I hate comparing stories, but if you enjoyed the ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper’ series, then you will want to get your hands on this book.

The atmosphere, the characters, the storyline, the history - this honestly feels like it could be book #5.

That's not to say this isn't original. I think the story provides a fresh take on the Philosopher's Stone and alchemy. The pacing is on the slower side of things and there aren't really any high stakes propelling the story forward, but it's the vibe of the story like i enjoyed.

Overall, a very solid debut and more enjoyable than I thought it would be!

3.5/5

This book took me a long time to read as the plot is a bit on the slower side. We start in France with the main character, Thea, assisting her mother in creating the Philosopher’s Stone. Things go badly and she has to flee to England to find her father who is also trying to make it. Basically this book consists of Thea having to keep fleeing places where people want to make the stone. Toss in some betrayal and madness and you have the book.

It’s an okay book, not amazing. It held my attention while I was reading it but I never felt super drawn to pick it back up which is why it took me so long to read. The ending was a little lackluster and the climax felt a little meh, it was not an adventure but a slow and interesting journey, if that makes sense.

The characters were okay, they weren’t flat but they were barely 3-dimensional, lacking reason. Sometimes it felt like they were doing things to move the plot rather than actually furthering their character growth or doing things that felt like choices right for their character.

I did like the lack of romance in this book, I kept expecting it but all romance happened in the past and wasn’t used again. Thank goodness.
I was left with some questions that I felt could have been explained though this book is and should stay a standalone. I just think more description and background info could’ve been given. Overall it was enjoyable but not something I’d reread anytime soon. I am however getting a copy of this in my LitJoy Crate and I will be keeping it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. It has good character and an intriguing plot that had many ups and downs and kept me guessing about how it would end.
A good book

A GOLDEN FURY is such a promising historical fantasy debut with a compelling story of the sacrifices we make for ambition and love.

As a science student, I was sold on this book from the word <em>alchemy</em> - I love books where magic and science are merged. There <em>is</em> magic to be found in science, in the form of wonder at the laws and world we live in - and for me, alchemy captures that perfectly on the page.

Historically, there's been such a blurred line between the two, and this book is set during the French Revolution as the divide between the two is becoming clearly defined - alchemists are "hang overs" from a dying world that believes in magic. But it's still there, and the alchemists - including Thea - treat it exactly as they do science. There is precision and complex synthesis, as well as necessary equipment. They respect what they're doing.

For those of you who aren't such devotees of scientific practice as I am, don't worry, it's not a book that screams science and spends ages on it. Instead, the focus is on the cost of the magic - the madness it induces. Over the book, various characters are taken by the stone's price, and watching it was so unnerving - these are people who value their minds and it takes that from them. Not to mention how the true place affects Thea in the finale.

The book is split between Normandy and England - with long sequences in London and Oxford. As a Londonner, I get <em>very</em> particular about books set in my home and can see instantly whether there's been enough research. I was not yelling about inaccuracy in this book. I think it helped that the London scenes happened mostly in two houses (one a slum) and most of the characters were German in that sequence. (OK, yes, I did send a screaming, all caps message to a friend at one point over the lack of British grammar given the setting).

The world building is not the deepest - England didn't feel particularly <em>British</em> or 1790s in setting - more a lose-1700s paintwork. However, there are some lovely little touches particularly to do with the spread of fashion through Europe in the time period (and it is gloriously accurate and does reflect that not everyone will take up the clothing style at once). It also helped to set British-nationality but French-raised Thea out from the crowd, highlight that she's not only an outsider in England, but also made an outsider in the (male) academic world.

It's a really male-heavy book. Thea's mother isn't in the book for very long - present in her thoughts and motivation throughout, but not physically around. Then there are two sisters, one of whom is never seen. Instead, Thea spends most of her time interacting with a variety of men. I would have liked to see a few more women in the book, and not have them as purely opponents/motivation. I don't feel like I saw enough of Thea's mother or the elder sister (the one who's seen) to understand <em>why</em> they're acting as they do and opposed to Thea. The sister in particular was just really cold and unlikeable.

A Golden Fury covers a topic rarely seen in YA fantasy: alchemy. Add that to the fact that I love books about the French Revolution and I was immediately compelled to request an ARC.

To start with, I thought A Golden Fury was well-written for a debut, and there were some cool ideas in here that I thought were worth exploring. I liked the science-based approach to alchemy and the hints that the field of alchemy was much broader than the stuffy European alchemists were willing to open their eyes and consider. (Though I will note that this would have had more weight if the non-white character who apparently taught Thea her skills was actually given some page time). A Golden Fury is also unafraid of madness: the standout scenes in this book are those where Thea is slowly loosing her grip on reality, to the extent that as the reader, even I wasn’t quite sure what was real anymore. Cohoe really captured the suffocating feeling of losing control.

That said, I didn’t particularly care about any of the characters. Everyone, from Thea to the love interests and the antagonists, seemed to say or do whatever was necessary to drive the plot forward. I couldn’t connect with anyone in this book and thought some of their actions made little sense, which undercut some of the major plot reveals. Additionally, characters’ motivations were typically revealed only once convenient, and hints at interesting backstories were mostly dead-ends. Character development is what makes or breaks a book for me, and unfortunately for the most part, it didn’t exist in this book. Cohoe did, however, nail the thorny relationship between Thea and her mother, and Thea’s self-doubt about living up to her mother’s standards as an alchemist felt real and pervasive.. I will also give the author plenty of kudos for her treatment of the staple YA love triangle – without spoiling the outcome, let’s just say that the mere existence of a love triangle in this book is in fact somewhat of a ruse.

Overall, the weak character development overshadowed any excitement I had about the prospect of an alchemy-based plot and while this was an easy read, it’s not one that I had any deep and meaningful feelings about.

Rating: 2.5/5

A note on the marketing
Remember how I said I love books about the French Revolution? Well, it turns out that the majority of this book actually takes place in England. The revolutionaries’ attitude toward towards co-opting science for the revolution is mentioned early on as the reason why Thea must flee to England, but then conveniently dropped and never mentioned again. As it turns out, Thea doesn’t have a lot of interest in revolutionary politics of any description. Nor does she have much interest in English politics in Oxford, except occasionally to argue that women should be able to study alchemy. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I got my hopes up based on the description, and I suspect others may have as well.

Alchemy, historical France, clever girls with an impossible task at hand—Basically everything I never knew I needed mashed into a book for me to read.

I will admit that right off the bat I feel a tiny bit deceived, and only because I was expecting a historical romp about alchemy in France. However, aside from the first few chapters, the bulk of the book takes place in England. Specifically at Oxford University and in London. The plot centres around Thea and her quest to craft the next-to-impossible Philosopher's Stone. To be able to turn any metal into gold and heal any illness, it is every alchemist's dream. But there's the small problem of that touch of madness creeping in whenever an alchemist gets to a certain part of the process. This is, of course, what happens to her mother, and what kicks off Thea's journey.

Thea was a terribly interesting character. For one, she is unbelievably clever. Gotta love me a girl who knows five plus languages and knows more than all the men in the room. The star of the show was really Thea when a certain madness started creeping in while she worked to make the stone. The shift in her thinking was fabulous! Another stellar part of the cast was the dynamics between them. Between Thea and her mother, between her and her father—all of it was so intriguing.

I really enjoyed the fact that it felt like there were several villains and all times in the story. Like Thea was the only one in this world we as the reader could trust. The author did a fantastic job in blurring the lines of friend and foe. Even family felt like they would be her downfall, and I loved the way all those strings were pulled.

For a large chunk of the book, I was expecting a love quadrangle, but there was only one true love interest and my imagination running wild. In hindsight, I'm not entirely what I wanted out of the romance plot line. The romance itself wasn't the star of the show, and it may not have even be needed. It wasn't shoehorned in, but the story would have had the same kind of clout without it. .

I can't not spend a minute to talk about the alchemy plot, which was such fun. I want to say it's a new twist on the Philosopher's Stone mythology, but is it really new when there are so few alchemy books out there to begin with? It's what drew me to this book in the first place. This felt very well researched and integrated into the story as a whole very naturally. The diversity behind alchemy really sold me, because to learn all the secrets, alchemist need to look to other cultures and languages. No one group of people is superior to another in this craft, despite some believing they are.

Where this book floundered for me was in the pacing. This is very much plot-driven, but it did drag in some scenes, and some events felt repetitive. Normally I can finish a book this size in three to four days. This took me over a week. I just couldn't get into it the way I wanted to. Sometimes I forced myself to finish the chapter so I could do something else. Now, that may be down to the writing style, but it could also be because it wasn't particularly atmospheric, which is something I really need in my TBR right now. And a re-read may change my mind. So for now, 3.5 out of 5 stars.

“Samantha Cohoe’s A Golden Fury is fascinating… With an enduringly empathetic heroine, and hints of darkness and foreboding lurking within the pages, A Golden Fury is ready to grab hold and pull readers under its alchemic spell.” Cecelia Beckman Sheaf & Ink

A Golden Fury is Cohoe’s historical fantasy debut: a tableau of magic, madness, and revenge. We see Thea wield the elements of alchemy to create the legendary Philosopher’s Stone with a relentless determination. Like a soldier in the heat of battle, flourishing their sword without a hint of fear, Thea too uses her knowledge as a scholar of alchemy in the same unyielding way. Driven by passion and the need to cure those who suffer, Thea’s compassion and confidence makes her indelible to the reader.

Early on, the story takes a dramatic turn. As open hostilities toward British born surmounts, Thea reluctantly escapes to London, leaving her mother behind in France in the safe keeping of her current patron. Who, honestly, seems like a nice guy and has everyone’s best intentions at heart. Which is refreshing since he’s an aristocrat.

Thea’s mother is known for vaulting from one patron to the next, leaving behind broken hearts and burned bridges in her wake to power. Her ambition knows no bounds. But with her mother incapacitated and declining health (due to a deadly curse) and the French Revolution inching closer to the Comte’s chateau, the only choice is to flee. Once in Britain, Thea is left to the mercy of a father who wasn’t aware she exists. A terrifying thought for a young woman in eighteenth-century Britain.

Moving from madness, to murder, to more madness, too revenge, like a skipping stone hurdled across a stream, A Golden Fury moves quickly. With a firm grip, we race across London from one catastrophe to the next. Hoping the alchemy won’t consume everyone in its path when it finally materializes.

Cohoe weaves a disturbing unease and paranormal aspect to her story I did not expect. The way she describes the Alchemists Curse and its affects it ensues is what stuck with me. It was haunting and one the characters themselves won’t be able to forget.

Further, Cohoe avoids certain tropes, particularly the romantic ones, keeping the reader in a state of speculation. Wondering if any of the young men in the story would win Thea over. I know I wanted more.

My hope is in the next two novels Cohoe delves deeper into the magic of alchemy. I felt that we just only had a taste of the feast that’s yet to come. Where Thea hones her craft and becomes an even fiercer alchemist to behold.

I am here for the romance! And if Cohoe explores a more heady relationship between Thea and the two possible love interests I am all for it. Or perhaps the deeper friendship of one and romantic love interest in the other. Either way, I'm anxious to see what will unfold.

And with the backdrop of the Enlightenment and French Revolution I'm interested in seeing if Cohoe draws more from the historical time period to emphasize the voice and overarching plot of her story.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date October 13, 2020.***

3.5 - 4 stars

I admit, the cover is the first thing that caught my interest in this story. Second, the synopsis: alchemy, strong characters, with a little supernatural thrown in? Yes, please!

Overall, I found the book quite interesting. I kind of got a bit confused with the characters that I was supposed to be loving / hating at any given time, but that's what help make the twist at the end enjoyable. The ending did feel a little rushed for me, but still felt like a good read.

Thea Hope wants nothing more than to step out of her mother’s shadow and make a name for her own in the alchemy world. The pair have been working together to create the elusive Philosopher’s Stone, but just as they were getting close, Thea’s mother banishes her from their lab. Thea is convinced her mother just wants all the fame and glory for herself, but when she becomes ill and starts lashing out, Thea starts to believe there’s something more sinister going on. Then one night in a fit of rage, her mother destroys the stone, attempting to kill Thea in the process.

After this encounter, armed with her mother’s notes, Thea flees France for England to seek shelter and help from a father who doesn’t even know Thea exists. When she arrives in Oxford, Thea finds her father and a group of fellow alchemists are also trying to create the stone, and they refuse to heed her warnings on how dangerous it is. Instead, they steal her notes and are not above pulling out all the stops to force Thea into helping them, even if that means torturing the ones closest to her. Thea must face a difficult decision: either make the stone and most likely lose her mind in the process, or forsake the lives of those she loves.

I was very much drawn in by the premise of this. The practice of alchemy is so fascinating and complex and I enjoyed seeing how it was portrayed. The entire story is very plot-driven and action-packed right from the get-go. Every single character has a motive for wanting to create the stone and will do whatever it takes no matter the consequences. Especially Thea. She was such a capable strong-willed character and I liked how she never seemed afraid of conflict and did what needed to be done. That being said, my issue with this was that I felt not as much time and effort went into the overall character development as the actual storyline. All the characters felt very one-note so I had a hard time connecting to them, and ultimately, I wasn’t that invested in what happened to them. I definitely think this had a ton of potential, and there are some interesting moments, so I would still recommend if you’re a fan of historical fiction/fantasy.

As you may know, I am attempting to read outside my comfort zone. A Golden Fury sounded so interesting – alchemy! Who wouldn’t be interested in a female alchemist from 1792!?

And at the beginning, it was very interesting. The story of the Philosopher’s Stone, the history of alchemy, and the curse all kept me hooked. Thea seemed like a strong character regardless of the gender limitations she dealt with (it is 1792 after all!).

But then it broke apart for me. Once Thea met back up with Will (her maybe ex-crush/friend?), she started to unravel. Her desperate clinging to Will, despite information about his secrets and past, seemed unlike her as a character. And the romantic aspect felt odd. She seemed to form these quick relationships with multiple men, like a boy crazy teenage girl. Which would have been fine, had the first half of the book not disavowed that.

The magic of alchemy was so interesting, and it nearly felt like a fantasy book. But it just fell apart for me and felt unfinished.

I've tried finishing this book for a while now and I just can't connect with it.
There are a lot of good things within the story like the world building and the "magic system" (Alchemy) but I just don't find the main character appealing.
Our main character acts so childish and her decisions were so absurd sometimes i just... it was frustrating.
I also didn't enjoyed the romance, it seemed a bit force and didn't flow as I'd like.
The cover was one of the main reasons why I was drawn to review this book it's a shame I didn't love it.

"Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the change to read this book in exchange for an honest review"

A Golden Fury is a historical fantasy sent in the late 18th century. Where the main character Thea is trying to complete the philosopher's stone her mother went and trying to produce. It was a solid debut, with a family focus and very little romance . I really enjoyed it and recommend if you like subtle magic, with a bit of madness and possession.

A Golden Fury is the story of a alchemist (in training) Thea, as she tries to make the Philosopher’s stone, and the catastrophic events that befall her while she does so. This was an enjoyable read, however there were a few unexpected potentially triggering moments so please be aware if you pick this up. (TW for self harm, mental health, violence, parental violence, gore, death and I’m sure a few I’ve missed).

I really enjoyed the alchemy parts of this book, there was a mysticism to the writing but a grounding in the 'science' of this universe during the exposition. It made those parts much easier to follow, and I was quite caught up in the theory side just as much as the 'magic' of it all. It was clearly written, and thought it was quite technical, it wasn't overwhelming at all. As such, I found the parts concerning alchemy the most interesting parts of the book. I felt the love of alchemy from Thea, as well as the obsession with the subject from those around her. It’s a dangerous profession, and caused things to take a bit of a dark twist in some moments, but I loved the ‘sciencey’ parts of this book, the lab work, notes and descriptions of how the mixtures came together. They made me feel like alchemy could be real!

Overall the writing style was engaging and easy to read. It suffered a little from pacing issues, but it was a roller coaster of events, with lots of action, high stakes, twists and turns, friendships and drama. I’m definitely a fan of the author’s style, and I enjoyed the setting which moved from France to England, and gave us some political intrigue and history of the world. The world building was really well done, with no clunky exposition, it all felt very natural, and I enjoyed learning more about it.

There were some interesting characters I would have liked to see more of, but mostly I couldn't really connect to them and I found the romance a bit lacklustre. I was worried there was going to be a love triangle, but I was extremely happy there wasn’t one, instead we got a strong friendship which I was thankful for. I was glad the romance didn't dominate the plot because there were far more interesting things going on, but Will was so unlikeable in my eyes that I couldn't see what had enchanted Thea. Thea herself was a bit blank at times, but I guess that had to do with her upbringing and her mother. However she showed some moments of fight and bravery as the book went on, and she broke away from her mother’s grip and started to become her own person. But I feel she had more potential that I would have loved to see. She was extremely intelligent and passionate about her goals which I really appreciated. Thea pushed to be listened to, and seen as equal in a field that otherwise would have shunned her, and proved she was better than all of them. I hope that as a YA ‘heroine’, she inspires readers to pursue their dreams, especially in male dominated industries!

Overall this was an enjoyable read with some really fantastic moments and excellent alchemy, but I would have liked a little more character development and feel some plot threads could have been lost to focus more on others. However the predominant plot was really good, and kept me reading as I was interested to see what would happen next, as it kept me constantly guessing and never really knowing what would happen next!
It was a strong debut with some really interesting themes, and I can’t wait to see what the author does next!

“𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒚. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐. 𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅.”—Samantha Cohoe

MY SYNOPSIS: Thea is an adept alchemist determined to make a name for herself in a male-dominated field that many don’t take seriously. The ultimate goal? Creating the legendary philosopher’s stone. Legend says the stone has the power to bring immortality and heal the sick. But at what cost? When Thea discovers a madness that comes with its creation, she must make the ultimate decision. Does she save her mother and sacrifice her sharp mind?

MY REVIEW: This book was a pleasant surprise. I read it in two sittings because it was an easy story to get lost in. I was captivated by the rich world building and strong female lead. Thea’s quick mind and scientific struggles were easy to relate to. And there was just the right amount balance between plot and character conflict that I like in a story.

The story takes place in an alternative historical setting in France/England during a Victorian-esk era. There is the French Revolution looming in the background. But in this world, alchemy is a very real thing. It’s not heavy on the fantasy. And there isn’t a whole lot of magic other than that surrounding alchemy itself.

What I liked the most was Thea’s abilities as an alchemist. She spoke multiple languages, which she utilized to translate exotic texts by long dead alchemists, and in doing so, discovered a way to create the legendary philosopher’s stone when no one else could. As such, she became highly sought after. I also appreciated the realistic portrayal of her struggles being a woman in a male-dominated field. She was constantly underestimated, and often took others by surprise. I related most heavily to this aspect, being a woman in STEM.

I was disappointed that there wasn’t much romance. Romance is the one thing that I always look for in my reads. Personal preference, of course. The character relationships were there, but not so much from a romance perspective. Thea struggles with her parental relationships the most. Her mother was never good at being a mother. And she didn’t meet her father until the start of the story. This shaped her personality and character. It was also one of the conflicts she had to overcome throughout the story.

The ultimate conflict, though, was that of the madness surrounding the philosopher’s stone. I liked the creativity that went into its development, and the madness attached to it. I liked that this madness prevented others from making the stone, unless they were worthy. But I also liked that in order to make the stone, the maker had to make the ultimate sacrifice. It begged the question: what price is too high?

All in all, this was worth the read. I found mixed reviews floating around. Maybe I liked it more because of my ability to relate to the MC? If you like alternative history, Victorian era settings, and aren’t looking for a heavy romance or heavy magical read, you’ll definitely like this one. MY RATING: 4/5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A quick, enjoyable read! Thea is a young alchemist who’s goal in life is to create the fabled sorcerers stone, but to create such an artifact, there is a price. You have to give up your sanity.
The story is original
The romance was believable, since Thea is a girl who has been secluded from most of the world to focus on her alchemy, she falls for the first man who showed her attention. Totally believable honestly.
The only part that was a tad tiresome was the fact that every person she meets, (her father, his assistant, her captors) seem to instinctively feel like they need to protect her. Which would make sense if she seemed weak or helpless, which Thea was not!
Overall, 4 Stars! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a ARC copy in exchange for a honest review!

Thea Hope ( Theosebia Hope) is an alchemists apprentice to her Mother Marguerite Hope. When she Thea Hope is forced to flee France on the border of the French Revolution and in search of her father when her Mom and her had just made the white elixir. ( steps of the Philosopher stone ) Rumor, fact, myth? When her mom mysteriously went mad. She searches for the father who was never in her life at all, while Thea's dream was to be better then her mom.

However, while looking back she felt her mom was always in her way of success? Did her past mention it out of jealousy ? For wanting all the credit?

In England she finds her father and finds out he is also an alchemist with the same dreams as her mom, less successful in his experiments. I feel he is full of himself and a bit jealous of the achievements. A women beating a man in success? So Thea decides to help her father but does warn him that her mom was part of an alchemist curse that the process of the stone holds. Her father isn't the kindest of people she finds out possibly fame and greed may get in the way. So Thea runs and tracks down an old friend Will Percy, with her fathers assistant Dominc, and runs into trouble.

Will life always have it twists and turns for Thea or will she discover that the alchemists curse is a myth?

The ArC was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much for letting me read this one.
A great book for those that love historically fantasy.
Historical reads are not always top of my list but this one had me gripped from the start and didn’t disappoint.
Great read.

*** Special Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press, and Wednesday Books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review***

In this episode, I was surprised by a unique take on a familiar power...

The Philosopher’s Stone is the rightful title of the first Harry Potter story, and the stone has legendary properties and powers. Even in the Wizarding World, this item was rare, dangerous, and difficult to create.

In Samantha Cohoe’s debut novel Golden Fury, the art of Alchemy was made real in fascinating detail. The world of late 18th century Europe felt vivid and well-researched.

Thea was an interesting protagonist and her personality and talent stood out in this world. I never forgot her gender and that made this story even more tense. The plot itself was deceptive. It felt like it was operating at multiple speeds, first slow, then blazing fast, then more muted. The greed and hunger to create the Stone felt all-consuming and that made even the more calm moments of this story feel tense and dramatic. Relationships, history, family. All of this made Thea’s perspective feel heavy and fatiguing in the best possible way, and I found myself rooting for her very early on.

Ultimately, I had a very good time with Golden Fury. It was a book that felt like it could be left as a stand-alone story and that is, surprisingly enough, unique enough for me to recommend it in the first place.

That’s all for today.

Until next time, keep your bookmarks close.

Peace, Love, Pages.

To start, thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this magical book.

Thea is a strong minded, loyal alchemist, training under her mother, a true alchemist in name. Alchemy places a strain on Thea and her mother’s relationship early on, which leads Thea into a lonely, naïve life. Enter William Percy, a strapping young man with a charismatic smile and sweet words. Thea develops feelings for Will, which Will reciprocates.
However Thea’s mother sees what she believes is the truth behind such affections and sends him packing, leaving yet another rift in her’s and her daughter’s relationship. Resulting in Thea being removed from their laboratory. Which only makes Thea that much lonelier, removing her from the one thing that she had poured her very life into.
When one night, Thea’s mother has a fit of madness, screaming in her sleep, spearing glances at nothing. Thea attends to her, but finds herself unable to sleep. In her bought of insomnia she finds herself drawn to what once was her’s and her mother’s lab. Once inside she discovers her mother has been successful creating the very thing they both had dreamt of. However, her mother, in a scary fit of rage destroys the creation, and almost kills her daughter.
Thea is forced from France, to leave her mother and her madness. To find a father she has never met and one that knows nothing of her existence. She makes the choice to recreate this precious item and save her mother, and prove to her that she is truly an alchemist herself.
Things go awry, leaving Thea and a new friend to run for their lives. Resulting in Thea and Will’s reunion. However, Will has secrets of his own and Thea soon discovers he is slowly dying. But Will’s secrets don’t stay secret long, German’s show up, taking Thea and her friend to a grand estate at Will’s betrayal. Of course, Thea believes he only did it to save them both, she makes the stone, Will does not die and they both live happily ever after.
Unfortunately, for her the cost may be her mind.

This story was wonderfully written, I could just picture being back in time with Thea. I love that Thea was fierce and loyal, clever and loving. She is a character you can definitely relate to. The dynamic between characters was also something I found utterly astounding. I really believed how she felt about each and every person in the book. The success, the heartbreak, and the betrayal left me reeling. All in all, it was a wonderful story that I definitely enjoyed more than I thought I would.

Review Posted on GoodReads (September 29, 2020)
Review linked.

3.5/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an E-ARC for an honest review!

I love Historical Fantasy and Historical Fiction, so I was super excited to read this book. The synopsis sounded incredible.

I really ended up liking this book. I think one of the things I loved about it was that it was never boring. The plot and world and magic system was so interesting, and I really loved the main character. The pacing in this book was really good. I really loved how the author talked about alchemy and the history of alchemy. It was all really interesting.

The only thing that made this book 3 stars for me instead of 4 was the romance. The romance in this book... it really annoyed me. I was so confused throughout the entire novel who our main character Thea was actually interested in and who we were supposed to want her to end up with. The only redeemable thing about the romance plot in this book was that Thea didn't end up with any of the characters at the end of the book.

In the end, if you are interesting in picking up Historical Fiction or Historical Fantasy, then I recommend reading this book.

Thanks for reading!
Caden