The Scarlet Alchemist was a 4.5/ 5-star read until the 70-80%. Zilan was a nuanced, complicated character. I loved being in her head. Her cousins were great characters! I loved all their interactions. They were very funny at times. The alchemist trials were exciting. I don't like the competition/trial plots most of the time, but in Scarlet Alchemist, I enjoyed it very much.

My main problem with the book started after around 70%. The prince was cute, but I couldn't ship him and Zilan. He was too soft for her.
I didn't understand the palace life either. It was completely different than the Western palace structure, and it was confusing at times.
There were some shocking events at the end of the book, but I felt Zilan lost half of her brain cells. She was so smart in the first half of the book. And suddenly, she didn't think straight ahead.

So because of that, I give it four stars.

Some observations:

-The humor is very dark, which is my cup of tea, but I'm sure there will be some people who will not like the style.

-I don't recommend this book to those who have a weak stomach.

-Do not eat while reading. You will thank me later.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing! I loved the lore, the characters, the violence. Kylie Lee Baker knows how to create dark, entrancing stories that pull you deep into their fictional world. I found myself wishing that the book would never end—which I haven’t experienced in years!

We follow Zilan, who survives in her impoverished village by bringing the dead back to life for money. Her dream is to become a royal alchemist, so she sets out with her cousins to take the exam. She will meet the heir prince and become entangled in sordid royal intrigues.

❤️ What I loved
• The atmosphere is dark and a bit eerie; here, we encounter undead, rich people who eat gold to avoid aging, and the empress is truly unhealthy.
• The concept of alchemy, even though not entirely new, is quite original in this setting, as is its usage: transforming gold, bringing people back to life…
• Zilan’s character, whom I found strong and determined, even though the fact that she did what the prince asked without much thought frustrated me a bit.
• There is a strong focus on family bonds in this novel, and Zilan’s relationship with her cousins is very strong; she is willing to do anything for them!

💔 What I liked less
• The heir prince. His character is not brave at all; he doesn’t do much and asks Zilan to do things for him. I didn’t connect with his personality at all, and as a result, the romance was rather average as well.

A thrilling book with a good mix of action, intrigue and romance.

My eight-year-old cousin's telling me that I just become like an old lady, very old...
Do I really get old for this, or is this just the terrible cold that causes me to want to smash my head against the wall or drown myself because of these very casual conversations?! childish heroine?! Oh, I'm not even going to talk about her first love, what was that?!
Asian fantasy has one my favorite genre for a few years now, but should I really consider giving up on it, the rude teenage girls who want to save the world and the story always seem like the previous ones more than to have something new!?

With that start you may find 3 stars too high, first, I have caught a very bad cold, and I'm angry don't know why exactly, and second in this case, I'm curious enough to read the second book, even the ending was to ... I don't know, unbelievable, I was like, and now so what?! and third, It had its sparks, its tale about alchemy, gemstones,

In the year 775 in Guangzhou, China, when imperial alchemists were creating an elixir of immortality, a young country girl named Zilan despises her Scotian father for naming her after cheap flowers and abandoning her and her sick mother. To make ends meet and saving money for imperial exams and ventures to the capital, Zilan resorts to using her father's notes and do the forbidden art of reviving the dead.
I liked the part that was about the stones and their powers, you see, the story wouldn't have been so frustrating if I hadn't had to read much about her fuss and arguing.

"You cannot create good without also creating evil. That was alchemy’s key truth. Surely new life came at a great cost."

She eventually ventures to the capital for imperial exams (ring a bell?!), and guess who will fall in love with her?! And the rest of the story that I suggest you read beside my harsh judgment and very hope you like it more that I did.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for ARC via NetGalley, I have given my honest review.

I LOVED IT ! I loved it so much I have a hard time putting my thoughts into words. I adore books set in ancient East Asia (China, Korea, ...), and I adore competitions in books. This was a match made in heaven. It made me think of Spin The Dawn and A Magic Steeped In Poison with the imperial competition aspect and the fact that she was a poor girl that people were trying to bring down. And then, it turned reaaally dark. I did not expect that turn of events and didn't think it would be graphic. It started to make me think of The Poppy War with that unexpected dark turn. So many twists that I didn't see coming that had me staring at the wall... And then it ended like that ? And I have to wait A YEAR for the second book ?

The Scarlet Alchemist was a YA fantasy that has firmly planted itself in my brain. This was so original and striking.

It was unapologetically dark and brutal, wallowing in the rivers of blood and gold that flood through this book. Baker really goes there at times. It is a book rooted in messy ethics and difficult scenarios where there are no easy answers. Instead you have the true price of survival presented on every page. I adore a book enmeshed in world-building, politics and a sprinkle of magic. This has such an interesting magic system, which I adored. There are also so many great twists and turns. Every page felt like walking a deadly tightrope, with the atmosphere and paranoia being so strong. You know from the start that actions have consequences and this is a book dripping with blood and gore. We have trials, we have a deadly chess game and we have sprinklings of a romance that I connected with so strongly. Baker packed everything into this but in a way that felt so natural and compelling, so I am very, very excited for the sequel.

Zilan was a fantastically complex and conflicted protagonist caught in a web of politics, magic and death. She was someone that I lost my heart to, even if she would cave it out of my chest herself. It was just fantastic characterisation and you really get the sense of the lengths she has been forced to go to in order to survive. It is a murky and gritty world that she inhabits. The thrall and temptation that power offers is enticing and you can see how it utterly rattles her world.

The Scarlet Alchemist was a fantastic read - I adored this bloodthirsty little beast of a book and cannot wait to read the sequel.

A vivid and unputdownable novel filled with magic. I loved the main character Zilan and how she felt split into two different worlds. Not just because of her bloodline, but because of her unique powers and capabilities. The introduction to the Chinese culture, particularly in the early century was fascinating to read about.

THE SCARLET ALCHEMIST was spectacular with its twists and turns. The magic system was easy to read about and had wicked-sharp writing. I liked the love interest and Zilan's cousins, furthermore the explanations of certain words found in Mandarin Chinese or a dialect was so clearly written and explained.

I will can't wait for the next book in this series and will also be checking out Kylie Lee Baker's other books.

This was so good. I couldn't guess how it would end at all. I'm so excited for the next book because I want to see what happened next so bad.

The alchemy was interesting. It took the concept of transmuting objects such a metals or gemstones and took it onto a whole different level. I was fascinated to see everything that Zilan did with it. I want to see more of this world and more ways of using the different materials for different purposes.

I loved the characters so much. Zilan was such a strong character and Yufei was one of my favourites. The Prince was maybe a little dull, but the other characters more than made up for it.

First of all appreciation for this cover, absolutely stunning. It is what drew me in the first place and the plot was so good. I haven’t read fantasy in a while and this delivered.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

The Scarlet Alchemist follows Zilan, who wants to become a royal alchemist and travels with her siblings to the capital to take the exam to become one.

“You cannot create good without also creating evil.”

I’ve had this book on my radar for a while and the stunning cover makes me that much more exciting to dive into this story! The synopsis also sounded so good!! In the end it didn’t disappoint.

I was really intrigued by the start and the hints of alchemy that were shown. I liked how it worked in threes and different stones brought different things. I found it a clever and good way to set the magic system up. The way Zilan revives people was also very interesting to read.

The world-building was done well and the writing really helped make the world and its characters come alive. I loved the descriptions given, as they were easy to follow along and picture in my mind.

I was a big fan of the plot! I liked how it was set up and how the stakes became gradually bigger and bigger. It also set up a good background for the characters and it helped in understanding their emotions and motivation.
I was a fan of the characters! Zilan had great growth in my eyes and really became more mature and less impulsive in what she did. I also really liked how she has strong loyalty and a strong mind which isn’t easily deterred. Hong was my favourite character by far! I just love him; he is rather innocent in certain ways which only makes me want to protect him more!

The relationships were done very well. The romance was a bit predictable, but I still liked the development of the feelings and how they interacted with each other, as it felt natural. I think the best relationship though was that of Zilan with Wenshu and Yufei! Their sibling bond it the backbone of this whole story and I really liked it. I also have to be honest and say that I liked Yufei and especially Wenshu more in the first half than the second half. Some of their actions were a bit odd and made me suspicious.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. While I liked “the big battle” part, as it felt well executed, it was also a bit predictable that was going to happen. Then towards the end I was left a bit unsatisfied with how it wrapped up. I really hope that’ll right itself in the sequel!

Overall, The Scarlet Alchemist is a great book with a lot of depth in the story and its characters and an engaging plot that made me want to keep on reading.





<spoiler> I just didn’t like how Hong died in the end and it felt a bit sudden to resurrect Wenshu instead in his body while Wenshu and Yufei were so cruel towards her when they last were together</spoiler>

Damn! I was surprised that I loved this book so much and cannot wait for the sequel.

The scarlet alchemist is a fantasy retelling of the Tang dynasty, I don’t know much about this but the author did leave some historical notes at the end of the book about the inspiration which was a nice read.

We follow Zilan who has grown up with her cousins in their family’s míngqì (spirit objects) store, they’re from a poor province and see the injustices and cruelty people have to go through just to get by.

Zilan has dreams of becoming a royal alchemist and spends her time practicing alchemy and studying for the exams so that her dreams can become a reality.
To help make some extra money she, with the help of her 2 cousins will perform resurrections which is a type of alchemy that has been made illegal.

One day a mysterious figure shows up asking for her help but if she accepts she cannot partake in the upcoming exams, she rejects his offer as her ambition to become a royal alchemist is more important than the money and continues with her life getting ready to travel to the empire.

Once she arrives at the empire she begins her trials she’s been studying for and is ultimately thrown into a thrilling atmosphere with politics, corruption, assassination attempts, alchemists and strange monsters that lurk the halls.

The characters in this book with their strong support for each other, disagreements and the turmoil each character would face made for a captivating read seeing their complexities and decisions they would make- I do wish a few of the side characters had more time to show their personalities, though maybe that’s just me wanting more.

I loved the magic in this would and found it really unique to read about, the alchemists use their stones such as, gold, amethyst and firestones to perform their alchemy.

I found The monsters we would see in this book were pretty formidable to read about and brought so much depth to the dynamics between the characters relationships and plot- one of my favourite parts of this book was about the monsters and pearls.

A lingering theme throughout this book is the experiences of a biracial and lower class individual who will face unfair treatment for her identity, this gives us a fresh perspective whilst surrounded by riches.

Overall I found this book to have great pacing between the politics, relationships, family, mystery and action that every moment was a delight to read without ever feeling like it slowed down.
The last 40% or so of the book was jam-packed with action, reveals and twists that I just couldn’t put it down and was completely hooked, the ending has given me a thirst for the sequel, that I don’t want to wait for!😫

The author states that the inspiration of this book was partly after she read The Poppy Wars and was inspired to create something just as magical, I haven’t read that series but I’m sure fans of the poppy wars would enjoy this.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Scarlet Alchemist.]

Rating: 4/5

The Scarlet Alchemist is a dark and immersive take on an alternate Tang Dynasty that imagines what life would have been like if alchemists discovered the secret to eternal life. In this world, the rich are able to consume alchemical gold that allows them to maintain their youth. It’s no surprise that this has led to horrific income inequality and as is generally the case, the poor suffer terribly as the wealthy live in opulence. The main character, Zilan, has always dreamed of being a royal alchemist so that she can provide for her struggling family. When an opportunity presents itself for her to take the imperial exams, she travels to the capital to compete against other skilled alchemists to be given one of the few coveted alchemist positions. But the closer she gets to royal politics, the more she realises that the path she has chosen is a lot darker than she realised.

First of all, as someone who spent a lot of my teenage years reading and watching Full Metal Alchemist, this book was the perfect read for me. Alchemy is such an interesting subject and in my opinion makes for the perfect focus for a fantasy book. Who doesn’t want to learn the secrets of creating gold and prolonging life? And I love that there are very strict rules of equivalent exchange - typically meaning that the object or goal a person will trade for must have an equal value to what the person trades with. So what could possibly be of equal worth to eternal life? The Scarlet Alchemist answers that question and considers the moral dilemmas surrounding the matter. This is also something that Zilan constantly battles with as her specialty in alchemy is none other than resurrecting the dead.

This is a book that you can really lose yourself in. The worldbuilding is incredibly rich and visceral, and the descriptive language was enough to make me feel like I was right there with Zilan and her family. I also really enjoyed the plot and although I struggled a little with the pacing at times, the twists and turns kept me hooked and eager to find out what would happen next. One particular twist even got an audible gasp from me and that doesn’t happen often!

This is a perfect autumn read if you love dark, YA fantasy books with a dash of romance. Following on from the explosive final act, I’m looking forward to the sequel and can’t wait to see what happens next.

This book is simply amazing! A historical fantasy that is exciting and compelling. I most loved the use of alchemy and necromancy, the gore that went alongside this was very vivid, prepare for plenty of bloodshed. It’s well written with excellent world-building and well fleshed out characters. The FMC deserves a mention, she is determined and I couldn’t help but love her! This book is a wild ride, there’s politics, good vs evil, trials and danger at every turn. The book explores race, gender, class, wealth and power. Despite the heavy themes the book is a fun and witty read. Although be warned this book does contain plenty of emotional trauma but I feel this is well balanced. For instance, the family bonds are cozy to read amongst the high stakes plot. There’s so much about this book that felt fresh within the genre. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.
Side note: I’ve always wanted a pet duck, now this want is a NEED!

This book was everything I expected it to be, and more.

In an alternate Tang dynasty China, where alchemy is widely practiced and researched, Fan Zilan is an aspiring alchemist who dreams of providing for her family by serving at the royal court.

Zilan is a brilliantly crafted character and narrator. Right from the first scene, the reader can almost fully grasp her personality by how Zilan interacts with the world and characters around her but more importantly by how the world interacts with her. She is harassed for being poor. She is harassed for being of mixed heritage.She is harassed for simply being a woman. The world around her has made her ruthless and ambitious and she doesn’t hesitate to stand up for herself in the face of injustice. Zilan burns with anger seeing the unfairness around her, yet she understands the man-eat-man world she lives in, and chooses to focus first and foremost on her and her family’s well being.She’s a beautifully complex and realistic character, and the first person narrative does her justice wonderfully.

Despite being a wonderful character on her own, Zilan shines out even more as a foil to her prospective romantic interest, the prince.Being completely sheltered his whole life, Li Hong’s kind intentions are shadowed by his naivety about the real world, in comparison to Zilan’s jaded view.

Zilan’s relationship with her siblings, Yufei and Wenshu, is also worth mentioning, as I have rarely seen such a wonderful sibling dynamic. The familial relationship between them felt real, and didn’t fall into the tired trope of ‘older sibling becomes the parent of younger sibling’. They constantly defend each other, joke together, fight with but also take care of each other’s well-being, determined to stay together.

The worldbuilding is simple, yet immersive. This is no high fantasy, as it takes place in real-world Tang dynasty China, albeit an alternate version. Alchemy has given the legendary empress Wu Zetian the key to immortality, and now she plans to rule eternally with the help of her Royal Alchemists. I loved the way the author drew inspiration from the real-life alchemy practiced in ancient China (with a few Emperors even dying trying to achieve the elixir of life). The more magically-inclined alchemy in the novel draws heavily upon the real world one, being mineral-based unlike the western alchemy often found in media.


I’ve greatly enjoyed this book and Kylie Lee Bakes is now officially an auto-buy author for me!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape for providing me this book in exchange in an honest review*

I loved this story so much that after I finished it, I re-read it again. It's a wonderful story. I loved it. The ending felt a little rushed and predictable but overall it was a 5 star book.

I really enjoyed this and a lot more than I was expecting too. The plot was actually quite predictable and I really fell in love with the fantasy elements in the story. The ending did seem a little rushed but I’m very keen to find out what happens next in Zilan’s story.

I loved this book. I LOVED THIS BOOK. The Scarlet Alchemist is imo the poster child for how YA can be complex, dark and nuanced while also being appropriate for teens. Everything about this title landed perfectly for me: the craft, the worldbuilding, the thematic resonance, THE CHARACTERISATION?! Kylie Lee Baker can really WRITE.

Probably the standout for me was the way KLB handled theme hand in hand with character. Explorations of race, gender, class and how all three relate to power, as well as the core theme of family and belonging, were so deftly executed, and the way they intertwined with Zilan's character and arc were simply masterful. I loved how she was both a vehicle for digging into very complex thematic material and a brilliant character in her own right. The supporting cast were also wonderful; I particularly adored the relationships between the three cousins, and oh boy, the PRINCE. EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. He was gorgeously characterised, and just like the rest of the cast was a perfect mix of sympathetic and flawed.

I'm super impressed too at just how unflinching KLB was in this title. Make no mistake, the book gets DARK, and punches are never, ever pulled. Every time I thought 'no way, she won't go there', she went there, and then went harder. Every single victory is truly earned, through fire and blood and clawing at a crumbling ledge. However, it never felt gratuitous, and KLB balanced all the darkness with enough levity (via the character and relationship work) that it never felt as though we were outside the bounds of something appropriate for teens, or approaching something grimdark.

Overall, this book was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year--it wasn't on my radar at all until someone mentioned it in a discord server, and now it's a title I will never shut up about. This book really feels like the YA spiritual companion to She Who Became the Sun, and if there's a higher compliment I can pay, I don't know it.

Huge thanks to Hodder, NetGalley and the author for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

PS Never have I felt so much over DUCKS.

Ahhh this was so good.

I have owned The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker for a while but never got around to it. Well, I can promise you that after reading The Scarlet Alchemist, I will be reading her other works very very soon.

This was a fantastic read that grabbed my attention from the start and led me to finish this book in 2 sittings.

The story is fascinating, fast paced and that ending!!! Gasps after gasps.

I really enjoyed it and I cannot wait for the sequel.

An intriguing and well plotted story set in a Chines setting and featuring a strong MFC.
I like the plot and appreciated the style of writing.
There's echo of other books with similar setting but it's original and well done.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Zilan dreams of being a royal alchemist, of making gold and gems for the wealthy to eat and stay young forever. Living in an impoverished village in the south of China, she performs illegal alchemy to make ends meet, resurrecting the dead. Her reputation leads a rich man to her who wants to resurrect himself, for he believes he will be dead soon. When Zilan goes to the capital to compete against the best alchemists of the country she finds out that man is the Crown Prince! Caught in the political games of the royals, the more she succeeds in her alchemy, the more dangerous things become.

"You cannot create good without also creating evil."
After a dream-like prologue, we jump right into Zilan's captivating world and we never want to leave her side. A narrative that stirs up strong feelings, where you embrace the honesty and cleverness of its protagonist, evocative and embroidered with the greatest of humor. Words come together to birth vibrant, poetic-like descriptions complementing the engaging storytelling.

The 1st person POV works well here and the author conveys information beautifully in a chatty but lovable manner, through Zilan's thoughts and observing eye. Life has made Zilan thick-skinned, quite strong and a bit cynical, with hope and good intentions still a part of her. Her retorts are all the money. She has a strong sense of what is fair and what is unjust. Should her stumbling and falling so often be turned into a drinking game? Her siblings are instant favorites. All the characters are developed quite wonderfully with a bloodthirsty, properly evil villain and an unexpected ally amongst them.

This story is so satiating, brimming with action-worthy, absolutely surprising things happening, scenes that are endearing and heart-squeezing, that you want to scream at or applaud. All this with breath-stealing imagery. And some jaw-dropping reveals to boot.

The story is a lesson in "watch what you wish for". It is about the power of a dream, family, prejudice and the chasm between the haves and the have-nots. It is about what it really means to be alive. Dark but simultaneously entertaining, full of lurking danger and murderous secrets, I can safely say this is one of my favorite beginnings to a series of the year. I adored this book.