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The Elegant Courtly Life of the Tea Witch Vol. 1
Come and read a manga that’s a cosy and comforting as a nice warm cup of tea! At the royal court, the weakest mage is the tea witch, who uses their powers to make tea for the noble lords and ladies… but Remy has some incredible powers that will result in all kinds of courtly intrigue! The first volume in a heart-warming and cosy ongoing series, The Elegant Courtly Life of a Tea Witch tells the tale of Remy, a lowly tea witch using her magic to brew the finest cuppa for the noble lords and ladies. All she really wants is a quiet life creating gorgeous displays for shop windows… but she’s slowly drawn into a world of intrigue as her incredible powers of transformation make her the gossip of the court… and the object of affection for a naïve princess!
192 pages, Paperback
Published December 31, 2024
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77 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 26, 2025
This one wasn’t for me. The romance interest is 12 years old which really was a bit of a jump scare.
This had a tonne of potential and for the first 70% I was really enjoying it. It’s a sapphic, cozy manga following a witch whose powers are seen than less than because she makes tea. It’s basically everything I wanted from a manga. The world and magic system are also really intriguing and well structured.
What threw me was the age of the princess. She’s drawn to look older, but later on in the book we find out she’s 12.
Given the context from what we know about the maid, she appears to be older (possibly even an adult) but she thinks she’s a better fit than the 24 year old man that wants to marry the princess. Neither are good options…
This had a tonne of potential and for the first 70% I was really enjoying it. It’s a sapphic, cozy manga following a witch whose powers are seen than less than because she makes tea. It’s basically everything I wanted from a manga. The world and magic system are also really intriguing and well structured.
What threw me was the age of the princess. She’s drawn to look older, but later on in the book we find out she’s 12.
Given the context from what we know about the maid, she appears to be older (possibly even an adult) but she thinks she’s a better fit than the 24 year old man that wants to marry the princess. Neither are good options…
April 11, 2025
Why is this the second yuri manga I've picked up that turned out to have a romance between a child and an adult?? (The other was The Witches' Marriage.) I kept hoping I was misinterpreting and it wasn't actually a romance, but they go on a date, and the second volume says they fall in love. She's twelve! The other character's age isn't specified, but likely around 20. No thank you!
December 7, 2024
I was going to highly recommend this until I realised that the princess is 12 YEARS OLD (this is not at all clear with the way she is illustrated) while her supposed love interest is in her 20s from the context clues we are given. I thought no way, I must be misinterpreting it but I went on Penguin's website and the second volume says and I quote "Even more troublesome is the blossoming feelings developing between them… but how can a lowly tea witch and a princess ever be in love?!" in the description. Therefore, I have concluded that it is very clear that this is meant to be a romance between them but she's literally a child absolutely not. I do not recommend for obvious reasons.
March 24, 2025
I laughed the entire time at Remy's complete inability to say no to Princess Stella. Or rather, she SAYS no, but then immediately relents at Stella's sad face. Meanwhile, poor tea witch Remy is just trying to fly under the radar and enjoy some lazy peacetime court magery. She doesn't want anyone to know that her power is much more than being "just" a tea witch!
April 3, 2025
A cute fantasy slice of life and while the age gap between the main characters is rather large...I have a feeling there's going to be a time skip and suddenly the princess will be 18. Fingers crossed...
December 17, 2025
Wish I'd read the reviews before I checked this out...
April 15, 2025
First, lets go over the problematic bits:
Of course, the discovery that the princess is 12... I'm not that big into relationships with an age gap, and 12 is really too young! Thankfully, in this book, there isn't really anyone acting on their impulses, we'll see how things are in books 2 & 3...
This manga feels like it is based on a novel because there are some pieces of the story that are just glossed over that should have been explained more. I've seen this happen in other manga that were books first, and I get that you can't cover everything, but there were some jumps made in the story that really should have been explained more.
And Remy herself swings between an awesome highly competent character, and a complete moron (somewhat like Sailor Moon in that respect) except that Remy knows full well what she can do.
That said, there are bits that I liked a lot and want to continue reading to find out.
The Deadwoods are delightfully mysterious - are they an actual secret society of powerful magic users who fought in the war and now that there is peace are pretending to be much less than what they were so as not to disrupt that peace? Will they come out of hiding to protect that peace? Or is it just a term for magic users that are no longer useful now that the war is over? (I have a feeling this was fleshed out more in the book, if the book exists).
I do want to know what Remy did in the war, because it's clear she fought, so she must have some extravagant title she's hiding, like Alicia and Balian and the other characters who were in the war.
Alicia is wonderful, and non-binary. I love her character, her powers, who she is now, and who she used to be. I'd honestly read an entire series just about her.
Of course, the discovery that the princess is 12... I'm not that big into relationships with an age gap, and 12 is really too young! Thankfully, in this book, there isn't really anyone acting on their impulses, we'll see how things are in books 2 & 3...
This manga feels like it is based on a novel because there are some pieces of the story that are just glossed over that should have been explained more. I've seen this happen in other manga that were books first, and I get that you can't cover everything, but there were some jumps made in the story that really should have been explained more.
And Remy herself swings between an awesome highly competent character, and a complete moron (somewhat like Sailor Moon in that respect) except that Remy knows full well what she can do.
That said, there are bits that I liked a lot and want to continue reading to find out.
The Deadwoods are delightfully mysterious - are they an actual secret society of powerful magic users who fought in the war and now that there is peace are pretending to be much less than what they were so as not to disrupt that peace? Will they come out of hiding to protect that peace? Or is it just a term for magic users that are no longer useful now that the war is over? (I have a feeling this was fleshed out more in the book, if the book exists).
I do want to know what Remy did in the war, because it's clear she fought, so she must have some extravagant title she's hiding, like Alicia and Balian and the other characters who were in the war.
Alicia is wonderful, and non-binary. I love her character, her powers, who she is now, and who she used to be. I'd honestly read an entire series just about her.
November 19, 2024
This book is so sweet, like a perfect cup of tea! I've not a great deal of history with manga, but tea is a crucial part of my life, so the idea behind this story enticed me in, and I'm so glad it did.
I flew through the pages in no time, and found myself falling in love with the shy-but-fierce Tea Witch! The underlying issues of society, class and post-war politics was intriguing but flowed seamlessly with the gentle romance of the main narrative. I enjoyed the very traditional Japanese humour in some panels too - excessive enthusiasm, panic or general Big Emotions!
My only quibble was that the PDF didn't always seem very clear to me; I think in future I'll be looking for physical copies of the books, as it wasn't always apparent quite what was going on. Fortunately the dialogue cleared this up well enough, but I'd like to see the art properly as intended to get the full experience.
A beautiful, fun first chapter in an ongoing story, I'll be looking out for the next part. Hugely grateful to the author and artist for sharing her skills in this book.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
I flew through the pages in no time, and found myself falling in love with the shy-but-fierce Tea Witch! The underlying issues of society, class and post-war politics was intriguing but flowed seamlessly with the gentle romance of the main narrative. I enjoyed the very traditional Japanese humour in some panels too - excessive enthusiasm, panic or general Big Emotions!
My only quibble was that the PDF didn't always seem very clear to me; I think in future I'll be looking for physical copies of the books, as it wasn't always apparent quite what was going on. Fortunately the dialogue cleared this up well enough, but I'd like to see the art properly as intended to get the full experience.
A beautiful, fun first chapter in an ongoing story, I'll be looking out for the next part. Hugely grateful to the author and artist for sharing her skills in this book.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
December 4, 2024
This was a lovely manga that followed a tea witch in court as she tried to stay under the radar. She gets pulled into the spotlight when she is noticed by the princess who wants to be her friend. What follows is a relatable struggle between staying inconspicuous and doing what is right. This story was so cosy, and I loved the setting. I can't wait to read the next instalments.
The classic manga style created both touching and funny moments throughout. There were some great panels that highlighted the vibrant personality of the main character, and I felt like I could relate well to her struggles. I was interested in her navigation of the politics in court during a time of peace, as I feel the context was set up well for further instalments. Using tea as a base for more powerful magic was also really interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops as I'm currently a bit unsure about the nature of the relationships between some of the characters.
I would recommend this manga to anyone who wants a quick and cosy read. Thank you NetGalley and Titan Manga for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.
The classic manga style created both touching and funny moments throughout. There were some great panels that highlighted the vibrant personality of the main character, and I felt like I could relate well to her struggles. I was interested in her navigation of the politics in court during a time of peace, as I feel the context was set up well for further instalments. Using tea as a base for more powerful magic was also really interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops as I'm currently a bit unsure about the nature of the relationships between some of the characters.
I would recommend this manga to anyone who wants a quick and cosy read. Thank you NetGalley and Titan Manga for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.
December 18, 2024
This is supposed to be a cozy manga, and on the surface it is. Remy makes tea for everyone to their taste, as she is a tea witch. She has a court position, but hardly any duties, and she’d like to keep it like that.
But the princess of the kingdom is interested in her and keeps pestering her, which brings too much attention to her. I found the princess really annoying, and then, midway to the volume, it turns out she’s twelve. She’s drawn to look like an adult and is treated like one too, complete with an arranged betrothal. I’d like to think her behaviour is just childishness, but her interest in Remy is treated as a serious infatuation, and what’s worse, Remy shows interest in return. If it was a big sister-little sister type of relationship, I might have given this three stars, but I find it too icky. I won’t continue with this.
I received a free copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
But the princess of the kingdom is interested in her and keeps pestering her, which brings too much attention to her. I found the princess really annoying, and then, midway to the volume, it turns out she’s twelve. She’s drawn to look like an adult and is treated like one too, complete with an arranged betrothal. I’d like to think her behaviour is just childishness, but her interest in Remy is treated as a serious infatuation, and what’s worse, Remy shows interest in return. If it was a big sister-little sister type of relationship, I might have given this three stars, but I find it too icky. I won’t continue with this.
I received a free copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2024
Thank you Edelweiss and publisher for providing an ARC.
This manga was super interesting! I don't think I've read anything like it!! It does have a similar vibe to "Apothecary Diaries" where there are mysteries within court, but the premise and setting are entirely different. The writing/translation used some complex words that are understandable when given context to decipher the meaning, but it was a little difficult to read in the beginning. Once I was halfway through, the use of complicated words decreased and I was able to breeze through the rest of the story. I would say the image/illustration quality also was a little low, but that could just be from the provided eARC. I will definitely be continuing this series!
This manga was super interesting! I don't think I've read anything like it!! It does have a similar vibe to "Apothecary Diaries" where there are mysteries within court, but the premise and setting are entirely different. The writing/translation used some complex words that are understandable when given context to decipher the meaning, but it was a little difficult to read in the beginning. Once I was halfway through, the use of complicated words decreased and I was able to breeze through the rest of the story. I would say the image/illustration quality also was a little low, but that could just be from the provided eARC. I will definitely be continuing this series!
March 13, 2025
I've got some fixed feelings.
On one hand, I like the world we're building. What's a war mage to do when the war is over? Can they hide their powers forever? Aren't they entitled to some peace as well? Or are they going to muck around in politics? The magic system is pretty looseygoosey at this point so that's a blessing and a curse.
What I'm less sure about is... is this honestly building a romance with a 12 and 24 year old? I didn't feel like it was super romantic, more just like a little kid infatuation with someone they think is really cool and what all of their attention. So let's hope we stay away from that.
On one hand, I like the world we're building. What's a war mage to do when the war is over? Can they hide their powers forever? Aren't they entitled to some peace as well? Or are they going to muck around in politics? The magic system is pretty looseygoosey at this point so that's a blessing and a curse.
What I'm less sure about is... is this honestly building a romance with a 12 and 24 year old? I didn't feel like it was super romantic, more just like a little kid infatuation with someone they think is really cool and what all of their attention. So let's hope we stay away from that.
December 20, 2025
like the rest are saying i bought this because it was a cute yuri with a cute art style and then got hit like a battering ram that the princess was a child and now im afraid im going to have to donate this one because it's feeling gross. i mean im not against age gaps as a trope but the MC is clearly an adult woman and its leaning romantic toned so im noping out of here before it gets weirder. also even beyond that i was kind of hoping that the magic of her being a witch would have been more interesting, or at least made up with some interesting royal court worldbuilding or something to make it worthwhile but...noooot really
December 22, 2024
I’m not a big shoujo reader but I thoroughly enjoyed this!
It’s cozy, funny, light-hearted and I really want Remy’s abilities or at least for her to make me a magic cup of tea please!
There was some gl vibes coming across but the girl who has a crush is 12 so I really hope that this doesn’t become a gl (or at least not involving her) because ew, and I also really hope that said 12 year old remains single regardless because again, ew.
I will be continuing this series as more volumes come out so big thank you to Netgalley for introducing this series to me!
It’s cozy, funny, light-hearted and I really want Remy’s abilities or at least for her to make me a magic cup of tea please!
There was some gl vibes coming across but the girl who has a crush is 12 so I really hope that this doesn’t become a gl (or at least not involving her) because ew, and I also really hope that said 12 year old remains single regardless because again, ew.
I will be continuing this series as more volumes come out so big thank you to Netgalley for introducing this series to me!
November 22, 2024
I saw this and I just had to get it! The illustrations are stunning! So much detail! This follows Princess Stella and Remy, her tea witch. Remy knows which tea will suit each person, she makes magical tea with amazing benefits. I like how she can control the situation with her teas!
Remy finds out that Stella is going to have an arranged marriage but she's 12 (!) So Remy decides to step in and puts off the proposal.
I'm looking forward to Volume two and seeing where the story leads!
Remy finds out that Stella is going to have an arranged marriage but she's 12 (!) So Remy decides to step in and puts off the proposal.
I'm looking forward to Volume two and seeing where the story leads!
November 29, 2024
A beautiful tea and witchy based story with a classic manga style. I couldn’t decide how much older the main character was in relation to the princess or if there was romantic tension between the two. I suppose we would find out more as the books proceed. I did like the tea element to the story which has actual connotations to how tea works in real life (a lot of research must have gone into this). Will happily carry on the story.
December 10, 2025
I picked this up as it looks like a cute cozy manga. Remy is a tea which and can make anyone the perfect cup of tea. Everyone underestimates her because she’s actually more powerful than they think. I’m not getting a romance vibe like everyone else is, but I guess I could be wrong. I figured by date she was asking her to just be her escort and go on a lady date as friends. If I’m wrong then I don’t feel comfortable reading a book about a 12 year old falling for a 24 year old. 🥴
abandoned
March 27, 2025I went back and forward about this book when it was on order at the library. I wish I had followed my first instinct and not bothered with it. Remy is just so annoying. I know if I keep reading I'll probably get some answers but I just can't, abandoned somewhere in chapter 3 when the princess asked Remy for a date...
(Reading some other peoples reviews, the princess is 12. Ew.)
(Reading some other peoples reviews, the princess is 12. Ew.)
April 6, 2025
Its a good premise to the story. I want to see the magical system more developed because it feels very loose. I hope it's just a story of friendships and small eaponiages because there not really a good romance base to this story.
I do love Tea and wish I could have her magical powers though. It would be so nice to be able to always brew the perfect cup of tea.
The artwork is also nice.
I do love Tea and wish I could have her magical powers though. It would be so nice to be able to always brew the perfect cup of tea.
The artwork is also nice.
April 6, 2025
Cute manga about a mage who makes tea but she's definitely more than she seems. she just wants to relax and drink tea but the world has other plans for her. it was cute and fun and I enjoyed it. The other cast of characters make her life crazy for sure and less than relaxing. I want to see where the next volume goes.
April 10, 2025
wanted a sweet cozy read, but the art wasn't pretty/detailed enough to give me that feeling, esp the art of the food.
the story surprised me, i thought it would just be a food story but it turned out to be about class politics, feminist ideology as it relates to labor/the devaluing of female work, gender identity and it's tie to state sanctioned violence...
the story surprised me, i thought it would just be a food story but it turned out to be about class politics, feminist ideology as it relates to labor/the devaluing of female work, gender identity and it's tie to state sanctioned violence...
May 10, 2025
Tea witches are the lowliest of the mages at the court however Remy has a good time with making her tinctures and teas for the nobility in the court and whipping up sweet treats to go alongside of them while hearing all of the gossip and befriending the princess.
It's cute and cozy as the summary suggests and pairs well with a cup of tea.
It's cute and cozy as the summary suggests and pairs well with a cup of tea.
October 26, 2024
I really like the variety of abilities Remy has that all make use of tea. The introduction of new characters, backstory, worldbuilding, and plotlines were all worked naturally into the story at a good pace. I love Alicia's character so far.
August 20, 2025
I am just getting weirdvibes from this book. I cannot tell if the story is going to have the maid and the princess get into a relationship which would be gross because one is a flat out child and the other is an adult. Not going to read more of this
January 8, 2025
Love it!
February 6, 2025
It was different than I expected, but not in a bad way. I feel like it ended a bit abruptly, though.
March 25, 2025
A cozy series about a young Tea Witch who uses her magic to comfort others but also tries to hide the true extent of her magic.
April 20, 2025
3.5 / 5. Don't love the age gap with a minor as others have mentioned so knocked off half a star.
April 30, 2025
idk where this is going??
June 27, 2025
This was fine. I was a bit bored, which was surprising because the concept seemed interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews