A Golden Fury takes place in 1792. At first, our protagonist lives in France with her mother but when she becomes mad and tries to kill her daughter, Thea has no other choice but to flee to Oxford to meet the father she's never met. However, the man is not the best dad in the world to say the least. Thea is a smart girl living in a man's world but she has one currency: her knowledge.

Like her mother, she wanted to be an alchemist but not just any alchemist. The alchemist who would create the white elixir and the Philosopher's stone. The first is supposed to change all metals into gold and the other is supposed to cure any sickness. But when you get too close to the result... you become mad.

I loved our main character Thea. She was determined and intelligent. Unfortunately, she didn't really have anyone in her corner. Her mother wasn't very loving, her father ... well, I'll let you find out on your own, and Will, the boy she fell in love with put her in danger with the people he owes a debt to. That's not the only thing he did, but again, I'll let you find out. Thea will find out the truth, eventually. Dominic, a young man she met in Oxford was probably the only kind/decent person that she knew.

Overall, this was a compelling story and I liked the plot but while reading, I found myself wishing for something happier. I wanted Thea and Dominic to be happy but this book felt a little too gloomy with all the lies, betrayals and madness going around. The ending didn't give me the relief or satisfaction I was looking for but it was still interesting.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I had high Hope's for this book. The premise is truly intriguing however as I began to read I found myself becoming somewhat bored as the story plodded along. I got about 1/3 of the way through before I had to stop because I felt it just kept dragging on.

For me, this book is one I would pick up at a later time due to the interesting premise and even the short amount of time I spent with the characters was enough for me to know that I would pick up this book again.

DNF but would recommend despite the pacing.

A Golden Fury is an interesting YA fantasy novel about a young alchemist and her quest to make the Philosopher’s Stone. It has a really great, fast-paced plot. Thea is perfect as the smart young alchemist. The supporting characters are kind of a motley crew, I disliked many of them. I felt sorry for some of them, only to despise them later. You will know what I mean as you read. Her parents are the worst. I really enjoyed the alchemy aspect and loved the setting. Definitely a book to try, I think most will be pleasantly surprised.

This was so fun. It was dark, moody, and adventurous. I think this is going to be a huge hit. It reads super easily and has a wonderful flow.

I really loved the premise of this book- female scientists, alchemy, the hunt for the Philosopher's Stone- but ultimately this one didn't win me over as much as I hoped. The characters were only so-so. The main character Thea was supposed to be a brilliant young woman, and perhaps she was...but so much of her agency was stolen from her. It felt as though she was just along for the ride of the many plots (kidnapping, villains, etc) as opposed to the plot happening to her. The plot though was a lot of fun, and a total romp. I read this book in 2 days. The writing was easy to digest and enjoy, and the plot was awesome. I would probably rate this a 3.5-4 if I could. I think my hopes were just sky high and this book was not a total winner in my eyes.

However, I would love to read another book by Samantha Cohoe and see what kind of magic she has in store for us as her writing and character development grow.

Super intriguing take on the philosophers stone! I loved the darkness of it all that kept me on edge. The writing was beautiful and the whole alchemy aspect kept me really interested.

Thank you NetGalley for approving this book for me! The author effectively uses magic and her writing to takeus through a dark journey. It was so engaging to read. Alchemy element had me hooked, characters were compelling and the premise is enjoyable. Definitely recommend this book to readers of historical fantasy and I'm excited for the debut!

This is a very compelling and well thought-out read with the most creative take on the philosopher's stone I've read.

I had requested this book, then completely forgot what the synopsis was before reading. So, when i started i had absolutely no clue what the book would be about. This allowed me to go into reading it with no preconceived notions of what would happen. Instead what I got was an fast paced and enthralling look at the sorcerer's stone and the curse surrounding it. While you wont find Harry Potter coming in to save the day, you do have Thea. She is every bit the heroine we need. This book gave so many twists and turns that were woven seamlessly in the narrative. I stayed up way to late last night to finish because I had to know what would happen.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Golden Fury was something. In it, you will meet characters that you will eventually hate. Unless you have some insta-hate feelings but I'm not sure if that's even a thing. It should be though because so many people annoyed the living shit out of me. For example, Thea's mom, supposed best friend, and her father.

Speaking of Thea, I loved how she wanted to be a alchemist. No matter how awful her own mother was towards her, she still tried to help her out. Then when she was sent away to go meet her sperm donor, I had no idea what to expect. To say I wasn't surprised by how selfish he was would be an understatement. Thea definitely needs better parents who see her as a human being, instead of whatever they were thinking would float their boats.

Then there's Will. Oh lord, at first I was blind. I didn't see how manipulative this little turd was until it was way too late. Boy, do I hate him so much and I am not satisfied by how this book ended one freaking bit.

Besides that, I did like the whole plot throughout this book. Even if the twists were a bit weird and confused me. I probably would've liked this book a whole lot more if I got a different ending.. but I will accept what I got. I guess.

**ARC from NetGalley**
3.5 Stars but I'm rounding up to 4. Story was fleshed out pretty well. I would have liked more insight to the characters. Their decisions seemed at odds with their personalities at least half of the time. All but one seemed to have a completely obsessive personality which got old. It was fascinating giving the Philosopher's Stone a voice and persona of its own. That's something I hadn't seen before. I did mostly enjoy the book overall hence the rounding up instead of down.

A haunting and ultimately redemptive story about the pursuit of power and the beauty of sacrifice.

This book was not what I expected, and yet I found myself incredibly invested in the story and satisfied with the ending. Overall, the thing I most appreciated was the journey the main character undertook in this book, and the value placed on sacrifice over revenge. Additionally, the plot had truly unique elements, and didn’t follow many of the well-work tropes.

It was briskly paced, well developed, and compelling throughout. My only challenge with the story was that not only were many of the characters not likable, but one specifically, that a majority of the story centered around, was truly terrible (I won’t say much because I don’t want to spoil anything). Throughout, this character grew worse and worse, and while offering a strong foil for the main character, some parts were simply painful to read.

I would give a content warning for the large focus on madness, as well as torture,

All in all, a unique addition to the well loved genre of YA Fantasy. My thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an arc.

A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe follows the tale of Thea, the daughter of an esteemed alchemist, who has to take up her mother's reins in creating the Philosopher's Stone after her mother goes mad. Creating the stone, however, has dire consequences that no one could have anticipated.

For most of this book, I found myself feeling very disengaged. Thea is alright as a protagonist, but she spends so much of the book being thrown this way and that, a reactionary force rather than an active one. She starts off in France, then is sent over to England, only to get taken by some Germans.

The alchemy aspects of it all could've been fascinating, but there's not much of it. The story is more concerned with the horrific madness aspects of the tale, along with Thea's relationships with different men in her life: her old flame, her father, her new friend, her enemy. By the end of the story, I wasn't sure what themes I was supposed to take away from it. The weakest part of this book was the fact that I couldn't find a thesis statement; are you supposed to forgive those who've wronged you or not?

The author tries to include themes of feminism in here, where a certain character expounds on how intelligent women diminish themselves for men, but this particular theme doesn't quite fit into the story when it's not built upon by the narrative. The sentiments are meant as a jab at Thea's devotion to her beloved Will, but it falls flat when the main reason why Thea is pushing herself so hard to make the stone is that she wants to achieve what others have not. Thea's mother is proud and arrogant, yet has plenty of men who are interested in her. Fraulein Rahel is an indomitable force in her own house. Thea has to prove herself to a bunch of older men, but they do not question her afterwards and she is respected by all except the obvious assholes.

Overall, I was confused by the progression of the plot as this story went on, and ended up feeling little attachment to the characters. If anything, I liked Will and Valentin the most for keeping things interesting, but the rest of the cast felt very flat.

I've always thought alchemy was interesting and I loved seeing a smart woman in a time where women don't really work and are seen as incapable of understanding things like science. Thea is awesome, she speaks several languages, she knows way more science then I ever will, and she knows what she has to do. When she stood up for herself to her mother, father, Will, and everyone else, I wanted to applaud. You go girl!

The making of the philosopher's stone and the madness it causes was so intense and intriguing. Seeing the madness from Thea's point of view as she succumbs to it was crazy and great writing. The story had a good pace and I read this all in one sitting, I couldn't put it down until I knew if the stone would work.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending, I had hoped for more resolution on a couple things and the couple I was rooting for didn't happen. But it was a fun story and I can't wait to read more from this author!

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A strong debut, well written, with a tone and atmosphere not unlike a Joan Aiken novel (which is a good thing!). I liked the relationships (won't say too much because spoilers). I also liked the fact that it is a stand-alone (yay!!).

I have mixed thoughts about "A Golden Fury". Overall, it was a good book, but I found my thoughts on the book were up and down; I would like parts of it, then be displeased with a specific turn of events, and this went back-and-forth. The quest for the Philosopher's Stone, the ultimate achievement in alchemy and the source of great power (and great risk), was a good plot. I really like the character of Theosebeia (Thea) Hope, who wants the respect of her mother, a great female alchemist in a field dominated by men, but who also wants to assert her own independence and be recognized for her own skills in alchemy. When her mother's efforts to create the Philosopher's Stone lead to madness, Thea is forced to leave France for England and the father she has never known, in the hopes that she can create the Philosopher's Stone and cure her mother. However, England only brings more trouble, especially when she re-unites with Will, a friend and fellow alchemist (and potential love interest), who is slowly dying of consumption and has gotten himself in a dangerous situation which only the creation of the Philosopher's Stone can resolve. One of the major themes of the book is men seeking power at the expense of women, and using the skills and talents of women to achieve their ends without according recognition and respect to the women. Thea's motives for agreeing to create the Philosopher's Stone are repeatedly questioned, including by herself at times. Throughout the course of the book, there is good character development and growth of Thea. The author has also created a good cast of supporting characters. She also does a good job of expressing the risks that can come with great power and whether the rewards outweigh the risks.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

If you liked AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White, this book might be for you. It has a complex, prickly female main character with quite a voice. The setting is an alternate history version of the French Revolution if alchemy existed, though that event takes a background seat in this particular plot. This was a very quick read, and highly plot-driven if that is what you're after.

However, despite the strong start and an interesting premise, I think this failed to live up to that promise. I quite liked the main character, Thea Hope. I'm a sucker for the kind of fiercely intelligent, practical, sharp girl that she is. Her drive and ambition are second perhaps only to her mother, Marguerite, who is just as complicated a character that I wish we were able to spend a bit more time with in the story. The idea of two women being the most adept, most capable alchemists in such a male-dominated field—and the complex relationship between mother and daughter that oscillates between pride and jealousy, love and hatred—was so incredibly appealing to me, and I was quite disappointed to see it fizzle out within the first few chapters. Especially when it was replaced by a story ultimately about men—Thea's relationships with men, what men want to do with her, how men want to use her—instead of a badass story about a mother and daughter, and the sacrifices they make of and for each other.

There was a bit of self-awareness re: this point in the character of Rahel, but she was high-handed and overly preachy about her sense of morals. More a caricature than a character, which is something you could say for all but Thea and Marguerite. I felt like Will could also have been a more complex characters, with more interesting motives; not that saving your own skin isn't interesting, but little of his choices beforehand did anything to deepen him as a character. A typical "nice guy" with all the pomp included, and he's supposed to be the biggest villain here? (Not counting the curse itself, of course.)

Overall, I really enjoyed the beginning for its strong characters, but the stakes never really escalated. The middle flagged and the end became a little too saccharine and neat for me—with so-called bad guys having changes of heart, and everyone lives, and it all works out, etc.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I set this aside at 10% because of two factors. The summary had me intrigued but the way the story began and was carried was a let down. I expected this to be about alchemy and instead Thea spends a large portion pining over her boyfriend. She reads letters by him, ponders over him, and hates that her mother sent him away after their first kiss. Her obsession with him is what first separated me from the story because instead of alchemy I was seeing an overflow of romance. The second dislike was the lack of dialogue and plethora of telling. At times it felt like I was reading a research paper instead of a story. Without dialogue, the story was flat and I lost the connection. Thank you for giving me the chance to read and review A Golden Fury.

A perfect read like for fans of Addie Thorley’s AN AFFAIR OF POISONS.

Thea and her mother are alchemists, but just before they’ve completed the philosopher’s stone her mother locked her out of their lab and went mad. Thea is sent back to England to a father who doesn’t know she exists and only her notes and her letters from Will. Both her father and Will want her knowledge, but who can she trust? And is the stone cursed?

Thea is a passionate and intelligent heroine that is sure to appeal to modern readers. She is naive at times, but her heart is always in the right place. The setting is as explosive as the alchemy; beginning in Revolutionary France and then to England on the brink of war. I loved the references to Mary Wollstonecraft’s VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN. There’s a strong feminist streak that I adored.

AGF by Samantha Cohoe, published by St. Martin's Press, is a historical romance. A fast paced read full of drama and suspense, mixed with magic. AGF is a complex story about a young woman and her journey through life, about growing up and finding her place in society and love.

I enjoyed reading this story, 4 beautiful stars.