I really had no expectations going into this book outside of the fact that I’m just a fan of historical fantasy. I was immediately intrigued because this setting is post-French revolution, and I thought it would be more involved with this actual time period, but that wasn’t the case (yes, I know the synopsis says Thea goes to Oxford, England but still). To be honest, I thought you could set this book in any similar Western setting and nothing much would change.

You have the main character, Thea, who is an alchemist, along with her mother, who apparently made some really great armor for the king and that is her one claim to flame. Apparently, Thea’s mother doesn’t like that she has someone to compete with (against?), and to be honest, I struggled to understand Thea’s love for her mother because it didn’t seem to be something based on actual love but almost… obligation. Like, hey, this person raised me and taught me everything I know but she’s also a horrible person. So…yeah. Her father tried to be a little better, but you can tell he’s working through the fact that he has a daughter whom he knew nothing about until she arrived on his doorstep. Don’t get me wrong, Thea is determined and ambitious, especially in a world that doesn’t hold much value to women (thanks, time period).

If the author tried to make her readers feel the romance between Will and Thea, it really isn’t there. The whole story about him how he came to be in his present situation doesn’t seem believable, and even Thea questioned it. It makes me wonder if Will even cared for Thea in the first place because as the story progressed, I don’t think that’s even the case. He becomes (is?) a selfish person who seemed to take advantage of people for his own personal gain. I’m not sure what to make fo Dominic either. There’s nothing really that commends all of three of these characters. Thea acted the way she did because she thought she was saving people, but when she discovered the Stone isn’t exactly what everyone thought it would be… Well… Meh. The only person I sort of cared for is Valentin and it’s only because I thought his whole connection with Will/Thea and the events were rather heartbreaking.

The ending also makes it seem like there could be a sequel, but it’s not something I would be interested in reading. I think I mainly wanted a lot more of the historical aspect of this book, while the fantasy part was just okay.

Thea is a young lady (16 years old) who aspires to become a great alchemist like her mother. Only her mother has banned her from the lab in what Thea takes as a power grab to have the claim to fame as the alchemist who forms the Philosopher's Stone.

But, she soon learns that her mother has gone quite mad, to the point of violence, from the quest. Thea is then sent to the father who doesn't even know she exists.

Taking with her some of her mother's notes on the process, she soon discovers that the quest is one that will rob you of your life.

While I find the idea of alchemy interesting (and have training in chemistry), I must admit there were times I really did not like the main character. Yes, she is naive. But, her attitude towards others grated me the wrong way. This meant it took me a lot longer to finish the title than planned as I had to trudge through it.

The ending was good. But, getting there was sometimes torturous.

First, I want to say a big thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours as well as Wednesday Books for having me on this tour and providing me with a free copy of A Golden Fury. This is a book that had been on my radar for over a year and I'd been dying to read it since I first saw it floating around all the way back in 2019. I was thrilled to finally have this book in my hands.

From the very first page, I knew I was going to like Thea as a main character. I really liked her character voice and how strong and passionate she was. She was a very interesting character to read about throughout the entire book and I was really invested in her journey.

This book isn't super explosive or large. I quite liked how it was contained to a very small portion of the world rather than being a story about "I have to do this in order save the world." While the stakes are high for our individual characters, this was a refreshingly contained.

The plot was a bit slow at times, but other times moved quickly. I thought the events of the book were really easy to follow and I was very invested. I wasn't ever really shocked or surprised, but that's okay. At this point in my life, I'm very stressed and busy so having that didn't jerk me around and wasn't hard to follow was a breath of fresh air. This is also a standalone book, so knowing that the entire story was going to be wrapped up in one fell swoop was also a nice change of pace for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was fun and magical and I'm glad that I got the chance to read it. It's such a good, solid YA fantasy and I think that a lot of YA readers will enjoy it!

A Golden Fury is one of those debuts that is equally enchanting as it is powerful. It’s a story that captivated me from page one until the end. The story is filled with exceptional character development, engaging storyline, and charming historical settings. I enjoyed the aspects of magic and science and I learned a great deal about alchemy from Thea, a brilliant teenage alchemist.

“The mind has power over the body that no one fully understands.”
The setting in A Golden Fury stole my breath away. It’s beautifully described and depicted wonderfully. I felt like I was right there in France and then in England. The historical setting was just everything in this book, and I was blown away by it all. Cohoe fills this story with captivating descriptions of the setting and also the characters. Samantha Cohoe’s writing is strong and filled with lush prose. Cohoe knows how to describe a scene in a way that keeps the reader glued to the page. I was loving her descriptions of the plot and characters and how she filled the pages with thoughts of magic and science and alchemy.

“I would not need to change myself to suit the world. I would change the world to suit me.”

Thea, I felt, was a relatable and reliable main character. She’s strong in her own way and fights to prove her worth. She needs to prove, not just to herself but her mother and the other alchemists, that nothing good can come from creating the Philosopher’s Stone. Thea wants to change history as a teenage alchemist. She knows her strengths and she knows she deserves the credit for the work she’s doing. I was here for all her character development, which is a big part of the story. The story focuses more on the plot and Thea than romance, which I surprisingly enjoyed (I’m usually a huge romance fan, but this book held it’s own without a strong romance element).

Overall, A Golden Fury is a unique story with an enchanting historical setting and well-developed characters. It’s a solid debut from a new and promising author, and I look forward to Samatha Cohoe’s next novel.

I am so glad I was able to read this book. I haven’t read many books that deal with alchemy and even fewer taking place in a historical setting (18th century). It was hard to believe this was a debut novel. I found Cohoe’s writing to be engaging and I wasn’t able to put the book down until I was finished.

I found Thea to be a really well written and interesting character. She was smart and witty – definitely different from women of her time period. She wanted to make a name for herself in her profession, alchemy, but was also aware of some of the limitations of being a women in that field. Even when she trailed from this sense, how she acted with her love interest still made sense. She was a self-sacrificing character that would do anything in her power to help those she found kinship with. It was interesting that she trusted so few males in her field, but one character she was more than willing to share information with – despite his lack of trustworthiness.

Cohoe’s other characters were interesting as well. While I was reading the story, everyone’s actions made perfect sense. They all had their reasons for doing what they were doing. However, looking back, the two male “love interests” did some acts where t didn’t line up exactly (although there were moments where I wasn’t even sure if that was their purpose – love or friendship).

This book had a lot of self-sacrificing, both by the main character and others, but there was also a lot of selfishness. It seemed like everyone had selfish reasons for doing something – although the main character didn’t have many, and if she did she didn’t always act on them. The characters felt realistic, but still served a purpose in the end.

The plot was interesting and had constant twists and turns. There were many points where I wasn’t sure where the story was going – or at least how it would get there. Everything did end up wrapping up nicely, and relatively neatly, not fully what I was hoping for – but still not unsatisfying. The weakest point of the book – which still wasn’t truly a weakness – was the logic. There were just points in the story where it felt like Cohoe wanted the book to go to this point, but wasn’t fully 100% sure on how to get there. Sometimes the route to getting to that point didn’t fully make sense to me. But really, that is a minor nitpicky point on my part. While reading it, everything made sense and I wasn’t questioning anything – it wasn’t until writing this review that I realized there were point where things didn’t add up entirely (and honestly, that may be because some time has passed between reading and writing this review).

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and will be keeping an eye out for more that Cohoe writes. I loved the alchemy element in the story and the strongly written characters.

Lately I've really been enjoying stories that take place quite some time ago and A Golden Fury fit that perfectly taking place in the late 18th century. Even though this was a fantasy, I really enjoyed the little pieces of history that are in this story. It's something that really interests me and a nice added touch.

Our main character Thea is a strong main character and very smart. Her mother is an alchemist and has been trying to figure out how to create the philosopher's stone. Things don't go as planned and she's determined to do it herself. I really enjoyed Thea as a character. She has to overcome a lot of obstacles, especially as a woman, in this setting, but she doesn't let that stop her at all! It's clear she wasn't planning on sitting around and act like how society thought women should act. And why should she?!? She was very smart and should use her knowledge.

A Golden Fury is pretty fast-paced and I loved the adventure and magic we get in this book. It's a darker story and has elements I wasn't always expecting. The cast of characters is actually quite interesting and I enjoyed seeing the development throughout the story! If I'm honest, I could've done a bit without the romance element in this story, but all in all, I highly recommend this debut fantasy. Samantha Cohoe is an author to keep an eye on!

A Golden Fury takes place in France in 1792. For some reason I have never liked a book I've read set in France... until now! A lot of the book actually doesn't take place in France as our characters dash around Victorian Europe for various reasons, but I actually really enjoyed this one. I felt like the first half of the book was a little stronger than the second half, but I can still easily give it 4 stars.

What I liked a lot:
I can't tell you why without giving spoilers, but this books has one of the most satisfying resolutions of a complicated relationship I've ever read. The main character falls for a boy who is her Alchemist mother's apprentice who is then sent away when they are discovered. They write each other letters and are eventually reunited, building to possibly my favorite relationship twist and resolution I've read in a while. I also felt like the Alchemy was a good balance of information. We as the reader were given enough info to make it scientific and interesting, but not so much to make it dull.

What I liked less:
The second half of the book just didn't feel quite as developed as the first and there were a few places where I felt like the pacing was a little odd, but neither of those things were a large deal.

Soundtrack:
For this blog tour I was tasked with creating a soundtrack for the book! I won't give any explanations for why I've chosen these books to prevent spoilers, but if you've read it and want to ask, shoot me a message!
Do You Hear the People Sing- Les Mis
Gold- Imagine Dragons
You're Somebody Else- Flora Cash
Runaway- Yea Yea Yeas
I'm Going Slightly Mad- Queen
Set Fire to the Rain- Adele
Dancing After Death- Matt Maeson
Come Out and Play- Billie Eilish

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

In A Golden Fury Cohoe does a wonderful job weaving together history, science, and characters creating a unique story that will enthrall readers.

Cohoe’s characters are interesting, relatable and complicated and watching their stories intertwine and become entangled speaks to just how messy relationships can be, and how navigating them isn’t always a rewarding experience. Watching the character’s relationships with one another develop and change over the course of the book was interesting and also felt very natural. Additionally no character is entirely good or evil and watching them grapple with making decisions and exploring their motives for their actions was gripping and made this book hard to put down.

The book also explores madness which is something I’m always if-y about. Having Bi-Polar Depression and ADHD, I’m always interested, if leery, about how mental health is portrayed in books, books dealing with madness especially. However, Cohoe does a great job dealing with this in her book. Cohoe doesn’t dive super deep, but she discusses this topic well and does a good job relating to her readers what ‘going mad’ can be like. Everyone’s experience is different, but I saw part of my own story reflected here, and Cohoe does a great job handling this topic in my opinion.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it for readers who love historical fiction, and fantasy!

The Quick Cut: A girl is left in danger when her mother is left insane after attempting to make the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Her only chance of getting back the life she wants is making it herself and hoping it doesn't do the same to her.

A Real Review: Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see a legendary object come to life? Would it be everything that the whispered secrets say it is? Or would it merely be an object, just like any other? This is the reality that Thea is left facing in this story centered around her during the French Revolution. 
 As long as she's known, Thea has always been treated as an assistant by her mother. Although they both work together as alchemists to create objects, her mother has always seemingly acted around her as if she is a petulant child and now a knowledgeable worker. All that is thrown for a loop when her mom manages to make the Philosopher's Stone, only to go mad during the process and break it quickly after creating it. Thea has seen what the object does to its creator and its nothing less than a curse. Except there are other alchemists around who don't believe in the warning that Thea is giving and will do anything to see its power come to life. Will Thea find a way to keep out of danger with the other alchemists? Or will she find herself in the middle of danger in the process? 
 Based on the description of this book, the idea really interested me and I was so excited when I managed to get a copy of the ARC. However, as I read page after page, I found myself getting increasing irritated with the material. First off, this story takes place during the French Revolution, but that historical aspect is barely utilized as much more than a reason for the characters to move around. It really felt like a missed opportunity at a minimum considering how much more it could've done. 
 Second, I found these characters unlikeable in every respect. Thea is meant to be a powerful, independent woman who stands up for those she cares about. Instead she comes off as pathetic as she continually stands up for those in her life who do not deserve it. To the end, Thea is treated like crap by her mother without a good reason. Thea continually defends Will when it's shoved in her face that she shouldn't give the guy the time of day. What is your problem girl?!?! When this many people in your life say you deserve better, maybe you should listen to them. 
 An interesting concept that is wasted on unlikable characters.  My rating: 3 out of 5

In A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohen, every alchemist is after the Philosopher's Stone, hoping to be the first to unveil its secrets. Nevertheless, only one girl knows how to create it. Everyone wants her knowledge for themselves, and they do not care what they must do to get it. Will Thea Hope survive in this dangerous world of alchemy? Did this short introduction spark your interest? If so, here are five reasons why you should read A Golden Fury.

The Philosopher's stone myth. A Golden Fury has as its premise the myth of the Philosopher's Stone. Every alchemist is trying to create this mythical stone, which is said to cure every illness and turn metal into gold. But power never comes free, and a terrible curse befalls upon everyone who attempts to create this legendary stone. Through a new take on the myth of the Philosopher's Stone, Samantha Cohen wove a plot of intrigue, treason, and madness. No matter how dangerous the process to achieve the Philosopher's stone is, every alchemist wants to become the first one to succeed doing it -- even if it means lying, deceiving, or losing your mind.

Women alchemists. I will forever and always stan women that defy the conventions of their time. Although, the most powerful female alchemist in France can be a total *insert ugly word* to her only daughter.

Good-hearted Thea. Thea is perceptive. She is loyal. She pursues her dreams fiercely. Her love for alchemy is inspiring -- even after all her mother attempts to make her feel talentless, Thea shows how brilliant she is in the great art of alchemy. Even with the stone's looming curse, Thea decides to use her talent to create it. She puts her sanity on the line -- she sacrifices her own well-being -- to save those she cares about the most and those who have treated her badly. I cannot remember the last time I came across a character as good-hearted and altruistic as Thea.

Historical tiny-bits. This novel is set in England and France in the period of the French Revolution. Thea lives with her mother and her mother's patron, who is worried about what might happen now that the king has been overthrown -- in other others, he worries if more heads will roll and what might happen to his English guests. After an almost-deadly event, Thea travels to Oxford, where her father teaches, and I must say that I understood her fascination with its university. I enjoyed the historical details, which brought another layer to the story -- these details made the unbelievable believable.

Dubious characters. Don't you love to be suspicious of a character's words and intentions? Don't you love to wonder about what their next step might be and if it will hurt the strong-willed heroine?

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book!

A Golden Fury is author Samantha Cohoe's debut, and overall, it's a strong one!

Seventeen-year-old Thea Hope is the daughter of a famous alchemist. Together with her mother, they come close to cracking the code of the Philosopher's Stone - a stone that can turn any metal into gold and grant immortality to the wielder. When Thea's mother destroys the stone in a fit of violent rage, Thea learns through her notes about the curse on the stone that turns anyone who gets close to it to madness. Thea is sent away from France where the threat of revolution looms to England to live with her estranged father, and while there tries to warn other alchemists of the dangerous curse connected to the stone, but they try to steal her knowledge for themselves regardless.

I love the atmosphere of this book. Set in 18th century France, the revolution looms and the whole aesthetic is one I love. Thea is a likable main character. Women are not taken seriously in this time period, especially when it comes to science, so I enjoyed seeing her journey. She's emotionally abused by her mother who is slowly descending into madness and she has to fight to be taken seriously and to prove herself. I thought she was a strong character.

We get to meet Thea's father and his assistant Dominic, and they were both interesting enough to read, but it was the action-packed scenes that followed this that made me especially glad to have met them. They were done really well and set a good pace for the book. However, it seemed the second half slowed down a bit with the romance between Thea and her love interest that was sent away by her mother. Thea was so desperate to get to him it muddied the pace a bit.

Overall though, I think Samantha Cohoe is a fantastic writer. The prose and descriptive language is gorgeous, and I can't wait to see what comes next!

On the eve of the French Revolution, a young alchemist makes a disturbing discovery about the much sought after Philospher’s Stone that will turn her world and everything in it upside down. Will she be strong enough to resist the dark forces that are at work and save those she loves the most while keeping her own demons at bay?

A Golden Fury takes the reader on a dangerous adventure fraught with villains, betrayal, curses, and new beginnings. Cohoe creates a true to life alternative reality where the science of alchemy is real and involves perils beyond imagining. The characters are smart and witty, while being vulnerable and authentic.

Q&A with Samantha Cohoe, author of A Golden Fury!
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Q: What book(s) have you read that you wish you wrote yourself? A book(s) that was so good you wish it was your own!
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A: This is SPINNING SILVER by Naomi Novik for me. This book felt like coming home to the way I sank into books as a kid, but in a way that met me now as a grown up. It was magical, it was completely engrossing. It was a whole world. That’s the kind of book I want to write.
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Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Golden Fury was a fun ride. I desperately need more books about the philosopher stone and other alchemy legends!
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While I enjoyed the story and the subject matter, it wasn’t my favorite. The book isn’t bad per se, but it wasn’t fantastic either. This would be a good pick for someone wanting a quick read with an atmospheric setting and a kick ass female lead. I will most likely be buying a copy for the younger readers in my life!
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Thank you Wednesday Books for providing me an e arc in exchange for an honest review. Also, thank you for inviting me to tag along in this blog tour! I am very honored.
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#wednesdaybooks #agoldenfury #netgalley #blogtour #booktour #booksandplants #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #booksandcandles #booksandcoffee #bookishflatlay #averybookishpost #qanda #bookishvibes #bookishaesthetic #

I would like to thank Wednesday Books for hosting this blog tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An enthralling, magical realism novel set during the 18th century French Revolution, A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe narrates a story of a young alchemist’s pursuit in making the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

The story followed Thea Hope, a young alchemist who wanted to be recognized of her own achievements than just being the daughter of a world-famous alchemist. She and her mother worked to create the Philosopher’s Stone, but when they almost finished it, her mother, who slowly succumbed into madness, destroyed it. With the French Revolution looming in, she was sent away to Oxford. She then later on discovered through her mother’s note that everyone who tried making the Stone fell into insanity. Despite this warning, others brushed it off and still wanted Thea to make the Stone for them.

I haven’t read many books about alchemy, but this subject really fascinated me. Plotwise, this novel included lots of elements and themes such as family dynamics, betrayal and politics that made it more exciting and intriguing. The story started strongly, and it has a good pacing. I also absolutely love how it gave the nod to women who were seen as incapable of accomplishing things on their own and overlooked for their success because of their gender. On the other hand, the writing style was captivating. The descriptions were lyrical and I liked how they created vivid pictures of scenes in my mind.

The main character, Thea, was strong-willed, intelligent, but a little naive when it came to her love life. As part of her flawed character, she made some questionable and frustrating decisions throughout the story. Still, I found her character likeable. My absolutely favorite here is Dominic. He was kind and understanding, and he always gave Thea sensible advice which she needed most.

The only issue I had was the third part of the novel. It felt rushed and a little different from the rest of the story. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what changed, and the ending for me was underwhelming. Nevertheless, the book was still an enjoyable read.

Overall, A Golden Fury is a solid history fantasy with a touch of magic realism. I recommend this book!

4 stars!

tw: assault, self-harm, mental illness

*I received an e-arc from Wednesday Books, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour!*

A Golden Fury has an amazing setting, which starts out in beautiful 18th century France, and then moves to Oxford, England. Alchemy is such a fascinating subject (I haven’t read a book featuring it since I read the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead), so I was super excited when I found out that that’s what this book is about! I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s descriptive writing about the different experiments.

Thea Hope is the seventeen year old daughter of Marguerite Hope, a famous alchemist in France. Thea dreams about being out from under her mother’s shadow and becoming an alchemist with her own reputation. She and her mother have been working on the Philosopher’s Stone, whose properties can grant immortality and can turn metal into gold. Just as they have the promise of the stone and all that comes along with it, Marguerite descends into complete madness and destroys the stone. As Thea combs over her mother’s notes, she discovers that there’s a curse on the stone that causes anyone who tries to make it lose their sanity. As the threat of the French Revolution looms, Thea is sent to Oxford to keep her safe. She is sent to live with a father who she never knew about, and who didn’t know about her either. Her only consolation is that her friend Will is living in London, and she hopes she will be able to see him again.

As Thea comes to Oxford, she discovers that the alchemists there don’t believe her warning about the curse, and won’t stop until Thea gives them the knowledge they need to create the stone for themselves.

I thought that Thea was relatable as she wants to prove herself to her mother, her father, and to the world at large. She lives in a time period where women really had to fight to make their own way, as their dreams and goals were not taken seriously by society. Throughout Thea’s journey, she goes through so much, and I liked seeing her growth from the beginning to the end of the story.

I was somewhat disappointed in the ending, as from my understanding, this is a standalone. I felt as though there were some loose ends that needed to be tied up, as I was left wondering about the fates of certain characters. It would be great to have a sequel in the future!

If you like books with historical settings, alchemy and some surprises thrown in, I think you would enjoy this book.

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc and arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: A Golden Fury

Author: Samantha Cohoe

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended For...: sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, magic

Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, slight sexual content, violence, slight gore, curses, sacrifice)

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 352

Synopsis: Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.

While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But in Oxford, there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let the people she loves die.

Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It was a fun, fast paced read and the writing was well done. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me reading throughout the book and I did like the premise of it. I also liked the strong family relationship in this book and how clear and strong the women were. The romance, while not the main focal point, was also cute and the friendship was cute as well.

However, the book jumped around a LOT and the book was very confusing as it did so. The book didn’t spend a lot of time world building and I wish that the book was further developed and slowed down and possibly even broken up into two books rather than one. The second half of the book particularly feels rushed and underdeveloped.

Verdict: It’s good, but it’s got issues.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars

I haven't read much YA historical fiction but even including the adult historical I've read, A Golden Fury stands out for the time period it covers, the topic of alchemy and of course the fantasy elements. The pace is on the slow side but I have no doubt that lovers of historical fantasy will find many aspects to enjoy! I will say that while this book started off really strong for me, it did lose me towards the middle and end when the plot became overly complicated, though for the most part, this was a pleasant surprise.

This book is set in the 18th century (1792) and although I'm not familiar with that era (especially the French Revolution and France's relations with England at the time), I thought Cohoe did a great job of lightly introducing the "current events" as well as how society functioned.

Thea was an MC I really appreciated. Although she started off snobbish, entitled and naive, she grew a lot throughout the story. She had an unconventional upbringing travelling across Europe with her mother, a re-known alchemist, ending up in France where the story kicks off. Thea is a smart young woman and excels in alchemy, thanks to learning under her mother's tutelage. I loved how despite her fears and uncertainty about where she belonged, she never doubted her ability to use alchemy as a tool to make her way in the world. At a time when women weren't even allowed to set foot on campus, Thea and her mother really challenged those notions, and it was very empowering! She certainly never quavered under the high pressure circumstances she found herself in, and while she does come off as brash and blunt at times, I loved that she stood her ground and never compromised on what she deserved.

I also really enjoyed the alchemy aspect, especially getting a different take on the philosopher's stone, but mostly because of how much Thea's character loved it--her passion for alchemy really comes through in the writing and it made me eager to read more. I have to commend Cohoe for being able to keep me, a non-scientifically minded person, intrigued and not overwhelmed with a topic that can get quite complex. There was also a fairly terrifying psychological aspect to the story that turned the tone quite dark, and while it was unexpected I thought it added to the unique take of the story.

There were some interesting relationship dynamics in this story including a mother-daughter relationship, an estranged father-daughter relationship, an atypical romance and many unconventional friendships. I really liked how Thea came to terms with her relationship with her mother, but it was her relationship with her father that held my interest. I had huge doubts about him in the beginning (actually thought he was suss af) but his character really grew. That said, I wished the friendships were further developed, especially between Thea and Dominic. As a character, he was sadly only used as a plot device, which was disappointing because I really would've loved to see more of him!

As I mentioned before, this book started to lose me towards the middle and the end. Without giving spoilers, I just felt that the plot became too much. It was a snowball of bad events and conflict that seemed like a stretch and I felt that Cohoe relied quite heavily on coincidences to "fix" them, which made it feel like everything was so easily and unbelievably resolved. But the story concluded without any loose ends which made it satisfying as this is a standalone.

TL;DR: This was a unique historical fantasy that I enjoyed because it covered an era and topic that I had never read about before in the YA genre. There are many interesting characters and relationship dynamics that added to the intensity of the story, and the MC was a heroine you really wanted to root for. This definitely had quite a few unexpected twists and turns, which made it an interesting read despite having a slower pace. Recommended for those who enjoy a good historical fantasy!

This book is so lushly written, it was easy to get lost in what was actually happening. It's not so historical that you dwell on events, but just enough to feel transported to this somewhat alternate history, one full of magic mixed with science.

I will say, it took me a little time to warm up to Thea, mostly because I couldn't quite understand the true depths her anger came from. But once that much is revealed, it made her a whole lot more sympathetic. And I do love a good platonic friendship!

Overall, the story is new, without really relying on old tropes (nothing wrong with tropes!). I feel like we always needed to see what lengths a woman would go to for the Philosopher's Stone.

A dark, rich read, I give <strong>A Golden Fury 4 out of 5 crucibles. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing a copy in exchange for review.

This mysterious historical story set in the eighth century with the backdrop of the London scene will forever haunt you in every dark corner you turn. Flying by the seat of my pants, I couldn’t put it down. With new concepts of the various characters throughout the story, i wanted and needed to know more with the turn of every page. I highly recommend this book giving it 4 out 5 horns

I would like to begin by thanking Wednesday Books for supplying an e-ARC through NetGalley. As always, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in blog tours. The following is my honest review.

I picked up A Golden Fury, armed with the information from the blurb, and I was hesitant. I did not go into this book without expectations. A few friends of mine had the opportunity to read the ARC as well, talking about how much they enjoyed it, which was a red flag. I tend to enjoy what these individuals don't like and dislike what they enjoy, so I was toeing this story with trepidation. On the surface it seemed like something I should enjoy: strong female lead, science (well, pseudoscience), hints of madness and magic and more, a revolution brewing in the background while other immediate dangers are occurring. I was also concerned about all of the above happening in a standalone novel, which is tricky. How could a book contain so many dangers and obstacles and totally wrap up by the last page? The book is only 352 pages, so the amount this book tackles seemed a lot.

But my concerns were unwarranted. I enjoyed this book immensely! It also felt right for this time of year; it isn't necessarily an autumn or Halloween story, but there is a spookiness shown that fits the season. I was also greatly reminded of two things: Evelyn from The Mummy movies and Audrey Rose from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. The main character, Thea, is a mix of Evelyn and Audrey Rose with a strong dash of calculating, emotionless reason. She is interested in science, much like Audrey Rose, and is methodical and brilliant in her study and execution of knowledge. She is also dabbling in a type of science that is a bit more occult than serious science, and the undeniable mystical forces at play remind me very much of the curses and reincarnation and magic Evelyn studies as an Egyptologist. I LOVE The Mummy movies, always admired Evelyn (and Rachel Weisz, the actress, to be honest), and I've been enjoying myself working through the Stalking Jack the Ripper series more recently. A Golden Fury ended up blending vibes and elements from stories I've loved and enjoyed.

Another aspect I'm in awe of is the amount of research Samantha Cohoe clearly did in order to write A Golden Fury. The amount of time period details (i.e. clothing items, names for specific patterns on décor/wallpaper/fabrics, the strained relations between different countries, the French Revolution, etc.) really brought this world in this story to life. I even learned several new words after having to look them up, like "chinoiserie"; I actually don't mind having to look up words I don't know since I'm a writer and always look for new words to absorb and use. Of course, you don't necessarily have to focus on these details to feel the heart-pounding urgency and paranoia throughout, but world-building is a part of a story I get sucked into. For a story to work, I need to believe this world is real. Fictional as it may be, the world in A Golden Fury felt so real because of the extensive blending of fact with her fictitious characters and situations.

I also want to draw attention to Thea herself. Her evolution takes her through stages of naivety, stubbornness, emotionless calculation, emotional realizations, enlightenment of other's characters and motives, what's most important in life and the world, and the dismantling of a wall she held around her heart. Her character arc was a wild ride, and I understood every stage of it too. We know why she was the way she was and why she struggled as she did to overcome her emotional obstacles. We were also there for every moment where she realized how wrong she was about certain parts of life, watching as she regained her footing, admitted uncertainty, and trudged forward despite that uncertainty. It was really admirable and I felt a connection to her journey regarding opening up to others and not turning to emotionless calculation when life is out of my control or my life is changing drastically. It is a coping mechanism I also use, even now, so I especially relate to Thea's emotional evolution.

One aspect that I did find lacking, and this is actually the only issue I have with A Golden Fury and it is so minor, is the explanation of the Stone and what was the unknown force behind it. There is some explanation, which I won't go into for the sake of remaining spoiler-free, but I felt like there was more that could have done. Is it magical? Is it godly or religious? What IS it? And the more I think on it while writing this review, there might be a point to those questions remaining unanswered. Perhaps the Stone was more of a path for Thea to discover the core of her character and the story is much less about the Stone and alchemy--a means to an end instead. I will definitely be thinking on this more and rereading A Golden Fury soon to see if I can come up with a more direct answer for myself.

Overall, I highly recommend A Golden Fury if you are feeling something with a historied tale with some unexplainable eeriness. It's a quick read that is sure to entertain. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Note on potentially triggering content: there are a few moments featuring self-harm, the harming of others, and the devolution of people from reason to madness and the violence that comes with it. If you are sensitive to descriptions of people harming themselves or others, please tread carefully. As much as I recommend this book, your mental health is important.