The Crescent Moon Tearoom

The Crescent Moon Tearoom

by Stacy Sivinski
Series: The Spellbound Sisters #1
Setting: Chicago
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Published on October 10, 2024
Pages: 400
Format: eBook Source: Library
Amazon

Following the untimely death of their parents, Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley have made a business of threading together the stories that lie at the bottom of their customers' teacups. Days at their teashop are filled with fortune-telling intertwined with the sound of clinking china and the scent of cinnamon shortbread.

When the Council of Witches comes calling with news that the city Diviner has lost her powers, the sisters suddenly find themselves being pulled in different directions. As Anne's magic begins to develop beyond that of her sisters', Beatrix's writing attracts the attention of a publisher, and Violet is enchanted by the song of the circus-and a mischievous trapeze artist threatening to sweep her off her feet-it seems a family curse that threatens to separate the sisters forever is taking effect.

With dwindling time to rewrite their future and save the cosy and much-loved tearoom, the Quigleys set out to bargain with Fate. But in focusing so closely on saving each other, will they lose sight of themselves?

The Crescent Moon Tearoom is set in the late 1800s in Chicago. Anne, Beatrix, and Violet are triplets who run the tearoom. They are seers and are in demand by the ladies who come to have their fortunes read.

What they haven’t acknowledged is that there are fine fractures in their relationships. These start to widen when the Council visits and tells them that they have to help three older witches or else the Tearoom will be closed. It is a threat to ensure their cooperation. At the same time an old family friend realizes that the triplets have been cursed. It is a curse that is designed to make sure that they go their separate ways.

What I liked about the story is that each of the women has a logical reason to make small decisions that move her away from her sisters. None of the decisions are earth-shattering on their own but they are moving them each towards new paths. Isn’t that just feeding the curse?

Anne is realizing that her seer powers are growing. She’s always been the strongest of the three. Should she explore this new power or should she hold herself back to stay with her sisters and the life they have together?

Beatrix likes to write stories. When one is accepted for publication with a contract for more, should she continue if it takes her away from her family evenings to have time to write?

Violet is restless. She comes across a circus and learns to do trapeze from a handsome trapeze artist. Should she leave her sisters behind to travel and fly like she wants to?

As the sisters keep secrets the tension starts driving them farther apart. The house is sentient (my favorite kind of house) and it is quite disturbed by this pattern of events.

“The house had hoped that uncovering Mr. Crowley’s Task would help draw the sisters together, but all it seemed to do was pull them further apart. Toward the unfinished novel. Toward the circus on the lakeside. Toward the future and what it might reveal. The house noticed a tension brewing, nothing that was about to boil over, but a slow simmer that could burn down to a crisp if left unattended.”

I liked this look at a curse. Usually in books you know that the curse is all bad. Here the curse seems to be what they all truly want. How are they going to navigate breaking the curse and still be able to grow as separate people? Should that be their goal?

“I don’t know if it can be different,” Violet whispered. She and her sisters had been locked in their web of affection and dependence for so long now.

I quite enjoyed this book. I’ll love any book with a sentient house. There is going to be a sequel. I’m eager to see what happens next.