While the premise of this story is very intriguing, the writing lacked in some aspects. The overall story is fun but I feel like it would've been better with some more pages. We don't see the mcs fall for each other as that happened prior to the story.

The magic element is very fun and whimsical. I wouldn't say it's a high stake story but it leans more towards cozy fantasy. The sapphic element is done very well!

I did quite enjoy this story and I'm curious to see how the author will improve over time!

A sapphic historical fantasy/heist billed as “Moulin Rouge meets Holly Black”??? Of course I had to pick this up! And this cover? Probably one of my favorites— I’d love to own this as a poster or something. So stunning!

Now as for the story itself, this was a fun lil lighthearted ride! Definitely one to read more for the romance than the action itself. I love Sybil and Esme’s relationship and their dynamic as a whole. They are so perfect for each other, even when Sybil gets them into loads of trouble. The stakes themselves aren’t particularly high. It feels like problems get solved almost right away without any sort of suspense though that being said, I still had an overall good time and I hope others do too when this comes out!

A cute cozy fantasy!! The vibes were immaculate and I loved the imagery when they entered faerie. While I thoroughly enjoyed the concept (sapphic friends to lovers take on a heist that brings them to faerie), it fell somewhat flat. The story began strongly, but the heist was rushed with no plot twists, problems they encountered were underwhelming, and all solved in an unsurprising manner, making it feel like there weren’t any real stakes. You’re telling me they were able to just walk into a museum, set off a distraction, grab what they came for, and run out?

The magic system was severely underdeveloped (Sybil is half fae and the only thing she can do is enter faerie?), to the point where I wondered when she was going to have her powers uncovered to save the day. This would’ve also made it a grander reveal to Esme that she was half fae, and an introduction to her family history. This secret from Esme actually held no weight, which is surprising considering they are supposed to be best friends. In actuality, they had no banter, and the only way you knew they were falling for one another was the internal dialogue saying “I love her/I want to be more than friends/what if I kissed her.” I want YEARNING!!

A smaller gripe, the author takes time introducing two new characters in faerie, but leaves their plot completely undone. This may be for the opportunity to write a sequel, but their ending seems to go against Sybil’s character.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐


Overall Review (spoilers)

I honestly keep going back between three stars and four stars on this. It was a really cute sapphic heist book with fae themes. However, the book doesn’t deliver what it promised. We were suppose to get a heist, more time in the fae Absinthe Underground, and more sapphic romance. But honestly, we barely got to see any of the Absinthe Underground, the fae world was not explored nor discussed enough, and the heist didn’t feel like a heist so much as a poorly put together plot. This book was cute, and I love the relationship between Ez and Sybil. But I do not feel like the marketing lived up to what the book actually is. If the book was advertised better I would have 100% given it four stars, but I do feel like I was misled.

That being said, you should still give this book a chance. The relationship between Ez and Sybil is cute and the slow burn of it was adorable. The fae world, what little we see, leaves you wanting to explore more. And honestly though the heist was no Six of Crows, it was still charmingly poorly planned out. If you want a fun light-hearted book, I recommend this.

Plot Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Genre: fiction, mystery, heist, ya, sapphic

Trigger Warnings: blood

If you like a short and cozy queer romance + heist with historical fiction in Paris around 1800s/1900s. "And they were roommates..." This is for you.
This story has Fae and magic that is intricate historical fiction setting.
I really enjoyed how the author made known of the main characters' queer emotions and swoon. Friends to lovers at it finest.
They are both hard working people. One of them is stealing posters, whether they are cheap or expensive and illegally selling their do a dealing. The other works as well, but she mainly finds comfort fixing broke clocks, her almost a dozen cats and tea (relatable).

I have realized that not many love friends to lovers. I do. And so, you can feel the consideration, the restricted affection they have for one another. Honestly their are times where I just wanted to put their together so all their stolen glances and proximity will done.
Unfortunately, something was missing. Sybil and Esme are interesting characters, but they seemed to lack growth, together and individually. While they had cute and fluffy moments, there are times they felt incompatible. Sybil being reckless and Esme too careful.

For me this book could be so much more, it was just not quite hitting the mark. The plot was fast paced and engaging but somehow cozy at the same time. That was definitely the stronger aspect. The characters however felt rushed and we didn't get to see a lot of their emotional development. Their arcs were very much "telling" instead of "showing".

However this book definitely hit in the bingeability category, it was very hard to put down!

I was granted the opportunity to read this novel by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I am not the audience for either Sapphic romance or cozy fantasy, but the Art Nouveau cover convinced me to give this a chance. In short, this is a cozy Romantasy set in a world inspired by the Belle Époque period and Fae mythology. I enjoyed the author's simplistic but artful prose, but as often happens to me with a cozy fantasy, I found myself skimming and forcing myself to return to paragraphs. Some of the leaned into Fae mythos did not work perfectly, but the "Fae can't lie and must twist the truth" is difficult to work with as a writer.

I think for those looking for a clean/sweet Sapphic romantasy or a cozy fantasy leaning into Fae tropes will be pleased to read this book! I think the execution mostly worked, but I'm not the perfectly targeted audience. It was still a joy to read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

In 'The Absinthe Underground', Jamie Pacton combines historical France with magic and queer culture. It follows best friends Sybil and Esme who are close to admitting to each other they want to be more than friends. Sybil is a 'professional' thief and Esme a server and parttime clock repairer, but they have trouble paying rent and Sybil coaxes Esme into helping her steal posters to sell to collectors. As they are selling a stolen poster, they meet Maeve, who happens to be the person on the mentioned poster and owner of the club in Severon named The Absinthe Underground. But Maeve is not who she seems; she is an exiled Fae and needs Sybil and Esme to steal the Crown Jewels from the queen of faerie.

Pacton has a really compelling writing style, approachable for people of all ages. With regards to the land of the Fae, it doesn't do anything new and reminded me a lot of 'The Cruel Prince', but that is okay. I enjoyed their time in the land of faerie. I did find the world building lacking, mainly of Severon, which is where the majority of the story takes place. Pacton added some notes in the back of the book, but I would have loved to see this covered within the story.

Usually, I am a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope (controversial opinion, I am aware). It's something about the mutual pining and the angst in not knowing if the other will ever return their feelings. The mutual pining is there, but it is not as believable as I hoped it would be. Esme would say something that clearly insinuates she has romantic feelings for Sybil, which Sybil understands and then kind of forgets about. The one aspect I loved about this queer romance is that it entirely skips the coming out phase. So many queer stories linger there, and there is a lack of wholesome romances that look further than the initial 'oh gods, I am gay'. 'The Absinthe Underground' eludes this awkward part and immediately dives into the romance aspect queer people deserve just as much as straight people.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed reading the book. I expected more, but that by no means implies I did not like it. It comes out February 6!

This was an anthem to all things beautiful.

Beautiful writing. Beautiful women. Beautiful clothes. Beautiful environment and aesthetics.

If you wish to be swept away into a book combining quiet cozyness with glamorous aesthetics, the absinthe underground is the book for you. The relationship is to absolutely die for -A quiet cafe worker who enjoys plants ( particularly mint), cats, and whose favourite past time is sitting in her apartment fixing clocks or reading in her nightgown X her best friend who is the complete opposite, a troublemaking thief who seeks the highest pleasures of life. Both of these girls are bound together by a protectiveness for each other, and parents neither of whom wishes to speak about - each for different reasons-.

We have SUCH a great mix of the mortal world ( with its beautifully described clock tower apartment in which I would love nothing more than to live in, nightclubs, and beautiful posters to be stolen) and the Fae one ,( with enchanting forests, castles to be robbed, and NURSERIES FOR BABY DRAGONS-).

The magic in this book is woven in such a simple yet fabulous way. The reader doesn't get too much lore of the magic system, but rather the magical element is woven throughout the story.

The author has somehow managed to make a tale about heists so comforting to read. As other reviews have mentioned this book relies a lot more on telling rather than showing which for the most part I didn't only just not mind, but actually quite liked. This method is quite a dangerous one, as it could be proven to be tedious to read, but the author has such a talent with words that it worked out VERY well for her.Some parts could use slightly more emotion but other than that this book was excellent.

Firstly, Thank You NetGalley for providing an ARC!
Let's start with what I've enjoyed, shall we.
Perhaps due to my affection to Paris which Severon was inspired by but I bathed in the atmosphere the author created. The city was pulsing with life throughout the whole story.
The description of Fae was also spot on yet it lacked the life, often felt like pretty scenery. Unfortunately that can be said for most of these characters, I'd maybe exclude our main character Sybil, she is obviously the most developed and well thought character and even she lacks the depth in several cases. The pinning between the two mains were often unrealisticly cheesy (they are in a life threatening situation but who cares since I've been dying to kiss her!!).
Speaking of dangerous situations, the plot had so much promise it's a pity we had to run through it, every ounce of complication was solved on two seconds, the stakes were non existent. The negative characters were cartoonish hence one could see the "plot twist" from miles away.
It's shame since the world and the heist idea could have been brilliant combination together. I wish I could read about sapphic faes one day where the mains actually seem to be in love.
(Ps I want to know more about Lucian, his travels, studies and past actions could be a very interesting promise in case the author wishes to expand the universe.)

The Absinthe Underground was a beautiful concept with amazing characters. That being said, it did feel as though the book did not completely live up to this. When reading the books summary or hearing Pacton talk about it, I couldn't help but to really want to read this book myself. I found the characters and the initial setting to be so rich and interesting. Esme and Sybil are so fun to read and the way that their personalities meld and that really sucks you into the plot. I know some people were saying in their reviews that the romance just didn't hit the mark like they would have liked it to but for me, I really enjoyed their friendship and the complicated romantic feelings they were both dealing with throughout the book. I'm not going to spoil anything, but found the ending very enjoyable because of this progression.
This all being said, I found that the writing didn't always reach the level of what was being written. There were times where I really wish the author would have gone into more depth or provided more of the Fae setting because it really felt one dimensional to me. I really liked what she had going on at the base level, but just some more depth into the layout of the realm and more descriptive information about the setting I feel like would have made that section of the story more enjoyable. I also felt like the pacing of this book was too fast in a sense because of the writing but I know there are people who really do enjoy this kind of fast paced writing.
Overall, while the writing wasn't up to what I was anticipating, I still found The Absinthe Underground to be a book I will most likely be rereading and recommending to those who I think would enjoy it.

I was pleasantly surprised by this sweet, teen cozy. It has cats and absinthe so really, what more is needed?
The story starts in a clock tower apartment-how cool is that?-which is in a Victorian-ish, English-type seaside city. Other scenes occur in the Absinthe Underground, a fantastical club housed in a large mansion, and finally, we have some fun in the world of the Fae. These are described splendidly and I'd love to visit all of them.
There's not a wealth of anything in this novel-it's fairly short and uncomplicated but still manages to pull you in with its adorable MCs and hint of mystery. I think tweens and teens will enjoy it.
#NetGalley

The first word that came to mind when I finished this book was LUSH. Everything about this book just felt so rich and beautifully crafted, from the language to the world building.

In a publishing world overrun with fae books, it's refreshing to read a story that returns to the true root of the fae folklore. I loved that this emphasized the inhumanness of the fae, their cruelty and otherness, alongside all the magic and beauty of the fae realm.

While some of the side characters weren't as explored (I'd love to see more of Hyacinth, Chloe, and Lucien), I thought Sybil and Esme's friendship and love for each other was beautifully developed!

It definitely feels like there's a sequel just waiting to be written - and I'd be thrilled to spend more time with Sybil, Esme, and Lucien.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for this ARC.

I enjoyed the idea of this book more than the execution to be honest and found its subject matter too mature for its intended audience. I was excited by the premise and had high hopes, was gleeful in fact when I received approval to read the ARC.

After reading however, I was left disappointed and frustrated with the choices Jamie Pacton made. The first half of the book glamorizes and romanticizes the use of absinthe, and other alcohols, by minors. I understand that this was commonplace during the time period, however we must still consider our audience. This book should be for young adults who are 17+, not the 14-17 ages currently listed on Amazon. If that is a mistake I hope it is corrected soon.

The pacing was sometimes rushed and the "challenges" the girls faced seemed too easily solved and convenient. I loved the unique take on the Fae and the Green Fairy. I adored the romance between the girls and found their depiction of unrequited, wait it's actually requited love to be the most well written aspect of the text.

I think there are people out there who will love this, I am just not one of them.

The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton is a fantasy fantasy that follows Sybil and Esme, two roommates with a crush on each other who are eeking by a living. Sybil can’t hold a job and resorts to poster thievery and Esme is a waitress, but loves clocks. When Sybil steals the wrong poster, their lives are turned upside down.

I wanted to like this book. I loved the concept, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me for many reasons. The two main characters seemed one dimensional to me at first, then they became whoever the author needed them to be at the time. Their voices are very similar and sometimes it was hard to know who’s POV I was reading.

The romance was okay. They were friends who start off desperately in love with one another, and not so much falling in love as getting up the courage to admit it to the other. Additionally, the pacing felt off to me, which was odd to say for such a quick read. I suspect it was because there was limited conflict in the story. The plot followed a straight line (do this, then this, find this, talk to this person) and there was no subplot to speak off, given how the romance was all internal struggle. Even after entering another world, the solution was easy. The most conflict was someone getting thrown in jail, and even that was to allow the character to meet someone else who ultimately saved the day.

Overall, I wasn’t impressed and am not likely to pick up another book from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for allowing me to read this book as an ARC so I could give an honest review.

I like the well rounded fantasy world; the city feels gloomy and mysterious and the Fae world beautiful and dangerous. The storyline flowed pretty simply from one point to the next with few diversions, which I appreciate, but it makes everything feel pretty simple. I liked all the characters and both leads are tough, intelligent and loveable, but still very different. Good read.

I've been a fan of Jamie Pacton for a few years now and this is another incredible story! What caught my attention first was the gorgeous Art Nouveau cover, an ode to the famous Absinthe Robette advertisement. With fae-related fantasy books booming right now, "The Absinthe Underground" was a breath of fresh air. With a whole cast of characters that were easy to fall in love with. The aesthetic of the book was strong, it left me wanting a million more books set in this world.

I loved the ideas of this book: queer Paris, Green Fairies, travel to Fairy, a heist, trickster, found family. Yet the story failed to go beyond sketches: the world building is underused and lacks complexity, the characters are flat and unrealistic, the story is full of plotholes and predictable. The book read like the skeleton draft of a good story which would have then needed much more work. Introduce the characters to the readers, give them flaws, add a bit of drama, make the world realistic, make their love realistic, make the family background realistic, make the heist and stakes complex and high... Everything was easily resolved, no real conflict whatsoever. What a disappointing novel :(

I love the premise of this book. I really like it when the cover matches the vibes of the book, and I think that The Absinthe Underground's cover is a great match for its contents. The main characters, Esme and Sybil, were interesting, and I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I would happily read a book about the side characters of this book.
The plot felt a little fast-paced in some places, and I think that a few of the scenes could have benefited from a little more time and development, but I still loved the world and the characters, and enjoyed reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
Thought the heist was more unbelievable than I like, I overall really enjoyed this fae land heist. 3.5 stars. The plot being shortened by a few days made it a little bit messy hence the lower rating. Would have loved more of the poster stealing. The writing was sharp in those moments (biting my nails ahh!).
Themes:
🔮Sapphic friends (roomates) to lovers
🔮YA romantasy
🔮Heist with fae power objects
🔮Mysterious backgrounds
🔮Urban fantasy setting
🔮MUCHA POSTERS OMFG (been a fan forever)
🔮 HELLA CATS like SEVEN in their home of rescues.

So far , so good. Thank you @peachtreeteen @coloredpagesbt for the opportunity ❤️