Samantha Cohoe

Disclosure: I received a copy for review.

I expected to like this, because of the time period and the alchemy. And I certainly did. It's fast-paced and kept me turning pages- it took me only two days to finish because I couldn't put it down. But I think what gripped me the most were the relationships. None of them are binary: good mother/bad mother, in love/not in love. Instead you get a mother the protagonist resents, but also longs to be close to; a father who tries to accept her, but whom show more she refuses to rely on; and a love interest who- well, I don't want to spoil that part, but it turned out to be not as simple as I expected! The ending, too, isn't tidy, but I still found myself satisfied. show less

On the surface, there should be much to enjoy about A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe. It has female alchemists in a time period where women did not do such a thing. Plus, it shows alchemy being successful and explains why no one was able to create the Philosopher’s Stone before Thea/Bee. A Golden Fury is a story full of possibilities.

Sadly, A Golden Fury does not live up to those possibilities. While the idea of women flouting the conventions of the time to do something they love that just show more happens to be in a men’s domain is something I always enjoy, I feel that Ms. Cohoe takes it a bit too far in that her heroine faces little opposition in chasing her dreams. She travels by herself without any repercussions. Even worse, she lives with an unmarried man who is not a relative. In general, she acts like a twenty-first-century woman even though the story takes place right before the French Revolution. I am all for woman power, but it has to make sense when placing your story into a historical period.

To make the situation even worse, there is nothing about A Golden Fury that is not predictable. Whether it is her ability to create the Philosopher’s Stone to her childish infatuation with Will to her relationship with her mother and father, Thea’s story follows in the exact directions you expect it to. Not only does this make the story boring, but it is also disappointing as well. After all, no one wants to read a story that holds no surprises.

There were many directions in which Ms. Cohoe could take her story. Unfortunately, the paths she chose were the most obvious ones available. Add to that a character whose behavior does not even remotely fit the social boundaries of the time and whose alchemical skill is beyond any other alchemist in the known world, and you have a story that is not only predictable to the point of boredom but also requires more suspension of disbelief than a reader wants to give. Simply, A Golden Fury is one big disappointment from start to finish. show less

Greed weaves with magic and wealth to form an addictive world, where everything is a mirage, even freedom.

Mae's lived her entire life on the island of her rich, benefactor...the best friend of her deceased father and mother. Lord Prosper and his family aren't only wealthy but possess magic and control the island, the island's magic and its spirits. Her dream is to perform magic herself and stay on the island, the only home she's only known, but with her eighteenth birthday around the corner, show more she's not sure the Prospers won't force her to leave and enter the real world, where their own children live and attend school. With everyone returning home for the yearly celebration, she's excited to see her best friend and hopes that maybe her crush might finally take notice of her. But this year's celebration brings another announcement, and while it will give her the family name, wealth and a life on the island, it's the last thing she wants.

I need to first say that I've never read The Tempest and know very little about the tale (I know this sets some gasps, but I just need more time in life to read everything). Still, the moment I read the blurb on this one, I wanted to read it...even though the cover isn't quite my thing.

I read this book in one setting and found myself bound to the pages to see what would happen next. The author has woven a rich world, and from what I've heard, this does base itself superficially, at least, on Shakespeare's work. Even the names give a nod in its direction. It has the flair of the 1920's, but this is a slight dusting and doesn't present itself much. That's due to the seclusion of the island, and the very sheltered life Mae lives there.

This is a fast-paced read with tons of intrigue, woven secrets, greed, and deceit, and while there are hints at what is really happening, its hard to piece it all together in its exact direction until the very end. There's a constant tension and unease lurking in the background, which whispers of evil doings while the rest of the plot plays along. But this is still a strong young adult novel in so far that Mae is a teen...a very sheltered one, at that...and has a lot to break through and learn.

The characters are intriguing. Most are not exactly likable, but that fits the tale very well. Even Mae has some sharp edges, which make her hard to completely embrace, and there's a sudden switch in her plans, which I didn't ever quite understand how she got to the point, but then, everyone in the book is, at least, a little messed up...which I assume mirrors Shakespeare a bit. The romance slides a touch to the young adult side, but then, also doesn't completely. It was interesting and doesn't really ever hit romantic strings fully...which also fits the tale, though.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit and found it very well woven and written. The characters didn't always hit me right, but I do think it fit the setting and plot better that way. It's definitely a grabbing read and worth diving into if you're a fan of intrigue, magic, dark secrets, and breaking free of bonds.
I'm giving this one 4.5 stars and rounding up. I received an ARC through Netgalley. show less

A Golden Fury is a historical fantasy set in France and England during the late seventeen hundreds, a turbulent time in Europe. Thea’s mother is an alchemist seeking to create the Philosopher’s Stone and Thea herself has been trained in the alchemical arts. They are close, so close, but something goes terribly wrong and Thea must leave France on her own to continue their work. But should she, if doing so is what affected her mother? And does she even have a choice when there are so many show more others who seek to create it.

This book is well written and well researched, with a voice that fits so well into the eighteenth century without feeling oppressive. Thea is both described as intelligent and also actually acts intelligently, which I really appreciated. I loved her growth over the course of the book as she struggled to find her place and discover who she was. I also loved most of the side characters, both those trying to help Thea and those working against her. I loved the plot, and the direction it ended up going. Also this book made me cry and laugh hysterically at the same time and I don’t think a book has ever done that to me before. Honestly, I loved it and highly recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review show less