A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, 1)

This book is utterly enchanting from the first line to the last. It begins as a cup of tea that's been slowly steeped, allowing us to intimately know Ning and the world she lives in. An unknown poison has wrecked her family and threatened to take everything else from her. Yet Ning is willing to do anything to save her sister. I was enthralled with the gorgeous world that Lin built in these pages, from the magical properties of the tea to the lush foliage that made me want to step right into this world and experience the beauty for itself. As the book moves on, however, it becomes a race against time, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to figure out what would happen next. A friend becomes a lover becomes a betrayer. Ning (and me as a reader) doesn't know who to trust. And everything that Ning holds dear starts to collapse around her with no possible solution in sight. Lin was an absolute master in creating a story that was as beautiful as it was enthralling, and I cannot wait for book two!

POV: first-person, limited Characters: Zhang Ning: - daughter of Dr. Zhang (a renowned doctor in the village of Su) and a famous Shénnóng-shi. - exposed to both the physician's and Shénnóng's art of healing - traveled to the province of Jia City under the guise of her dying sister to partake in a tea brewing tournament to save the said sister from a poison sweeping the nation. Li Xu Kang "Bo/Kang": - son of Li Yuang (once known as the Prince of Dài, now the Banished Prince) - came to the palace to seek the assistance of Princess Li Ying-Zhen to help his town. Princess Li Ying-Zhen: - daughter of the Ascending Emperor, niece of the Banished Prince, cousin of Li Xu Kang - continued with the tradition of honoring the Shénnóng culture by bringing back the tea brewing tournament to find the next Shénnóng who will be part of the Royal Court. Luo Lian: - daughter of a diplomat to the western kingdoms, Ambassador Lou - ally, friend, and roommate of Ning as they both went through the tea brewing tournament - was trained as a Shénnóng-tú Observations: The author is smart enough to keep the first-person, limited POV (Zhang Ning's) as it is essential to make the story work. The one-way view makes the mystery of the tea poisoning, the brewing competition, the royal palace politics, etc., build up the mystery, suspense, and ultimate plot twist in the end. During the tea ceremonies, readers will be enthralled with the intricate art and feel the solemnity, respect, and seriousness of such a revered and timeless Asian tradition. These serene, calming moments balance the other things happening - tumultuous royal family relationship, threats of death and assassination, family love and loyalty, and honor. The book contains many detailed descriptors of the locations, sights, sounds, tastes intricacies intertwined by a few Chinese poetry and sayings. Every detail is written with much love, care, and respect, from each leaf's texture to its veins. The pacing is perfectly timed, especially how the ending happened. It was impossible to ignore the vast world-building of the story since it sets the stage to immerse readers into the world of the palace like the elaborate ceremonies and tournament backdrops, then bring readers back to the formal tea brewing challenges. I love how in-depth the ritual of tea brewing was explored and expounded. It will give a wonderful glimpse of what types of teas stand for and yield the drinker. Each tea leaf was researched and explained for its purpose and use. I was amazed at how complex tea leaves' purpose ran throughout the book; even boiling water and letting it "rest" blew me away. (It may explain why a few tea brews of mine tasted differently from what I had at the tea shop.) Each character's development explored showed the vulnerability ...

I'm speechless. Everything about this book is just perfection. The cover alone is enough reason to read it, but it's full of lyrical prose, stunning magic, and a plot that's unlike anything I've ever read. While it may be geared more towards a YA audience, I didn't lose anything by reading it as an adult. The premise of tea-making being arcane really wowed me and the processes of its brewing were described in such a delicate way. Adding in the contest to become the new shennong-shi and allllll of the political intrigue? I'm sold. The way that Judy I. Lin writes about everything from tea to swordplay is truly magical and I can't wait to read the finale to this duology. I can't wait to read it over and over again.

'A Magic Steeped in Poison' is a story centered around the power of family. Ning stops at nothing to save what's left of her family. She carries the purpose of saving her sister throughout the competition placed before her. We certainly witness alliances and twists as the contest progresses. Along the way, Ning comes to believe her inner spirit, learning to trust her own judgment. It's an ongoing process through the book, and I can't wait to read the next installment in the series. Thank you to B2Weird tours and Fierce Reads for the gifted copy!