I am so happy to be able to review this before publication and I am not disappointed. There are 3 overlaying topics Kylie tends to write into her books so far. That is, mixed lineage racism, family issues to the max, and VERY morally grey Female main characters.

If you liked her debut series, you will love these. The magic is not as complex since the FMC does not know much compared to The Keeper of Night. But you come to enjoy the familiar bonds and drama that has a more sinister and thriller like aspect as bodies and monsters keep running around the palace and city. The pacing was a little off and some of the plot predictable but there was an absolute gob smacking twists in there and sad parts as well.
Definitely recommend to new blended fantasy and history fans and a fan of gore, definitely cannot be weak stomached for this book.

While I cannot recommend this book to many of my students, I have recommended it to a few and some adults who share my love of reading.

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, after all her father who abandoned her and her sick mother wanted to be an alchemist. A major obstacle to her dream is that she is not only from a poor family in southern China, but she is of mixed heritage, which makes her less of a human than poverty.

She, along with her two cousin/siblings, study nightly to pass the exams required to work in the palace. Their goals are to pass the exams, move to the palace and send money home to their ailing parents. Zilan also practices illegal alchemy to raise the money for the exams by bringing the dead back to life.

Zilan and her cousins set off to take the exams and she faces many obstacles. She is made fun of because of her physical appearance and her impoverished upbringing. Although she practiced the language of the wealthy, she is quickly picked out as being a merchant from southern China. She has to fight for her place in the first part of the exam, even after paying the entrance fee. She is shorted tools needed when finally allowed to participate.

Zilan is able to prove herself again and again, and soon ends up being pulled into the political world of the palace. She finds out things are not always as they seem and those she sees as infallible have secrets and make mistakes. The book did end on a kind of a cliffhanger, so I can't wait to read the next chapter and see how the series, (I hope), continues.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A nail-biting, enthralling, page-turning fantasy book. This gave me a rollercoaster of emotions, and any book that can evoke such a multitude of emotions from me deserves a five-star rating!

The Scarlet Alchemist transports us to the Tang dynasty in China, where Zilan aspires to become one of the royal alchemists. Alongside Wenshu and Yufei, her cousins, they journey to the capital in pursuit of their dreams. The dynamics between the trio are great, akin to that of siblings. And then there's the crown prince, Li Hong, who gradually grows closer to Zilan. The narrative is fast-paced, so the slow build-up of their relationship effectively balances the pacing of the entire book. All the characters and their interactions with each other are exceptionally well-written.

While reading the book, I felt as if I was transported with Zilan, personally witnessing everything that was transpiring. There are many things happening, yet it's never confusing. The narrative is easy to navigate because all the elements, however intricate they may seem, are meticulously woven together, creating an exhilarating experience. As I approached the end of the book, I was always on edge—thinking one thing might happen, only to have something else occur. The continuous plot twists added to my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, this was an incredible read that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels with a touch of romance.

*Amazon reviews will be posted after the release of the book. Social media posts containing reviews will be posted within 2 weeks after I have submitted my feedback.

Thanks to NetGalley & Inkyard Press for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know, I was rather disappointed by this one. It was very fast-paced, bleak, and depressing. I hated a large number of the characters, especially the cousins. Nothing felt satisfying--especially since many of the characters and plots relied on tropes. It was a really cool world with fun magic but the magic took a backseat for the ridiculous drama.

Kylie Lee Baker's first book outside of her Keeper of Night Duology is a great read filled with darkness, twists, gore, and a glorious amount of Chinese history and mythology. This book is worth the read.

From the beginning this book pulled me in with its imagery and the style of writing. I literally could not put the book down. This book is full of action, romance and a delightful twist that I did not see coming!! The was the book ended I’m hungry for more!

I was really excited to get this book because I have read other books by the author. Unfortunately, about a third of the way through this one, I began to be distracted. I feel this one had a similar pattern and story flow with an almost predictable ending with her other books. Plus, my personal reading journey the past couple of months has been heavy on the Asian inspired stories. As a result, I think they are starting to resemble each other. Therefore, I set it aside for a later read (after setting a not-allowed-to-read-this-genre-for-at-least-two-months ban.) I will still recommend this book for those wanting an Asian inspired tale, because there is enough in it that makes me want to finish it.

3.5 stars rounded up.

First off, I really enjoyed Zilan and her family. Zilan sort of struggles with her morality and I really liked that. It was an interesting internal struggle that followed her throughout the novel. I thought her and her cousins/siblings were well fleshed out and acted like family. I believed their relationships.

I also really loved the world. Alchemy is done using different gems and stones and it's really interesting seeing Zilan work out how to get through a problem with the different types of stones and metals she has on her.

The major issues I did have were the love interest seemed almost too perfect and the villain seemed too evil. Major important revelations were happening and then there would be time with the love interest and I would be way more interested in the rest of the plot. I didn't believe their relationship. With the villain, they would do stuff that felt cartoonishly evil and didn't even try to look less like a villain. For a story that otherwise felt more realistic in many ways, these issues stood out.

First off, I really feel like one of the genres this book should fall in is Gothic Horror. The monsters, the gore, the resurrections- oh my! And when I say gore, there is a lot of it. Maybe I should have guessed this by the title - (scarlet, duh) - but I just thought that should be addressed. It was all wonderfully done, though, and made the book very excitingly creepy. (I could hear the off-key piano music in my head as I read this.)

I loved learning about Asian history, and while it’s an alternate view of the Tang Dynasty so not everything can be taken as facts, the author does explain after where things veered off from historical events.

The only thing I felt was lacking were some of the characters- particularly the crown prince. He just didn’t seem to have enough depth for me, and I couldn’t fully enjoy the development of their relationship.

All in all, this was another great book by Kylie Lee Baker. If you liked The Keeper of Night Duology, you would also like this. If you like YA fantasy, horror, historical fiction and Asian literature, you will DEFINITELY like this.

Thanks NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC of this book!

BECOMING A ROYAL ALCHEMIST UNDER A MYSTERIOUS EMPRESS
rating: 4 stars

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC!

In Imperial China, Fan Zilan lives in a village with her family, where she performs alchemy to resurrect the dead for others. She takes in her skills with pride and good practice, wanting to become a royal alchemist one day. As she seeks to complete her alchemical exams, she meets the Crown Prince, who wants her help with a problem that relates to the royal family. It's up to Zilan to continue her alchemy work while secrets begin to unfold, both of the royal family and of herself.

I discovered this book by its cover and went on to read its plot background, and I loved how it sounded. I like the twist the author did on the Tang Dynasty while being inspired by real-life people, and the visual written details on alchemy and the characters' surroundings. Zilan is a very intriguing character, as the hints to her past got me hooked, especially towards the end. The Crown Prince's character was a bit of a mystery to me at first, but I liked how the author opened him up and showed him to the reader. Whenever the Empress showed up, I would get chills through me. The plot and world building itself is beautiful, and this was a fun read that got my history nerd self excited to learn more about the setting.

I recommend this book to readers who are interested in history, fans of Chloe Gong, and science and historical fiction lovers. It's worth reading if you like books based on Asian history.

The Scarlet Alchemist is out October 3, 2023! Preorder now!

I need the sequel for this ASAP. This book has a couple of the best tropes of training to get into the elusive academy and the poor heroine. It kind of reminded me of the beginning of the Poppy war but it quickly departs from any likeness. This had a fun take on Alchemy and i was not expect that twist for Zilan and her siblings. Also it very much a young adult read so fun and just creepy enough to keep you reading. The Prince was a fun character and his and Zilan relationship kind of reminded me of Cardan and Jude from A Cruel to the Prince to a much less degree the prince proved to be a tad more inept but still likable and fun. I am excited to see what happens.

This book was so hard for me to put down, there was never a dull moment. I loved everything from the prose to the characters, the plot, and magic system. The writing was so beautiful that at times it read like poetry. The characters were well rounded and felt very real. The dialogue felt incredibly natural and there were many times I laughed out loud. I loved the complexity of the relationship with the main character and her siblings. The use of alchemy felt very well thought out and was a very believable magic system. I felt gutted when I finished the book and I really hope there's a sequel on the way. I'll be busy reading this authors back log now.

The scarlet alchemist

4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Characters:

I liked most of the characters, i feel they were well developed and there was more show than tell, my favorite was yufei and her obsession with food. My leas favorite was the prince for some reason he just felt under eloped and to unrealistic.

World building and Magic building:

There were some parts, that didn’t make sense, probably because I’m dumb lol. Overall i liked this section

Grammar:

There some mistakes ⬇️

Mistakes highlighted

“I can’t get up. Zilan kicked me to the death,” wenshu said laying on his Black. Pg. 108 ( on iphone)

“ iIt seems like such a waste,” i said. “Id rather you just gave me the gold and remade my tooth with a rock.”

Overall

A really good 4 star read, would recommend.

The Scarlet Alchemist hooked me from the first page…. nothing like starting a book off with a corpse that needs resurrecting. And it only got more interesting from there.

Zilan lives in Guangzhou, China, with her Aunt, Uncle, and two cousins—Wenshu and Yufei. They help run the family míngqì business and also happen to resurrect dead people on the side—a forbidden alchemy performed by Zilan. However, the three of them have dreams to move to Chang’an, Wenshu and Yufei to become scholars, and Zilan to join the royal alchemists. Of course, the whole plan almost gets derailed when a man shows up begging for Zilan’s help in resurrection, offering her a large sum of gold, only problem is that it’s him and he’s still alive. Zilan, though, doesn’t let that stop her and turns him down…. But, it certainly isn’t the last time she sees him.

This story really doesn’t let up from start to finish with political intrigue, corpses piling up by the dozens, alchemical magic, monsters, a love story between a cinnamon roll prince and a head-strong Zilan, and an Empress that will stop at nothing to retain her power and youth. Oh, and a very cute duck.

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for the opportunity to read early! Loved this one and can’t wait for the sequel!

Alchemists, crown princes and ancient China are just a few of the threads weaving together an enthralling plot in Kylie Lee Baker’s latest dazzling book. “The Scarlet Alchemist” follows the story of Zilan, who is studying to be a royal alchemist in a world where the wealthiest of people can actually eat gold to extend their lifetimes. But Zilan has a special gift, one she fights to keep hidden — she can bring the dead back to life.

Close to unputdownable, “The Scarlet Alchemist” is the newest tour de force in YA. It is both powerful and poignantly written.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

The Scarlett Alchemist is a captivating and wonderfully produced fantasy story that will attract readers and leave them wanting more. Kylie Lee Baker's creativity radiates through every page of this book, earning it a well-deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars!

4.5 stars

My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The Scarlet Alchemist” does so many things so well, from the vividly drawn characters and labyrinthine plot to the raw emotion and deep family ties that hold it all together. It beautifully defies some YA tropes and pokes fun at others. Kylie Lee Baker draws on history and legend to create an alternate historical fantasy world in which Chinese alchemists have succeeded in creating life gold which keeps the royal family and their wealthy sycophants alive indefinitely. Empress Wu (based on Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor) has been in power for over 100 years at the beginning of the tale.

Zilan is a biracial orphan living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in the impoverished south of China, dreaming of passing her exams to become a royal alchemist so that she can send money home to her ailing aunt and uncle. In the meantime, she and her cousins/siblings Yufei and Wenshu illegally revive the dead in their backyard for extra money. Something I wholeheartedly admire is Baker’s ability to write detailed characters in very little page space: almost instantly I felt like I knew exactly who the three siblings were, what motivated them, and their flaws.

The plot kicks into gear when a wealthy stranger appears and begs Zilan to resurrect him - even though he hasn’t died yet, he seems convinced that he soon will be. Once Zilan arrives in the capital, she becomes embroiled in political intrigue and infighting that endanger everybody in the palace, with the Empress (as compelling and devious a villain as any reader could want) at the center. While trying to pass the remaining round of alchemy exams, she is also trying to save the prince’s life, rescue scapegoats, and maintain her relationship with her siblings, who are pursuing their own paths separate from hers. While she learns more about alchemy itself, she must also face the repercussions of her own reckless resurrections.

This is a stunning story of family, identity, legacy, ambition, consequences, love, and the balance between good and evil. Readers will find themselves in the relentless Zilan, studious Wenshu, lovely but prickly Yufei, and sweet-tempered Prince Li Hong. This story does not shy away from the gore, so you may want to skip it if you are not a fan of the following: blood (gushing/streaming/pools/rivers/fountains/vomiting), corpses (putrefying/oozing/stinking/reanimated), graphic dismemberment and evisceration, or people’s skin being turned into bookmarks. Everyone else, though: no excuses for this not being at the top of your TBR this October.

4.5 rounded up.

Not sure what I was expecting out of this book, but honestly this was not it in the best of ways.

I knew I was going to like this book when in the content note the author explained that modern Chinese was used in the novel for practical reasons as well as “ a reluctance to learn a dead language for the sake of a fantasy novel”. This is my first book by this author, and suddenly I need to add everything else she has written to my TBR.

This book revolves around Zilan and her two siblings who are trying to make ends meet (or more accurately trying to “unend” meat). Zilan is desperately preparing for an exam to become a royal alchemist in order to support her sick family, with a casual side business of reviving the recently deceased.

Honestly, you would think this was going to be a light-ish, kinda funny YA fantasy. And at some points it is funny. I laughed out loud. But it is not YA and the content is not light. There are some plot moments and twists that are downright gruesome. I honestly spent a medium amount of time confused, but in the fantasy world building kinda way not the bad way.

I had a wonderful time throughout this entire novel. I absolutely love Zilan. She is smart, witty, stubborn, and just an absolute treat of a FMC. She is 17, and she feels 17 in a really authentic, naive way. The kind of 17 where you’re invincible and you’re going to change the world. She is really well fleshed out, and one of the best representations of a teenager I’ve seen in fantasy in awhile. Really all of the characters feel incredibly well done. ESPECIALLY the antagonist. *not spoiling who* but they are so intelligently wicked, I loved it.

The entire thing was spectacular. I laughed. I cried. I’m devastated that I’m ready for book two when book one hasn’t hit shelves yet.

Thank you so very much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow.....phew, this book put me through the wringer. The world building was top notch and while unfamiliar at first, I really got drawn to Zilan and her plights.
Here was a character I could relate to, root for, and sympathize with even when she wasn't being a good person. She struggled SO hard and fought tooth and nails to achieve her goals, all while feeling unloved, abandoned and looked down upon.
When she meets the Prince....he's also not a typical royalty. To most he would appear weak and pathetic, but....I loved him. He wasn't the typical hero with muscles, brute strength, and demanding and cocky. He just was scared, loved animals, admired Zilan and did what he felt was in his power for those he cared about.
Usually I get annoyed with the heavy reliance on magic in fantasy novels but this novel uses powers under the guise of alchemy and I wasnt mad about it. The author really made it feel like an alternate reality and had explanations and historical notes on a lot of it which I loved! I was fascinated and at the edge of my seat as it came to it's climax. Man, did that 2nd to last chapter had me darn near in tears 🥺
I have to know what happens next! 😭

**Review will be published on my site and socials release week!**

GOOD START.

I really love how unique Kylie Lee Baker’s stories are. I love the historical aspects (and the notes about them at the end!), the diverse cast and how it’s a lot more main character focused over a romance (though I admit to wanting the romance to be a bit more woven in here).

The alchemical aspects were cool and I appreciated that I could follow along with the magic system. It’s complex, yet manageable and all of the morally gray decisions are thrown in to make this a dark tale.

There were some good twists, lots of monsters (gruesome book folks!), and complicated family dynamics to keep the pages turning. The historical and fantasy combination is one of my absolute favorite genre blend and the storytelling is fantastic. Looking forward to book two!!

Overall audience notes:
- YA Dark Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Romance: make-out
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction, murder, loss of life, loss of family, kidnapping and torture, creature attacks, weapons violence, medical experimentation