Seasonal Fears (Alchemical Journeys, #2)
by Seanan McGuire
I am sitting here in wonder that this is the second book in the series. It felt so fresh and new, yet so developed and intricate. The story of teen struggles, or impossible missions, and harsh realty. The body of work shows how young love seems impossible but eternity. The struggle into the Alchemical world just heightens the struggles. Being the embodiment of seasons only adds to the danger, adds to the excitement of young love. The love you would give everything for, just so your beloved is happy. Their contentment is all consuming. Harry loved the dying girl, with a heart condition that will take her any moment. She is impossibly beautiful, fragile, and tender. All the ideal of snow white in real life. She returns his devotion with a whole open heart. Their assumed quest what for each other, so the other could live. A hint of young romance, a world of magic or alchemy and just a little of the truth. A story to learn from.
The Audio sounds like the lady from two broke girls. Her tone and inflection at least. Which made the jokes a little funnier, the story a little brighter, and the characters more alive.

I've been anticipating this book for years now. Middlegame introduced me to a world so creative that I didn't fully appreciate it until I reread it. These books are set in a world where magic is essentially real, except, it's more of a science via alchemy. In book one, we see Rodger and Dodger as the embodiment of language and math, two fundamental aspects of nature. That concept is carried on into this book, where we follow two new characters who are ascending into their own role, akin to that of Rodger and Dodger. I won't get any deeper than that so as to leave it as a surprise, but I will say it feels wholly unique to Middlegame all around.

The dynamic of our central characters are different because they are boyfriend and girl friend, rather than brother and sister (although, you can rest assured that McGuire includes her obligatory sibling paring). The plotting is also different. While we may be following two figures similar to Rodger and Dodger in their quest, their path and ultimate goal is fundamentally different. On a personal level, I am sad to leave the sibling dynamic and the timey-whimy plot of the first book. However, I recognize this book would not have been as good a book if it was a carbon copy of the last book (as much as I'd have loved it regardless).

Another way that it differs from Middlegame may not sit well with some readers. Middlegame is character driven and intricately woven to slowly reveal what is going on. Seasonal Fears feels like it is more for fans of the world with much more time spent on the world building and explaining what's going on to the reader in a much more linear and direct fashion. Objectively, I think it makes for a less effective book, but I'm also not one to pretend I don't love it for what is too. In fact, I felt more intwined with the alchemical roots of the series in Seasonal Fears than Middlegame. The intersection of Seasonal Fears with A. Deborah Baker's stories feels more direct and more crucial to the story. That's likely an artifact of the time spent on world building. It makes me excited for the future because there is so much potential for content in this world, and I desperately want to see it manifested into existence. Luckily, I am convinced McGuire is herself an alchemist under the guise of an author. So, Seanan, if you're reading this and in need of a sacrifice,. I'm happy to volunteer if it means the world gets more of these Alchemical Journeys.

Now, for the small critiques that I have for the book. I've hinted at places where I feel that book doesn't meet Middlegame, both from an objective and subjective sense, but none of that would have really hurt its rating for me. My biggest issue with this book is that the ending felt anticlimactic. At some point, the threat no longer felt real, and I wanted more to bring it to life. I wanted to feel like anything could happen like I did in Middlegame. That's all I'll say so as not to spoil you (and because it feels sacrilegious to say anything negative about this). To be clear, this was still a blast. I want to reread it already, and the first book I picked up I quit after 20 minutes because it was so sad to be gone from this amazing world.

4-4.5/5 star

PS: The audiobook, narrated by the amazingly talented Amber Benson (AKA Tara in Buffy) was just as amazing as in Middlegame. I am so grateful to NetGalley and McMillian Audio for a chance to review the audio edition of this book!

Check out my video review on my YouTube Channel (posting closer to publish date)
https://youtu.be/N5_kr6F1nG0

The wheel of seasons is turning and two unwitting youngsters are caught in the tines. Harry and Mel are childhood sweethearts. As forces unseen bring about a cataclysmic change, they must find their way to the Forbidden City. A continuation of the series starting with the fugal Middlegame, this book stands alone well on its own with strong characters that evolve as the story unfolds. As with Middlegame, there is a bit of violence in this story. Nothing too gory, but might not sit well with more sensitive listeners. Narrator does a fabulous job again brining more life to the characters with her subtle voice differences and dialectic inflections. Overall, fantastic listen.

This is a companion book to Middlegame not a sequel, Dodger doesn’t even show up until the halfway mark.

This is a story of winter & summer not math & language.

Melanie & Harry have been in love since they were 6. Melanie was born with a heart defect. The night of their high school prom they are on the run and then on the hunt.

Multiple duos are also chosen for the hunt. If Melanie isn’t chosen as the Winter Queen she’s dead.

Mel has family members who want to sabotage her quest.

What will Harry do? Will he believe this Summer King, Winter Queen story or assume it’s an expertly crafted LARPing …

Great fun! Different from Middlegame do it took me a few chapters to get into it. Can’t wait for Tuesday! Great narration.

Thank you #NetGalley & #MacmillanAudio. Hope there will be a book three!!

I've been waiting for this book for a while. I really liked Middlegame. I wanted to go back into that world. Seanan's world building is always so interesting and detailed, I enjoy every book I've read from her so far. This was another great read.

After having adored MIDDLEGAME in January, I was ecstatic to see that Seanan had a second in the series releasing in 2022. I think my expectations were a bit high going into this, but overall enjoyed this read.

After reading some other reviews, I agree that Seanan’s approach to the second in the series is interesting. I wouldn’t go so far to say that it ruined the experience, but having loved Rodger and Dodger’s story in book 1 I was hoping it would continue. I was thrilled to see their short features in this installation, but also liked that we had different protagonists to follow.

I liked the new concept introduced in SEASONAL FEARS. It continued the world of the alchemical arts but highlighted different players and powers. The characters were great, once again. I think their storylines were well structured and flowed smoothly.

There were definitely points in the middle where I was lost - but a quick rewind/reread of a few pages helped get me back track. I’d probably rate this one around a 3.75.

Overall, Seanan’s quirky approach to her novels is something I enjoy and find intriguing. As usual, her world building is what draws me in most. And the audiobook experience was wonderful. I liked the different voices and at many points I got real Dodger energy from our Jack.

Thank you, Netgalley for the audiobook ARC! McGuire returns to the Alchemical Journeys (Middlegame) in this latest book. While fans of the first book will want to pick this up for the guest appearances of book one's main characters, this book can stand on its own. Seasonal Fears follow childhood sweathearts, Melanie and Harry, and there quest to risk it all in order to stay together.
4.5. stars.
Wonderfully narrated by Amber Benson.

So Middlegame was a full 5⭐️ for me. This got incredibly close, but didn’t quite reach that same level. I think it was mostly my fault; I was expecting to continue to have and love our original characters and they aren’t in this one very much. It also felt a bit anticlimactic for me and went along a path that felt strange to me.
- That being said, this still has Seanan McGuire’s magnificent writing. It still sucked me in, held me a bit captive, and made me fall for the new characters we were following. I was so excited to receive this ARC that I genuinely cried a little and it did not let me down❤️

This book is contemporary fantasy sci-fi with a dash of horror. Seasonal Fears is book two in the Alchemical Journeys series and occurs shortly after Middlegame. Fans of Blake Crouch would enjoy this series!

Harry and Mel have been best friends since childhood and are now high school sweethearts. Harry is the star football player and Mel is a cheerleader. Harry has always known that he wants to marry Mel, but she has a heart condition, and everyone knows she probably won’t make it to adulthood.

When Winter and Summer Incarnate die, Harry and Mel are in the running to become their replacements. The stakes are life or death, and they are being hunted by the other contestants. The two set out on a roadtrip that promises new friends, violence, magic, and complete disruption of the reality they once knew.

While Middlegame was character driven, this book goes into deeper explanations about magic systems. I listened to book one, and listened to and read this one. Amber Benson does a spectacular job narrating both books in this series.

The beginnings of these books threw me a little with all of the quotes and alchemist backstory passages, but once I got to the main storyline with the two MCs, they quickly became two of my all-time favorite sci-fi novels.

After reading McGuire’s brilliant, vivid, spellbinding writing in both books, I’m fairly sure she’s an alchemist 😉🖤. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for a digital ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Seasonal Fears - Seanan McGuire
4.5/5⭐️

This lush, dark, and twisting fairytale-like companion novel was an excellent edition to this world. The ability of McGuire to craft characters with such depth and emotion while still feeling otherwordly is a feat in itself.

I love Seanan McGuire’s books. Her characters are intelligent and funny, and her pacing is perfect. The characters in Seasonal Fears are the usual intelligent and loyal to the people they love. However, the pacing is abysmal. So abysmal that I was confused. I know that Seanan McGuire can give explanations of a world’s rules and move on without confusing or boring the reader.

To sum up: I didn’t need multiple explanations for their world. It’s a battle royale to be a personification of Winter and Summer. Yet, when I think Harry understands that he has to fight to be Summer or he will die, he asks for an explanation, and I feel like David Duchnovy from Zoolander.

The ending was rushed. All the time spent went into explaining to Harry how personifications worked instead of Melanie’s evil twin sister hunting Harry and Melanie down.

I’m blaming COVID on this book. Seanan McGuire is so much better than this.

This audiobook didn't help. I didn't like the reader's narration, especially the voice she uses for Jack Frost. Jack Frost sounds like such an annoying brat that I started to unfairly not like her.

The Good: The parts with characters from the first book. I also enjoyed all the additional lore and world building, it made some of the first book make sense to me. I enjoyed not being completely confused. You have to get halfway through to get to get to my favorite characters, but it was worth the wait. I also really loved a new character, Jack. She felt perfect.

What didn't work for me: A lot of the start was a bit too much YA sick-lit drama. Things are very simple. Winter is cold. Summer is hot. She is sick, he is rich; and they love each other SO much. I'm not sure how many times we were told this, but it was a LOT. The end resolution seemed a bit too easy and simple, making it again feel younger.

All in all, a good slow read, and I'll reserve some of my judgement until I see how the whole series plays out.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.