"We all have our secrets or the world would be out of currency. Isn’t that right, darling?"

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

"We were made for trouble, you and me."

3.5 stars.

I'm a little put out that Spindrift (the teahouse) only filled the first 10% of the book and the details of the heist weren't backdropped by the ambiance because that was literally the major pull for me. Alas, I don't see it being a thing in the second book of the duology either.

The majority of the book was the heist...by which I mean the first 20-50% was "planning," 50-60% was lulled, 60-90% was rapid fire. All that said, I'd still call this a heist-light book as you could tell this crew was much more comfortable with extortion and secrets rather than planning some big coup...which I honestly think is maybe a reflection of the author's slight discomfort at navigating new territory.

I think the heist wasn't as enjoyable because there were too many secrets between the "crew" that were teased but in a way that didn't make a lot of sense to me. Not until the end when it all came to light but by then, for me, it was: "ah, okay, I have questions but we're running with it—sure."

Arthie: running on anger and defiance; loves Jin like a brother
Jin: charming, suave, and a great counterpart to Arthie; loves her like a sister
Flick: innocent, sunny, gentry, and somehow the best forger this side of White Roaring
Matteo: artiste and proverbial rake aristo; unreasonably enchanted with Arthie
Laith: soldier ninja sorta? has a kitten he takes everywhere with him; unreasonably enchanted with Arthie

While Arthie isn't meant to be warm and cuddly (most people couldn't connect with her it seems), I loved the rage she operated on. The constant "the world has told me to be quiet but I WILL SCREAMMMMM" attitude. LOVE. IT. Haunted characters that will purposefully be the biggest thorn to continually spite you because all you want is for her to go away and she refuses? LESSGO. I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT. :insert elmo fire meme:

The "romance," though? Yuck. Such confusion on why she was pulled to both Matteo and Laith. But man...when everything started coming into light...

Count me in for the next installment. Let's watch the world BURN!

She was, simply put, a tempest in a bottle, tiny and simmering and ready to obliterate.