In A Golden Fury Cohoe does a wonderful job weaving together history, science, and characters creating a unique story that will enthrall readers.

Cohoe’s characters are interesting, relatable and complicated and watching their stories intertwine and become entangled speaks to just how messy relationships can be, and how navigating them isn’t always a rewarding experience. Watching the character’s relationships with one another develop and change over the course of the book was interesting and also felt very natural. Additionally no character is entirely good or evil and watching them grapple with making decisions and exploring their motives for their actions was gripping and made this book hard to put down.

The book also explores madness which is something I’m always if-y about. Having Bi-Polar Depression and ADHD, I’m always interested, if leery, about how mental health is portrayed in books, books dealing with madness especially. However, Cohoe does a great job dealing with this in her book. Cohoe doesn’t dive super deep, but she discusses this topic well and does a good job relating to her readers what ‘going mad’ can be like. Everyone’s experience is different, but I saw part of my own story reflected here, and Cohoe does a great job handling this topic in my opinion.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it for readers who love historical fiction, and fantasy!

The Quick Cut: A girl is left in danger when her mother is left insane after attempting to make the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Her only chance of getting back the life she wants is making it herself and hoping it doesn't do the same to her.

A Real Review: Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see a legendary object come to life? Would it be everything that the whispered secrets say it is? Or would it merely be an object, just like any other? This is the reality that Thea is left facing in this story centered around her during the French Revolution. 
 As long as she's known, Thea has always been treated as an assistant by her mother. Although they both work together as alchemists to create objects, her mother has always seemingly acted around her as if she is a petulant child and now a knowledgeable worker. All that is thrown for a loop when her mom manages to make the Philosopher's Stone, only to go mad during the process and break it quickly after creating it. Thea has seen what the object does to its creator and its nothing less than a curse. Except there are other alchemists around who don't believe in the warning that Thea is giving and will do anything to see its power come to life. Will Thea find a way to keep out of danger with the other alchemists? Or will she find herself in the middle of danger in the process? 
 Based on the description of this book, the idea really interested me and I was so excited when I managed to get a copy of the ARC. However, as I read page after page, I found myself getting increasing irritated with the material. First off, this story takes place during the French Revolution, but that historical aspect is barely utilized as much more than a reason for the characters to move around. It really felt like a missed opportunity at a minimum considering how much more it could've done. 
 Second, I found these characters unlikeable in every respect. Thea is meant to be a powerful, independent woman who stands up for those she cares about. Instead she comes off as pathetic as she continually stands up for those in her life who do not deserve it. To the end, Thea is treated like crap by her mother without a good reason. Thea continually defends Will when it's shoved in her face that she shouldn't give the guy the time of day. What is your problem girl?!?! When this many people in your life say you deserve better, maybe you should listen to them. 
 An interesting concept that is wasted on unlikable characters.  My rating: 3 out of 5

In A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohen, every alchemist is after the Philosopher's Stone, hoping to be the first to unveil its secrets. Nevertheless, only one girl knows how to create it. Everyone wants her knowledge for themselves, and they do not care what they must do to get it. Will Thea Hope survive in this dangerous world of alchemy? Did this short introduction spark your interest? If so, here are five reasons why you should read A Golden Fury.

The Philosopher's stone myth. A Golden Fury has as its premise the myth of the Philosopher's Stone. Every alchemist is trying to create this mythical stone, which is said to cure every illness and turn metal into gold. But power never comes free, and a terrible curse befalls upon everyone who attempts to create this legendary stone. Through a new take on the myth of the Philosopher's Stone, Samantha Cohen wove a plot of intrigue, treason, and madness. No matter how dangerous the process to achieve the Philosopher's stone is, every alchemist wants to become the first one to succeed doing it -- even if it means lying, deceiving, or losing your mind.

Women alchemists. I will forever and always stan women that defy the conventions of their time. Although, the most powerful female alchemist in France can be a total *insert ugly word* to her only daughter.

Good-hearted Thea. Thea is perceptive. She is loyal. She pursues her dreams fiercely. Her love for alchemy is inspiring -- even after all her mother attempts to make her feel talentless, Thea shows how brilliant she is in the great art of alchemy. Even with the stone's looming curse, Thea decides to use her talent to create it. She puts her sanity on the line -- she sacrifices her own well-being -- to save those she cares about the most and those who have treated her badly. I cannot remember the last time I came across a character as good-hearted and altruistic as Thea.

Historical tiny-bits. This novel is set in England and France in the period of the French Revolution. Thea lives with her mother and her mother's patron, who is worried about what might happen now that the king has been overthrown -- in other others, he worries if more heads will roll and what might happen to his English guests. After an almost-deadly event, Thea travels to Oxford, where her father teaches, and I must say that I understood her fascination with its university. I enjoyed the historical details, which brought another layer to the story -- these details made the unbelievable believable.

Dubious characters. Don't you love to be suspicious of a character's words and intentions? Don't you love to wonder about what their next step might be and if it will hurt the strong-willed heroine?

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book!

A Golden Fury is author Samantha Cohoe's debut, and overall, it's a strong one!

Seventeen-year-old Thea Hope is the daughter of a famous alchemist. Together with her mother, they come close to cracking the code of the Philosopher's Stone - a stone that can turn any metal into gold and grant immortality to the wielder. When Thea's mother destroys the stone in a fit of violent rage, Thea learns through her notes about the curse on the stone that turns anyone who gets close to it to madness. Thea is sent away from France where the threat of revolution looms to England to live with her estranged father, and while there tries to warn other alchemists of the dangerous curse connected to the stone, but they try to steal her knowledge for themselves regardless.

I love the atmosphere of this book. Set in 18th century France, the revolution looms and the whole aesthetic is one I love. Thea is a likable main character. Women are not taken seriously in this time period, especially when it comes to science, so I enjoyed seeing her journey. She's emotionally abused by her mother who is slowly descending into madness and she has to fight to be taken seriously and to prove herself. I thought she was a strong character.

We get to meet Thea's father and his assistant Dominic, and they were both interesting enough to read, but it was the action-packed scenes that followed this that made me especially glad to have met them. They were done really well and set a good pace for the book. However, it seemed the second half slowed down a bit with the romance between Thea and her love interest that was sent away by her mother. Thea was so desperate to get to him it muddied the pace a bit.

Overall though, I think Samantha Cohoe is a fantastic writer. The prose and descriptive language is gorgeous, and I can't wait to see what comes next!

On the eve of the French Revolution, a young alchemist makes a disturbing discovery about the much sought after Philospher’s Stone that will turn her world and everything in it upside down. Will she be strong enough to resist the dark forces that are at work and save those she loves the most while keeping her own demons at bay?

A Golden Fury takes the reader on a dangerous adventure fraught with villains, betrayal, curses, and new beginnings. Cohoe creates a true to life alternative reality where the science of alchemy is real and involves perils beyond imagining. The characters are smart and witty, while being vulnerable and authentic.

Q&A with Samantha Cohoe, author of A Golden Fury!
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Q: What book(s) have you read that you wish you wrote yourself? A book(s) that was so good you wish it was your own!
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A: This is SPINNING SILVER by Naomi Novik for me. This book felt like coming home to the way I sank into books as a kid, but in a way that met me now as a grown up. It was magical, it was completely engrossing. It was a whole world. That’s the kind of book I want to write.
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Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Golden Fury was a fun ride. I desperately need more books about the philosopher stone and other alchemy legends!
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While I enjoyed the story and the subject matter, it wasn’t my favorite. The book isn’t bad per se, but it wasn’t fantastic either. This would be a good pick for someone wanting a quick read with an atmospheric setting and a kick ass female lead. I will most likely be buying a copy for the younger readers in my life!
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Thank you Wednesday Books for providing me an e arc in exchange for an honest review. Also, thank you for inviting me to tag along in this blog tour! I am very honored.
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#wednesdaybooks #agoldenfury #netgalley #blogtour #booktour #booksandplants #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #booksandcandles #booksandcoffee #bookishflatlay #averybookishpost #qanda #bookishvibes #bookishaesthetic #

I would like to thank Wednesday Books for hosting this blog tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An enthralling, magical realism novel set during the 18th century French Revolution, A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe narrates a story of a young alchemist’s pursuit in making the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

The story followed Thea Hope, a young alchemist who wanted to be recognized of her own achievements than just being the daughter of a world-famous alchemist. She and her mother worked to create the Philosopher’s Stone, but when they almost finished it, her mother, who slowly succumbed into madness, destroyed it. With the French Revolution looming in, she was sent away to Oxford. She then later on discovered through her mother’s note that everyone who tried making the Stone fell into insanity. Despite this warning, others brushed it off and still wanted Thea to make the Stone for them.

I haven’t read many books about alchemy, but this subject really fascinated me. Plotwise, this novel included lots of elements and themes such as family dynamics, betrayal and politics that made it more exciting and intriguing. The story started strongly, and it has a good pacing. I also absolutely love how it gave the nod to women who were seen as incapable of accomplishing things on their own and overlooked for their success because of their gender. On the other hand, the writing style was captivating. The descriptions were lyrical and I liked how they created vivid pictures of scenes in my mind.

The main character, Thea, was strong-willed, intelligent, but a little naive when it came to her love life. As part of her flawed character, she made some questionable and frustrating decisions throughout the story. Still, I found her character likeable. My absolutely favorite here is Dominic. He was kind and understanding, and he always gave Thea sensible advice which she needed most.

The only issue I had was the third part of the novel. It felt rushed and a little different from the rest of the story. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what changed, and the ending for me was underwhelming. Nevertheless, the book was still an enjoyable read.

Overall, A Golden Fury is a solid history fantasy with a touch of magic realism. I recommend this book!

4 stars!

tw: assault, self-harm, mental illness

*I received an e-arc from Wednesday Books, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour!*

A Golden Fury has an amazing setting, which starts out in beautiful 18th century France, and then moves to Oxford, England. Alchemy is such a fascinating subject (I haven’t read a book featuring it since I read the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead), so I was super excited when I found out that that’s what this book is about! I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s descriptive writing about the different experiments.

Thea Hope is the seventeen year old daughter of Marguerite Hope, a famous alchemist in France. Thea dreams about being out from under her mother’s shadow and becoming an alchemist with her own reputation. She and her mother have been working on the Philosopher’s Stone, whose properties can grant immortality and can turn metal into gold. Just as they have the promise of the stone and all that comes along with it, Marguerite descends into complete madness and destroys the stone. As Thea combs over her mother’s notes, she discovers that there’s a curse on the stone that causes anyone who tries to make it lose their sanity. As the threat of the French Revolution looms, Thea is sent to Oxford to keep her safe. She is sent to live with a father who she never knew about, and who didn’t know about her either. Her only consolation is that her friend Will is living in London, and she hopes she will be able to see him again.

As Thea comes to Oxford, she discovers that the alchemists there don’t believe her warning about the curse, and won’t stop until Thea gives them the knowledge they need to create the stone for themselves.

I thought that Thea was relatable as she wants to prove herself to her mother, her father, and to the world at large. She lives in a time period where women really had to fight to make their own way, as their dreams and goals were not taken seriously by society. Throughout Thea’s journey, she goes through so much, and I liked seeing her growth from the beginning to the end of the story.

I was somewhat disappointed in the ending, as from my understanding, this is a standalone. I felt as though there were some loose ends that needed to be tied up, as I was left wondering about the fates of certain characters. It would be great to have a sequel in the future!

If you like books with historical settings, alchemy and some surprises thrown in, I think you would enjoy this book.

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc and arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: A Golden Fury

Author: Samantha Cohoe

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended For...: sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, magic

Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, slight sexual content, violence, slight gore, curses, sacrifice)

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 352

Synopsis: Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.

While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But in Oxford, there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let the people she loves die.

Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It was a fun, fast paced read and the writing was well done. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me reading throughout the book and I did like the premise of it. I also liked the strong family relationship in this book and how clear and strong the women were. The romance, while not the main focal point, was also cute and the friendship was cute as well.

However, the book jumped around a LOT and the book was very confusing as it did so. The book didn’t spend a lot of time world building and I wish that the book was further developed and slowed down and possibly even broken up into two books rather than one. The second half of the book particularly feels rushed and underdeveloped.

Verdict: It’s good, but it’s got issues.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars

I haven't read much YA historical fiction but even including the adult historical I've read, A Golden Fury stands out for the time period it covers, the topic of alchemy and of course the fantasy elements. The pace is on the slow side but I have no doubt that lovers of historical fantasy will find many aspects to enjoy! I will say that while this book started off really strong for me, it did lose me towards the middle and end when the plot became overly complicated, though for the most part, this was a pleasant surprise.

This book is set in the 18th century (1792) and although I'm not familiar with that era (especially the French Revolution and France's relations with England at the time), I thought Cohoe did a great job of lightly introducing the "current events" as well as how society functioned.

Thea was an MC I really appreciated. Although she started off snobbish, entitled and naive, she grew a lot throughout the story. She had an unconventional upbringing travelling across Europe with her mother, a re-known alchemist, ending up in France where the story kicks off. Thea is a smart young woman and excels in alchemy, thanks to learning under her mother's tutelage. I loved how despite her fears and uncertainty about where she belonged, she never doubted her ability to use alchemy as a tool to make her way in the world. At a time when women weren't even allowed to set foot on campus, Thea and her mother really challenged those notions, and it was very empowering! She certainly never quavered under the high pressure circumstances she found herself in, and while she does come off as brash and blunt at times, I loved that she stood her ground and never compromised on what she deserved.

I also really enjoyed the alchemy aspect, especially getting a different take on the philosopher's stone, but mostly because of how much Thea's character loved it--her passion for alchemy really comes through in the writing and it made me eager to read more. I have to commend Cohoe for being able to keep me, a non-scientifically minded person, intrigued and not overwhelmed with a topic that can get quite complex. There was also a fairly terrifying psychological aspect to the story that turned the tone quite dark, and while it was unexpected I thought it added to the unique take of the story.

There were some interesting relationship dynamics in this story including a mother-daughter relationship, an estranged father-daughter relationship, an atypical romance and many unconventional friendships. I really liked how Thea came to terms with her relationship with her mother, but it was her relationship with her father that held my interest. I had huge doubts about him in the beginning (actually thought he was suss af) but his character really grew. That said, I wished the friendships were further developed, especially between Thea and Dominic. As a character, he was sadly only used as a plot device, which was disappointing because I really would've loved to see more of him!

As I mentioned before, this book started to lose me towards the middle and the end. Without giving spoilers, I just felt that the plot became too much. It was a snowball of bad events and conflict that seemed like a stretch and I felt that Cohoe relied quite heavily on coincidences to "fix" them, which made it feel like everything was so easily and unbelievably resolved. But the story concluded without any loose ends which made it satisfying as this is a standalone.

TL;DR: This was a unique historical fantasy that I enjoyed because it covered an era and topic that I had never read about before in the YA genre. There are many interesting characters and relationship dynamics that added to the intensity of the story, and the MC was a heroine you really wanted to root for. This definitely had quite a few unexpected twists and turns, which made it an interesting read despite having a slower pace. Recommended for those who enjoy a good historical fantasy!

This book is so lushly written, it was easy to get lost in what was actually happening. It's not so historical that you dwell on events, but just enough to feel transported to this somewhat alternate history, one full of magic mixed with science.

I will say, it took me a little time to warm up to Thea, mostly because I couldn't quite understand the true depths her anger came from. But once that much is revealed, it made her a whole lot more sympathetic. And I do love a good platonic friendship!

Overall, the story is new, without really relying on old tropes (nothing wrong with tropes!). I feel like we always needed to see what lengths a woman would go to for the Philosopher's Stone.

A dark, rich read, I give <strong>A Golden Fury 4 out of 5 crucibles. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing a copy in exchange for review.

This mysterious historical story set in the eighth century with the backdrop of the London scene will forever haunt you in every dark corner you turn. Flying by the seat of my pants, I couldn’t put it down. With new concepts of the various characters throughout the story, i wanted and needed to know more with the turn of every page. I highly recommend this book giving it 4 out 5 horns

I would like to begin by thanking Wednesday Books for supplying an e-ARC through NetGalley. As always, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in blog tours. The following is my honest review.

I picked up A Golden Fury, armed with the information from the blurb, and I was hesitant. I did not go into this book without expectations. A few friends of mine had the opportunity to read the ARC as well, talking about how much they enjoyed it, which was a red flag. I tend to enjoy what these individuals don't like and dislike what they enjoy, so I was toeing this story with trepidation. On the surface it seemed like something I should enjoy: strong female lead, science (well, pseudoscience), hints of madness and magic and more, a revolution brewing in the background while other immediate dangers are occurring. I was also concerned about all of the above happening in a standalone novel, which is tricky. How could a book contain so many dangers and obstacles and totally wrap up by the last page? The book is only 352 pages, so the amount this book tackles seemed a lot.

But my concerns were unwarranted. I enjoyed this book immensely! It also felt right for this time of year; it isn't necessarily an autumn or Halloween story, but there is a spookiness shown that fits the season. I was also greatly reminded of two things: Evelyn from The Mummy movies and Audrey Rose from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. The main character, Thea, is a mix of Evelyn and Audrey Rose with a strong dash of calculating, emotionless reason. She is interested in science, much like Audrey Rose, and is methodical and brilliant in her study and execution of knowledge. She is also dabbling in a type of science that is a bit more occult than serious science, and the undeniable mystical forces at play remind me very much of the curses and reincarnation and magic Evelyn studies as an Egyptologist. I LOVE The Mummy movies, always admired Evelyn (and Rachel Weisz, the actress, to be honest), and I've been enjoying myself working through the Stalking Jack the Ripper series more recently. A Golden Fury ended up blending vibes and elements from stories I've loved and enjoyed.

Another aspect I'm in awe of is the amount of research Samantha Cohoe clearly did in order to write A Golden Fury. The amount of time period details (i.e. clothing items, names for specific patterns on décor/wallpaper/fabrics, the strained relations between different countries, the French Revolution, etc.) really brought this world in this story to life. I even learned several new words after having to look them up, like "chinoiserie"; I actually don't mind having to look up words I don't know since I'm a writer and always look for new words to absorb and use. Of course, you don't necessarily have to focus on these details to feel the heart-pounding urgency and paranoia throughout, but world-building is a part of a story I get sucked into. For a story to work, I need to believe this world is real. Fictional as it may be, the world in A Golden Fury felt so real because of the extensive blending of fact with her fictitious characters and situations.

I also want to draw attention to Thea herself. Her evolution takes her through stages of naivety, stubbornness, emotionless calculation, emotional realizations, enlightenment of other's characters and motives, what's most important in life and the world, and the dismantling of a wall she held around her heart. Her character arc was a wild ride, and I understood every stage of it too. We know why she was the way she was and why she struggled as she did to overcome her emotional obstacles. We were also there for every moment where she realized how wrong she was about certain parts of life, watching as she regained her footing, admitted uncertainty, and trudged forward despite that uncertainty. It was really admirable and I felt a connection to her journey regarding opening up to others and not turning to emotionless calculation when life is out of my control or my life is changing drastically. It is a coping mechanism I also use, even now, so I especially relate to Thea's emotional evolution.

One aspect that I did find lacking, and this is actually the only issue I have with A Golden Fury and it is so minor, is the explanation of the Stone and what was the unknown force behind it. There is some explanation, which I won't go into for the sake of remaining spoiler-free, but I felt like there was more that could have done. Is it magical? Is it godly or religious? What IS it? And the more I think on it while writing this review, there might be a point to those questions remaining unanswered. Perhaps the Stone was more of a path for Thea to discover the core of her character and the story is much less about the Stone and alchemy--a means to an end instead. I will definitely be thinking on this more and rereading A Golden Fury soon to see if I can come up with a more direct answer for myself.

Overall, I highly recommend A Golden Fury if you are feeling something with a historied tale with some unexplainable eeriness. It's a quick read that is sure to entertain. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Note on potentially triggering content: there are a few moments featuring self-harm, the harming of others, and the devolution of people from reason to madness and the violence that comes with it. If you are sensitive to descriptions of people harming themselves or others, please tread carefully. As much as I recommend this book, your mental health is important.

This book has a pretty explosive opening, one that hooked me in immediately.

Theosebia “Thea” Hope is a young alchemist living and working with her mother, Margeurite, also an alchemist, in revolutionary Normandy, France. Her mother seems to be on the hunt for a new patron, but seems to want to send Thea away. Her reasons for doing so become a little clearer when she assaults Thea after creating the White Elixir, a substance that turns any base metal into silver, and descending into a mysterious madness.

Thea has a rocky and competitive relationship with her mother, but she also wants to cure her mother’s madness, so she decides to follow her mother’s former apprentice Will to the UK, and first lands in Oxford, where her estranged father lives and works.

Her initial relationship with her father doesn’t fare much better, and after meeting his patron and assistant, all hell breaks loose when said patron, an Italian noble, steals Thea’s notes and attempts to make the White Elixir. The apprentice, Dominic, kills the noble in self defense. Feeling defeated, Thea and Dominic flee Oxford for London, where Will is staying.

Turns out that Will had sold her out to a German noble, who wants the Philosopher’s Stone for himself. But, as Thea and Dominic soon discover, there’s a curse, or something that causes every ambitious alchemist to succumb to madness in their quest for the Stone, and that there may be a *heavy* price to pay for creating it.

So the bulk of the novel from here on out takes place at the German noble’s London residence, and while Will suffers from consumption and Dominic succumbs to the mysterious madness, Thea’s the only one who can actually make the Stone. So she does, under the watchful eye of the German noble’s hired henchmen, who are not all entirely evil themselves. This part is pretty exciting, as Thea ends up in the grip of the mysterious madness while she attempts to create the Stone.

At first, I thought this was going to be another annoying “men are all evil” feminist novel, but it’s not. Yes, the narrative is first-person perspective, told by Thea, and yes she is understandably upset when her father hesitates to claim her as his daughter when they meet, so we do get a lot of “men suck” thoughts from Thea, but she realizes that not all men are bad. The head henchman, Valentin, is rough, stern, mostly loyal to his employer but also quickly learns to respect Thea and repeatedly tries to keep her from losing her mind to the madness. He also has a grudge against Will due to Will’s treatment of one of his employer’s daughters, who he was in love with.

Dominic is consistently a decent character throughout the story, and is pretty much Thea’s only real friend, right up until the end, so she remains very much motivated to use the Stone to cure him of the madness.

You can tell Thea’s father, Professor Vellacott, is a decent guy who has been blindsided by the fact that he actually has a daughter, one nearly grown, and is unsure as to what to do or how to handle it. But Thea is pretty resistant, believing (with some justification) that all he wants is the work she and her mother had done to make the White Elixir, which is the final “step” to getting the famed Stone.

I also kind of had to roll my eyes at Thea’s assertion that the Europeans disdained the writings of an Arab alchemist that had gotten further along in creating the Stone than any other alchemist. It does serve as a handy explanation as to why alchemy didn’t get very far in Europe, but it still bugged me. It’s a minor part of the novel and I got over it as the story went on, but I can’t help myself – I have to mention it.

As I said, this is told via a first-person perspective, and the novel is at its strongest when Thea’s in the grips of the mysterious madness. We do eventually discover the true nature of the madness and of the Stone itself. I don’t want to spoil the novel, so I’ll leave you with this: Thea and the others learn that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Thea makes the right decision in the end.

So I highly recommend this, and I am so grateful to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for letting me review the book!

I'm normally a voracious reader, but lately, I've been in a bit of a slump. Most of the books I've picked up lately just haven't grabbed me, and I've been in search of a book that will pull me in and break my slump. A Golden Fury was just the book I needed. I devoured it and my slump is over. A Golden Fury is a great read.

Thea Hope is a terrific character. She's a feisty young woman in an era when woman had few rights or prospects. She wants to be an alchemist like her mother, but when her mother comes close to making the Philosopher's Stone (the ultimate goal of alchemy), she shuts Thea out, and then goes mad and nearly kills Thea. Thea is forced to flee revolutionary France to Oxford where the father she's never met lives. But safety is elusive, and everyone in the alchemical world is after Thea because she has the knowledge to make the elusive Philosopher's Stone.

I found the story really engrossing. It falls into the historical fiction category, because it's set in a actual time and place, but there's a fantasy/magical element because of the alchemy. I think the real world historical setting worked well for the story. The late eighteenth century is a time of revolution and enlightenment, and the ancient art of alchemy is looked down upon by many as a fool's passion. But there are wealthy patrons willing to pay a lot of money for alchemists to do their bidding, even if the practice is considered suspect.

The plot is fast-paced, and Thea is in near constant danger, from a mother who tries to kill, and then from many others who want her unique skills. She has to rely on her wits and her vast alchemical knowledge to survive, all while fighting against the restrictions society places on women. It's a compelling story, and I highly recommend it for anyone who likes historical fantasy and books with strong heroines.

I loved all the twisty, turning elements of this story. The quest to create the Stone. The evolving relationships, especially between Thea and her parents and Will and Valentin. I love that she faces things her mother taught her about relationships, and about men in particular and has to decide for herself if they are true. There’s a lot of exploration on trust and how much someone deserves, and some about what forgiveness looks like, and the nature of power.

Thea is a complicated character who struggles with a desire to please her mother and also resents her mother’s control over her. She desperately wants to find her own way, but also desperately wants to save her mother, too. I felt like she was so relatable in all of that, and I felt her anxiety about being on her own and her butterflies about meeting her father for the first time.

The tone in the story has an older feel to it (as in centuries, not the age of the characters), which fits the historical genre. It reads a little bit like a scientist’s journal, in that there are a lot of observations and internal thoughts and long stretches where there isn’t much dialogue.

This didn’t really bother me at all once I got into the story. By about chapter four or five, I felt pretty hooked, and even before that I was enjoying the story and really interested in what happened. But for me, my reading seemed to take off once I was a few chapters in.

I think readers who enjoyed TO BEST THE BOYS by Mary Weber, or GIVE THE DARK MY LOVE by Beth Revis will really enjoy this one.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Arc provided by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Trigger Warnings/Content Warnings
Self Harm
Mention of attempted suicide
Implied Rape
Talk of Madness/Mental Health


“Nothing is so disappointing to me as an intelligent woman who makes herself stupid for a man"


Where do I start? First let’s talk about this GORGEOUS cover!! I love it so much!

I have to admit before the publisher reached out to me this book was not on my radar and I was afraid I wasn’t going to enjoy it as I don’t read a lot of fantasy. I am so glad i decided to give this one a chance.

A Golden Fury is a standalone young adult historical fantasy. In this story we follow our main protagonist Thea. Thea is the daughter of a renowned alchemist whose life goal is to create the philosophers stone. With the French Revolution looming and Thea’s mother going mad, she is forced to leave France and flea to Oxford to live with a father who doesn’t even know she exists. Thea had no idea what trouble awaited her in Oxford or the escapade it would take her on but boy was it a wild ride.

I gave this book 4.25 stars. It was a fast paced, enjoyable read. Another reviewer likened this novel to Stalking Jack The Ripper and while they’re not really the same i do agree that if you liked that book (which i do) then you’ll enjoy this one. It gets a little dark at times and the women are all very independent and don’t rely on men for anything. Which I loved, give me all the Girl Power vibes!

This book is very much plot driven, and while there is a full cast of characters which admittedly can be hard to follow at times, we never so much as scratch the surface on any of them. Most of the characters are unlikeable and a little morally grey, which I quite enjoyed. I know I wasn’t meant to like a good deal of them but I just couldn't help but be intrigued. One of my favorites was Valentin, he’s not a great person to be honest but I felt for him and wanted to see him get his happy ending whatever that was.

The book was intriguing and even though the pacing felt a bit rushed at times it moved the story along well. Something I really enjoyed is that even though this is a YA novel it didn’t have the typical tropes and that was a pleasant surprise for me.

This book ticked off a lot of boxes for me. This isn’t your typical YA fantasy, if you’re looking for a fast paced fantasy set within an atmospheric historical world, amongst unlikeable morally grey characters and loads of female empowerment look no further this is the book for you! I can’t recommend this one enough, if you’re on the fence pick it up, you won’t be disappointed.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

-All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

CAV MALEDICTIONEM ALCHEMISTATE
Beware The Alchemist Curse.

“No illness, no want, no death. The Philosopher’s Stone gave everything humankind wanted but did not believe we could have in this life”

“Men are always willing to believe in the stupidity of women”

-Samantha Cohoe, A Golden Fury

This tale begins in Normandy, France 1792, which is a pivotal time for France, with the French Revolution. English born Thea Hop, longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous alchemist mother, Marguerite. On the verge of a historic formula breakthrough of the fabled the Philosopher's Stone. Madness takes hold and
Thea’s mother destroys much of the lab and work. Seizing some of her mothers cryptic notes, she realizes how close her mother really was in her chemistry work.
With ever present radical French convention, Her mothers patron sends Theo to England to a Father she’s never met. Vellacott is Thea’s father, another alchemist and professor at Oxford.

This was a faced moving historical fiction that has rich magical realism. Lies and deceit, will have glued to these pages. To me the author did a fabulous job setting up the plot line. The pacing was perfect, allowing the reader to experience the full historical elements. The detail descriptions of the places, puts you front and center. The main POV’s is a strong heroine, who actions are wonderfully depicted for the time period. Her voice is strong, and I loved her! The sub characters were also well developed and three dimensional.
This was an exceptional book for me. The author did a phenomenal job in creating a stunning Historical Ya with Magical Realism. The romance was just enough not to have you loose focus on what the tale is really about.

I highly recommend this book to family and friends!

-A little History-

21 September, a Proclamation Of Abolisabolish Of The Monarchy,
French convention goes into effect and the French first republic is established, effective the following day.

26 December the trial of Louis XVI of France begins.

It's been so long since I've read a standalone YA novel that I barely know what to do with myself at the end of A Golden Fury, in no small part due to Samantha Cohoe's gifts as an author. Despite the ending being quite firmly The End, I'm so invested in these characters and their milieu that I can't help wanting to know so much more about what happens next to our heroine Thea Hope and her friends.

Ofc, I should start at the beginning: Thea is the only daughter of Marguerite Hope, the greatest alchemist of her generation. Marguerite has gained renown for the alchemical armor she created for Louis XVI and, between that and the beauty elixirs she skillfully prepares, could enjoy a life of comfort and wealth despite being English in a politically turbulent France. But Marguerite has ambitions to cement her place in the history books by synthesizing the long lost Philosopher's Stone, and has trained up Thea as her assistant.

The relationship between mother and daughter has recently been strained, however, by Thea's own relationship with Marguerite's last apprentice, Will Percy. Once Marguerite realized that her seventeen year-old daughter had fallen in love with charming, handsome Will, she quickly sent him packing. But Thea has been keeping up a secret correspondence with her love as he travels first to Prussia then to England while plying his trade.

Concerned by rising anti-British sentiment in their adopted country, Marguerite makes plans for Thea to return to their motherland. Not even Thea's small delight at the opportunity to see Will again can make up for how hurtful this feels. She and her mother are so close to finally making the stone, and to be sent away at this crucial juncture feels like the worst professional and maternal rejection. But when things go horribly awry in France, Thea must flee the country in search of a father she's never known, whose interest in the Stone may be far stronger than any paternal feelings he may have for a daughter he never even knew existed. Can Thea complete her mother's work without courting disaster, madness or worse?

This was probably one of the most realistic depictions of an intelligent, angry young woman I've read in a long, long while. Told from Thea's point of view, it's easy to sympathize with her completely legitimate feelings even as the discerning reader can see clearly between the lines of what's actually happening around her. I also very much appreciated her complicated relationships, especially with her parents. Whether through design or neglect, they molded Thea into an extraordinary young woman who is smart and sensitive while still being relatively sheltered. Ms Cohoe deftly balances Thea's skills with her limitations to create a wholly believable teenage heroine who makes intelligent choices based on her experiences as we've seen them. I wish that that wasn't as much of a rarity in YA as it often feels, but it was truly nice here to see an actually smart heroine do actual smart things to further the story.

There's a lot of fascinating scholarship here as well on the subjects of alchemy and the events and mores of the late 18th century. Ms Cohoe's treatment of the Philosopher's Stone brings to mind Dr Jekyll's ill-fated elixir (tho that latter, in retrospect, bears zero distinguishing characteristics from straight booze.) AGF is a wonderfully atmospheric tale of a young alchemist trying to find a place for herself -- incorporating questions of what it meant to be a woman of that age along with the lessons that that can still teach us today -- even as she is constantly undermined by people claiming to want the best for her. It's a terrific coming-of-age tale, and hopefully the first in Ms Cohoe's long and successful oeuvre.

A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe was published October 13th, 2020 by Wednesday Books, and is available from all good booksellers.

This was a solid standalone fantasy. I really enjoyed the characters, the writing and the setting. I also liked the alchemy vs science discussion. The writing was mature and there was a nice balance between character and plot. I thought the "romance" was ok and I wanted to shake Thea several time throughout the story.