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Theodora’s Tea Shop
Dorothy Louise Walcott should have died at fourteen. She is now twenty-three, timid, chronically ill, and yearning for a life she can never have. Her dreams of studying magic and publishing her discoveries feel impossible: even if license-less magic weren’t outlawed, her family would never allow it. But if Dot stays at home any longer, she will wither and fade away. So with nothing but a carpetbag and her ambergris tonic, Dot flees dreary Seafarthing for the capital city of Alliaster, where she tumbles headfirst into an apprenticeship with the most powerful witch in the city: Theodora.
Empress of an underground syndicate peddling magic through the quaint façade of her tea shop, Theodora is everything Dot wants to be: beautiful, witty, confident. An esteemed oil painter one day, a member of parliament the next, the many faces of Theodora have charmed power from the city’s elite. Under her tutelage and in the company of the tea shop’s eccentric staff – headstrong teenager Rupert, brooding and Byronic magician Lio, and the kindly spirit Belchambre – Dot finally has the chance to be her true magical self.
But the dazzling and enigmatic Theodora has more secrets than she does faces. When her dark past comes calling, it threatens to drown her entire empire – and take Dot, the tea shop, and the city of Alliaster with it.
Empress of an underground syndicate peddling magic through the quaint façade of her tea shop, Theodora is everything Dot wants to be: beautiful, witty, confident. An esteemed oil painter one day, a member of parliament the next, the many faces of Theodora have charmed power from the city’s elite. Under her tutelage and in the company of the tea shop’s eccentric staff – headstrong teenager Rupert, brooding and Byronic magician Lio, and the kindly spirit Belchambre – Dot finally has the chance to be her true magical self.
But the dazzling and enigmatic Theodora has more secrets than she does faces. When her dark past comes calling, it threatens to drown her entire empire – and take Dot, the tea shop, and the city of Alliaster with it.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2026
About the author
Christy Anne Jones
6 books7,579 followersChristy Anne Jones is an Australian writer, illustrator and video-maker from Adelaide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 30, 2026
As always I was summoned by the words "for fans of Howl's Moving Castle", expecting a magical and cozy read. Consider my surprise when I started reading this book and found myself not quite enjoying my time. I just wasn't clicking with the writing style and found the entire story to be all over the place. I'm not familiar with the author who apparently vlogged her writing journey for this book over multiple years, so I basically had no prior knowledge about this world. While that's true for most of the books that I'm reading, here I had the feeling that there are more explanations and introductions to everyone and everything than I'm actually getting on page. It's hard to explain, but this book just feels like it was in the works for a long time. Like things were added halfway through, like everything was written and rewritten multiple times. The entire book felt so convoluted to me that I wondered what was going on for the entire first half of the book and then just wanted it to be over in the second half. And all of that in a book that actually sounds like it was written just for me. It's the story of Dorothy who leaves her life in a seaside town to try her luck in the brimming city of Alliaster. She's convinced that she has the proclivity for magic and wants to apprentice under a witch named Theodora who she only ever heard rumors about and whose teashop is nowhere to be found. She felt incredibly naïve to me and I know that this a story of her finding her place in the world and learning to love herself, but she can be glad that she didn't straight up die in the first 50 pages. She has no plan, she spends all of her money without even trying to make more but also doesn't want to return to the family that lowkey hates her and ultimately has no place to stay. Fortunately she stumbles right into a magician who is being hunted by three witches and then ends up in the teashop she's been looking for all along. Ok, fine. As long as I get a magical teashop I can't complain. But there is just so much more going on to the point where this was hardly a cozy fantasy as stressful as this was at times. My biggest problem by far was that there was so much stuff crammed into this book. There are the three evil witches, and Dorothy is starting to grow lethal scales on her hand, and Theodora is in life-threatening debt to a salamander, and absolutely no one is over this girl who died ten years ago and absolutely everyone has a trauma to unpack. I'm sure that the author was going for a found family dynamic with the magicians and some cute house spirits, but I didn't really care about anyone. There are plenty of cool ideas in this book and I also love it for the chronic illness rep, but overall I was happiest when I finally finished reading. Other arc readers seem to be pretty thrilled about this novel without having similar problems as I did. Maybe I just picked this book up at the wrong time and would like it more upon re-read, but I doubt that I will find out anytime soon.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Headline / Wildfire for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Headline / Wildfire for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
July 2, 2025you don't get it, man; this is my personal friend Christy Anne Jones (she doesn't know me; I watch her on booktube)
Want to Read
April 14, 2026UPDATE: Guys the cover is too gorgeous!!! I CAN'TTTT ✨️✨️✨️
Finally Project Teacup is up, soon to be released ☕!!! I've been waiting for this book for ages... patiently following Christy's writing process on YouTube as she tackled setbacks and refused for her rejections to diminish her. Kudos to you girl for everything till now and everything here after<333
Finally Project Teacup is up, soon to be released ☕!!! I've been waiting for this book for ages... patiently following Christy's writing process on YouTube as she tackled setbacks and refused for her rejections to diminish her. Kudos to you girl for everything till now and everything here after<333
Want to Read
October 31, 2025the way i genuinely let out a squeal when she revealed the news. have been following the author's writing journey for so long and it's always been inspiring how she never let her rejections stop her. genuinely so excited for this book
Want to Read
June 16, 2025can't wait for this one 🥹 After years of watching Christy's videos of endless hours and love poured into this book sometimes at the break of dawn, sometimes in the dead of night, on the couch, on the floor, in cafes and libraries, it's finally coming.
This book is just special. And now that I've read the blurb, July 2026 can't come quick enough.
This book is just special. And now that I've read the blurb, July 2026 can't come quick enough.
Want to Read
June 29, 2025PROJECT TEA CUP 😭😭 IM CRYING SO PROUD
July 29, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free digital copy of this book.
I really wanted to love this, because the premise sounds so cool and also because I have watched Christy‘s videos for years and I was so excited to finally read “Project tea cup”. Unfortunately this book didn’t really work for me. While I loved a lot of elements I feel like the first part was very overwritten and the second one extremely convoluted and all over the place. The found family element felt extremely forced as well. Since I did read an arc of this I think some of the issues with scenes feeling quite choppy and phrases being repeated a million times might be edited for the the published version. It was by no means bad but just didn’t do it for me.
I really wanted to love this, because the premise sounds so cool and also because I have watched Christy‘s videos for years and I was so excited to finally read “Project tea cup”. Unfortunately this book didn’t really work for me. While I loved a lot of elements I feel like the first part was very overwritten and the second one extremely convoluted and all over the place. The found family element felt extremely forced as well. Since I did read an arc of this I think some of the issues with scenes feeling quite choppy and phrases being repeated a million times might be edited for the the published version. It was by no means bad but just didn’t do it for me.
Want to Read
May 5, 2026𓍢ִ໋🫖✧˚ ༘ ⋆
pre-read : STOP bc i have been seated since Project Teacup in June 2025, and now i got the arc brb crying 𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯
pre-read : STOP bc i have been seated since Project Teacup in June 2025, and now i got the arc brb crying 𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞𐦯
June 2, 2026
thank you so much headline and wildfire books for this physical ARC🥹🍵
as a long-term fan of Christy’s, i still can’t believe that i managed to get my hands on this early copy of Theodora’s Tea Shop😭🤍
there were so many parts of this book that i adored: the found family, the strong messages of love, friendship and kindness, the warmth of tea, and of course, the magical spirits and witches/wizards that are reminiscent of Howl’s Moving Castle!! (as a ghibli lover, i can definitely see the inspiration from howl’s moving castle, but Christy seems to have created her own equally wonderfully strange and magical universe~)
it’s definitely not a ‘cosy’ story in the sense that the stakes are very high and each character faces their fair share of emotionally + physically challenging moments, but the friendship they find in this teahouse and the teahouse setting all contributed to the cosy atmosphere that i loved reading.
the world and plot was a little confusing to me at times and i felt a little lost at some parts of the story, but it’s definitely one that i can see becoming another comfort book for me - the tea, the magic, the found family aka my favourite things!!✨
i can’t wait for you all to read this🥹🐦⬛🍵
as a long-term fan of Christy’s, i still can’t believe that i managed to get my hands on this early copy of Theodora’s Tea Shop😭🤍
there were so many parts of this book that i adored: the found family, the strong messages of love, friendship and kindness, the warmth of tea, and of course, the magical spirits and witches/wizards that are reminiscent of Howl’s Moving Castle!! (as a ghibli lover, i can definitely see the inspiration from howl’s moving castle, but Christy seems to have created her own equally wonderfully strange and magical universe~)
it’s definitely not a ‘cosy’ story in the sense that the stakes are very high and each character faces their fair share of emotionally + physically challenging moments, but the friendship they find in this teahouse and the teahouse setting all contributed to the cosy atmosphere that i loved reading.
the world and plot was a little confusing to me at times and i felt a little lost at some parts of the story, but it’s definitely one that i can see becoming another comfort book for me - the tea, the magic, the found family aka my favourite things!!✨
i can’t wait for you all to read this🥹🐦⬛🍵
Want to Read
June 15, 2025Howl's Moving Castle if Howl was a mysterious and confident woman? I need it.
authors-to-continue
June 19, 2025SO HAPPY FOR CHRISTY!!! Have been following the journey of this book on her channel for a while now and I am so genuinely happy that her book will be available to read next year. Add it your TBR!!!
June 15, 2026
In this book we follow Dot as she runs away from home to look for Theodora, a very famous witch. In her search she stumbles upon Lio who’s running away from evil witches and they get saved by Theodora. Will Dot learn magic?
I thought I was going to love this, because cozy fantasy is one of my favorite subgenres. However this did not feel cozy at all. There is always something chaotic going on and we don’t see much about the shop. I personally also didn’t love the found family because everybody was kind of working for themselves so the dynamics between them didn’t feel super deep. My biggest problem was the pacing because I feel like there was so much going on but at the same time it felt like I wasn’t moving at all. This was just not the cozy fantasy that I usually love.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thought I was going to love this, because cozy fantasy is one of my favorite subgenres. However this did not feel cozy at all. There is always something chaotic going on and we don’t see much about the shop. I personally also didn’t love the found family because everybody was kind of working for themselves so the dynamics between them didn’t feel super deep. My biggest problem was the pacing because I feel like there was so much going on but at the same time it felt like I wasn’t moving at all. This was just not the cozy fantasy that I usually love.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
June 29, 2025Ahh Christy congrats! I’ve watch so many of your videos working on Project Teacup and I can’t wait to read this 💜 great job!
July 11, 2026
I don’t think words can do justice to the excitement and joy I felt at being approved for an early copy of this novel. I have been following Christy’s journey writing this story for years now on her youtube channel. She has been a massive inspiration in my own writing adventure. So as you can probably tell, this has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
First of all, I’ll start off by saying this: Christy never shared anything about the characters, the plot, the beats of this story on her channel. All of this was a completely blind discovery past the blurb. And I’m very glad that this is how she chose to do it as I had so much fun getting to know our characters, the way she intended.
This is pitched as a book for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and a cosy read, and I’ll warn you — it’s definitely not as cosy as it seems. While there are spirits in the tea shop and a house that very much feels alive, this is where the comparisons end. Theodora’s Tea Shop is a fast-paced, action-packed novel, which I personally would not qualify as cosy at all. Dark stuff happens, constantly, and there isn’t much time to pause or rest within this story.
All that being said, I had a great time with this book. The writing style itself definitely feels cosy. The characters and their personalities jump off the page, and make you really care for them. It’s clear that Christy Anne Jones has a lot of love for the main cast, and she’s mastered the art of the found family. Of course, Dot and Theodora are my favourite characters, but I also love Belchamber, Rupert and Lio (Lio, probably the least of them all).
I only wish that we’d had more time with them all. Reading this book, I often felt that it had been edited down too much, that a chapter here or there had been removed to keep the pace up, and keep the page count down. This does the story a disservice, in my opinion, as we don’t really have time to sit with the consequences of major events throughout the narrative, we’re just thrown into the next one. And there are a lot of twists and turns, especially from 40% onwards. I would have preferred a slower pace, which would have allowed for more resting time with our characters, and would have made the book sit more firmly in this cosy category that it’s being pitched as.
Now I want to quickly touch on the magic system; it is fantastic. I can tell that Christy’s done a lot of research on different types of magic throughout history, and she weaved in her own system seamlessly. I love that each character has their own area of expertise in magic, whether that be wards, portals, packet spells, and that they don’t overpower each other. The balance there feels just right, it’s not overexplained, and it remains interesting throughout the entire narrative.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this story to fantasy lovers. But if you’re expecting Legends & Lattes levels of cosy, you will be disappointed. Do go in knowing that it will get dark quickly, and it’ll keep on getting darker all the way to the end.
I’m excited to continue following Christy’s writing journey and I can’t wait to see what she publishes next. I will be championing her work and putting into as many hands as possible. Please do pick it up if you’re into a fast read with a found family, an interesting magic system that is new but feels familiar, and fantasy in general.
With thanks to Wildfire, Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review
First of all, I’ll start off by saying this: Christy never shared anything about the characters, the plot, the beats of this story on her channel. All of this was a completely blind discovery past the blurb. And I’m very glad that this is how she chose to do it as I had so much fun getting to know our characters, the way she intended.
This is pitched as a book for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and a cosy read, and I’ll warn you — it’s definitely not as cosy as it seems. While there are spirits in the tea shop and a house that very much feels alive, this is where the comparisons end. Theodora’s Tea Shop is a fast-paced, action-packed novel, which I personally would not qualify as cosy at all. Dark stuff happens, constantly, and there isn’t much time to pause or rest within this story.
All that being said, I had a great time with this book. The writing style itself definitely feels cosy. The characters and their personalities jump off the page, and make you really care for them. It’s clear that Christy Anne Jones has a lot of love for the main cast, and she’s mastered the art of the found family. Of course, Dot and Theodora are my favourite characters, but I also love Belchamber, Rupert and Lio (Lio, probably the least of them all).
I only wish that we’d had more time with them all. Reading this book, I often felt that it had been edited down too much, that a chapter here or there had been removed to keep the pace up, and keep the page count down. This does the story a disservice, in my opinion, as we don’t really have time to sit with the consequences of major events throughout the narrative, we’re just thrown into the next one. And there are a lot of twists and turns, especially from 40% onwards. I would have preferred a slower pace, which would have allowed for more resting time with our characters, and would have made the book sit more firmly in this cosy category that it’s being pitched as.
Now I want to quickly touch on the magic system; it is fantastic. I can tell that Christy’s done a lot of research on different types of magic throughout history, and she weaved in her own system seamlessly. I love that each character has their own area of expertise in magic, whether that be wards, portals, packet spells, and that they don’t overpower each other. The balance there feels just right, it’s not overexplained, and it remains interesting throughout the entire narrative.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this story to fantasy lovers. But if you’re expecting Legends & Lattes levels of cosy, you will be disappointed. Do go in knowing that it will get dark quickly, and it’ll keep on getting darker all the way to the end.
I’m excited to continue following Christy’s writing journey and I can’t wait to see what she publishes next. I will be championing her work and putting into as many hands as possible. Please do pick it up if you’re into a fast read with a found family, an interesting magic system that is new but feels familiar, and fantasy in general.
With thanks to Wildfire, Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review
Want to Read
July 1, 2025One of my favourite YouTubers (Australian too!), the compassionate, cozy, mindful Christy Anne Jones, is going to debut in July 2026.
I am beyond excited, does the synopsis not sound so unique and atmospheric?
I am beyond excited, does the synopsis not sound so unique and atmospheric?
June 5, 2026
Theodora's Tea Shop was gripping and enjoyable with the perfect balance of adventure and cosy fantasy vibes. While the stakes were a bit too high to be a true cosy fantasy, which may be what some readers are expecting due to the marketing, I still really enjoyed this book. The world-building and character development were amazing. I was shocked when I realised that this is a debut novel. I really appreciated how the author gradually introduced us to the background of each character in a way that fit the narrative, rather than through a lot of distracting info dumping. The plot was incredibly engaging, although a bit slow to start. If you are someone who finds cosy fantasy a bit too cosy and yearn for a bit of adventure sprinkled in, then Theodora's Tea Shop is the perfect read.
Want to Read
July 8, 2025i'm so sat. the book store employees are scared and asking me to leave because it hasn't been released yet but i'm simply too sat. we love u project teacup
June 27, 2026
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓛;𝓓𝓡 ✧˖°
A beautifully descriptive cosy fantasy perfect for readers looking for a vivid magical setting, a found family of faults and friendship, and tender characters that can pack a punch!
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
4 ⭐
0 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
'Lio's asking a lot of questions.'
'The answer to every one of them is, "No, you dandyish twit."'
'I think that people who are hurt in similar ways have a tendency to find each other. Perhaps, we can only understand our own tragedies by seeing them through the lens of another.'
'Theodora, you do not need to be a scholar and a minister and a painter and a Magician and every possible thing you can imagine, in order to simply be enough.'
'You could not be loved, so you wanted to be magic.'
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
Chronically ill Dot dreams of studying magic, but she’s unlicensed, and her parents wouldn’t allow it. When she hears of a witch that may apprentice her, Dot flees home to a tea shop in Alliaster, unaware of the dark secrets that await.
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
🫶 Found Family
✨ Hidden Power
🪪 Hidden Identity
❤️🩹 Chronic Illness Rep
🎓 Mentor & Apprentice
🔐 Secrets & Betrayal
🏘️ Small Town vs Big City
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🪦 Death & Grief
🩸 Mild Violence
🆘 Abusive Homes
🧠 Manipulation
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ Beautiful Prose fits the story
+ Vivid, Magical World
+ FMC's Emotional Journey
+ Found Family Dynamic
+ Heavy Themes Handled Well
+ Realistic Ending
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Sometimes the Prose obscured the Plot
- Slower Pacing due to Exposition
- Some Predictability but still Satisfying
- Lots of Moving Parts made Twists confusing at times
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
I'd been so excited to pick up Theodora's Tea Shop after following Christy's author journey for years online!
The thing that stood out to me most in this book was the prose - it's very poetic and mystical and really fits the overall vibe of the story! However, there were times where the flowery language made it a bit harder for me to follow exactly where the plot was going.
I loved Dot's exploration of Alliaster after being in a seaside town all her life. You can really sense the wonder, naivety, and despair. This is a desperate, last ditch effort from Dot to finally do something for herself and fortunately it eventually pays off.
She meets an eclectic cast of characters that get her into all sorts of trouble and most don't really like her to begin with either. Dot doesn't really care so long as she can learn magic, and the found family trope is central focus of the story for how it ever so slowly improves her relationships over time. By the end of the book we're invested in her friends and it makes certain scenes all the punchier.
While some elements of the story felt predictable, they were no less satisfying. However, there were so many moving parts in Dot and Theodora's story that some of the "aha" moments did feel a bit more sudden and confusing. There's a lot packed into this story for good and bad!
This story has some heavy topics despite being a cosy fantasy, and I felt like they were executed well with enough conflict to make them seem authentic. I liked that everything wasn't all neatly tied up with a happily ever after, and that there were instead shades of grey in the story resolution.
Thank you to Christy Anne Jones and Headline, Wildfire for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A beautifully descriptive cosy fantasy perfect for readers looking for a vivid magical setting, a found family of faults and friendship, and tender characters that can pack a punch!
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
4 ⭐
0 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
'Lio's asking a lot of questions.'
'The answer to every one of them is, "No, you dandyish twit."'
'I think that people who are hurt in similar ways have a tendency to find each other. Perhaps, we can only understand our own tragedies by seeing them through the lens of another.'
'Theodora, you do not need to be a scholar and a minister and a painter and a Magician and every possible thing you can imagine, in order to simply be enough.'
'You could not be loved, so you wanted to be magic.'
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
Chronically ill Dot dreams of studying magic, but she’s unlicensed, and her parents wouldn’t allow it. When she hears of a witch that may apprentice her, Dot flees home to a tea shop in Alliaster, unaware of the dark secrets that await.
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
🫶 Found Family
✨ Hidden Power
🪪 Hidden Identity
❤️🩹 Chronic Illness Rep
🎓 Mentor & Apprentice
🔐 Secrets & Betrayal
🏘️ Small Town vs Big City
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🪦 Death & Grief
🩸 Mild Violence
🆘 Abusive Homes
🧠 Manipulation
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ Beautiful Prose fits the story
+ Vivid, Magical World
+ FMC's Emotional Journey
+ Found Family Dynamic
+ Heavy Themes Handled Well
+ Realistic Ending
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Sometimes the Prose obscured the Plot
- Slower Pacing due to Exposition
- Some Predictability but still Satisfying
- Lots of Moving Parts made Twists confusing at times
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
I'd been so excited to pick up Theodora's Tea Shop after following Christy's author journey for years online!
The thing that stood out to me most in this book was the prose - it's very poetic and mystical and really fits the overall vibe of the story! However, there were times where the flowery language made it a bit harder for me to follow exactly where the plot was going.
I loved Dot's exploration of Alliaster after being in a seaside town all her life. You can really sense the wonder, naivety, and despair. This is a desperate, last ditch effort from Dot to finally do something for herself and fortunately it eventually pays off.
She meets an eclectic cast of characters that get her into all sorts of trouble and most don't really like her to begin with either. Dot doesn't really care so long as she can learn magic, and the found family trope is central focus of the story for how it ever so slowly improves her relationships over time. By the end of the book we're invested in her friends and it makes certain scenes all the punchier.
While some elements of the story felt predictable, they were no less satisfying. However, there were so many moving parts in Dot and Theodora's story that some of the "aha" moments did feel a bit more sudden and confusing. There's a lot packed into this story for good and bad!
This story has some heavy topics despite being a cosy fantasy, and I felt like they were executed well with enough conflict to make them seem authentic. I liked that everything wasn't all neatly tied up with a happily ever after, and that there were instead shades of grey in the story resolution.
Thank you to Christy Anne Jones and Headline, Wildfire for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 15, 2026
A desperate apprentice.
A charming witch.
A secret that threatens to shatter it all.
Dot is a timid, chronically ill woman who wants to run away from her drab existence to learn magic, however, magic is strictly prohibited.
Theodora is the charming, bright witch who runs Theodora’s Teashop but is hiding secrets. When her dark past comes back to haunt her, it threatens to drown her entire empire.
I enjoyed this book but it was a very challenging read. I thought the way it was written was so different to what I usually read and that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I found I had to read a lot slower to take it all in. But I loved that it did this.
I found the world building really magical and whimsical. I thought the found family element was beautiful. And I really loved the magic.
The use of a tea shop as the basis of the story really fit in well with the overall narrative and added any extra layer of whimsy.
I think the development of every character in this story was done so well. All of them had to overcome so much, so to be able to give each character that time, takes effort and it was a part I really appreciated!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it’ll stick with me.
Thank you so much to Hachette Aus for the gorgeous PR box and finished copy!
A charming witch.
A secret that threatens to shatter it all.
Dot is a timid, chronically ill woman who wants to run away from her drab existence to learn magic, however, magic is strictly prohibited.
Theodora is the charming, bright witch who runs Theodora’s Teashop but is hiding secrets. When her dark past comes back to haunt her, it threatens to drown her entire empire.
I enjoyed this book but it was a very challenging read. I thought the way it was written was so different to what I usually read and that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I found I had to read a lot slower to take it all in. But I loved that it did this.
I found the world building really magical and whimsical. I thought the found family element was beautiful. And I really loved the magic.
The use of a tea shop as the basis of the story really fit in well with the overall narrative and added any extra layer of whimsy.
I think the development of every character in this story was done so well. All of them had to overcome so much, so to be able to give each character that time, takes effort and it was a part I really appreciated!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it’ll stick with me.
Thank you so much to Hachette Aus for the gorgeous PR box and finished copy!
July 29, 2026
I really wanted to love this one. I've followed Christy Anne Jones on YouTube and Patreon for years, watching "Project Teacup" evolve from scattered updates into an actual novel I could hold in my hands. There's also something extra invested about cheering on a fellow Aussie creative, wanting the book to land not just for you as a reader but for them as an artist you've been rooting for from a distance. So finally reading it should have felt like a payoff. Instead, it was the weirdly deflating experience of realising a book that sounded tailor-made for me just, well, wasn't.
Small note on format: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator gasps audibly between what feels like every other sentence. Is everything really that shocking? After I noticed, I couldn't ignore it, and I started counting gasps instead of following the story. Not the book's fault, but worth flagging if you were considering the audio.
The story follows Dot, a young woman who leaves her small, suffocating seaside town in search of the elusive witch Theodora, hoping to be taken on as an apprentice. Along the way, she stumbles into Lio, gets pulled into a much larger conflict involving forbidden magic and some very dangerous witches, and discovers that the tea shop is only a tiny piece of a very messy puzzle.
Quick thing on marketing, because I think it matters: this is NOT a cozy fantasy. I know it has been marketed and pitched that way in some corners, and I get why (witches, tea, apprenticeship, hints of found family), but the actual book is far darker and more chaotic than that label suggests. If you come in expecting cottagecore, you will get whiplash, and to be clear: the darkness itself wasn't my problem. I read a lot of dark fantasy, and I'm perfectly happy sitting in the murk.
My issues were elsewhere, and the biggest one was pacing. The first half is overwritten in a way that makes scenes linger well past their point, while the second half swings hard the other way and starts flinging plot threads at the wall to see what sticks: three evil witches, dot growing lethal scales on her hand, Theodora in life-threatening debt to a salamander, a girl who died ten years ago that no one has moved on from, political intrigue, a magical Institute gatekeeping who's allowed to practice, chronic illness, found family, and ancient trauma, to name a few. Any two or three of these could carry a novel. All of them at once meant nothing quite got the room it needed to land.
I also never really connected with the characters. Dot has the shape of a great protagonist, a naïve girl leaving home with no plan, no money, and mostly vibes. Honestly, it's a small miracle she doesn't find herself in more trouble within the first fifty pages. That kind of setup should have hooked me into her growth. It didn't. The found family, which I expected to be the emotional anchor, never quite formed either. Everyone feels like they're off carrying their own private novel, and the group never coheres into something greater than the sum of its individually traumatised parts.
That said, there's plenty I admired. The world-building is genuinely imaginative, and it's clear how much thought has gone into it over the years. The magic system has some cool ideas, even where the rules stay blurry, and I really appreciated the chronic illness representation, which felt woven in rather than tacked on.
Ultimately this is a "good, but not for me" situation, and the sting of that is basically proportional to how excited I was going in. I've been rooting for this book for a long time, and I'm genuinely glad it's finding readers who click with it. I just wasn't one of them.
Small note on format: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator gasps audibly between what feels like every other sentence. Is everything really that shocking? After I noticed, I couldn't ignore it, and I started counting gasps instead of following the story. Not the book's fault, but worth flagging if you were considering the audio.
The story follows Dot, a young woman who leaves her small, suffocating seaside town in search of the elusive witch Theodora, hoping to be taken on as an apprentice. Along the way, she stumbles into Lio, gets pulled into a much larger conflict involving forbidden magic and some very dangerous witches, and discovers that the tea shop is only a tiny piece of a very messy puzzle.
Quick thing on marketing, because I think it matters: this is NOT a cozy fantasy. I know it has been marketed and pitched that way in some corners, and I get why (witches, tea, apprenticeship, hints of found family), but the actual book is far darker and more chaotic than that label suggests. If you come in expecting cottagecore, you will get whiplash, and to be clear: the darkness itself wasn't my problem. I read a lot of dark fantasy, and I'm perfectly happy sitting in the murk.
My issues were elsewhere, and the biggest one was pacing. The first half is overwritten in a way that makes scenes linger well past their point, while the second half swings hard the other way and starts flinging plot threads at the wall to see what sticks: three evil witches, dot growing lethal scales on her hand, Theodora in life-threatening debt to a salamander, a girl who died ten years ago that no one has moved on from, political intrigue, a magical Institute gatekeeping who's allowed to practice, chronic illness, found family, and ancient trauma, to name a few. Any two or three of these could carry a novel. All of them at once meant nothing quite got the room it needed to land.
I also never really connected with the characters. Dot has the shape of a great protagonist, a naïve girl leaving home with no plan, no money, and mostly vibes. Honestly, it's a small miracle she doesn't find herself in more trouble within the first fifty pages. That kind of setup should have hooked me into her growth. It didn't. The found family, which I expected to be the emotional anchor, never quite formed either. Everyone feels like they're off carrying their own private novel, and the group never coheres into something greater than the sum of its individually traumatised parts.
That said, there's plenty I admired. The world-building is genuinely imaginative, and it's clear how much thought has gone into it over the years. The magic system has some cool ideas, even where the rules stay blurry, and I really appreciated the chronic illness representation, which felt woven in rather than tacked on.
Ultimately this is a "good, but not for me" situation, and the sting of that is basically proportional to how excited I was going in. I've been rooting for this book for a long time, and I'm genuinely glad it's finding readers who click with it. I just wasn't one of them.
July 28, 2026
I am just sat here in complete awe of this book.
This book, oh this book was fantastic! I knew going in I was going to enjoy it, I love a cozy fantasy but I did NOT expect how much this book would completely take over me.
The moment I picked up the book I couldn’t put it down, I read well into the early hours of the morning, lost sleep but I wouldn’t change a single second of that. These characters were incredible.
Each character stood out to me, they were strong and very well developed. I found myself connecting to them in many ways and sympathising with the heartaches they were going through. They all etched their way into my heart and I’m going to love them forever.
I found myself smiling a lot throughout the book as well as laughing but it’s not all sunshine, there was a darkness throughout and I found my eyes leaking a few times…especially at one certain point, my heart just ached.
This author wrote a truly beautiful and captivating book. It was dark, tense and throughly exciting. It’s full of twists and turns you won’t see coming and your jaw will be on the floor but you’ll love every second of it.
Theodora’s Tea Shop was a book about magic, spirits and so much more. It’s about found family, finding the right place to fit and finding oneself and allowing themselves to live as they want. It’s a book about friendship and heartaches and overcoming obstacles thrown in the way. It was simply, brilliant. I’m so so sad that it’s all over now, I miss them already.
This book, oh this book was fantastic! I knew going in I was going to enjoy it, I love a cozy fantasy but I did NOT expect how much this book would completely take over me.
The moment I picked up the book I couldn’t put it down, I read well into the early hours of the morning, lost sleep but I wouldn’t change a single second of that. These characters were incredible.
Each character stood out to me, they were strong and very well developed. I found myself connecting to them in many ways and sympathising with the heartaches they were going through. They all etched their way into my heart and I’m going to love them forever.
I found myself smiling a lot throughout the book as well as laughing but it’s not all sunshine, there was a darkness throughout and I found my eyes leaking a few times…especially at one certain point, my heart just ached.
This author wrote a truly beautiful and captivating book. It was dark, tense and throughly exciting. It’s full of twists and turns you won’t see coming and your jaw will be on the floor but you’ll love every second of it.
Theodora’s Tea Shop was a book about magic, spirits and so much more. It’s about found family, finding the right place to fit and finding oneself and allowing themselves to live as they want. It’s a book about friendship and heartaches and overcoming obstacles thrown in the way. It was simply, brilliant. I’m so so sad that it’s all over now, I miss them already.
August 1, 2026
⭐ 4.5
This is the book that will get me back into the fantasy genre! It has been literal decades since I've read magical fantasy, and I'm glad it was Theodora's Tea Shop that broke my, completely unintentional, ban.
The world is rich, dark, expertly revealed - and the same can be said for the characters. Each with their different voice, motivations, tragic backstories, they flew off the page and I was invested in all of them.
As soon as you think you know where the plot is going, another aspect or roadblock is thrown in. This always leaves me nervous for how the ending will unravel but everything is woven together so well that it's hard to believe this is a debut novel.
I had a wonderful time reading this gorgeous story in its atmospheric setting! I read a lot of books in July and not many of them had me actively thinking about them when not reading, and itching to jump back in whenever I can, but this book consumed me in the best possible way!
This is the book that will get me back into the fantasy genre! It has been literal decades since I've read magical fantasy, and I'm glad it was Theodora's Tea Shop that broke my, completely unintentional, ban.
The world is rich, dark, expertly revealed - and the same can be said for the characters. Each with their different voice, motivations, tragic backstories, they flew off the page and I was invested in all of them.
As soon as you think you know where the plot is going, another aspect or roadblock is thrown in. This always leaves me nervous for how the ending will unravel but everything is woven together so well that it's hard to believe this is a debut novel.
I had a wonderful time reading this gorgeous story in its atmospheric setting! I read a lot of books in July and not many of them had me actively thinking about them when not reading, and itching to jump back in whenever I can, but this book consumed me in the best possible way!
May 13, 2026
I was trying to think of a word to sum up this book and I think enchanting is the one. Truly enchanting and utterly magical (and addicting).
It’s one of those that you can sink into and let it envelop you as it whisks you away to a whole new world. It was dark and tumultuous, hopeful and in a way, cosy and adorable. The found family trope is one I adore and towards the end of the book, I was left happily fuzzy and heart warmed!
The characters were all strong and really well developed and each one I understood, could sympathise with and rooted for in their own ways. I read chunks of this book at a time and I’m sad it’s over!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
It’s one of those that you can sink into and let it envelop you as it whisks you away to a whole new world. It was dark and tumultuous, hopeful and in a way, cosy and adorable. The found family trope is one I adore and towards the end of the book, I was left happily fuzzy and heart warmed!
The characters were all strong and really well developed and each one I understood, could sympathise with and rooted for in their own ways. I read chunks of this book at a time and I’m sad it’s over!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
July 6, 2025
Christy Anne Jones is an author who's work and love for her craft bleeds into everything she does. Upon seeing that this novel went into a 3-way international auction, I, along with hundreds of thousands of others, was overjoyed.
Thtough many years of sharing her journey online, Christy has cultivated an audience who know they will be dazzled by this project, despite knowing so little about the project itself. Christy is a talent and I truly cannot wait to read this book!
Thtough many years of sharing her journey online, Christy has cultivated an audience who know they will be dazzled by this project, despite knowing so little about the project itself. Christy is a talent and I truly cannot wait to read this book!
Want to Read
July 1, 2025NO ONE has any idea how excited I am for this book. I've been watching Christy draft this book for YEARS. Project teacup is something I've been so excited for to get picked up and now that it is, that it's real, I'm SO happy for her! I actually shed a few tears as if I am happy for a real friend.
Can't wait genuinely.
Can't wait genuinely.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First off, despite having "Tea Shop" in the title and a somewhat cozyesque cover, and claiming to be cozy in the blurb (as at time of review), this book is not, in my opinion, remotely cozy. It's far too dark for that. Yes, it also says "dark" in the blurb, and I should have picked up on those mixed signals and avoided it.
Taking place largely in a city doesn't disqualify it from being cozy, per se, though it doesn't help, especially since the city is grimy and dystopian in places and the seat of a corrupt, hypocritical government; also not helping is the fact that the small town where the main character starts out, rather than being an idealised rural cottagecore fantasy, is claustrophobic and small-minded and depressing in the style of a fishing village in the north of England. There's one fairly minor character who's warm and helpful (which is how the majority of people in a cozy usually are), and pretty much everyone else is either a damaged person making bad decisions that have tragic consequences or a cruel exploiter murdering innocents as a means to power. The "found family" is less dysfunctional than the characters' families of origin, but only because that's an incredibly low bar.
The closest thing to a cute familiar is a sinister raven, which plays a more minor role than the cover would suggest (as far as I read, at least); and far from a supportive and wholesome love interest, the protagonist falls, against her better judgement, for someone with more red flags than a May Day parade, who's still hung up on his first love and barely knows the protagonist is alive. Nobody has a functional romantic relationship, nobody has a functional family relationship, and there's barely even a functional friendship to be seen (while there are at least two very dysfunctional friendships). Add to that: body horror.
It's just not what people who read the cozy genre are typically looking for, and marketing it to them feels like a bait-and-switch, an instance of picking something currently popular and claiming your thing is that, even though it isn't. I'd expect this strategy to backfire. It certainly did with me.
At its heart (and not mentioned in the blurb) is a version of the Oppressed Mages trope, which I consider seriously overused, implausible and potentially harmful. People are only allowed to practice magic if they can afford to go to the Royal Institute, which few can, and if you practice without a license you can be maimed or killed. Now, fine, that's about elite access to/control of power, and one reason that the law's in place is that a foreign power has defeated the country in war (though they kept a previously existing law imposed for a less credible reason), but... read the article I linked to, it explains far better than I can why "oppressed mages" is still not a great trope.
The worldbuilding is certainly richer than practically any cozy fantasy I've read, and although that's also an extremely low bar, this book clears it comfortably; at the same time, the magic system isn't particularly well defined in terms of what it can and can't do or how it operates.
The witch Theodora (not her real name) runs a tea shop as a front for distributing illegal magic, even though she says in as many words that she hates tea. She somehow manages to keep up seven different false identities, including ones that you would think would require some qualifications and background, such as a professor at the Royal Institute, the king's personal sorcerer and a Member of Parliament, and nobody seems to notice that each of these well-known people is only ever around for an average of a day a week. (They don't notice that they're all the same person because of magic.)
So: very not cozy, characters and events practically bordering on grimdark, implausible elements, toxic trope. Was there anything about it I thought was good?
It is well written. People who like dark fantasy, unlike me, will probably enjoy it considerably. Sure, there are some vocabulary issues (which I'll mention to the publisher; I had a pre-publication version via Netgalley, so there's still the chance of fixing those), and the extremely common issue of excess commas between pairs of adjectives, but hardly anyone notices those things. The plot is adequately complex, as are the characters, as is the world. It falls firmly into my "good, but not for me" category.
By 66%, no coziness had eventuated, and I had to ask myself: Do I want to spend another two hours with these characters just to say that I've finished it, and find out what Theodora's plan to fix everything is and how it works, when nobody's plan has ever done anything but make things worse up to this point? I decided I did not want to spend more time with the characters, and in fact I disliked it enough that I'm giving it two stars.
It will have an audience, but that isn't me.
Taking place largely in a city doesn't disqualify it from being cozy, per se, though it doesn't help, especially since the city is grimy and dystopian in places and the seat of a corrupt, hypocritical government; also not helping is the fact that the small town where the main character starts out, rather than being an idealised rural cottagecore fantasy, is claustrophobic and small-minded and depressing in the style of a fishing village in the north of England. There's one fairly minor character who's warm and helpful (which is how the majority of people in a cozy usually are), and pretty much everyone else is either a damaged person making bad decisions that have tragic consequences or a cruel exploiter murdering innocents as a means to power. The "found family" is less dysfunctional than the characters' families of origin, but only because that's an incredibly low bar.
The closest thing to a cute familiar is a sinister raven, which plays a more minor role than the cover would suggest (as far as I read, at least); and far from a supportive and wholesome love interest, the protagonist falls, against her better judgement, for someone with more red flags than a May Day parade, who's still hung up on his first love and barely knows the protagonist is alive. Nobody has a functional romantic relationship, nobody has a functional family relationship, and there's barely even a functional friendship to be seen (while there are at least two very dysfunctional friendships). Add to that: body horror.
It's just not what people who read the cozy genre are typically looking for, and marketing it to them feels like a bait-and-switch, an instance of picking something currently popular and claiming your thing is that, even though it isn't. I'd expect this strategy to backfire. It certainly did with me.
At its heart (and not mentioned in the blurb) is a version of the Oppressed Mages trope, which I consider seriously overused, implausible and potentially harmful. People are only allowed to practice magic if they can afford to go to the Royal Institute, which few can, and if you practice without a license you can be maimed or killed. Now, fine, that's about elite access to/control of power, and one reason that the law's in place is that a foreign power has defeated the country in war (though they kept a previously existing law imposed for a less credible reason), but... read the article I linked to, it explains far better than I can why "oppressed mages" is still not a great trope.
The worldbuilding is certainly richer than practically any cozy fantasy I've read, and although that's also an extremely low bar, this book clears it comfortably; at the same time, the magic system isn't particularly well defined in terms of what it can and can't do or how it operates.
The witch Theodora (not her real name) runs a tea shop as a front for distributing illegal magic, even though she says in as many words that she hates tea. She somehow manages to keep up seven different false identities, including ones that you would think would require some qualifications and background, such as a professor at the Royal Institute, the king's personal sorcerer and a Member of Parliament, and nobody seems to notice that each of these well-known people is only ever around for an average of a day a week. (They don't notice that they're all the same person because of magic.)
So: very not cozy, characters and events practically bordering on grimdark, implausible elements, toxic trope. Was there anything about it I thought was good?
It is well written. People who like dark fantasy, unlike me, will probably enjoy it considerably. Sure, there are some vocabulary issues (which I'll mention to the publisher; I had a pre-publication version via Netgalley, so there's still the chance of fixing those), and the extremely common issue of excess commas between pairs of adjectives, but hardly anyone notices those things. The plot is adequately complex, as are the characters, as is the world. It falls firmly into my "good, but not for me" category.
By 66%, no coziness had eventuated, and I had to ask myself: Do I want to spend another two hours with these characters just to say that I've finished it, and find out what Theodora's plan to fix everything is and how it works, when nobody's plan has ever done anything but make things worse up to this point? I decided I did not want to spend more time with the characters, and in fact I disliked it enough that I'm giving it two stars.
It will have an audience, but that isn't me.
July 31, 2026
Thank you so much to Wildfire, Christy Anne Jones and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of Theodora's Tea Shop!
Theodora's Tea Shop follows Dot, who suffers from a debilitating illness that came about after a tragic incident when she was fourteen. She lives a quiet life in her home town of Seafarthing, but has always longed for more. She yearns to explore and study magic, an outlawed practice in her land, and to publish her discoveries, something that her family has always frowned upon. One day, Dot leaves Seafarthing with only her bag, a few coins, and the tonic that keeps her symptoms under control. She travels to Alliaster to find the powerful witch, Theodora, in the hopes that she might take Dot under her wing and train her as her witch's apprentice. However, finding Theodora proves to be a challenge, until one day Dot stumbles into Lio, a magician who is also trying to locate Theodora for his own purposes. Both Dot and Lio's pasts collide with them and threaten to shake the home and family that they find in Theodora's tea shop, and Theodora's own dark past threatens to rip it all apart.
4.25 stars!
I really enjoyed this one! I love a witchy fantasy with relatable characters and a wholesome message, and this definitely delivered on that. The 1920's historical gaslamp fantasy setting was really well crafted, and while I did struggle to get into the writing at first, it really engrossed me once I'd gotten into it. It may be a bit flowery for some people. which I found at first, but I believe that really suits the historical setting that the story is based off of.
I really related to both Dot and Theodora and loved seeing them both come to accept themselves as who they are without trying to change themselves for others. Dot's chronic illness felt quite similar to things I struggle with, the dizziness and fatigue mostly, and so I really related to her struggles with it and how she worked to overcome her feelings of inadequacy and learned to work with her body rather than against it. The relating gut punch really hit later in the book when Theodora's true name is revealed and her past with her father comes to light; I don't want to spoil anything but lets just say I felt like Christy Anne Jones really spoke to me directly. I was in public when I was reading the end portion of this book, but I truly believed I would have sobbed if I had read this at home on my own. The last 30% really just hit like a gut punch, from sad moments to really heartwarming ones, I really enjoyed the ending.
I think the main thing that affected my reading experience of this was Lio's POV, which I'm sad to say. His characterisation just didn't really click with me and I way preferred being in Dot's POV rather than Lio's. I just found Lio to be very whiny and while I can see why he ended up being that way, it didn't really endear me to him. His scenes with Rupert later in the book did soften me towards him a little, but not enough to really care about him, at least not to the extent that I cared about our other core main characters. Dot and Theodora felt so real and personable to me, as well as Rupert and even the spirit Belchamber, but Lio just didn't click with me as much as the others, sadly.
I do think this has been a bit mislabled as a cosy fantasy; this definitely has higher stakes and a lot more violence then your usual cosy fantasy. It's cosy in terms of the wholesome message of accepting yourself, but the journey to get there is a lot darker than cosy definitely. However if you prefer higher stakes in your fantasy and find that cosy doesn't click with you as much then definitely give this one a go, it may be the right balance of stakes and wholesomeness.
Overall I really enjoyed Theodora's Tea Shop as I was hoping to. It has the perfect balance of heartwarming found family and a darker, sadder edge that really kept me engaged. While I didn't connect with all the characters, I found Dot and Theodora to be great main characters that kept me enjoying the story until the last page.
Theodora's Tea Shop follows Dot, who suffers from a debilitating illness that came about after a tragic incident when she was fourteen. She lives a quiet life in her home town of Seafarthing, but has always longed for more. She yearns to explore and study magic, an outlawed practice in her land, and to publish her discoveries, something that her family has always frowned upon. One day, Dot leaves Seafarthing with only her bag, a few coins, and the tonic that keeps her symptoms under control. She travels to Alliaster to find the powerful witch, Theodora, in the hopes that she might take Dot under her wing and train her as her witch's apprentice. However, finding Theodora proves to be a challenge, until one day Dot stumbles into Lio, a magician who is also trying to locate Theodora for his own purposes. Both Dot and Lio's pasts collide with them and threaten to shake the home and family that they find in Theodora's tea shop, and Theodora's own dark past threatens to rip it all apart.
4.25 stars!
I really enjoyed this one! I love a witchy fantasy with relatable characters and a wholesome message, and this definitely delivered on that. The 1920's historical gaslamp fantasy setting was really well crafted, and while I did struggle to get into the writing at first, it really engrossed me once I'd gotten into it. It may be a bit flowery for some people. which I found at first, but I believe that really suits the historical setting that the story is based off of.
I really related to both Dot and Theodora and loved seeing them both come to accept themselves as who they are without trying to change themselves for others. Dot's chronic illness felt quite similar to things I struggle with, the dizziness and fatigue mostly, and so I really related to her struggles with it and how she worked to overcome her feelings of inadequacy and learned to work with her body rather than against it. The relating gut punch really hit later in the book when Theodora's true name is revealed and her past with her father comes to light; I don't want to spoil anything but lets just say I felt like Christy Anne Jones really spoke to me directly. I was in public when I was reading the end portion of this book, but I truly believed I would have sobbed if I had read this at home on my own. The last 30% really just hit like a gut punch, from sad moments to really heartwarming ones, I really enjoyed the ending.
I think the main thing that affected my reading experience of this was Lio's POV, which I'm sad to say. His characterisation just didn't really click with me and I way preferred being in Dot's POV rather than Lio's. I just found Lio to be very whiny and while I can see why he ended up being that way, it didn't really endear me to him. His scenes with Rupert later in the book did soften me towards him a little, but not enough to really care about him, at least not to the extent that I cared about our other core main characters. Dot and Theodora felt so real and personable to me, as well as Rupert and even the spirit Belchamber, but Lio just didn't click with me as much as the others, sadly.
I do think this has been a bit mislabled as a cosy fantasy; this definitely has higher stakes and a lot more violence then your usual cosy fantasy. It's cosy in terms of the wholesome message of accepting yourself, but the journey to get there is a lot darker than cosy definitely. However if you prefer higher stakes in your fantasy and find that cosy doesn't click with you as much then definitely give this one a go, it may be the right balance of stakes and wholesomeness.
Overall I really enjoyed Theodora's Tea Shop as I was hoping to. It has the perfect balance of heartwarming found family and a darker, sadder edge that really kept me engaged. While I didn't connect with all the characters, I found Dot and Theodora to be great main characters that kept me enjoying the story until the last page.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher, Headline/Wildfire and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
One disclaimer I never get tired of doing is to emphasise how I’m not a fantasy reader. I usually avoid fantasy novels because I know they start with a disadvantage compared to other genres. Magic, spells and magical creatures don’t inspire me or work my imagination in a way that science fiction or a mystery story can. However, I’ve been watching Chrity’s videos for a while, and was very curious to read her debut novel. So I gave it a shot.
There was too much magic, spirits, warts, and spells for my liking, but I did end up enjoying the story. I knew very little of what the story was about. There was a tea shop, witches, and a character called Theodora. And just like Dot arrived in a big city completely unprepared for what she was going to find, so did I to this story. I had no idea the path it would take and how much I would grow affectionate to these characters.
If anyone tells you this is a cosy fantasy, don’t believe them. There are far too many stressful and gut-wrenching moments throughout the book to be classified as a cosy. Although when things are calm, it does have that vibe. But it’s only a trap to make you feel safe when the danger is actually lurking around the corner.
I enjoyed her writing a lot. I knew I would from the first sentence I read. Sometimes we just click with some writing styles. And this was one of those cases. With the added charm of an older way of speaking since the story is set in the past, there is a sort of lyrical touch to it that made it very pleasurable to read. I might not have cared much for the magic that was happening in the story, but I cared for what was written on the page.
Although the story isn’t only about magic. That is one of the motivators for Dot to get out and go on an adventure. The story is really about family, discovering oneself, and the secrets kept in the past. There are at least two plot decisions that I enjoyed a lot. One of them, that I’ll spoil, is that there isn’t a romance. And that takes the pressure off the characters. They can be how they need to be without having to cater for certain attributes and be likeable enough to make a cute couple. The other plot point is far more important, so I’ll keep it vague, but it was refreshing to see. Often in books and movies, they search for the ultimate happy ever after. Everything is perfect. All the wrongs have been righted. Everything is just. Everything is fair. Everything is fine. But that’s really unrealistic. Not everyone we meet stays in our life. Not everyone we know is our friend. And that’s alright. I like that about this book. It focuses on those people that care, and that truly stay. And those are the happy endings.
This is a sort of coming of age story or a coming to terms with ourselves kind of story. These characters are learning about who they are despite their pains, hurts and past. To learn about who they want to become and not who they had to be. In a sense, it is also a story about freedom. The freedom for the characters to be who they want to be and to find the people that want them for who they are.
What I enjoyed the most was the relationships with the characters and getting to know them better. Their thoughts and feelings felt right and appropriate. They felt realistic. I don’t think everyone will understand and connect with either Dot or Theodora. I know I did, and that it was time well spent while drinking a cup of tea, preferably a cup of chamomile and fennel tea.
One disclaimer I never get tired of doing is to emphasise how I’m not a fantasy reader. I usually avoid fantasy novels because I know they start with a disadvantage compared to other genres. Magic, spells and magical creatures don’t inspire me or work my imagination in a way that science fiction or a mystery story can. However, I’ve been watching Chrity’s videos for a while, and was very curious to read her debut novel. So I gave it a shot.
There was too much magic, spirits, warts, and spells for my liking, but I did end up enjoying the story. I knew very little of what the story was about. There was a tea shop, witches, and a character called Theodora. And just like Dot arrived in a big city completely unprepared for what she was going to find, so did I to this story. I had no idea the path it would take and how much I would grow affectionate to these characters.
If anyone tells you this is a cosy fantasy, don’t believe them. There are far too many stressful and gut-wrenching moments throughout the book to be classified as a cosy. Although when things are calm, it does have that vibe. But it’s only a trap to make you feel safe when the danger is actually lurking around the corner.
I enjoyed her writing a lot. I knew I would from the first sentence I read. Sometimes we just click with some writing styles. And this was one of those cases. With the added charm of an older way of speaking since the story is set in the past, there is a sort of lyrical touch to it that made it very pleasurable to read. I might not have cared much for the magic that was happening in the story, but I cared for what was written on the page.
Although the story isn’t only about magic. That is one of the motivators for Dot to get out and go on an adventure. The story is really about family, discovering oneself, and the secrets kept in the past. There are at least two plot decisions that I enjoyed a lot. One of them, that I’ll spoil, is that there isn’t a romance. And that takes the pressure off the characters. They can be how they need to be without having to cater for certain attributes and be likeable enough to make a cute couple. The other plot point is far more important, so I’ll keep it vague, but it was refreshing to see. Often in books and movies, they search for the ultimate happy ever after. Everything is perfect. All the wrongs have been righted. Everything is just. Everything is fair. Everything is fine. But that’s really unrealistic. Not everyone we meet stays in our life. Not everyone we know is our friend. And that’s alright. I like that about this book. It focuses on those people that care, and that truly stay. And those are the happy endings.
This is a sort of coming of age story or a coming to terms with ourselves kind of story. These characters are learning about who they are despite their pains, hurts and past. To learn about who they want to become and not who they had to be. In a sense, it is also a story about freedom. The freedom for the characters to be who they want to be and to find the people that want them for who they are.
What I enjoyed the most was the relationships with the characters and getting to know them better. Their thoughts and feelings felt right and appropriate. They felt realistic. I don’t think everyone will understand and connect with either Dot or Theodora. I know I did, and that it was time well spent while drinking a cup of tea, preferably a cup of chamomile and fennel tea.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book was nothing short of incredible.
I was expecting a cozy fantasy with some mystery and humour, but what I got was a fantasical, whimsical fantasy about spirits, spells, ancient magic and broken people learning to love themselves while dealing with their own grief and guilt. It was filled with twists and turns, had stakes and suspense and layers of mystery and consequences with gothic elements and humour and amazing character arcs in a world of spirits and daemons and magic!
Thanks to Hattche Australia for the advanced copy of this book; I am leaving this review of my own volition, and all thoughts are my own.
This book is not all cozy; it made me cry, made me laugh, and it made me reflect.
I honestly went into this thinking it was just a cozy fantasy about a tea shop and learning to love yourself, and while that was certainly part of the book, it grew to be so, so much more.
Dot was such an amazing character; the author wrote her so well. She was so real. Flawed, searching for love and constantly apologising. But she grew to be strong, to understand herself and what she deserved.
Theodora was again so real. The way we’re introduced to her as this perfect woman who can be everyone at once and charm everyone. But as the façade falls, we see that she’s just like Dot. Trying to drown out the broken parts by pretending to be other, perfect people.
Lio’s character was interesting because while we didn’t really dive into his character as much as the other two, we are still able to see how heartbreak impacted his life, how he had moved on, but when given a small inkling of hope, spiralled again.
They were messy and real, and I love when characters are written like that.
There were two other side characters that really made this book as well, Rupert and Belchamber, one a young boy and the other an old spirit. They rounded out this wonderful found family.
The characters really made this book, but it was balanced perfectly by the plot.
There were twists and turns, and I flew through the end of the book when everything was at its climax. I could never have predicted JUST how much I would love this book. There was a lot going on, but it just kept me hooked the whole time. I also thought all the plot points were balanced well and that last quarter of the book was just a whirlwind of emotion and action. It also all wrapped up so well; I also LOVED how it ended
The prose was perfect; the way the author writes just felt so much like the main character; it was so immersive and poetic.
The world itself was reminiscent of 1920s London with a magical twist. I loved the way the magic was explained as well, the way each person developed a scent for their magic. The way spirits were present and presented themselves.
There just was nothing about this book that I didn’t love!
It has
Found family
Chronic illness rep
Messy characters learning to love themselves
Spirits and ancient magic
Inspired by Howls Moving Castle
Dot is in her early twenties, living in a small coastal town. After nearly drowning in her teens, she’s suffered from a mysterious chronic illness. But she feels lost in her own home, constantly on the periphery; Dot feels like she’s meant for more. The mysteriousness of magic calls her, despite its illegality. One day Dot finally has enough and decides to chase down Theodora’s Tea Shop. A magical place where a powerful witch may give her an apprenticeship. After arriving in the city, Dot realises how hard living on her own may be. But before she can give up, a stranger teleports her into the tea shop, and suddenly everything changes. She wakes with a strange magic inside of her, gains the apprenticeship she desired and learns magic. But the witch Theodora is hiding big secrets that threaten the life Dot has begun to love.
I was expecting a cozy fantasy with some mystery and humour, but what I got was a fantasical, whimsical fantasy about spirits, spells, ancient magic and broken people learning to love themselves while dealing with their own grief and guilt. It was filled with twists and turns, had stakes and suspense and layers of mystery and consequences with gothic elements and humour and amazing character arcs in a world of spirits and daemons and magic!
Thanks to Hattche Australia for the advanced copy of this book; I am leaving this review of my own volition, and all thoughts are my own.
This book is not all cozy; it made me cry, made me laugh, and it made me reflect.
I honestly went into this thinking it was just a cozy fantasy about a tea shop and learning to love yourself, and while that was certainly part of the book, it grew to be so, so much more.
Dot was such an amazing character; the author wrote her so well. She was so real. Flawed, searching for love and constantly apologising. But she grew to be strong, to understand herself and what she deserved.
Theodora was again so real. The way we’re introduced to her as this perfect woman who can be everyone at once and charm everyone. But as the façade falls, we see that she’s just like Dot. Trying to drown out the broken parts by pretending to be other, perfect people.
Lio’s character was interesting because while we didn’t really dive into his character as much as the other two, we are still able to see how heartbreak impacted his life, how he had moved on, but when given a small inkling of hope, spiralled again.
They were messy and real, and I love when characters are written like that.
There were two other side characters that really made this book as well, Rupert and Belchamber, one a young boy and the other an old spirit. They rounded out this wonderful found family.
The characters really made this book, but it was balanced perfectly by the plot.
There were twists and turns, and I flew through the end of the book when everything was at its climax. I could never have predicted JUST how much I would love this book. There was a lot going on, but it just kept me hooked the whole time. I also thought all the plot points were balanced well and that last quarter of the book was just a whirlwind of emotion and action. It also all wrapped up so well; I also LOVED how it ended
The prose was perfect; the way the author writes just felt so much like the main character; it was so immersive and poetic.
The world itself was reminiscent of 1920s London with a magical twist. I loved the way the magic was explained as well, the way each person developed a scent for their magic. The way spirits were present and presented themselves.
There just was nothing about this book that I didn’t love!
It has
Found family
Chronic illness rep
Messy characters learning to love themselves
Spirits and ancient magic
Inspired by Howls Moving Castle
Dot is in her early twenties, living in a small coastal town. After nearly drowning in her teens, she’s suffered from a mysterious chronic illness. But she feels lost in her own home, constantly on the periphery; Dot feels like she’s meant for more. The mysteriousness of magic calls her, despite its illegality. One day Dot finally has enough and decides to chase down Theodora’s Tea Shop. A magical place where a powerful witch may give her an apprenticeship. After arriving in the city, Dot realises how hard living on her own may be. But before she can give up, a stranger teleports her into the tea shop, and suddenly everything changes. She wakes with a strange magic inside of her, gains the apprenticeship she desired and learns magic. But the witch Theodora is hiding big secrets that threaten the life Dot has begun to love.
June 10, 2026
I have been following Christy’s journey writing Theodora’s Tea Shop since she uploaded the first writing vlog for it four years ago, and I have been a subscriber to her channel for double the amount of time, so to say that Theodora’s Tea Shop was my most anticipated book of 2026 was an understatement. Thank you to Hachette for providing me with an ARC copy!
This novel was a unique experience that unique to contemporary readers in the digital age, as Christy documented the entire writing, editing and publishing process of this novel (which was formerly referred to as Project Teacup) from beginning to end. Being able to witness over so many years how the sapling of an idea grew into such a charming and delightful novel was such a joy!
Theodora’s Tea Shop has been marketed towards “fans of Howl’s Moving Castle,” which I read and reviewed two books out of the trilogy in February. In Howl’s Moving Castle, Sophie’s journey reminds us to give ourselves permission to love, experience, and create magic, but for Dorothy Louise Walcott in Theodora’s Tea Shop, readers are faced with higher stakes and far more serious themes, including how we process grief, the imperfections of found family, healing from abuse, and the strength of those that have chronic illnesses.
As a reader and writer that is chronically ill, the perseverance and tenacity of Dot was encouraging and refreshing. It was a massive comfort to read about a chronically ill main character in a fantasy setting, which surprised and really resonated with me personally. In particular, the following passage struck very close to home:
“Dot pushed through the throng of people, her vision smeared by a flurry of tears, until she found a concrete step at the edge of the square and sat down. She opened up her bag and, fingers tremoring, tried to pick out the shattered glass. Two of her blouses were ripped. She mopped up the tonic as best she could with her bath towel. Tiny insects swarmed the lampposts. The smell of pastry, pistachios and clotted cream wafted from a nearby street vendor. But Dot’s groaning stomach was tempered by humiliation.”
This scene reminded me of the day my chronic illness flared up in Rome, my phone’s signal failed and there was nowhere to properly rest, and so I hopped between churches, crying in the pews to collect myself before moving onwards, wondering if I should give up the day and return to my accomodation or keep going. I decided to keep going, and that tenacity meant I stumbled upon some Picasso and Caravaggio paintings; an experience I wouldn’t have gotten if I had just given up.
Another aspect of Theodora’s Tea Shop I enjoyed was the questions regarding identity– who do we choose to be, who we think we should be, or who we really want to be? Theodora’s character was a complex and intricate exploration of self preservation and survival, which made me question all of the times I’ve fragmented myself to survive:
“A thousand Theodoras lived in this room: a thousand hobbies and tasks and costumes abandoned partway through for something or someone else.”
The worldbuilding and magic system, laden with spirits, packet spells, sigils drawn in chalk, and a capital city infused with religious and magical history was colourful and vibrant:
“Four religions had been practised under the cathedral’s great dome. Incense had changed to idols and then to beads and then to silver. Four times, conquered. With each tumble of the crown, the great cathedral had absorbed the influence of its new inhabitants, along with the rest of the melting pot city.”
A brilliant and imaginative debut novel from a fellow Aussie writer, to which I applaud after years of hard work!
Rating: ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ (4 stars)
Read this if you enjoy Ghibli movies but want to read a higher-stakes, gothic fantasy. Whether you like the salt spray of the sea or the many sights and sounds of a booming city, Theodora’s Tea Shop reminds us that found family, and our own independence, must be fought for.
Books I’d recommend with found family and magic: Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones, The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J Klune
(Originally posted on https://jadadeluca.substack.com/p/may...)
This novel was a unique experience that unique to contemporary readers in the digital age, as Christy documented the entire writing, editing and publishing process of this novel (which was formerly referred to as Project Teacup) from beginning to end. Being able to witness over so many years how the sapling of an idea grew into such a charming and delightful novel was such a joy!
Theodora’s Tea Shop has been marketed towards “fans of Howl’s Moving Castle,” which I read and reviewed two books out of the trilogy in February. In Howl’s Moving Castle, Sophie’s journey reminds us to give ourselves permission to love, experience, and create magic, but for Dorothy Louise Walcott in Theodora’s Tea Shop, readers are faced with higher stakes and far more serious themes, including how we process grief, the imperfections of found family, healing from abuse, and the strength of those that have chronic illnesses.
As a reader and writer that is chronically ill, the perseverance and tenacity of Dot was encouraging and refreshing. It was a massive comfort to read about a chronically ill main character in a fantasy setting, which surprised and really resonated with me personally. In particular, the following passage struck very close to home:
“Dot pushed through the throng of people, her vision smeared by a flurry of tears, until she found a concrete step at the edge of the square and sat down. She opened up her bag and, fingers tremoring, tried to pick out the shattered glass. Two of her blouses were ripped. She mopped up the tonic as best she could with her bath towel. Tiny insects swarmed the lampposts. The smell of pastry, pistachios and clotted cream wafted from a nearby street vendor. But Dot’s groaning stomach was tempered by humiliation.”
This scene reminded me of the day my chronic illness flared up in Rome, my phone’s signal failed and there was nowhere to properly rest, and so I hopped between churches, crying in the pews to collect myself before moving onwards, wondering if I should give up the day and return to my accomodation or keep going. I decided to keep going, and that tenacity meant I stumbled upon some Picasso and Caravaggio paintings; an experience I wouldn’t have gotten if I had just given up.
Another aspect of Theodora’s Tea Shop I enjoyed was the questions regarding identity– who do we choose to be, who we think we should be, or who we really want to be? Theodora’s character was a complex and intricate exploration of self preservation and survival, which made me question all of the times I’ve fragmented myself to survive:
“A thousand Theodoras lived in this room: a thousand hobbies and tasks and costumes abandoned partway through for something or someone else.”
The worldbuilding and magic system, laden with spirits, packet spells, sigils drawn in chalk, and a capital city infused with religious and magical history was colourful and vibrant:
“Four religions had been practised under the cathedral’s great dome. Incense had changed to idols and then to beads and then to silver. Four times, conquered. With each tumble of the crown, the great cathedral had absorbed the influence of its new inhabitants, along with the rest of the melting pot city.”
A brilliant and imaginative debut novel from a fellow Aussie writer, to which I applaud after years of hard work!
Rating: ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ (4 stars)
Read this if you enjoy Ghibli movies but want to read a higher-stakes, gothic fantasy. Whether you like the salt spray of the sea or the many sights and sounds of a booming city, Theodora’s Tea Shop reminds us that found family, and our own independence, must be fought for.
Books I’d recommend with found family and magic: Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones, The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J Klune
(Originally posted on https://jadadeluca.substack.com/p/may...)
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