“A Golden Fury” by Samantha Cohoe is an intriguing mix of historical fiction and fantasy, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story follows a young alchemist named Mari who’s caught up in a dangerous pursuit of immortality. The setting and magical elements were definitely compelling, and I enjoyed the historical backdrop, especially with the focus on alchemy. The twists and turns in the plot kept me interested for the most part, though some of the character development felt a bit rushed, and the pacing was uneven at times.

Mari's inner conflict was a strong point in the narrative, and her relationships with other characters added depth to the story. That said, the overall plot lacked the emotional punch I was hoping for, and some of the magical elements felt a bit underexplored. The ending was satisfying, though not exactly mind-blowing.

Overall, A Golden Fury has a lot of potential and is an enjoyable read for fans of historical fantasy, but it didn’t fully captivate me. It’s a solid three-star book—worth reading, but not one I’d re-read.

Historical fantasy set on the cusp of the French Revolution? Sign me up. And any mention of alchemy has my readerly interests piqued because of A Discovery of Witches. So if that sounds as intriguing to you as it is to me, check this one out.

A great adventure full of romance and magic with a wonderful historical element to it. Thea is forced to face many problems at once when she needs to figure out her mother's secrets to save the life of many people around her. While there is a romance element, it is not really the main focus, and everything is very PG. The adventure and magic are the real focus of the story and what really moves the character through her journey. Thea is a great main character who must learn to trust herself and her skills to save the people she cares about, and to see her grow into that confidence is amazing.

Unfortunately, I had to put this book down before finishing it. The premise was intriguing, and I was initially excited to dive in, but as the story progressed, I found it difficult to stay engaged.

I was excited for this book based off of the description but I’m not sure if it was the writing or pacing but I just couldn’t get into the book unfortunately. I hope it finds its audience!

Alchemy has always fascinated me. It was probably one of my favorite aspects of the A Discovery of Witches series. Something real, yet steeped in the supernatural. Afterall, the quest for the philosopher's stone is a true yet fantastical history.

Of course, this book being YA, wasn't going to be as deep as I'd hoped. And that's okay. However, it was more the way the end of the book kind of ran wild and felt disjointed from the rest of the story that made me lower my rating. 

In the beginning I was really invested and enjoyed the characters and the mystery of the story. I just got lost with the mess towards the end. Not an awful read, but not one that I'll likely remember much about either.

"A Golden Fury" by Samantha Cohoe is a captivating historical fantasy novel that blends elements of alchemy, romance, and adventure into a richly woven narrative. Set in 18th century France, the story follows the journey of Thea Hope, a talented alchemist's apprentice who is determined to unlock the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone, a mythical substance said to grant eternal life and limitless power. One of the novel's strengths lies in its vivid and atmospheric descriptions, which bring the world of 18th century France to life. From the opulent salons of Paris to the eerie depths of underground laboratories, Cohoe's imagery is both evocative and immersive.

Overall, "A Golden Fury" is a spellbinding tale of ambition, sacrifice, and the search for identity. With its blend of historical detail and fantastical elements, it will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and fantasy alike. Samantha Cohoe's debut novel showcases her talent as a storyteller, and I eagerly anticipate future works from her.

I was intrigued by the alchemy and thats why I picked it up. But the execution of this unfortunately fell short and the interesting premise just remained that. The pacing was soo uneven that I had to dnf at 30%

This is a glittering tale of the last alchemist: Thea Hope. Raised by her brilliant, yet manipulative and cold alchemist mother, Thea learns the art of chemistry in search of the right formula to create the philosopher's stone. With each success, comes a cost. Thea's mother slips into madness and Thea is forced to flee to save her own life and continue her mother's life work. With a little luck, Thea manages to find her father in England who is rather shocked and not too happy to find a 17 year old daughter he didn't know existed on his doorstep. When Thea decides to trust the men around her, things go badly quickly. Thea is once again on the run, but this time with her father's apprentice in tow. Can she find an old flame and continue her alchemy or is all about to come to an end?

Read on to find out more about the last alchemist and whether or not Thea is able to create the philosopher's stone.

I loved the historical vibe and lack of any real romantic plot lines. Thea is a force to be reckoned with and I love that she doesn't let anyone stop her ambitions. The political undertows are great too - I researched a few things because of this book!

A Golden Fury is a fresh and exciting take on the ever fascinating world of alchemy.

For centuries some of the greatest and most ambitious minds in the world have sought alchemy's ultimate prize, the philosopher's stone, and young Thea and her mother are on the cusp of achieving it. But there's a good (and dark) reason the stone has eluded the grasp of other alchemists, one that Thea will have to struggle to overcome if she wants to complete the work.

This book is wonderfully written, with evocative prose that made me feel right at home in its locales of Normandy, Oxford, and London. The character dynamics are compelling, as Thea has to navigate competing interests both personal and professional. On top of it all, the level of detail and depth for the alchemy itself is impressive, you can tell that Cohoe did her research on the practice's history and philosophy.

"A Golden Fury" by Samantha Cohoe presents a captivating tale that immerses readers in an eighteenth-century European setting rife with magic and danger. Cohoe's writing skillfully explores the realm of alchemy, ambition, and obsession, showcasing the potential of the Philosopher's Stone and the darkness it can unleash. The protagonist, Thea Hope, seeks to escape her mother's shadow and unravel the Stone's secrets, but the narrative takes a twisted turn as madness and curses unfold. While the premise is intriguing, the execution occasionally feels uneven, and character development could have been deeper. The novel's exploration of the curse's impact and the tension surrounding alchemical pursuits adds depth to the story. However, pacing issues and some predictability in the plot prevent the story from fully realizing its potential. Cohoe's world-building evokes a sense of eerie enchantment, yet the overall impact falls short of the promised magic. "A Golden Fury" is a decent debut that embraces the allure of alchemical mysteries but doesn't quite transmute it into an unforgettable reading experience.

I loved the alechemy featured in this book. I thought the characters were done well along with the plot and the world. If you like Stalking Jack the Ripper series I think you'd enjoy this one too.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe! After reading the synopsis of this one, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. If you enjoyed the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco, then A Golden Fury is definitely worth reading. It is an entertaining read and a good debut from the author.

"A Golden Fury" by Samantha Cohoe is a historical fantasy novel about a young alchemist named Thea Hope, who sets out to create the Philosopher's Stone after her mother destroys their laboratory. The novel is well-written and engaging, with a strong sense of atmosphere and well-drawn characters, particularly Thea.

Overall, "A Golden Fury" is an enjoyable and well-crafted novel that will appeal to fans of historical fantasy, particularly those interested in alchemy and the search for the Philosopher's Stone.

Couldn’t get into this book unfortunately and DNF’d it about 30% in. I’m sorry about that, but it just didn’t feel like a story I was connecting with.

4.5 stars

I picked up this book to read in October 2020, during what was supposed to be my honeymoon, but due to the wedding being delayed (thanks pandemic), it was just a nice fall vacation instead. Anyway, either way I was going to be reading this book while enjoying the lovely fall weather in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio.

But this historical fantasy just felt like it was going to be one of those nice atmospheric stories that would fit very nicely in the fall, and you know, I was right on that. And honestly, if you are/were a fan of Kerri Maniscalco’s “Stalking Jack the Ripper” series or Allison Saft’s A Far Wilder Magic, then this might also be up your alley.

First off, let me say that I love this cover. It definitely gives off those historical slightly magical vibes, which drew me in.

I loved the alchemy aspect of this story, but I’ll be honest, I wanted more alchemy with this story. It did sort of fall into that teen angst drama romance. Look, I’m not opposed to an angsty romance; I enjoy them every now and again. But I didn’t expect that to become one of the bigger aspects of this story, because there wasn’t even a hint of it in the summary. Based on the summary I expected it to be alchemy and intrigue, with a little drama between Thea and her parents and some drama between Thea and the other alchemists.

This is probably a book I need to read again since it has been a couple years, but based on what I remember from this, I should also check out Samantha Cohoe’s other book, see how I feel about it.

While there wasn't a lot of plot, I felt that there was a fair amount of character growth and development, but that didn't stop me from disliking Thea and especially her mother. I hated Will with every atom of my being when reading this and still do. While the characters certainly are interesting enough, I wasn't drawn to them; they didn't feel realistic or 3-dimensional to me, and that was a huge hindrance to my enjoyment of this book.

Personally, one of the only redeeming qualities of this book was probably the somewhat immersive-ness of the setting. Even though not much truly happened in the book but for the last few chapters, I liked the way the author wrote about and described the people and the places that were involved in the story. While I certainly felt like this book could have been far better, it wasn't completely horrible either.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this eARC for review.

I absolutely loved this story. The writing is beautiful, and there is an excellent combination of character development and suspense. There were twists and turns, moral dilemmas, and a good dose of magic. I do wish there was more clarity on the way a certain character behaved near the beginning, but I loved that motivations and intentions were constantly being tested. This author is officially on my must-read list for any new releases.

I can see what people like about this one, but it didn't fully hit home for me. I wanted a bit more or something different than what I got.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.