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Chai Jinxed: A Magical Tea-Brewing Adventure of Enchanted Chai, Family Secrets, and Mysterious Jinxes in a Cozy Fantasy Setting
Trouble is brewing at Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing, and unlucky Misha has one chance to fix it with the recipe for the perfect enchanted cup of chai, in this magical, heartfelt, and funny adventure about the power of believing in yourself, perfect for fans of A Taste of Magic and The Marvellers.
All it took was one majestic frog and a love brew gone wrong—and faster than you can say ribbit, Misha got expelled...again. Things aren’t much better back home. A rival tea shop opens across the street, and rumors spread that the Dayaans' tea is cursed. Determined to fix her family’s reputation, Misha’s only got one option left: attend the infamous Margaret’s Academy of Tea and Brewing and brew her way to the top of her class—even if it means a little bit of spice sabotage.
But when Misha finds herself up against the girl from the tea shop across the street and things start going wrong—ghostly tea leaves, living scarecrows, and rumors of missing tea witches—Misha starts to realize the truth: she’s jinxed. And if she can’t turn her luck around, her family tea shop, her classmates—and even all of Margaret’s Academy—will have a fate worse than cold tea.
Emi Pinto's heartfelt, hilarious, and hijinks-filled Chai Jinxed is a stand-alone adventure for everyone who has ever felt the pressure to succeed, with an affirming story about friendship, family, and self-love.
All it took was one majestic frog and a love brew gone wrong—and faster than you can say ribbit, Misha got expelled...again. Things aren’t much better back home. A rival tea shop opens across the street, and rumors spread that the Dayaans' tea is cursed. Determined to fix her family’s reputation, Misha’s only got one option left: attend the infamous Margaret’s Academy of Tea and Brewing and brew her way to the top of her class—even if it means a little bit of spice sabotage.
But when Misha finds herself up against the girl from the tea shop across the street and things start going wrong—ghostly tea leaves, living scarecrows, and rumors of missing tea witches—Misha starts to realize the truth: she’s jinxed. And if she can’t turn her luck around, her family tea shop, her classmates—and even all of Margaret’s Academy—will have a fate worse than cold tea.
Emi Pinto's heartfelt, hilarious, and hijinks-filled Chai Jinxed is a stand-alone adventure for everyone who has ever felt the pressure to succeed, with an affirming story about friendship, family, and self-love.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2024
6 people are currently reading
3437 people want to read
About the author
Emi Pinto
2 books29 followersEmi is a Canadian writer and Doctorate of Education graduate, who writes everything from middle grade to young adult. She's a huge fan of all things fantasy and spooky and hijinks (hello cute ghosts and awkward witches), and loves to weave her mixed Indian and French-Canadian heritage into her stories (dosa with a side of poutine anyone?). When she isn’t reading or writing or pretending to work, you can find her taking long walks in forest trails with her family, looking for fairy doors.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 12, 2025
Rep: South Asian sapphic mc, sapphic li
September 16, 2024
E ARC provided by NetGalley
This is a cute story about a young witch named Misha. She wants to be the like her Idol the wizard of Chai. But due to some unfortunate accidents in brewing tea, Misha has been expelled from more then one tea school. She has one last chance to get it right, Margaret's Academy. But their is something strange going on at the school and it seems up to Misha to find out what.
I would of liked to see more tea brewing. I don't understand how the others schools didn't know why Misha always messed up. Loved the twists and turns and the reveal towards the end, had me surprised. Some things seemed to come out of no where, like what happened at the very end. I would of liked a bit more explanation on some other things.
This is a cute story about a young witch named Misha. She wants to be the like her Idol the wizard of Chai. But due to some unfortunate accidents in brewing tea, Misha has been expelled from more then one tea school. She has one last chance to get it right, Margaret's Academy. But their is something strange going on at the school and it seems up to Misha to find out what.
I would of liked to see more tea brewing. I don't understand how the others schools didn't know why Misha always messed up. Loved the twists and turns and the reveal towards the end, had me surprised. Some things seemed to come out of no where, like what happened at the very end. I would of liked a bit more explanation on some other things.
July 5, 2024
This book is so fun and whimsical. Warring tea shop rivals had me hooked. I loved Misha and how much she shined on the page, constantly clumnsy but so full of heart and passion. I’m always excited to read about a magical school and Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing felt so unique. The aprons were such a fun touch and there are lots of bits of chaos with twists sprinkled in. I can’t wait to read whatever Emi writes next!
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this positively unique “magical boarding school“ story that uses tea brewing as a form of magic. I fell in love with Misha, the completely ridiculously unlucky protagonist, who never never never never gives up. I think middle school readers will really be able to relate to her many mess ups, and root for her as she tries to uncover just why she is so unlucky. The magic system is so well thought out that it’s easy to forget that this is a made-up world, and each page with luscious and delicious descriptions.
October 27, 2024
3.5 rounded up
eligible-in-2025
October 20, 2024Spotted on Ms. Yingling Reads blog: https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
June 25, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Misha has been expelled from six schools, and her classmates refer to her as 'the Teapot Princess" because she seems to be just as cursed as the Teapot Prince of legend. At her latest school, her fiasco involves giving Professor Hamster a love chai instead of a family brew, and when he chucks it out of the window, it lands on a frog who comes into the classroom, enamored of him. When Misha tries to find an "anteadote", she only succeeds in making the frog gigantic! She must go back to her family's Diyann Tea Shop in shame. There, her problems mount as she tries to help her cousin Aahori, even though she has instructed her to touch nothing. When Emery Sunny stops by with a gift from her parents' shop, Misha uses the sugar Emery has brought, only to find out that it is sabotage spice, and more chaos ensues. Customers have come by the shop looking for the little witch who makes everything go wrong, but Misha is most interested in the person who says that she will get an invitation to Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing. It's a strict school, so her cousin didn't want to go there, but Misha is desperate. On the grounds, she meets new students Percival, and well as Emery Sunny, who claims she didn't know about the sabotage spice. Misha fails her test, but another student, June, gives her a gold apron anyway. Students at the very best levels wear these; those at the bottom wear gray. Misha is paired with Emery in Professor Mariposa's class, and manages to brew up a duplication spell that forces the students out of the classroom when it fills up with candy conversation hearts! June finds Misha a place to sleep, and things seem to be going well. Emery even invites her to go to the Night Bazaar with her. When the students find out that the renowned Wizard of Chai is looking for an apprentice at their school, things become complicated with challenges and double crossing. Will Misha be able to escape all of her bad luck to save the day and really earn her gold apron?
Strengths: Making it through the day without embarrassing oneself is a challenge for many middle school students, so reading about someone who is constantly having troubles is rather a relief. Misha has many mishaps, but they involve delicious sounding tea and a variety of cakes as well. Her friend drama with Emery is realistic; middle school relationship often run hot and cold. Magical academy stories are always popular, and the cover of this will appeal to readers who liked the Yummy and Tasty graphic novels. The cover is adorable.
Weaknesses: I would have liked some explanation for why Misha was always having REALLY big disasters and feel like I might have missed something.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like Abe's Eva Evergreen books, O'Neill's Tea Dragon Society books, or other magical books like Nichol's The Apprentice Witch or Burgis' The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart.
Misha has been expelled from six schools, and her classmates refer to her as 'the Teapot Princess" because she seems to be just as cursed as the Teapot Prince of legend. At her latest school, her fiasco involves giving Professor Hamster a love chai instead of a family brew, and when he chucks it out of the window, it lands on a frog who comes into the classroom, enamored of him. When Misha tries to find an "anteadote", she only succeeds in making the frog gigantic! She must go back to her family's Diyann Tea Shop in shame. There, her problems mount as she tries to help her cousin Aahori, even though she has instructed her to touch nothing. When Emery Sunny stops by with a gift from her parents' shop, Misha uses the sugar Emery has brought, only to find out that it is sabotage spice, and more chaos ensues. Customers have come by the shop looking for the little witch who makes everything go wrong, but Misha is most interested in the person who says that she will get an invitation to Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing. It's a strict school, so her cousin didn't want to go there, but Misha is desperate. On the grounds, she meets new students Percival, and well as Emery Sunny, who claims she didn't know about the sabotage spice. Misha fails her test, but another student, June, gives her a gold apron anyway. Students at the very best levels wear these; those at the bottom wear gray. Misha is paired with Emery in Professor Mariposa's class, and manages to brew up a duplication spell that forces the students out of the classroom when it fills up with candy conversation hearts! June finds Misha a place to sleep, and things seem to be going well. Emery even invites her to go to the Night Bazaar with her. When the students find out that the renowned Wizard of Chai is looking for an apprentice at their school, things become complicated with challenges and double crossing. Will Misha be able to escape all of her bad luck to save the day and really earn her gold apron?
Strengths: Making it through the day without embarrassing oneself is a challenge for many middle school students, so reading about someone who is constantly having troubles is rather a relief. Misha has many mishaps, but they involve delicious sounding tea and a variety of cakes as well. Her friend drama with Emery is realistic; middle school relationship often run hot and cold. Magical academy stories are always popular, and the cover of this will appeal to readers who liked the Yummy and Tasty graphic novels. The cover is adorable.
Weaknesses: I would have liked some explanation for why Misha was always having REALLY big disasters and feel like I might have missed something.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like Abe's Eva Evergreen books, O'Neill's Tea Dragon Society books, or other magical books like Nichol's The Apprentice Witch or Burgis' The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart.
January 24, 2025
Will Misha be able to prove herself and save her family's tea shop's reputation?
Misha Dayaan, a young witch, has always struggled to master her chai brews, leading to her repeated expulsions from various schools. After her latest expulsion—caused by accidentally making a frog fall in love with a professor—her family's tea shop faces increased competition from Sunny's Chai Shop. One day, a mysterious stranger visits and extends an invitation to Misha to join Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing. Eager to save her family's tea shop and prove herself as a skilled witch, Misha decides to accept the invitation.
Receiving this book was a delightful surprise, especially since I had previously enjoyed "Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters" by the same author. I was particularly charmed by the unique concept of spells that use Chai tea as a base, which added a refreshing twist to the narrative. It had been some time since I dived into a fantasy story, and I found every page thoroughly captivating.
The characters bring their distinct flavors to the tale. Misha, the main character, is a fiercely ambitious and determined individual, always ready to tackle challenges with her signature phrase, "I can fix this." In contrast, Emery offers a relaxed perspective, embodying a laid-back charm that grounds the group. Percival, with his slightly haughty demeanor, adds an intriguing complexity, often elevating the stakes with his arrogance. Then there's June, the lovable troublemaker—a whirlwind of mischief wrapped in a kindhearted spirit.
This book is perfect for fans of fantasy and those who appreciate a strong and determined main character.
Happy Reading, Paige ❤️ 📚
Thank you @harperkids @theshelfstuff for sending me a copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Misha Dayaan, a young witch, has always struggled to master her chai brews, leading to her repeated expulsions from various schools. After her latest expulsion—caused by accidentally making a frog fall in love with a professor—her family's tea shop faces increased competition from Sunny's Chai Shop. One day, a mysterious stranger visits and extends an invitation to Misha to join Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing. Eager to save her family's tea shop and prove herself as a skilled witch, Misha decides to accept the invitation.
Receiving this book was a delightful surprise, especially since I had previously enjoyed "Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters" by the same author. I was particularly charmed by the unique concept of spells that use Chai tea as a base, which added a refreshing twist to the narrative. It had been some time since I dived into a fantasy story, and I found every page thoroughly captivating.
The characters bring their distinct flavors to the tale. Misha, the main character, is a fiercely ambitious and determined individual, always ready to tackle challenges with her signature phrase, "I can fix this." In contrast, Emery offers a relaxed perspective, embodying a laid-back charm that grounds the group. Percival, with his slightly haughty demeanor, adds an intriguing complexity, often elevating the stakes with his arrogance. Then there's June, the lovable troublemaker—a whirlwind of mischief wrapped in a kindhearted spirit.
This book is perfect for fans of fantasy and those who appreciate a strong and determined main character.
Happy Reading, Paige ❤️ 📚
Thank you @harperkids @theshelfstuff for sending me a copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 30, 2025
I'd say this is 3 to 3.5 stars. It's cute and I like the magic as well as the main character. It could also be a bonus that it's on the shorter side for a fantasy novel. However, the negative of that is because the book zooms by at a really fast pace, you don't get to know the supporting characters as well. [I was even confused by the front cover - the boy with the ravens is obviously Percival, and the front-center witch has to be Misha. Is the witch to the right Emery and if so, who is the witch to the left?]
I think it is also hard to stand out in the post-Harry Potter, post-Percy Jackson world of fantasy school stories. (There are still good fantasy school books, but I think we have an overabundance of these titles.)
I'm going to say it's "good" but didn't rise to "great" or "outstanding" for me.
I think it is also hard to stand out in the post-Harry Potter, post-Percy Jackson world of fantasy school stories. (There are still good fantasy school books, but I think we have an overabundance of these titles.)
I'm going to say it's "good" but didn't rise to "great" or "outstanding" for me.
January 9, 2025
I LOVED this book in so many ways! The queer characters, the tea magic, the fun ridiculous hijinks, THE FACT THAT ITS CLEARLY AN OZ ADAPTATION!!! It had all the ingredients to spell a perfect book for me! Until I got to the end. As soon as I got to the end with the twist and everything, more questions about the world building arose. And then it gave confusion to the character development too, because if the main character had no idea about her own ability, how did she suddenly learn to control it? All in all, a wonderful book! Will recommend it to tea lovers, middle grade readers, and fairy tale enthusiasts alike. Will definitely reread it, just feel like there should have been more explanation because there’s a lot in this world that could have been explored more.
March 5, 2025
I liked this one way better than this author's first book. In fact, when speaking to colleagues about the story and the system of magic it uses, they were all intrigued and it's been added to at least two TBRs!
The magic system and world building are really well done for a middle-grade fantasy book and , once it comes around, the crisis Misha and her friends face at the end is both terrifying and poignant.
It does take a while to get going though - to the point that I almost gave up on this book because the MC's constant misfortunes weren't uplifting and fun so much as a hindrance to the plot and her likeability. The ending is a little deus ex machina for me and the explanation for her abilities is rushed through but over all it's a SOLID book. I loved it, faults and all!
The magic system and world building are really well done for a middle-grade fantasy book and , once it comes around, the crisis Misha and her friends face at the end is both terrifying and poignant.
It does take a while to get going though - to the point that I almost gave up on this book because the MC's constant misfortunes weren't uplifting and fun so much as a hindrance to the plot and her likeability. The ending is a little deus ex machina for me and the explanation for her abilities is rushed through but over all it's a SOLID book. I loved it, faults and all!
February 1, 2025
Mix up some chai traditionally or by witchcraft, whichever works best.
A fun read about mixing up some mischief while attempting to mix chai, a traditional tea drink from Eastern Asian countries. Though there are a few male characters most are female so this read will appeal most to upper elementary girl readers, particularly those who like to create in the kitchen setting.
A glossary would have been helpful as there are several words in Hindi which readers will have to look up, likely on the Internet, or they will skip over those.
Overall fun and recommended for purchase for school as well as public libraries.
M.P.
Ret. Libr Asso
A fun read about mixing up some mischief while attempting to mix chai, a traditional tea drink from Eastern Asian countries. Though there are a few male characters most are female so this read will appeal most to upper elementary girl readers, particularly those who like to create in the kitchen setting.
A glossary would have been helpful as there are several words in Hindi which readers will have to look up, likely on the Internet, or they will skip over those.
Overall fun and recommended for purchase for school as well as public libraries.
M.P.
Ret. Libr Asso
December 16, 2024
Mix up some chai traditionally or by witchcraft, whichever works best. A fun read about mixing up some mischief while attempting to mix chai, a traditional tea drink from Eastern Asian countries. Though there are a few male characters most are female so this read will appeal most to upper elementary girl readers, particularly those who like to create in the kitchen setting.
A glossary would have been helpful as there are several words in Hindi which readers will have to look up, likely on the Internet, or they will skip over those.
A glossary would have been helpful as there are several words in Hindi which readers will have to look up, likely on the Internet, or they will skip over those.
November 8, 2024
A uniquely witchy story, Chai Jinxed follows Misha, a tea brewing witch who can't make a brew to save her life. After the catastrophic disaster of her last brew landed her another expulsion she knows she needs to make one last ditch effort to prove herself. She finesses her way into Margaret's Academy of Tea and Brewing with the help of a new friend and finds herself at the center of a mystery that will change her life forever.
Chai Jinxed reminded me of The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents since both main characters can't handle their magic and are considered misfits. Although in Chai Jinxed, Misha is willing to make mistakes and constantly yells out, "I can fix this!" when reader, she can not indeed fix this. There's a lot of humor in her mistakes as well as a great lesson for young readers to keep trying. I was very interested in the different friendships she made from the rival who sabotaged her tea shop, to the mysterious girl who helped her get a gold apron, and lastly to the boy who thinks only gold aprons are worth associating with. I would have loved more time with them. I feel like there was so much more that they could have contributed to the story. For example, the ending would have made more sense if the potential relationship was at least hinted upon throughout the story. I also wish the story was more drawn out and we got to see more tea brewing lessons. I did really enjoy the lessons that can be learned through reading this story and not knowing what was going to happen next. Chai Jinxed is a lovely magical story about chasing your dreams and being yourself, it just needed a little polishing.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of Chai Jinxed in exchange for an honest review.
Chai Jinxed reminded me of The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents since both main characters can't handle their magic and are considered misfits. Although in Chai Jinxed, Misha is willing to make mistakes and constantly yells out, "I can fix this!" when reader, she can not indeed fix this. There's a lot of humor in her mistakes as well as a great lesson for young readers to keep trying. I was very interested in the different friendships she made from the rival who sabotaged her tea shop, to the mysterious girl who helped her get a gold apron, and lastly to the boy who thinks only gold aprons are worth associating with. I would have loved more time with them. I feel like there was so much more that they could have contributed to the story. For example, the ending would have made more sense if the potential relationship was at least hinted upon throughout the story. I also wish the story was more drawn out and we got to see more tea brewing lessons. I did really enjoy the lessons that can be learned through reading this story and not knowing what was going to happen next. Chai Jinxed is a lovely magical story about chasing your dreams and being yourself, it just needed a little polishing.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of Chai Jinxed in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2024
Thank You to Netgalley for the Advanced readers copy. A sweet and Whimsical story about magic and tea. Misha goes to a magical school that uses tea as a form of magic. This is a unique magic system that I have not seen before. As an avid tea drinker I can confirm that Tea is magic, I nice cup of tea can make a bad day a little brighter. This book is perfect for fans of Harry Potter and Katie O'Neill's Tea Dragon Society.
March 5, 2025
Cute, a little confusing. I love the magical system, the setting in general, and Misha's commitment to looking on the bright side as long as she can. I also love that it's not really a romance in any sense of the word. I had a hard time with the ever expanding plot -- it reads like a wildly imaginative bedtime story, where anything can happen next. That's not a bad thing, per se, I just like a little more character development, and a little more substance.
January 15, 2025
A delightful middle grade, cozy fantasy take on The Wizard of Oz. Definitely have some chai or a piece of cake or both!! while you’re reading it.
Gripe: For some reason “accidentally” is misspelled throughout - is this a change in usage I wasn’t aware of? Unclear why editors would have missed it otherwise.
Gripe: For some reason “accidentally” is misspelled throughout - is this a change in usage I wasn’t aware of? Unclear why editors would have missed it otherwise.
February 5, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved the wizard of oz/ wicked-esque world and loved the diversity of all the characters. I enjoyed that the MC made mistakes and was not at all perfect. Creepy scarecrows. It was cozy and cute and definitely made me crave a chai.
November 22, 2024
quirky chai-ldhood me would’ve drank this up
January 13, 2025
Absolute garbage.
March 24, 2025
See my review at https://canadiancookbooks.ca/chai-jin...
July 16, 2025
Not all yellow brick roads lead to Oz, some takes us to a Tea Magic Academy. Loved this adventure.
August 23, 2025
CHAI IS NOT AN OBJECT (Daddy is WRONG)
November 15, 2025
Battle of the Books
November 4, 2024
This was a fun read. I liked Misha and how determined she is. She doesn't ever give up and it makes her a better person.
We got hints of things that were coming, but I was still surprised when we found out who was behind everything.
I liked how Misha made friends with June, Emery & Percival. They really help each other along the way.
A cute read that kids will enjoy if they love a book with good friendships and magic.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.
We got hints of things that were coming, but I was still surprised when we found out who was behind everything.
I liked how Misha made friends with June, Emery & Percival. They really help each other along the way.
A cute read that kids will enjoy if they love a book with good friendships and magic.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews