This is an intriguing premise. The mystery of the Roanoke inhabitants has been a fascination of mine. I was on board with the supernatural elements at first. So long as they work together. My willing suspension of disbelief began to wear thin as it went on and the plot began to lose focus.

A truly riveting tale of contemporary Roanoke
Island, Virginia, this novel interweaves YA issues
(loneliness, outcasts, the cool crowd vs. those shunned, alcoholic parents,
misunderstood adolescents, and more) with the history of the Island, and with Supernatural overtones. Miranda, Phillips, and Bones are endearing and comprehensible characters, who seem like our friends, or even ourselves-easy to elicit empathy, despite their flaws and foibles.

What made the story even more appealing for me is the way in which Gwenda Bond intertwined the centuries-old mystery of the “original” colony on Roanoke Island-the villagers who were “there,” then three years later “not there,” with no trace or survivor remaining-as if they had simply been removed from the face of the earth-all 114 of them. Now, 114 more Roanokers have “disappeared,” gone missing, the night that Miranda has seen a vision of the audience for the “Lost Colony” stage play being swallowed
Island, Virginia, “Blackwood” interweaves YA issues
(loneliness, outcasts, the cool crowd vs. those shunned, alcoholic parents,
misunderstood adolescents, and more) with the history of the Island, and with Supernatural overtones. Miranda, Phillips, and Bones are endearing and comprehensible characters, who seem like our friends, or even ourselves-easy to elicit empathy, despite their flaws and foibles.

What made the story even more appealing for me is the way in which Gwenda Bond intertwined the centuries-old mystery of the “original” colony on Roanoke Island-the villagers who were “there,” then three years later “not there,” with no trace or survivor remaining-as if they had simply been removed from the face of the earth-all 114 of them. Now, 114 more Roanokers have “disappeared,” gone missing, the night that Miranda has seen a vision of the audience for the “Lost Colony” stage play being swallowed by a Ghost ship. Her own father is among those who have disappeared, and it may be up to Miranda, and her fellow pariah Phillips, son of the new Chief of Police, to hunt for clues to the newest baffling mystery of Roanoke Island.

The premise of this book is what originally drew me to it. I ended up reading a physical copy, so never downloaded it. I really enjoyed it. I used to live near Roanoke and the setting made me a bit nostalgic. Overall, a really fun and entertaining read!

I loved this book so much! I loved the characters and the world! I would and have recommended this book to all my friends.

This is a retelling of the Roanoke Colony, where the components of the story are widely known where a bunch of people disappearing mysteriously without a trace. Gwenda Bond manages to take this familiar story and make it her own. If you like 'retellings' of a spooky mysterious sort, I very much recommend reading Strange Alchemy.

This is the second book that I've read by her and I find her writing to be mesmerizing. It swallows you whole and before you know it you realize you've finished her books in a snap.

This book was definitely a find for me. The characters were very realistic and believable, the plot was engaging and I never found myself bored or skipping ahead at any point. Those are both good hallmarks for a well-done book. Another note is that I immensely enjoyed the descriptive nature of the settings in the book, I really felt like I was there!

A great adventure novel about Roanoke Island and the legend of the Lost Colony.

The bizarre and unexplained event of the sudden disappearance of the 114 island inhabitants remains in the memory even 400 years later. When in the present days, 114 of Roanoke disappear without a trace, everything points to a re-run from the legend of the Lost Colony. It’s up to Miranda Blackwood and Grand Rawling to find them before they are gone for good. Between the police, dead alchemists and unrevealed secrets, the teens will race against time to stop history from repeating itself.

I finished this book in two days; it was hard to put it down. It mixes YA, supernatural, mystery with a touch of historical facts in a great way and the style of writing puts a nice ribbon around the whole thing.

The storyline is exciting and complex, full of suspense and action. It’s also very easy to follow and to understand. There are two different points of view, which makes the reader go deeper into the story. There is a steady build-up of the mysteries, details are giving along and each is important to the story. The level of research that was used for the novel was the right amount; it wasn’t a lesson in history, but it was enough to make the story believable.
The style of writing is simple, addictive and easy to follow just like the storyline. Gwenda Bond describes the settings just enough to let the reader an idea of it, which works fine for me.

The characters are very well developed and explored in depth. Miranda, the main female character, has a history of being the “bringer of bad luck” and tries to be invisible as much as it’s humanly possible. She’s bullied and the centre of merciless teasing at school. She really tries to keep her nose in her business but every time she tries to do something nice, everything falls apart. These events bring out empathy and they connect the reader to Miranda. She proves, however, she’s not a victim. She throws herself into the quest, risking her life to protect the people she loves and the ones that and actually manages to have a good relationship with the main male character, Grant, even after he publically humiliated her years before. He’s a good male lead and I enjoyed reading how his relationship with Miranda slowly evolved into the story without being in the centre of it. The other secondary characters are easy to follow and easy to memorise their roles and correspondent stories.
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I fully enjoyed this novel, how this world is built and the slow rise of tensions and suspense. It blends YA, mystery, history, romance and the supernatural. I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Switch Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read and review Strange Alchemy by Gwenda Bond. Miranda and Grant both have a special connection to Roanoke Island and when over one hundred citizens come up missing, Miranda and Grant feel like they are destined to help solve the mass disappearance. The two of them do not share a happy past and their resolve is tested over and over while trying to help each other. The further they dig into the mystery, the stranger things become. They discover supernatural forces controlling people and spirits from the past. Throughout their struggles, Grant and Miranda only have each other to count on. 4 stars for a historical fiction read with a paranormal twist!

The actual concept of this book sounded really incredible, and going into it I'll admit that I had high expectations but... I expected a lot since I heard good things about this author. Reading it I was just entirely confused, the writing did not mesh well for me and I had to DNF it. I am not interested in writing a full length review.

There aren’t that many YA stories written around the legend of the Roanoke disappearances, or at least not many that I know of, so I’m always excited when I stumble upon on. Such was the case with Strange Alchemy by Gwenda Bond. I hadn’t heard of this book prior to it being reworked and rereleased. Formerly titled Blackwood, two teens are at the center of this book, Miranda Blackwood and Grant Rawlings, and they’re somehow tied and fated to be together when the centuries-old mystery of the disappearances comes knocking a second time around in present day.

Strange Alchemy was fairly enjoyable and I liked the characters for the most part, but throughout the duration, I had a hard time differentiating this particular novel from a series of novels written about the same legend. I wanted something new and something different, other than ancients alchemists, to set this one apart from the few others of its ilk, and I unfortunately didn’t get that. That’s not to say it was a bad book, because it truly wasn’t - it was well-written, the world and the characters were well drawn and thought out, but the plot and the mystery weren’t nearly as good as the rest of the story elements, and without a great plot and mystery, everything surrounding those two crucial elements feel just as flat.

Bottom line - Strange Alchemy turned out as just ok for me in the end, and while it didn’t appeal to me as much as I anticipated, it’s still a book that will appeal to many readers of varying tastes. Give it a try, especially if you enjoy the legend of the lost colony of Roanoke.

This book was unable to be sent to my kindle so I could not read it.

I had a hard time getting into this paranormal YA Novel about the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. I enjoyed the setting and the author's twist on the disappearance. The writing was a uneven and the story felt too drawn out. The characters were not developed and the ending did not answer all the questions. I was never fully vested in the characters, the romance or the mystery.

Huge fan of YA Paranormal/Fantasy books, this was a good book. I wish we could have known more about Miranda, and Grant they just sort of seemed brushed aside? Definitely reminds me of "Haven" a show loosely based on Stephen King "Colorado Kid", which I loved! This was not a favorite for me but I would love to read more from the author.

I was drawn in to the story and I loved the main character, Miranda. I found the mystery and curses intriguing. I could go either way on the romance in the book. I wasn't too invested but I didn't hate it.

I didn't get finished reading this one before my link expired on adobe digital but what I read of it I was enjoying and I hope to get a copy soon so I can finish it. Gwenda Bond is one of my fast growing new favorite authors.

"Strange Alchemy" hints at the admittedly odd supernatural elements of this book, but doesn't do justice to the lovely historical elements. Strange Alchemy offers a compelling and imaginative theory about the disappearance of the Roanoke colonists and look at how that history could impact things today.

So, it might be slightly more fantasy than history, but the true star of this book is Bond's portrayal of how history and family influence us as we grow. While we may not actually grow up with a family curse or a weird superpower, reputation and expectations can cause similar feelings. Strange Alchemy is a journey of finding yourself both within and beyond history.

2.5. I almost didn't finish this one. There was something about the writing that just... kept grating at me! It kept me from being fully invested.

I like Bond's writing style. It's fairly simple but has a nice flow that makes it easy to do a binge read on. That's been my experience with her Lois Lane novels so far at least

I was intrigued by the plot. I heard about Roanoke and the mystery of it years ago so I was caught by the ideas of this, and this story is a interesting what if story. What if the original settlers were alchemists, what if they didn't just mysteriously disappear but purposefully go somewhere to await a better chance to return? What if some of the people on the island are descendants of the original settlers and have a part to play in the big Roanoke mystery?

It's a quick fun read. The romance isn't overdone (so thankful for that) and the mystery while not super mysterious is enough to keep you moving.

As those who have read my reviews before, you will know I am a fan of Gwenda Bond and her Lois Lane series. Her writing is smooth, detailed, and thoroughly entertaining and Strange Alchemy, while different than other books I've read from her, is just as enjoyable and amazing as her other work and is great for the younger and older generations to love.

Strange Alchemy is the story of a few teenagers who have to solve a century old mystery. While this is labeled a YA Fiction book, I would say that it also falls into the categories of mystery and suspense. This book has everything I had expected and more. These characters are fun to follow, you are cheering them on as they go through this chaos and trying to solve this mystery and bring things back to "normal". I fell in love with these characters, which I do with every other Gwenda Bond book I read.

Strange Alchemy is definitely one for the book shelf at home and to pass on to your children as they reach their teenage years. I recommend it highly for everyone, especially if you are looking for a great read with a little mystery weaved in.

Gwenda Bond's first book Blackwood has been reimagined and brought back to life with new vision. On Roanoke Island, the legend of the Lost Colony—and the 114 colonists who vanished without a trace more than four hundred years ago—still haunts the town. But that’s just a story told for the tourists.

When 114 people suddenly disappear from the island in present day, it seems history is repeating itself—and an unlikely pair of seventeen-year-olds might be the only hope of bringing the missing back. Miranda Blackwood, a member of one of island’s most infamous families, and Grant Rawling, the sherrif’s son, who has demons and secrets of his own, find themselves at the center of the mystery.

As the unlikely pair works to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony, they must dodge everyone from the authorities to long-dead alchemists as they race against time to save their family and friends before they too are gone for good. (via Goodreads)
I received an eARC of Strange Alchemy from Netgalley, courtesy of Switch Press, in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to give this book a try because I adore the author on Twitter, and this historical fantastic mystery sounded entirely up my alley.

I was right. This is exactly the kind of mystery I love - characters who think they might be evil incarnate, magic, side characters changing loyalties, wondering if the romance is real at the end of it... I really loved it.

Both Miranda and Grant have really strong voices, which was really important for this book. If they hadn't been as great, the book really wouldn't have worked as well as it did.

This book was heart-wrenching in the best way, although I wished there was a little bit more of a conclusion on the changes to their daily lives. I was glad that Grant figured his life out, and that they were together, but no way in hell the government just lets Miranda live on her own until she turns 18 with no job and no family.

Other than those questions, I really enjoyed Strange Alchemy. If you're into southern mysteries with a historical twist, this is the book for you! You can pick up a copy on Amazon or Indiebound!

Disclaimer: All links to Indiebound and Amazon are affiliate links, which means that if you buy through those links, I will make a small amount of money off of it.