The title and that Mucha-esque cover drew me into this book, so the fact that it's ALSO sapphic?! Sign me up. This book delivers the rich world promised by the former, set in a more magical version of Belle Epoque Paris without shying away from the realities of living in poverty.

My only complaint is that I wanted MORE - I wanted to linger in each beautifully painted setting, I wanted to dwell in the unfulfilled desire, I wanted to really feel the nail-biting seriousness of the stakes. In short, I think I would have preferred this book not be YA; the setting and characters just deserved (and could have carried, in my opinion) twice as many words to let us really fall into this marvelous world.

My thanks to Holiday House/Peachtree/Pixel+Ink and NetGalley for the ARC.

★ ★ ★ • 3

The Absinthe Underground is a cozy dual POV, urban fantasy story about two girls who steal to get-by in a rough city. The book has a bit of a slow start, but it’s perfect for anyone that loves sapphic friends-to-lovers and fae.

Medium length relaxing read with a heist plot, but I personally found the ending a little underwhelming. Although, the book has these two sweet main characters so I didn’t mind that so much.

Thanks so much to the publisher and the author for providing an ARC for me to review!

If I could give this book seven stars I would. The beautiful inspiration behind it combined with the fantastical magical elements and queer longing is the most incredible thing I’ve read this year. I mean the author’s note literally made me cry because of how perfect it all fit together. 1890s Paris avant-garde inspiration is just chef’s mf kiss thank you JP

3.5 stars for the Absinthe Underground! No spoilers ahead.

I was lucky enough to get this darling from NetGalley. I was in a reading rut and it was the perfect thing to pull me out of it.

Absinthe Underground was fun, just like the drink. Esme and Sybil will remind every queer woman of themselves in some small way or another: the questioning if your feelings are reciprocated, to stay friends or something more, or how long you're willing to go before admitting who you really are. I liked their dynamic (and their plethora of cats), and you'll root for them from page one.

Absinthe Underground doesn't take itself too seriously. If you like the aesthetic of the 20s, homages to Mucha and his fellow artists, and historical urban fantasy, then this is the one for you. It's full of Fae whimsy and fun banter.

My criticisms are simple. I wish the plot slowed down a bit, as 2/3rds in I was feeling slightly rushed as a reader. The world in which we follow Sybil and Esme is relatively historically founded, but I wish the language reflected that a bit more (my personal taste is I don't enjoy modern language in historically influenced fantasy, so take that for what you will). I also wanted to feel more grounded in "place," with more description and exploration of Severon before we dive into the world of Fae.

If you're in the mood for a lighthearted, queer fantasy with low-ish stakes, I think you'll really love Absinthe Underground. It stands out uniquely in the realm of modern fantasy while adding some great new twists. Looking forward to reading more from Jamie Pacton!

I really like the concept of the book, as well as the cover. I found this an enjoyable read that would resonant best with ya crowd.

The Absinthe Underground is a cozy romantasy that's just as intoxicating to read as is consuming it's namesake. From the beginning you dive into a lush, atmospheric world woven together with hidden bits of magic and whimsy. Add in the sapphic pining, heist plotline, and dazzling fae realm.. what more could you ask for?

I got sucked into the story from the moment I picked this book up and flew through it in just two sittings. While I greatly enjoyed this book I did have a few issues with it - one being that it seemed almost too fast-paced. The fact that this story takes place over just a handful of days did not help this at all. I also wish we had gotten to know the two main characters (and their friendship) better and seen more of them pining for one another. I feel like this again could be tied into how fast-paced the story was. Overall though I had a great time reading this and hope Pacton writes more stories in this realm so we can see it further developed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute and cozy read that delivers what it promises; however, I don't think the story and characters will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peach Tree for the Arc.
The Absinthe Underground is a perfect transition novel for readers between adult and young adult literature. In the first few pages, I was unsure how to feel in the long run, but I really enjoyed the historical fiction mixed with fantasy, and a sapphic romance is always a plus.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved both the concept and the setting for this book. I think both the city and Fae were very cool settings that I wish had been elaborated on further, because I really could have sunk comfortably into both of those worlds. I enjoyed the concept for this story as well, but I feel it unfortunately fell a bit flat in the writing. The story itself was a serious one, but the tone of the writing didn’t feel as though it matched the story it was trying to tell. The tone mismatch was enough at times to even take me out of the story.

The romance in the story was a bit disappointing for me as well. I liked both of the girls— especially Esme’s characterization— but there was so much back and forth and unnecessary “will they, won’t they” that just became frustrating after a while.

Overall, the book told an enjoyable story, but it isn’t one I would necessarily recommend to others.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book.

I loved this read. It’s not fully what I would go for in terms of what I look for in a book, but it pulled me in harder than I could have ever expected!

The POV back and forth first felt a bit stilted and made me worry that the changing of perspective consistently would kill the flow totally, but that’s not the case! I really enjoyed getting the thoughts and feelings of both protags while the story went, and you don’t get their inner thoughts in the opposite mc chapter. (No Sybil thoughts in Esme chapters and vice versa) That was almost refreshing, and even a bit fun to take context clues for what the other MUST be thinking. The story is a fun heist from start to finish. I did see a few things coming, but honestly it didn’t feel too corny or anything when it gets revealed and you have your ‘Yep, I knew it,’ moments.

The writing style and story pulled me in and kept me addicted! I can NOT wait to hold a physical copy in my hands!

Thank you to NetGalley and PeachTree Teen for this ARC!

This book was a little more YA than I was expecting. However, I loved the atmosphere and the characters. The formatting on my Kindle was a little weird with full paragraphs being displaced, which caused confusion at some points so I’m hoping I didn’t miss anything too important!

The Absinthe Underground weaves together beloved tropes like sapphic pining, found family, and a thrilling heist. While the narrative creates a cozy atmosphere and emphasizes character-driven plot lines, it falls short on depth, leaving the desire for more intricate storytelling. Despite its engaging pace, the slow-burn romance lacks intensity, and incomplete world-building leaves lingering questions.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!

3.0 stars.

Thank you to Holiday House/Peachtree/Pixel+Ink and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the irritating slow burning, mutual sapphic pining, friends to lovers, found family and heist fantasy tropes.

Sybil Clarion, born from high-society soirees to now empty pockets, has been eager to enjoy every drop of freedom she's seen in the city of Severon. Esme Rimbaud, the girl who offered Sybil a home, loves spending her time working on her clocks and cuddling her cats. When they are caught selling a poster by none the subject, Maeve, invites Sybil and Esme up to the Absinthe Underground, with an offer too tempting to refuse, except maybe the high stakes?

It was simply a cozy, cool fantasy that you can buzz through within one day. It kept me engaged and super easy to follow. I loved just existing in this idea of atmosphere, but I just kept wishing for more. Very much character driven, everything else just in the background.

In a long ago version of Paris, Sybil has given up a life of luxury and restrictions to be an art nouveau poster thief in the city. Esme just wants a quiet life with her clocks, cats, and books - but she’s been in love with Sybil since the moment she stumbled into her cafe. Little does Esme know that Sybil’s past life will come back to take them on wild adventures into the fae land…

I wanted so badly to love this book and I liked it, but a lot of the descriptions and action fell a bit flat for me. Things just *worked* a lot of the time, then when they didn’t, they still got pretty lucky… The romance was a real slow burn, with no real spice on the page. Overall, I loved the premise of this book, but wish there was a little more magic in the storytelling.

It was a cute quick romance, although I think there were many places the author could have expanded to make it a better story. There were times that the characters felt flat and the pining between the two love interests didn't always feel as emotional as it could have. I had a hard time getting invested in them. Also the world building is revealed really slowly and isn't fully fleshed out so I still had a lot of questions at the end. Despite that, the friends to lovers magical adventure was a fun storyline. There is certainly a need for more Sapphic Moulin Rouge stories!

2.5 Stars

I want to start by saying that I love the cover, the premise, and the pining (Oh g-d, there is so much sapphic pining in this book). That all being said, I kept wanting *more.*

[The introduction of magic felt very out of nowhere, the timeline for the heist was so truncated that even within the context of magical Paris I couldn't believe it, and what was up with Oliver the cat being able to ward off the Forest Hag? Was he actually fae royalty or was the hag unable to differentiate between a fae creature and a normal kitty cat? I demand answers! (hide spoiler)]

Overall, it was an entertaining read, but I felt that the pacing, character development, and world building were all lacking that one more step that would have elevated the whole shebang.

I was super hyped for this book, because the cover is beautiful and it promised lots of things I love, but I felt the execution didn’t live up to the concept.

For one, the cover (plus the ‘romantasy’ pitch) reads as NA/Adult to me - but this is definitely on the younger end of YA. The writing is very simple with a lot of telling not showing, and I think the marketing does it a disservice. I would also call it a quest more than a heist?

It is definitely fast paced and easy to read, and it’s sweet and fun! It just has no real stakes or depth, and I really think it had the potential for that. And there is SO much potential here! Alas.

(I will also note that the arc formatting also had random half paragraphs between chapters that I had no idea where they were supposed to fit)

Four very solid stars for this YA romantic fantasy set in an AU Belle Epoque Paris (aka Severon). Sybil and Esme are roommates just managing to survive on the outskirts of society. Esme is practical-minded and interested in science. She has a life plan and she's determined to make it work. Sybil is a runaway from an aristocratic family and is flighty and artistic. She can't hold down a job so she makes ends meet by stealing art nouveau posters and selling them to collectors. One night they're approached by a faerie, the proprietress of the Absinthe Underground, a nightclub that specializes in (you guessed it) absinthe. They're given a quest by the faerie to retrieve some jewels. Like many a good quest, it involves a few steps leading up to a heist. And like nearly all faeries, La Fae Verte might not be 100% straightforward with her rewards...

This was really a delightful read! It's written in a tight third person with alternating POVs between Sybil and Esme. Their restrained passion and respect for each other is beautiful to read. They feel like young adults who have the best intentions but who may not make the best decisions all of the time. Recommended for readers who like tricksy fae and sweet love stories.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the book.

In the glittering city of Severon, friends and roommates Sybil and Esme scrape by through thievery and Esme’s meager tips from the cafe where she works. The two girls are opposites—Sybil longs for adventure while Esme prefers to tinker with clocks and care for her cats at home—but both harbor a secret crush on the other. When a mysterious green fairy hires them to cross the threshold into the land of the Fae and steal the Fae queen’s crown jewels, the girls seize the opportunity despite the danger, eager to create a better life for themselves, and maybe, if they have the courage, confess their feelings to one another.

This YA fantasy book’s premise promises sapphic friends-to-lovers, mutual pining, and Fae magic, and Pacton delivers on all of these. The heists and overall plot didn’t engage me as much as I wanted them to. The story did get more interesting once the girls entered Fae though. I’d recommend this book to readers who want a lighter Fae book than Holly Black’s work. Those who enjoyed the magic system in Rosiee Thor’s Fire Becomes Her may like the one in The Absinthe Underground too.

[3.5 stars rounded up]

Big thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the ARC!

The Absinthe Underground follows two poster thieves, Esme and Sybil, as they find themselves stealing the Fae Queen's crown jewels to help a green fairy get back home. What I really loved about this was the whole 1890s France atmosphere and the descriptions in the book were so vivid and cozy, and especially ethereal in the Fae world. Plus, that cover is just Amazing!!

Esme and Sybil are both secretly into each other, and while I do like some sapphic best friends-to-lovers, I hoped that the reason for them liking each other would be more clear, and there would be more chemistry between them. Throughout the book, I read their relationship as "secret mutual pining but i just love her SO much that i cant think of another reason why i love her" I didn't feel them click as a couple for me, and their relationship could do more showing than telling. I did love the closet scene though! had my heart racing and shii :D

The plot of The Absinthe Underground was a little predictable (which is all I can say without spoiling it). Although the story didn't wow me that much, I thought it was very interesting and compelling. There were times where the story dragged a little, especially in the middle, but It's nothing major. I did like how it's written, ough... the atmosphere is just Golden, especially in Esme and Sybil's apartment and at the ball with humans and creatures dancing under the stars. This is also my first Fae book and it's so wild to think that not all fairies are like Tinkerbell and stuff; i love the description of Queen Mab and the power she radiates, and I felt true fear whenever she appeared on the book.

The climax was well-written, i love the buildup towards the end, but i felt that Maeve's problem was wrapped up too quickly and the Great Fae Showdown felt so distant that i didn't give it much notice. Also what happened to Chloe by the way?? And I was so suspicious of her because she readily helped the girls escape from the Fae world. I may be reading too much into this but it would be so cool if Chloe was part of something bigger, other than disappearing from the plot after her literal disappearance.

All in all, I really liked the plot and the vibes of The Absinthe Underground. The characters may be a little flat in my opinion but it was an enjoyable read :)

TW: alcholism, confinement, death of a parent