Infinity Alchemist is absolutely spellbinding as an indie fantasy novel that swept me off my feet! I read it quickly and loved the story full of danger, love, and power.

Enjoyed the not as common line story here. Appreciated that it wasn’t just another love triangle, but could also see how readers would felt an agenda was pushed here. Emotions ran a little high at times, felt hard to believe, otherwise I enjoyed!

I feel like this story had way too much going on and I really struggled to get into it. I do think some people could get into it because it will have a sequel but it just wasn’t got me.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book. This could have been a cool concept but because we have little background on Alchemy, the Houses, etc., when Ash starts practicing Alchemy, I found myself not interested because there was no background information to support this. The writing could use editing - going from run-on sentences to short and choppy. The flow of the novel is off. Ash is also a very whiny character (and I understand the systematic barriers behind this) but he makes assumptions about other people in the same manner that he doesn't want people to make assumptions about him.

Infinity Alchemist takes place in a world where magic is innate in everyone but practiced and mastered only by the privileged. Alchemists are both revered and seen as sinful and unnatural. We follow Ash, a young, talented alchemist who is not permitted to study or practice it. He forms an unlikely alliance with Ramsay, an alchemy student who offers to teach Ash in exchange for embarking on a quest that he sees as his life's mission. Kacen Callender is an excellent storyteller, weaving belonging, legacy, a destiny in a wonderfully queer, YA adventure tale that is full of heart and heartbreak. There is so much left to explore in this world and this book feels like an introduction. I am looking forward to learning more about this world in the upcoming novels.

Kacen Callender's *Infinity Alchemist* is a mesmerizing journey that immerses readers in a world of magic, emotion, and profound self-discovery. From the very first page, Callender's storytelling evokes a sense of wonder and enchantment, making you feel as though you've stepped into a realm where anything is possible and every turn of the page is a new adventure.

The story follows Emery, a young alchemist with a mysterious past and a burning desire to unlock the secrets of the Infinity Alchemy. As Emery delves deeper into the arcane arts, readers are drawn into a whirlwind of emotions. You will feel Emery's curiosity and determination, a relentless drive that pushes them to uncover hidden truths despite the many obstacles and dangers that lie ahead.

Callender’s characters are rich and multifaceted, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journeys. Emery's quest is filled with moments of joy and sorrow, triumph and despair. As you accompany Emery through their trials, you will feel their exhilaration at each breakthrough and their heartache at every setback. The relationships Emery forms along the way are equally compelling, filled with tension, love, and complex dynamics that tug at your heartstrings.

The world-building in *Infinity Alchemist* is nothing short of magical. Callender's vivid descriptions paint a lush and intricate world that feels alive with possibility. As you read, you will feel the magic in the air, the alchemical energies that course through the veins of this fantastical setting. This immersive world-building makes every scene come alive, pulling you deeper into the narrative and making you feel a part of Emery’s journey.

What truly sets *Infinity Alchemist* apart is Callender's ability to weave deep emotional truths into the fabric of the story. Themes of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance resonate throughout the novel, making you reflect on your own life and experiences. Emery's struggles and triumphs will make you feel a wide range of emotions, from empathy and compassion to inspiration and hope.

By the time you reach the novel's climax, you will be on the edge of your seat, your heart pounding with anticipation. The final revelations and resolutions are as satisfying as they are surprising, leaving you with a profound sense of closure and a lingering emotional impact. Callender's deft handling of the story’s emotional arcs ensures that *Infinity Alchemist* is not just a fantastical adventure but also a deeply moving exploration of the human spirit.

Kacen Callender's *Infinity Alchemist* is a captivating and emotionally rich novel that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. With its enchanting world, compelling characters, and heartfelt themes, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to be swept away on an emotional and magical journey.

This book was really an immersive experience. Even though the magic system was complicated at times, the author really made you feel fully in the world they created. I liked the characters, their relationships and the plot speed. A good book! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ash Woods thinks it’s all over when he’s caught studying and learning alchemy illegally by Ramsay Thorne. But Ramsay instead turns to blackmail: Ash helps her find a legendary book and she won’t turn him in to the police. As the pair continue working together, feelings develop, danger arises, and their respective pasts reemerge causing them to reevaluate what they’re willing to do in order to accomplish their goals.

One of the most important elements of a fantasy story is the world-building and the world-building in this one is a lot to take in at times but never feels too overwhelming. It’s easy to follow along and understand exactly how the world, the hierarchy, and the magic works.

The characters are impulsive, often making rash decisions based of heightened emotions, and it can get frustrating at times, but that’s exactly how they should be! They are teenagers living in a world that it becomes increasingly clear is dangerous for them to live in and they react exactly as I’d expect teenagers to react. There are also moments where I wanted to scream “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER” at them and that is probably the thing that made them the most real—because how many teenagers do you know who are constantly open and honest about their feelings?

As I’ve come to expect from Kacen’s writing, there is diverse cast of characters and even the evilest among them won’t stoop so low as to misgender someone. Murder? Sure. Misgendering? Absolutely the fuck not. Even in a made up fantasy world, that’s something that is one of the most fantastical elements of the story because our world is so not like that. It makes the escape that I hope for in reading fiction (even when surrounded by dangerous situations) that much sweeter.

From the privileges prevalent in academia to overly religious organizations trying to push their ideals on to any and everyone, Kacen seamlessly incorporates elements from the real world into their story that allows the fantasy to feel completed grounded.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

3.5*

I enjoyed this book. From the representation of diverse characters to the positive light shed on different kinds of relationships, Callender handles this all perfectly.

I think this is the kind of representation we need in fantasy and YA spaces and with a bit more refinement to their technique, Callender could really shape some special books.

I wanted to like this. And I really tried too.
But the MC was infuriating and even with a great plot, the execution could have been better. I found myself bored many times and struggled to continue reading.

"Infinity Alchemist' is Kacen Callender's foray into the YA fantasy genre, a world of magic, mysticism and plots yet to unfold. With a trans mc, a genderfluid love interest and a polyamorous romance mixed together with worlds of interesting magic systems and drama like none other.

As a fierce lover of Kacen Callender's work AND ya fantasy, I had my expectations high for this one and this story just didn't quite reach them. The writing felt as though it was unsure of which genre it wanted to be, if this had instead been an adult novel and the plot levelled up slightly this book could have had an extra level of dimensionality. However, as it is, the plot felt boring, nothing happened until the last 20 pages and by then I didn't particularly care and the writing seemed as if it didn't know where it wanted to go.

This novel is a promising start for a series that could be so good, however, it fell flat in all the places it needed to go beyond. But Ash and Ramsey and the alchemy were all so fun and interesting, I wish we could have had more depth but it all felt brushed over.

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender is the first book in a YA fantasy duology with an LGBTQ cast, though the story isn't focused on their identities.

I read half of the ARC from NetGalley but set it down until my e-ARC time expired. I borrowed it from the library to finish it, but I just never did. I wasn’t compelled to keep reading and ended up returning the book after renewing it the maximum number of times.

The concept sounded really interesting—there’s a whole college for alchemy, but it's a rich-kid club, so Ash, the main character, has to learn alchemy in secret, which is a punishable offense. To complicate things, he gets a job as a groundskeeper at the college and discovers his deadbeat father is a professor there. However, his father doesn’t seem to remember having a child. Ash is also trans, but this is just a small footnote in the story.

Ramsay is our other main character, a prodigy in alchemy who is essentially an adjunct professor or a teacher's assistant—I'm not entirely sure. I got the wrong idea about Ramsay at first; I thought they were a much older professor, but it turns out they’re the same age as Ash. Ramsay is an interesting character, shunned by others at the college for their parents' crimes. Ramsay wants to prove everyone wrong and destroy the thing their parents were after. After discovering Ash practicing alchemy without formal training, Ramsay blackmails him into helping achieve their goals. Ramsay is also alchemically genderfluid, sometimes appearing female and sometimes male, which is a cool idea in a magical world.

Even with all this, I couldn’t find the story that interesting. The characters seemed boring, without many interests outside of alchemy. While there is a plot, it felt like watching dolls act out a story—everything just happened to the characters, and they read their lines. It’s hard to describe, but it might also be me. I might be in a reading slump *shrug*. Also, it is YA, and I’ve fallen hard out of YA in the last couple of years.

Overall, Infinity Alchemist has potential and great representation, but it didn’t resonate with me. It might work better for someone still into YA fantasy who appreciates diverse characters without their identities being the main focus.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC! I do my reviews on my social media platforms. I am currently working on getting through my reviews so stay tuned! Leaving a rating as a placeholder for me and to not effect the books rating in order to post this. Thanks again!

I was excited to read this from the blurb alone, but I felt like it sadly fell flat in many ways. I wanted to like it so much,but I felt like it needed more with world building and that the magic system was explained more.

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender is a captivating young adult fantasy that blends magic, intrigue, and diverse representation. When Ash, a talented but underprivileged alchemist, is rejected from the prestigious Lancaster College of Alchemical Science, he takes a job as a groundskeeper to continue studying magic in secret. His life takes an unexpected turn when the brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne discovers his abilities and proposes an alliance to find the legendary Book of Source, a powerful alchemical tome.

As Ash and Ramsay embark on their dangerous quest, facing powerful adversaries including Ash's estranged father, their unlikely partnership blossoms into something deeper. Callender's vivid worldbuilding and compelling character dynamics keep the pages turning, while also exploring thought-provoking themes of power, privilege, and self-discovery.

Full review on the link below!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

3.5 Stars!
Fantasy for me is nothing without that juicy speculative kick, and the magic system in the Infinity Alchemist was interesting enough to have checked those boxes for me. Alchemy, drawing from the body's energy? Come on. Esp. in a school environment where the applications of alchemy are put into practice, although really the rich and powerful are the most likely to put it into practice. So the worldbuilding here was super intriguing. Plus, I liked the way gender identity and sexuality were handled and represented this book! If you’re looking for LGBTQIA+ representation, this book’s worth checking out.

Now for cons, Ash’s temper was something that annoyed me a little––just because I couldn’t quite get the motivation behind…why his temper flare-ups happened when they did. He’s a teenager though, so I tried to attribute it to that. The pacing itself was sort of slow, but that didn’t bother me half of the time. The other half, I put it down for a while to give myself a mental break. The prose wasn’t invigorating enough for me to push through those slower spots.

Ultimately, this book’s a mixed bag! Strengths and weaknesses across the board. I enjoyed it, though it took me a long time to get through.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this very much. The dynamic between the 3 characters could have fallen to the side, but I think it worked out so well! The personalities between the three were so good! I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed but overall I loved this story

This book was one of the most important ones I have read this year. A profound, well written tale that explores some of the most pressing issues facing our world, in a beautiful way. Karen Callender is supremely talented, and has a voice that resonates beyond the page, echoing into real life that we can carry with us. Not a single character on the page was flawless and it was so refreshing to see how deeply scarred each of them was, and how they overcame their faults to move forward. I cannot wait for their next book!

I really wanted to love this because I love Kacen Callender but it ended up being just meh for me. I love the LGBTQ+ rep in this book. I also loved how unique the magic and world building was. I had issues with the pacing and struggled to keep reading at times. I found myself putting the book down and not feeling the need to pick it up so often.