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 ❤️

This book was the absolute sweetest. Even if the love between them was held from the start, the tension of the heist made it much more special.

Absolutely great and unexpected turns and lovely overall.

The rating is a 4.5 but rounding up to 5 here.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and Netgalley for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review!

I was super excited to get approved for this book! The cover is gorgeous, the premise is stunning (Faerieland heist in a 1920s/Prohibition-flavored setting, with a cute sapphic romance to boot? sign me up!); all signs pointed to this being right up my alley.

But there was a strong disconnect I felt to the characters. Lots of telling, rather than showing, their feelings for each other and who they were as people. I wanted to care about them and their bond, but I really struggled to do so. The setting—which, again, is so intriguing and has so much promise—was not built as lavishly as it could have been. And the pacing was a struggle for me, as well. I never really felt a sense of excitement, even when exciting things were ostensibly about to happen or happening.

I think this book will absolutely find an audience that loves it, but for whatever reason it just didn't land for me. That said, if the premise intrigues you, I'd still recommend you check it out!

In concept, this book appealed to me a lot. Some of the descriptions, especially in regards to the Fae and setting in general, were lovely and rich. Esme seemed like she could have my heart as the introvert who just wants to read and be with her cats. It seemed like a great sapphic, friends-to-lovers, heist adventure.

However, I didn't feel very connected to the two main characters, which surprised me. Their interactions didn't have as much tension as their inner dialogue would have you believe. The writing style overall is not what I usually want from a fantasy, even a lower stakes one. The plot suffers from some pacing issues with the heist elements feeling rushed or easily solved.

That cover is incredible though. And I'm sure there are people who will absolutely devour this. Unfortunately, for me, it was just fine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the eARC in exchange for an HONEST review.

First and foremost, the things I liked:

The cover: 10/10. Beautiful.

The ideas in the fantasy elements had so much intriguing potential. The absinthe/green fairy mythos being linked to an actual fae creature? Wonderful concept for a fae premise.

2nd the thing I kind of liked, but didn’t fully sell me:

I’m not the biggest fan of romances in general for no other reason than I think they are not the most interesting stories to me. However, I do have an affinity for the use of the friends-to-lovers style trope more often than not. And since I was intrigued by the fantastical parts of the synopsis, I felt this had the potential to be one of the standout romances I actually enjoyed. Unfortunately, the way the trope was used, of two people already in love with each other, but refusing to have a conversation to figure it out is not as fun for me. Just because I know as the reader they both feel the same way, the characters not knowing but continuing to remain in each other’s orbit in some hope that there might be a chance, just makes me uncomfy.

The setup and execution of the heist plot line—without spoiling—gave me a side quest in Skyrim. You do a thing, it triggers a conversation, they have a mission for you with a promise of a great reward at the end of it, and your quest journal updates throughout the journey. There’s even a moment when our main characters reach their first location and there’ is overall quest relevant texts sitting on the table right inside the front door. And although this story tries to make the stakes more personal for at least Sybil than any random player’s avatar, there are parts of the setup that felt for me extremely contrived beyond it being a story so technically everything is contrived cause the author said so.

Finally, the reasons this book was not for me:

Between the few titles I have read in this genre and critical reviews of others I’ve seen, I’m starting to think “Romantasy” is a publisher euphemism for “in the style of fan fiction”. Which fan fiction is something extremely popular among readers that I don’t blame publishers and authors seeking to capitalize on it. Unfortunately, though, it’s not something I have ever connected with. However, if you love that style of storytelling and prose, I think you should stop reading this review here and start reading this novel now.

That being said, for anyone else who may not connect with the fanfic style like myself, and are more interested in a little more specifics—

The writing. Oh my god, the writing. Not only was the prose immature in a way that feels incongruent and insulting to a YA level audience instead of age-appropriate to teenagers, but there was also an ongoing lack of consistency in characterization, motivations, and desires from moment to moment depending on what the author wanted each character to be in a single line of interaction. And that is on top of what I hope is just missing scenes—not intentionally skipped over— from the ARC that will be put back in later that would have built out the romantic tension. Then there’s the execution of world-building. Info was thrown out so rapidly and hollow that I felt like I was getting pelted by deflated choux pastry.

But back to the line-level prose—the repetitive and overwritten descriptions were not evocative and poetic. It was word soup. (There is a moment early in the book that the word “coiled” is used twice in one, two-sentence paragraph completely out of relation with each other that would lend it to being an artistic/characterization choice.) Again, I understand ARCs are unfinished material, and that may be just the case here. But even if it is, I question a publisher or editor who thinks a draft at this level is fit for any type of consumption outside of the publishing house. And if this was an author override of the editorial suggestion—I will definitely not be picking up future titles from Jamie Pacton, because she is simply not the writer for me.

I absolutely loved this. The characters, the setting, the atmosphere, etc. I especially liked the atmosphere as I liked the Belle Époque themes and the fae realm.

This was quick and sweet, and I had a great time reading this.

Also, the amount of cats is everything to me, and I’m so glad we got a kitten in on the adventure to the fae realm as well.

I unfortunately had to dnf The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton. This makes me extremely sad cause I had nothing but high hopes. Unfortunately, it felt like it dragged and the world building wasn’t there. It felt like this could have been part of a spin off series but I don’t think it is? I probably will pick this up again in the future and give it another try. But, at this time I did have to put it down.

They say don't judge a book by its cover but The Absinthe Underground is the exception that proves the rule. This stunnign cover perfectly encapsulates the feeling of falling into this magical world. The slow burn love is so sweet especially since you know it is required from page 1. The stakes feel high enough but also quite low. Our MCs are hired to be theives so they truly don't care about the political outcomes for the fae kingdoms. They just want to be ble to afford a cabin by the sea. And it feels a little odd to not feel invested in the fae realm or the consequeces of the events of this book but it is also very refreshing. This book is a beautiful whirl wind of magic and feels like falling into a Mucha painting, which is in fact my dream.