I'm very happy that I was able to read (and finish) quite a few books this month! My reading selection was also perhaps a bit more varied, with a non-fiction book thrown in. I began reading the Tea Princess Chronicles by Casey Blair (very good, so lovely), continued with the next volume of Spy x Family, and read books newly published as well as older.
- The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older (very good, loved the worldbuilding, interesting plot)
- Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (really enjoyed it, definitely cried a bit toward the end, a lot of interesting tropes and themes, good worldbuilding, liked how many of the themes were handled)
- Batman: Wayne Family Adventures Volume One by Payne and Starbite (lovely, so happy I get to have a physical copy, can't wait for volume two)
- A Dance with the Fae Prince by Elise Kova (liked it a lot, loved the themes and the romance, good character growth)
- Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (re-read, well-written, interesting and illuminating, difficult subject matter, felt the narration treated the subject material well for the most part, interested in seeing the movie adaptation)
- A Coup of Tea by Casey Blair (amazing, lovely, binged it in almost one sitting, loved the themes and characters and how it was all put together, as well as the focus on tea, diverse in a good and welcoming way)
- The Physicians of Vilnoc by Lois McMaster Bujold (loved it, tough subject matter however, Penric and Desdemona as lovely as always, enjoyed the philosophical themes and questions)
- Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (great, loved it, missed Seivarden a bit though, great themes and characters, made me want to re-read the first book)
- Spy x Family Volume 6 by Tatsuya Endo (Cute, funny, engrossing, more of a tight one-arc story which I liked, has the famous lullaby Yor and Loid scene, Nightfall was hilarious, a key moment finally occurred!)
- Tea Set and Match by Casey Blair (loved it, a lot of communication, loved the themes and how it was handled, cathartic, interesting understanding of the MC's privilege (and how she can use it)
- The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (re-read, interesting, the narration was amazing and really sold the story, liked the back half of the book more, some very dry and funny and witty parts, wanted more things to be fixed/dealt with, Maia's internalized racism is never really questioned by him)
- Outlaw Mage by KS Villoso (had backed the Kickstarter, very good, read it in a few sittings, enjoyed the characters and themes, tried to figure out how the book connected to the other series in that world, enjoyable and thought-provoking, not too subtle, want to know what happens next)
Winding down the week with a good book and a strong cuppa! 📖☕️
Did you know? Tea Princess' Choice, our collab blend with Casey Blair, is a delightfully decaf option with lush orchardy aroma made to match up with your nighttime reading habit? Happy sipping, fellow bookworms!
So I've been reading some cozy fantasy stories lately, re-reading Legends & Lattes, enjoying You Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and its sequel. Just today I picked up a similar ebook called A Coup of Tea, the first in the Tea Princess Chronicles.
While I'm thankful that the detailed and specific use of tea and historical clothing are mostly described in terms I can understand, I'm having trouble picturing the characters and their outfits.
Not just their outfits but... and this is embarrassing to admit, but the characters themselves. I feel bad knowing I might not be imagining them even as the earth-equivalent um races/phenotypes they're intended to be. ><
Now I would usually solve this issue by referencing fanart but there doesn't seem to be any??!?! Three books in this series have been released but searching for 'a coup of tea fanart' and 'tea princess chronicles fanart' on google and on tumblr, or checking the author Casey Blair's twitter or wordpress, none of these have revealed a single piece of fan art?!?
So this is a plea! A request, asked on my knees, does anyone know where I can find fanart of this book - particularly Miyara in her green formal outfit? Lorwyn and Risteri would also be helpful.
