The events pick up after The Scarlet Alchemist. Zilan has lost her loved ones and there are whispers a hidden Island can bring them back to life. Along the way Zilan has to learn are the consequences worth it?

4.8/5 Stars

From cover to content this sequal to The Scarlet Alchemist was just...wow! I had contacted Kylie for a chance at the ARC but sadly this was out of her hands and luckily, I was selected by the publisher.

The characters really seal the deal with Baker's work. She effortlessly combines movement and character development while creating a grande story line spectacle. This is not an easy thing to accomplish as most writers are constrained to one or two facets at a time.

Zilan is a superb vehicle in which to view this striking panorama of deceit, betrayal, love, and sacrifice. The quest is a constant surprise that ranges across the biomes. Even the resident wildlife is accurately named.

Get this, you will enjoy every minute spent.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!!

⭐️=4.75 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=3.25 | ⚔️=4.5 | 14/15+

summary: sequel to The Scarlet Alchemist —alchemist girl in Tang dynasty-era China tries to become like a professional alchemist and gets caught up in political drama and stuff!!

thoughts: this is so good!! this is so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I repeat!! this is really really really good—one of my favorite fantasy books I’ve read this year. character development and world building and just the way everything is resolved is so perfect and there’s a prophecy that isn’t stupid (so so SO rare these days tbh) and relationships that are so sweet and meaningful and I love it. love love love love love. I think the first book is slightly better, but this is still great!!

Kylie Lee Baker is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books always take me by surprise and as a librarian and someone who reads 100+ books a year, that is hard to do!

The Blood Orchid is excellent follow up and satisfying conclusion to The Scarlet Alchemist. Am I the tiniest bit disappointed that I didn't get an actual seafaring adventure searching for Penglai Island? Yes, but this storyline made way more sense following the aftermath and natural political consequences of Scarlet. It was interesting to see the history of Alchemy and how it works expanded in this book. Zheng Sili was annoying, but a good addition to the group.

I'm not sure what else to share, but I will continue to recommend Baker's books to everyone. This series is my favorite so far, but I am eager to read Bat Eater.

Interesting sequel but a bit rushed. There is a lot to unpack in this book. The main character is on the run, with her brother's soul/spirit in the body of her fiancé. Having committed murder and then sticking the soul of her sister in said corpse she runs off to find a way to bring everyone back to real life. It's a journey of finding immortals, power and mythical lands. She has to evade rampaging bandits, soldiers and rebelling nobles. She risks not only her life but the lives and souls of those she cares about in the process. Ultimately she is left with terrible choices to make because great magics require great sacrifices. It's a good young adult book that has fascinating Chinese culture and mythology mixed in. I just wish it was broken into two books with more details to flesh it out better. But it is a good book and a satisfying conclusion to the first in this series. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this story and write an honest review.

I really liked The Scarlet Alchemist. It was my go-to recommendation all of 2023. However, I don't know what it is about The Blood Orchid, but Zilan as a character did not hit it for me. I still enjoyed it, but I felt like maybe the pacing was off? I had to reread somethings several times to actually understand who was doing/saying/thinking what, and I'm not sure if that's what Baker was going for. I thought from maybe coming from the events of the 2nd book, that was why, but it never improved for me. I liked Wenshu, but I missed Hong. I still felt satisfied as a whole with the duology.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker is the sequel to The Scarlet Alchemist. I could not recommend this duology enough to other readers.

This book picks up where The Scarlet Alchemist leaves of immediately, with Zilan searching for the lost island of Penglai, hoping to return her fiancé Crown Prince Hong to his body, and bring the bodies back of her siblings. She is followed by danger at every turn, whether from other alchemists or the Empress herself, who seems to have had a backup plan for every circumstance. Across deserts and poor villages, Zilan searches for the key to this Island, with her brother shoved into the prince's body, and an unexpected ally who she would love to lose anywhere.

This gave me Full Metal Alchemist vibes, and fans of the anime will see that the Alchemy system is reminiscent of the series. The alchemy system itself its intricate and intriguing. This would have been a five star read if it hadn't had a few slow moving parts, but I still found this novel quite enjoyable and worth the read. I would highly recommend to fantasy fans as well as fans of the Full metal Alchemist Series.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the eARC!

It’s so very hard to say anything about this book that doesn’t spoil the first one but I will try to give a spoiler free review here.

What I loved most in the first book was the romance aspect, and I hardcore loved Hong. SO much. This sequel focused more on the alchemy and the world and political distress and the villainy. It was much more… of a quest. And while I liked it, it didn’t stick out as well as the first book did. The first book has my whole soul! But this one really doesn’t. Which is why I give it four stars instead of 5… and if I’m honest? Maybe even closer to 3.5?

It did give a satisfying conclusion so that helps. The book also reads pretty quickly! While it felt long… it read fast? That makes no sense. 😂 I read it in a day but it did feel longer than necessary at times.

So all in all, satisfying but not nearly as good as the first book.

An absolutely stunning follow-up to an equally amazing book! Well-researched, well-plotted, and well-developed, this enthralling conclusion to the Scarlet Alchemist duology is a must-read for any lovers of alchemy, fantastic characters, and exquisite action! Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this ARC and completing the duology.

I can't really say what it was that brought this book down two stars for me. The first book was great. Court intrigue, magic, a strong villain. This one there was traveling, running around and a lack of romance.

One part of me feels this book would have benefited from another book to give more character development and plot. Everything feels crammed in the there and you couldn't really feel like the villains the author put into the book were worth it. (She has to collect all the gems / rings / artifacts that will allow her to travel to an island where the magic / power all began.)

One part of me feels that maybe this book could have been a stronger read if the narrative felt stronger / tighter. The antagonist / rich boy from the first book becoming a friend had a great rapport with her. And, in my opinion, better chemistry. Perhaps he was better as a love interest? I usually frown against love triangles but here I felt he character of Hong (the prince) was so absent that I forgot why she even liked him in the first place.

Overall, it was a solid duology but I just wish that the second book was better.

This was a great closure to the duology. Baker has a wave of weaving her words to create compelling stories and dynamic characters that keeo you engaged. You feel the weight of the world and the choices that are made because Baker is great at creating the tension. I love watching this characters play chess as they try to get what they want/need agaisnt others in the world they are in. The Blue Orchid builds off of the Scarlet Alchamist but also adds more to the story and charcters that make the duology well balanced between the two books. I highly recommend this duology.

After the cliffhanger at the end of book one I was thrilled to recieve an arc of The Blood Orchid from Negalley. I devoured this book in one day.

We return with Zilan and Wenshu searching the desert for answers and a map to the famed Penglai Island, home of the immortals where the elixir of life just might allow Zilan to revive everyone who was killed in the coup to defeat the Empress.

The quest for Penglai Island is epic, dragging the siblings all across China in search of the Immortals who had visited before and reuniting them with old enemies turned friends. Throughout it all we get to see new and unusual forms of alchemy unheard of before, while unraveling the mysteries of these Alchemists’ past together. Along the way the stakes are raised and the clock is ticking before Zilan loses her hold on not just her siblings souls, but also her fiancé Hong, and her alchemis teachers who perished to give her the chance to go toe to toe with Empress Wu.

I liked that we got to explore more of the River Realm in this book. In fact Zilan goes further than the death realm and discovers she can not only see into the dead’s memories but can even bring back their prized possessions. It was really neat to see her discover new abilities and to go beyond the limits of what even she thought Alchemy was capable of.

There was less romance in this one (since Hong was mostly dead) but I liked that it focused on family more, even if it was mostly Zilan and Wenshu growing closer. Both are consumed with guilt, but also a deep love for each other that would lead them to do anything for the other. I even enjoyed Zilan’s newfound friendship with her previous rival Zheng Sili. The banter between them was hilarious and helped to lighten up the heavy subject matter of the plot.

My only complaint was the continuation of Empress Wu as the villain. I would have rather focused on Zilan’s quest to find the Immortal Alchemists and retrieving their rings to open the pathway to Penglai. Every time they made any progress Wu would pop up again and stall them. It was rather annoying after a while. I think that there was enough at stake that the book didn’t really need a traditional villain, especially when the Alchemists made much more interesting adversaries. The threat of all her loved ones moving on into death rather than waiting to be resurrected was enough of a motivator and time crunch to keep Zilan on her mission and enough of a risk to be worthy of the sacrifices she gives for it.

Overall a fun and fitting ending to this imaginative and thrilling duology.

The Blood Orchid was an excellent sequel to The Scarlet Alchemist. The plot picks up right after the events of the first book, with a new setting and the return of some familiar faces, in addition to some new characters. I was really intrigued with the other alchemists, especially the Silver Alchemist. I think it would be really neat to get a novella/anthology about the other alchemists that Zilan met and learn more about their past and their magics.
One of the best parts of Kylie Lee Baker's writing is her characters. They might not be the most likable, but you end up rooting for them anyway. Zilan had such fantastic development in this book - her selflessness in protecting her family and undying devotion to rescuing Hong and righting her wrongs was so different from her character in the first book. I enjoyed reading about Wenshu's and Yufei's characters - it was nice to get a deeper look at Wenshu's personality in this book as he travels with Zilan. Zheng Sili also had some excellent development, and his character arc was very well-done. The Empress was an excellent villain - she was terrifying, but all of her scenes really leapt off the page.
The plot was new - in this book, Zilan is desperate to bring Li Hong's sould back into his own body, and do the same for her cousins as well. The only way to do this is to find the elusive Penglai Island, the island of immortals and the birthplace of alchemy. As Zilan travels in search of the island, she is also forced to confront the Empress, who is trying to take over Zilan's body and rule China as the only female emperor. I do think that the Empress's plotline was getting a little repetitive by the end of her story, while the storyline about Penglai felt a little rushed. I would have liked a little more detail and exposition about that setting, as well as the immortals' sacrifice and the effect that Zilan's father had on the whole story.
The writing was excellent as always. Kylie Lee Baker's books definitely aren't for the faint of heart, but she does an excellent job creating a world of disgusting decadence ruled by the immortal noble class. Her commentaries on the higher classes really add to the atmosphere of the book, in addition to her excellent characterization and worldbuilding. The dialogue was a bit modern in this duology as compared to The Keeper of Night, which didn't fit the setting of the Tang Dynasty very well. Overall, though, Kylie Lee Baker has delivered yet another stunningly dark story about a young woman willing to do anything for those that she loves - even at the cost of herself.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's for the eARC!

3.8

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

This was an action-packed conclusion to the Scarlet Alchemist series! Thankfully Kylie Lee Baker was kind enough to place in snippets of what has happened in the first book (It's been a while since I have read it). I encountered more twists and turns in the sequel than I remembered in the first book. I constantly felt like I was being pulled in different directions, as it felt like there were too many things happening at once. Maybe that was meant to illustrate how out-of-control the issue is at hand, but having less happening concurrently but better explained is better for the overall plot. I applaud the feeling of helplessness as the Empress is always somehow one step ahead

As much as I enjoyed the addition of Zheng Sili as a helpful hand with Fan Zilan and her family, there were undoubtedly more antagonists that are standing in her way. I appreciate that even with her lack of formal education, Zilan knew how to think on her feet, and it's exciting to see her decide in the moment. I just wished her cousins provided more support in her goal throughout the book rather than towards the end.

The ending is an incredible surprise!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I was approved for the arc for this sequel. My friends know that I heavily promoted the first book, The Scarlet Alchemist because I loved it so much. It will be the same for this sequel because I absolutely ADORED this book.

As soon as I started reading this book, I read 54 pages in one sitting and that alone tells you how invested in this story and world I was. The author does a great job picking up the story from where the first one ended. I was instantly transported to the setting of the book's world. Fan ZiLan is such a great main character who has so many layers and the author does a great job in showing you her thoughts, actions and how she treats those around her. I felt for her at many points throughout this book.

The world building in this one was also done really well. I was never confused but instead eager to read more about this world's setting and location. At times, the world did feel magical and mysterious. A lot of major plot events happened in this novel and I would say confidently that it was MORE action packed than the first one. I was surprised a couple of times by what was happening because I did not see it coming at all. This further contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

I also want to praise the author's writing style for being so easy to digest and get invested in. She has created a world and story that I actually would like to see in person. The author also did a great job in ending this series. The ending was wrapped up in a satisfying conclusion. Although one of the book tags is Fantasy Romance, I felt like Fantasy Historical Fiction fits this book better. To finish off this review, I would HIGHLY recommend this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I am so happy to have received this arc as The Scarlet Alchemist is one of my absolute favorite books I have read in the last year. It is hard to follow such a great book but this did not disappoint. It does not fully live up to the first one in my opinion, but it was a great sequel and added to the story nicely. These books are just something completely unique to young adult fantasy and I love it. They remind me of a young adult version of the Poppy War books. They have the same twisted and dark vibe and with the magic and war it feels a fair comparison. I love these books and how they are not just centered on the romance but have a strong plot and story line on its own. This book made me feel all the emotions and was written so beautifully. Those last few chapters contain some of the most beautiful writing I have ever seen and left me feeling it all. This was a great book and I am very much looking forward to the third book in the trilogy.

I did enjoy the first book and was glad to see Durian the duck again! Just like before, the alchemy was so interesting to read about, and the adventure aspect was nice to follow, although a bit slow. I also liked that there wasn't too much romance (though the moments between Zilan & Hong were very sweet) and it was nice to explore Zilan's other relationships (familial).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Picking up where The Scarlet Alchemist left off, Zilan and her brother embark on a quest to find Penglai Island, a magical island that could restore all of those whom she has lost in her coup against the empress. The adventure is a bit of a scavenger hunt to gather pieces of a puzzle needed to get to the island, finding enemies and allies along the way. The thread of romance, which was light in the first book is even less prevalent in this sequel, but Zilan's relationships with her brother and a new friend's support show that she is not alone in her pursuit. One of the themes of the first book in the duology was the cost of magic and that resurfaces in The Blood Orchid most clearly before the story ends. The finale left me satisfied as fitting ending for the main characters. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Scarlet Alchemist, just know going in that the romance is pushed back for most of this story (for obvious reasons if you know how the first book ended); and for those that haven't read the first book but enjoy a magical fantasy adventure with a compelling main character, this duology is worth the consideration.
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This book was an amazing read, that took you places you didn't know you were going to go. I was fully absorbed in this book right off the bat and flew through it in one day. The author did an amazing job with the plot and making the characters unique but relatable. I will be recommending this book to all of my patrons, family, and friends. Great read!