I am FLOORED. I didn't know what to expect from this one, but it was everything I love in a romantasy. Suspense, banter, yearning, an intriguing plot and that ending!!! Criminally good. I need the next book ASAP.

I was on the edge of my seat for 80% of the book. I finished this in two days and I'm reeling from all the twists.

This was so, so well done. A fresh and unique premise, very Peaky Blinders-esque. I loved the dual POV and our morally grey MMC. The world building was top tier.

Nina and Patrick cross paths at age 12, at a ceremony that will determine whether they are able to wield magic or not. They discover a life altering secret and must make a choice that will alter their fates forever. They find themselves thrust in the middle of a war. The story spans over 13 years and I loved every second of it.

- Dual POV
- Slow burn
- Class conflict/rebellion
- PLOT TWISTS
- Morally grey MMC
- Alchemy/elemental magic
- Edge of your seat suspense

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

If this isn’t the newest big fantasy book I will be shook. This had everything you want when it comes to fantasy. I devoured it and didn’t want to stop reading. The plot, the twists, the world and characters were perfect and I can’t wait for the next one.

I received an eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A strong start to a new fantasy-romance trilogy.

Some tropes included:
- Slow burn
- Class Rebellion
- Love triangle
- Opposites attract
- 0.5/5 spice

McEwan paints a unique fantasy world where all children at the age of 12 are "tested" to see if they have powers deriving from the four elements (this part kind of reminded me of Divergent). Most children do not, especially children from the poorer areas in this world. However, Nina Harrow is able to cheat the system with the help of another child, Patrick, and finds herself whisked away to a magical school to hone her craft. About 20% of this novel follows Nina from age 12 to 18 while she is in school. The rest of the book takes place 7 years later, when Nina is 26 and on the run, where she eventually reunites with Patrick, who is now in charge of the largest magic resistance group.

I found this novel to be quite accelerated in the first 20%, and then relatively slow-paced from there on out. Much of the novel focuses on the relationship between Nina and Patrick and their attempts to trust each other in this war, where they stand on opposite sides.

There are several twists and reveals throughout the novel that will keep you on your toes, as things are never as straightforward as they seem.

Overall, I found the relationship to be well done and not rushed, and I found the magic system to be relatively unique. With where the book left off, I think there is lots of room for the story to continue and expand on the relationship and plot established in this book. A solid start to the series and worth picking up!

4/5⭐️
A gripping political fantasy with a country in the midst of a class-based civil war, elemental powers, deception on all sides, and a doomed romance. You will be holding your breath until the end, and when you finally let go it will be to shriek. The plot twists hit like punches, you’ll see. Both Nina and Patrick are children from the systemically oppressed ‘Craftsman’ working class, who by a stroke of fate are given the option to cheat the system and enter the ranks of the more comfortable ‘Artisan’ class. Only Nina goes through with it. Patrick can only see the Artisans as the oppressors who have denied the Craftsmen any chance of a secure, humane, life. To Nina who has grown up amongst the Artisans, she has empathy for them as human beings, while acknowledging that the current social hierarchy must be brought down. The narrative does a great job at deliberately making the reader uncomfortable. Throughout the book these characters tussle with moral and ethical dilemmas as the Craftsmen rise up against the Artisans and war breaks out. Despite the feelings that develop between them when they meet in adulthood, their differing ideologies make it difficult for their relationship to find stable ground. Fair warning for those going into this mainly for the romance. While there is very much a significant romance plot, the story heavily deals with themes like war and the horrors that come with it, systemic oppression, poverty, ptsd, trauma, and substance abuse. It’s not a lighthearted book. There are about 2.5 open door scenes in almost 500 pages, for those that would like to know. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the eARC.

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - April 29, 2025
Publication Date - July 1, 2025

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @staceymcewanbooks, @simonschusterca, @sagapressbooks and @netgalley!

A Forbidden Alchemy starts as a slow burn with lots of world building and information, but don’t let that fool you. The pace picks up, there's action, there’s hope, and there’s pain stacked on top of pain! I didn't guess the plot twists, which made the book more exciting and kept me on my toes. There are so many people holding so many secrets, I was just waiting for it all to come crumbling down. That ending?? I need to know what happens next, book 2 can't come fast enough! If you like magic, a bit of romance and twisty turny books, you should try Forbidden Alchemy!

Get excited to read A Forbidden Alchemy, available July 1! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

In the acknowledgements she thanks Peaky Blinders and Six of Crows for inspiration.. which I whole heartedly agree with (as a mega fan of both).

This book blew me away, I could not put it down.

FINALLY someone writes a romantasy that has *longing* and a proper slow burn. I also appreciated the sprinkle of spice, the perfect amount. It didn't take away from the story, or it's tension, only added to it.

I also really appreciated that we didn't get the usual "starving girl is offered food while captive and refuses it" shit. This girl's goal is to eat so much they go poor, which is way more realistic. 🤣

Absolutely perfection, every second of it. How do I know? Because I felt like screaming at the book. Please, make bold decisions, build lots of tension, make me angry at the characters. Go big, or go home. Stacey went big with this one, and I'm so mad she did (in the best way).

10/10, no notes other than the tattered shards of my heart.

Such an interesting premise.
Kind of hunger games/divergent esq but also not?
I really liked how the kids at 12 go to the big city for this ceremony to see if they will be chosen but then we learn the truth and it’s wild!

The relationship between Pat and Nina as kids and then when they come back together again was a really fun way to intertwine the story and the characters. I loved that.

The magic is so interesting - the government aspect was also an interesting concept.

It gave me so many questions and kept me thinking while reading. Who should be in power? Does power simply corrupt? Is the “power” really needed or is it a crutch?

Wow! Loved the ending! The cliffhanger was rude lol but expected. Can’t wait to see what comes next!

“Look somewhere else, Nina. I’m only so strong.”

I actually felt like I was immersed in this book! So many books lately are really getting the vibes right *clap* I’m not sure exactly what the background/world was built on but I felt like I was in Ireland for some reason and I loved it

“Your God turned his head from this place a long time ago, Ma. We’re the only gods here.”

4.5 stars

A CLIFFHANGER. RUDE. The last part?? CRYING

"The House of Lords should have accounted for an angry boy who might one day stumble onto a crate of fake idium, might board a train back to the brink and divulge. Might one day lead an army of revolutionaries."

This was such a strong intro into this new fantasy series. There were twists and reveals that I did not see coming (but are we surprised?? Most of the time I really should see them coming lmao), and I love when a book can take me by surprise. I love when you just can’t put it down.

“No one will touch you, Nina. They wouldn’t dare. You have my word.”
“And what does your word count for, exactly?”

Found family. Morally grey characters. A perfect MMC (uh, in my mind). A desperate, strong FMC. Great side characters. Tension. Unique magic. So good. I loved the time jump in the beginning, I thought it added so much to the story! The politics, the class separation, corruption, scheming, death, the world-building. Yesss

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and the author for this ARC!

"Was I crying, or was blood running down my face?"

Admittedly, I am not super familiar with Stacey McEwan. A Forbidden Alchemy is actually the first book I have ever read by them, but the premise sounded incredibly interesting to me. Two characters exposed to an unpleasant truth, choose diverging paths in response to that truth. Only to be reunited years later and forced to reconcile with their choices. Throw in a little bit of romance, and the setup is just titillating enough to pique my interest.
Overall, I thought that the narrative delivered on what was promised—but the release timing of this novel, for me, could have been better. Let me explain.
Unfortunately, I read Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang less than 2 months ago, and A Forbidden Alchemy kind of feels like a watered down version of that. The world building is very similar, the theming around caste disparity is very similar; one of the protagonists, Nina, even talks the same as Blood Over Bright Haven’s Sciona, and is also a female magic user in a largely male dominated academic space. However, A Forbidden Alchemy does focus a lot more on group rebellion rather than colonial theory. So, maybe if the length of time between reading the 2 books had been longer, I would have noticed all of the parallels less.
I also felt that the pacing was a little too action focused. The characters were always talking, and very rarely was there any sort of reflection or pause in the prose to let the reader ruminate. Kind of like being on a guided tour, but your tour guide is spouting off facts far too quickly for you to catch before dragging you off to the next thing.
Personally, I’d be willing to try with Stacey McEwan again, but I can’t say I was very fond of this book in particular.

RUDE CLIFFHANGER! when's book 2 coming out?! because I need this NOW!!!!!! if you have any physical copies left, id love one!

3695 Chemin Du Golf, Rawdon
Quebec, Canada
J0K 1S0

The plot twists kept me awake finishing this book overnight! I highly recommend this for lovers of Heartless Hunter, Peaky Blinders.

It has dystopian elements, magic, corrupt government, oppression, rebellion and of course lots of banter, angst and slow burn!🥵

Nina is not your usual romantasy FMC, I was happy to read about an FMC who I could resonate with. I probably would’ve done something similar to what she chose to do during the war. She’s badass in her own way! As for Patrick, phew phew I would like to meet him in person! 🥵

Thanks to Simon Schuster CA and the author for gifting me an advance reader copy! ♥️

A Forbidden A L C H E M Y . ⛏️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Calling all my Tommy Shelby stans! 👀🫦

This slow burn, Peaky Blinders inspired romantasy felt so original, new, and fresh!

Without giving too much away, this book involves a class war, elemental magic and multiple secrets.

You have the Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby inspired mmc, Patrick. And girl, he is written oh so well!! A leader, smart, strong and very devoted to his family and town. The fmc, Nina, has complex views from having the knowledge of both sides of war. She is smart, quick witted and stuck between a difficult choice of where she stands in this war.

The world building was picture perfect. I think this would make a great movie. The plot and story as a whole was so well thought out with secrets unfolding at the perfect time.

Definitely will continue this duology, especially after that ending. Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterca for this arc .
⛏️
You'll want to add this to your tbr !!

I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this ARC. I absolutely loved everything about this novel. I loved the different magic system and plot. This did not feel like other fantasies. The slow burn was perfect and I did not see the twists coming. Can’t wait for book 2. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a fun, fast paced read for me! I didn't absolutely fall in love with it like I thought I would - some of the dialogue was a bit cringey for my liking, and I had some problems with the pacing. I think if i picked this up at a better time i might have enjoyed it a little more but overall I had a good time reading this! I loved the magic system and looking forward to the sequel!

It took me a minute to get into this book, but it then became clear that this book was going to hurt me in the end. The emotional damage of the ending 😭 (you have been warned). A Forbidden Alchemy is all about magic, romance, betrayals, with all the twists and turns. This book was so different from any of the others I have recently read. It has a unique magic system, well-developed characters, banter and chemistry. Even the side characters had crazy depth and development. Stacey McEwan incorporates beloved tropes but with a delivery that keeps you wanting to devour every page. Just when I thought I figured things out, there would be a twist that made it impossible to put the book down.

If you love fantasy books, with opposing class systems, fascinating magic systems, opposites attract, with secrets and betrayals, then I would highly recommend A Forbidden Alchemy.

I loved this! Not really a sub genre I gravitate towards (is it steampunk? Flintlock? Fantasy with guns and some technology). But I loved the magic system, the relationships, the humour, class struggles, unions.

What kept it from being a 5-star was that the first part was a bit rushed. Since this ended on a cliffhanger, I know there’s going to be another one so I wish the beginnings of the main character’s lives were more fleshed out and that I got more of the magic school setting.

But overall, really enjoyed!!

Thanks netgalley and the author for sending me an ARC for review!

When I tell you this is going to be a bestseller, I stand by every word I say.

A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan has everything I love in a fantasy - a corrupt government, magic, a hunk trying to save the world, a rebellion, betrayal, love, and tension.

This was a unique take on an uprising, and holy cow I couldn’t read this fast enough. I devoured it the same way I read ACOTAR - enough said, right?

I was lucky to read this before it was released thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada. My only complaint? It ended on a cliffhanger, I NEED to know what happens next, but I know that I’ll have to wait a while considering this hasn’t even hit shelves yet.

Ms. McEwan, you have yourself a new fan!! I will be buying a physical copy of this!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for this arc copy.

This book is a romantsy duology and is book one that follows Nina and Patrick who are trained as magical Artisans in the city of Belavare at a young age of 12 years old. Both characters' world are shattered when they figured out that you are not born a Artisan but forced to learn. After being thaught the magical systems, they part ways and only find themselves after many years has passed on opposite side of a raging War.

This story also had an historical dystopia fantasy storyline with being more plot driven that character. It had lots of twists and turns with a different kind of magical system that what we are used to see in books. The author has manage to keep me interested in her world building and also with her enemies-to-lovers / love triangle relationships but be warned, this book ends on a major cliffhanger.

Great story and looking forward to the second installment.

This book was amazing. I feel so honoured to have received an ARC to read because I am blown away by this book. (Thank you to the publisher and author.)

Firstly, the plot itself was interesting and some of the twists and turns actually caught me off guard. There was a couple plot twists I did not see coming that had me gasp out loud.

The characters themselves are so complex and well-rounded. There is a lot of morally grey characters in this, and I love that so much. They feel so much more real, and I love the complexity of it all.

Patrick was a really great character, and I really enjoyed his POV and getting to know what he was thinking and learning what he had experienced, and what shaped him.

And Nina blew me away. The inner struggle she deals with as she tries to figure out her loyalties and what she really wants felt so emotional, and I felt the tension and anxiety she was going through.

There were some great side characters, but the main characters have my heart in this one. (And that's rare - usually I prefer the side characters.)

Overall a really great read, and one part of getting an ARC that sucks is having to wait even longer for the second book. I cannot wait to read it when it's out!

I received an advance copy of Stacey McEwan’s book Forbidden Alchemy through Simon and Shuster Canada’s Summer 2025 review program. I both love and hate that they sent it to me honestly. Love it, because I got so completely engorssed in the story, the characters, the world building that I finished the book in two days (leaving my family to fend for themselves while I read). Hate it, because like most books in the sci fi and fantasy genre, this one was the first in a series that I am now seriously invested in discovering the rest of, and even this book is not being released until July…and it ended on cliffhanger of course 😳😳😳

The book did throw me off a little at first, beginning when the two main characters were younger, and had an almost gritty harry potteresque feel to the story. Once I got past that though I really couldn’t put it down. The banter between the main characters was fabulous and more than made up for the slow burn (not my favourite) and somewhat limited spicy scenes. The world building and magic elements were done perfectly. I am seriously looking foward to the next book in the series and definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys the romantasy genre.