Thank you Wednesday Books for letting me apart of this blog tour and providing me with an eARC through NetGalley.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that stunning cover? I love the colors on it and honestly it made me want to read this book even more than the premise!

This is one of those books that you devour in a day.

This book totally started out strong. You meet Thea and automatically know she is not happy with her mother. Her mother comes off as horrendous and cruel right from the start and you are rooting for Thea to get away from her. I mean, she is keeping Thea away from the only person who has every encouraged and cherished her the way she deserves... he just happened to be the apprentice of her alchemist mother. They have been writing letters back and forth and she knows she will see him again.

But Thea is more mad about the fact she and her mother were so close to creating the legendary Philosopher's Stone when her mother locked her out of the laboratory! She did this to take all the credit for herself when she KNOWS she was a key player in the creating of it as well! Little does Theta know that creating such a whispered-about item takes more than just smarts, but it also might take your sanity.

I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of Thea. She is strong, worried about herself and doesn't take no for an answer. She makes some pretty questionable decisions. As I mentioned before, the story started out super strong, but then it started to linger. The romance felt a little forced to me, and towards the end you find out why but the journey there wasn't for me. She felt a little love-struck with Will and I all I felt between them was her worry and desperation to be with him.

Dominic on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air. I loved that he kept trying to get Thea to see the bright side of things, even when there was basically nothing bright to see. Thea just... she just got on my nerves in a few parts. Which, she is a flawed character so that is to be expected, you know?

The writing was absolutely lyrical. I am not usually a big fan of historical fiction, but Cohoe makes me want to try more with her descriptions and the way she weaves sentences together.

Trigger Warnings : Assault (that read as a rape at first), self harm, mental illness and mentions of madness through out the whole book

3.5 stars

A GOLDEN FURY is a YA historical fantasy that entrenches the reader in the life of Thea. Thea is a young girl who lives with her mother in Normandy. Her mother is an expert chemist who has been teaching Thea the craft ever since she can remember. They are trying to create the Philosopher's Stone, though Thea's mother is trying to shut her out at the last minute.

After her mother succumbs to madness, Thea goes to live with her father, who did not know she existed, in England. There, alchemy is not really acknowledged, and he teaches chemistry, practicing alchemy in secret. He and his colleagues and working to finish the Philosopher's Stone. Thea knows the path they need, as she and mother had finished the steps, but she soon becomes wary of the madness that gripped her mother, fearing that the creation of the stone is what causes it. However, being a girl, most are unwilling to listen to her.

What I loved: The setting was really interesting, and I love the tidbits about alchemy that we get through the book. This was a new twist on the Philosopher's Stone and it ended up being really clever. Thea was an interesting character having been treated with love-hate by her mother, but raised to follow in her shadow. Her life has not always been easy, and she's developed an interesting attitude as a result. I overall enjoyed her story.

What left me wanting more: The book is a little slow and long-winded in places, and I found it a bit of a slow read for that reason. It was not a book that I found particularly engrossing.

Final verdict: Overall, this was an intriguing YA historical fantasy that tackles some interesting topics. Would recommend for people who enjoy a slower-paced, character-driven read.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A lush realistic fantasy that warns the readers - what will you give up for power?

Seeing the sacrifices that several characters make for unlimited wealth and power is scary. The Philosopher's Stone, the end all-be all of power, which allows an alchemist to turn any metal into gold, is also what will bring about the last alchemist. After watching her mother go mad, Thea fails to see the warning signs of attempting to make the Philosopher's Stone as she heads to England to find her father and continue her mother's work.

For starters, Thea is an interesting character. She's not in the pursuit of power, but in the pursuit of an item strong enough to heal her mother, her friend (and hopeful lover) Will, and her new friend Dominic. Meanwhile, she almost gladly gives up the information on how to make this stone and watches those around her fall mad. It shocks me how smart and yet clueless she is at the same time.

But in her pursuit to help others, her other motivation of impressing her mother, also rears its head during her work. It was interesting to see her motivations change and come to light throughout the book. Thea is not power hungry, but she is desperate to make a statement. To be unforgettable, like her mother.

Along the way, she meets Dominic who I adored. One of the most genuine people Thea could have found herself acquainted with, and a total gentleman. And of course, her father, who didn't even know she existed and let her stay in his home. At first. Plus, we have her interactions with Will, her almost lover her mother banished after finding out about their affections for each other. He's a smooth talking, lover boy who makes Thea feel alive, and is just as desperate to get his hands on the stone. He's a bit complicated.

This was such an interesting story. I loved Thea's motivations, the new friends she makes in her attempts to help her mother, and the pure betrayal that made me so angry! I thought this book was really good, so good I basically read it in one sitting. We have historical fiction, fantasy, and a smidgen of romance. It's the perfect combination!

I’d like to thank Wednesday Books for providing me with an early galley and letting me be a part of the blog tour. My review is completely honest.

I seem to be really getting more historical fiction lately and, if anything, A Golden Fury makes me want to pick up more! I love being educated and studying new things and A Golden Fury gives me the urge to check out some history on alchemy.

Thea Hope (I love that name!) wants to be an alchemist on her own and out of her mother’s shadow. The creation of the Philosopher’s Stone is at the tips of their fingers until her mother destroys it in a fit of madness. It turns out, that madness happens when you touch the Stone. When she is sent to Oxford for her protection, she finds other alchemists that want the Stone and they’ll use Thea to get what they want.

So, just a note. I’ve seen people compare this Stalking Jack the Ripper. If you know me on social media, you’ve seen me express my love for Kerri Maniscalco’s writing and her series. While there are elements that are similar between the two, A Golden Fury stands out on its own as a powerful debut.

I loved Thea’s character. While she is very intelligent, she still has that sense of vulnerability that makes her a relatable, yet heroic character to look up to and admire. She is very oriented on the people she loves and will put them first at most costs and her journey in this book was exhausting at times, but in a good way. At some parts, I had to take a breather because I was flying through it all and so enraptured by the plot and everything that flowed. Thea’s character definitely helped with that.

There is some romance, but I was kind of glad that it didn’t overshadow the plot of the book. At least, in my eyes. Thea took over the plot and it wasn’t just about whatever romance was going on. The romance was in the passenger seat for once and, as a romance junkie in novels, that’s a lot for me to say. I think I was just more wrapped in Thea’s journey, the historical elements and compelling scenes that I didn’t really pay much attention to the romance or think much of it.

Like I mentioned above, I loved the historical aspects and it was fascinating to read something new that I don’t really read a lot of often. When I think of alchemy, I’ll be honest. My mind goes to Fullmetal Alchemist. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. But what is good is the strong desire to do some research on the side. Especially since I’m not longer in school and I miss studying and learning new things.

I’ve read quite a few debuts that were pretty strong on their own and that I believe are a strong staple in the beginning of a writer’s career. I’m happy to say that Samantha’s debut has a bright future on shelves, along with her future writing. Maybe she’ll think of writing more of Thea’s store or expanding the universe she has created? I’ll be one the first to pick it up!

The Golden Fury is one of the best debut YA novel of 2020. I loved the intricate mother and daughter relationship and how reflective it is of real life. Thea and her mother are both alchemists and they are on the verge of creating the Philosopher's Stone, the most powerful thing any alchemist can create. But the Stone has never never been created so far because its existence comes with a price. Thea and her closed ones are about to find out how bad of a price..

This book has touched so many themes: family, deceit, true friendship, the meaning of life, second chances, power always coming at a price, and much much more.

Thea is a smart young girl with strong instincts which she follows, unlike most young people. After her mother has a madness fit due to the initiation iof the Stone's creation, she sends Thea away to her dad who is totally unaware he is a father. Thea is sadly aware that she has no one else in the world beside her mother, and now her dad. But she hopes that being sent to Great Britain, she will be able to see again her lover Will who was kicked out of her mother's house and moved to London.

This book was so action-packed --I never used the highlight function on my Kindle so much for any other novel. What made it even better was the intricacy of each character. Samantha Cohoe has some mad skills with words and knows how to make a characters despicable. Rahel was one hell of a villain and I fell in love with her character: her smarts, her mouth, her precise intentions, her incisiveness,.. a real delight!

The Stone and its power was beyond believable, written with such detail that one might wonder whether alchemists really did once attempt to create it.

This debut novel earns a well-deserved 5-star, and Samantha Cohoe is an author to watch out for. I am officially a follower from this day forward, and I look forward to her next novel, Bright Ruined Things.

Thank you so much Net Galley and Wednesday Books for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you St. Martin's Press for allowing me to be part of The Golden Fury online book tour!

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for giving a copy to read and review.

Typically this isn't something I would normally read but I've always been kinda fascinated with alchemy and I decided to give it a try. I wasn't really disappointed with the story. The cover is stunning and I can only imagine what the physical copy will look like when it comes out.

Despite the really long chapters the story is really addictive. It also gave me some dark gothic vibes and it was also had some little creepy moments in it. The story keeps you really intrigued with the prophecy surrounding the Philosopher's Stone and the curse that comes along with it. The main character Theosebeia Hope is a very driven person but could be foolish at times. I really liked her because if she wanted something she figured out a way to get it done. I quite liked all the characters except for Will (ugh) I like him at first but then it went down hill pretty fast later on in the book. Which also brings me to say the love subplot seemed like it was all over the place. First you had Will then Thea meets Dominic who she really cared about but then nothing really happens with either of them. I do wish that some of the relationships were a little stronger like with Thea and Dominic and even Valentin. So I feel like the romance aspect should have just been left out entirely because the story would still have been just as good without it being in there.

The ending was done quite nicely and it leaves off with the possibility that their might be a sequel. I was satisfied with how the author left off with all the characters. I really enjoyed every single second of this book. It really kept me intrigued and I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.

My Review: I kept seeing this book everywhere and it kept pulling me in with the synopsis. I have tried books with alchemy in them in the past and most have not gone well but I was really intrigued with this one, so I gave it a shot. At first it seemed like it was going to be your average Fantasy-Historical Fiction YA with a lot of the same tropes you always see, and I almost gave up on it. I hung in there and it was so worth it. About half way through the story really made a turn for the dark and creepy and I was so hooked! It gave deliciously dark and gothic vibes as the book progressed. It had some really great twists and just when you start to think you know what is going to happen, something changes. It was quite the right and I am glad I stuck it out.

My Rating: I like how this book threw me off a bit, it started out so standard and like so many other YA books, beautiful & intelligent girl who thinks she is average, two boys vying for attention, inattentive parents, etc. but we ended up getting so much more from it. I give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag!

3.5 stars.

I liked the premise of this book but I felt like it didn’t know what it wanted to be. Did it want to be a tale of a girl, looking for her place in the world? Did it want to be the tale of an alchemist struggling with what she wants to do? It is a romance? Is it a mystery? There’s so much going on in this book that seems to change mid track.
I wish Thea were a stronger character and that the relationship with Will or Dominic or even Valentin were stronger to give some depth.
I wish her father were more consistent.
I wish the French Revolution theme were a bigger part as well.
As a final note, I wish there was a more solid end, rather than what were given. To me, it doesn’t read as a series but I might be wrong, but if it’s not, I would’ve liked a better end.
This book is a little bit of a mess, the result of too many themes, too many ideas trying to get out in one book.
It’s a great attempt but fell a little short unfortunately.

A Golden Fury is an incredibly addictive read! I could have easily read it in one go because I was so intruiged by the weird prophecy surrounding Alchemy and the potential making of the Philosopher’s Stone. The main character is also very driven (if not foolish at times) and I really liked that! I also grew to like all the other characters and didn’t see the ‘plot twist’ coming. I found it a bit annoying but hey, it definitely kept me up reading either way!! 👀 I was also immediately intruiged by the setting, although if there weren’t a few subtle reminders I wouldn’t really have noticed it being set in the 18th century 🙈 Still, A Golden Fury is a solid (historical) fantasy which will keep you up all night until you’ve finished it 🤓🙌🏻

I received an ARC as part of the ‘A Golden Fury’ blog tour receiving my copy via Netgalley, this doesn’t affect my opinion of the book, all my thoughts are my own and honest.

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.

Thea learns through her mother’s notes that there is a curse on the stone that causes anyone who tries to make it go mad. For her own safety, she is sent off to Oxford to a Father who doesn’t know she exists. At Oxford there were a few alchemists who would not stop at anything to make the stone, choosing not to believe in the curse. Thea has a choice, make the stone and lose her mind or watch the people she loves die.

Thea was different from the protagonists that I normally read about. She was very smart while being very naive at the same time. Her character development throughout the book was very interesting to observe. We are in her head throughout the whole book and seeing how her thoughts and ideals changed throughout was awesome. I also thoroughly enjoyed the side characters, I found them to be very entertaining. There was one character that I had my doubts about whether they were going to be the antagonist, but I also thought there may be more than one antagonist.

This was the first book I ever read about alchemy, and I found the concept very intriguing and fascinating. Cohoe was able to put a very clear picture of what the alchemists were doing throughout their work.

The plot was one of my favourite things about this book, I can hands down say I have never read a fantasy like this. (I am not saying there isn’t a book out there that is like it.) The pacing was just right throughout the whole book, it did take me a few chapters to get into the story but that is normal for me and after that, I found the whole story to be captivating and I had a very hard job putting the book down.

With the way Cohoe wrote, I was able to imagine exactly what was going on throughout the book, I found the ending wrapped up nice and clean and I appreciate that. I also loved the late 1700’s setting.

Overall this book was very engaging, interesting and had great characters. I would definitely recommend picking this up when you are wanting a different historical fantasy standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Cohoe and the publishers for approving me a copy.

Wow, I have so many thoughts about A Golden Fury. This book was a whirlwind of emotions. It grips you right away from the start with Thea’s rocky relationship with her mother, and almost immediately throws her into violence and danger. Thea is a novice alchemist, training under her mother, who is already renowned in their field of study. We learn right away that the primary objective of alchemy is to finally make the infamous Philosopher’s Stone, whose properties have the potential to grant the wielder of the stone immeasurable power.

Thea is very passionate about her work in alchemy, and this is brought on quite a bit, I’m assuming, from her mother. Because alchemy is still an up and coming profession, Thea and her mother require a patron to cover the cost of their science. This led them to move around a lot as Thea grew up. Due to this, Thea has lived quite a lonely existence. She doesn’t have a lot of friends, her mother is more of a mentor than an actual parent, and Thea’s father doesn’t even know of her existence until she shows up at his door homeless and near penniless.

I think this lack of support and care in life is why Thea turns to alchemy so much. She can’t really see much purpose in life besides creating the Philosopher’s Stone and becoming the “last alchemist”. While this is great to drive her forward in her work, this also leads to her being a bit blind about what’s really important in life later on. She makes a lot of messy decisions, and while she is definitely a smart girl, she trusts her heart more than she should, and her brain not enough.

One thing about this story is that it just keeps going. You think the plot is going in one place, and then it goes in a completely different direction. And then it takes another turn! Same goes for the antagonist. The villain of the story is never who you really think it is. There were a few unexpected turns, and this definitely led to an intriguing story.

I really appreciated the uniqueness of A Golden Fury, it’s not a concept I’ve seen a lot in other books and that makes this book even more compelling. My main complaint with this book is that I wish the alchemy had been described in more detail. This may be because I work in the sciences and chemistry myself, but I would have enjoyed reading a more in depth description of the alchemical processes Thea, Dominic, and Will used while trying to create the Philosopher’s Stone. I do think this would have added an extra element and would have lifted this story up to the next level.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I found myself wanting to dive back into the story every time I set it down, and that really is an indication of great writing. Samantha Cohoe did a wonderful job of bringing her book to life as I didn’t find it hard to picture Thea and her escapades in my head. This was a great debut novel, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Cohoe’s works. I would rate A Golden Fury ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5.

Historical fiction is always hit or miss for me. But I really enjoyed this one, even more than I thought I would. I believe it's a standalone based off the ending, so that was a bonus with so many series out there right now.

Thea is an alchemist living with her mom in France. She's been learning everything from her mom, but she was pushed away recently on their big test. They are trying to make the Philosopher's Stone. No one has ever been able to do it, but it's rumored to heal illnesses and change any metal to gold. The first hurtle they crossed was making the White Elixir, but they hadn't gotten further. After Thea's mom attacks her, Thea sees that her mom was successful. At least party, but not fully. She went mad trying. Thea fleas to Oxford to the father that didn't even know she was alive. Thea read the warning, but she was willing to try to create the stone to hopefully save her mom. There is a curse and only one person will be able to create the stone. Everyone else goes mad trying.

"Beware the Alchemist's Curse."

Things don't go well with Thea's dad after one of the scientists went mad. A young man working to help out ended up killing him and Thea's dad didn't believe it wasn't murder. So Thea and Dominic go to London to find her friend, Will. When she finds him, Thea is shocked to see that Will is dying. She's even more determined to make the stone. She gets played by the men in her life and Thea has to fight hard to fix everyone. She's determined to make the stone to heal, but also for the honor of being the first and only person to succeed.

The book has some heavy topics. Some warnings are talk of suicide, blood/cuts/burns, and verbal parental abuse. There is some captivity and a hint at sexual assault. Thea's mom also talks about using men and how they are never loyal or good.

I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to Wednesday Books for my review link to Netgalley.

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. It was a like a wonderful surprise on a rainy day.

Thea is a wonderful character. Often times, she seems to understand the complexity of her world, more than a normal character would, but like a reader would, if that makes sense. We often read about a character that either knows to much and leaves nothing to the imagination, or a character that is completely stupid and doesn't see what is going on around them. Thea was a perfect medium and a wonderful case for humanity.

Her struggle was incredible. With a choice that involves saving her mother from insanity, she does the unthinkable for the greater good. It was a conundrum of epic proportions.

I loved this book from start to finish.

My Review will go live on my blog Book Confessions on 10-7-20

"Cheio de reviravoltas, o livro não começa tão empolgante, mas assim que Thea vai pra Oxford, eu não consegui largar ele. Há muitos acontecimentos durante a história que vai prender o leitor (muito mais do que eu escrevi aqui). A traição de Will, a amizade improvável de Thea com Valetin, o perdão de seu pai, uma segunda filha de Burggraf que é um dos motivos para que todos queiram a Pedra Filosofal e o segredo por trás dela quando Thea tem sucesso em criá-la.

Achei que o final do livro ficou sem muitas respostas. A autora criou vários plots, mas não conseguiu chegar ao fim de muitos. Como o que aconteceu com o Will quando ele fugiu dos seus captores e traiu Thea? Ele foi pego por Valetin? Buggraf vai atrás de Thea? Não sei se o livro terá uma nova continuação, porque a história de Thea foi fechada: a Pedra Filosofal salvou a vida de Will, Will continuou um babaca, a maldição de Dominic e da sua mãe foi embora e Thea aceitou morar com seu pai em Oxford (Comte, Marguerite e Dominic foram morar na Áustria para se protegerem da Revolução Francesa; e o Comte ia ajudar Dominic a se tornar um médico)."

Para ler a resenha completa, visite meu blog: wanderlustskoob.wordpress.com/

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was immediately drawn to the premise of A Golden Fury, especially as it features alchemy and the Philosopher’s Stone, not to mention a young woman alchemist, when many of the prominent figures associated with alchemy (as many things were in history) were men.

And in some regards, it really works, especially starting off, with the strongest point being Thea as a protagonist. I admire her for her gumption for managing to escape her cruel mother and seek out the father who doesn’t know she exists. I like that there’s a clear balance between making her somewhat naive and sheltered in her existence, but also not making stupid decisions. She goes on a very believable mental and physical journey that makes her into a stronger person in the end.

The alchemy stuff is a lot of fun, and I enjoyed seeing the way it was used by the characters in their moves against one another. And adding in the backdrop of Revolutionary France, it also made it quite intriguing.

I did feel like the story was a bit uneven, starting off strong and devolving as it went on, and I almost wish this were the first of a series (at least a duology), so Cohoe could course correct on some of the elements that went downhill slightly, as it took a turn for the more melodramatic.

However, I think it does show Cohoe’s promise as a debut author, and I look forward to her next book. And if you love historical fantasy, I think this is a fairly solid debut that’s worth giving a try.

First this cover is everything. I love it. I requested it based on cover alone. That being said the first half of the book was great really living up to my expectations and I was really enjoying it. There hits a point where its just kind of fizzles out. Not horribly but a dip in well everything for me. But I have to say that I really enjoyed that it is a standalone because sometimes the waiting makes it worse. I think when spooky season is over I'll whip this one out again and try it.

Thanks for the free e-arc for an honest review

A Golden Fury was a pretty good book. I liked the overall concept of the book, but to be honest I didn’t care much about the characters. I didn’t really like any of them, and so I didn’t care what happened to them.
I loved the idea of a female alchemist, and a curse (which was really a reaction to the chemicals but…). I just felt like maybe they had too much going on. I think I was expecting a different story and that’s why I didn’t like it quite as much.
As I mentioned, the characters didn’t do much for me. Thea was a decent main character, but she seemed so unaffected by other people that I had trouble really connecting with her. The rest of the characters in the book were either just not great people or just fell flat to me.

I really enjoyed this read! Thea is a wonderful narrator, and I loved how she grew as the story progressed. In a time when women were told to stand in the background and be docile, Thea stands out as strong and willing to fight for what she wants. The author does a fantastic job of letting the writing reflect the madness that starts to affect Thea as she tries to save her loved ones by creating the Philosopher's Stone. I think the second half of the book was paced a little quicker than the first half, but everything included did add to the plot as a whole. The ending does wrap up the story as a standalone, though I would love to know what Thea decides to do with her life next. Overall, this is a quick and enjoyable read that I would recommend.

This book was interesting, it was different, and it had a unique storyline, but it also had so much potential. It started of so strong; a young female alchemist wanting to make a name for herself along with her mother, only to find out what they're striving for could have dangerous ramifications. Thea was strong, stubborn, and incredibly easy to like. A young, 17-year-old girl, trying to find her way in a world when she only knows science. And that's what I had to keep reminding myself as I read; Thea is 17-years-old, and was raised by a mother who used men for gain in her scientific world, and that Thea knew of nothing else. She only knew of the world what the apprentice, Will, had taught her. Reminding myself of those things helped me understand her motives (or lack there of) a little better later on.

The first half of the book was so easy to fly through, you just eat it up. However, somewhere along the way, around the 60% mark, I lost the storyline and it became a bit more muddled. Thea lost a bit of her swagger and her conviction, Dominic was kind of underused (and by kind of I mean he was terribly short-changed throughout this entire book), and I honestly had no idea where we were headed (but not in the good way). And then it ended. And not in a settling way. I have no idea if there's a sequel in the works, but it would be nice to have a bit of closure after everything that happens in the end. Instead I was left feeling like there was so much unresolved and in turn it just made me frown.

Regardless of all that, there were plenty of high points, and I did really enjoy reading the book overall. Even when we lost a bit of her, I still enjoyed Thea and her inner monologue, and I really do think there were plenty of good things about this book that even out with the negatives. And I adored Dominic and really wish he had more of a chance to shine. He was an absolute gem of a human and I feel like he had so much story to tell.

All in all, it was a unique fantasy story and it definitely provided quite a few twists and turns. I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for a historical fantasy driven by a young, gifted, female lead who is learning about both herself, and the world around her.


Many thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the review copy.

We start off in France with Thea and her mother as they are working together to create the Philosophers Stone, but when Thea's mother becomes mad and tries to kill her daughter, Thea has no other choice but to flee to Oxford to meet the father she's never met. Thea is a smart girl living in a man's world but she has one currency: her knowledge.

Thea strives to become an alchemist like her mother. The alchemist who would create the white elixir and the Philosopher's stone. The white elixir is supposed to change all metals into gold and the Philosophers Stone is supposed to cure any sickness. But when you get too close to the result you could become mad.

I loved our main character Thea. She was intelligent and confident. Unfortunately, she left alone with no one really in her corner. Her parents were not the most loving or supporting of her , and Will, the boy she fell in love with put her in danger with the people he owes a debt. Thea finds that Dominic, a young man she met in Oxford was probably the only decent person that she knew.

This is a very compelling story. I felt for Thea through everything that she went through in trying to create the Philosophers Stone to save her mother. I think that this is a great story for those who enjoy fast paced plots, as well as for those reader who love character development. I will definitely be checking out more from this author in the future.