Blood in the Tea Leaves

by Beka Westrup

Marie is a woman sold into a loveless marriage in a 1700’s, second-world France. Under the close tutelage of the esteemed Lady Colette Valand, Marie has sewn a small corner of life for herself in their little town in the country-side. She even manages to find love and companionship in a secret affair with a prostitute, Alice. But Lady Colette has a few secrets of her own, and they all come to light on one fateful night, when their bodies and futures are forever changed by a mysterious tin of tea leaves.

Dive back into the vampire lore first brought to you by “Beneath the Bloody Aurora” with this sapphic companion novella, and experience the turn that started it all.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Vampires, Queer

145 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2023

About the author

Beka Westrup is an author of fantasy romances. When she's not reading, writing, or chugging exorbitant amounts of coffee, she can be found watching The Office with her husband and two kids at home in Boise, Idaho.

Sign up for her author newsletter for updates and early access to art, pre-orders, and giveaways: https://www.bekawestrup.com/coming-so...

Reviews

[Camri Kohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are going to need a cold shower after this one!!!! The smut is PHENOMENAL! But so is the writing, The formatting, the art!!! An empowering story that I absolutely devoured. I have to read Beneath the Bloody Aurora immediately. IMMEDIATELY!!!

[Lizzie Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully complex and dark, bloody atmosphere. The story telling is phenomenal, the characters are beautifully messy and complex. I love stories of women taking back their power and what power they have! I love a good sapphic story, and the beautiful dynamic in Blood in the Tea Leaves is amazing. I was drawn in immediately and in love with the character before the end of the first chapter. The smut here is beautiful and spicy. But the people, the plot, the atmosphere, it's what's going to keep you sucked under until the very end. Come for the sapphic vampire smut, stay for the way Beka Westrup tells a story. 10/10 recommend, especially for a quick, interesting read.

[Sky. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Marie melted into the soft body behind her. Another kiss emblazoned her neck like a brand, teeth grazing the tender skin beneath her ear. A dulcet voice whispered in her ear, “My love.”

The books started off strong and i was hooked from the beginning, The writing is so poetic and beautiful
Marie and Alice relationship is so amazing and I wanted to see more of it I wanted to know how everything started how they know each other.. etc

“but this thing between them was still her everything. The only thing that mattered.”

Both of them obviously went through a lot of pain and suffering and it was heartbreaking !

I liked Colette her story and love for Marie broke my heart but what whe did at the ending is stupid and so thoughtless 🙂.

Anyway ! They turned and everything went down hell from there!
The characters didn’t have so much depth after that, things just kept happening without any explanation
A lot of things doesn’t make any since and the time jump was so convincing! How they turned? What’s in the tea??? How???? And what happened doing the 4 decades! Are they vampires are they something else? Because they just kept saying beasts!!

“You’ve entered a house of beasts. Murderesses.”

So many unanswered questions!

I think all these jumps is to lead to the new book but honestly I don’t care for Nikolai story and i won’t be reading it
If she forgot about Nikolai story this could have been so much better and I could’ve so easily give it 5 stars! I thought I would but as you can see I didn’t

Overall all 3.25 ⭐️


pre review: I am not a big fan of tea but this seem interesting

[My Emotional Support Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received and ARC copy for review, these are all my own thoughts and feelings!

“The days were theirs, and the days were safe. As long as the sun was shining, they could find each other in the shadows.”

Whew. Let me start by saying I loved this novella. The artistry in Beka’s writing is absolutely stunning. I don’t regularly read historical vampire stories but I was completely drawn into the story from page 1.
Don’t sit on this story, it’s utterly amazing.

“You can lie to yourself as many times as you’d like, but you cannot lie to me. My heart can hear yours weeping.”

This was my first FF read the spice was well done and woven into the story, very little of it felt gratuitous.

“I would remember you, even in death. You are my heaven.”

The heartache and love woven into this tale of empowerment was gripping and the detail put into each scene was beyond what I expected. The only thing I’d like more of, is more! There’s aspects of the story that I would love to have more details for.

4 women on a journey they didn’t choose from consequences not entirely of their making. Love and jealousy that spans the decades. A young boy dragged into the story by the madness of one and the love of another. Check your triggers because there are a few.

I could not put this story down, and now that I’ve been introduced to Beka’s work I cannot wait to devour everything she creates!

[Beka Westrup]

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Blood in the Tea Leaves is FINALLY available for preorder on B&N and Amazon!

Thank you so, so much to all of the readers who have already added this little WLW vampire romance to their TBRs!! This book will be releasing Feb 14, 2023.

Please make sure to check trigger warnings on my website (there will be a list inside of the book as well). This is a prequel novella that may be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend reading it after Beneath the Bloody Aurora, as this story has some time jumps that are informed by BTBA. ;)

<3 Beka

[Sara Patricelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I didn’t already own Beneath the Bloody Aurora, this would have convinced me to buy it. This novella was beautifully written, with complex and exciting characters to keep you invested from page one. There’s a perfect balance between heart-in your-throat action and spicy spicy romance scenes. Not to mention the queer, plus-sized rep <3 I highly highly recommend checking out this book!!

[aadri ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love hot vampire women <33

Also, so much happened in the last part of this book like the author should have just made this into a full novel instead of a novella. I have so many questions and the dynamics between the characters could have been better explored 😭😭

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5???

i’m a sucker for vampire stories, i feel like if this was longer i’d enjoy it more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[blank ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good foundation that needed a bigger word count to truly feel developed.

[Shannon&#x1f47b; · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🤔

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realized a little too late this was a novella, companion to another book, so the book didn’t make as much sense to me as it would have someone else who had in fact read the other one. However, I’m not sure I want to pick it up. Sapphic or not, I’m still very much not enjoying the poly romances or whatever you might call it. I almost didn’t finish this one in the first place.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good but would have liked more on Marie and Alice. Especially after they found out Colette left. In general would have liked more of a conclusion on all of them. Or will there be another book?

[Angela Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this sapphic novella as an ARC and I’m excited to share my thoughts! It was pretty interesting to me just HOW my girlies turned into vampires, there is a tea involved and I think that’s super original! I loved the historical setting, the spice was fantastic, I loved the very late bi awakening 🥺 there is a bit of a love triangle so if that’s not your thing just be aware, but it was a great book and I can’t wait for book 2!
🧛🏻🩸🧵
“Can you feel me? I’m deeper now than he’s ever been.” There was amusement in Alice’s voice, delight. But there was a darkness too, a primal yearning they both knew only Marie could satiate. “And you love it. I’m the only one who can make you feel like this.”

“You can lie to yourself as many times as you’d like, but you cannot lie to me. My heart can hear yours weeping.”

“I take it back,” Marie choked out, her grey eyes searing into Alice, straight to her soul. “I would remember you, even in death. You are my heaven.”

[j a y • d e p r a v e d - .dammnitjay. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I usually dont read FF. And I usually dont read historical anything, but OH MY GOD; I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this and enjoy every moment. Every twist. Every turn. Every interlocking fate. Every harsh word, every loving embrace. The power shift you feel and see while reading this book. The energy that was poured onto the pages. And dont even get me started on the fact she added in paranormal aspects as well ... and than that PLAYLIST?!
If you dont pick this up - you will be missing an EPIC read with EPIC characters.
This book is a powerhouse.
I wish I could give it 10 stars.
All I can say is, I am a puddle after this novella, but I hate to even call it that because of all the rawness that was punched into these pages.

[C. N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Beneath the Bloody Aurora, so I was thrilled to get this alongside my preorder of the book! This novella follows characters that are mentioned in BTBA, but I won't say more to avoid spoilers. Westrup's prose is gorgeous as always, crafting gothic, bloody scenes and steamy, erotic ones with the same lyrical cadence. The characters are compelling, flawed, and people you will quickly become invested in. I tore through this novella and I can't wait to read more from Beka, set in this universe and beyond!

If you enjoy queer stories, paranormal romance, gorgeous writing, and vampires, check out this novella!

[Sj · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an arc copy of this novella for an honest review. ive kept it spoiler free :)

the promise of sapphic vampires was what pulled me in, but what had me in an effectionate chokehold was the depth to these characters and the originality to their origin stories. (and the smut. that cannot be overstated enough bc let me tell you, it's top tier. mwah. so good)

the stories of these women come together in a way that feels truly poetic. there is deep pain, darkness, power, love and all of it felt incredibly moving within it's delivery. I only wish it was an full length novel so I could have had more time on these journeys.

[AK Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this advertised on TikTok, and I immediately made the purchase. Being a full-time student, I don’t have as much time as I would like to sit down with a good book, so I enjoyed the idea of a short AND queer text. The vampire atmosphere was so captivating, especially when unpacking the characters’ methodologies when it came to feeding. It was incredibly hard to put it down, and I caught myself reading every moment I could. It is a wonderfully detailed and bloody story, and I highly recommend! I’m afraid that’s all I can say before I put my foot in my mouth and spoil, but I am anxiously awaiting the next chapter for Marie, Alice, Colette, and Nikolai! Much love to the author <3

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review...This will not be released until February 14... ***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***This book gave me Anne Rice vibes and in a good way. The tea leaf idea was amazing and original. I enjoy a good love triangle and wish Colette would have acted on her feelings towards Marie. I was crossing my fingers for that throuple. I felt something off with Genevieve from the beginning and really want to know more about what her deal is. The ending hurt my heart a little but I did love Nikolai's decision. They both need to be away from Alice and Marie. Hopefully not forever though 🥺

[YarnWyvern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Beka for this *scrumptious* read. You had my undivided attention at sapphic vampires.

I devoured this novella and I’m so excited for more stories in the world that was created here. It’s got sweetness, darkness, and some spice that’s v v nice.

If you like vampires and queerness, you’ll enjoy this one.

18+. Check TW/CW, but we have death/murder, explicit sexual scenes, blood, references to child death, references/mention of SA

[Shannon Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a  fantasy historical romance that has suspense and agnst you never knew you needed .the story revolves around 4 women but focused on 3 of them. The plot twists continued to keep me on the edge of my seat while the spice had me squirming in it ! I can't wait to continue with Nicolai's story !

[Cayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really fell in love with the story quickly. I enjoyed following all the characters and it was a great quick read in-between my longer series. I only wished it was a full novel! I can't wait to read more from Beka Westrup.

[Brittany Weisrock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to Follow

[MarianaNiehaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too short for my liking. Had a lot of potential but kinda fell short. Good read tho.

[nati · Rating 5 out of 5]

the fact that this book starts with a playlist that includes five taylor swift songs is possibly the best way to let the readers know they're about to enter sapphic heaven

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written for its smut and nothing else.
I needed this level of smut and the book delivered. I ate this book in a sitting. It kept my attention (when I should have been working). Loved it.

That said, there were moments of let down I'd have loved to have known about before getting stuck in.

*Spoilers*

This book has promise in the first part... And then reads like a load of smut scenes have been strung together with a very fragile plot for the rest.

I expected a big ending to the villainess... And didn't get it. She was made out to be not entirely human. Her magic was shown as strong and scary and protective of her. She seemed to scare the other women slightly so that none of them confronted her 'madness' for decades. In the end, we don't even see that confrontation and it's narrowed down to a few sentences.

There was very little character depth. I was hooked by the characters in the first part... And was there for the smut for the rest of it. The individual characters changed very little... then all at once. I blame the time jumps throughout the book for this. It's great to show their immortality, but for such a short book I think there's a lot lost to it.

The sapphic couple seemed to hold very little substance to their relationship other than their own individual trauma... Lust and possessiveness.
Most of their interactions are sex. In fact, most of the scenes where they're together are sex. Honestly, that's why I picked it up so I'm not too upset over it. A few moments of everyday interaction would have made their relationship feel more genuine though.

I know this has a sequel and maybe that'll tie up some loose ends.
By all means, don't let this review put you off. It's a good read to switch off to for a few hours.

[McKayla M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars as of finishing 11/23/23

I think this book would work really well as a prequel to a book I haven’t read yet. I think that definitely affected my connection to the characters because I found myself thinking “is there something I’m missing?”. I love prequels usually but I really only read them after the original book(s), so not realizing this was a prequel until I started definitely took me out a little.

Besides that I think the prose was really enjoyable to read! I think I’m gonna read more from this author now even though this didn’t change my life.

In regards to the characters: by the end of the novel I found Marie and Alice a little unbearable. It doesn’t help that Colette was definitely my favorite character and I think they repeatedly did her dirty. But me not liking them didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the book.

This book did have quite a few nsfw scenes that were over all really well done! Not was I was going into this book for but a fun addition.

[BookReviewMystic | Tabitha S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded to 4

The feminine love and devotion between the characters made me want to cry with happiness, despite their circumstances. I loved this book for the historical setting, the female empowerment, and the unbreakable bond that is Marie & Alice.

I would say I was really invested in the first half of the book, but the second half felt a little slower to me. I saw on the description on Amazon that this was a prequel to another one of Beka's books, and that helped explain why the second half was the way it was. It was good; just felt like a big change of pace from the first half but it makes more sense now that I know it is the prequel of Beneath the Bloody Aurora.

[stephanie cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tea Leaves is a remarkable collection of short stories that showcases LGBTQ characters navigating larger-than-life situations, highlighting the complexities of marginalization.

Each story presents its own strengths and weaknesses, but collectively, they offer a compelling reading experience. While the narratives are enjoyable, they can be emotionally challenging, particularly for readers who find the themes resonate closely with their own experiences. Overall, Budenz’s work is both poignant and impactful, making it a worthwhile read for anyone seeking to explore diverse perspectives.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars. The beginning had me not gonna lie. It really pulled me in. The writing is good and the characters were intriguing at first. It all fell apart pretty damn quickly though and I found myself rolling my eyes at everything. I wasn’t a fan of the ending and I’m not interested in the next book at all. This wasn’t awful or anything as it did have potential but it ended up being pretty forgettable in the end.

[Clare Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Beneath the Bloody Aurora this summer, I couldn't wait to read this novella too! I am continually impressed with Beka's writing, self-pub talent, and just overall skills as an author. All of her stories I've read have just been so different and really show me the breadth of her skill. I can't wait to see more from her and I hope she'll do more novellas in the future as well!