Alchemy and a Cup of Tea

I've been a fan of this series since reading the indie ARC of the first book, and this is such a fitting end to the quartet!

It starts off with Reyna being kidnapped by bandits and discovering an alchemical circle that could have strange implications. Cue Reyna and Kianthe investigating once again. Don't worry, there's plenty of time spent with griffons and dragons.

While this one has slightly higher stakes that make this book veer a little out of the cozy realm (since alchemy in this world requires blood sacrifice), the first half of this book retains much of the lighthearted coziness of the previous installments. I had a great time, and the narrator is absolutely fantastic at bringing the characters to life. The third book is my show more favorite of the series, but the whole series is one of my all-time favorites!

Also...THAT EPILOGUE!!!

Also also, there's a really cute short story at the end featuring Bobbie and Serina.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review! show less

Series Info/Source: This is the fourth, and final, book in the Tomes and Tea series. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this final book in the Tomes and Tea series. I actually thought that the series was going to end at book 3, but this book did a good job of wrapping up some of the loose ends left after the 3rd book.

Reyna has been kidnapped and that really isn't a huge deal because she is more than capable of freeing herself. However, the alchemy circle she finds in her cell is a big deal. Kianthe is called to deal with a weakening of the Stone of Seeing and an alchemical circle is found there as well. When they return to Tawney to talk to Feo about the alchemy, they find the town in chaos. Tawney has become a show more huge tourist attraction since both Queen Reyna and Arcandor Kianthe make their home there. As Reyna and Kianthe try to figure out what is happening with these alchemical circles, they also must help the town figure out a way to embrace its new popularity.

I continue to really enjoy the characters here, and it was intriguing to delve into some of the alchemy in this world. Reyna and Kianthe continue to struggle to balance a peaceful life in Tawney with their responsibilities as world leaders. I enjoyed that we got to spend more time with the dragons in this book and learn more about dragon magic as well.

A main theme in this book is a small town struggling to become a popular tourist attraction and the growing pains that come with that.

This wasn't my favorite book of the series. Largely because it felt like it was just tying up a lot of loose ends from the first three books. Even the major plot point around the alchemical circles seems to be addressing that imbalance between alchemy and elemental magic that has been a theme throughout the series. I also think that the characters felt a bit tired here, they are all dealing with the consequences of the first three books and there seemed to be less coziness and excitement and more plodding along trying to solve problems and keep some semblance of life/work balance. I guess it felt a bit too real life to me and didn't have as much fun escapism as the previous books did.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this final book in the Tomes and Tea series. This book wraps up the loose ends from the previous book and leaves our characters in a decent (but fairly realistic) place. I would recommend this series if you enjoy cozy fantasy with a bit more action and politics than your typical cozy fantasy. I will definitely keep an eye out for future books that Thorne writes. show less

End of the series, although the epilogue has a teaser for Reyna and Kianthe's continuing adventures. We learn more about magic, especially alchemy, as a new threat emerges: the town is overrun by tourists eager to see a Queen and the Arcandor. A pleasant wrap-up.

A fun conclusion to the series

Rating 4.5

This was a lovely wrap up to the series (although it sounds like more stories in this world are coming). Although I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I remember enjoying the first book (although it's been a while and my opinions may be different now as this book does feel more established), it wasn't too far off that and a far better experience than the third book (which I debated dnfing). I liked that we returned to the previous mix of action and adventure and cosy and I enjoyed getting to see more of how the world and the magic system work. Oh, and the greater presence of the dragons and griffons definitely added to the experience! I am glad that we finally get some answers surrounding some previous events. That being said, some show more elements and plot points did feel like they could have been given a bit more attention, although I do usually feel this way when it comes to cosy books, along with the convenience factor. And I feel like the epilogue serves more to set up a new book rather than to wrap up the series, which I wasn't the biggest fan of - I would have preferred the series to be more self contained, even if future books follow other characters from it. But overall, I am glad I didn't give up after my disappointment with the previous book.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own. show less