character has a distinct motivation and watching them interact felt organic.
Descriptions were detailed, and often focused on details that similar stores overlook, emphasis on the food and fashion.
Having said all of that; the world feels half finished. Many aspects of the royalty, cultures and magic systems of the world are never touched on. There are strong themes of racism but only throwaway details about the races themselves. The difference between mages and witched for example, a rivalry so intense that the former engaged in witch hunts, is mainly explained in two sentences, five chapters before the end of the book.
TLDR; A book with great characters and compelling plot, matched with a frustratingly unique but vague world.
June 26, 2023
This was an unfinished read for me. I read 50% and then I just couldn't go on. The book is cute. It is well written and edited on the Kindle version. But I honestly believed I was going to die from boredom if I had to finish this book. I was not invested in any of the characters or their situations despite the sociopolitical parallels to modern capitalist society.
I understood Miyara not having much of a personality at first because of how she grew up and not really being allowed to grow as an individual. I was hopeful that over time she would develop one as she found herself. However, nobody else has a personality though either. The characters are extremely two-dimensional and mostly defined by one emotional or physical characteristic.
If a book is going to go high-stakes and involve political drama and social ramifications, the characters have to be multifaceted in order to lend any credibility to the story, but that's just my personal opinion.
I understood Miyara not having much of a personality at first because of how she grew up and not really being allowed to grow as an individual. I was hopeful that over time she would develop one as she found herself. However, nobody else has a personality though either. The characters are extremely two-dimensional and mostly defined by one emotional or physical characteristic.
If a book is going to go high-stakes and involve political drama and social ramifications, the characters have to be multifaceted in order to lend any credibility to the story, but that's just my personal opinion.
November 8, 2022
dumb
Pretty bad. MC is a brat and cries the whole story about her problems even though everyone around her lives much more miserable lives. Not much world building. Some magical disaster happened for some reason and some people are mages and some are witches and there are Spirits, but none of this really matters. None of the characters are interesting, nothing really happens and it all takes place in some oppressive society with structural racism and bigotry.
Pretty bad. MC is a brat and cries the whole story about her problems even though everyone around her lives much more miserable lives. Not much world building. Some magical disaster happened for some reason and some people are mages and some are witches and there are Spirits, but none of this really matters. None of the characters are interesting, nothing really happens and it all takes place in some oppressive society with structural racism and bigotry.
June 7, 2024
Pleasurable Read, But Nothing To Trip Over
This was an interesting read. Better than a lot of what I’ve read lately. I will say I was a bit confused, and maybe I missed something in the beginning as to just exactly what was so important about serving tea and becoming a tea master.
There’s also a huge need for a really good editor, tons of grammatical errors that just left me confused and tripping back on entire paragraphs and pages at a time.
I’m not sure writers understand how jarring this can be as a reader. Bad enough to overload the person and pull them out of scenes and the action happening on the page.
Something as simple as referring to a character’s cat by two different names in the same sentence, had me wondering if they actually had two cats.
Overall pleasurable, but I wasn’t rushing out to grab the next in the series. Ended up as a 3 star meh/average review.
This was an interesting read. Better than a lot of what I’ve read lately. I will say I was a bit confused, and maybe I missed something in the beginning as to just exactly what was so important about serving tea and becoming a tea master.
There’s also a huge need for a really good editor, tons of grammatical errors that just left me confused and tripping back on entire paragraphs and pages at a time.
I’m not sure writers understand how jarring this can be as a reader. Bad enough to overload the person and pull them out of scenes and the action happening on the page.
Something as simple as referring to a character’s cat by two different names in the same sentence, had me wondering if they actually had two cats.
Overall pleasurable, but I wasn’t rushing out to grab the next in the series. Ended up as a 3 star meh/average review.
November 18, 2023
Tea with a Princess
Sweet, simple story of starting over to find one's true self.
Miyara, the main character, was instantly likeable. I found her to be spunky despite her hesitation. The characters that surround her are just as interesting in their own ways. Only fault was I found they often spoke in the same voice. Same careful consideration, and approach to debate. All sounded like Miyara rather than having their own quirks.
Story was somewhat predictable but the journey was interesting. Little elements that made it unique. Even though it is part of a series, it was self contained. Appreciated that - no cliffhangers.
All and all, I enjoyed reading.
Sweet, simple story of starting over to find one's true self.
Miyara, the main character, was instantly likeable. I found her to be spunky despite her hesitation. The characters that surround her are just as interesting in their own ways. Only fault was I found they often spoke in the same voice. Same careful consideration, and approach to debate. All sounded like Miyara rather than having their own quirks.
Story was somewhat predictable but the journey was interesting. Little elements that made it unique. Even though it is part of a series, it was self contained. Appreciated that - no cliffhangers.
All and all, I enjoyed reading.
January 22, 2024
Surprisingly high stakes for what is initially presented as cozy fantasy, while still keeping to the spirit of cozy fantasy. I feel like some content might be slightly problematic if I squint and think too hard about it, but it was fine during the read.
I liked the female friendships and the side characters, but Miyara was a bit too bland and the LI was a snoozefest. I suppose I shouldn't expect an emotional whirlwind of a romance in a cozy fantasy book.
I still wish the LI had been Thiano (or a younger version of him) though. Now that I would have gobbled up in an instant.
I liked the female friendships and the side characters, but Miyara was a bit too bland and the LI was a snoozefest. I suppose I shouldn't expect an emotional whirlwind of a romance in a cozy fantasy book.
I still wish the LI had been Thiano (or a younger version of him) though. Now that I would have gobbled up in an instant.
July 6, 2022
3.5 stars more like it.
I stumbled on the kickstarter for this book by chance. I read the first three chapters that were posted and decided I like it enough to back the tier for physical copies. Now that I've read the first book in its entirety, I am very happy with my purchase.
It's nice having a 20something who is still finding herself. Miyara doesn't have magical powers in this magical world but she still stands out while she fights to blend in. The story built up an interesting world with fun characters and loose ends that didn't leave me frustrated. It makes me look forward to book 2.
I stumbled on the kickstarter for this book by chance. I read the first three chapters that were posted and decided I like it enough to back the tier for physical copies. Now that I've read the first book in its entirety, I am very happy with my purchase.
It's nice having a 20something who is still finding herself. Miyara doesn't have magical powers in this magical world but she still stands out while she fights to blend in. The story built up an interesting world with fun characters and loose ends that didn't leave me frustrated. It makes me look forward to book 2.
January 7, 2024
I felt like something was missing, like the characters would have been a bit flat or something? I liked them but they could have been more.
I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and I loved to follow how Miyara made new friends and tried to learn to do household chores.
Maybe there could have been a bit more action / something happening. Or then the characters could have been more fleshed out, then you don't crave that much action either.
This book grew on me, and I liked it.
I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and I loved to follow how Miyara made new friends and tried to learn to do household chores.
Maybe there could have been a bit more action / something happening. Or then the characters could have been more fleshed out, then you don't crave that much action either.
This book grew on me, and I liked it.
November 19, 2023
Perfectly cozy, with dragons and tea and cats and witches and a mystery. Just what I wanted to curl up on the couch and read on a rainy day.
January 25, 2023
cozy fantasy mystery with tea ❤️
October 15, 2023
A fun and easy read! Very cozy.
Read
December 19, 2023DNF due to content.
April 1, 2023
“I can’t imagine expressing fondness for someone by attacking them the way those two go at it,” I marvel. “How could that ever work?”
Risteri looks at me oddly. “Okay, I’m going to bring over a stack of romance novels for you to read. Your education on what matters is clearly lacking.”
I was looking for a feel good, low stakes fantasy book and this one delivered on so many counts for me.
Beautiful cover. Check.
Goodhearted characters. Check.
Supportive friends. Check.
Magical elements. Check.
Found family. Check.
Lots of Tea. Check.
It was very cozy and never felt overwhelming. There was no fear that the good guys were going to end up not winning and that made this a very comforting read.
The book starts off like a YA fantasy with a princess running off from her home but there is no world ending plot or dystopian setting or a chosen one prophecy. Instead, the princess wants to become a Tea Master and serve people Tea. This instantly hooked me from the second chapter. What followed was a delightful, fun, if at times typical YA adventure.
The supporting cast (particularly the dialogue and interactions) and cozy visuals for each scene/setting were the highlights for me. I ended up liking the sassy best friend and assassin bodyguard more than the main character. The pacing and the prose are very good and fitting for the story in that it kept the vibes feeling cozy even when the story branches out of the main character coming of age arc to the broader immigrant perspectives, magic politics and systemic oppression. While these seem to be serious themes for a cozy fantasy book, it never feels heavy to read and maintains a very good balance overall.
Some stumbling blocks for me were the multiple eye-roll movements the main character’s dialogue causes (albeit this is mitigated when the side characters question her for it), the inconsistencies across the main characters actions, and a good number of plot conveniences towards the end of the book.
If you are looking for a cozy, bit YA tropey coming of age fantasy book that is light and relaxed– this is absolutely the book for you. I am glad this is a series and am excited to see what happens to the magic teapot and baby dragon in the next books.
Risteri looks at me oddly. “Okay, I’m going to bring over a stack of romance novels for you to read. Your education on what matters is clearly lacking.”
I was looking for a feel good, low stakes fantasy book and this one delivered on so many counts for me.
Beautiful cover. Check.
Goodhearted characters. Check.
Supportive friends. Check.
Magical elements. Check.
Found family. Check.
Lots of Tea. Check.
It was very cozy and never felt overwhelming. There was no fear that the good guys were going to end up not winning and that made this a very comforting read.
The book starts off like a YA fantasy with a princess running off from her home but there is no world ending plot or dystopian setting or a chosen one prophecy. Instead, the princess wants to become a Tea Master and serve people Tea. This instantly hooked me from the second chapter. What followed was a delightful, fun, if at times typical YA adventure.
The supporting cast (particularly the dialogue and interactions) and cozy visuals for each scene/setting were the highlights for me. I ended up liking the sassy best friend and assassin bodyguard more than the main character. The pacing and the prose are very good and fitting for the story in that it kept the vibes feeling cozy even when the story branches out of the main character coming of age arc to the broader immigrant perspectives, magic politics and systemic oppression. While these seem to be serious themes for a cozy fantasy book, it never feels heavy to read and maintains a very good balance overall.
Some stumbling blocks for me were the multiple eye-roll movements the main character’s dialogue causes (albeit this is mitigated when the side characters question her for it), the inconsistencies across the main characters actions, and a good number of plot conveniences towards the end of the book.
If you are looking for a cozy, bit YA tropey coming of age fantasy book that is light and relaxed– this is absolutely the book for you. I am glad this is a series and am excited to see what happens to the magic teapot and baby dragon in the next books.
March 19, 2023
Unexpectedly Wonderful
So I admit that "Tea Princess Chronicles" put me in mind of fairy tale princesses with their attendant naivety, entitlement, and angst for which my tolerance is nil. Just the words "tea" and "princess" in a subtitle were enough for me to grimace at and move on. However, the title kept coming up in my recommendations and I do like other such books, "Legends and Lattes", for one, and " The House Witch" for another. So I decided to give a try with very little expectation that I'd like it or even finish the book. Much to my surprise, I love it.
Firstly, it's no fairytale. And the princess, while naive to everyday life as commonors know it, isn't naive about power, influence, or how choices affect the individual and the whole. Secondly, the princess rejects her privilege. So already I like her. Thirdly, she, Miyara, knows her deficiencies and flaws, and works to overcome them and works to hold true to her vision of what her life should mean, and for whom.
Fourthly, this world the author has created is interesting, it has magic, politics, magical politics, royalty, and crises. An apocalyptic event occurred which the nation and world are still adjusting to and Miyara ends right at the center of change. And yes, much tea is involved.
I ended up liking not only the princess but her friends too and mist of characters in the story. It's a full, rich world that I hope continues to delight and surprise.
So I admit that "Tea Princess Chronicles" put me in mind of fairy tale princesses with their attendant naivety, entitlement, and angst for which my tolerance is nil. Just the words "tea" and "princess" in a subtitle were enough for me to grimace at and move on. However, the title kept coming up in my recommendations and I do like other such books, "Legends and Lattes", for one, and " The House Witch" for another. So I decided to give a try with very little expectation that I'd like it or even finish the book. Much to my surprise, I love it.
Firstly, it's no fairytale. And the princess, while naive to everyday life as commonors know it, isn't naive about power, influence, or how choices affect the individual and the whole. Secondly, the princess rejects her privilege. So already I like her. Thirdly, she, Miyara, knows her deficiencies and flaws, and works to overcome them and works to hold true to her vision of what her life should mean, and for whom.
Fourthly, this world the author has created is interesting, it has magic, politics, magical politics, royalty, and crises. An apocalyptic event occurred which the nation and world are still adjusting to and Miyara ends right at the center of change. And yes, much tea is involved.
I ended up liking not only the princess but her friends too and mist of characters in the story. It's a full, rich world that I hope continues to delight and surprise.
October 17, 2023
Cozy read but in much need of world building
It's a cute, cozy fantasy read but I have a few issues with it.
Firstly, is it "tea pet" or "tea pot" as that phrase appears multiple times in the book and I'm very confused if this is a different object or the author didn't spell "pot" correctly for nearly a dozen times throughout the story.
Secondly, I appreciate the addressing of racism, privileged, and equality but I think the author needs to have a better foundation in this fantasy world before diving headlong into those weighty topics.
Lastly, that brings me to my last thread which is world building. Cozy fantasies and short stories don't necessarily need heavy world building but a bare minimum should address (deeply) the basics ideas running in the story. In this case, why is tea so important to the culture? Literally the whole book is about tea and tea cerminies yet we have little to no background on why we (as the reader) should care. Next, is the religion in this world. The MC seems to a devote follower of the spirits (especially when you find out the other characters aren't). This stands her apart from the rest so tell me why. Why are spirits important, is it a dying religion that only our MC cares about? Etc..
I'm giving it three stars because it was a cute "naww" type book albeit superficial in many parts.
It's a cute, cozy fantasy read but I have a few issues with it.
Firstly, is it "tea pet" or "tea pot" as that phrase appears multiple times in the book and I'm very confused if this is a different object or the author didn't spell "pot" correctly for nearly a dozen times throughout the story.
Secondly, I appreciate the addressing of racism, privileged, and equality but I think the author needs to have a better foundation in this fantasy world before diving headlong into those weighty topics.
Lastly, that brings me to my last thread which is world building. Cozy fantasies and short stories don't necessarily need heavy world building but a bare minimum should address (deeply) the basics ideas running in the story. In this case, why is tea so important to the culture? Literally the whole book is about tea and tea cerminies yet we have little to no background on why we (as the reader) should care. Next, is the religion in this world. The MC seems to a devote follower of the spirits (especially when you find out the other characters aren't). This stands her apart from the rest so tell me why. Why are spirits important, is it a dying religion that only our MC cares about? Etc..
I'm giving it three stars because it was a cute "naww" type book albeit superficial in many parts.
August 4, 2022
This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I loved following Miyara as she struggles with her path in life (super relatable!) and I enjoyed seeing her grow as a person outside of her “fourth princess” title. I loved all the main characters, and I also liked the sweet romance that was threaded throughout the book - it didn’t take over the main story but was a nice additional enhancement.
I thought the story was well paced, and the world building was good - I felt I was shown through Miyara’s eyes how it all worked which meant I didn’t feel pulled out of the narrative. I liked the action, I thought the inclusion of the issues surrounding social justice were thought provoking, and of course who doesn’t love a happily ever after? And also…tea!
If you love your fantasy books cozy with a HEA, then this is absolutely for you. If you like cozy, clean romance, secret princesses, or HEA then definitely give this a try. If you liked A Magic Steeped In Poison then read this one - they have similar vibes.
I thought the story was well paced, and the world building was good - I felt I was shown through Miyara’s eyes how it all worked which meant I didn’t feel pulled out of the narrative. I liked the action, I thought the inclusion of the issues surrounding social justice were thought provoking, and of course who doesn’t love a happily ever after? And also…tea!
If you love your fantasy books cozy with a HEA, then this is absolutely for you. If you like cozy, clean romance, secret princesses, or HEA then definitely give this a try. If you liked A Magic Steeped In Poison then read this one - they have similar vibes.
June 2, 2023
I almost quit after the first chapter’s abrupt implausibility. But even with an unrealistic Mary Sue and some distracting editing errors, the reading experience turned out to be enjoyable.
Above all, it’s about an ex-princess learning how to serve her people and how her privilege has limited her understanding. There’s more spycraft, politicking, and xenophobia than I expected from a book off a list of “cozy fantasy,” but I’m here for fiction that grapples with poor treatment of refugees. And of course it’s satisfying that the central characters are community-focused and working toward the right reforms (although some of their conflict-resolution truisms are absolutely untrue).
A big world-building reveal at the end particularly delighted me, though much else about the world remained elusive. How does the magic work? The tea ceremony or spirits? The political system?
Above all, it’s about an ex-princess learning how to serve her people and how her privilege has limited her understanding. There’s more spycraft, politicking, and xenophobia than I expected from a book off a list of “cozy fantasy,” but I’m here for fiction that grapples with poor treatment of refugees. And of course it’s satisfying that the central characters are community-focused and working toward the right reforms (although some of their conflict-resolution truisms are absolutely untrue).
A big world-building reveal at the end particularly delighted me, though much else about the world remained elusive. How does the magic work? The tea ceremony or spirits? The political system?
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