Rebecca Thorne's Can't Spell Treason Without Tea marks an exciting new entry in the cozy fantasy genre. Reyna is one of the queen's guards, descended from a long line of palace guards who protect their sovereign with honor. But the queen's bent toward cruelty and wickedness have worn thin on Reyna's sense of duty, and she longs for a quieter life in the country with her girlfriend, Kianthe. "You like tea. I like books. Let's open a shop somewhere remote and forget the world exists," begs Kianthe, who just so happens to be the Arcandor, designated by the Stone of Seeing as a conduit, "channeling its immense magic into smaller spells that benefited the world at large." Simply put, neither can run off and leave their lives behind--until one day, Reyna does exactly that, and Kianthe decides to join her.
The pair end up settling in a far-off town where they open New Leaf Tomes and Tea. But the outside world continues to intrude on their dream. The adventure (evil queens, inexplicable dragon attacks, politically minded mages) of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is tempered by the inherently cozy setting of their shop, filled with magical plants, walls of books, the scent of scones, and the quiet sounds of tea preparation. With a planned sequel in the works, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is sure to appeal to fans of Travis Baldree's Legends and Lattes, as well as any fantasy lover keen to imagine the inner lives of adventurers, whether they be actively adventuring or sitting at home with a book and a nice cup of tea. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer