This was not at all what I was expecting!

A Golden Fury is a thoroughly enjoyable read for fans of magical realism in a historical setting. We follow Theosebeia, a brave young alchemist who gets tangled in a huge mess regarding her mother who goes mad, her father who doesn't know she exists, her lover and the Philosopher's Stone.
The conflict was fascinating and brilliantly resolved, I must say I was very worried the ending would be unsatisfactory, but it was truly perfect.
The only criticism that I have is that the pacing could have been faster, it took me a while to get into the story and there were some more hiccups along the way where I just felt like nothing was happening.

I recommend this to everybody who likes new twists on old tropes and a historical setting!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely love learning about alchemy and this book was stuffed full of alchemical details and musings and so, it was right up my alley. The historical setting was well done, as far as I can tell, and the main character was compelling. Unfortunately, something kept this one from becoming a new favorite but if you are looking for a tale of alchemy with a ton of twists, I definitely recommend this one!

Trigger Warnings,
Self harm
A potential rape scene
Mental illness/madness

To me this was a good read. Really loved the fantasy elements. The background or history that was present I enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the pacing. It was to slow for my liking.

Samantha Cohoe's A Golden Fury is a wonderfully written piece of literature. The prose is engaging, a majority of the characters are developed enough to make the reader feel compelled to find out what happens to them, the fantastical/supernatural elements are done in a way that pulls the reader in and keeps them guessing as to what is really happening. The pace of the story arc is well thought out and unlike many stories that try to do the same, doesn't lag just for the sake of words.

Overall, this is a very quick read with a compelling plot, protagonist, and multiple antagonists that make this a wonderful book.

I hate I somehow let this review slip past me and did not post it sooner.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the eARC of this work.

This one was just alright for me. I didn't feel super excited and felt it was more of a chore to read then actually push through.

I loved this intriguing story of Thea who is a super determined, strong and likeable MC! I especially loved the dark academia vibes of the novel and the history elements (I secretly want to live in the 18th century).
I was filled with excitement throughout the whole novel and rooting for Thea to not only save the day, but to discover what her mother has left behind and with this finding her true purpose!

When I read the synopsis and it mentioned the philosopher's stone I thought the book would be wizardly and magical, after reading books like Harry Potter. I was delighted to see it was different, scientific and scholarly. Also I loved that the protagonist was a young lady doing something that was highly unusual for women in her day.

I just reviewed A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe. #NetGalley

This read was a bit slow for me. I am usually all into alchemy but it wasn't do it for me in this book. I'm not sure what else it needed. Maybe more romance? I think that may have helped me getting into it more. The last 10-15% were really great, just wish it occurred earlier on in the book.

Ohhhh I really liked this book! My only knowledge of the philosophers stone has been because of Harry Potter, so it was exciting to see it through a new light. I loved that mash up of science and magic within the book and also everyone facing their morals when it came to their intentions with the stone. I felt like the character development was strong and we actually got to see people grow throughout the book. I’ll definitely be checking out more of her books in the future!

A Golden Fury is a story about Thea, whose brilliant alchemist mother came close to making the Philosopher's Stone before madness took her. Thea, now sent to live with the father she never knew may be the only one who can make it now but it would come at the cost of her own sanity.
Reading books like this just tells me that I apparently don't like stories where people are miserable nearly the whole time. It's like if the whole story feels like the main character is on the struggle bus without a pause I'm just not gonna have a good time. Now, that doesn't mean it's a bad story! It really doesn't! it was well written and interesting and had great characters but as a deeply empathetic person, this is just one of those books that just feels Very Stressful to read.
However, chances are you aren't as feely as I am and you will quite like this, so let's do a little check, Do you like stories witch smart, interesting ladies? Do you like historical settings? Do you find alchemy really cool? Do you like having more than one love interest to choose from? Do you enjoy reading complicated family dynamics? If you answered yes to at least two of these, you probably will quite enjoy this interesting and original book, it just wasn't for me.

A Golden Fury is a unique story with an enchanting historical setting and well-developed characters. It’s a solid debut from a new and promising author, and I look forward to Samatha Cohoe’s next novel.

Magic, alchemy, and the philosopher's stone Oh my. This book has a magic triple combo that will make lovers of Harry Potter wonder what happened. It may seem odd to compare a book to Harry Potter but it has some similarities (philosopher's stone). While I usually like to take my time reading books I found myself wanting to finish this book as soon as possible only to know what happened. Looking forward to more books from this author.

This book was fairly enjoyable as I love the tropes of Alchemy and the philosophers stone anyway.

However there was something lacking in the character development for me, the romance with Thea and Dominic didn't do it for me and it felt very melodramatic and blind devotion-esque.

I didn’t hesitate when I was asked to take part of A Golden Fury blog tour. As soon as I read the plot, I knew I’d like it. And indeed, I really enjoyed my reading as I’m giving 4/5 stars to it.
I received the e-ARC in exchange of my honest review. Thank you again to Wednesday Books for the trust.

As I said, when I first read the plot, I really was intriguing by this book. I’m not usually fond of alchemy’s storylines but here, knowing it is based in the eighteenth-century France/England, I jumped on it. I love when authors take us back in the past and make us dream with wonderful backgrounds. Fun fact: before reading A Golden Fury, I watched Enola Holmes on Netflix and it really helped me seeing all the costumes and settings.

Samantha Cohoe did a great job here with her debut novel. When science meets magic, with a little touch of love and danger, it gave an amazing adventure through the French and English roads. I find her writing style really easy and it wasn’t hard to get though the story. The scenes were well written and gave us all the details we needed to. I love Thea, our protagonist, and her strong nature. She was really intelligent, brave, stubborn and naive. As all the other characters, she only inspired for one thing: the Philosopher’s Stone. Yet they didn’t have the same purpose for it. And it was what brought some dark to the story. The strong and undying desire for a dangerous thing. I must say so: I adored Dominic and Valentin!

I only regret one thing: the romance. Well or so-close-romance, should I say. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. But you guys should know I’m not a romance fan so that’s why. Anyway, it was really a great book. I had such a lovely time with Thea and her adventures!
Thank you for reading (and sorry for my mistakes ?)

3.5 Stars

I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed A Golden Fury, but the whole time I was reading about Thea and the Philosopher’s Stone, it felt like there was something missing. While the characters were quite fleshed out and round, I felt that the plot was much too linear—the opportunities to flesh out the most important character in the book were completely missed.

Most disappointingly, the ending is abrupt, leaving the reader depressed with the explanation of why things that used to be magical in the world and made it partly full of wonder now aren’t.

I would certainly have enjoyed the story more with a bit more world building; the pace felt too fast for me and the story superficial, though it was not a bad experience.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, for which I give my own opinion.

Any book on alchemy is a win for me, I absolutely adore the subject and am very invested in it, dark magic and issues of patriarchal society.
However, I'd really appreciate a deeper dive into the alchemical aspect of the story, a bit more on symbology and more on the darker side and less on personal development, but I have to remember this work is a work of fiction and needs to be a development as well.
I really appreciate the dive into France's history and overall patriarchal society and expectations and behavior expected from a young woman.
Overall a very nice read, solid 3.5 stars for me, language is rich, missing a bit of alchemical language and French references for me.
Thanks to the author for a very nice time.

This was an interesting read but a bit slow paced for me, I just kept wanting more, more romance, more alchemy, more action. I found the ending to be good, but the pacing of the rest of the book just seemed to be off. I appreciated the dynamic between the heroine & her mother and how the abusive elements were handled. I think the story just needed to be a bit more fleshed out.

Alchemy is a subject I find fascinating. There are so many things we still do not understand about the world, and sometimes it’s hard not to dream about a touch of magic in everyday life. Who wouldn’t want to have the Philosopher’s Stone? This book explores that exact question.

Thea Hope is an aspiring alchemist living in the shadow of her famous mother, but she dreams of finding her own fame one day. She will uncover the secrets of making the Philosopher’s Stone, reunite with her love Will, and live happily ever after, as the fairy tales say. Only life is not a fairy tale. Her mother is trying to keep the alchemical secrets to herself, and with France on the brink of revolution, Thea will be sent to England for her own safety. Despite staying with a father who never knew she existed, Thea is determined to live out her dreams. However, secrets and betrayals abound, and Thea will have to navigate dangerous waters if she wants to survive, let alone make the stone.

This book drew me in from the very beginning. I loved the premise, and who wouldn’t want to be engrossed in historical France and England? I wanted to learn more about Thea and her mother, and I wanted to see if they would be successful making the stone. I felt Thea’s longing for her one real friend and love, and, of course, the chance of learning alchemical secrets fascinated me. And then all of the action started. The mark of a good book is one that can make you feel strong emotions, and A Golden Fury certainly accomplished this. From wanting to see more of the Comte, to wishing I could reach through the pages and shake a character or two to make them see reason, emotions were definitely high throughout this book.

The magical effects of the stone are felt throughout the book. The further alchemists descend into their work, the less lucid they become. This led to moments of wondering who could be trusted, if the budding romances were motivated by real feelings or by greed (and maybe a touch of Stockholm Syndrome), and it also made me keep turning pages to uncover the truth about all of the characters and see if Thea would prevail despite all the odds. The stakes in this book were certainly high—lose friends, lose sanity, or lose life—and this made for gripping reading.

Unfortunately, for me, the ending of the book did not quite live up to the beginning. There were several fledgling plot lines that never seemed fully realized, and more than once I felt like I was getting whiplash from characters’ behavior. It seemed like the book didn’t quite reach its full potential. I wanted more vivid descriptions, more time to savor building tension, and more of a resolution to the story threads that were started. However, I know other people did not have these issues, so don’t let that stop you from reading this! There were still plenty of enjoyable aspects throughout the book.

Travel through time and enjoy the mystic nature of alchemy. I’ll be interested to see what Samantha Cohoe writes next!

Most Memorable Aspect: The inclusion of research from historical alchemists.

If you enjoy historical settings and a touch of magic in everyday life, then you will enjoy this book! Uncover the secrets of alchemy in this coming-of-age fantasy story that will leave you wanting more.

First, let's all take a minute to just admire this beautiful cover. Seriously, look at it! It was the first thing that caught my attention, second being the setting of 18th century France and England. I'll be honest and let you know that I'm really not a fan of historical fiction, even if its young adult historical fiction, but the premise of this book was just too good to pass up and it ended up being much more enjoyable because the main focus wasn't on the historical aspect per se. I was so intrigued by the discussion of alchemy and the whole process of creating the Philosopher's Stone, and I also just can't resist a book if it mentions France as part of the setting.

So our main character is Thea Hope and she wants more than anything to be an alchemist outside of her mothers famous alchemist mother's shadow. She's been working hard with her to create the Philosopher's Stone and and they're extremely close to succeeding, until something goes horribly wrong. Her mother goes mad and completely destroys the stone, and all Thea has left to show for their work is her mother's notes, which is where she discovers that the stone is cursed. With the threat of the French Revolution looming over her, Thea must flee to Oxford and live with her father who has no idea she exists. Once in Oxford, Thea meets other alchemists who don't believe her warnings about the stone and only want to use her to create the stone for them. She has to decide between risking her sanity to create the stone, or risk losing her loved ones for good.

This was such a well-written debut and I'm so excited to see what Samantha writes next!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Science of magic? Power or possession? These are the hard hitting questions I want to ponder as we hurtle towards All Hallow’s Eve. And debut author Samantha Cohoe is giving us the Halloween present we all deserve in 2020.

Thea Hope is a gifted alchemist. Raised on the elusive science by her mother, her entire life has been dedicated to unlocking the secrets for The Philosopher’s Stone. But on the edge of their greatest discovery, madness seizes her mother and she nearly destroys all evidence of their progress.

With her mother’s tattered notes, Thea runs to London, seeking aid from her father. But the alchemists curse follows her at every turn and the closer she gets to completing the process, the closer to madness she also descends. Backed into a corner, Thea has no choice but to risk her own mind or lose everything she loves.

Heading into my favorite holiday of the year, this was such a perfect read for me. It’s creepy and enchanting in equal measure, topped with a plot that had me guessing the entire time.

Thea is a lovely main character. She’s smart and driven, but isn’t immune to her emotions. Her loneliness is so poignant, it hurts at time, but even so she pushes forward, showing her inner strength and fortitude. She is very human, making flawed choices, but her character is so nuanced, that there is no clear direction or predictability for her.

And that’s one of the things I loved about this book. How no matter what decision she makes, it’s never clear it’s the right one. None of her options are good ones, and there’s a vivid reality in that. Nothing in life is ever black and white, or easy to discern, and I loved how this complicated truth was woven into Thea’s character arc and plot.

One of the most heartbreaking aspects of this book is how isolated Thea is. Every one of her relationships are tainted by alchemy and the desire for power. It makes finding her place difficult, and knowing who to trust impossible.

But even more than that, her entire character is a juxtaposition of impossibility. She’s English but is raised French during a time when both countries are poised for war. She’s a woman skilled in a science that prefers men to women––in a world that prefers the same. Her refusal to succumb to any one thing would be an amazing story of strength and fortitude. But the fact that she defies all of the boxes society, and even those closest to her put her in, makes her the exact type of fierce girl I love reading about.

Adding even more reason to love Thea, she still yearns for connection and tries to find the good in people, even when the good isn’t obvious. We see this more and more through the second half, and rather than making her seem oblivious or naive, it works to frame her as very empathetic and human. She wants to believe in more than the power of the Stone, she wants to believe in the good of humanity. And despite her mistakes, this makes her extremely likable and a heroine worth cheering for.

I also loved how the curse was handled throughout the entire story. Alchemy is an elusive science. Proven in some ways, unsatisfied in others. Everyone seeks the answer for how to create the Philosopher’s Stone, and until they can do that, they’ll never be taken seriously outside select circles.

But even amongst the believers, something as mythical as a curse feels too much like magic when they’ve convinced themselves it’s science. Add that to the fact that Thea is living in a world that seeks to discredit women at every turn. Their disbelief in her abilities, in her warnings, it all is so infuriating yet believable. Men who are willing to believe in the possibility of immortality and immeasurable wealth are unwilling to believe there could be a price.

And I think that’s a clever layer. After all, we know magic has a price, but science doesn’t. And there’s a lovely balance between questioning whether alchemy is science or magic throughout the book. Could something so wondrous, offering such enormous gifts, be science? Could it be real? But in the age when electricity feels like a sort of magic, it stands to reason people would believe anything is possible. And I loved how this murky lack of clarity was woven into the story.

Overall, A Golden Fury is a gorgeous debut. It has the right blend of science versus magic that captures the mentality of that time. Thea is a blend of smarts and determination mixed with an empathy and kindness that makes her a delight to read. The plot moves at an exceptional pace, making this a very fast read. I loved the atmosphere, the turmoil, and the real humanity written into every page. It’s a historical fantasy with heart and anyone who loves that genre will devour this book.

4 out of 5 very stabby stars!