I really liked the idea and basic premise of the magic in this book-that really anyone could have magical powers fed from the earth, but the people in power were gatekeeping it. I loved the twists and turns. The romance was hot and angsty. That having been said, the switch between first and third personal narration was a bit jarring, and I wish there was more magic. This book was mostly Peaky Blinders with a tiny bit of magic. I wish there was more balance. Still a great book and it has me excited to see where book two takes us!

3.75⭐️ rounded to 4. A Forbidden Alchemy alternates between the dual POVs of Nina and Patrick, childhood friends who reunite years later amidst war and rebellion. I found Nina and Patrick both interesting characters to read through and enjoyed the authors writing style. The ending left me a bit frustrated but it set up nicely for the sequel. Overall a solid start to a duology and I plan on reading the second book.

What a fantastically juicy slow-burn romantasy! Truly kept me guessing until the end and now I need the next part like yesterday!!!

This really does have all the great elements of a story that keeps you coming back for more…mystery, intrigue, comedy, romantic encounters. Truly Stacy has written such a wonderful story with characters that I just want to invite to the pub, flaws and all.

I can already say this will be one of my favorite books this year, and it’s going into my all time favorite series. Just WOW. This book felt like nothing I had ever read before, and I fear I’ll never shut up about it, it’s my newest obsession.

So think Peaky Blinders but with magic in a historical yet dystopian world. Like I said unique. The world is divided by magical Artisans and working Craftsmen, but the fate of our two main characters, Nina and Patrick, gets intertwined when they uncover a devastating secret as children that starts the first ripples of a class war. They both go their separate ways but this truth follows them for years, fate intervenes and brings them together under odd circumstances to say the least. Oh and our fmc’s first love reappears, drama ensues, twists cause cardiac arrest.

When I tell you this book had it all, peak romantasy, plot, twists, tension, secrets, morally gray mmc, complex fmc, banter, yearning, slow burn romance, forced proximity, political intrigue, class rebellion, family issues, dual pov, comedy, magic system, some spice, the list goes on!

Shelby brothers 🤝 Colson brothers. And Donny was my favorite side character. I loved the ‘found family but they’re gangsters so tough love’ in this, and the mining community.

The writing and worldbuilding were immaculate, so gripping and immersive and rich and gritty. The magical system was so refreshing, and specially the fmc’s powers, such an underrated element. The twists? EVIL. I had so much fun, but I was giggling and kicking my feet one moment and then gasping for breath the next. The first one really caught me by the throat, second one I was onto it, I was suddenly feeling cocky, and then I got shot 57 times by that ending?! I’m still recovering but I am not trusting anything again! I don’t know how am I supposed to survive until book 2?! Now I know what Katherine Heigl was talking about. Stacey how dare you? But also, thanks for this masterpiece.

Also, me inside thoughts have an accent now, stupid mentally ill brain just had to pick it up while reading.

Thank you Stacey for gifting me this ARC. I was so excited to get this, it was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I honestly can’t say enough good things about it, except for the cliffhanger being the current bane of my existence, but it’s fine, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't a masochist.

A Forbidden Alchemy hits shelves July 1st! I can’t wait to get my physical trophy and post more about it.

Another thanks to Saga Press Books and NetGalley for facilitating the opportunity for me to read this amazing story as an ARC.

Excuse me Stacey, the ending was a bit rude! This book became my obsession for 4 days. I was enthralled and couldn’t wait to sit down at the end of the day to read. I love when words on a page become a movie in my head. I forget that I’m reading because I’m so engrossed.

I loved the world that Stacey created. Peaky blinders mixed with alchemy is just what I needed. It was a nice touch starting the story with the FMC and the MMC being children. I liked getting snippets of Nina growing up and become an adult. I do wish we got more of her years after school, but I’ll take what I can get!

I loved the side characters just as much as the main characters! Especially Donny. He must be protected at all costs. Every character was fleshed out and had their own personality.

This is not a slowburn by any means. I typically roll my eyes at insta-love, but this was done nicely!! I loved their relationship so much. I’m not the biggest fan of betrayals, so I wanted to shake Nina a few times!

The twists and turns—chef’s kiss. I cannot wait for book 2–the ending was a bit abrupt and I need more.

Thank you Saga Press and Netgalley for the early review copy!

OMG! Unexpected and 10/10.
Talk about twists! I am a Stacey FAN!
This story lives up to the hype of peaky blinders “feel” which is a favorite time period of mine.
The magic elements were really unique and well done
I enjoyed this a lot

ARC provided by NetGalley for a fair and honest review

I. Loved. This. Book. Holy wow is this SUCH a cool and unique magic system, a perfectly slow burn romance and a political war story with massively high risk. I am so excited to read this before it’s released and CAN’T WAIT for the story to continue.

There are a few spelling errors and sentences that should be fixed.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc of A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan.
It did start off kind of slow, especially with the main characters starting off at the age of 12 and progressing up to the age of 25. Once we finished with the aging is when things started to take off!
We have a new type of magic system where we have crafters and artisans. At the age of 12, everyone gets to drink some idium to see if they gain magic or not. If you do, you become an artisan and get to go to an academy to learn about magic and what your abilities entail. Or… you don’t have magic and forced to go back home. Our two main characters though find out it’s a scam. One decides to hack the system and make it into the artisan school, while the other goes back home to the mines to try and start a rebellion. 13 years later they come back into each others lives but it that for the better or worse?
I really enjoyed reading this book! I got sucked into Nina and Patrick’s story of magic, rebellion, love, and a little extra I can’t talk about until after you read it 🤐🤐
That being said, how dare you do that to us with that ending Stacey?!?
Can’t wait for book 2!

#netgalley #forbiddenalchemy #staceymcewan #book #bookreview #bookreviewer #arc #advancedreaderscopy #romantasy #booktok #bookstagram #dystopian #magic #magicsystem #enemiestolovers

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🪄🪄✨✨

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Stacey McEwan for the ARC of A Forbidden Alchemy.

Super well done. The opening to the story was great!! I didn't feel like I needed anything else to continue. This book just nails that blend of dark magic, secrets, and slightly chaotic character chemistry that I crave. The pacing was on point, the vibes were strong, and the alchemy system was unique instead of overly complicated or flat.The main characters were so much fun to follow. i was either smirking, suspicious, or just straight up wanting to scream "kiss already" more than once. I liked that no one was overly polished , they all had motives, pasts, and their own kind of messy. That tension between power and vulnerability in their interactions really held my attention (and yeah I totally had a fav character, but I won’t name drop). There’s this energy to the dialogue too that made it feel real without being stiff or cringey or forced.i was still able to envision them without being TOLD and I appreciated that.
The magic system was super cool ( I'm a sucker for world building and magic systems), and it wasn’t just there for show, it tied directly into the plot and character decisions which made it all feel earned. The world building had enough weight without being too heavy handed. Honestly, the whole vibe of this book just scratched a fantasy itch I needed. There was danger, clever twists, and some emotionally charged scenes that were very well done.
No notes, really. Just vibes. This was a 4 star read for me—fast paced, great banter, strong lore, and characters that I still keep thinking about after I finished. If this becomes a long series (and it better), I’m all in. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants some bite to their fantasy without losing the fun.

Brief summary: Nina and Patrick meet at 12, at their siphoning ceremony. They will either be found to have magic and become an Artisan, or will not have magic and will be Crafters instead. Their worlds change forever when they realize that nothing is as it seems. Fate brings them together again years later, in adulthood, amidst war, loss, and devastating betrayal.

Review: This book hooked me right from the start. The pacing is perfect, and the fantastical world of Belavere mirrors dark truths about our very own world, the nature of power, poverty, war, and the danger of “us vs them” mentalities. This is one of my favorite reads of the whole year. If you love dark academia, fated pairs, slow burn romance, and fast-paced action, this book is for you! Can’t wait to read book 2!

Note: spice warning, I skipped a chapter (because it’s my personal preference not to read spice!). 🌶️🌶️🌶️


Special thank you to Stacey McEwan, the skilled storyteller and author of this book, for sending me the eARC of this wonderful book! This review reflects my honest opinion of the book.

I would like to start by thanking the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me, and I ended up DNFing at 30%.

This book follows Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson as they are plucked from their struggling towns to train as magical Artisans in the gleaming city of Belavare. Their dreams are fractured when they uncover the dark secret that Artisans are chosen, not born. Years later, a Craftsman-led revolution erupts, and Nina and Patrick find themselves on opposite sides of this growing war. When they reunite, they must confront many things about themselves. Torn between loyalty, love, and the truth, Nina must make a choice that could reshape their world forever.

When I first heard the synopsis, I was intrigued by the story and the characters. However, after reading it, I found myself not enjoying it. The book begins rather slowly, making it difficult for me to connect with the characters. Although the magic system is unique, it becomes quite complicated and fails to engage me with the characters. I think anyone who likes stories with emotional depth and complex characters will definitely enjoy this.

Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I am obsessed! I love Peaky Blinders and the Colson Bros deliver.
I thought the time jumps at the beginning were a unique way to handle world building and backstory.
I haven’t had a 5 star read in a while and this has me chomping at the bit to know what was going to happen next.
My feelings are hurt and I need book 2.

5🌟

This was fantastic! It has a perfect mixture of plot, world building, and slow burn romance. The first 30% of the book starts off a little slow trying to set everything up with the story, but it definitely picks up, and I flew through the last half of the book! It didn't feel too similar to other books which I think is good and helps it stand out as unique. I really enjoyed the elemental magic system with the Artisans and Crafters as well as the political intrigue. The author mentions several times throughout the story not to trust anybody and I can definitely understand why. 👀

It starts off with Nina and Patrick finding out a life changing secret when they are children which allows them each to choose their path of being an Artisan (has magic) or a Crafter (does not have magic).

While the story introduces us to our love interests earlier on in life when they are children, they are mid twenties when their story lines meet again, which I liked. The tension and the romance is chef's kiss. I enjoyed how the spice was handled. It was open door, but not super explicit, and this story definitely focuses more on the plot than the spice. I LOVE Patrick so far! I also enjoy Nina, but Theo is going to need to redeem himself big time. I enjoyed the plot twists thrown in there, switching everything up just as you think you have it all figured out.

I'm happy to see where the second book takes us, because that cliff hanger...well it left us hanging. 🦥

You will enjoy this book if you love
✨slow burn romance
✨tension and yearning
✨political intrigue
✨betrayal
✨twists and turns
✨strong family relationships
✨magic systems

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

ARC REVIEW A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
*I received an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

This book felt like the refreshing voice that the romantasy genre needed. I feel like we’re getting a little stuck and this book is putting us on the right track while still keeping the genre fun and delicious!
It had the viiibbbeess and the tension for dayyyss 🤌
There was such a good mix of romance, plot, and world-building. The magic was interesting and not over-complicated. And the characters were all fleshed out and nuanced.
This was also one of those books that I could just tell was laying the groundwork. Not to say that this book didn’t have action, but it definitely took its time and we’re all the better for it.
I went into this book totally blind and omg did it ever pay off!

🌶️: 🌶️🌶️/5
Format: eARC

Thank you Stacey McEwan for indulging my unhinged antics 🫶

*Description copied from StoryGraph*

Read if you like:
💜 Slow burn
💜 Twisty mysteries
💜 Elemental magic systems
💜 Peaky Blinders and family “business”
💜 Cute dogs

Actual summary: Two children discover a government-sponsored secret that sends them off on vastly different trajectories that intersect again decades later when they both need it the most. Tension and chaos ensue.

Spoiler-free review: This book is my villain origin story. The trauma I have endured because of @staceymcewanbooks will undoubtedly make me turn to the dark magics and tear this world apart to know what happens next.

That said, you should read this.

It’s a really well-written fantasy with an interesting elemental magic system that I want to know a lot more about. The characters are morally gray and yet relatable, and I want nothing more than for them to the happy forever, especially our fuzzy pup Isaiah. 🐶

The plot is maybe a little on the slower side, which I’m not mad about in a new fantasy series where the stage is being set, but boy does it take off in the last act. It has dual POV, but it did strike me as ominous that the FMC is in first person and the MMC is in third person.

And I swear to god, Stacey, if anything bad happens to my lil baby rabid pit bull Patrick Colson in book 2, I will riot.

5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Thank you to @sagapressbooks and Stacey McEwan for this eARC for my review. Expected release is July 1, 2025.

Holy twist, turns, and heartbreak. A Forbidden Alchemy takes us to Belavere City where children at age 12 are basically sorted into laborers (Crafters) or Artisans thanks to the magic of idium. The story starts with our FMC, Nina when she’s 12 and visiting the city for the first time. There she meets another kid, Patrick. As the first few chapters follow her as she grows up and becomes an Artisan. About 1/3 of the way into the book, once she’s grown, we really get into the meat of the story because a rebellion in brewing and decisions must be made, sides must be chosen.

And back into Nina’s life comes that boy from years ago, Patrick Colson. Side note, dear Stacey McEwan, I am officially in love with Patrick Colson and need many more books about him. Thank you.

Now back to the review, the intrigue, double cross, (triple cross?) starts coming in strong. Every time you think you’ve got a handle on it, you’re thrown another curveball. Patrick is the ultimate does bad things for a good reason guy, and man do we love him for it. The last few chapters are nonstop action and heartbreak so prepare yourselves and don’t start reading too late in the day because you won’t be able to put it down.

I enjoyed this book and found it to be a resonably quick read. The worldbuilding was pretty spot on and flowed great through the entire story line.

Slowest of slow burns I've gotten in a while!! The world building has depth but is easy to understand. The politics add an interesting spin to the story and really take you on a journey filled with betrayal, heartache, romance, sadness, and intrigue. This story starts out slow but it has it all!

The story starts out with Patrick and Nina as children going into Belavere City for a ceremony to determine their role in society. The two couldn't be more different with Patrick wanting to return home to his family and Nina wanting the promise of a what the ceremony may offer. While just playing and getting into things kids do, they happen to stumble upon the biggest and most existential secret of their lives and a decision that when made changes both of their lives forever!

As the plot develops and the characters continue to evolve - you will be sucked into a world of elemental magic, intrigue, and slow burn love where the good girl falls for the bad ass hero. The cliffhanger has me begging for the next installment in this series and it will have you captivated and begging as well.

Stacey you really outdid yourself with this one. I'm so thankful to the teams at NetGalley who granted me early access to this wonderful story.

YOU GUYS!! I've been reading a slew of heavy books and needed something a little lighter. I went into A Forbidden Alchemy a bit blind and it was a perfect palate cleanser. I ABSOLUTELY ADORED this. It's a very quick and fun read, and I really struggled to put it down (hello today's workday after reading this until 3:30 am last night).

The thing I loved most was the book's pacing and timeline. I realized somewhere in the middle of reading this how much I have been craving fantasy/romantasy centered on adults. I love a magic school storyline, but it can tend to limit the ages of the MCs in ways that, the older I get, the more absurd it seems (like do we really expect these 16 yos to save the world and also not break up 10 mins post-credit?). A Forbidden Alchemy was really cool because it gave us some of that-- glimpses of the characters (more so one than the other) as kids & growing up + magic school, before reconnecting them as adults in their mid-twenties. It sped up and slowed down as needed in giving the backstory, but providing us a whole timeline for these characters before bringing them back together as adults made the MCs feel like fully developed and nuanced people. And it helped make sense of the circumstances that they were thrown into, including the lack of other responsible adults to lead and their love story, so that everything developed naturally. Nothing felt forced (except for one particular Nina storyline that had me pulling out my hair but also was necessary to drive the central conflict/plot).

Romantasy as marketed is always a little hit or miss for me-- I prefer a fantasy with romance to a romance with fantastical elements. I would say that the fantasy in this story exists mostly to drive the central romance, but that the fantasy was by no means an after thought. The world was well-developed, the magic was interesting, I very much understood the politics, etc. I also thought the romance was well-done (although I spy-- and hope to avoid-- a love triangle in our future). It was very much a SLOW burn, and I would describe it as a bit low on spice. I am not usually here for the romance when I'm reading, but I found myself gasping audibly (NOOOOO!) when we edged toward the romance, only to miss it, and really DYING for those two kids to finally connect. I'm not super familiar with open v. closed door romance, but to me, the door here felt cracked. It wasn't fully a closed, but it certainly wasn't open. After waiting SO LONG for the romance to happen, I did find myself wishing for a bit more spice.

This isn't a book that's going to leave you thinking, and that's fine, it's not meant to be. Overall, I really enjoyed it and am giving it 5 stars as compared to other similar books. It was probably (a still high) 4 star for me within the broader literary world (outside the genre).

Forbidden alchemy was a whirlwind of twists and turns. I enjoyed it so much that I read it in one sitting. It is entirely unique which was amazing to see. I loved the magic system and the dystopian/ peaky blinders feel. Our FMC is a take no shit type of girl and it was fun to see her struggles between doing what is right and doing what she is supposed to do. I'm obsessed with the MMC, Patrick and without giving spoilers, there is another character who I don't particularly care for in the best way. I'm dying to read book two!! Thank you so much to Stacey, Netgalley, and the publisher!!