The Scarlet Alchemist is a solid four star YA Fantasy for me. Does it have tropes? Yes. Is it formulaic? Yes. But, those are positive qualities when an author is skilled enough to make them work, and the author of this book definitely knows what she’s doing.

Fan Zilan, a seventeen year old girl growing up with her aunt, uncle, and two cousins in the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province China. Her mother died when Zilan was around four years of age while her father seemingly abandons her and her mother in their biggest time of need, when Zilan’s mother was gravely ill. Because of this, she grows up identifying her extended family as her immediate family. She even calls her cousins Wenshu and Yufei older brother and older sister out of both love and respect. Despite their closeness, however, Zilan always feels like a third wheel, like she doesn’t belong, and that if her cousins had to choose, they would choose each other over her. This is completely unfounded, but that’s what fear and anxiety is afterall, a bunch of nonsense.

Zilan finds texts from her father in his belongings. These texts turn out to be about his theories related to alchemy. Zilan takes to the text and decides that her life goal will be to become a Royal Alchemist even though she is from a poor country province and most Royal Alchemists had formal education. That doesn’t deter Zilan though. Along with her cousins Wenshu and Yufei, she has bigger dreams of securing an elevated status and bringing in more money for the household. So, from a young age, all three of them plan together, study, and train to make the household proud. Unbeknownst to the adults, they also perform alchemical resurrections in their spare time to bring in more money on a day to day basis. The kids are super talented.

The adventure in Zilan’s story begins when she prepares to take her entrance exams to become a Royal Alchemist. Actually, they begin a little before that when she meets a handsome stranger asking her to come to the capital city of Chang’an to help resurrect him before he’s actually murdered. She says no, of course, because she has her priorities straight. Family first. However, after she gets to Chang’an, she discovers that this handsome stranger is dull-witted, over-privileged but sweet as honey Crown Prince Li Hong. That’s when the adventures in both love and honor both begin.

This book has great characters and great character development. Zilan is strong but not overly strong. She makes mistakes and learns from those mistakes. Her cousins are side characters that get a lot of interaction, so their development is also pretty good. It’s not as great as that of Zilan’s, but we don’t spend as much time with them. Therefore, that is definitely expected. Prince Li Hong is a cinnamon roll character who means well but doesn’t know anything. He’s endearing. In fact, he comes off as a little too endearing. So much so that he made the top of my villian list. The only true let down of the characters and the character development was that of the Empress. Her character was a tad bit of a caricature. She could have benefited greatly from more scenes.

The setting is spot on historical fiction with a touch of magic and a dose of fantasy. If you have ever watched movies set in historical China (think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and such), that’s what you get here. If that’s something that interests you, then you would definitely appreciate the setting of this book.

There are quite a few twists and turns in this book. Some I saw coming. Others I had no clue whatsoever about. I also didn’t see the ending unfolding like it did. I expected a totally different outcome. Highly recommend it if you like YA Fantasy with an historical Asian setting.

While slow to start, this book picks up as the mystery around Zilan’s abilities and the royal family’s secrets begins to unravel. If you want to read a book with an alchemy-based magic system, a slightly unhinged FMC, and a romance with a prince, pick this book up!

You say necromancy, I say sign me up. The Scarlet Alchemist is set in medieval China and follows a young woman as she seeks to prove herself as an alchemist - despite not having the same education or training as her competition. Her journey leads her into a world of court intrigue, romance, betrayal and more.

If you're looking for a dark, twisted YA fantasy, KLB is your woman. I love the worlds she writes, and the way she throws you right into the story with a distinctly atmospheric writing style. While being a very dark world and having a pretty dark plot, there was enough humor thrown into this novel to offer balance and keep it from feeling overly bleak.

--4.25/5

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I had never read any books by this author before. So I did not know what I was getting myself into. This book left me broken and feeling all sort of things. The characters are so multi-dimensional, the descriptions are so bold and vivid, and the adventure is twisted and crazy in the best of ways. I will have to look what else comes from this author and see if it has the same impact on me.

3.7/5 (4 rounded up)

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

The Scarlet Alchemist is set in the Tang Dynasty where the rich use alchemy to increase their lifespan while the peasants starve. The alchemy in the novel is well thought out and gets readers immediately hooked into the plot. This was a really fun read, I actually devoured this book in a day because I found it entertaining (and was stuck in an airport all day). While it was a fun read with a very interesting premise, there were some points in the book that I didn’t love. First, I think that Zilan’s siblings especially lacked depth. Throughout the book, we see how much they mean to Zilan, yet they only come up as plot devices and rarely show any more characteristics other than being the trope of “the smart one” and “the pretty one”. I would have loved to see more growth and depth from them, as well as more interactions that made both Zilan’s fierce love and insecurity about closeness towards them more believable. I also think that the romance in the book could have used more development, it felt like she went from disliking her love interest to loving him the most in the world very abruptly. Finally, my biggest gripe in the book was Zilan’s inconsistent intelligence. In the beginning, Zilan’s intelligence is shown by her ability to prevail above her peers in the alchemy tests, but later in the book, she makes decisions that are not well thought out at all. Additionally, she’s shown to be wise beyond her years due to her hard life and is a precocious teen, but later she constantly makes naïve mistakes that don’t align with how she is portrayed. These inconsistencies made some of the later events in the book feel less cohesive as the plot progresses. The ending was heartwarming and exciting and it was the perfect amount of cliffhanger and satisfying. I’ll definitely continue with the rest of the series and recommend this book to any and all fans of Fullmetal Alchemist.

3.5. This is an alternate historical fantasy with elements of horror, politics, and romance, and for the most part I enjoyed it!

Zilan is an impoverished, orphaned merchant running an illegal resurrection business. She aspires to travel to the capital and pass the federal exams to become a prestigious royal alchemist - but in the process of trying, she stumbles across a massive political conspiracy and the dark secrets of alchemy.

I liked Zilan as a protagonist: she's a character who has struggled and lost a lot, so she's often prickly and rough around the edges. She's a character who's going to get herself paid, not a lofty idealist; but deep down she's also clung to her morals and sense of justice in an environment that could easily have wiped those out. Her love interest, Li Hong, is enjoyably counterbalanced: privileged and imperfect, somewhat bumbling, occasionally blind to the injustice of their society, but open-hearted and well-intentioned. Also obsessed with the FMC, which is a great trait. They're mean girlfriend / pathetic boyfriend perfection.

I'm not a huge fan of the magical trials/tests trope, which takes up a significant chunk of this book. I feel like relying on this trope to create your plot structure leads to a story that feels on-rails and predictable. I also thought there were quite a few holes in the worldbuilding and politics - I was just left with a lot of unanswered questions about why certain characters took certain actions and how a lot of practical things actually worked. (Seriously, what is up with the alchemical stones economy?)

Please be aware this is a dark fantasy novel, not comparable to a lot of traditional YA high fantasy, and I was surprised by some of the places it was willing to go. CW for gore, child death, animal death, and death of a pet.

I'm somewhat cautiously interested in the sequel. It seems like the structure of the story will be fundamentally very different from this one, and the end of this novel also teased a potential goal which, if the characters succeed, would really cheapen the impact of this book (in my opinion.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an ARC for The Scarlet Alchemist through Netgalley. These are my true opinions.

I received this ARC well before the book was released. It took me forever to get into. I think I read the first three chapters over 5 times trying to push myself into the story.

I did end up putting it off till I got the physical copy from Fairyloot.

The story picks up after the FMC heads to the palace to compete against other alchemists in training for a place amongst the royal alchemists.

FMC Zilan is outcasted constantly and has to work harder then the others because she has had little formal training. One of her specialties is bringing people back from the dead.

Zilan is approached by the crown prince MMC asking for her help to resurrect him because he believes someone or something is out to kill him in the castle. Lots of secrets come out in the book, none I was able to predict.

I would have given The Scarlet Alchemist 4.5 stars if it was not for the beginning, because it took me multiple tries to get into. This is straight fantasy and no spice. After the story picks up it was hard to put down. The way it ends makes me think there possibly will be a second book.

OMG! I LOVED this title. Where to begin - Kylie Lee Baker is an artist when it comes to story telling, character creating and world building. Zilan is an alchemy Goddess - she is has a strong sense of family, right and wrong and true feelings of empathy. You don't read female character's like her that often. He road is a tough one, but one she has fought long and hard for and when her chance to complete her imperial exams in alchemy it means more then being able to legally practice her arts. She would have the ability to provide for the family that took her in. Along side her adoptive brother and sister they venture to the capital to compete for places within the Empire. However, things are never what they appear to be and Zilan rises again and again against someone who wants to stop her from competing in the exams and possible cost her and her family their lives. SO GOOD!

POV: First-Person

Coming into The Scarlet Alchemist, I was stoked! Although this is not the first time I have read the author's work, and there might be a few similarities and might be related to her past books, The Scarlet Alchemist is a refreshingly new take on the Chinese culture, its outlook on alchemy, immortality, politics, and power!

Fan Zilan ("Zi") is an orphan with a unique gift that will allow her to escape being married off and have a "secure life" for herself and her family. The problem is that this "gift" cannot be known to all because only a royal alchemist is supposed to practice this skill. Also, Zil - a woman shunned in this profession, is expected to be married off and bear children as society dictates. But what would a strong-headed, determined, and brave woman like Zi do when faced with such misogyny and a patriarchal system - takes the rigorous royal alchemy exams! This story is about her journey to greatness while stumbling over more problems to balance her alchemist duty and humanity.

As per the author's earlier books, Lee's forte in creating a ghostly setting with a down-to-earth countryside, then transforming to the lavish surroundings of the royal palace, was terrific to read through. It flowed like I was walking through the scenes, from the grim of the soil to touching the intricate golden wallpapers. The transformations were intriguing and mystical.

The characters were diverse in their outlook and personality. You have the brave and strong-willed Zi, the nerdy scholarly brother in Wenshu, the quirky partner-in-crime sister Yugei, a mysterious prince, the "evil" Empress Wu, the absentee father, etc. There are many more than I mentioned here, but I won't spoil it, especially as Zi met her rivals and alleys in the alchemy field. I enjoyed diving into these characters and dissecting their motives in helping/hindering Zi.
It's impossible not to adore Zi in general. Aside from being the main character, Zi is an excellent example of an ever-developing, learning character in the book. Zi was not born with anything but a loving couple, nor was she brave after she lost it all. She had to strive to be "seen" and worked through several dire situations. She was resilient in learning what she could and earning her way to the alchemy examinations. Her quick wit and ever-adaptive mind saved (and won) her many moments in the book - all this with no formal training but reading her father's notes and whatever she could scrimp to purchase old books on alchemy only.

I love the historical reimagination infused in the book. The author made me want to look back and research more about Empress Wu and the other Chinese emperors with their lives and deaths concerning the Chinese stance on alchemy and how it would later relate to Chinese medicine, qi, etc. My background as an Asian reader helps, but I realized how little I know and want to further "investigate" this side of my heritage.

My favorite part of the book was the author's exploration of the infinite possibilities of alchemy. There were many amazing "manipulations" and "jump-starts" with the alchemy concept - beyond gold creation that was riveting! The book kept me hooked even further as Zi became more comfortable with her alchemy abilities. I appreciate the author's extensive research and constructive reinterpretation of the elements used and marrying a theory in Chinese history, further explained through the book's disclosures and notes.

On the ending...I am still reeling from what happened!!! There were no words to describe how shocked and unexpected things turned out. Just when I could not see any other way than "death," Zu did a reverse 360 (slang for something "out-of-the-box" move) that brings everything where it should be...or so I thought. I should have expected as much since the author's previous books also left me wanting to grab Book 2 immediately! (Note: Book 2 was still months beyond my reach then.) Although the ending would have been sufficient as a standalone, I know the author has more plans for Zu and the rest of the "gang."

The Scarlet Alchemist is a fantastic, spine-tingling story of family, connections, patriotism, and survival. The book shows resilience, hope, and the cost and determination for a better life. Readers who love dark fantasy, horror, yokai/monsters, courtesan/political intrigue, a few deaths, and bad things mixed in with a big mystery about the Royal Palace that explodes at the end that I (for once) saw coming. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one!

TW: character deaths, misogyny, blood, gore, violent and horrifying scenes
**I would suggest this book for older YA audiences, given the above TW.

Visceral to the core. The Scarlet Alchemist imagines alternate history with daring imagination and incredible detail. Even once you’ve turned the last page, you’ll still be entrenched within this dazzling world running with gold and blood.

I could of done without the ducks being killed and the ending with the cousins and everyone being brought back and taking others people lives. it was not as good as the keeper of night series.

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book, but I will try for the review. A dark gem of a story, this magical tale had me on the edge of my seat until the last page. Kylie Lee Baker is an auto-buy author for life with her amazing works.

Awesome book!This book was absolutely amazing, and the plot twist in the middle was absolutely unexpected, and this is probably the best book I’ve read from this author.

A young girl in a imagined China yearns to become an alchemist for the royal family. That would give her enough family to support her family who took her in as a small child. Illegally using the alchemy that comes natural to her, she makes a name for herself in the right circles. Though uneducated, she travels to the capital and makes a run to become successful for herself and all those she loves. The journey to the capital and to becoming a Royal Alchemist is not what she expects, and secrets abound everywhere, even within herself.

This story surprised me. I got caught up in it much quicker than I had expected and couldn’t put it down. I think it boiled down to two aspects: the characters and the mystery of alchemy.

When I think of alchemy, I think of creating gold. In this book, alchemy goes farther than just mere gold. It can be anything and everything. Broken bowl? Use alchemy and make as good as new. Dead cousin? Resurrect them if you have enough gold stashed away to pay for it. This new form of “magic” interested me and had me wanting to know more of what could be done.

Then the characters had be invested in them. The cousins who want to move to the capital had very special relationships. At times, they appear to be mean, yet the love can be seen. Characters aren’t always what they appear as they are complicated as real people are. I didn’t want to leave them when story ended.

On top of all that, there were too many unanswered questions at the end. Can’t wait for a second book. I need to know things!

A great fantasy read that focuses more on the alchemy and the people/culture than different fantasy creatures that so many other books have. This is a read that you’ll struggle to put down just to get your day job done.

Holy heck! When can I get the sequel? Seriously, when?!

I really enjoyed Kylie Lee Baker's The Keeper of the Night duology. I was super impressed by the characters and dark imagery she delivered throughout those books. I was expecting something similar here and happily, I received exactly what I was hoping for and then some.

In this story we follow Zilan, a teenage girl, who lives in an impoverished village in the South of China. Even though she is a member of the merchant class, Zilan has dreams to become a royal alchemist. Zilan already practices a certain form of alchemy to make money to help her family, but it's illegal. She is able to bring people back from the dead. In spite of its illegality, she has earned a bit of reputation for her successes.

When the time for Zilan's imperial exams comes, she is able to travel to the capital, along with her two cousins, to compete against the best alchemists in the country. During her time in the capital, Zilan attracts the attention of the royal family and is soon drawn into their dangerous political machinations. Most interestingly, the Crown Prince, Li Hong, who knowing of her ability to bring people back from the dead, approaches Zilan for help because he fears he is about to be assassinated.

There is so much going on in this story, but it is beautifully told, fluid and engaging. It's easy to follow and I really grew to love these characters. Zilan is so well developed and I loved the exploration of her character.
As with The Keeper of the Night duology, there is some great character work involving complicated family dynamics.

Zilan was basically raised with her two cousins, Wenshu and Yufei. They call her sister and their relationship is very close. However, Zilan is of mixed descent, with her father being a foreigner, so she looks very different than her cousins. It sets her apart and even though they have never treated her differently, she feels like an outsider; like she can never be truly accepted and loved for who she is.

I like that Baker includes these types of details. It adds great substance to the story and makes you feel like you're gaining a deeper understanding of MC and her motivations. So, not only does this story include fantastic action and gripping intrigue, it also has thoughtful moments where more sensitive issues are touched upon.

Yet again, I was completely swept away by Kylie Lee Baker's storytelling. Once I got into this story, I couldn't put it down. She's so underrated, y'all. You know what I'm gonna say. If you haven't checked out Kylie Lee Baker's work yet, what are you waiting for!?

Thank you so much to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Baker is definitely one of my go-to authors. I can't wait to be reunited with Zilan in the next book. The possibilities are endless as to where this story will go next!

The first thing that drew me to The Scarlet Alchemist was the cover - there's something incredibly captivating and fierce about the character that me instantly wanted to pick it up. Kylie Lee Baker introduces us to an alternate historical China where alchemists have discovered the key to eternal life through the creation of alchemical gold. The wealthy employ the alchemists to keep them young forever and our main character Zilan dreams of joining their ranks.

This is my first Kylie Lee Baker novel and I could easily tell that world building and plot are her areas of expertise because I was incredibly fascinated from start to finish with this alternate China. Through alchemy, we got to see Zilan's resolve to prove her worth despite everything that is stacked against her. Being at a disadvantage from the start for not coming from a wealthy background to her mixed race, the alchemists she encounters on her journey to join the court is full of racism and misogyny. Zilan's abilities were not portrayed through a "she's just special" lens but rather we get to witness her struggle, sometimes fail, and persevere through all the trials.

While I am a more character-driven reader most of the time, I found myself struggling to connect with anyone beyond Zilan. The other members of the cast felt less fleshed out and their actions seemed less an extension of who they were and more so put into the story for dramatic effect. However, I was genuinely so intrigued by the world that I didn't find myself struggling to get through the story, it was more of an afterthought/realization that puts me a bit on the fence as to whether I will continue with the sequel or not.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Whew that was a JOURNEY. This book hooked me from the start and didn’t let up, the pacing was fast and engaging without losing me, and I devoured this.

Zilan was a great protagonist and even though she was insecure it was understandable and I felt for her. She wasn’t making the best decisions at times but it was easy to root for her. The themes of death, identity, and different relationships were all well explored. Hong was really sweet and I liked their romance, I liked her cousins, I liked the other (good) alchemists - there was a solid cast of characters.

The structure itself was standard, but the author took my expectations and twisted them until I was truly unsure how it was going to end (spoiler: insane. That’s how it ended).

I do not think Kylie Lee Baker can do wrong with whatever she writes, she is quickly becoming a go-to fantasy author for me. Her worlds are always well developed with the added bonus of using aspects of history and East Asian culture to stories, and The Scarlet Alchemist is no different. All Zilan wants is to become a royal alchemist and to secure the future for her and her family. By day she is a merchant and at night she has made a name for herself raising the dead. When Zilan is given the chance to achieve her goal, she jumps in with both feet. Through many trials Zilan quickly realized that more is happening behind the royal walls than she had thought.

What I liked: Truthfully, there was not a part I did not like. This book was engaging and so creative. I especially loved Baker’s take on alchemy and creating her alternative universe. Zilan was such a well-developed character who shows growth, but at the same time is a victim to her naivety. Baker is an excellent writer who gives great details into her writing without it being weighed down. The plot moved so smoothly that I did not even realize I was at the end until I turned the last page.

To keep in mind: Baker does not shy away from violence and gore, so if this is not your thing, I would not recommend this book.

Rating: LOVE LOVE LOVE! This book was such a fun journey and I am so glad I had the chance to read it. I CANNOT wait until the next one! You bet I’m going to be there ready to get it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alchemy creates good and evil in equal measure, and Baker takes that to heart in how THE SCARLET ALCHEMIST handles sociopolitical conflict. No injustice goes unremarked upon or unchallenged as our poor MC goes through a wildly unfair set of trials to become a royal alchemist. We see how different classes have different punishments for the same crime, we see how people of mixed race are looked down upon, we see how much authority men have over their female relatives, and of course we see how the rich step on and defile the poor.

We also get some sharp as hell wit and a possibly-evil, probably-omniscient zombie duck. We watch a wealthy prince struggle to endear himself to a poor and proud woman because he doesn’t understand value and money in the same way. There’s also quite a bit of grit and some mild gore, which I’m always here for.

This is a vast improvement on Baker’s debut (which to me felt like all potential with disappointing delivery) and I’m definitely hype for book two!

I received an arc of The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker from Frenzy Books in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker and so I was so excited when I heard about The Scarlet Alchemist which is based off of an alternate Tang Dynasty China. My excitement was heightened when I was given the opportunity to listen to Kylie speak at the Frenzy Presents event and she signed an arc copy for me. The Scarlet Alchemist did not disappoint, to say the least.

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, working in the capital with her siblings, in order to provide for her family. As she prepares to do the imperial exams, she practices an illegal form of alchemy: resurrecting the dead. Her talents and drive help her overcome many challenges and odds as the society itself looks down upon her and her background. But in achieving her dreams, Zilan begins to understand the costs and risks as the reality of alchemy begins to really dawn on her as she is entangled with the political plots and schemes of the royal family.

This was such a fantastical start to a new duology by Kylie Lee Baker. The cast of characters - Zilan, her siblings, and members of the royal family are all so vivid, passionate, and help to draw you into this world. I could not help but be invested in Zilan and what she was trying to accomplish. It is a story that does not hide from the hard questions around death, morality, and the price of defying the laws of the world. I truly cannot wait for how Zilan's story will continue.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review. This book left me shook. The alchemy, the family themes, the hard decisions you have to make in life, it was just all so amazing. Zilan was a really interesting main character. She gets tasked with all of these incredibly difficult decisions. So many sections of the story has me gasping and the ending was insane. The slight historical themes were really cool as well. This book is so hard to describe and I felt so many emotions while reading it which made it such a cool experience. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this story continues!