Rebecca Thorne's Can't Spell Treason Without Tea marks an exciting new entry in the cozy fantasy genre, as a Queensguard and the Mage of Ages attempt to build a quiet, peaceful life together after years of adventures and dangers have kept them apart.
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 "quirks"--a too-kind euphemism for her 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 encounter leaders disputing land ownership, learn of increasing threats of dragon attacks, and take over a decrepit barn most likely owned by bandits who may or may not return to reclaim it. In other words, it's the perfect spot to open New Leaf Tomes and Tea, so dubbed by the ever-punny Kianthe ("New leaf? Tea leaves? Turning over a new leaf? A leaf of a book?" she smirks). But the outside world continues to intrude on their dream: spies of the queen are hunting Reyna, wanted for treason after fleeing the queen's employ; plus, there is the "required mediation" of the Arcandor any time magical creatures cross human boundaries--like the dragon attacks on their new hometown, to name but one.
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 New Leaf Tomes and Tea, filled with magical plants, walls of books, the scent of scones, and the quiet sounds of tea preparation. Thorne finds a perfect balance between the workings of a suspenseful fantasy novel and delightfully commonplace descriptions of a cozy, quiet life. In this, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is reminiscent of Travis Baldree's much-beloved Legends and Lattes (indeed, Thorne credits Baldree's novel as inspiration in her acknowledgements). With a planned sequel in the works, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is sure to appeal to fans of Baldree's work, 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, hot cup of tea. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer
Shelf Talker: An exciting new voice in the cozy fantasy genre, as a Queensguard and a mage attempt to build a life far from adventure and danger in favor of a quiet life running a tea and bookshop together.