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Tea & Wizardry: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 11 May 27The owner of a mythical creature café and an entitled wizard begrudgingly team up to save the world in a cozy fantasy of found family and burgeoning magic by the author of the Winter Dark series.
Mythical Creature Café owner Faedra Weslenberg has a lot on her plate. Besides brewing tea and baking scones for her loyal clientele of humans, fauns, and trolls (she won’t share her recipe, don’t ask), she facilitates the adoptions of baby dragons and pegasi, all while raising her thirteen-year-old niece, Wilhelmina, and battling mysterious life-threatening allergies to the outside world.
So when Emerens Ward, the entitled wizard who owns her lapsed mortgage, seizes the café, she is really not in the mood. Emerens allows Faedra to stay on as proprietor, and their begrudging partnership slowly turns into something more.
But dangerous Faery Roads keep opening in the café, the morally ambiguous Wizards’ Council is breathing down Emerens’s neck, and Faedra’s estranged sister reappears, wanting custody of Wilhelmina. When Faedra uncovers a secret that could save or break the world, she must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save the family she has chosen—and has chosen her.
Mythical Creature Café owner Faedra Weslenberg has a lot on her plate. Besides brewing tea and baking scones for her loyal clientele of humans, fauns, and trolls (she won’t share her recipe, don’t ask), she facilitates the adoptions of baby dragons and pegasi, all while raising her thirteen-year-old niece, Wilhelmina, and battling mysterious life-threatening allergies to the outside world.
So when Emerens Ward, the entitled wizard who owns her lapsed mortgage, seizes the café, she is really not in the mood. Emerens allows Faedra to stay on as proprietor, and their begrudging partnership slowly turns into something more.
But dangerous Faery Roads keep opening in the café, the morally ambiguous Wizards’ Council is breathing down Emerens’s neck, and Faedra’s estranged sister reappears, wanting custody of Wilhelmina. When Faedra uncovers a secret that could save or break the world, she must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save the family she has chosen—and has chosen her.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 11, 2027
About the author
Joanna Ruth Meyer
9 books945 followersJoanna Ruth Meyer is the author of five YA fantasies, including the critically acclaimed ECHO NORTH. She lives in Mesa, AZ, with her husband, son, two orange cats, and a giant grand piano named Prince Imrahil. She loves forests and rainstorms and stories that make her feel things, and in all likelihood, she’s drinking tea right now.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read this in beta and cannot wait to read the final published version! This was delightful, with a nurturing mid-30s heroine who is literally allergic to the world outside her mythical creature cafe and a surprisingly green-flag wizard love interest who takes over her business. A deeply comforting setting offsets the unusually high stakes for cozy fantasy!
Definitely for fans of Heather Fawcett and Diana Wynne Jones.
Definitely for fans of Heather Fawcett and Diana Wynne Jones.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This almost got five stars from me, but just missed out. I'll explain why in a minute, first saying that I had a pre-publication version via Netgalley for review, and it doesn't necessarily represent the final published version that's scheduled to come out six months from when I read it.
I've read a few books this year (mostly with "tea" in the title) that I've tagged as "dark-marketed-as-cozy." In other words, someone wanted to write a dark fantasy, but with cozy being the current hotness, they or their publisher decided to slap a cozy-style cover on it, put "tea" in the title and use the word "cozy" in the blurb, while keeping the violence, cruelty and horror. This is not one of those, but the author's background as an epic fantasy author becomes more and more obvious as the book goes on, and the stakes escalate from the typical cozy level (my niece is being bullied at school, the local magical creature rescue charity keeps dumping sick creatures on me to care for) to cosmic in scope. However, even while this happens, the small and the local retain their centrality and critical emotional importance to the characters, which to me is part of the heart of the cozy genre.
The other unusual thing about this one is that, unlike almost every other cozy book about a small business, it actually brings in aspects that a real business has to deal with, like debt and cash flow. Part of the setup is that the cafe at the centre of the story is mortgaged, and the owner Faedra (the central character) hasn't been paying the mortgage since accepting responsibility for her infant niece from her selfish sister thirteen years previously, and so the new owner of the mortgage - a wizard who has inherited it from his father, also a wizard - turns up and forecloses.
That's an important plot driver, and you'd think it would make the business more plausible. But to me, it made it less so. Firstly, we're never told why a 300-year-old business was mortgaged in the first place. I thought it might have been to fund the expensive magical treatments for Faedra when she was younger, but that's never given as the reason, and nor is anything else. Secondly, the business seems busy; they're sometimes swamped with customers, and it's not obviously being mismanaged, and apparently before Faedra took on her niece, she was able to pay the mortgage, but somehow she stopped being able to. Babies are expensive, yes, and later on there are private school fees, and a magical creature cafe has expenses that a normal cafe doesn't, but it didn't ring true to me. There's even a full-time accountant - which, again, to me was implausible for a business this size, which would be more likely to have a part-time bookkeeper who also helped out waiting tables and/or looking after the magical creatures; and if there's a full-time accountant, why isn't he making sure the mortgage gets paid? He never says a single word about the subject - and doesn't do anything else in the plot important enough to justify his presence in the cast, either. Not that I disliked him, he just seemed not to have much purpose, in his role as an accountant or otherwise.
So the introduction of real-world elements that are usually glossed over in cozy fantasy made it, for me, actually less plausible. Also, the characters keep standing up to unjust and arbitrary authority and not apparently experiencing any consequences for doing so, though this is far from the first book where that happens. Other than that, though, it had sound emotional beats; appealing characters who grow and change in relationship to each other and through the events of the plot; and well-sustained tension that escalated throughout, to an unexpectedly high but not unwelcome maximum by the end.
The copy editing, even in a pre-publication version, is unusually good, though there are a few vocabulary choices I'll question when I give feedback to the publisher via Netgalley (like Faedra staying on as the "proprietor" of the cafe when she's explicitly no longer the owner - which is what "proprietor" usually means).
To me, it was very strong, knocking on the door of five stars, but not quite there because there were elements that prevented me from fully suspending my disbelief. I'm sure it will gain a wide and enthusiastic readership, and it deserves to.
I've read a few books this year (mostly with "tea" in the title) that I've tagged as "dark-marketed-as-cozy." In other words, someone wanted to write a dark fantasy, but with cozy being the current hotness, they or their publisher decided to slap a cozy-style cover on it, put "tea" in the title and use the word "cozy" in the blurb, while keeping the violence, cruelty and horror. This is not one of those, but the author's background as an epic fantasy author becomes more and more obvious as the book goes on, and the stakes escalate from the typical cozy level (my niece is being bullied at school, the local magical creature rescue charity keeps dumping sick creatures on me to care for) to cosmic in scope. However, even while this happens, the small and the local retain their centrality and critical emotional importance to the characters, which to me is part of the heart of the cozy genre.
The other unusual thing about this one is that, unlike almost every other cozy book about a small business, it actually brings in aspects that a real business has to deal with, like debt and cash flow. Part of the setup is that the cafe at the centre of the story is mortgaged, and the owner Faedra (the central character) hasn't been paying the mortgage since accepting responsibility for her infant niece from her selfish sister thirteen years previously, and so the new owner of the mortgage - a wizard who has inherited it from his father, also a wizard - turns up and forecloses.
That's an important plot driver, and you'd think it would make the business more plausible. But to me, it made it less so. Firstly, we're never told why a 300-year-old business was mortgaged in the first place. I thought it might have been to fund the expensive magical treatments for Faedra when she was younger, but that's never given as the reason, and nor is anything else. Secondly, the business seems busy; they're sometimes swamped with customers, and it's not obviously being mismanaged, and apparently before Faedra took on her niece, she was able to pay the mortgage, but somehow she stopped being able to. Babies are expensive, yes, and later on there are private school fees, and a magical creature cafe has expenses that a normal cafe doesn't, but it didn't ring true to me. There's even a full-time accountant - which, again, to me was implausible for a business this size, which would be more likely to have a part-time bookkeeper who also helped out waiting tables and/or looking after the magical creatures; and if there's a full-time accountant, why isn't he making sure the mortgage gets paid? He never says a single word about the subject - and doesn't do anything else in the plot important enough to justify his presence in the cast, either. Not that I disliked him, he just seemed not to have much purpose, in his role as an accountant or otherwise.
So the introduction of real-world elements that are usually glossed over in cozy fantasy made it, for me, actually less plausible. Also, the characters keep standing up to unjust and arbitrary authority and not apparently experiencing any consequences for doing so, though this is far from the first book where that happens. Other than that, though, it had sound emotional beats; appealing characters who grow and change in relationship to each other and through the events of the plot; and well-sustained tension that escalated throughout, to an unexpectedly high but not unwelcome maximum by the end.
The copy editing, even in a pre-publication version, is unusually good, though there are a few vocabulary choices I'll question when I give feedback to the publisher via Netgalley (like Faedra staying on as the "proprietor" of the cafe when she's explicitly no longer the owner - which is what "proprietor" usually means).
To me, it was very strong, knocking on the door of five stars, but not quite there because there were elements that prevented me from fully suspending my disbelief. I'm sure it will gain a wide and enthusiastic readership, and it deserves to.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautiful cozy fantasy that draws you in and keeps you there page after page! I never knew where the next page would take me but I had to know right then! I love the found family and slow burn combined with fantasy and mythical creatures in new and unique ways. Highly recommend!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Utterly delightful!!!
I adore almost everything JRM puts out, and her latest duology completely has my heart. I wasn't sure how this would measure up, but it came so incredibly close surprisingly!
I loved the story in its entirety, from the world building to the characters to the plot. It reminded me much of Howl's Moving Castle but better. I found it far more entertaining and enjoyable than that classic novel, haha. The world was so cozy, the characters so real and warm—and the romance had me giggling and wriggling my toes when reading, which, as a rather stoic reader, almost never happens. Absolutely adored it, and highly recommend!!
My only regrets are that a) I have to wait so long for the sequel (especially after that ending!!) and b) that this cafe doesn't really exist.
Content: this is marked as an adult fantasy, but the content is very minor. Minimal violence, albeit some graphic descriptions of past events (such as trauma/abuse on minors by family members). Some swearing (d*mm and h*ll, others are in world terms or just referenced as swearing). In terms of romance, there are some references such as a married couple "made love" in a journal entry, referencing "physical aspects" with a potential relationship/marriage, and descriptive kisses. Certainly nothing explicit.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I adore almost everything JRM puts out, and her latest duology completely has my heart. I wasn't sure how this would measure up, but it came so incredibly close surprisingly!
I loved the story in its entirety, from the world building to the characters to the plot. It reminded me much of Howl's Moving Castle but better. I found it far more entertaining and enjoyable than that classic novel, haha. The world was so cozy, the characters so real and warm—and the romance had me giggling and wriggling my toes when reading, which, as a rather stoic reader, almost never happens. Absolutely adored it, and highly recommend!!
My only regrets are that a) I have to wait so long for the sequel (especially after that ending!!) and b) that this cafe doesn't really exist.
Content: this is marked as an adult fantasy, but the content is very minor. Minimal violence, albeit some graphic descriptions of past events (such as trauma/abuse on minors by family members). Some swearing (d*mm and h*ll, others are in world terms or just referenced as swearing). In terms of romance, there are some references such as a married couple "made love" in a journal entry, referencing "physical aspects" with a potential relationship/marriage, and descriptive kisses. Certainly nothing explicit.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read so many books that feature tea. I like tea but mostly I like the ritual of tea. This book combines a tea shop with a mythological creatures café where creatures can be acclimated to others and adopted. The world building in this book features aspects not typically attributed to the beings and very creative. The female lead character is fascinating and capable. The male lead is amazingly kind for one subjected to such abuse by his father. They develop a beautiful relationship built on mutual respect and friendship. It was a lovely book that leaves room for more books with these characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was hooked on Tea & Wizardry from the very first chapter, and that’s always my sign that a book is going to be good. I kept reaching for it, and I kept thinking about the characters even when I wasn’t reading. 5 stars.
Faedra runs a mythical creature café she can’t leave because of her allergies, until a wizard shows up to take it from her.
I laughed, I cried and I gasped, and the writing is the reason. It’s funny, cozy and easy to read, even with all the new names and words that come with a fantasy world. It’s also what makes the characters feel so real. We get so much of their inner thoughts, especially the funny ones (my favorite parts), that I could feel their personalities and easily put myself in their shoes. Every time Faedra laughed at her own thoughts, I laughed too.
Faedra is sweet and funny, and she would do ANYTHING for the people she loves. I loved reading about a heroine in her late 30s, which isn’t something you see often in fantasy. She’s a little innocent in some ways, which surprised me at first, but it makes sense once you know her story, and it’s part of what makes her so sweet and likable.
And Emerens Ward. I was honestly mad at him at first for trying to take the café, but he grows on you SO much. He’s so sweet with Faedra, allergies and all, and I love his color-changing hair stripe. The way he treats her had me smiling like an idiot at my Kindle. UGH, I need an Emerens in my life.
Their romance is enemies to lovers, but the soft version. They don’t like each other at first, and then the attraction builds slowly and naturally until you’re rooting for them. No intense, toxic, “OMG why would they do that to each other” moments here, and it fits the cozy vibe perfectly. I can’t wait to see where they go in book two.
I also loved having an aunt–niece relationship at the center. Wilhelmina is fiery, outgoing, funny and protective of her aunt, and some of their moments together had me laughing out loud.
Then there are the creatures. I loved all of them, but Fig, a sassy little griffin, is my favorite. She’s hilarious, and the way she picks up on Faedra’s moods is the best. I finished this wanting to work in a café like this one, have powers, and adopt a creature of my own.
The ending shifts the tone a little, but it never lost the cozy feel for me, and it left me wanting the next book ASAP. The way the last two chapters are written got me thinking so much that I couldn’t help rereading them, and now I have a whole theory about what’s coming.
My one wish: a glossary at the end with the creatures, places and name pronunciations, because I’m 100% sure I said half the names wrong hahaha.
If you’ve been reading a lot of intense books lately and need a cozy, whimsical break, this is it. It was exactly that for me.
(Thank you to 47North and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.)
Faedra runs a mythical creature café she can’t leave because of her allergies, until a wizard shows up to take it from her.
I laughed, I cried and I gasped, and the writing is the reason. It’s funny, cozy and easy to read, even with all the new names and words that come with a fantasy world. It’s also what makes the characters feel so real. We get so much of their inner thoughts, especially the funny ones (my favorite parts), that I could feel their personalities and easily put myself in their shoes. Every time Faedra laughed at her own thoughts, I laughed too.
Faedra is sweet and funny, and she would do ANYTHING for the people she loves. I loved reading about a heroine in her late 30s, which isn’t something you see often in fantasy. She’s a little innocent in some ways, which surprised me at first, but it makes sense once you know her story, and it’s part of what makes her so sweet and likable.
And Emerens Ward. I was honestly mad at him at first for trying to take the café, but he grows on you SO much. He’s so sweet with Faedra, allergies and all, and I love his color-changing hair stripe. The way he treats her had me smiling like an idiot at my Kindle. UGH, I need an Emerens in my life.
Their romance is enemies to lovers, but the soft version. They don’t like each other at first, and then the attraction builds slowly and naturally until you’re rooting for them. No intense, toxic, “OMG why would they do that to each other” moments here, and it fits the cozy vibe perfectly. I can’t wait to see where they go in book two.
I also loved having an aunt–niece relationship at the center. Wilhelmina is fiery, outgoing, funny and protective of her aunt, and some of their moments together had me laughing out loud.
Then there are the creatures. I loved all of them, but Fig, a sassy little griffin, is my favorite. She’s hilarious, and the way she picks up on Faedra’s moods is the best. I finished this wanting to work in a café like this one, have powers, and adopt a creature of my own.
The ending shifts the tone a little, but it never lost the cozy feel for me, and it left me wanting the next book ASAP. The way the last two chapters are written got me thinking so much that I couldn’t help rereading them, and now I have a whole theory about what’s coming.
My one wish: a glossary at the end with the creatures, places and name pronunciations, because I’m 100% sure I said half the names wrong hahaha.
If you’ve been reading a lot of intense books lately and need a cozy, whimsical break, this is it. It was exactly that for me.
(Thank you to 47North and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Joanna Ruth Meyer and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.
This book was a breath of fresh air! It's utterly charming!
You can't help but fall in love with the café, its staff, and all the creatures that live there. There are so many little details that make the story magical:
From pegasi and unicorns to dragons and griffins.
The characters are quirky and well-written.
Faedra, the female protagonist, is the owner of the Mythical Creature Café. Due to her life-threatening allergies, she is bound to the café and cannot leave its boundaries without ending up covered in boils, but that doesn't stop her. She is busy taking care of all the creatures and her stubborn teenage niece, Wilhelmina. Add Emerens Ward, the wizard who holds her mortgage and has seized the café, into the mix and you have a recipe for chaos. Their relationship develops into a partnership... and something more. He yearns for her as though it were an Olympic sport. He’s thoughtful and kind, and his hair is just perfect.
But that's not all: dangerous faery roads open in the café, there's pressure from the wizards' council, and Faedra's sister wants custody of Wilhelmina.
Personally, I think it could have been shorter. I found the beginning a bit slow. However, it picked up about midway through, and after that I was enthralled by the story. I fell in love with the characters and the dynamics of their relationships.
If you enjoy cosy, magical books full of whimsy, you'll love this one! It's perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Tress of the Emerald Sea. 4.5 stars! I can't wait for the second book, especially after THAT ending!
This book was a breath of fresh air! It's utterly charming!
You can't help but fall in love with the café, its staff, and all the creatures that live there. There are so many little details that make the story magical:
From pegasi and unicorns to dragons and griffins.
The characters are quirky and well-written.
Faedra, the female protagonist, is the owner of the Mythical Creature Café. Due to her life-threatening allergies, she is bound to the café and cannot leave its boundaries without ending up covered in boils, but that doesn't stop her. She is busy taking care of all the creatures and her stubborn teenage niece, Wilhelmina. Add Emerens Ward, the wizard who holds her mortgage and has seized the café, into the mix and you have a recipe for chaos. Their relationship develops into a partnership... and something more. He yearns for her as though it were an Olympic sport. He’s thoughtful and kind, and his hair is just perfect.
But that's not all: dangerous faery roads open in the café, there's pressure from the wizards' council, and Faedra's sister wants custody of Wilhelmina.
Personally, I think it could have been shorter. I found the beginning a bit slow. However, it picked up about midway through, and after that I was enthralled by the story. I fell in love with the characters and the dynamics of their relationships.
If you enjoy cosy, magical books full of whimsy, you'll love this one! It's perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Tress of the Emerald Sea. 4.5 stars! I can't wait for the second book, especially after THAT ending!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
#gifted ebook from 47North
ANOTHER BANGER FROM JRM!
This new series starter is a beautiful cozy fantasy that delivers emotional damage of the best kind. Warning, you will deeply desire a mythological critter companion, and it will break your heart that they are not real and you cannot have one. UGH WHY.
The drama is a perfect braid of workplace stress, raising a teen stress, and the stress of the entire world as you know it being on the brink of collapse. Oh yeah, and having a very untimely, possible crush on the younger guy who took over the business and is changing everything.
CLEAN ROMANCE, and it's cozy fantasy but still with higher-ish stakes drama. It's not violent or as intense or dark as her other books, but it's not perfectly, totally, sweet, saccharine cozy either. I don't think JMR is capable of NOT breaking our hearts, lol. The language is clean-ish, they use "hells" and "gods" as swears, which for me, I wouldn't hand this to a young teen but I would to an older teen. And last warning, ends on a cliffhanger!
ANOTHER BANGER FROM JRM!
This new series starter is a beautiful cozy fantasy that delivers emotional damage of the best kind. Warning, you will deeply desire a mythological critter companion, and it will break your heart that they are not real and you cannot have one. UGH WHY.
The drama is a perfect braid of workplace stress, raising a teen stress, and the stress of the entire world as you know it being on the brink of collapse. Oh yeah, and having a very untimely, possible crush on the younger guy who took over the business and is changing everything.
CLEAN ROMANCE, and it's cozy fantasy but still with higher-ish stakes drama. It's not violent or as intense or dark as her other books, but it's not perfectly, totally, sweet, saccharine cozy either. I don't think JMR is capable of NOT breaking our hearts, lol. The language is clean-ish, they use "hells" and "gods" as swears, which for me, I wouldn't hand this to a young teen but I would to an older teen. And last warning, ends on a cliffhanger!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've thoroughly enjoyed Joanna Ruth Meyer's YA fantasy novels, so I was excited to get the chance to read Tea & Wizardry.
The character dynamics and relationships were well done, and I thought it was really neat to see an aunt-niece relationship so prominently featured.
While the majority of the book is a more cozy fantasy style plot, it doesn't feel slow or dragging. The climax is very much a Joanna Ruth Meyer-type ending (if you've read some of her other works, you should have an idea of what I mean). It also moves more toward an epic fantasy feeling, and while that isn't bad, it did make me miss a bit of the coziness of the rest of the book. It also has me curious what the vibes of the sequel will be.
As a side note, Tea & Wizardry is an adult novel, though probably appropriate for older teens and up. There's more language than in her YA titles, but nothing harsh, and it didn't feel excessive. There's also some brief innuendo and a scene where a character ends up drunk.
(I received an eARC through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.)
The character dynamics and relationships were well done, and I thought it was really neat to see an aunt-niece relationship so prominently featured.
While the majority of the book is a more cozy fantasy style plot, it doesn't feel slow or dragging. The climax is very much a Joanna Ruth Meyer-type ending (if you've read some of her other works, you should have an idea of what I mean). It also moves more toward an epic fantasy feeling, and while that isn't bad, it did make me miss a bit of the coziness of the rest of the book. It also has me curious what the vibes of the sequel will be.
As a side note, Tea & Wizardry is an adult novel, though probably appropriate for older teens and up. There's more language than in her YA titles, but nothing harsh, and it didn't feel excessive. There's also some brief innuendo and a scene where a character ends up drunk.
(I received an eARC through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Potential Spoilers--ARC Review
If you enjoy fast-paced cozy magical stories with mythical creatures, found family, and a dash of romance, then this story will be right up your alley!
Following Faedra and her niece Wilhelmina (also known as Wil...but dont let her hear you say that), Emerens (a pain in the side wizard--but not really), you get to become lost in their magical creature cafe where dragons and Pegasus roam free, and mermaids randomly give prophecies in the basement. Oh, and did I mention Fairies keep showing up?
Between financial woes, family drama, a budding romance with a wizard, mysteries a plenty and potentially the end of the world, this story will keep you coming back for more.
A few things I'm hoping for in upcoming books (because what a cliff hanger Joanna left us with) is diving even more into the found family characters, learning more of Emerens and his past, mermaids (give us more of these prophecy seers), and....Faery.
Because let's face it, we just barely scratched the surface in this first past paced book.
If you enjoy fast-paced cozy magical stories with mythical creatures, found family, and a dash of romance, then this story will be right up your alley!
Following Faedra and her niece Wilhelmina (also known as Wil...but dont let her hear you say that), Emerens (a pain in the side wizard--but not really), you get to become lost in their magical creature cafe where dragons and Pegasus roam free, and mermaids randomly give prophecies in the basement. Oh, and did I mention Fairies keep showing up?
Between financial woes, family drama, a budding romance with a wizard, mysteries a plenty and potentially the end of the world, this story will keep you coming back for more.
A few things I'm hoping for in upcoming books (because what a cliff hanger Joanna left us with) is diving even more into the found family characters, learning more of Emerens and his past, mermaids (give us more of these prophecy seers), and....Faery.
Because let's face it, we just barely scratched the surface in this first past paced book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2026
Advance Copy From Netgalley!
I have been reading a lot of Romantasy books as of late. This book stands out due to its layering and depth in the characters and the world building. Faedra, loves deeply for her niece and her cafe and creature sanctuary. She is unable to leave the cafe due to some weird allergy unbeknownst to anyone. Meet Emerens, her late landlords son who comes to claim 13 years of back rent. Faedra is furious and they start off as enemies. As Emerens takes over the shop and fights his past and his reality at the same time, he begins to thaw and show his true colors. This book kept me hooked and I didn't want to put it down. It was so layered, and even at the end kept me guessing and still threw surprises. I would recommend this book and gladly purchase a physical copy to add to my book collection. Get ready for an an enjoyable read with twists and turns!
I have been reading a lot of Romantasy books as of late. This book stands out due to its layering and depth in the characters and the world building. Faedra, loves deeply for her niece and her cafe and creature sanctuary. She is unable to leave the cafe due to some weird allergy unbeknownst to anyone. Meet Emerens, her late landlords son who comes to claim 13 years of back rent. Faedra is furious and they start off as enemies. As Emerens takes over the shop and fights his past and his reality at the same time, he begins to thaw and show his true colors. This book kept me hooked and I didn't want to put it down. It was so layered, and even at the end kept me guessing and still threw surprises. I would recommend this book and gladly purchase a physical copy to add to my book collection. Get ready for an an enjoyable read with twists and turns!
October 31, 2026
Tea & Wizardry was a thoroughly enjoyable read!
This book is a cozy fantasy with slightly higher stakes. It has all the classic cozy elements with some saving the world thrown in. Tea & Wizardry has a strong found family and characters that grow with each other. It also has an enemies to lovers romance or two.
This cozy story has mystery, action, fighting, mythical creatures, friendship, various enemies, and hot tea. It also had several twists that I didn’t see coming. While there is a slight cliffhanger ending, the story line for this book is wrapped up and the cliffhanger is more of a hook for book two.
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!
This book is a cozy fantasy with slightly higher stakes. It has all the classic cozy elements with some saving the world thrown in. Tea & Wizardry has a strong found family and characters that grow with each other. It also has an enemies to lovers romance or two.
This cozy story has mystery, action, fighting, mythical creatures, friendship, various enemies, and hot tea. It also had several twists that I didn’t see coming. While there is a slight cliffhanger ending, the story line for this book is wrapped up and the cliffhanger is more of a hook for book two.
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a cosy read! I absolutely loved the magical cafe aspect of it accompanied with cute little creatures. Faedra was a wonderful FMC, I appreciate that she’s older most of the time they’re in their late teens early 20s. The slow burn was EVERYTHING!! The writing is the kind that makes you forget you’re even reading it and feels more like a movie playing in your head it was THAT good.
I do hope to see a second book in the future I don’t want to let go of this world yet!
Thank you to @netgalley and @joannaruthmeyer, for gifting me this book in exchange for my honest review.
I do hope to see a second book in the future I don’t want to let go of this world yet!
Thank you to @netgalley and @joannaruthmeyer, for gifting me this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Joanna Ruth Meyer and Netgalley i got to read this in advance as an arc! I loved this book to pieces 🥰 it starts as a sweet cosy fantasy with some tragic dark elements and a mystery but grows into something much more the more you read! Ita definitely not the typical cosy fantasy read.
I just finished it and can't wait to read it again as a physical book next spring. The characters are full of life, all the mythical beings are adorable and I didn't predict what would happen at all 🥰🥰 but I do need a book 2!
I just finished it and can't wait to read it again as a physical book next spring. The characters are full of life, all the mythical beings are adorable and I didn't predict what would happen at all 🥰🥰 but I do need a book 2!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tea & Wizardry was pure cozy fantasy magic! ☕✨ A mythical creature café, baby dragons, found family, a grumpy wizard, and a deliciously slow-burn romance? YES, PLEASE! I loved the whimsical world, lovable characters, and the way the story balanced cozy moments with unexpected twists and higher stakes. Faedra is a heroine I wish we saw more of, and I already miss this little magical world. A few surprises, plenty of heart, and an ending that has me counting down to book two!
⭐ 4.5/5
Many thanks to NetGalley and 47North for the eARC!
#TeaWizardry #NetGalley
Pub. date: Apr 6 2027
⭐ 4.5/5
Many thanks to NetGalley and 47North for the eARC!
#TeaWizardry #NetGalley
Pub. date: Apr 6 2027
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A café full of magical creatures, baby dragons, and a grumpy wizard? Such a fun concept! I loved how much was going on in this story without it feeling overwhelming. The relationships between the characters were sweet and I liked that there was more to the story than just the romance. It had plenty of charm, a little mystery, and some unexpected twists along the way!
I was provided a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my voluntary, honest review.
I was provided a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my voluntary, honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this early! I thought this book was generally quite cozy and had great ideas. The execution was a bit lacking in that some scenes felt repetitive and made the book feel too long at times. I liked the characters generally, but I didn't feel fiercely protective of them or like I was rooting for them. They were just okay characters. Overall, this would be an enjoyable read for cozy fantasy lovers, but it is not one of my favorites.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So happy to have got to read this ARC on netgalley! It's a super cute cozy read, great balance of cozy and mystery and stakes
The main characters are all adorable, I wish I could join them all the cafe and try the scones
Super excited to pick up a hardcopy on release next year and then for book two, I can't wait to return to Weslenberg Mythical Creature Cafe again 💕
The main characters are all adorable, I wish I could join them all the cafe and try the scones
Super excited to pick up a hardcopy on release next year and then for book two, I can't wait to return to Weslenberg Mythical Creature Cafe again 💕
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