I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which has not altered my opinion of the book.

trigger warnings: self-harm, violence, murder, sexism, verbal abuse

Wow! This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me, the is so much that happened and just when I thought I had a grasp on it, things would change again. This felt like it could be two different books in one, the first half was much more linear while the second half depicted a deep madness that Thea witnessed. This book also depicted betrayal in several different ways, the most prevalent being the betrayal of parents to a child, we see this right at the beginning with Thea not knowing her father and he doesn’t know she exists. Not to mention her mother is not what one would call a caring mother. This book also showed romance in different ways as well, from the desperate kind, do the kind that is always patient, to fake, and more as well.

All of the characters in this story really change over time and show different developments. The main difference can be found in our main character, Thea. She is really not a very likable character a lot of the time, but as we get to know he we learn why she is the way she is and I grew to really like her by the end. The ending was satisfyingly unsatisfying.

I find myself wanting a short story about where the characters find themselves after, and what happens to them after. I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed the dark themes for Stalking Jack the Ripper and I will for sure be looking out for more books by Samantha Cohoe. 4.5 out of 5 for me.

First of all, I love the cover and the premise of this story! They both had me hooked from the moment I saw it. When I started reading it, I was even more in love with it. However, by the mid-to-late-end, I did not feel as strongly about it. That didn't make it bad read for me, though.

I will say that how the story progressed was not how I envisioned it, which was refreshing after being able to guess many things about past books/movies/TV shows of late. Cohoe brings a fresh take on the Philosopher's Stone and takes her characters on a journey that they don't expect when they first start reading.

I really enjoyed Thea as a protagonist, even if I did feel a little meh about her by the end. I think she started off strongly and I had high hopes for her, which she mostly lived up to. I really loved the world she was set into and how it impacted her story.

Now, the most interesting part for me was a new perspective on the infamous Philosopher's Stone. While it was still famed to bring immortality to its owner, we're also introduced to a curse that will drive any maker deemed unworthy insane. Seeing the characters battle to keep their sanity while trying to make it was an interesting twist, especially when their loved ones hung in the balance if they didn't make it.

While I love a good love story, I'm happy that this book shies away from a gripping tale of young love. I won't give any spoilers, but I liked that familial love and true friendship were what was important rather than a love story.

While it didn't exactly meet my expectations, I really enjoyed reading A Golden Fury, and I think you may be pleasantly surprised if you give it a try.

Alchemy has always fascinated me; while I'd like to say it's because of historic texts, the truth is, it's because of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Okay scratch that, I'm more proud of FMA B. Anyway! the moment I see a book has to do with alchemy, I will pounce on it.

~ 3 REASONS TO PICK UP THIS STANDALONE~

~Realistic characters and complicated relationships~

Thea Hope has a strained and confused relationship with her mother that added a character to the story I had not expected. It was a very realistic look on how a toxic relationship can twist the way you think and influence your actions. I absolutely couldn't stand her mother. Her father wasn't any better but at least he didn't know of her existence till now and is still trying to come to terms with the fact that he has a 17 year old daughter. But her mother is the one who raised her and the only family Thea has and yet the woman was a mess of a parental figure.

I empathized with Thea's conflicting emotions when it came to her mother. She disliked her but also cared for her; she was mad at her but also sought her approval. I understood why she did some things solely to go against her mother.

It's not that Thea doesn't make any bad decisions at all; she totally does but it only made her feel more real. She was thinking on her feet and trying to do her best considering her limited experience with the world in general.

~Alchemy and 18th Century~

I loved that the author didn't gloss over the alchemical studies or the historical implications of a 18th century setting. It was fascinating seeing how the historical time period meshed with the idea of alchemists and their experiments. I really want to go back to my alchemy phase and dig into all the alchemical texts out of curiosity.

I really enjoyed the descriptions of the alchemical experiments.. The imagery is wonderful and just makes the readers more intrigued with the subject matter.

~Beautiful Writing~

The writing sucked me in completely. I always love it when the descriptions are lush enough that it's like a movie in the head and this book totally delivered on that aspect! The whole "descent into madness" parts of the book were written wonderfully and I literally held my breath as I read them.

The descriptions of 18th century England were also really well done! Basically the imagery was spot-on and I wish I could write as beautifully as that someday.

***
While I really enjoyed the journey despite the somewhat rushed ending, I can't believe this is a standalone. The ending didn't truly satisfy me because it was left feeling incomplete when it came to some character arcs. A certain someone deserves better and another certain someone deserves WAY worse. I really wish someday we get a companion novel or sequel that satisfies the story arcs.

"The Stone chooses the last alchemist, but woe to whom it does not accept."

Damn patriarchy! Women are still fighting for validation, equality and representation in the sciences. My daughter has wanted to be a Dr scientist since she was 3 yo trying to foster that with steam projects. And I'm so proud of our local UC Berkeley scientist who just won the Nobel Peace Prize. Thank you for giving my daughter more role models and creating doors for her to walk through.
So it's awesome when there's female against odds characters written, especially in science, ok lol end scene.
Theosebeia Hope was raised to use her mind and work in the field of alchemy. Thea's mom, is respected in their field due to some amazing weapons she produced but her life's work is to create the Philosophers Stone. She treats Thea as an apprentice not as a daughter.
As a war is about to start Thea's mother sends her to England to safety though once she's there it seems like nothing but danger finds her. The knowledge that she gained right before she left France in creating the Philosophers Stone makes her a target.
The power, immortality, wealth, is wanted by many as Thea struggles to figure out who to trust. Her life is at stake, is she worthy to be the maker of the stone? Should she trust those she's gone to for help?
This has some dark creepiness, some mad temporary insanity, torture, love, and lots of alchemy.
This book is hard to put down it moves quickly and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you Net Galley, St Martines Press and Wednesday Books for an arc for my honest review.

I think I tried this one at the wrong time and I wasn’t feeling like reading a YA fantasy! I had high hopes but could not get into the plot. I will try it again, but DNF for now.

There is a reason no one has found the mythical philosopher’s stone, a stone that can change any metal into gold. Anyone creating it goes mad. Just ask Thea, whose own mother smashed the stone and then tried to kill Thea after, almost, creating it. It truly is A Golden Fury.

Thea is a joy! Even though she is living in a time period where woman were only good for one thing, she uses her intellect to get ahead in life. She doesn’t rely on a prince to save her from her rivals. She uses her brain instead. Overall, Thea is a great role model.

The plot was exciting too. Science and myth and revolution, oh my!

Here is just a brief side note. I have always believed that if anyone has the philosopher’s stone, it is De Beers. After all diamonds are actually quite common in nature, but by limiting supply and labeling other non-De Beers’ gems “conflict diamonds”, De Beers has kept the price up. If you really could turn any metal into gold, a similar limit on supply must be maintained to keep the gold price high. Sometimes, I may be slightly too analytical when reading fantasy books, lol.

I am increasingly loving historical fiction. It is amazing how much the world has changed in a relatively short time. A Golden Fury has just the right mix of history, young adult romance, and thriller. However, Thea’s character and chutzpah is what drove this book for me. Every woman, and maybe a few men, can see themselves in her place. 4 stars!

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

“The Stone Chooses the last alchemist, but woe to whom it does not accept”

The Philosopher’s Stone, that ruby red stone that has been filled with eternal life, power, ability to create gold and making one wealthy. This stone has been covered by numerous authors in numerous veins. This stone is full of mystical lore. Ms. Cohoe’s debut novel takes a deeper angle on the stone and the creation of it and the Curse that is said to be attached to the stone.

A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe is a wildly fast-moving, grippingly entertaining fantasy about the power and desire that the mystical Philosopher’s Stone can create in an Alchemist’s soul.

Theosebeia Hope is a gifted daughter of a gifted, sought after Alchemist mother living in Normandy France in the middle of 1792 during the French Revolution. Alchemy, according to the Oxford Language Dictionary is “the medieval forerunner of chemistry, based on the supposed transformation of matter. It was concerned particularly with attempts to convert base metals into gold or to find a universal elixir.” Thea’s story begins when her mother goes mad trying to make the Philosopher’s Stone. Thea leaves France to search out her never met father who teaches at Oxford. She meets Dominic, her father’s apprentice and the story goes on from there. Thea’s life is starting to blossom with love for her mother’s apprentice Will. Her world blows up when her mother goes mad. It becomes full of hate, struggle, magic, and learning to navigate the world on her own terms all the while trying to right so many wrongs that have happened since her mother’s attempt at making the Philosopher’s Stone. There are many boulders in her way, so she has to decide if certain boulders would be easier to move or to climb over.

A Golden Fury is a dark, Intriguing book that you want to read for the pure thrill and creepiness of it. It is a book that will drag you in, stir the blood in your veins, make you crazy, and then spit you out when you least expect it. It is wrapped up in a pretty bow at the end which feels right for so many odd unexplained reasons in this brilliant debuting novel.

Ms. Cohoe has written a smart, gutsy character in Theosebeia Hope. The supporting characters fit their roles perfectly and even though there are a few people that Thea encounters in her adventure of creating the Philosopher’s Stone that you are driven to hate, you still wish that you could love them.

The emotional backstories are equally as compelling as the main story and I would love to have Ms. Cohoe do a continuing story on Will from the beginning of his life to after he escapes on the ship to Caen and beyond. I am hoping that the way the book ends that there is another story growing in Ms. Cohoe’s soul that feeds off her debut.

Ms. Cohoe is a gifted writer and I look forward to reading any other book that she cares to write and have published.

Thank you Netgalley, Samantha Cohoe and Publisher Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read A Golden Fury in lieu of my honest review.

I have been loving YA fantasy lately so this one was right up my alley. In the past I have struggled with historical fantasy/magical realism but it really worked for me in this book. I loved how the author wove the beginning of the French Revolution into the story since it really gave you a feeling for the setting of the book.

Thea is the daughter of a famous alchemist who is obsessed with creating the Philosophers Stone. When her mother becomes mad and tries to kill her, Thea must flee to England to a father she has never met to try and save her. I loved how strong and independent Thea is and how she does not rely on anyone.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction and/or fantasy since this book is a perfect combination of both.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for letting me read A Golden Fury early! I was able to grab a copy of this one on that day in the summer when Wednesday Books had a bunch of it's fall new releases out on read now and I'm super excited I did! I've always thought that alchemy was really interesting (it's the chemistry nerd in me- I love that kind of stuff) so anything like that gets me going for sure and this book was no different! There wasn't enough alchemy for me, honestly, but I'll tell y'all all about that in a bit.

A Golden Fury 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads: 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.
So overall, I really enjoyed this book! The alchemical parts were super interesting, but they were sparser than I was expecting. There were a lot of men in Thea's life and I wasn't sure who she was going to end up with in the end (if she even was going to end up with any of them in the end), but I did really like that romance wasn't a huge part of the book. The familial relationships, although strained, were interesting to read about and I really liked the idea of the alchemical madness whenever people who were not worthy tried to create the Philosopher's Stone. Character wise, I liked Thea a lot. Her mother was... interesting. Her father was also interesting, but I liked him more towards the end of the book and definitely at the end of the book. Will made sense for who he was and I liked Dominic. The plot overall was pretty good- I didn't really feel like it dragged too much in any one place, but I also wouldn't say I was 100% engaged throughout the whole book. All in all, A Golden Fury was a fun read and I definitely think y'all should pick it up!

I super enjoyed reading A Golden Fury, Samantha Cohoe's debut novel. It's been awhile since I last read YA Fantasy and this was such a fun way to dive back in. I was immediately drawn into the world of alchemy, and the strong female main character.

I liked that Thea was smart and assertive - without being rude or even mean, as some strong characters can tend to be written. The storyline was really nicely paced and with enough obstacles to be really interesting but not frustrating.

The novel seemed to fly by, and I was sad when it was over. Im hoping for a future sequel, I would love to follow along with a few of the characters!

A Golden Fury originally caught my eye because of that beautiful cover but after reading the synopsis for this one I was immediately intrigued to know more. The story follows Thea Hope, a young girl longing to be an alchemist like her mother. However her mother controls all the aspects of her life and Thea wants nothing more than to help her uncover the secrets of the philosopher’s stone. Whilst looking at her mother’s stones Thea discovers that there is a curse placed on the stone that drives anyone who uses it to insanity. Forced to flee France and live in Oxford, Thea soon becomes entangled with a group of alchemists desperate to steal her knowledge and create the stone themselves.

A Golden Fury is a really enjoyable read, full of mystery and atmosphere. I loved the setting of the story and Cohoe did a great job with the world building. The story is an engrossing one and I was completely fascinated by the idea of alchemy and the possibility of creating the Philosopher’s Stone. It definitely felt like Cohoe brought a fresh perspective to a well known story and I loved learning about the alchemy and the work Thea and her mother did.

A Golden Fury drops the reader right into the middle of the story and there’s plenty to keep the reader hooked. I did feel the pacing was a little off, with it being a bit on the slower side to start. Despite this I really enjoyed this one overall and I really liked Thea as a main protagonist. It was interesting seeing her relationships with her parents and how they changed over time. Thea is quite a likeable character – she’s strong and smart and she stands up for what she believes in.

Overall I thought A Golden Fury was an impressive debut and I would be interested to read more from Samantha Cohoe. Her beautiful writing style and fascinating world had me hooked from the very beginning. If you’re looking for an addictive new historical fantasy to escape in this autumn, A Golden Fury has got you covered.

I was drawn to this book the moment I saw the cover of the ARC on NetGalley. It’s gorgeous, don’t you think? Add to this the premise: Thea is a young female alchemist trying to make the Philosopher’s Stone. Although fully aware that the Alchemist’s Curse might hit her, as it did her mother, she pursues the idea even if the price might be her sanity or life.

It’s 1792 in France, Thea feels underappreciated by her mother. Her mother is close to finding the solution to making the Philosopher’s Stone, but the curse that follows every alchemist attempting to make the stone has made her mad. Thea has to flee to Oxford, to find her father, who doesn’t even know that she exists. She writes to her friend Will, her mother’s former apprentice, who had to leave for Prussia several months ago, hoping he’ll find her in Oxford rather sooner than later.

Trying to make the Philosopher’s Stone from her father’s laboratory in Oxford proves difficult. Soon Thea and her father’s assistant have to run for their lives, meeting up with her mother’s former apprentice in London. They aren’t safe there either, because, of course, the Philosopher’s Stone attracts attention from unsavoury characters.

I had trouble with the rather shallow characters, the pacing of the different parts of the novel is off, and I think not going deeper into the sexism towards women in science of the time is a missed opportunity.

Liked, didn't love. As far as the storyline, it was pretty predictable. Though I didn't mind that too much, it was comforting in a way.

This book really reminded me of Stalking Jack the Ripper. So if you liked that, you'll probably like this.

When I first saw this book on NetGalley, I hadn’t seen it anywhere else and was intrigued. Now it’s out I’ve being seeing hints of it everywhere and I’m so honoured to be on this blog tour with Wednesday Books and St Martins Press.

A Golden Fury follows Thea, an alchemist adept living with her mother in France as revolution begins. When her mother successfully makes the philosopher’s stone she goes mad and Thea winds up being sent to Oxford to live with the Father she never knew. But when there she discovers more about this madness and with new and old friends winds up being forced to make the stone or lose those she loves.

First things first, look at that cover. It’s the first thing that caught my attention and is gorgeous. I kind of want a physical copy to take photos of it’s so pretty. Guess we’ll have to see when I’m not on a book buying ban, huh?

The book itself was very fast-paced. Though this does cause some issues with pacing, it’s also just really easy to get through. I whizzed through this book quicker than I thought I would and that’s always a good thing in my book. This book wasn’t what I’d been hoping it would be which would usually slow me down as I get into the story but I still found myself speeding through this book and enjoying it.

I also really liked that though this book was set around the time of the French revolution, this wasn’t the main purpose. It was bought up and discussed but there’s a lot of revolutionary books on the market right now and it was fresh seeing something set around the same time with a different focus. Especially as alchemy isn’t something I see in fantasy a lot and that aspect completely fascinated me.

My favourite characters were probably the Comte and Dominic. They had completely different backgrounds but both were sweet guys. Even if one was a lot more important than the other ha.

If you’re looking for an original feeling standalone then this is definitely a book you’ll want to check out. It is a debut, so is it perfect? No. But it is an easy to read book with a beautiful cover and a fascinating premise. So it’s definitely worth checking out.

This book has a compelling storyline and the potential for very complex, interesting characters. Great for readers who to savor a good book.

However, this book was not my cup of tea. I felt that the beginning was a little slow to start and confusing, and even after the exposition, we were still given info-dumps. I also like a story with tension, and I seldom felt that in this book.

Overall, I would recommend giving this book a try if you think the plot sounds interesting. The story was unique and the main character is quite relatable.While it is not my cup of tea, that does not you may just find your next 5-star read with A Golden Fury.

Set in 18th century England and France with the French Revolution as the backdrop, this fantastical tale is beautifully told and is the perfect atmospheric read to cuddle up with this fall!

Thea longs to be seen as a true alchemist and not just her brilliant mother’s assistant. When her mother goes mad as a result of the experiments they are conducting to produce the infamous Philosopher’s Stone, Thea is determined to do what she can to save her mother and those she loves despite those who wish to make the Stone their own and the enormous risk of going mad herself.

Cohoe writes this strong heroine as both relatable and inspiring. I read this fast paced historical fiction fantasy in two days and loved it!

Under her famous mother's instruction, 17 year old Thea Hope has trained to be an alchemist. Together in France, they work. Together -- that is until Thea's mother pushes her away as she gets closer to creating the legendary Philosopher's Stone. It can cure any sickness, turn any metal into gold, and offer eternal life but at a cost. Anyone who tries to make the Stone loses their sanity.
eBook provided for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and participation in the blog tour.

Let me start this review with an important note -- this book features self-harm, mental illness, mentions of suicide and torture, violence, and a scene that comes close to sexual assault.

As the curse takes hold, Thea's mother falls into madness and destroys the Stone during a violent outburst. Sent away from France for her safety, Thea travels to Oxford where she attempts to recreate the Stone to save her mother. But other alchemists want the Stone, and they are willing to sacrifice Thea for it. Forced to choose between her mind and the people she loves, Thea learns quickly the true power of the Stone.

I don’t know much about alchemy and I don’t often read magical realism, but y’all. This was a stellar debut novel from Samantha Cohoe. The writing is beautiful and moody, the plot kept me guessing, and Thea was a very real teenage heroine (thinks she knows more than her parents, has the dreamy, older boyfriend, makes rash decisions). I know that last one is a bit weird to call out, but you don’t see that all the time with YA female leads and I find it oddly refreshing.

Cohoe's writing style is strong. It took me a few chapters to adjust to her descriptive style, but overall it helped make me feel like I was journeying across France and England with Thea. Without spoilers, there was one bit of the story that I really, really didn't like. However, it did feel true to Thea being 17, so giving it a pass. Side note: y’all could not pay me enough to be a teenager again. The hormones. The emotions. The young love. On this, I very much identify with a character you meet later on in the story named Rahel.

Samantha Cohoe’s A Golden Fury follows the story of young Theosebeia Hope a teenage scientist, scholar and alchemist determined to help find the famed Philosopher’s Stone. She and her mother feel certain that they are close to the truth when a dangerous madness claims Marguerite, making her a threat to her daughter and clouding her once brilliant mind.

The story, set in eighteenth-century France follows Thea’s attempt to finish the work she and her mother began and claim her place as the most gifted alchemist of the age. But she’ll have to keep from going mad herself, thanks to an apparent curse that strikes anyone who gets too close to creating the Stone, navigate an uncomfortable reunion with the father she’s never met, and figure out what she wants her life to look like.

In short, A Golden Fury is hardly the sort of YA fantasy we’re used to seeing these days. There are no lost queens or magical fey kingdoms, the traditional love triangle is surprisingly absent from the main narrative, and the novel’s heroine makes her way in the world not with magic, but her own intellect. How rare, indeed.

Here are three reasons that A Golden Fury stands out from the pack – and might be worth your time. Samantha Cohoe’s A Golden Fury follows the story of young Theosebeia Hope a teenage scientist, scholar and alchemist determined to help find the famed Philosopher’s Stone. She and her mother feel certain that they are close to the truth when a dangerous madness claims Marguerite, making her a threat to her daughter and clouding her once brilliant mind.

The story, set in eighteenth-century France follows Thea’s attempt to finish the work she and her mother began and claim her place as the most gifted alchemist of the age. But she’ll have to keep from going mad herself, thanks to an apparent curse that strikes anyone who gets too close to creating the Stone, navigate an uncomfortable reunion with the father she’s never met, and figure out what she wants her life to look like.

In short, A Golden Fury is hardly the sort of YA fantasy we’re used to seeing these days. There are no lost queens or magical fey kingdoms, the traditional love triangle is surprisingly absent from the main narrative, and the novel’s heroine makes her way in the world not with magic, but her own intellect. How rare, indeed.

Here are three reasons that A Golden Fury stands out from the pack – and might be worth your time.

Right from the first chapter, Thea compelled me as a relatable protagonist, an ambitious girl in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). I didn't want to put the ARC down (even though, alas, life kept getting in the way).

I grew suspicious about Will, wondering if there was any truth to the mother's cruel accusations about his intentions. But then again I'm usually suspicious of characters framed as romantic partners even if they turn out to be little more than backdrop.

I liked this ARC enough to buy a finished copy when I’d read about 10%. I’ll review on retailer sites once I finish it.

When I first received the email asking me to join the tour, I was extremely intrigued by this book. Alchemy, Oxford, an historical setting… it all seemed right up my alley. And it definitely was.

I gave A Golden Fury 4/5 stars and absolutely adored this book. I don’t think it’s for everyone, but it definitely was for me. From the first pages I was completely sucked into the story. I fell in love with our main character Thea from the very first lines and she never failed me. As the story progressed I got more and more obsessed with the setting. It was simply amazing, and I’ll try to do my best to picture what I loved so much about it.

First of all, the writing style was really easy to read and to get through. It’s a short book (around 350 pages) and it only took me two days to read it, though I would have read it in one setting if I had more time. The author’s style was simple, yet intriguing. It’s not the most beautiful prose per say, but it made me read the book faster than I would have otherwise. Somehow it made me want to read more and more, and that’s something I appreciate whenever I find an easy writing style to follow through.

Second of all, I adored the setting. It somehow felt steampunk-y to me, which is one of my favourite genres. Reading about alchemy in those times made the book magical but also somehow a tad creepy, as a curse was looming over our characters. I felt as if it was the perfect book to read in Autumn. Plus, it’s set in tons of different and beautiful cities. I loved to follow the story to Oxford, a city I fell in love with many years ago now. It gave some dark academia vibes to the story, which made it even more enjoyable for me read. A Golden Fury managed to make me travel back in times, which is always good.

Finally I was obsessed with the characters. They were all somehow dark, as all obsessed with the Philosopher’s Stone and their desire to make it, regardless of the consequences. But I always loved stories about morally grey characters, so it was all perfect for me. None of them felt as if they were too much in this book, they all had their purpose and all were very different in their own ways. It was a pleasure to read about them, and mostly to follow Thea who is strong and unashamed of who she is. Sometimes she was blamed for caring about a boy, because an independent woman shouldn’t be, but she always said she got a right to be smart and to care about boys, that it wasn’t a weakness and so on. (Also there was close to no romance at all in this book, which I adored!)

Overall I really enjoyed The Golden Fury. As I said it may not be for everyone as it may seem simple at times, but I personally found things to love in this book and I do not regret signing up for this blog tour.