Theodora’s Tea Shop by Christy Anne Jones 4/5 ⭐️
Published: July 28, 2026 - Hachette Australia
Genre: Adult Fantasy *
Theodora’s Tea Shop follows Dorothy, or Dot, a timid, young woman who wants more to her life than a shadowy existence by the sea. The days and years blend together until at last, Dot has had enough. Under the guise of night, she runs away to Alliaster, determined to find the witch that would change her life and teach her magic. Little did she know, Dot was getting more than she bargained for, her arrival shaking the magical foundation of the shining city.
TTS is the kind of story that instantly whisks you away on a whirlwind of adventure, one where you discover the core of who you are, whether you’re ready for it or not. For a debut novel, TTS knocked it out of the park. The novel was confident, sure of what it wanted to accomplish and say. On top of that, Jone’s voice was refreshing and colorful and made the reading experience very enjoyable. Fans of Howl’s Moving Castle (book and film) would definitely enjoy the world Jones has crafted!
Now . . . let’s get into the book review!
* spoilers beyond *
World-building
One of my favorite aspects and notable strength of this novel is the world-building. Jones effortlessly creates rich imagery that evokes the softness and depth of Ghibli watercolors. There was so much detail to the world Jones crafted. It took me a little bit in the beginning but as I continued reading, the pieces fell into place and the city unfolded itself one block at a time. The imagery of spirits of all shape and sizes in the city made the setting that much more inviting and adds an extra layer of whimsy to Alliaster. I’m immediately reminded of Spirited Away, specifically the spa scenes with all the different creatures/spirits hanging out! Though clearly inspired by the visual language of Howl’s Moving Castle, I felt the 1920s/vintage details could have been further integrated with the fantasy elements. But that’s just me being nit-picky.
Genre
I’m going to say it too: the book has been marketed wrong. Which is a shame because I think the book would’ve strongly resonated with the right audience. I think this was because of Jones’ stylistic prose (fairy-tale-esque) and the story setting (a cozy tea shop in a vibrant, magical city). That being said, it would have been more on the mark if it was marketed as a adult fantasy instead. There were many dark scenes that overpowered the “coziness” of the novel, and it is these moments of violence, grief, and death that drive the theme of self-discovery, courage, and friendship home.
Characters
What stood out to me was Jones’ ability to give each character their own distinctive voice. For a debut novel, that is excellent to see! I could clearly picture each character, from Dot to Lio to Rupert to Theodora and so on, easily. Perhaps my favorite was how Theodora was written. She is charming and bold, a person who has no filter and revels in that! Her banter and perspective on things light her up as a character!
“ ‘[. . . ]Tea is the warmth one brings to another who has none to give themselves.’
‘Is that why you run a tea shop?’ asked Dot.
‘No, I hate tea.’ ”
I found Dot to be a very interesting character. She is terribly apologetic and doubts herself often, but her inner fire never extinguishes. A chronic, people pleaser, Dot diminishes herself to fit in wherever she goes, fearful of offending anyone with her existence. Most readers will relate to her internal struggles of finding oneself and others that love them for who they are. What is beautiful about TTS and Dot’s arc is that she had the answer to her problems all along, and embracing what she once thought was her setback allowed her to find her magic and the people who accept her for who she is.
“ ‘You only wanted to be loved,’ said Dot. ‘For that, I will forgive you.’ ”
Plot & Themes
There was A LOT going on plot-wise, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, I did feel like it was one or two subplots and side characters too many. It introduced extra themes and ideas that felt like it would have been more successful if the book was expanded into a series perhaps. As I was reading, I felt like I was being rushed from one scene/reveal to the next, and some things occurred at very specific points in the story that felt a tad too convenient. Example: the market scene where Rupert’s mom appears and start yelling at her son. Up until that point, Rupert has been absolutely horrible toward Dot out of jealousy, constantly ignoring her similar to how Dot’s family does. So I was surprised when Rupert instantly became buddies with Dot just because she shut his mom up by shooting magic at her. Felt a little odd, a little convenient.
Despite all of that, the main theme of identity and found family was very much present throughout the whole novel. All the characters have hidden guilt and shame and that they could not admit to themselves, and it is through their growing friendships that they were able to find the closure and acceptance they each deeply desired.
“ ‘I think that people who are hurt in similar ways,’ said Dot, ‘have a tendency to find each other. Perhaps, we can only understand our own tragedies by seeing them through the lens of another.’ […] ‘Maybe that’s the only way we can experience the compassion that we are otherwise unable to give to ourselves.’ ”
❧
Theodora’s Tea Shop is a wonderful coming-of-age book full of hilarious and tender moments readers will connect with right away. If you are a reader that enjoys high stakes, magical politics, and a diverse and eccentric cast, this is the book for you! Also, check out Christy Anne Jone’s YouTube series where she vlogs her journey for this book! It has been so wonderful and inspiring following her writing journey and seeing her debut novel published!! I hope you enjoy her series and book as much as I did! 💚
