English language
Published March 25, 2023 by Penguin Publishing Group.
This book was a lot of fun. I love the found family aspect, and the descriptions of the teas were interesting. I will certainly read the sequel.
This was a cute read. I need a visit from the Auntie distribution center, though. Vera was a great character, confident and pushy and unashamed of who she is. I really need to take a look into Chinese tea now. It was an easy read and didn't have a whole lot of complexity to it. This was more cozy, I didn't get tension through the book at all. I knew who the murderer was about a quarter of the way through the book and I don't know if that detracted from some of the tension or not. Still cute, and really probably a great read for someone who's trying to venture into the realm of mystery books.
Sooooo. I found this pretty enjoyable, except that there was more discussion of (emotional) abuse and shitty asshole stuff than I'd thought. It's in a good way, though. So. I think this is a pretty nice story. Just. The epilogue has something that irritates me so much!!
So if you read mysteries a lot, many of the plot twists will be easily guessed and there is nothing special here. I am also not sure how the stereotype of a tiger grandmama will land, and I was meh about the battered wife stereotype too. However, this book was like chewing a piece of bubble gum while walking down the sidewalk on a partly cloudy day-harmless, pointless and cheerful. It put me in a good mood, did not stress me out whatsoever, and was real palate cleanser after the grim and drab scenery I had just trudged through in Diane Cook's The New Wilderness. I am glad that this book was written, and grateful for the escape it provided me, and I hope that Vera solves more murders.
