I think this may have been an absolute cover request for me. I just didn't seem to enjoy it as much as many others did. It felt as if lately we have had this influx of similar fantasies, and maybe because of that, I struggled to find this story engaging. It didn't really stand out in any shape or form.

Although I initially struggled to sink into this world, I'm glad that I persisted. The magic of this world is very unique and I was captivated by the many uses and powers the shennong-shi hold. I also liked the tension between Ning and Kang although I wish more had happened between them to make the ending hit all the more harder.

I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

The coolest book EVER. I forgot to cross post my review from GR to here but oops. If you like magic, tension and the BEST CLIFFHANGER, go for this book immediately.

2.5

A Magic Steeped in Poison had so much promise. The magic system was incredibly unique and intriguing. The writing style was pretty and descriptive. I was surprised by my interest in the world’s politics.

However, unfortunately, there were a few key things lacking. The pacing of the book was odd, throwing us right into a set of trials without build up and then moved very slowly for the rest of the book. Though the magic system was interesting, the book lacked adequate depth around the way the magic works and its intricacies. I still do not entirely understand it and that made engaging with the trials difficult because I was never really sure what was going on.

It’s a shame because the promise was there. I can appreciate what Lin tried to do and I am curious as to what happens next so I may read the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book. I have requested this because of the interesting synopsis. I was curious to see what the world building will be like in this one. It definitely did not disappoint on this aspect. The world and magic are incredible. I love every aspect of this. Unfortunately none of the characters stood up for me, but I cannot say there was something wrong in their development. The plot was interesting and it took some turns that surprised me.

This didn't make to my all time favourites, but it is a wonderful book with a great story and I highly recommend it. I will definitely read vol 2.

"A Magic Steeped In Poison" by Judy I Lin is a wickedly enchanting read that'll cast a spell on your book-loving heart! It's a dark and twisted fantasy full of deliciously complex characters and a magic system that's as intoxicating as it is dangerous. Lin's writing is like a potion, drawing you into a world of secrets, curses, and intrigue that you won't want to escape from. Plus, the protagonist is really snarky, which adds a dash of humour to the mix. If you're looking for a book that'll keep you on your toes and craving more, this one's a must-read.

The book cover is stunning, the concept and world are very unique but sadly that is all i can say about this book as the plot for me fell flat, i felt the characters were very flat and their development was a second thought more then natural, this made the plot feel very wooly and holey.

it was a okay book just one i might have built up in my head and failed to deliver. i am hoping to re-read in the future and see if my view on this have changed

I bounced off this book early the first two times I tried to read it, but the third time was the charm. I don’t know why I couldn’t get along with it, I would just put it down and then… forget to pick it up again.

I think it is best suited to teens who enjoy more complex and interesting language while still needing some hand-holding in terms of narrative - the vocabulary is broad but every step of the plot and character development is spelled out clearly and descriptively, not requiring stronger reading comprehension to work between the lines.

The worldbuilding was my favourite part of this book. The magic system especially, with the tea magic, inspired by Chinese Traditional Medicine, and also some interesting commentary related to this about the role and societal perception of physicians vs shennong-shi, as well as class commentary within the court. The magic competition provided a helpful structure to the book while also allowing the worldbuilding to unfurl slowly, as each new detail became relevant. The politics and court intrigue were very promising in the first half of the book, although I felt like it didn’t totally follow through in the second.

I really didn’t get along with the prose. It was just So Much - and by that I don’t meant that is was descriptive (although it was, and kudos for that) or particularly flowery, I mean that I’d read a sentence or a paragraph and think, half of those words could be removed and no meaning would be lost. And this happened not infrequently. At a slightly larger scale, I got frustrated with all the times the flow of a scene stalled so the protagonist could ask questions in her head. There was so much time devoted to thinking, which, as a character-driven reader, I didn’t think could bother me, but here we are. All of that said, the food descriptions were really great - this is not a book to read on an empty stomach.

I also struggled with the characters and their relationship, because it felt like Ning was the only one who was really fleshed out, while her friendships with people at the court didn’t get deep enough to be satisfying, and the romantic relationship was similarly shallow while veering too close to insta-love to be my cut of tea (pun intended). She is driven by her relationship with her poisoned-and-dying sister, but because Ning ran away in the hopes of winning more resources to help her, it wasn’t something we really got to see the nuances of on page, just in Ning’s narration.

Ning has brewed many teas in her life, learning the art of shénnóng-shī, the ancient and magical art of tea making, from her mother. But when she unwittingly brews a tea tainted with poison it has devastating consequences and her mother loses her life as a result. Poison tea bricks are showing up everywhere, and Ning’s loss is compounded when her sister also falls ill. Desperate not to lose her as well, she makes an impulsive decision to run away from home to take part in a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shénnóng-shī who will serve at the Imperial court. The winner will is granted a favour from the Empress herself, and Ning is determined to use that to save her sister’s life.

When she reaches the Imperial court she finds that it isn’t going to be as simple as proving that she’s the best. There’s much more happening behind the scenes at the competition with politics and deadly plots, and Ning finds herself embroiled in situations that put her in danger. Her focus becomes surviving the competition, not just winning it.

The idea of magic tea in A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin is what drew me in, and I did not regret this decision for a second. Lin’s world-building is brilliant from start to finish, and coupled with her wonderful characters that defy stereotypes and have strong character development this is a must-read fantasy book. Ning was very easy to like, and I became emotionally engaged easily with her story from the beginning. Likewise, for many of the characters including several minor characters. It is also always great to see a LGBTQIA+ rep and the Book of Tea duology has a beautiful sapphic relationship.

While tea is a huge part of this book, obviously, I should mention as someone who isn’t a massive tear love (yes, not all Brits love tea) that this isn’t a book about people sitting around drinking lots of tea. It’s so much more than that. This is very much a political fantasy with some romance and a lot of court drama and brilliant world-building thrown in. If you love interesting and unique magic systems then this is the one for you.

Lin is a writer that knows how to play with a reader’s emotions and this is one you are definitely going to need tissues handy for. It does end on a huge cliffhanger, so I would suggest having the second book handy if that is not your thing. I did, and I’m not sure if I could have handled waiting to see what happened next!

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

A gripping start!

"A Magic Stepped in Poison" is the first book of The Book of Tea dilogy by Judi I. Lin and tells the story of Ning and Kang.

Jodi I. Lin created an amazing world. I've read quite a few stories that come from Asian mythology, but with the tea magic the author has really created a unique element. We accompany Ning to the palace where she competes as a tea magician to become a Shennong-shi so she can save her sister so she can save her sister who dies the same way her mother.
I loved how the author managed to subtly weave Ning and Kang's love story into the plot. The description of the tea magic was amazing! I've never read of such a magic system. In addition to the exciting magic elements, we dive into a world full of political intrigues, family secrets, murder and forbidden love.

I give "A Magic Steeped in Poison" 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I just sadly see myself never getting around to picking this one up.

I loved the sound of it when I first requested but unfortunately there are just so many books I would prioritise over it.

So sorry!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to read an arc of this book.*
Beautiful cover.
Interesting story, took a while to get going.
I was interested in the magic system, the use of tea as their form of magic was intriguing. The end of the book made me interested in getting the sequel.

As someone that loves romance with mythology infused into it (And as a fan of Tea Drinking)- I was intrigued by this as soon as I saw the beautiful cover and found out it was about magical tea brewing.
Many Thanks to Netgalley and Titan Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review:
Plot- So this seemed pretty standard plot wise, everything fell into place throughout and no big twists that left me reeling, but it was enjoyable to read. Pacing was extremely fast, which gave me whiplash at some points but honestly i'd prefer fast to slow.

Worldbuilding- This worked for the most part, but i felt the magic system in the tea side of it wasn't always fully formed/explained to the reader? When it was there it was great but it just never seemed to fully register with me.

Characters- They were all well rounded and developed so i actually quite liked them.

Overall:
Plot and pacing overall were pretty good, but the worldbuilding and the mythology mixed magic system didn't quite work for me at times

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I Lin is a mesmerizing and well-crafted novel that deftly combines magic, mystery, and historical fiction. The writing style is evocative and lyrical, with vivid descriptions that transport the reader to a mystical world of alchemy and potions. The themes of power, corruption, and redemption are woven seamlessly into the plot, adding depth and complexity to the story.

The novel's unique blend of magic and historical fiction is particularly noteworthy, with the author skillfully incorporating real historical events and figures into the narrative. The characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, with their own personal struggles and motivations that add to the richness of the story.

Lin's exploration of the corrupting influence of power and the redemptive power of love and forgiveness is masterfully done. The novel is a powerful reminder of the consequences of unchecked ambition and the importance of compassion and empathy.

Overall, A Magic Steeped in Poison is an enchanting and thought-provoking novel that would appeal to fans of historical fiction and magical realism. The novel's immersive writing style and well-crafted themes make it a standout read that is not to be missed.

This had a unique magic system, based on tea and all the ceremony behind it, that I found really interesting and was described and researched really well. It added an element to the story that otherwise would have felt very generic, fantasy wise.

Which brings me to the mine issue I had with the book - the characters. They're all quite flat and one dimensional, and very stereotypical YA. Ning is 'not like other girls', who just seems to have this innate ability to heal. It all felt a bit far fetched. And on top of this the romance felt very superficial and not exactly healthy, with a fair few cringy moments.

Wonderfully imaginative magic system, but the overall story is let down by lacklustre characters and a pretty standard YA plot.

The first amazing instalment in a teen series! Full of twists and turns and I am so so exited to read the next when it comes out.

finally got around to reading this book towards the end of January in anticipation for book two and I quite enjoyed it but didn't love it.

The narrative was very easy to read, I probably got through it at twice my normal speed and I loved the Asian setting and the language, it didn't overpower at all.

I found the story itself was good but a little repetitive of other Asian inspired fantasies I've read lately. The tea inspired magic was perfect and I thought I would enjoy the court competition more but alas I was more interested in the potential forbidden love interest and his identity/agenda 👀.

I'm intrigued enough to read book two which actually says a lot - I hope it cements the duology as a yes from me. For book one though, I really enjoyed it while I was reading but as soon as I put it down I did find it quite forgettable.

This was one of the books that made me realise that I've aged out of YA fantasy, so I will try to be as objective as possible in my review; I didn't enjoy A Magic Steeped In Poison as much as I was hoping to, but I think for fans of the genre it should be a real hit.

A deadly competition full of intrigue; a mysterious handsome boy with a secret identity; a girl struggling to save her family in the face of an unfair society; interesting and evocative magic - this has all the ingredients for a perfect YA fantasy blend, and it's executed really well. The story is pacey and the writing pretty, and the tea descriptions are exactly what this book needed to set it apart from similar plots. Overall, this wasn't for me, but I think it deserves four stars for doing exactly what it ought to.

A Magic Steeped in Poison was so vibrant and luscious, and made my tea-loving heart so happy.
The characters felt very real, the politics were absolutely amazing and I loved the twist at the end, I cant wait to continue with the duology.