TW self-harm, mental illness / madness

I really enjoyed this book and was hooked throughout. Thea is a very strong and determined character, and she has to overcome a lot of disappointment and people trying to take Alchemy from her, after being raised to think that Alchemy is all she has.

My favorite part of the story was the madness - yes, I know, it's actually a very large part of the story, so I guess it's good that I liked it. It was very well done, and as someone who is bipolar and has experienced my own form of madness, it felt very very real and believable. I really identified with Thea as she slowly succumbs to the madness, desperately fighting it off to finish what she feels she has to do.

The ending with the Stone was a nice twist and was solidly backed up by previous events, so I never felt thrown out of the story.

The characters were all intriguing, and even though most of them didn't get a lot of page time compared to Thea, I really enjoyed all of them. I especially liked Thea's mother and the Comte and kind of wish we'd seen more of them. I also found myself really liking Valentin as the story progressed.

All in all a very satisfying standalone. Even though it's not technically bipolar rep, I feel like it really captures the spirit of bipolar rep so I'm mentally adding it to that shelf in my brain.

3.5

All Thea Hope has known is life as an alchemist learning under her famous mother, moving between one patron and another as they work towards creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. When it seems like they’ve cracked the code, Thea’s mother inexplicably begins distancing herself and closing Thea off from her work. When her mother attacks Thea in a blind rage and ruins the Stone in its final steps of creation, Thea combs through her mother’s notes and finds a mysterious curse befalls alchemists who take up the mantle of the Stone causing madness.

Now, sent to live with her estranged father, Thea discovers that her mother was far from the only alchemist looking to create the Stone. When no one seems to heed her warning about the curse, Thea goes on a run looking for a cure, but she may end up losing herself in the end.

In Samantha Cohoe’s debut, we are given a strong, intelligent heroine whose ambition is to follow in her parents’ footsteps by becoming an alchemist. What I mainly loved about this is the fact that Thea’s ambition for alchemy is not balked at, it’s openly encouraged. The idea that she has a dream and desire that doesn’t involve being a wife and/or mother isn’t seen as outside of the norm. I just wish we had gotten more of a sense of the relationship between Thea and her mother which wasn’t easy as her mother is a very driven woman herself, but the fact that she did take Thea under her wing speaks volumes. Unfortunately when the story starts Thea’s mother is already well on her way to being cursed by the Stone and already not acting completely herself. All information gathered is from Thea’s own ruminations and not experienced through character’s actions which I think takes away the emotional impact.

I further enjoyed the idea of this young woman, despite the opportunities given to practice alchemy, is also rather naive when it comes to interacting with people. When she leaves her mother in France and goes to her father at Oxford, Thea’s eyes are opened wide. Learning the lengths people will go to obtain wealth and power and also learning about trust and loyalty. I loved seeing Thea come into her own during her journeys. It adds to her strength of character. But it’s another thing I didn’t think the story went far enough to elaborate upon. There wasn’t enough time taken to establish the relationships built, therefore, when things happen, as a reader, I didn’t feel the emotional connection like I wanted to.

The story itself is faced-paced and doesn’t really slow down, which makes this a quick and engaging read. However, I wish more time could have been spent building up those characters surrounding Thea, those that inform her life and her action.

As it stands I feel like the story almost goes too far in prioritizing action over substance. I’m hoping, however, that this will not be the last time we see Thea Hope in which case I could easily forgive my gripes if characterization is built up across another book. Overall, if you’re looking for a story that champions young women taking control of their own lives, having their own dreams and desires, The Golden Fury does a fine job.

This was kn-knife... Nuff… Nice. Kudos to anyone who gets that reference.

After reading the blurb, I was ready to step into a world of magical realism and the author’s take on creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone (got’em LOTR vibes!)—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—from the female alchemist perspective. It failed to wow me and I was terribly bored, and the slow paced of the novel didn’t bring in any favors. Characters wise, I didn’t care much for Thea or her wishy washy relationship with her mother, Marguerite, and father, Vellacott. Dominic and Will were far more interesting and kept me intrigued enough to see the conclusion of this story.

All in all, there was potential and though it failed to meet my high expectations, I will most likely give this author another go. Fingers crossed the next one is a keeper!

Top 4 reasons to pick up this book:
1. The heroine is not all heart-no brains like Mare from Red Queen but she’s also not Katniss Everdeen. Tbh, she sounds like how you and I would be in real life if we were raised by a powerful yet haughty alchemist mother. The closest literary associations to Thea’s chapter: Tessa from Infernal devices and Diana from the All Souls trilogy
2. Low fantasy: If you are new to books, or to the fantasy genre, it’s not difficult to imagine the world. It’s a comforting historical 18th century historic setting. Apart from the minor alchemical magic and one surprise element that blow your socks off (Remember my insta stories about the twist at the end of chapter 14/ beginning of chapter 15!)
3. The plot is not new to fans of the fantasy genre. In fact, I and @storypals were discussing how all fantasies go only one way. But what sets this novel apart is the detailed and hurrah-worthy climax it got.
4. Stand-alone novel. This is not a series. Less intimidating to fantasy newbies. As a veteran of this genre, I’ll be looking forward to Samantha’s future novels.
5. The fury was there all right. (Chapter 15 to be exact). We get a detailed love letter to the feelings, emotions & thoughts that are encompassed by the word ‘fury’. I was impressed! It was glorious.
🍁
My personal reading experiences: I couldn’t get into the 1st chapter until I imagined Thea as Millie Bobby Brown and her mother as Helena Bonham Carter. 😂 The side characters are not well-etched and given no room to grow or breathe. I’m a lover of multiple POVs.

A Golden Fury was a fun and relatively quick read.. and IT’S A STANDALONE! You guys all know how much I love YA fantasy standalone novels and this is a trend I can get behind.

I loved the characters so much. Thea was bright and passionate about alchemy having grown up working with her mother, but she wasn’t really wise in the ways of life and had no friends. I loved getting to know her and how secretive her work was.. the quest for the Philosopher’s Stone was dangerous and full of chances to be betrayed by trusted colleagues. Her mother was cold, her only friend Will was hated by her mother because she thought he was using her information about the process.

When Thea was sent to England reluctantly to stay with her father who had no idea she existed, her life was turned upside down. Unfortunately, her father was also an alchemist, so there was a lot of mistrust going on. I really enjoyed the family dynamics and watching Thea navigate the uncharted territory with her father. She made fast friends with Dominic and I also enjoyed his character quite a bit.

Some of the reviews say they liked the first half, but didn’t like the last half as much, so I wanted to share that I am the opposite. For me, it was a bit of a rocky start because I didn’t understand Thea’s connection to her mother since her mother was so wholly unlikable from the beginning and I wanted to see Thea begin her adventure and show me who she was. She kept pining for Will and writing him letters and I didn’t know who he was, either. I loved the craziness in the last half the most.

Once I met Will, sure, it was aggravating because I didn’t trust him, but I loved seeing it all click together as I felt like I understood her mom a little bit more and I got to see how naive Thea was about the world and have to make some decisions. I liked the drama of the debtors and being captured and betrayed and all of that. I loved the lessons Thea learned about herself and what matters in life, too.

Despite how warm and good natured I feel the book was overall, there was still a lot of darkness. Madness, betrayal, sickness, self harm.. the world of alchemy was dark despite Thea’s wholesomeness. I loved this aspect because I love a dash of darkness in everything I read.

My only real complaint is that I wanted just a smidge or even just a hint of romance. I am both refreshed by the lack of romance because sometimes the best ships are friendships, but also frustrated because there was so much potential for some romance in between all the madness.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you’re into YA fantasy, standalone, books with great characters, alchemy, the quest for power, and a bit of history thrown in.

First off, I just have to say the premise is fascinating. I’m a future chemist, and as many of you might know, alchemy is the historical predecessor of chemistry. Lead into gold and all that. So to see it used as the premise for a YA fantasy… sign me up! A Golden Fury is more of a lower-stakes, higher tension read in terms of expectations, and it has a good reason to be a standalone: I simply don’t see the plot having anywhere else to go from here. Heading in, that’s two things in this book’s favor: one, we need more STEM YA! (This is *barely* STEM, but I’m hoping we can make an exception) and two, standalone fantasy! We love it!

I won’t say too much about plot for fear of spoiling this book, but let’s just say that although slow at times, A Golden Fury’s storyline really gives readers a chance to sink into the science and embrace the atmosphere in France and England. There are lots of fun political sidebars for you history nerds to dissect as well, if you’re into late 18th century England. I also liked the inclusion of Oxford—any fantasy nerds will recognize it as a popular setting for books (His Dark Materials, The Bone Season) as well as the schooling-place of fantasy’s 20th century greats (J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis).

Thea, our lead character in A Golden Fury, is driven by her love for alchemy and also a desire to succeed on her own after a lifetime of hearing her flaws picked apart by an accomplished mother. She has the knowledge to complete the Philosopher’s Stone, but is put off by the curse that surrounds it. Nevertheless, as we can tell from the synopsis, circumstances intervene and she is forced to try regardless. Thea’s narration is easily my favorite thing about this book. Her desire for support and admiration is so understandable—I totally get why she opens up to so many people, and it hurt every time to see her rebuffed. Further, many of those people end up depending on her help later, so Thea becomes even more fascinating when you watch her making decisions about balancing her own life with those of her friends and family. Lots of readers might say this is a plot book, but no. It’s a character study, and you can’t tell me I’m wrong.

A Golden Fury is also a study of madness. What happens when making the Stone pushes Thea past her brink? How can she save her friends and family from their own minds? Are some of them even worthy of salvation? Again, another thing that makes Thea’s narration a true gift to this world. She teeters on the edge of unreliability because of this induced insanity. Sometimes, I was quite sure what she’s imagined and what’s real, but other times, Cohoe pulls a big reveal and totally tricked me!

My main problem with the novel is a significant issue, but didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I just didn’t feel emotionally attached to anything in the world. Everything was going perfectly, and I really could have loved this novel and 5-starred it, but it just didn’t make me want to tear my heart out in that delicious way some books have. I’m still recommending it, of course, given how fascinating it is, but I personally wasn’t struck with lightning after reading. 4/5 stars for everything else—plot, characters, alchemy!

A Golden Fury follows Thea who is a alchemist's daughter. Her mom is one of the greatest alchemist of all time and has completed many things that other people have failed at, because of this she now wants to make the philosophers stone and recieve all the benefits that come with it. The life these two live is a rather lonely one because it's just been Thea and her mom for the most part as well as the patrons her mom gets in order to help fund her alchemy research.
Thea though fell for someone her mom had as an apprentice and this ended up being one of the reasons her mom pushed her away and sent away the apprentice. As time went on Thea's mom decides to send her to England to meet the father she has never met and this is when the story really kicks off.
Once in England, she not only meets her father, but the man he is working with as well as his own apprentice who helps Thea comes to terms with how her life is changing.

Thea and this apprentice end up becoming fast friends and the apprentice is the only one who believes Thea can do something but that she should because of what it could bring with it. This brings on a whole new set of problems as well as Thea having to deal with some people who are demanding she make the stone in order to free the man she loves. This is where the bulk of the story happens and we get to see all the ups and downs of Thea's life as well as learning all that comes with the Philosopher's stone.

Overall I loved this book! Thea is a character that is smart and driven and because of those things she doesn't let anything stop her. She gets into some pretty scary situations when it comes to doing alchemy and making sure it all goes correctly all while dealing with the curse that does things to people. We see so many people around her face the consequences of this curse and it gets questionable at times if she herself will end up succumbing to this curse or not. This part had me on the edge of my seat while reading because I had to know what would happen to her and if she would be the one that finally broke the curse. The curse on the stone made this book have so many twists and turns because of how unpredictable it made everything be with people reacting differently to it and either believing or not believing in it. Throughout so much of this book we spend it trying to figure out what will happen to Thea and those that she cares about and will the curse hurt them as well or will they be able to break it. All of that made me love this book even more because we truly get to see what people will sacrifice for those they love.

The historical part of this book I loved as well, getting to see the patronage system, as well as the apprentice system being used, was so nice to see in young adult books. I also enjoyed how we got to see Thea dealing with her father and how that looks for him to suddenly have a child show up when it comes to his status at the university and the research he wants to do. It was all a very real feeling. I did see some people saying how Thea reminds them of Audrey from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series and I can kind of see it. Having said that though they are both different people and the only real same thing I saw was their willingness to break social norms and pursue what they wanted to.

I highly recommend this book if your wanting a quick historical fiction read with some magical elements.

Let me just say that the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous, and the story was up to par. It didn't disappoint, but it wasn't a "I-cannot-stop-reading-this" or particularly memorable book. I liked it. It had flow and was a good pick-me-up from my month-long book drought, but there was something off about the story that just couldn't quite keep my attention for more than 20 to 30 pages at a time. Nevertheless, from reading other raving reviews, I believe that this discrepancy is merely a stylistic preference in writing than anything else.

I’ve always been a big fan of reading both fantasy and historical fiction and A Golden Fury is such a great combination of those two genres! The setting of 18th century Europe was atmospheric and the perfect realistic backdrop to weave a fantastical through. This story provides an original take on alchemy and the legend of the Philosopher’s Stone. The main character, Thea, is on a journey to create the Philosopher’s Stone in order to try to save her mother and the boy she loves, Will. Every alchemist who has attempted to previously create the Stone has gone mad, including Thea’s own mother.
This was definitely one of the darker young adult fantasy novels that I’ve read in a while. It took a deep look at how far people are willing to go for power. There were many manipulative characters and twists and turns in the plot that kept things interesting. The character arcs were compelling as their true colors came to light over the course of the book. I found myself to be more interested in that internal struggle of the characters than the external conflict. Some pieces of the plot were a bit repetitive but this made for a fast-paced plot overall.
The world-building was done so well! It was very immersive and I felt myself transported to that time while reading. The magic system was also intriguing to read about, but I did find myself a bit lost at some points. I liked the original idea of the magic but I would have appreciated a little more background on the more intricate workings. The magic was subtly woven into the story, but because it was such a big driver of the plot I wish there had been more focus on it. I did really appreciate the focus on the side characters, such as Dominik, which definitely added an extra layer to the book.

This was the first time in reading this author with the story drawing my attention. Thea Hope is a character that is strong and draws our attention right away. Already drama runs into her with what her mother does. She does get a answer or two but then her life changes again. This is set in a time of turmoil with also her life being in a turmoil also. We follow her so closely wishing at times you could reach through and keep her safe. This is a historical read that gives alot of energy and much pleasure in reading.

I love historical fantasy novels and once I read the blurb for this one, I knew it was a must read for me! Word of caution, this book did get pretty dark at times to where it almost felt like a psychological thriller.

Overall, this book was fast paced and intriguing. I was definitely drawn in and had a difficult time putting it down once I began! I think there were definitely instances where the story was predictable, but the majority of the time there were lots of twists and turns that continuously kept me guessing.

Thea was a strong female character whose point of view I really enjoyed. I loved the challenges she faced, the relationships she created, her intelligence and her witty personality. She was by no means a dull character!

My negatives for this book were simply that I wish there had been more development of some of her relationships. Thea is in a man's world, which makes sense with the storyline and time period, but I wish we had just gotten a bit more insight into the relationship she had cultivated with her mother.

Although this was a stand alone, I think the author did a nice job of leaving the door open to further storylines within the same universe. I would love to read a prequel/novella on her mother's journey as it sounds like she had many adventures in her life time!

If you are a fan of historical fantasy, I highly recommend this!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me this opportunity!

Thea, a young alchemist, has studied under her mother since birth. Together, they are trying to make the Philosopher’s Stone which will grant the owner health and wealth. When her mother goes mad, it is up to Thea to make the stone and cure her. Along the way, Thea finds herself in danger and is not sure who she can trust.
Opinion
I cannot possibly say enough good things about this book. The story is one as old as time yet the sacrifices and decisions that Thea must make along the way kept me intrigued like no other book.
If you like live stories, intrigue, twists and turns and an ending you don’t suspect then this book is for you. Well done!

**Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my rating**

A Golden Fury follows Theosebeia Hope (Thea for short), an alchemist, as she strives to create the Philosopher's Stone. The stone is the ultimate goal of all alchemists, promising eternal youth, endless riches, and the ability to heal maladies. However, Thea discovers that creating the stone comes with a cost...your sanity. Stuck between the choice of losing her mind or creating the stone to heal those she loves who have attempted it before, Thea goes on a wild journey of self-discovery and magic.

I really liked this. I thought the pacing was just about right. I never got into a part of the book where I felt a lull or like it needed to pick up or slow down. I will say though that if you do not know much about alchemy, it would behoove you to look into it a little bit. For example, early in the book, Thea describes an illustration of a "hermaphrodite" (her wording), which shocked me a bit. While the book is set in 1792 and the term is historically accurate for that time period, I wondered why the author would choose to make the illustration this specific subject since we now use the term "intersex". In doing some research, I found out that this illustration was important to alchemical codes to indicate a fusion of duality or a fusion of opposing qualities after purification. While this isn't require to enjoy the book, it will help the reader to better understand Thea's work process and what some of the references she makes clearer.

Thea as a protagonist was very interesting to read about. She is headstrong and clever but vulnerable in a way that a character with her sheltered upbringing would likely be. I really enjoyed seeing her grow and become more confident of herself and her skill as the book went on. I think she's a character many readers would enjoy.

The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is simply because it's not a "new favorite" of mine. I would read it again and recommend anyone interested in an alchemy based take on magic systems check it out, but it isn't one of my favorite favorites of all books I read this year. This is partly to do with the romance aspect. I understand why it's there, but I almost wish it hadn't been. I don't know that it was entirely necessary to the plot. I feel there could have been another way to get it's purpose across in the book without introducing Will. He just wasn't my favorite. I adored Dominic, though.

The ending gives a satisfying conclusion for a stand-alone but also leaves the door open for a sequel, I feel. I would very happily read another book about Thea and how her life has changes after the events of this book.

All in all, this was a GREAT debut novel. Cohoe is obviously talented and presented a well-thought out and unique addition to the Fantasy YA genre. I'll be interested to see what she comes up with next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

A GOLDEN FURY was a captivating, mysterious read that kept me on the edge of my seat! The premise of this story – a race to create the Philosopher’s Stone in an alchemic feat with the added caveat that doing so might make you crazy – was entertaining and felt fresh and exciting, and I was drawn in instantly to Thea’s family drama and personal ambition and drive. The historical setting also gave the book such an atmospheric feeling, and I think it really contributed to the mysterious and fantastical vibe of the book. Thea has to travel around between European countries and England, all in her attempt to stop others from suffering the alchemist’s curse. Her journey was exciting, and you have no choice but to root for her! She does her best to try and look out for others, and I loved how this was paired with her personal ambition. Thea knows making the Philosopher’s Stone comes with a price – but even she is tempted; she’s a young woman and an alchemist with something to prove and a name to make! Some of the more tiny details, specificities, that I really loved about this book were its feminist themes and the subtle inclusion of not only Eurocentric histories and legends of the Philosopher’s Stone, but also inclusion of Arabic (and Spanish) influence. It’s a small nod, but I liked that the book mentioned Arabic texts, not just European and British ones – it might be a small detail but I appreciate the recognition that it definitely was not only Europe that has a historical place in the mythology of the Philosopher’s Stone. Thea also represents an interesting feminist figure in the historical setting of the book – she’s often alone (which as a woman back then was a difficult position to be in), she has ambition and her alchemical work is existing in a space dominated by men, and her relationships with men are an important plot point. But, her relationships with men aren’t written in a way that overshadows her own story, but in a way that demonstrates Thea’s ability to choose how she interacts with men and how she chooses to exercise her agency when her life circumstances have placed her outside the norm, outside the expectations of how a woman should be behaving. A GOLDEN FURY was super fun, full of twists that kept me guessing, and so compelling.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this book, I have always wanted to read more books about alchemy and this was an interesting take on creating the Philosopher's Stone.

I had mixed feelings about our main character, Thea, but I guess her disposition had a lot to do with how she was raised. I did wish the book had a few more female characters who were not antagonists, it would have been nice to see some enemies to friends (or more) from one of the female side-characters. The men in the story were very much the focus of Thea's thoughts and attentions. In the end my faith in Thea was restored a bit with how the story ended, although I wish her mother would have had some more character development.

The plot was quite quick paced and allowed me to finish the book within 24 hours, which is always something I enjoy in books. I did think that perhaps there was too much traveling between locations in a short amount of time, and this contributed to the lack of character development. The magic system was definitely something I had not seen before, and I think it expanded quite well as the story progressed.

I enjoyed the writing in this novel and as this is a debut I believe the author's character and plot development will only continue with her further books. I will be keeping my eye on her. Overall, I enjoyed the story but I would like to see more female characters and character development from this author in future, that would make my heart very happy.

I’m a sucker for a good historical fantasy, so A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe was right up my alley! Main character Thea Hope has trained her whole life to be an alchemist like her mother. But right as they get to the final stages of creating the philosophers stone, strange things start happening. And soon Thea is left to finish the experiment on her own.

She seeks a home in London with her estranged father, who is also an alchemist. Thea, along with her girlhood crush Will, and her father’s assistant Dominic, works to finish what her mother started, and finally create the Philosophers Stone. But when you hold the secret to creating one of the most powerful objects in history, absolutely no one can be trusted.

A Golden Fury had nods to the political history in France and England in the 1700s. As well as complicated family relationships, and of course a sprinkle of romance. The quest for the philosophers stone is a common enough plot line in books, so this story could’ve easily felt overdone or predictable. But A Golden Fury was original, fun, and kept my interest through the very end.

I listened to the audiobook, and felt like the narration was very well done. The narrator, Imani Jade Powers, really helped keep me engaged in the story! I would highly recommend this audiobook to those who prefer listening to their books.

Overall I give this book a 4.5/5 stars, and would recommend it to fans of YA historical fiction with a slant towards fantasy. Other than the fact that Thea is trying to create the Philosophers Stone, there is little to no magic. So I would even recommend this to YA readers who prefer realistic fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an ARC of A Golden Fury in exchange for my honest review.

This story is one of science and magic. The MC is out to prove herself worthy and safe those she loves by trying to create a philosopher’s stone- a journey in which is very difficult due to view of females, apparent curses and many vying to get their hands on the stone. So if you enjoy strong female leads, some mystery and lots of action- this book is for you.

What would you do to be able to heal the sick, live forever, and turn any metal into pure gold? Is there any cost you would consider too great?

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Thank you to @wednesdaybooks @stmartinspress and @samanthacohoe for the ARC of A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe!!! I loved diving into this rich YA historical fantasy that had me in suspense until the very end!

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Synopsis from the publisher: 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 a revolution looming, Thea is sent to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists. But 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.

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Wow what a story! I read this 352 page novel all in one day! I loved the intricate and elaborate settings of the homes of rich patrons and the slums of London as Thea and the few people she can trust try to figure out the riddles and curses that accompany creating The Philosopher’s Stone. It was hard to tell whom in this world of greed and madness was trustworthy and who was only invested in personal gain. The ending seemed a bit all wrapped up in a bow compared to the rest of the tale, but this was still one of the best books from this genre that I have ever read. Would highly recommend for middle school on up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

“A Golden Fury” had been on my radar ever since I heard of the release. The cover is absolutely stunning, and the synopsis definitely pulled me in. This book started off really, really strong. I loved the pacing, the storytelling, pretty much everything. Unfortunately, towards the second half it took a bit of a nosedive. The pacing was a little slower than I would have liked. The plot was repetitive. I just don’t know what happened, it was almost like I was reading something totally different. I also thought that the characters could have been developed more than they were. The overall plot of this book was refreshing for the YA genre. I read this book fairly quickly. With all of this being said, I would definitely check out more from Samantha Cohoe in the future.

Before I start my review, how gorgeous is the cover for this book? This is one of the first things that immediately drew my attention alongside the book synopsis.

Our MC Thea was exactly how I like my female leads- headstrong, determined, and focused. Unfortunately for her, her mother also possesses these traits, and things are hella rocky for them at the beginning. Despite their tension, they have managed to create something phenomenal- the Philosophers Stone.

Everything escalates quite quickly upon this discovery as Thea is propelled on a journey to finish her life’s work and passion. The plot was riveting and I loved seeing Thea in the multitude of situations thrown her way.

The male characters in the novel were such a delightful paradox. Each with their own persuasion over Thea- influencing her in different directions either for love, greed or ambition. I just wished we could have gotten more backstory on the characters, especially the secondary characters who I felt would have added another dimension to the novel. Despite this, A Golden Fury was a quick and enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc.