Science of magic? Power or possession? These are the hard hitting questions I want to ponder as we hurtle towards All Hallow’s Eve. And debut author Samantha Cohoe is giving us the Halloween present we all deserve in 2020.

Thea Hope is a gifted alchemist. Raised on the elusive science by her mother, her entire life has been dedicated to unlocking the secrets for The Philosopher’s Stone. But on the edge of their greatest discovery, madness seizes her mother and she nearly destroys all evidence of their progress.

With her mother’s tattered notes, Thea runs to London, seeking aid from her father. But the alchemists curse follows her at every turn and the closer she gets to completing the process, the closer to madness she also descends. Backed into a corner, Thea has no choice but to risk her own mind or lose everything she loves.

Heading into my favorite holiday of the year, this was such a perfect read for me. It’s creepy and enchanting in equal measure, topped with a plot that had me guessing the entire time.

Thea is a lovely main character. She’s smart and driven, but isn’t immune to her emotions. Her loneliness is so poignant, it hurts at time, but even so she pushes forward, showing her inner strength and fortitude. She is very human, making flawed choices, but her character is so nuanced, that there is no clear direction or predictability for her.

And that’s one of the things I loved about this book. How no matter what decision she makes, it’s never clear it’s the right one. None of her options are good ones, and there’s a vivid reality in that. Nothing in life is ever black and white, or easy to discern, and I loved how this complicated truth was woven into Thea’s character arc and plot.

One of the most heartbreaking aspects of this book is how isolated Thea is. Every one of her relationships are tainted by alchemy and the desire for power. It makes finding her place difficult, and knowing who to trust impossible.

But even more than that, her entire character is a juxtaposition of impossibility. She’s English but is raised French during a time when both countries are poised for war. She’s a woman skilled in a science that prefers men to women––in a world that prefers the same. Her refusal to succumb to any one thing would be an amazing story of strength and fortitude. But the fact that she defies all of the boxes society, and even those closest to her put her in, makes her the exact type of fierce girl I love reading about.

Adding even more reason to love Thea, she still yearns for connection and tries to find the good in people, even when the good isn’t obvious. We see this more and more through the second half, and rather than making her seem oblivious or naive, it works to frame her as very empathetic and human. She wants to believe in more than the power of the Stone, she wants to believe in the good of humanity. And despite her mistakes, this makes her extremely likable and a heroine worth cheering for.

I also loved how the curse was handled throughout the entire story. Alchemy is an elusive science. Proven in some ways, unsatisfied in others. Everyone seeks the answer for how to create the Philosopher’s Stone, and until they can do that, they’ll never be taken seriously outside select circles.

But even amongst the believers, something as mythical as a curse feels too much like magic when they’ve convinced themselves it’s science. Add that to the fact that Thea is living in a world that seeks to discredit women at every turn. Their disbelief in her abilities, in her warnings, it all is so infuriating yet believable. Men who are willing to believe in the possibility of immortality and immeasurable wealth are unwilling to believe there could be a price.

And I think that’s a clever layer. After all, we know magic has a price, but science doesn’t. And there’s a lovely balance between questioning whether alchemy is science or magic throughout the book. Could something so wondrous, offering such enormous gifts, be science? Could it be real? But in the age when electricity feels like a sort of magic, it stands to reason people would believe anything is possible. And I loved how this murky lack of clarity was woven into the story.

Overall, A Golden Fury is a gorgeous debut. It has the right blend of science versus magic that captures the mentality of that time. Thea is a blend of smarts and determination mixed with an empathy and kindness that makes her a delight to read. The plot moves at an exceptional pace, making this a very fast read. I loved the atmosphere, the turmoil, and the real humanity written into every page. It’s a historical fantasy with heart and anyone who loves that genre will devour this book.

4 out of 5 very stabby stars!

I liked the beginning, but it boring after the first few chapters. And it got worse when the plot was sidetracked by a love triangle. The two love interests didn't even have personalities.

I was so excited to finally get a YA fantasy with an alchemy magic system, and A Golden Fury did not disappoint.

Thea is such a compelling protagonist. I was immediately sucked in by her complicated relationship with her mother, the political machinations surrounding her, and the potential for a friends-to-lovers relationship dynamic. Initially, I had thought the story would take place in France (which I love!), but I was pleasantly surprised when it moved to Oxford. Afterward, the plot really picked up, delivering more action than I was expecting, which is always a plus. I loved seeing the relationship unfold between her and Will, and I was speed-reading right up until the ending.

This is also that rare unicorn - a YA standalone, which is an additional plus in its favor. I can't wait to read whatever Samantha Cohoe writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am such a sucker for a mother daughter story, especially the ones with terrible relationships, and I wanted to read this story for that. I wasn't disappointed. However, there were other parts of this book that were lacking for me--namely the second half. The first half is wonderful and well plotted, but the second half of the book feels like it began to unravel, and not in the way I like for things to unravel. It felt messy. I wanted to give it a higher rating because I really like the protagonist and her mother and this world and premise, sadly it's 3 stars for me.

Great story and loved the slight romance. Really enjoyed the characters and how the plot moved and how the characters changed throughout the book. I would read this author again.

"Do you think I do not know why you wish to send me away? But I will not let you, not when we are near to making the White Elixir! I will not be erased from our achievement!"

Thea has worked her entire life in her mother's alchemist laboratory. Now, she's in love with a former apprentice and ready to begin a laboratory of her own, but her mother is acting strangely. Could it be because her mother is near to the breakthrough of a lifetime or is she having a breakdown? Thea is going to find out.

This young adult, coming-of-age story weaves alchemy and romance in a slow paced foot race to a predictable ending.

The thing that I find so compelling about alchemy, which I felt the author didn't use to its maximum effect, is the spiritual side of the practice. Perhaps, historically speaking, most concerned themselves with alchemy for its elusive promises of immortality and unending wealth. But it is the spiritual treasures of the practice that most interest me and that I feel have the most untapped storytelling potential.

Though there were a few spiritual elements in A Golden Fury, I wanted there to be much more.

"The Philosopher's Stone gave everything humankind wanted but did not believe we could have in this life. With such a reward, it was not hard to see how so many great minds had wrecked themselves in its pursuit."

To be fair, I think the intended audience for this book is younger than I am. However, I believe even young adults can appreciate a story with a little more complexity than A Golden Fury dishes up, especially in the development of the main character, Thea, and the various antagonists.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book.

Thea and her mother are alchemists. Her mother makes the Philosopher’s stone and destroys in it in rage because she goes mad. Thea flees France and goes to her father with her mother’s notes. Her father doesn’t know he has a daughter though. There she befriends Dominic. Stuff goes awry and in the end Thea is forced to make the stone and have the chance to go mad.
I really enjoyed A Golden Fury. It was really engaging and I loved the places the book took us. I loved the suspense and the characters. The book was slow at times, but definitely worth it.

This book hooked me from the first page. I love a strong female heroine, and we get that with Thea. Cohoe does such a great job of making Thea strong but relatable. I rooted for her, was frustrated with her, and couldn’t look away.

I also love that this was not an alchemy book about turning things into gold. This was such a fresh take on alchemy and really added to the story.

I did have some issue with the development of the secondary characters, who fell a little flat for me, and the ending wasn’t all that I thought it would be.

This book had so much promise and really drew me in with its gorgeous cover. I absolutely loved the first half of this book but the second half not so much. It was so frustrating. It feels like the author lost the plot along the way. I couldn't connect with Will at all. I did love the world building. I know this was a debut novel and I will try another one of her books because I can tell this author has a lot of potential.

First and foremost thank you to Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press for this ARC of A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own!

A Golden Fury by @samanthacohoe is a rich, YA historical fantasy that is so bingeable due to the lyrical and dark writing style. Thea, our MC desperately wants to step out of the shadow of her famous alchemist mother. The two of them are so close to creating the Philosopher's Stone which is said to grant immortality. When the dream becomes a reality, Thea’s mother destroys the stone in a fit of madness. Thea then goes to live with her father and while combing through her mother’s notes, she learns there is a curse on the stone and other alchemists are determined to pull the secrets from her at any cost. This book is available for purchase now!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to review this title.

This book was an interesting read but slow paced for my liking. I haven't read an alchemy story before so I like the mentioned of Philosopher's Stone because it made me think of Harry Potter. I liked that the main character has a sharp tongue and can think and make decisions on her own. I like reading and came upon info that occurred in other books I read like the revolution going on in France. This is very much plot-driven, but it did drag in some scenes, and some events felt repetitive.

As a whole, this was a really solid debut, and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, girl power, and vaguely unsettling moments of insanity.

i had a hard time getting through this story, the world building was hard to get through at times and the story just kind of dragged.

Really good book and exciting plot. I really enjoyed the characters and the world building. There's just something about alchemy that manages to draw you in. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I found it hard to connect with the characters in this book. The world building wasn’t great and I found myself often re-reading passages to make sense of what was going on.

I really really enjoyed A Golden Fury! Badass female alchemist! Complex relationships! Great worldbuilding! What more could you ask for. I especially loved the background and tension of the looming French Revolution and all in all this was a delight to read.

I enjoyed the pacing while I was reading. It had some complex relationships. I enjoyed her writing style a lot. It had great world building.

A Golden Fury was not only one of my favorite reads of 2020, but was one of the most feminist books I've read this year too.

Thea, an alchemist, has always been second to her mother. After her mother catches her hanging out with a boy, Thea's mother kicks her out of the laboratory while working solo to create the Sorcerer's Stone. Thea soon after discovers the Alchemist's Curse, a problem she faces head on once her mother goes mad from her experiments. Thea leaves France to find the father who does not know she exists, and Thea's life changes forever. Thea is the only alchemist talented enough to recreate her mother's experiment, and the quest to create the Sorcerer's Stone becomes a high-stakes adventure with life and death at either side.

The study of alchemy is a man's world. Thea and her famous mother are the female outliers in this area of study, and Thea fights for the opportunity to prove herself over and over again. There were several points in the novel that I was afraid that the author's choice would prove to be less feminist, but at every opportunity, Thea makes the right choice for herself, no men allowed. I loved this so much about the novel. And even though Thea does make these tough choices, it feels historically accurate too. These are things girls her age in this time period would have faced, and Thea does often have to make choices within this context. The whole thing was very well done. Additionally, it was beautifully written.

This is a great book for teens interested in alchemy, France on the brink of the French Revolution, strong female characters, or legends surrounding the Sorcerer's Stone. There is some light romance.

Alchemist + female lead = YES

Everyone who reads my reviews knows that when there is a strong female lead in a man’s world, I am immediately in love. Thea is no different, a smart strong female trained by her mother to be an alchemist. Together they are seeking to complete an alchemist’s greatest achievement, the philosopher’s stone. But when Thea’s mother locks her out of the lab and suddenly goes mad, Thea is forced to go live with her father and soon discovers the stone’s true power and the consequences that come with it.

Like I stated above, Thea is a strong female lead and I really did enjoy her character. I thought she was incredibly smart and brave. Now I don’t want to give too much away but she sacrifices a lot for her family and friends. And I can always appreciate a character who does what is right to save her people.

This is the kind of book that I had a hard time putting down. Very fast-paced and had lots of interesting plot twists. I was slightly disappointed with the ending but overall it was an interesting book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me a copy!

This was a really interesting take on the legend of the philosopher’s stone! With this story, there is a curse on the stone that affects anyone who tries to make it, and that curse causes people to go mad. That definitely means there are trigger warnings associated with this book for mental illness and madness, so please keep that in mind!

I enjoyed the setting of France and Oxford for this story, although after further thought, the parts of the story that take place in France didn’t give you the same feeling as the scenes in Oxford of truly being in that place. I also really enjoyed the alchemy and how Thea’s mother is the most famous female alchemist in France which was a nice way to fit in women in power. Thea is her mother’s assistant and is just as talented as she is, although her mother would never admit that and tends to treat Thea very poorly. Thea’s mother ends up going mad during the process of creating the stone very early in the book which sets off the rest of the events that occur, and I was not expecting things to turn out the way they did!

Out of all the characters, I definitely liked Thea and Dominic the most because they both cared more about others than they do about themselves, whereas the majority of the other characters care about creating the philosopher’s stone for themselves. Thea is determined to save her mother from her madness, but doing so would mean possibly sacrificing herself to the curse on the stone.

Things with the plot really start to expand and become more complex in the second half of the book where Thea and Dominic meet up with Will, who was an assistant to Thea’s mother and Thea’s lover/best friend. This is where the pacing picked up for me and I was really reading the book quite quickly, but I was also a bit confused with the whole German soldiers plotline and where that all ended up at the end.

The ending however is why I couldn’t give this a higher rating, because it felt a little rushed, and I had a few unanswered questions about what had happened in the last 50 pages or so. This is a debut though, so I think for it being a first book it was very strong and I’m curious to see what Samantha Cohoe writes next! This book was completely different than anything else I’ve read, and I think if you liked other historical fiction books with a magic, paranormal-esqe twist to it, you would like this one! Plus it’s a standalone so there are no cliff hangers or long waits to get to the next book, which is nice.

On the surface, there should be much to enjoy about A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe. It has female alchemists in a time period where women did not do such a thing. Plus, it shows alchemy being successful and explains why no one was able to create the Philosopher's Stone before Thea/Bee. A Golden Fury is a story full of possibilities.

Sadly, A Golden Fury does not live up to those possibilities. While the idea of women flouting the conventions of the time to do something they love that just happens to be in a men's domain is something I always enjoy, I feel that Ms. Cohoe takes it a bit too far in that her heroine faces little opposition in chasing her dreams. She travels by herself without any repercussions. Even worse, she lives with an unmarried man who is not a relative. In general, she acts like a twenty-first-century woman even though the story takes place right before the French Revolution. I am all for woman power, but it has to make sense when placing your story into a historical period.

To make the situation even worse, there is nothing about A Golden Fury that is not predictable. Whether it is her ability to create the Philosopher's Stone to her childish infatuation with Will to her relationship with her mother and father, Thea's story follows in the exact directions you expect it to. Not only does this make the story boring, but it is also disappointing as well. After all, no one wants to read a story that holds no surprises.

There were many directions in which Ms. Cohoe could take her story. Unfortunately, the paths she chose were the most obvious ones available. Add to that a character whose behavior does not even remotely fit the social boundaries of the time and whose alchemical skill is beyond any other alchemist in the known world, and you have a story that is not only predictable to the point of boredom but also requires more suspension of disbelief than a reader wants to give. Simply, A Golden Fury is one big disappointment from start to finish.