Review: Infinity Alchemist

 

              

                   Title: Infinity Alchemist

                   Series: Infinity Alchemist #1

                Author: Kacen Callender

           Publication Date: February 6, 2024

               Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy  

              Reading Source: NetGalley

                    Length: 400 pages

                      Format: e-book 

                      Cover Art: 5/5

                         Overall: 4/5

Infinity Alchemist is a spellbinding novel about a quest that leads three young alchemists toward unexpected love and unimaginable power.

For Ash Woods, practicing alchemy is a crime.

Only an elite few are legally permitted to study the science of magic―so when Ash is rejected by the Lancaster Mage’s College, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead, forced to learn alchemy in secret.

When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he's about to be arrested―but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash's secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power.

As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists―Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it.

Featuring trans, queer, and polyamorous characters of color, Infinity Alchemist is the hugely anticipated young adult fantasy debut from the extraordinary author of Felix Ever After, King and the Dragonflies, Queen of the Conquered and more.

 

Review:  

Alchemy is a crime but that won’t stop Ash from learning it in secret. When Ash is caught by Ramsay Thorne, he is sure he will be arrested for practicing Alchemy but instead Ramsay makes Ash an offer, help Ramsay find the Book of Source. 

Their mission becomes more dangerous than ever when feelings for each other grow. The journey takes them through cities and into the wild, grappling with formidable alchemists making Ash unearth his own power. 

I liked the characters, both Ash and Ramsay were incredible characters. At first Ramsay Thorne was kind of annoying but I soon grew to love her character. I loved to see the LGBT representation. I thought the characters were fully developed and flushed out. 

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for this e-copy for my honest opinions. 

 

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Review: The Gilded Crown

 

                   Title: The Gilded Crown

                   Series: Raven's Trade #1

                Author: Marianne Gordon

           Publication Date: July 2, 2024

               Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy  

              Reading Source: NetGalley

                    Length: 384 pages

                      Format: e-book 

                      Cover Art: 5/5

                         Overall: 4/5

The Witch’s Heart meets The Foxglove King in this debut novel about a woman who can bring people back from the dead, and the princess — and only heir to the throne — that she must protect, no matter the cost.

The first time Hellevir visited Death, she was ten years old…

Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects.

Such a gift can rarely remain a secret. When Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the kingdom’s throne, is assassinated, the Queen summons Hellevir to demand she bring her granddaughter back to life. But once is not enough; the killers might strike again. The Princess’ death would cause a civil war, so the Queen commands that Hellevir remain by her side.

But Sullivain is no easy woman to be bound to, even as Hellevir begins to fall in love with her. With the threat of war looming, Hellevir must trade more and more of herself to keep the princess alive.

But Death will always take what he is owed.

 

Review:  

Hellevir can raise the dearly departed. Every time she brings a soul back the prince of the afterworld takes a little more from Hellevir though. She is summoned by none other than the Queen herself when Princess Sullivain is assassinated. Her task is to bring the princess back to life but it does not stop with just one attempt on the Princess’s life, so the Queen orders Hellevir to stay by her side in order to protect Princess Sullivain. If the princess passes away it would certainly cause civil war. Princess Sullivain is not easy to get along with, she is stubborn and hard-headed. It only gets harder as Hellevir starts to fall in love with her. With war looming Hellevir must trade more and more of herself in order to keep Princess Sullivain safe.  

Even though the story was a little slow at first, I really enjoyed this book, the writing style was different than anything I’ve read before. 

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this eARC. 

 

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