I was provided with an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the author's debut novel and the blurb was interesting. Of course, the cover was gorgeous. I had lot of expectations before starting this, but the story fell flat. The book starts with Thea being barred from the laboratory where her mother Marguerite Hope and she worked in creating 'The Philosopher's Stone'.

Recently, she has been exhibiting a wildness and sickness that was unnatural. Her treatment of Thea was harsh, filled with suspicion. At the final stage of the experiment, in a fit of violent temper, her mother attempts to kill her and destroys the stone. Later, Thea flees to England due to the mounting political tensions in Normandy to stay with her unknown father. She has the steps to be performed in the last stage of creating the Philosopher's stone in her possession. The whole story deals with Thea's desire to create the stone and various people who would stoop to any level to gain the power that it grants them.

Everything was going well for me, except for the slight dislike I had for the main character. I was hoping that would not be the case going forward. Though the story, and the fantasy world it was set in were good, I didn't enjoy it mostly because of the lead character. Her arrogance, and contempt towards others was always at the forefront of her mind. Her blind devotion to Will, and illogical excuses to save people were annoying to say the least.

Till about 85% of the story you see her being greedy for the power that the stone would offer her. Saving her mother, Dominic and Will were just those pesky things she had to do just to show that she cared. But I didn't get the sense that she actually cared for them. Even at the end of the story I didn't feel that there was any character development in her.

It lacked the mystery and action I was hoping for and the whole story felt dull, repetitive and unimpressive at the end. Overall, the plus points were the author's writing and the cover. The story had promise which it failed to fulfill.

I am irate about the possibilities and potential that this book had. This book had the premise and general plot of an amazing novel. Unfortunately, the book fell flat on many different fronts for me. Those fronts being: character development (both by the story and by the author), and world-building.

First and foremost, the character is this book was very one dimensional to me. None of the characters were developed enough for me to understand the intentions and motives of their actions. They were very linear, and the story never truly did them justice. Thea's character was irritating throughout the majority of this novel, and it felt as though she was supposed to be 'the chosen one' who had her own agency and autonomy, but it wasn't shown through any of her actions. If I had a historically inaccurate plot device for every time Thea got confused when someone answered her question a moment after her inquiry, we would have this book. Thea blindly defends certain characters who have given her no reason to trust them, and it was terrible to read.

The world-building was questionable. The magic system made little sense, and it was not made clearer through the progression of this book.

A smaller issue that I have would inculde the parental figures and the forgiveness between these characters are unrealistic and portray/perpetuate potentially harmful ideas to young, impressionable readers.

My main qualm with this book was the fact that it was historical fiction. I think that the historical fiction aspect of this book tied it down and brought down what this book could have been. Many things happen that are hard to believe, especially set during the French Revolution in Europe. One example would be the mentions of the police in Britain, which did not exist in this period. There are other instances of such, which could have been avoided had this book been set in a fantasy world. I think that with a fantasy world, the author would have been given much more to work with, especially with the ambitious potential of this story. At the very least, I think that more research could have greatly enhanced this novel.

A lot of the plot made little sense to me when I started to question what exactly was happening and what exactly the characters were thinking. Many of the side characters were severely underdeveloped, and it made the plot difficult to believe. Many of the tropes used in this book had to potential to be done very well, but it sadly fell flat and I felt little gratification at the end of the book. Not to mention, the beginning of this book was a rocky and difficult start.

Overall, I think that this book had the potential to be an amazing debut novel, but it didn't quite connect with me. I would definitely be willing to read future books by this author and see how their writing and storytelling enhances. I would give this book 1.75 stars.

Can lead really be turned into silver or gold? What is the cost of making the Philosopher’s Stone on a person? Thea is about to find out. A talented alchemist, who has learned much from her mother, finds there is a curse that goes along with it. Sent to her father in England to escape her mother's madness, Thea discovers more people are interested about the stone and puts her in danger. With old an friend and a new one, Thea knows the only way to save them is to make the stone. Thea battles internally with herself, for the stone has its own agenda. Thea must discover the strength within herself to do what must be done to save those she cares about.
I received this novel as an ARC from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In this historical fiction, a renown Alchemist's daughter who is quite talented in her own right, discovers that the sorcerers stone they are working tirelessly to create is cursed. When her mother goes mad, she will try everything to defeat the curse, create the stone and save her, and become a world famous alchemist herself.

I have to start out with saying this is most definitely not my typical genre. I didn't know how I personally was going to like it. I will say that it surprised me.

There were quite a few side plots that kept this book going forward at a steady pace. The author does a great job at dropping just enough information in just the right places that I was continuously intrigued. It also had more than one opportunity to be cliche and follow an over used trope or two, to which I will happily report that A Golden Fury navigates beautifully.

This book is unique in its plot with a gentle dose of feminism. If you want a book with a tad bit of mystery and a girl who can think for herself, pick this one up.

This book was a bit of a slow burn for me. and my actual rating is a 3.75. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
This book really surprised me. I'm not usually someone who loves historical fiction, but this was just amazing. I loved the worldbuilding, the setting, the way magic was woven so subtly into the story. I loved that the story was centered on alchemy, it seemed really unique to me.
I loved Thea as a protagonist. She was strong and yet so human and I could really sympathize with her and her struggles. Her relationship with her mom was so interesting and I loved seeing her relationships with the side characters such as Dominik evolve throughout the book.
The pacing was really good and I found myself engaged with the story at all times, and the ending was definitely not disappointing. I sometimes felt a little lost about how the magic system exactly worked especially during the later parts of the book and I found the ending slightly rushed in certain aspects, although I still really enjoyed it.
I also appreciated the inclusion of other languages such as German because it made the characters feel more real.. I found Valentin especially really intriguing, and I would have been interested to see more of his dynamic with Thea.
Overall this was a really unique read for me, and I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I'm almost disappointed that it's not part of a series and I won't get to read more about these characters.

A Golden Fury is a dark and enchanting tale about the perils of alchemy and journey to create the Philosopher's Stone. Thea Hope is her mother’s apprentice in alchemy, until one day her mother destroys all of their work. Thea is forced to leave in search of her father, another alchemist. With her mother’s notes and the secret to creating the Philosopher's Stone in her possession, Thea rapidly becomes the target for a number of interested parties- all of whom want her knowledge of the Stone. As tensions rise, Thea must decide who to trust and attempt to complete the Stone on her own terms.

I devoured A Golden Fury. It has fascinating power plays, excellent pacing, and complex relationships. Thea is one of my favorite new characters! Despite a myriad of challenges, Thea is steadfast in her refusal to allow a man to take credit for her work. Thea’s story highlights the struggles women face, especially when working in fields from which they have traditionally been excluded on the basis of gender. A Golden Fury explores the price of success, parental relationships, and the true power of an alchemist. One of my favorite things about this story is that alchemy always requires a price, one which cannot truly be understood until it is done. If you enjoy stories about alchemy, magic coming with a price, and smart women, you should absolutely read A Golden Fury. A Golden Fury releases on October 13, 2020. Thank you to Samantha Cohoe, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is smart, clever, and very entertaining with a great heroine and endearing side characters in this coming of age and finding one’s place in the world story. This story takes place 1792 France, before the revolution, and England when alchemy is becoming dangerous to practice. Alchemists are trying to be the first to create of the Philosopher’s Stone. The stone supposedly turns any base metal into gold, cures all ills, and wards off aging for the holder. The downside, the Alchemist’s Curse befalls the unworthy, which most alchemist is, it drives the maker mad. Theosebeia “Theo” Hope is one of my favorite female lead characters. For 17 years old Theo, alchemy if the family business and she more than proficient. She is intelligent and naïve, but as the story progresses, she learns from her mistakes, takes responsibility for her actions as well as finds her strength and confidence. I love this story and would be more than happy if this becomes a series.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I was excited to read something different and this book did not disappoint me.

Though the pacing leaves a lot of room for improvement, this is a creative and compelling debut from Samantha Cohoe. I'm surprised at the amount of romantic drama, it was at often times distracting, though not poorly done. An interesting new voice to fantasy and I'm curious to see what Cohoe does next.

'A Golden Fury' is the story of a young Alchemist desperately trying to create the philosophers stone to save the lives of her family and friends. Her perilous journey is one that involves espionage, heartbreak, madness, and love.

I was a little skeptical that a young adult book about alchemy would be an enjoyable read, but to my surprise I liked it! Alchemy is an esoteric subject that was once a highly respected craft and I'm glad the author included factual information about it in this fantasy story. The philosopher's stone is an object that is featured and also glamourized in many fiction books, but in this story the darker implications of creating the stone was the focus.

The characters were fierce and feisty and it wasn't a juvenile young adult story that I was expecting. It was a story that contained some dark topics and violence, but could have incorporated more details about the philosopher's stone itself and alchemy in general, because at times it seemed like the story was mostly about characters losing their minds.

Overall 'A Golden Fury' was a quick action packed read that fans of young adult fantasy would enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an eARC of A Golden Fury in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Unfortunately, the writing style was weird to me, I could not see the story flow, got confused and bored pretty early in the book, and for all that had to give up.
The premise f the story seems quite interesting and I would love to rate it higher, if it was not for the writing style.

I might try finish reading it again in the future.

Thank you, NetGalley for the e-arc!

Rating: 3.5

When I saw this cover and read the synopsis I thought, now this could be a breath of fresh air. A GOLDEN FURY was a well-written book with an intriguing plot involving alchemy (which we don't see enough of) and a girl who will do anything to break free of her controlling mother and absent father.

Thea is an alchemist who has worked with her mother in creating the powerful Philosopher's Stone, but before anyone can use it, Thea's mother goes mad and destroys it prompting Thea to leave the country and stay with a father whom she had never met. After a situation, Thea flees and goes off to find her friend (boyfriend?) Will, who turns out to be someone else entirely and she is forced to create the stone, which

Which, writing this review, is now what I have discovered is the theme of the book. At least, in my opinion.

Ok so this book gave me Tris and Katness vibes and that is to say that the main character's are almost devoid of emotion. Although, let's give Katniss some credit. She'd been through some s#$t. Anyway, the characters all seemed very flat and nothing truly set them apart from one another. Honestly, the one one I truly cared about was my cinnamon roll Dominic.

Although I didn't love the ending, A GOLDEN FURY was a departure from your typical YA. It just did not wholly engage me the way I thought it would. Which is a me problem? I do wish to see more from Samatha Cohoe int he future. She is one to watch!

This is the kind of novel that slowly wraps around you, pulling you in without yanking. I didn't realize how utterly gripped I was until I tried to wiggle free. The tension wasn't barreling into me so much as sinking into my essence much like the obsession with the stone in the story. As I slowly worked into Thea's world, like her, I found my heart torn and my loyalties tested. It's a wonder she still had a kindness in herself for anyone after what she went through with almost everyone she encounters. Also like her, I found myself trusting and caring for those who might not deserve it or at least only moderately deserved it. I think at some point I cared for every single one of the secondary characters around her. That said I did have favorites as Valentin and Dominic wound around my heart the quickest and tightest.

While relationships, ranging from familial to friendly with emotions ranging from romantic to bitter played a big role in the tension and propelling the story forward, the system created around alchemy and the stone were utterly fascinating and felt authentic, allowing me to dip into the magical aspects as easily as the human ones. There were some beautifully terrifying parts as the work with the stone altered things for those working on it. The story has a nice range of tone, with a dark foreboding hanging in the places between hope and terror.

It's a stunning debut, making me excited to see what's next from Samantha Cohoe.

#agoldenfury #netgalley

I had a hard time getting into this book and ended up stopping. I may try and finish reading it and come back to review at some point.

This was an unexpected read for me. I went in thinking there would be a lot more action than there was. This story was interesting altogether but filled with a lot more romance drama than I expected. The story involves the Philosopher’s stone and the author creates a pretty neat magical realism world. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the story about Thea trying to figure out how to make her place within the world and creating the stone. I just couldn’t really stand her doe eyed blind love for Will and oh boy did I not enjoy Will. I did however like Valentin and Dominic. The story was an overall okay read and wrapped up okay. I just didn’t really enjoy that final twist concerning a certain death and a certain life saved. Overall though, it was an interesting read with a fun take on alchemy and the philosopjer’s stone.

A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe is a terrific debut novel. It was a quick and easy read that kept me turning the pages to find out what happens next. I loved the twists and turns.

This was a fun easy read. I loved the storyline and the characters were great. I loved the twist towards the end.

I definitely recommend this book!

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.

If you enjoy reading Genevieve Cogman's 'Invisible Library' series you will love this fresh new take on alchemy, magic, and an alternate eighteenth century Europe where alchemists inhabit the university town of Oxford and Revolutionary France. This is a world where science and magic are the preserve of men but the secret of the Philosoper's Stone lies in the hands of a gifted mother and daughter pair of alchemists who must survive against both grasping and unscrupulous family and lovers who want their secrets and the evil of the Philosopher's Stone itself. It's exciting and fun to read a story in which the Stone itself is a character and not only a plot device.

The first way I judge a book is by whether it effectively surrounds me in its world. Is it atmospheric? This novel succeeds in that. We're, for the most part, in London during the French Revolution. The main character is Thea, a highly intellectual woman, trained by her mother to be an alchemist working toward the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, a substance which will cure any disease and make gold from lead.
Thea doesn't have a good relationship with her mother and doesn't know her father. When she meets her father, she doesn't think much of him. Thea is so well drawn that her contentious relationship with both parents had me squirming at times. Although I understood and had sympathy with her feelings, I didn't much like her at the beginning of the book. She grew as a character and grew on me.
The race to create and possess the Philosopher's Stone becomes one of betrayal and violence. This is not a story that leaves one feeling particularly uplifted, but it is a compelling story. The ending is tied up well, but enough questions are left to make me wonder if another book is planned. As far as I could tell, this is the author's first published work. It's well done.
Thank you Net Galley for a free advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Amazing premise, promised first third, and then it spiraled out of control. I’m so disappointed. It got so boring and confusing by the end.