4/5 stars-


Initially, I rated this book five stars. I waited to review, letting my thoughts gather as I looked over my pages of notes and my scrawled annotations. But as I’ve sat with the story and my thoughts have grown with it, so did my frustration with one part.

I’ll start with what I loved because there is a TON that was done well, and maybe this will outweigh what I didn’t like for others. I LOVED Ramsay and Callum. Kacen Callender does an excellent job of creating three equally full and different characters in Ash, Ramsay, and Callum. Callum is sweet and thoughtful. Ramsay is intelligent and practical, and Ash is... well, he is single-handedly one of the most frustrating MCs I’ve ever read, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

!!!Snaps and claps for the queer rep!!!! I love that it was so integrated into the world-building AND the magic system--none of the characters were shamed, and it was just the norm of the world that they love who they love and are who they are. Ramsay Thorne--our genderfluid MC--for example, shifts genders chapter to chapter, and it is just known that this is the way of life. It’s noted that Ramsay can physically change genders so regularly and easily because of the source in the Thorne bloodline. I thought this was really cool. Ash, our trans MMC doesn’t question this other than to clarify Ramsay’s preferred pronouns. And finally, our ¿pan/bi? MMC, Callum, never questions his attraction and feelings for Ramsay or Ash because of their pronouns and/or identities.

The world-building and magic system, too, were incredible delights to learn and read. The world felt actualized without cause for an incredible info dump. The magic system, utilizing energy as its source--or, Source, rather--was a lovely take. Managing to feel new and fresh even though it’s been done before. The writing style is captivating, and I had difficulty putting this book down once I started. I found the way the author strings words together, offering us passages, notable enough that most of my physical copy is covered in highlighter.

I’m a person who reads a TON of YA, and I think that this book distinctly fits into the YA space. Though there are more mature themes and scenes, they’re done tastefully for the age rating IMO (meaning a lot more emotional than physical feelings and fade to black). ***I should note that I hold the belief that this should be normalized when done appropriately in YA literature, as the stigmas surrounding sex cause an unhealthy relationship with it. If you’re not comfortable reading it, this book may not be for you, AND THATS OKAY TOO.***

As for what I disliked:
Ash.

Sweet mother of--I cannot stand this boy.
Given the content's maturity, and our MAIN main character is 18, I would have thought he would feel more mature. At several points in the book, I have noted Ash’s growth, only to feel a few pages later that he regresses back to his irrational, stubborn, angry, contrarian self. Often because of this, Ash reads like he’s no more than thirteen, picking arguments with other characters in a way that climbed under my skin and stayed there--apparently. He is so insufferable that he soured my taste of the book as he takes up a great deal of page space. Genuinely, at times, I almost quit reading because he would open his mouth again to spew nonsense. If it hadn’t been for Ramsay and Callum, idk if I would have finished it.

What a fun listen!! This is a young adult fantasy that follows the journey of Ash Woods, an outlaw alchemist, and Ramsay Thorne as they embark on a dangerous quest to find the legendary Book of Source. The captivating narrative explores the complexities of power, love, and identity in a world where alchemy is both forbidden and coveted. Wes Haas' dynamic narration brings depth to the characters and enhances the enchanting storytelling. Wes used a variety of tones and inflections to
to portray Ash and Ramsey.
This audiobook offers a memorable and magical experience for fans of queer representation, character-driven plots, and magical elements.

This book falls in the middle for me. There are parts that I liked and parts that I didn’t like. I am finding it difficult to consolidate my thoughts, but I will try.
The plot - searching out the book of Source - was quite clear at the beginning, but then I felt like it got a little muddled. How were there not more people looking for this super important magical artefact? While there were obstacles in the way to obtaining the book, they were fewer than I would have expected for something so important.
The main character, Ash, was annoying. He carried himself as more of a preteen than the young adult he was supposed to be. I found him a bit whiny, indecisive and judgemental. His character does evolve, but not enough for my liking. Thankfully, the other characters pick up the slack that he leaves in the character department. Callum is wonderful and Ramsey is interesting and multi-faceted. My favourite character has to be Marlow. She is the most compelling character in the book. I really hope that any future books include more of her. It would also be nice to get some more detail of the time between her being picked up at the orphanage and doing Haine’s bidding (listened to the audio, so I apologize for spelling errors).
The LGBT+ representation in here is quite good. I liked that there was no particular attention drawn to sexual preference and that it was very natural for people to love who they love. I must admit though that I was not a fan of the polyamourous relationship. This is probably because the complexities of such a relationship are not addressed, therefore, it did not feel natural to me. However, Ash’s thoughts on love and energy make it make sense to love mulitple people. There are other interesting philosophical things that come up in the book that would be enjoyable to the reader.
Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an audio-arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

3.5 Stars for Infinity Alchemist

I think this book had a lot of really strong an interesting ideas. The world of alchemy, the representation and so much more was awesomely on point and I really enjoyed those aspects of this story. I think the general plot flowed well but it definitely got lost underneath the romance of the story. I do really enjoy the poly-built relationship in this one but I think there wasnt enough balance between plot driving conversations and actions versus romance troubles and intimate scenes. I would like to see more alchemy action in the next installment of this one as Callender has really built something unique.

This book was good considering it was Callender's first delve into YA fantasy. I felt there was a lot of unnecessary character exposition and that the action was very light compared to most books in the genre. I did like the story and can see the appeal of having a trans main character in fantasy, but there were so many references to the binder for Ash that it was overdone just a bit. I do think that the story was interesting and having a polyamorous main cast representing the rainbow is unique for YA. This was not my favorite book by the author and certainly not in my top 20 for the year.

Actual Rating 1.5

Practicing alchemy is a crime unless you’re a member of an elite college. Ash wants to be an alchemist and practices in secret while he works as a groundskeeper at the college. But when an apprentice stumbles upon him while practicing, Ash finds himself being blackmailed into helping Ramsay find a legendary artifact. Little does Ash know that this task is the beginning of an epic quest and a new relationship that may blossom into something magical.

There were a few things I liked about this book. The queer representation was interesting, especially since it was related to the magic of the world. There was genderfluidity and a wide array of characters identifying in different ways, including a trans protagonist. The author included this in a way that felt natural to the world, such as being able to project your gender so that it subtly informs other folks how you identify just by glancing at you.

If it weren’t for the amount of profanity and some explicit sex scenes, I would have thought this book was for even younger audiences. This was due to the simplistic and repetitive writing style, which unfortunately made the book boring. The characters also suffered from lack of development and depth. The protagonist’s only real development was “angsty, angry teen.” Apparently the protagonist is 18, but I thought he was 11 based on his actions, thoughts, and attitudes. And unfortunately, he’s also super overpowered compared to everyone else around him because he’s so special.

The worldbuilding was fine when it came to the magic and alchemy of the world. There were plenty of discussions of magic and using it. But the rest of the setting and world were never explored or incorporated. This was disappointing, as the setting never came to life. The were also no clear parameters for the world. It felt like traditional fantasy, but photographs, trains, etc. were randomly mentioned with no explanation. Similarly, the plot and plot points are all quite basic fantasy (quest for magic item, evil antagonist is after them, must overcome all odds with their overpowered magic, etc.).

If you’re interested in a light fantasy with an over-angry protagonist and insta-love, you might enjoy this one, but keep in mind that it reads somewhere between a MG and a YA. This could be a good starter fantasy for YA readers who don’t have much experience with fantasy and are interested in strong gender representation. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoy YA fantasy and visiting different worlds through words. The literal magic in this story is a well-developed system with levels of alchemy, and the true magic is in the beauty of the relationships and the sensitivity shown in the representation of the characters. I loved the action and adventure as well as the romance, and the mystery of a lost book that can give incredible power is a fascinating idea to ponder. The audiobook is expertly narrated by Wes Haas and an amazing way to experience this novel.

Thank you for the audio arc for Infinity Alchemist. The narrator was a perfect choice, I finished it within a few days. Although I enjoyed the book, it sits as a three star for me. There were just a lot of places that felt redundant, making it longer than it needed to be.

Only the elite are allowed to study Alchemy and Ash is not one of the elite. So he takes a groundskeeper role at the school and studies Alchemy in secret. However, Ramsay Thorne discovers that Ash is studying Alchemy, and while he is convinced he is in big trouble. Ramsay instead asks Ash to help him find the book of source, and Ash agrees. However, once they start on the hunt for the book danger is lurking everywhere and behind every corner. They are met with powerful enemies, even his father and they find an unlikely ally in Ramsay's past.
This is an intriguing read! There are a lot of mixed feelings about this story! I say that because there are several themes in this book such as gender, social class, poverty, and who is ultimately right in the end. While these are all important themes at times it was like the story was suffering for the themes trying to compete with one another. The character development was on point! The three main characters were definitely very well-developed. I have high hopes for this author and I am looking forward to her next novel! Thank you Macmillan Audio for the extraordinary opportunity to listen and review this one! Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity!

I loved the trans, queer, and poly representation in this teen fantasy novel. I felt like it was well done, and it was fun to read about how Ash, Ramsay, and Callum fight the magical power structures of New Anglia and develop their triad relationship.

I rated it four instead of five stars because it felt a little unnecessarily long and complex, at least in audiobook format. However, I will be interested in reading what the trio get up to next and I will recommend this book to teens at my library.

Kacen Callender explores magic, relationships—romantic, familial, and political, along with mentorships and friendships, early adulthood, and civil rights in a fantasy world governed by its ruling houses and divided between those that believe alchemy should be practiced and those that believe the Source is an external power that should not be tapped into.

The story is told through multiple points-of-view and includes trans, queer, and poly representation as well as characters of color.

I had to pay close attention to catch some of the details during the world building portions. I did enjoy the complexity of the tale and the different perspectives and personalities. It will be interesting to see where Callender takes these characters next.

Wes Haas captures the youthfulness of the characters with his audiobook narration.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

The story was ok, not great. The narrator was good but not great. A little to spicy for my taste and the pronoun use was confusing at first.

Although the characters were 18, the story read like middle grade.
There were lots of good ideas but the execution and world building was lacking.

Thank you to netgalley and Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners for allowing me to listen to this amazing book. Once again Kacen Callender has knocked it out the park. This is easily one of my favorite reads thus far this year.

If you're seeking an LGBTQIA+ inclusive young adult fantasy romance, filled with forbidden magic and the tales of a journey for a legendary book that holds legendary power. This book could be a good fit. It features a transgender MMC, a genderfluid MC, and polyamory. However, despite the promising representation, I found the audiobook didn't hold my interest. Despite a pleasant narrator, I struggled to connect with the characters or the plot, ultimately leaving me less engaged than anticipated. Thank you for providing me with an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

a fun, genderfluid poly young adult fantasy about ash woods, an aspiring alchemist rejected from the mage's college where he would learn the craft. after taking a groundskeeper job at the school & forced to learn alchemy in secret, he meets ramsay thorne, who decides to teach ash what she knows in exchange for help finding the 'book of source', a sacret text that gives the reader power. this book is an adventure from beginning to end, and i loved the representation of queer nb poly characters. ultimately this book read a bit too young for me, and was a bit longer than necessary to pack a punch.

This book would have been better if it was shorter. It felt like the author tried really hard to stretch the story out which made the story drag.

Thank you for letting me get an advanced reader copy, however I couldn't finish it. The MC was too whiney, they weren't giving the main character energy and kept starting the same fights over and over. It was dragging on and I tried to finish, but it was like nails on a chlakboard.

A spellbinding start to a new magical fantasy series featuring an amazing cast of queer teen alchemists, a polyamory love triangle (something I don't see often in YA fiction) plus tons of action, adventure and family drama. Great on audio narrated by Wes Haas and highly recommended for fans of authors like Aiden Thomas. I'm excited to see what comes next in this series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

An intriguing concept and a fascinating magic system, but unfortunately the plot got overly convoluted for me.

I enjoyed the first part of this book and was really engaged, however as the story went on I found myself getting lost in the various plot lines.

I had hope that it would all come together at the end, but unfortunately found that it didn’t for me.