Stunning photo by @rebireads!
Hello everyone!
Who is excited but nervous for today’s chapters? I feel like A LOT is going to happen in today’s reading!
Happy Friday and welcome to day 5 of our readalong ofA Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal. I’m so excited to be reading this one with you, I hope you all love it!
Today we’re reading from chapter 43 to the end of the book. Let’s do this!
When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the ending of the book. Happy reading!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal from Chapter 43 until the end of the book. Please only read on if you have finished this section!
!SPOILERS!
Things are a little tense right now aren’t they? Arthie urges Jin to gather everyone at Imperial Square because the Ram suspects they won’t surrender the ledger, and men where seen mobilising this morning. The Plodders, a rival gang, show up just as everyone is leaving Spindrift.
The leader of the Plodders tells them he’s always wanted to wipe the smirks off their faces, and now he’s getting paid to do it – no doubt by the Ram. Arthie smashes a teapot over his head, sending him crashing. Jin saying she didn’t have to ruin his favourite teapot is why he’s such a fun character, he never takes anything too seriously.
Jin and Arthie begin fighting with the Plodders whilst the rest of their crew escapes. Suddenly a fire begins engulfing the place and Arthie instructs Jin to get everyone out. He notices Arthie taking on a Plodder half her size with ease- she must be half vampire surely?!
After getting everyone outside he turns to go back inside to help Arthie when there is a sudden explosion and the Spindrift goes up in flames.
“All her life she’d spun a slow dance through a burning room, and the inferno had caught up-to her at last.” WOW. What a metaphor!
Jin makes his way back inside despite his fear and eventually finds Arthie freeing herself from a bookcase that had fallen on her. But his relief is short-lived when suddenly Spindrift begins to come down all around them.
Awaking outside, Jin realises Flick came back for them and saved them from the fire. Arthie isn’t conscious and they get into a carriage heading to the safest place they can think of; the Arthereum.
Flick and Jin’s little ‘moment’ in the carriage? SO CUTE!
Arthie wakes in the Arthereum to find Laith beside her, alive. Shocked, she asks if he’s there to kill her. He responds with incredible line: “If only that were true. I loathed you, Arthie. I hated you for a heartbeat before I realised how much I craved you.” I must say I am suspicious of him though, no one forgives that easily.
Laith confesses he’s known what she is since they met and offers to help, willing to bleed for her!! Firstly, my theory was indeed correct: she is at least part vampire. Secondly, HE SAID HE’S WILLING TO BLEED FOR HER. My ship seems to be sailing steadily, but for some reason, I sense turbulent waters up ahead. This all seems too good to be true.
We finally learn Arthie’s fate in Ceylan: a healer turned her to save her during Ettenia’s attack. Fleeing onto a boat, she discovers her parents didn’t survive. Eventually succumbing to hunger, she inadvertently kills everyone aboard before being rescued by an Ettenian ship. Taken to Penn’s house, he recognizes her vampiric nature and takes her in.
She battles her hunger, inadvertently killing a young girl. Disgusted, she flees to the streets, starving herself to resist until she encounters Jin.
After drinking from Laith she finally realises his true purpose for being in Ettenia all along: her pistol Calibore was the hilya he had been seeking all long. Was any of it real? Welp. My ship is in flames.
After telling Laith to leave and never come back she bumps into Matteo where he too confesses he has always known she was part vampire. During their conversation Arthie is struck with an idea. They will use the presses to expose the Ram once and for all.
After telling Laith to leave and never return, Arthie unexpectedly encounters Matteo, who also reveals his awareness of her being half vampire. In their discussion, Arthie is struck by an idea: to utilise the presses to finally expose the Ram.
We finally see the found family trope with Flick and the Casimirs—it’s so wholesome! Also, it’s satisfying that she’s realized her mother’s true nature (evil). I love how she’s started to adopt their mindset and consider their reactions in certain situations.
Flick hands her mother an envelope as instructed by Arthie and I’m dying to know what it contains/how this is all part of the plan! 👀
Arthie’s threat to knock Jin’s teeth out for complimenting her appearance in a dress/sari perfectly encapsulates why their relationship is top tier. And Matteo’s stunned silence and lingering gaze? I can’t help but giggle.
We FINALLY witness a kiss between Flick and Jin, and I was already giddy and kicking my feet in excitement. But then he had to go and say, ‘Let me show you how it’s done, love.’ And now? I’m just outright screeching. Are you?
I am absolutely shook to my core. The Ram being Flick’s mother?! I did not see that coming. And now that she’s aware of their plan, thanks to that letter, it’s all fallen apart. Guards storm in, chaos ensues. Laith appears, snatching Calibore from Arthie, then turns the gun on her. Penn sacrifices himself, taking the bullet meant for her. And in a final devastating blow, Jin is shot in the heart by the Ram.
To save Jin’s life, Arthie turns him into a vampire before confronting Laith at his apartment—a risky move considering he literally just nearly killed her. Their confrontation escalates into a deadly exchange of gunfire, with Arthie hitting Laith in the chest and Calibore striking her heart. I am now screeching for all the wrong reasons.
We end the book with a short POV from ‘The Wolf’ who I suspect is Matteo… he picks Arthie up from the ground and promises revenge.
Wow, what an action packed, intense and amazing story! And that ending? I think we all need book two immediately!
What did you think of A Tempest of Tea by Hafash Faizal?
As always, thank you so much for taking part in another FairyLoot readalong! We hope you had the best time and enjoyed the book – we’ll see you again soon for another!
Love,
Jodie
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I had a good time with this story. I think there were enough less obvious twists that I didn’t mind the obvious ones. I did have this crazy theory that the kitten was actually a human who could change into kitten form. I don’t know where I got that from lol
I am not annoyed by the cliffhanger because I think I knew it would not end tied up neatly. Poor Jin though. No more pastries for him 🙁
Totally agree about the kitten, i thought there was going to be a ta-da moment.
I’m not a fan of cliffhangers but I guess with b it being the main characters it will more or less work out.
I guess Arthie and Mateo are back to being a possibility in the next book 🙂
As soon as Jin was shot, i was: “Turn him, Turn him!” Then I realised there would be no more pastries… I think even he would choose Flick over a danish.
I wanted to see more from Penn and Arthie together.
Im looking forward to the next installment.
I gave it 4.5 stars.
I just realised on the front cover, the teapot on the FL dustjacket is filled with coconut water and a drop of blood!!!! the cover had a spoiler in plain sight all along!
Hats off to the clever cover artist Rosie Thorn <3
love it.
Im sad for Jin and his no pastries and like the other comments I also thought something mysterious was up with the cat. Maybe in the next book?
How will Arthie survive a gun shot that kills everyone??? I also think the wolf is Matteo.
Overall, the book was fun with a lot of Six of Crows vibes.
Wow, these last pages were intense! I expected a cliffhanger, and this one is not as bad, as I’m 99.99% certain Arthie won’t die as she’s the protagonist.
I’m not sure how I feel about Jin being turned into a vampire. Kinda foolish of me to think that he’d get to be all happy and safe with Flick in the second book, but I’m looking forward to see how their relationship plays out now.
All in all, this was a fun read, and I had a great time sharing my thoughts here! Thanks for another great readalong!
I NEED A TIMEMACHINE SO I CAN START READING BOOK 2!!!!!
What did you think of A Tempest of Tea by Hafash Faizal?
I really, really loved it! It was action-packed, had loads of humour and an amazing cast of characters! 5 stars!
Me too, I can’t wait! We’re so happy you enjoyed it! 🥰
I actually expected the cliffhanger, but the ending caught me off guard nonetheless.
I’m relieved Arthie saved Jin, but I’m also so sad he won’t be able to savour pastries anymore.
Considering how often Matteo said that he and Arthie are similar, I really suspect he may be the Wolf and I actually hope he and Arthie may be a thing in book 2.
I did struggle a bit with following the story, mainly the background information, but I have that problem when there’s multiple POVs in any book!
I did like that I didn’t see the twists coming and I wouldn’t call all the characters lovable but they’re all definitely unique and interesting!
I’ll definitely be picking up book 2! 😍
The Plodders gang came to Spindrift, chaos ensues, Jin notices Arthie straining during the fight despite appearing uninjured (against opponents MUCH bigger than her & more than 1 at a time – where is she getting all this extra, I daresay *paranormal* energy/strength from? 🤨), Jin tried to make sure everyone gets out safely while Arthie holds off the Plodders when – BOOM – Spindrift goes up in flames. “In the face of her hunger.” Jin saves Arthie. Flick saves Jin. Laith’s “I know what you are … Let me bled for you.” 🥹 ½-vampire confirmed as the “miracle cure” Arthie needed. Arthie’s time with Penn & how/why she left. Laith’s “No. Destroy me.” 🫠 Calibore is the hilya Laith came to collect. Dammit. Matteo’s “kindred spirit” comment hitting home. Press conference 👍🏼. Flick is finally becoming someone I can read through a bit easier. Arthie is in a RED SARI like the 1 her mom wore the day Ettenian soldiers killed her. Flick is getting advice from Arthie & invites Mommy to the press conference. “Doomed to greatness.” Flick & Jin kissed. Laith’s kitten suddenly makes a reappearance at the press conference after Arthie warned him to stay far away from her. Flick’s mother is the Ram? Laith came to finish his job of stealing Calibore from her while the Ram has armed men killing everyone at the press conference & Penn has to stop psychic-torturing a bunch of people to try to save Arthie. Penn looking at Arthie like she’d saved him after he took Calibore’s bullet for her. Laith leaving more meaningful flowers in his wake after fleeing the bloodbath & his murder victim with his loot. Jin’s shot through the heart, too. The story of Arthie finding coconuts – Ceylani coconuts – as a means of sustenance instead of blood because of Jin (his parents having so many in their home for their vampire research). Arthie saving Jin by turning him into a (full) vampire & leaving because she knows he’s going to be hurt that she’s kept MORE secrets from him. Now *Arthie* has a Calibore bullet to the heart while Laith took whatever bullet was in Penn’s golden revolver to his. Arthie knew the Wolf of White Roaring who found her bleeding out in Laith’s apartment. If the Ram is the ruler of Ettenia (Flick’s mother) & Arthie is Penn’s “little Lion” & the Wolf, made to raise the Ram to power by instilling fear of vampires into the people, knows (of) her since her arrival, could the Wolf be Matteo? Penn & Matteo always alluded to how he was closer to Arthie than she thought, that he knew her better than sometimes even Jin. **The bonus content explains about why Arthie was in front of Jin’s house when it was on fire & that she’d met Flick before, too.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) What did you think of A Tempest of Tea by Hafash Faizal?
A:
1.) This story had intriguing elements from the start, but the end really knocked it up another notch. That cliffhanger though! 😭 I need Book 2 now. Flick really had character growth in the story, but personally, I couldn’t stand her until the end (still not a favorite even then). I liked the twisty turny bits and most of the relationships (romantic, found family, rivals, etc). I will definitely be continuing this series, & I’m hoping I’ll enjoy all of the characters even more going forward.