A Venom Dark and Sweet
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- Create Date：2022-08-15 09:51:36
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Judy I. Lin
- ISBN：1250767105
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Summary
The enthralling conclusion to Judy I。 Lin's Book of Tea duology—A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet—is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo。
A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi。 The Banished Prince has returned to seize power， his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust。
Ning， a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile。 Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard， Ruyi， and Ning's newly healed sister， Shu。 Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne。
But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed。 An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken， and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world。。。
A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi。 The Banished Prince has returned to seize power， his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust。
Ning， a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile。 Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard， Ruyi， and Ning's newly healed sister， Shu。 Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne。
But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed。 An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken， and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world。。。
Reviews
Katie
，
love the emphasis into the medicinal side to tea for book two。 wish the ending was more drawn out， this probably could have been a trilogy
Victoria Cleolind
，
I really enjoyed this book。 I think it was a lot more exciting than the first one and a great finish to the duology。 I like the direction they took with the main villain。 I thought it was very creative and there were parts of the end that actually brought quite a lot of emotion。 I also really liked that the magic was also more prevalent。 The main complaint I had about the first book was that the magic felt too quick and unimportant when compared to the politics and other stuff going on。 In this I really enjoyed this book。 I think it was a lot more exciting than the first one and a great finish to the duology。 I like the direction they took with the main villain。 I thought it was very creative and there were parts of the end that actually brought quite a lot of emotion。 I also really liked that the magic was also more prevalent。 The main complaint I had about the first book was that the magic felt too quick and unimportant when compared to the politics and other stuff going on。 In this book we get a lot more use of magic and the magic is also more important。 I was very happy with this installment。 。。。more
Penelope （The Reading Devil）
，
Review coming soon: https://thereadingdevil。blogspot。com Review coming soon: https://thereadingdevil。blogspot。com 。。。more
Jordan Lynch
，
After loving A Magic Steeped in Poison， I was glad that I would only have a short wait before the sequel and conclusion to this duology was released。 Unfortunately， A Venom Dark and Sweet fails to live up to its predecessor。 The thing I loved most about AMSiP was the tea—the details of its brewing， the intricacies of the tea ceremonies， the magic it could create and bestow。 Tea is still an element of AVDaS ， but it’s not the main element， and that takes away from what made the first book so uniq After loving A Magic Steeped in Poison， I was glad that I would only have a short wait before the sequel and conclusion to this duology was released。 Unfortunately， A Venom Dark and Sweet fails to live up to its predecessor。 The thing I loved most about AMSiP was the tea—the details of its brewing， the intricacies of the tea ceremonies， the magic it could create and bestow。 Tea is still an element of AVDaS ， but it’s not the main element， and that takes away from what made the first book so unique。 Additionally， while AMSiP is best described as a competition fantasy， AVDaS is an adventure/travel fantasy， and again， it loses some of that uniqueness and feels more generic。 I’ve read countless books over the years where the characters must venture forth on an epic quest to find ancient relics and save the kingdom， and although the inclusion of Chinese mythology here adds a different aspect， it’s not enough to make the story feel special。 The split points of view between Ning and Kang allow for the story to continue in two places at once， and although some readers have complained about this aspect， I think it’s fine。 It is a bit strange that Ning’s chapters continue to be in first-person while Kang’s are in third-person， but it’s not that big of a deal。 I also feel that， although the stakes are higher in this book， they don’t actually feel as high。 Everything Ning did in AMSiP directly impacted her， and her every move was scrutinized and judged。 Here， everyone has their own part to play， and although Ning is basically “the Chosen One，” her role seems oddly lessened。 Maybe part of that is due to rather anticlimactic showdown between Ning and The Big Bad。 It just sort of…happens？ I kept thinking， “Is this it？” and flipping to see if there was some big twist that would wow me。 Sadly， I think the twist that was meant to be The Big Twist was obvious all along， so things just sort of fizzled out。 The conclusion was fine。 After being disappointed by the final showdown， I was hoping for a nice ending， but it’s a bit bland， and I realized I don’t necessarily care。 I had big hopes for A Venom Dark and Sweet， but the magic of the first novel—the stakes of the competition， the intricacies of tea making， the complex relationships—is missing， making this follow up little more than a generic quest story。 。。。more
Bridget
，
Wonderful conclusion and beautifully written。 I can’t get over how cool the magic system is and liked getting into a different POV。
Svea
，
Because I read the first part of Lin's "Book of Tea" duology right before this one， I could really see the story in its entirety。 The second book is just as beautifully written as the first one， with gorgeous， though slightly detached prose and vibrant descriptions。 I loved that we got to delve more into the mythological aspects of the series this time， and the tea magic is still a wonderful idea。 The two books weave seamlessly into each other and this second book picks up right where the last o Because I read the first part of Lin's "Book of Tea" duology right before this one， I could really see the story in its entirety。 The second book is just as beautifully written as the first one， with gorgeous， though slightly detached prose and vibrant descriptions。 I loved that we got to delve more into the mythological aspects of the series this time， and the tea magic is still a wonderful idea。 The two books weave seamlessly into each other and this second book picks up right where the last one ended。 I really enjoyed that we got a second pov this time around， with Ning's part of the story still being told in first person while her love interest Kang's chapters are written in third person。 I liked his perspective and it added a lot to his character， although the generally detached writing， third person perspective and the present tense in which the book is written made his voice a rather。。。 robotic telling of the events happening。 I might have preferred two first person narratives here。It's an exciting story full of wonder and gods， though it also suffers from same issues as its predecessor。 The romance is not very interesting and the characters never manage to live up to their potential， though Ning undergoes much needed character development。 The emotional parts of the story never really worked for me that well because of how detached we are from the characters， especially Kang in the later chapters。The pacing is still fast， but a bit slower than in the first book because where once was a competition， there now is an adventurous quest leading to the characters travelling a lot。 Honestly， the first part of the book is a bit too slow even， and in comparison made the ending chapters seem rather hectic。There is definitely room for improvement， but the beautiful prose， the cool magic and the mythological aspects make this a fun duology that's also a very quick read。Many thanks to Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends and Netgalley for the arc！ 。。。more
Susan
，
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley， Macmillan Children's Publishing Group， and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review。While the first half of A VENOM DARK AND SWEET is slow and took a bit to get in to， overall it is a satisfying conclusion to The Book of Tea duology。 I appreciate that Lin gave readers chapters from both Ning and Kang's experiences this time around， though I'm not sure I loved that Ning's were written in the first person， while Kang's were in the third person Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley， Macmillan Children's Publishing Group， and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review。While the first half of A VENOM DARK AND SWEET is slow and took a bit to get in to， overall it is a satisfying conclusion to The Book of Tea duology。 I appreciate that Lin gave readers chapters from both Ning and Kang's experiences this time around， though I'm not sure I loved that Ning's were written in the first person， while Kang's were in the third person。 The plot and the pace pick up once Ning and Kang cross paths and Lin does an excellent job with explaining the rules and parameters of magic in this world。 I wish there had been some more character growth （it's there for Ning， but none of the other characters are given that space）， and as much as part of the message is the power of friends and family。。。 those friends and family take a backseat through most of the plot （example: even though Shu is alive and well， readers don't really get to know her）。Even though there are things that I felt missed the mark， or that I had hoped were done differently， I do think this is a solid duology that readers of mythology and fantasy will enjoy。 。。。more
Kris Mauna
，
The stakes are high following the aftermath of A Magic Steeped in Poison， and every character is about to be tested on how far they will go to save the people they love。In the first book， Ning goes to the palace to enter a competition in hopes that she could save her sister。 Now， she is finally reunited with Shu but the two of them are on the run alongside Princess Zhen and her bodyguard。 Ning is marked as a criminal by the palace and she’s determined to prove her innocence while helping Princes The stakes are high following the aftermath of A Magic Steeped in Poison， and every character is about to be tested on how far they will go to save the people they love。In the first book， Ning goes to the palace to enter a competition in hopes that she could save her sister。 Now， she is finally reunited with Shu but the two of them are on the run alongside Princess Zhen and her bodyguard。 Ning is marked as a criminal by the palace and she’s determined to prove her innocence while helping Princess Zhen regain the throne。My favorite part of this book was this group of women！ I loved the trust and friendship they built between each other。 It was also fun getting to know Shu better since we’ve only known her from Ning’s perspective。 My favorite relationship was the one that grows between Princess Zhen and Ning， mainly because I enjoyed Princess Zhen so much。 It would have been interesting to have a POV from her to make her more of a complex character。Unlike A Magic Steeped in Poison， this book is told from a dual POV between Ning and Kang。 Since the two of them are now separated， we get Ning’s viewpoint as she’s traveling and trying to find answers behind the mass poisonings。 Then we get a glimpse into Kang’s new life as the Banished Prince in the palace。It was difficult to connect with Kang in this book up until the final act。 I felt for him on a certain level considering that his new life isn’t all glitz and glamour。 He had a lot to prove not only to the people of Dàxi but to his father as well。 Kang feels torn between being a loyal son and doing what his heart believes is right。The story picks up when Ning and Kang’s paths cross once again。 The world grows more enchanting and we get a better sense of the magic being used。 I enjoyed each moment when Ning explores her magic。 It felt as if I have never read something like this in a fantasy story。I think Judy I。 Lin did an amazing job with details of how the magic works and with the blending of tea making。 Everything was so fun to read！ This story is rich in culture and I believe that’s why every word pulled me into these characters and their adventure。Overall， I found the ending satisfying。 There were a few questions that I felt were left unanswered even after reading the epilogue， but who is to say there won’t be another story set in this world in the future？A Venom Dark and Sweet starts off a bit slow but once you hit the middle the pace starts to pick up right until the final page。 This series is one for every fantasy reader because it’s an exciting adventure with fun magic inside！ | originally posted on Bookstacked | 。。。more
Brenna
，
In the final installment of The Book of Tea duology， Ning， the Princess， Ruyi， and Shu are on the run from the Emperor-regent's men who seek to snuff out the loyalists' counter-rebellion and who accuse Ning of the poisoning of a dozen court members。 While on the surface it seems like petty political affairs， Ning senses the forces of evil growing in the empire and will have to harness new magic and power to combat it and save the people of Daxi。 I loved book one in this series and could not wait In the final installment of The Book of Tea duology， Ning， the Princess， Ruyi， and Shu are on the run from the Emperor-regent's men who seek to snuff out the loyalists' counter-rebellion and who accuse Ning of the poisoning of a dozen court members。 While on the surface it seems like petty political affairs， Ning senses the forces of evil growing in the empire and will have to harness new magic and power to combat it and save the people of Daxi。 I loved book one in this series and could not wait to pick up book two and see how the series is concluded！ Judy Lin's writing is so clear and concise， and I loved the YA atmosphere without all the teenage drama that typically accompanies YA fantasy novels。 Ning is conflicted， yes， and she isolates herself， yes， but the telling is so relatable and doesn't drown the narrative in over-the-top feelings。 Additionally， one of the things I loved most about book 1 - the writing of the tea ceremonies， the food and culinary diversity from across the empire， and the cultural and mythological diversity included - were also wonderful in this installment。 These scenes are what drew me into the world-building and magic system and I was glad to see the author incorporate more of them into this book。 At the same time， I am very conflicted about this book because I do not feel it was loyal to the story of the first novel。 The first book was very low-stakes fantasy （yes， she is trying to save a dying family member， but she is doing magic， making friends， sneaking into the kitchens， meeting a boy in the night） and book 2 is very much not that。 In book 2， the end of the world is coming and Ning is the only one who can stop it; there are massacres， hauntings， death is close at hand。 In book 1 there was a fun magic competition and mostly children; book 2 is about war preparations， a quest to gather allies and magical relics。 Then， the magic system has also leveled up - it is no longer focused on tea and natural essences to draw out people's inner most thoughts or manipulate their bodily health; no， Ning is now gods-blessed and visited by multiple deities， attacked by deities， in fact。 The story lost a lot of the playfulness and joy of the first book and in exchange we got a LOT of plot。 The author packed so much into this book and I'm not sure all of it was explained thoroughly enough - I did not really understand what the relics were or were for until they were all being used at the very end。 I did not really understand what the Shift is in comparison to the other place she can go with tea; I did not really understand why Ning's magic has become so powerful or what changed it; I still do not understand why her sister's magic failed completely; I didn't really understand the grand plan of the serpent deity to be honest， did he want to be a human？ But humans are fallible， couldn't we have just let him become a human and then killed him？ Other gripes I have include the lack of character development: Kang gets his own POV in this book， but he is very dry and distant from the audience， what do I really know of Kang's personality other than he hopes for his father's approval？ Shu， Ruyi， and Zhen are Ning's closest allies but I don't feel I know much about them either。 And， of course， all of the relationship development we go through just to end up as - what - friends？ Long distance relationship？ We actually don't know because the author didn't tell us。 If the relationship is over but the author needs it to be an open ending so the audience can imagine the two might come back together at a later date， then ok， just say that。 But the way it ended now is very much like "Welp it was real， see ya later man， thanks for being there for me，" and we're not even sure if the two ever actually got together。 They've spent a year together at the epilogue's conclusion - have they not kissed， not dated？ Were the betrayals of the coup too much to overcome？ We have no idea。 That all being said， I think I would've enjoyed this book had it been a standalone and unattached to the first book， which I liked so much。 I really enjoy the author's writing style - especially for YA - and I will definitely read whatever they write next。 The 4 stars are what I would have given this book had it been a standalone。 。。。more
Delaney
，
This was a delightful conclusion to a very entertaining duology。 I really came to love these characters， the world， and the writing is truly stunning。I will definitely be checking out what Lin writes in the future。Tea taking center stage was something I hesitated about in the first book， but I'm so glad that I picked it up and then got approved for this ARC。 It is a very cultural inclusion of something that I am wholly unfamiliar in， and I enjoyed reading about it in both of these books， and als This was a delightful conclusion to a very entertaining duology。 I really came to love these characters， the world， and the writing is truly stunning。I will definitely be checking out what Lin writes in the future。Tea taking center stage was something I hesitated about in the first book， but I'm so glad that I picked it up and then got approved for this ARC。 It is a very cultural inclusion of something that I am wholly unfamiliar in， and I enjoyed reading about it in both of these books， and also doing some of my own research on the side。I also really enjoyed getting a multiple POV story with this one， seeing Ning and Kang's story juxtaposed against each other kept me interested throughout。4/5 stars， thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for the advanced copy！ All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Emma Reid
，
I love a tidy conclusion as much as the next person， especially when it's a duology。 We delve further into the magic of this world and even get chapters from Kang's perspective。 Understanding what's going on in his head amidst a coup strongly contrasted Ning's from the previous book。 We also get to explore The Shift more， the beautifully deadly limbo space。 And not to mention， we actually can see the world that Judy I Lin created！ We spend so much time in the palatial grounds in the first book， I love a tidy conclusion as much as the next person， especially when it's a duology。 We delve further into the magic of this world and even get chapters from Kang's perspective。 Understanding what's going on in his head amidst a coup strongly contrasted Ning's from the previous book。 We also get to explore The Shift more， the beautifully deadly limbo space。 And not to mention， we actually can see the world that Judy I Lin created！ We spend so much time in the palatial grounds in the first book， but here we see so much more。 It's fast-paced and unputdownable， and I can't wait to read what she writes next。*Thank you to B2Weird， Feiwel & Friends， and NetGalley for the gifted ARC and finished copy* 。。。more
Courtney
，
First off， this series has some seriously beautiful covers。 I literally have the first one faced out on my shelves because I’m just *obsessed*。 Unfortunately though， the second one didn’t pull me in as much as the first。 I really loved the competition aspect of the first one， I’m a sucker for that trope， and the second book obviously didn’t have that anymore。 I still enjoyed the world， and the originality of the tea having magic。 It also had a very tidy ending which is fine for me but not as dra First off， this series has some seriously beautiful covers。 I literally have the first one faced out on my shelves because I’m just *obsessed*。 Unfortunately though， the second one didn’t pull me in as much as the first。 I really loved the competition aspect of the first one， I’m a sucker for that trope， and the second book obviously didn’t have that anymore。 I still enjoyed the world， and the originality of the tea having magic。 It also had a very tidy ending which is fine for me but not as dramatic as a like a fantasy to be haha。 Overall， a really interesting and unique duology that I would recommend for any ya fantasy beginner！ 。。。more
Natalie Taylor
，
Faith， Trust & Pearl DustFirst， thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for an advanced copy of the spectacular sequel I have been waiting for！！This book has wonderful themes about what it means to love in all forms of the word。 It has notes on faith， trust， family， friends， allies， enemies and how it makes us human。 Not everything is as it seems and the complexity that makes us who we are is how we should see everyone and everything。 It is beautiful and a perfect accompaniment to the acti Faith， Trust & Pearl DustFirst， thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for an advanced copy of the spectacular sequel I have been waiting for！！This book has wonderful themes about what it means to love in all forms of the word。 It has notes on faith， trust， family， friends， allies， enemies and how it makes us human。 Not everything is as it seems and the complexity that makes us who we are is how we should see everyone and everything。 It is beautiful and a perfect accompaniment to the action。 The rush of life shouldn't push aside your humanity。 I definitely cried。 It's fine。 I love the element of surprise this book was able to have given what was revealed in the last book。 Even after finishing the book， I still have some lingering questions。 However， they don't take away from the plot's resolution and I love the detail of the characters even mentioning some of these remaining unknowns。 Overall， I love the characters， their struggles and what they come to represent。Excellent use of a duology format。 Each book takes a unique plot， setting and tone while connecting in a way that makes sense。 I love these books and I can't wait to see what Judy I。 Lin brings for us in the future！ 。。。more
Desi Wolff-Myren
，
A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy Lin is the second book in this duology。 Things I appreciated:-quick release of the second book in this duology （didn’t have to reread the first book to refresh myself）-brought us deeper into the world of magical teaThings I wish for:-more background on the magic tea/magic in this world -more character development of the princess ZhenOverall， a nice wrap up to this short series！
Brenna
，
In the final installment of The Book of Tea duology， Ning， the Princess， Ruyi， and Shu are on the run from the Emperor-regent's men who seek to snuff out the loyalists' counter-rebellion and who accuse Ning of the poisoning of a dozen court members。 While on the surface it seems like petty political affairs， Ning senses the forces of evil growing in the empire and will have to harness new magic and power to combat it and save the people of Daxi。 I loved book one in this series and could not wait In the final installment of The Book of Tea duology， Ning， the Princess， Ruyi， and Shu are on the run from the Emperor-regent's men who seek to snuff out the loyalists' counter-rebellion and who accuse Ning of the poisoning of a dozen court members。 While on the surface it seems like petty political affairs， Ning senses the forces of evil growing in the empire and will have to harness new magic and power to combat it and save the people of Daxi。 I loved book one in this series and could not wait to pick up book two and see how the series is concluded！ Judy Lin's writing is so clear and concise， and I loved the YA atmosphere without all the teenage drama that typically accompanies YA fantasy novels。 Ning is conflicted， yes， and she isolates herself， yes， but the telling is so relatable and doesn't drown the narrative in over-the-top feelings。 Additionally， one of the things I loved most about book 1 - the writing of the tea ceremonies， the food and culinary diversity from across the empire， and the cultural and mythological diversity included - were also wonderful in this installment。 These scenes are what drew me into the world-building and magic system and I was glad to see the author incorporate more of them into this book。 At the same time， I am very conflicted about this book because I do not feel it was loyal to the story of the first novel。 The first book was very low-stakes fantasy （yes， she is trying to save a dying family member， but she is doing magic， making friends， sneaking into the kitchens， meeting a boy in the night） and book 2 is very much not that。 In book 2， the end of the world is coming and Ning is the only one who can stop it; there are massacres， hauntings， death is close at hand。 In book 1 there was a fun magic competition and mostly children; book 2 is about war preparations， a quest to gather allies and magical relics。 Then， the magic system has also leveled up - it is no longer focused on tea and natural essences to draw out people's inner most thoughts or manipulate their bodily health; no， Ning is now gods-blessed and visited by multiple deities， attacked by deities， in fact。 The story lost a lot of the playfulness and joy of the first book and in exchange we got a LOT of plot。 The author packed so much into this book and I'm not sure all of it was explained thoroughly enough - I did not really understand what the relics were or were for until they were all being used at the very end。 I did not really understand what the Shift is in comparison to the other place she can go with tea; I did not really understand why Ning's magic has become so powerful or what changed it; I still do not understand why her sister's magic failed completely; I didn't really understand the grand plan of the serpent deity to be honest， did he want to be a human？ But humans are fallible， couldn't we have just let him become a human and then killed him？ Other gripes I have include the lack of character development: Kang gets his own POV in this book， but he is very dry and distant from the audience， what do I really know of Kang's personality other than he hopes for his father's approval？ Shu， Ruyi， and Zhen are Ning's closest allies but I don't feel I know much about them either。 And， of course， all of the relationship development we go through just to end up as - what - friends？ Long distance relationship？ We actually don't know because the author didn't tell us。 If the relationship is over but the author needs it to be an open ending so the audience can imagine the two might come back together at a later date， then ok， just say that。 But the way it ended now is very much like "Welp it was real， see ya later man， thanks for being there for me，" and we're not even sure if the two ever actually got together。 They've spent a year together at the epilogue's conclusion - have they not kissed， not dated？ Were the betrayals of the coup too much to overcome？ We have no idea。 That all being said， I think I would've enjoyed this book had it been a standalone and unattached to the first book， which I liked so much。 I really enjoy the author's writing style - especially for YA - and I will definitely read whatever they write next。 The 4 stars are what I would have given this book had it been a standalone。 。。。more
Elizabeth Hagenlocher
，
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。A Venom Dark and Sweet is the fast-paced conclusion to the Book of Tea duology that all began with A Magic Steeped in Poison。 After the courtly competition falls apart， Ning finds herself on the run with her sister， the princess， and the princess’ bodyguard/lover。 Over their journey， Ning is plagued by a mysterious and threatening being she encountered when saving her sister’s life。 Meanwhile， Kang is stuck in c Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。A Venom Dark and Sweet is the fast-paced conclusion to the Book of Tea duology that all began with A Magic Steeped in Poison。 After the courtly competition falls apart， Ning finds herself on the run with her sister， the princess， and the princess’ bodyguard/lover。 Over their journey， Ning is plagued by a mysterious and threatening being she encountered when saving her sister’s life。 Meanwhile， Kang is stuck in court trying to pick up the pieces of this broken empire and get to the bottom of his father’s sudden personality shift。 He’s also trying hard not to think about Ning， and the mess they’ve found themselves in: infatuated， and on seemingly opposite sides of a power struggle。 My feelings about this book are a bit complicated。 I feel as though it suffered from a weak start， and while it eventually recovered， it felt like too little， too late。 One of the major sources of the narrative imbalance was the shifting perspectives。 In the first book， we almost excllusively experienced the story from Ning’s POV。 She’s the character I fell in love with at the beginning。 However， this book kicks off with Kang’s POV in a voice that falls a bit flat， and doesn’t have enough of a personality。 This is compounded by the fact that Kang’s side of the story is told from a third-person lens， while Ning’s is told from first-person。 Couple that with the present tense， and you get a very robotic and distant recounting of event’s every time we’re with Kang。I think the story could have benefitted by starting where the reader’s interest was: with Ning。 Folding Kang’s POV over time， in a first-person perspective to create some personality， would have strengthened the overall atmosphere。Once I got to the mid-point of the book， I had the rhythm down well enough that it didn’t pull me from the story， and I was able to focus more on the prose。 Ning was a strong character throughout the book， and when she had her chance to shine， she really shone。 Her use of magic， her care for others， and her determination to do what she must are so brilliant。 I thoroughly enjoyed the direction of the plot， in the end， and I’m happy with where we left these characters。 I only wish the conclusion of the “big bad evil” of this book had been a bit more drawn out。 In the end， it didn’t feel personal the way that it should have， and I truly think it lacked impact because the reader is kept at arm’s length from Kang and his experience。 While I found there was some room for improvement， I think this was an enjoyable duology， and I’m glad I read it。 I think I’d like to read both books in one go， next time。 。。。more
Honey
，
4 StarsReview was deleted on accident。Book was super good and such a great wrap up to this series。 I do wish the first 30% of this wasn't so boring and we had some action but otherwise I wish the best for this book on it's release！ 4 StarsReview was deleted on accident。Book was super good and such a great wrap up to this series。 I do wish the first 30% of this wasn't so boring and we had some action but otherwise I wish the best for this book on it's release！ 。。。more
Lia Yuliana
，
wow i am blown away by how this sequel improved a lot of things from the first bookabsolutely brilliantfull review to come august 26th！
Sequoia Cron
，
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。A Venom Dark and Sweet is a beautifully crafted conclusion to the Book of Tea duology。 The story starts right where we left off: Kang and his father， the Banished Prince， are at the palace and Kang is unsure if he wants to follow his father's leadership or continue to try and protect Ning。 Ning cured her sister and she， Shu， Princess Zhen and Ruyi are travell Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。A Venom Dark and Sweet is a beautifully crafted conclusion to the Book of Tea duology。 The story starts right where we left off: Kang and his father， the Banished Prince， are at the palace and Kang is unsure if he wants to follow his father's leadership or continue to try and protect Ning。 Ning cured her sister and she， Shu， Princess Zhen and Ruyi are travelling to gain support to take down the Banished Prince。 Along the way a mythical creature is becoming a threat and Ning will need help to defeat it。The very beginning is slow， not until about 20 to 30% does the pacing pick up。 Afterwards， you are in for a wild ride alongside Ning and Kang's POVs。 I am so happy we do get Kang's side and we receive a lot more development into his character and see what is brewing in the palace。I absolutely love Judy I。 Lin's story telling and the Chinese mythology is spectacularly written。 You do not want to miss out on the ending to a brilliant duology。 4。5 stars 。。。more
Kayla Savoca
，
✨ 𝕒𝕣𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ✨𝑨 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 （𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒂， 2） 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐈。 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝑀𝓎 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: ★★★★☆𝒢𝑜𝑜𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈: 𝟦。𝟤𝟣/𝟧A huge thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NeGalley for access to a highly anticipated YA sequel。 A bigger thank you for the opportunity at an advance reading; what a thrilling conclusion to 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒂 duology！ What was already built on a solid foundation， Lin's new release improved greatly on her original debut。 I sang high praises for 𝑨 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 and as ✨ 𝕒𝕣𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ✨𝑨 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 （𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒂， 2） 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐈。 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝑀𝓎 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: ★★★★☆𝒢𝑜𝑜𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈: 𝟦。𝟤𝟣/𝟧A huge thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NeGalley for access to a highly anticipated YA sequel。 A bigger thank you for the opportunity at an advance reading; what a thrilling conclusion to 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒂 duology！ What was already built on a solid foundation， Lin's new release improved greatly on her original debut。 I sang high praises for 𝑨 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 and as its successor， 𝑨 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 was everything that I hoped for and more。 I would rate this as a strong 4。5★'s; my biggest gripe （more-so a small wish） being that I wanted more of an impact in AVDAS's conclusion。 I would have honestly loved to see this turned into a trilogy！ 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂！𝑨 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 kept me enthralled until the very last page; this is what I want from a sequel， especially when it comes to a conclusion to a story。 AVDAS's beautiful writing style was superior to its predecessor， a feat I didn't think possible for Lin。 Words cannot express how I look forward to what she creates apart from her 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒂 duology， 𝑨 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 releases on August 23 and I am so excited for those that are also looking forward to AMSIP's sequel。 You have something to look forward too。 。。。more
Honey
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4 StarsLin has done it again。 This sequel was the perfect wrap up to A Magic Steeped in Poison。 I do wish it moved a bit faster as the plot was very slow and boring in the first 30% but otherwise it was perfect。 The magic has always drawn me in and it's a shame I have to leave this world behind :（ I hope this book has the same amount of success as the first and more， they are to good to forget。 4 StarsLin has done it again。 This sequel was the perfect wrap up to A Magic Steeped in Poison。 I do wish it moved a bit faster as the plot was very slow and boring in the first 30% but otherwise it was perfect。 The magic has always drawn me in and it's a shame I have to leave this world behind :（ I hope this book has the same amount of success as the first and more， they are to good to forget。 。。。more
Suanne
，
A Venom Dark and Sweet is the second book in Judy Lin’s duology， The Book of Tea。 It stands alone， but to get the full sense of the world building and to fully understand the complex relationship between the two main characters， you should read them in consecutive order。Lin develops a truly original system of magic and carries it through both books。 She lovingly blends in Chinese and Taiwanese mythology and tosses in court intrigue and dastardly plots—and a bit of romance。 Two courageous young p A Venom Dark and Sweet is the second book in Judy Lin’s duology， The Book of Tea。 It stands alone， but to get the full sense of the world building and to fully understand the complex relationship between the two main characters， you should read them in consecutive order。Lin develops a truly original system of magic and carries it through both books。 She lovingly blends in Chinese and Taiwanese mythology and tosses in court intrigue and dastardly plots—and a bit of romance。 Two courageous young people， Kang and Ning， embark on a hero’s journey to save the world as they know it。 The kingdom of Dàxi is threatened by a great evil serpent， a banished prince of the days of the earth’s formation。 He has been torn apart by other gods and his organs buried separately。 He wants to reclaim his body parts and seize power。 Ning is a powerful shénnóng-shi， using magic derived from the ancient art of tea-making。 She escorts the Princess Zhen into exile。 Together with the princess’s body guard Ruyi and Ning’s little sister Shu， they travel through the kingdom searching for allies to take back Zhen’s throne。 Kang is the son of the man who has taken over Zhen’s throne and has mixed feelings about being his father's heir。A Venom Dark and Sweet picks up where A Magic Steeped in Poison left off。 It’s the finale of an amazing fantasy for young adults。 The world-building is exceptional as are the historical and cultural influences。 There is a bit of enemies-to-lovers romance between Ning and Kang with just a touch of sexual tension， safe enough for those parents who worry about what their children read。I received a copy of this book through NetGalley。 。。。more
Kayla O
，
review ♥a venom dark and sweet- judy i。 lin★ ★ ★ •chinese mythology•tea and magic•princess and her bodyguard•sisterly bond“I’ve been waiting for you， Zhang Ning… for a long， long time。”Ning has just escaped the palace after being accused of spreading the poison that infected her sister。 After she cures Shu， they set off with Princess Zhen and her bodyguard Ruyi to come up with a plan to overthrow the Banished Prince in his attempts to obtain the dragon throne。 However， the serpent god， Gongyu， i review ♥a venom dark and sweet- judy i。 lin★ ★ ★ •chinese mythology•tea and magic•princess and her bodyguard•sisterly bond“I’ve been waiting for you， Zhang Ning… for a long， long time。”Ning has just escaped the palace after being accused of spreading the poison that infected her sister。 After she cures Shu， they set off with Princess Zhen and her bodyguard Ruyi to come up with a plan to overthrow the Banished Prince in his attempts to obtain the dragon throne。 However， the serpent god， Gongyu， is the mastermind behind the chancellor and the Banished Prince’s takeover of the capital。 Kang， the Prince’s adopted son， still has feelings for Ning and wants to do what is right。 He is caught in the difficult position of either staying loyal to his father or helping Ning defeat the evil serpent that dreams of death and destruction。 Ning is chosen to figure out a way to defeat the serpent， avenge her mother’s death， and restore the throne to Princess Zhen。 I was so excited when I heard this book was coming out just a few months after the first！ Usually， I’ve had to wait at least a year for the next book in a series， and Judy Lin gave us exactly what we were impatiently waiting for。 I loved A Magic Steeped in Poison， and am so happy to have been accepted for an eARC of both books！ The first half of the book was a little hard to get through because of the plot building， but once Kang and Ning finally got back together， my interests were piqued。 I loved the growing bond Ning shares with Shu。 It reminds me of the relationship I share with my sister。 I also love the magic system in this duology。 The Chinese mythology and tea rituals are insanely cool， and I enjoyed reading about Ning and her connections to others through the magic of tea。 I was a little sad about the romance between Kang and Ning because it was almost absent。 I wished there was more exploration of their connection and the pain they share at the end of the story。 Overall， this book was a fun ending to the duology and demonstrates the vibrant joys of young adult fantasy novels。 。。。more
Alicia
，
A Venom Dark and Sweet is the sequel to one of my favorite books of the year， A Magic Steeped in Poison， and the conclusion of this duology。 It is also special to me because it is the first ARC I have ever been approved for after reaching out to the publisher directly。 Special thanks to Sara at Macmillan Children’s for being so kind and helpful！The tea-based magic system in this series is still one of the most interesting that I have come across in a while。 Something that I missed from the first A Venom Dark and Sweet is the sequel to one of my favorite books of the year， A Magic Steeped in Poison， and the conclusion of this duology。 It is also special to me because it is the first ARC I have ever been approved for after reaching out to the publisher directly。 Special thanks to Sara at Macmillan Children’s for being so kind and helpful！The tea-based magic system in this series is still one of the most interesting that I have come across in a while。 Something that I missed from the first book was the frequent discussions of the tea magic and how tea ingredients affect the magic。 While we don’t get these details as much in A Venom Dark and Sweet， we do learn about a darker side of the magic through Ning’s attempts to rid people she meets of poisoning。 I was especially glad to see Wenyi’s story come full circle， though I won’t say how to avoid spoilers！ I am also impressed with how seamlessly Lin pulls in Chinese myth， language， and stories while keeping Ning’s story fully her own—an addition rather than a retelling。 I have to admit that I liked the first book better， and I think that’s because the pacing in this sequel felt a little off to me。 Much of the book seems to go a bit slowly， while the conclusion felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly。That said， this is still a very fun and interesting duology。 I was glad to see more of Kang in this book， though some people might find it jarring that his perspective is written in third person， while Ning’s is written in first。 Overall， this was an engaging sequel that fell a bit short of its predecessor for me。 However， it is an interesting conclusion to a strong YA duology， and I would highly recommend this （now completed） series to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy。 I will be keeping my eye out for more for Judy I。 Lin in the future。Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanusa #feiwelandfriends for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for my honest review。 A Venom Dark and Sweet will release August 23， 2022。 。。。more
Clarissa
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the way judy lin is working so hard to get this book out and i already know i'll love itthe pain of waiting still remains， though the way judy lin is working so hard to get this book out and i already know i'll love itthe pain of waiting still remains， though 。。。more
Ashley Hart
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The world building in this story was incredible。 Unfortunately， I did not read the first book but THIS encouraged me to go and read it and then come back and reread this story。 The fantasy world was dynamic and captivating。 The story had good pacing which is essential for a fantasy story。 The story focused on relationships instead of shoehorning a relationship which is honestly refreshing。 Judy I。 Lin has a wonderful world here。 I know this is the end of a duology， but I hope this world can be u The world building in this story was incredible。 Unfortunately， I did not read the first book but THIS encouraged me to go and read it and then come back and reread this story。 The fantasy world was dynamic and captivating。 The story had good pacing which is essential for a fantasy story。 The story focused on relationships instead of shoehorning a relationship which is honestly refreshing。 Judy I。 Lin has a wonderful world here。 I know this is the end of a duology， but I hope this world can be used again。 It was amazing。 I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley。 The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more
Mary
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Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC。A Venom Dark and Sweet picks up where A Magic Steeped in Poison left off， with Ning exiled with Princess Zhen and searching for a way to eradicate the great evil taking over the kingdom。A Magic Steeped in Poison was a stunning and memorable read， and I am so glad that A Venom Dark and Sweet has lived up to its legacy。 This second installment in Judy I。 Lin's Book of Tea duology is a gorgeous， fast-paced adventure that offers a grip Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC。A Venom Dark and Sweet picks up where A Magic Steeped in Poison left off， with Ning exiled with Princess Zhen and searching for a way to eradicate the great evil taking over the kingdom。A Magic Steeped in Poison was a stunning and memorable read， and I am so glad that A Venom Dark and Sweet has lived up to its legacy。 This second installment in Judy I。 Lin's Book of Tea duology is a gorgeous， fast-paced adventure that offers a gripping conclusion to a phenomenal fantasy story。 I loved getting to be with Ning again， and aspects of the story that had me hesitant in book 1 -- the romance， specifically -- were wonderfully fleshed out and given space to breathe。The conclusion wrapped up nicely， with all the threads accounted for， and has left me wanting to go back and pick up book 1 and live the story all over again。 。。。more
Diana Luu
，
A Venom Dark & Sweet was a book I wanted to read to find out the conclusion of the Tea series。 My first review of this book was not in a positive light and this one did not sway my position much。 I finally started getting captivated by this book by the 76% mark。 Everything before was a blur。 I am the first person in line for world building， but this author just really gives SO much。 Maybe I am in the unappreciative side or maybe I’m in the majority。 I also still find the romance in this book so A Venom Dark & Sweet was a book I wanted to read to find out the conclusion of the Tea series。 My first review of this book was not in a positive light and this one did not sway my position much。 I finally started getting captivated by this book by the 76% mark。 Everything before was a blur。 I am the first person in line for world building， but this author just really gives SO much。 Maybe I am in the unappreciative side or maybe I’m in the majority。 I also still find the romance in this book so lack luster， there are no flames no tension。 It’s not a book focused on love and it’s a book focused on details and lined with plot。 I suggest reading this series to learn more about Asian culture， but not for romance or truly anything else。 This book will still be a 2 star read for me。 Happy reading！ 。。。more
Kayleigh
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tore through this eARC very quickly （despite having other reading to do for grad school and also work） but it didn’t leave me satisfied in the way the first book of this duology did。 I love this world and love the magic system， and the quality of writing in this book remains beautiful， but the actual plot felt like it didn’t quite give me the character and world development i hoped for。 the book is still gorgeous and i would still recommend it， but without any spoilers， i just think the resoluti tore through this eARC very quickly （despite having other reading to do for grad school and also work） but it didn’t leave me satisfied in the way the first book of this duology did。 I love this world and love the magic system， and the quality of writing in this book remains beautiful， but the actual plot felt like it didn’t quite give me the character and world development i hoped for。 the book is still gorgeous and i would still recommend it， but without any spoilers， i just think the resolution fell a bit flat; it felt like there was a real lack of hard choices for our leads— much of what they overcame was because they were backed into a corner， didn’t have another choice， or， the stakes never felt that high to begin with （some characters who had a chance to be morally gray ended up being and remaining good with very little nuance， and that makes their arc feel like nothing， like they end up in nearly the same place they started）。 i do think this book handles intense， dark subjects （like death！） with more reverence and thoughtfulness than any YA i’ve ever read， and i want to see more of that， and i would love to see more of this world and/or more of this stunning prose anywhere！ so 4/5 stars- so much good， but not quite the glowing new favorite the first book was for me😭 。。。more
Angela
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Thank you to NetGalley， Macmillan Children's Publishing Group， Feiwel & Friends for my advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion。 I LOVED "A Magic Steeped in Poison"。 Judy I。 Lin's writing is as beautiful as the cover designs lead you to believe。 the magic system in this duology is some of the coolest and definitely more unique than the magic systems we tend to be used to in fantasy。 The duology has quickly become one of my favorites as the great world building， tension， character work， Thank you to NetGalley， Macmillan Children's Publishing Group， Feiwel & Friends for my advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion。 I LOVED "A Magic Steeped in Poison"。 Judy I。 Lin's writing is as beautiful as the cover designs lead you to believe。 the magic system in this duology is some of the coolest and definitely more unique than the magic systems we tend to be used to in fantasy。 The duology has quickly become one of my favorites as the great world building， tension， character work， and visual writing from the first book continue on in this conclusion。 I feel like as a whole， the duology is perfectly balanced and Lin gives us all of this with a cast of memorable and grounded characters。 Ning， our heroine， is strong and persevering as ever as she is joined by her courageous younger sister Shu， Zhen， and Ruyi。 As their paths diverge， I was worried that the narrative would drag， but man， the dual perspectives of Kang and Ning was such a good narrative choice。 I love that we were able to follow Kang working things out "on the other side" just as Ning is working things out on the outside。 I think that balancing the more character driven perspective of Ning with the action oriented perspective of Kang was a smart move too cause it helped keep the narrative from feeling too slow。 All in all， I found this to be a satisfying and wonderful conclusion to the "Book of Tea" duology and it has me looking forward to Lin's future work。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=A Venom Dark and Sweet
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=A Venom Dark and Sweet&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft