I love this book. It has great world building and magic system. I love the culture aspects of it. I flew through this book. I love the MC. It has good academic and horror elements to it in this fantasy book. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

A full review has been posted to Eulalie Magazine.

This is an extremely fast-paced novel, especially once the trials begin. A lot of the plot could've been spread out over multiple books. Book one could've ended with Zilan becoming a royal alchemist, and then the training and plot to kill the emperor could've happened in book two.

At times, the speed at which the book moves works well. It's addicting. You're excited to keep reading to see what happens next, and you don't have to wait long for another twist or exciting development.

However, in the end, this quality ends up being a detriment to the story.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the digital ARC of 'The Scarlet Alchemist' by Kylie Lee Baker.

I am a sucker for Historical Fiction, which is one of the reasons I was drawn to this book to begin with. After reading I definitely want to learn more about the actual time period and dynasty this was based on.
I've also always been fascinated with learning about early alchemy, and the mystical twist with alchemy was a fantastic, and enjoyable concept.

Following the intrigue in the Royal Court with Zilan was a ride. I loved following the progression of the relationship with her cousins, as well as the Prince... which is why I am already eagerly awaiting book 2 due to that cliffhanger we were left with.

This is definitely something that would appeal to both those that enjoy Historical Fiction, and those that enjoy Fantasy. I can see my students reading something like this.

4/5

I am a huge fan of The Keeper of Night duology so I was so excited to jump into this new series! I was a little scared that it wouldn’t live up to my love of TKoN, but I also almost immediately sucked into Scarlet Alchemist!

The characters are all so interesting and unique, and I truly am a sucker for books with royalty, so having a crown prince was an immediately yes please for me. Zilan is similar to Ren from TKoN in some ways, as Zilan is mixed as well (just like the author herself) and is pretty morally grey. That being said, Zilan faces a lot of different challenges too, namely classism.

Classism is a huge theme of the book and I really liked how it was delved into. There’s a line about not having empathy for the rich, which I really got a kick out of lol. The class divide is hugely visible for Zilan and her cousins, so it was super fascinating to see how they were treated by others, especially as Zilan got further and further into the story.

The setting is super cool and I loved getting to see more Asian fantasy representation. The dynasty was fascinating and I know there was some stuff based on real history, which is always cool! I had no idea about the history of alchemy!

There’s a lot of political intrigue, and like TKoN, romance isn’t a huge huge focal point, but there are some moments.

There is quite a lot of gore and blood, so do be warned about that! It definitely has a similar creepy supernatural feel to it, like TKoN, but in a very different way.

Overall, the characters are complex and fascinating to follow and the lore is super interesting! I found all of the alchemy so cool and I loved how it was weaved with magic and real science. I definitely recommend! I’m super excited for the next book and to see whether or not I end up liking it more than TKoN!!

sibling stories are so special to me. so rarely do we get to see this type of relationship developed on the page in a way that feels as complicated and nuanced as sibling dynamics are. in fact, all of the character dynamics in this story have fantastic depth.

and when you add political intrigue, tension, a unique magic system, gory monster attacks, and countless plot twists? i’m gonna be a fan that’s just a fact

there are multiple scenes in this book that i’ll never be able to forget, they were written so vividly and with so much tension

i highly recommend this one and i can’t wait to read the sequel next year (although i’ll be holding my breath the whole time)

thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

kylie lee baker’s latest brings you the world of alchemy in dynastic china, & in turn highlights the wealth disparities & injustices of the time.

zilan fan is an alchemist of her own class, able to not only manipulate metals, but also wields power to raise the dead. we follow her journey to becoming a royal alchemist, assigned to creating precious gold for the rich & powerful to consume to stay immortal.

like her debut duology, keeper of night & empress of time, lee baker navigates dark themes while still honoring the culture & history her work explores. the main characters are lovable if questionably so, & their dynamics lend to the social commentary of this period in history. this book is fast-paced, action-packed, & intriguing & i highly recommend to everyone & anyone, especially if you’re looking to diversifying your shelf. this is a fantastic start to this ya series & i cannot wait to read more!

read this if you like
🩸historical fantasy
🩸morally-grey characters
🩸biracial rep
🩸necromancy
🩸magical challenges
🩸political power place

thank you #partner @coloredpagesbt, @epicreads, @inkyardpress, and @kylieleebaker for the #gifted copy for #TheScarletAlchemistTour.

the scarlet alchemist is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Ms. Baker for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Wow. This is my second book set in this exact time period: the other, a couple years ago but still pretty fresh in my memory, was the superb Iron Widow, by Xiran Zhao. Apparently Empress Wu Zetian provides plenty of inspiration.

This book is significantly (as in, completely) different from Iron Widow but I enjoyed it just as much. Set in a fully-fleshed out alternate history version of China, in this world alchemy is real and the rich eat alchemical gold to stay alive and young forever. The main character, Fan Zilan, is an aspiring alchemist with a talent for raising the dead and dreams of becoming a royal alchemist in the capital city. Her cousins also aspire to the capital city, albeit as royal scholars. There is so much incredible detail and worldbuilding that I would rather not give a pale description when you could immerse yourself in it, full-color, instead. Of course, nothing in the capital city is as the cousins expected it and dangerous secrets lurk everywhere. Zilan becomes entangled with the crown prince and the dark underbelly of royal alchemy simultaneously. There are plenty of twists to keep things moving, too.

This was awesome. I enjoyed every minute and stayed up far too late to see how things would end for Zilan. I really hope there is a #2 and if so that it comes quickly. (And I hope that <spoiler>Fan Yufei stays Empress! She is hysterical.</spoiler>)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Scarlet Alchemist was such a gritty, fun read full of magic, and plot twists.

We follow Zilan who dreams of becoming a royal alchemist but is stuck in a village doing some "unconventional" alchemy to survive. She hits the big city for imperial exams, but there's a twist.

Monsters, Magic, historical elements, and attempted assassinations are just a few of the things this book delivers. I enjoyed it and Zilan is the strong female lead I think a lot of people will fall in love with.

Overall, The Scarlet Alchemist is a captivating ride that balances magic, mystery, and relatable characters. I highly recommend.

This book was the perfect way to christen spooky season.

The story of The Scarlet Alchemist follows Fan Zilan, an aspiring royal alchemist who has grand ambitions outside of her small town in Guangzhou. She, along with her cousins, go on a journey to the capital Chang'an in pursuit of greatness and the ability to provide for their family. Zilan also has an ability she keeps as a secret - she can also bring the dead back to life. The more she grows as an alchemist, the more she gets entangled into the web of conspiracies and political games of the world around her.

I enjoyed reading this - the story itself is really intriguing and Zilan's character is compelling (if not slightly frustrating in the best way possible). The pacing was pretty evened, if not a little slow at the end, but all in all I'd say I enjoyed it. However, this story is definitely YA in terms of themes and I think its very well reflected in the characters, so if you are not a fan of YA, you will not enjoy this book.

The other thing was that the gore and violence seemed closer to NA for me (it was heavily detailed - check addition TWs/CWs on Goodreads), and personally I think this story would have been more intriguing to me if it had gone further into the NA realm (think Fourth Wing and Crescent City). Not to say that the story is not worth investing time into - it’s a wonderful tale of self-discovery and agency, standing up to those in power, and staying true to what you believe in.

I'm giving this four stars - great plot, characters, themes and worldbuilding, but slightly too YA for my taste.

Happy publication day to The Scarlet Alchemist, and thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy. My opinion is entirely my own.

I admired the world building and magic system- I found the alchemy portion of this novel fascinating and unique (I’ve never seen/read Full Metal Alchemist so I can’t speak to how much overlap there is).

There are some gorier bits that sensitive readers might wish to avoid.

Overall, I enjoyed Baker’s newest work and am looking forward to what comes next!

Happy release day to The Scarlet Alchemist and thank you to @netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book!

I already knew Kylie Lee Baker would have me in my mixed race feels after loving The Keeper of the Night, but I wasn’t expecting the absolute rollercoaster that was The Scarlet Alchemist. Not only are there painful moments of not fitting in and feeling like those you love the most still don’t understand you, there was also frank commentary on poverty being a deliberate choice by the ruling class, complicated first love, and tons of political intrigue.

I think what I love about Baker’s writing is that it is distinctly YA, with young protagonists grappling with what it means to be a person in the world, feeling insecure, making stupid choices, and saying things they don’t mean, but she also doesn’t shy away from deep world-building, complicated moral dilemmas, and some truly disturbing body horror and violence.

I had so much fun reading this book: I gasped, I shouted, I grimaced, I gagged, and I teared up. If you love being dragged through the expanse of human emotions, morally gray mixed-race women, fake dating [concubinage], alternate Chinese historical periods, and amazing / complicated sibling dynamics, then boy. Have I got a recommendation for you.

When you finish reading it please come find me to scream!!

Image descriptions in pinned comments.

#TheScarletAlchemist #KylieLeeBaker #Netgalley #BookReview #YoungAdultBooks

If you love coming-of-age stories with a darker, maybe sinister twist, Kylie Lee Baker's new book is for you!

It's been a while since I flew through a book, but I seriously FLEW through the first half of THE SCARLET ALCHEMIST. (The only reason why I slowed down in the second half is because it got a lot gorier, and I'm not super great with that stuff.)

There's an author's note at the beginning of the story, which definitely should be read because it gives necessary context. From it, we learn that SCARLET is not a Tang dynasty historical fantasy, but rather an alternate, Tang dynasty-inspired world where immortality exists. Thus, Wu Zetian has been empress for a century (!!) and rules with an iron (golden?) fist. After reading Kylie's note, I knew the kind of world I was about to step into.

From the first page, SCARLET sucks you into Zilan's world, her relationships, and her (illegal yet intriguing) alchemy. It was really fascinating to read the parts where Zilan would bring people back from the dead. Especially since it was very clear that Kylie knew exactly how the alchemy/"magic" of this world worked in the world she built.

Besides the gorier/body horror-ish stuff, Kylie did not hold back from bringing on the feels. I had to put down SCARLET few times and just really think about and process what I read, particularly when Zilan doubted her connection to her cousins and whether she truly belonged in their family or not. (Zilan is biracial and is often looked down upon because of this.)

All-in-all, SCARLET keeps you guessing with all its plot twists (but plot twists that make sense), captures your imagination, and never lets you go until the last word. I'm very excited for the sequel because I need to know what happens next!!

This one unfortunately was a DNF for me at this time. I think that I may circle back around to this in the future, but right now the writing was falling a bit flat for me. Will definitely give it another chance in the future, because I'm still very intrigued by the story!

Zilan lives an impoverished life with her aunt and uncle, running an illegal resurrection business on the side. However, she dreams of becoming a royal alchemist to support her family, but never did she anticipate how ruthless the world of alchemists and court politics could be.

The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker weaves a spellbinding historical fantasy about love and ambition, set in an alternate Tang Dynasty.

For me, this book truly shines most in its worldbuilding. Nobles eat gold to prolong their life, creating a class divide, and mysterious monsters made of pearls stalk the streets, preying on citizens.

The alchemy-based magic system was fantastic as well. Here alchemists have to be resourceful and crafty since they rely on transforming the materials around them, which makes for some seriously cool improvised fight scenes that were a whole lot of fun to read.

(Also, yes, for anyone wondering, this book was partly inspired by Full Metal Alchemist.)

Overall, Baker paints a rich, glittering world that teems with life, death, and gold, and I cannot wait for the sequel.

From the beginning, I was excited for The Scarlet Alchemist. I love necromancy magic and so I have it as my mission to read all necromancy books. And The Scarlet Alchemist fits the bill. Not only did I love the alchemical magic, but I loved that it has a cost. A real sacrifice to be paid and with dubious results. But my love for this book didn't merely stop at the world. I loved the characters. I have a thing for ruthless, driven, heroines who don't mind things getting a bit, cough, bloody.

What a roller coaster ride of emotions! This one was a great read! I wasn't a huge fan of the first book this author wrote (and didn't pick up the second one) but this one sounded interesting so I requested it in hopes I would enjoy a little more, and I'm glad I did. I loved this one so much more.

This one has action, intrigue, love, family, monsters, politics, magic, gore, violence! I'm glad that the author chose to do a magic system that is not super commonly seen in fantasy books, and I loved that she chose a FMC who is morally gray but with great intentions, and gratitude for the family that took her in. I think the MMC was so sweet, and the cousins (aka siblings) added so much to the story that I was hooked from the get go. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and not all of them are fully developed, but I didn't mind, as the core characters were more than enough to keep me entertained.

Being a YA, it was a little violent and gory. Some parts were predictable, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I received this book from NetGalley, and Inkyard Press as an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Raising the dead, alchemy, court politics, and monsters come together in this story about a poor biracial girl with the ability to raise the dead who gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. Zilan has dreamed of becoming a royal alchemist, it would let her practice her alchemy freely and would provide for her family. She has a secret, she's been illegally practicing soul alchemy, reviving the dead. After her mother died and her father disappeared, she vowed to do whatever it took to provide for her remaining family. That means she has to pass the royal alchemist exam, but that means competing against the best alchemists in the country in tasks that she'll be lucky to survive. It doesn't help that she has garnered a reputation for raising the dead and the Crown Prince himself ha come to her seeking her help as he believes he'll be assassinated soon. The more she succeeds in her alchemy the more she gets caught in the dangerous political gams of the royal family... and the more she is starting to realize that there is a price for alchemy that might destroy her. This book was a wild bloody ride, filled with tensions, action, and alchemy! I found myself completely enraptured by the story and Zilan's adventure as she navigates the deadly court. She is a survivor and the decisions she had to make were so tough. There is no learning curve, it's a life or death situation, and it was such a brutal but amazing read. This is the first book in the duology and I cannot wait to see where the second book goes and how Zilan's story ends. Seriously, the twist and turns of this book were fantastic and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for deadly court politics, competition, monster fighting, and high stakes books (with a touch of romance)!!!

*Thanks Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

😲 Well that escalated quickly. Here I was, having a good time. And then S T R E S S. Thank you for the emotional damage, Kylie Lee Baker.
--
"The Scarlet Alchemist" by Kylie Lee Baker takes you on a WILD ride through a world where alchemy, politics (and wealth discrepancy), and some seriously twisted secrets collide. Zilan is a feisty poor alchemist who illegally practices necromancy with her ride-or-die cousins. Zilan has big dreams of becoming a royal alchemist to lift her family out of poverty. The alchemists have solved the problem of immortality through the consumption of gold to stay forever young. Zilan gets a shot at her big break by taking the imperial exams through a series of life-threatening trials that she might not survive. And if that's not enough, the Crown Prince himself comes knocking, suspecting an assassination plot and preemptively seeking her services.

Things start off pretty fun, with Zilan, her siblings, and an endearingly naive crown prince to distract from the mounting tensions. There's even a nod to our favorite cabbage vendor from The Last Airbender, which I adored.

But then.

The action hits, and emotional trauma comes knocking. Monsters, necromancy, alchemy—it's a rollercoaster of gruesome and visceral beauty that leaves you gasping for breath. Prepare to have your heart torn out and served back to you on a silver platter because no one is safe in this story. The mystery and tension build up like a pressure cooker. If you're anything like me, you'll be begging for a second book by the end of this one to soothe your heart.

And yes, there's an adorable (and possibly evil?) duck thrown into the mix. It's a wild ride, folks.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

This distinguishes itself remarkably from other YA historical fantasy books. I loved the alternative history nested within the Tang dynasty (coupled with the fact that Zilan is loosely based on a Chinese cultural figure); it gives some context for Kylie Lee Baker's worldbuilding. Zilan is oddly relatable, and I adored her stubbornness and courage in the face of bloody violence and death. (I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is much more visceral and gory than I was expecting.) The alchemical system, though not unfamiliar, is also fascinating and fleshed out well. The romance, on the other hand, is not--it was tough for me to see the trajectory of Zilan's feelings for the prince--but that's understandable given the ending.

While I think this could have ended as a standalone, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

Zilan has always dreamed of becoming a Royal Alchemist and being able to provide for her family, but she doesn't see a way out of her impoverished village where she has to do the illegal to put food on the table, raise the dead. When she gets the chance to take the imperial exams she finds herself wholly unprepared for the task, as well as the attitudes of her fellow competitors, and to top it off her reputation for raising the dead has followed her, leading The Crown Prince to seek her out asking for her help after he believes an assassination attempt is coming. Zilan's dreams are coming true, but the more she succeeds, the more eyes she has on her and once she gets the attention of the Empress, Zilan will realise the true danger she is in, and it will only be a matter of time before Zilan's past, and her secrets catch up with her.

Zilan is a character you can't help but empathise with, but is equally dislikable in parts and extremely morally ambiguous. She lost both her parents as a child and was raised by her Aunt and Uncle alongside her two cousins. She's always felt loved, but has always been aware that if she doesn't add something to the household, find a way to provide that the love, and the safety that comes with it, could be taken from her. Because of this, Zilan holds people at arms length, never quite willing to fully trust and give herself over. She's also someone who is more than willing to claw herself a place in this world, no matter who she has to take down in the process. She's incredibly strong and capable, but she's also got this soft and vulnerable underbelly, a side of her that simply wants something or someone of her own, not something that she feels is almost on loan, just waiting for it to be called back.

Alongside Zilan we spend the most time with her cousins, her fellow alchemists and the Crown Prince. It was interesting seeing Zilan's different relationships unfold, seeing how she keeps little parts of herself from people to ensure they never get too close. Both the familial and romantic relationships were complicated in their own ways, but incredibly well written and they add plenty of tension, drama and emotion to the story, as well as Zilan's own journey.

Baker certainly doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the emotional and almost horror elements to this story. For a YA book I found it incredibly dark and graphic in parts, something that I loved, and some parts were so shocking I gasped out loud. The main story is Zilan becoming a Royal Alchemist, but Baker throws in plenty of sub plots and epic plot twists to ensure that we as the readers are kept entirely on our toes. The writing style is almost as brutal and blunt as the story, but again this added to the tension and drama and made this such a hard book to put down.

I thought the romance was a nice addition, and well woven throughout the plot. It was slow burn, hilarious in parts, but also haunting and heartbreaking in others. These two people couldn't be further from one another, not just in station but in temperament as well, but they fit nicely together. It's certainly not the easiest or prettiest romance out there, but that just made it feel more realistic and again added to the the emotion and tension of an already heightened story.

If I had one little niggly annoyance it was that the end of the book seemed to fly by. Though the story itself was incredibly fast paced, it seemed to just amp up at the end, and I would have enjoyed a little more time to explore those events. That being said I am incredibly excited for the next book & can't wait to get my hands on it.