Ning is entering the imperial tea makers competition, lured by the prize of help being offered to her desperately unwell sister Shu. Haunted by memories of having been part of her own Mother's death, Ning grieves as she enters the palace and begins the trials.
Ning meets Ling Luo another fellow Shennong-shi, Bo/Kang who she develops romantic feelings for and the enigmatic princess during the power struggle.

Although the focus is on the competition and palace politics, Lim does a wonderful job of going into the slice of life details of the imperial kitchen, chatter amongst peers, against the backdrop of a strong traditional patriarchal society.

As a staunch coffee drinker, who seldom drinks tea now. I do remember a time when tea is my preferred drink, especially multilayered tea leaves, with accompanying food. Judy Lim has done a beautiful job of creating this intriguing YA duology packed full of intricate food, tea recipes.

I love the ethereal world building, which is perfectly complimented by the cover of the book. I'm currently in my historical fantasy era and really enjoying the books which are also influenced by East Asian historical mythology.