I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!

I was really excited for A Golden Fury. While I definitely enjoyed it, it didn’t really live up to my expectations. Part of that definitely has to do with the fact that I really detest first-person narration. So I found that a bit grating as I read. I also felt everything was a bit rushed. I would have loved to have gotten to know all of the characters a lot better. I feel as if I just have fleeting impressions of everyone, including Thea, who still remains somewhat of an enigma. I didn’t feel that she had any sort of connection with any character, besides maybe Valentin. She was hurt by her father and Will, and she cared for Dominic, but none of these relationships felt like they had much meaning or carried much weight. I would have really loved to see more of her relationship with her mother, which I found to be the most interesting and complex relationship in the book. I also would have enjoyed a romance, because I am a sap and cannot help myself. Even when Thea believed herself to be in love with Will it never rang true, and I was so preoccupied with waiting for the other shoe to drop and her finally realizing he was a cad.

I think the idea was really interesting, and I think it was a promising first novel. Samantha Cohoe can certainly write well, and her knowledge and intelligence really came through. I loved the tidbits like the brief mention of Egyptian alchemist Zosimos and that Thea was named after his assistant Theosebeia. I just would really like it if it wasn’t in first person, and she spent more time with character development and world building. Anyway, I am eager to read Samantha’s next book, which sounds amazing, I mean who wouldn’t love a 1920’s bright young things meets The Tempest!?!

I will post a longer version of this review two weeks before publication on my Goodreads page, and my two blogs, https://nicbrouillette.tumblr.com/, and my new blog Flea With a Degree https://fleawithadegree.tumblr.com/.

A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe is due to be published October 13th 2020.

Choo choo sounds of disappointment train meets with expired baking powder taste of frustration( don’t ask me how I know expired baking powder taste! It’s another prank story)
After seeing this incredible cover and interesting women alchemists’ story waltzes with magical realism and fantasy with horrific delusional vibes and philosopher stone’s growing power reminds us of Frodo’s ring which turns to people more miserable than Gollum and pushes them into burning alive in their own hell by losing their insanities picked my interest from the beginning.
The beginning of the book: We’re introduced with 17 years old Thea and her mother who are talented alchemists and they are so close to create philosopher’s stone. Thea is sick of her mother’s harsh, loveless manners and her narcissistic personality that forces her living under her mother’s growing ego and mental abuse. Without Thea’s help, her mother cannot finish the ending process of creation and as soon as process completed, her mother has a manic attack and destroys the stone. Thea luckily saves herself from her anger and killing attempt, is sent to Oxford to meet her professor father who doesn’t know her existence.
Thea’s meeting with her father and his assistant Dominic, helping them at the laboratory for the creation process of white elixir brings out more madness and attacks and puts Thea’s life into danger because getting closer to create the stone turns into curse affects all the alchemists.

Dominic tries to help young woman to reconcile with her father but when he finds himself in more dangerous situation which completely ruins his life, Thea offers him to runaway with him to London for hiding at her ex lover Will’s place (he was working with her mother till her mother finds out their secret relationship and fires him!) Those action packed and exciting parts of the book earned nearly 5 stars from me.

And after they escape to London to meet with Will and captured by ruthless German soldiers who work for dangerous wealthy business man for paying Will’s debt, the mystery still kept me on my toes.

But especially third part of the book and Thea’s blind love and devotion for Will slowed down the pace and the story started to drown into the repetitive spiral. Especially last chapters were so melodramatic, tasteless and illogical. I wanted to scream at the author for killing all the characters and end this never ending spiral. I felt like she lost her way and she couldn’t decide how she could end the story with satisfying conclusion.

I’m giving the first half: 4.5 stars

And I’m giving the second half of the book: 1.5 stars

Average: I’m giving 3 stars. I felt like I read something that I loved so much at the beginning and I truly hated in the end.

I know it was debut novel and I believe the author has great potential to find interesting plot ideas and she has creative writing skills which hooked me for the first half of the book. So I still want to read her upcoming works. But I wish the last third of the book could be rewritten. Especially those foreseeable romance mystery and long additional escape part just made me lose my interest.

P. S: I have to add: I fell in love with the perfect cover of the book and admired the talent of illustrator.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday books for sharing this arc in exchange my honest opinions.

I wanted to like this book. The abstract seemed very interesting but I just couldn't make myself finish it. The main character seemed too argumentative and extremely sure of herself, which is fine sometimes but seemed overdone. I found myself trying to push through it, then skipping whole paragraphs, and then deciding I didn't really care if she created the Philosopher's stone and saved her friends. The constant no one telling her anything just got annoying.

I'm sure other people will like this book but it was not for me.

I was initially so excited to receive this book because the synopsis absolutely hooked me! It also started off great apart from the relationship with her mom which just saddened me, but somewhere near the middle or right before the middle of the book, it lost me. I felt like the characters fell flat, and I didn't connect to them like I would have liked. I was also eager for more action and magic, but it was found lacking. The ending wrapped things up nicely, but I just wanted more.

With that being said, there are many other reviewers who loved this story, and just because it didn't do it for me, doesn't mean it won't do it for you!

Thanks Net Galley for the ARC. if you like historical fantasies this would be up your alley. There's madness, mystery, murder and mayhem.

***I received an uncorrected proof of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review***


"Alchemy is dead. And you, my daughter, killed it."✝


⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

This book was a fun little standalone for anyone who likes history and alchemy. Cohoe did a really good job of marrying science and fantasy, making it easy to believe that this story could have truly taken place within the confines of our world.

I do wish there was a bit more romance.... not every YA book needs a romantic subplot, but this particular book felt a little lacking without it. Thea's motivations fell a little flat, as it was difficult to understand what exactly she was fighting for. Her emotionally abusive mother? Her estranged father? The sleaze who kept lying to her? I could not for the life of me understand why she was so eager for the stone... It wasn't even for herself, for glory, so why not for love?


✝check against final text

The Golden Fury takes place in the later 1700’s where alchemy is still alive and Thea Hope wants to become the one to crate the Sorcerer’s Stone. Thus, proving to her famous alchemist mother that she has what it takes and isn't just an apprentice. The Sorcerer’s Stone has other ideas as the curse her mother’s notes talk about seems to be all too real and has taken over her mother. If Thea can create the stone she can save her mother and others she cares about along the way. Overall, I liked the book and characters but I’m conflicted as there were parts that I enjoyed and other parts that where just…meh. Maybe it was because I just didn’t feel invested in a majority of the characters and Dominic whom, I felt should have gotten more attention and love, felt discarded and slighted.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved everything about this book. I could feel the turmoil surrounding the main character throughout the entire story as if it was my own. The storyline flowed nicely, there wasnt a single point where I felt it was dragging along.

*This review is based on an uncorrected proof provided by NetGalley and the publisher.*

3.5/5 stars

All Thea wants is to prove to her mother that she is a capable alchemist. She has spent her life traveling with her mother from one benefactor to another, training as an alchemy adept and searching for the elusive recipe for the Sorcerer's Stone. Now, though, her mother has shut her out of the laboratory and refuses to let her near the mixture, even though Thea is the one who translated the secret text from Arabic. Thea is set adrift after her mother's coldness turns to madness--but is it from natural causes or because of a curse? Traveling to England in order to escape the unrest before the French Revolution, Thea begins to wonder if making her own Sorcerer's Stone might be able to cure her mother. But how can she prevent her own descent into madness?

Samantha Cohoe has written a unique story that touches on both a time period and a subject not often seen in YA fiction. The subject of alchemy, and its former place as a viable science, is explored with an eye to the cost of success. Thea is forced to reckon with her own ambitions, those of the people around her, and the lengths she is willing to go for fame and power. She often presents herself in the story with altruistic motives, such as finding a cure for her mother, but there is always an undercurrent of her desire to be valued and seen as a true alchemist. The power of the Sorcerer's Stone is a constant lure that both calls to her and frightens her.

I found the depictions of the Stone's curse and the madness that it causes to be vivid and disturbing, just as it must have been for the characters. The book shines when it is plumbing the depths of the psyche and putting its heroine through intense trials. I wanted more from the alchemical descriptions and the texts Thea was reading in order to find answers, but we were mostly given answers rather than being asked to figure things out on our own. That said, I was impressed with many of the scenes in the second half of the book, which were haunting, scary, and made me wish I wasn't reading at night.

The main concern I had with this book were the characters and their motivations. Thea was not a particularly likable character, although she did not need to be in order for the book to be enjoyable. I did, however, miss many of her motivations throughout the story. Her relationships, besides the one with her mother, are fairly superficial and seem to happen either quickly or off the page. I wanted to believe in her romance with Will, but I didn't get to read enough of their interactions to become invested. We only get to read one or two of his letters to her and, while they were loving, I wasn't convinced of their deeper courtship. Similarly, Thea's only friend Dustin is often treated poorly and ignored by Thea unless he is convenient or serves a purpose. His involvement with the Sorcerer's Stone mainly serves to spur Thea into action, but he is often disregarded and does not feel like he is truly essential to Thea or the plot. I wanted to love the characters, or at least believe in them, but I had a hard time not pausing and questioning their thoughts and motivations.

Overall, this book has an interesting plot and unique features, but its characters are somewhat lacking. If alchemy, curses, and a bit of terror interest you, pick this up and give it a try!

A Golden Fury is a historical fantasy set in France and England during the late seventeen hundreds, a turbulent time in Europe. Thea’s mother is an alchemist seeking to create the Philosopher’s Stone and Thea herself has been trained in the alchemical arts. They are close, so close, but something goes terribly wrong and Thea must leave France on her own to continue their work. But should she, if doing so is what affected her mother? And does she even have a choice when there are so many others who seek to create it.

This book is well written and well researched, with a voice that fits so well into the eighteenth century without feeling oppressive. Thea is both described as intelligent and also actually acts intelligently, which I really appreciated. I loved her growth over the course of the book as she struggled to find her place and discover who she was. I also loved most of the side characters, both those trying to help Thea and those working against her. I loved the plot, and the direction it ended up going. Also this book made me cry and laugh hysterically at the same time and I don’t think a book has ever done that to me before. Honestly, I loved it and highly recommend it.

I was not a huge fan of this book. It was difficult to hold my interest and in the end I didn't end up finishing it. I never felt a connection to the main characters. The concept, however, was one I did enjoy, I just wish there had been a few more ways to hook me in early on in the book.

This book was just OK. The historical setting was mentioned in passing ie clothing styles, leaders of countries, revolutions, etc., but otherwise was unimportant to the story. The characters were two-dimensional and felt flat, and I struggled to care about the outcome for any of them. Some twists along the way did make the plot more interesting, but even the alchemy that forms the soul of the book was glossed over to a large degree. Overall I didn't love the book or hate it.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for providing me with this book.
The overall plot is rather good and interesting., it is well-paced and easy to follow.
However, it did not connect with the story nor the characters. I expected something a bit different, more action-packed I never felt invested in what was going on whatsoever. I felt it lacked depth and mystery and I found it hard to care. It is hard to express how I feel, I didn't like it but I didn't not like it.

I loved this book & am shocked that this is the author's debut novel. I can tell you that I have added Samantha Cohoe to my radar for sure.

Thea Hope is a strong willed budding alchemist (but is she really budding because she's awesome).

She has created what no one else has created and the Stone wants her for it. Follow this journey through England during a time that women weren't encouraged to use their brilliant minds. Thea is such a likable character!

This book is well written and kept me turning page after page after brilliant page.

This was pretty good. I would give it a 3.5 if I could.

Alchemy in general is an intriguing concept, and Thea was a dynamic, complex character. The motivations of her own ambition and her conflicting desires to both eclipse her mother and earn her mother's love were interesting.

I didn't LOVE any of the characters, really, but there's a lot to like.

There was a love plot, kind of, but most of the time Thea is seeing everyone around her as either friends or enemies, and she ends up still single at the end. I can easily imagine how it might have been done terribly, especially with everything hinging on Will's betrayal, so I'm grateful for how matter-of-fact and lowkey everything was handled. Dominic really got the short end of the stick, being trapped in madness for such a long time and also used as a diversion at the risk of his life.

The Philosopher's Stone as some sentient, malevolent being from another plane of existence was interesting. Also I was a big fan of Thea's dynamic with her father, who initially gave in to his greed but turned out to be a nice and sincere person who I liked a lot. It was great that even after his change of heart he still took a background role, supporting her.

I really enjoyed this book! The story sucked me right in and the beautiful writing serves the narrative seamlessly. The fact that Thea's character is motivated by her own desire for achievement and acknowledgment in her work as well as by complex personal relationships really sets her apart as a heroine in this genre. I also love that those relationships include a difficult and demanding mother, an ambiguous and potentially disastrous love interest, AND a platonic friendship with a boy. Issues like sexism and classism come up organically in the context of the story and are handled with thoughtful reflection, and there's an interesting twist on the chosen one trope. Highly recommend!

Stunning, magical book, kept me hooked from start to finish and I couldn't put it down even to go to sleep. Reminds me of Naomi Novik and Libba Bray! Only downside is the many wrong italian words throughout the book, some are used exclusively in modern dialects, it could be fixed so easily and I hope it will be since the publication date is still far away.

Thea is the daughter of a world famous alchemist who develops mental health issues while trying to create the infamous Philosopher's Stone, a substance believed to bestow long-life to its creator but that is cursed to drive the unworthy insane. For centuries, no one has been able to create it successfully but Thea is up for the challenge. In order to help restore her mother's sanity, Thea endeavors to create the Philosophers Stone herself, with the assistance of a few other alchemists.

I had a difficult time getting fully engaged with this particular book. Thea was just not a very like able character. She seemed very two dimensional and rather emotionless towards most of the other characters. Thea is very young and determined, but I found myself shaking my head at the way she interacted with others. The ending of the story left things rather unresolved. The pace of the book was good and the overall writing I liked, Just didn't care for the storyline as much as I was hoping but O would definitely try reading another book by the same author.

Thanks NetGalley and the St. Martin's Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for this honest review. This is a decent book, written in an engaging manner. The pacing is good, and the book is easy to follow. I like a book like "A Golden Fury" that has short chapters, which makes it easier to pick it up and read at any time.

I didn't realize it was a "Young Adult" book until after I requested and read the ARC. (I do like a good YA book, and don't treat an YA book any differently than I would an adult book.)

Had I known it in advance, it would've made me more patient with Thea, the main character of the book. After the first quarter of the book, I was getting annoyed by her behavior, which seemed at times irrational and inexplicable. Of course, Thea is a young adult herself, so her behavior maybe more relatable to the younger audiences.

I'm honestly trying to figure out how I feel about this book. On one hand, it was a solidly written book. It wasn't a bad read at all, but it wasn't great either. On the other hand, the characters felt very devoid of any personality. Granted, the book is written in the POV of Thea, who is rather an unemotional person, but at the same time... there was something just lacking.

Thea is an alchemist who has figured out how to make the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Which is great except for the part where to make the stone, you need to lose your mind. She's also (rather stupidly) in love with a man named Will. When she is sent from her home by her crazy (no, literally, crazy) mother, she eventually ends up back with Will. Hijinks ensue.

I think one of my problems with this book is that the characters never learn from their mistakes. Thea keeps making the same decisions and the same mistakes over and over again. She claims (and is shown to be) reasonably intelligent, so the fact that she keeps doing this is beyond frustrating. You would think she would learn from her mistakes, but she never actually does.

The characters themselves are very flat. I'm not sure if this was Cohoe's intention because of the narration POV, but regardless, it was hard to care about any of them.

My other issue with the book is that there is a lack of resolution. The book simply ends. There are dozens of loose ends left, and this seems to be a standalone book. As a reader, I felt rather let down. Thea ends up going on this whole journey and, in the end, she doesn't get a satisfying conclusion. I'm not sure if Cohoe was trying to leave it a little open in hopes of getting the go-ahead to write a sequel or a companion novel, or if she was hoping that the abrupt openness of the ending was supposed to be symbolic of something. Regardless of intentions, for me, it didn't work.