At a glance
Etiquette & Espionage
Young adult historical fantasy
Etiquette & Espionage
Book 1 of the Finishing School series
Fourteen-year-old Sophronia Temminnick would rather dismantle machinery and climb trees than master the accomplishments her exasperated mother expects. Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy proves to be a floating dirigible where students learn espionage, assassination, and intelligence gathering alongside dance and etiquette. Sophronia's first lessons become practical when a missing prototype and suspicious new acquaintances draw her into a real conspiracy. Playful and inventive, this young-adult steampunk adventure suits readers who enjoy boarding schools, clever heroines, gadgetry, supernatural society, and the proposition that perfect manners are most useful when concealing a weapon or extracting a secret.
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Jump to the pours ↓Bookshop Breakfast Tea + Hearthside Spiced Mead
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No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Fantasy violence, school danger, bullying, and mild romantic attraction
Alcohol-Free Pour
Bookshop Breakfast Tea
Breakfast tea with honey and milk fits the civilized surface of a school whose real curriculum includes espionage.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Steep the tea and any herbs or whole spices in hot water according to the tea type, then strain. Stir in sweetener and juices. Serve hot.
- Garnish: Citrus peel, herb, or fruit from the recipe, if applicable.
- Glassware: Mug.
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Mug ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Hearthside Spiced Mead
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
For adult readers, honey and spice bring a warm, layered counterpoint to Sophronia's lessons in espionage beneath impeccable manners.
What you'll need
- 6 oz plain honey mead
- 1 small cinnamon stick ↗
- 2 whole cloves ↗
- 1 strip orange peel, avoiding the white pith ↗
- 1/2 tsp honey, optional if using dry mead ↗
Alcohol-shopping links are not shown on children's or young-adult book pages.
How to mix it
- Makes one serving.
- Combine the mead, cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat until gently steaming—do not simmer or boil. Keep over very low heat for 5–10 minutes, tasting occasionally for your preferred spice strength. Strain into a heatproof mug and sweeten with honey if desired.
- Garnish: Orange peel and a cinnamon stick.
- Glassware: Heatproof mug.
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