What do you think?
Rate this book
The Final Formula #2
The Blood Alchemist
Master alchemist Addie Daulton hasn’t always done the right thing. To atone for sins from her forgotten past, and earn back the respect of the people she loves, she decides to show the world that alchemy can be used for good. For healing. But she can’t do anything without a lab. Desperate, she teams up with a new partner whose lab has everything she needs, but does she dare work with a man whose reputation is even darker than her own?
The risk proves worth it when she lands a contract to make burn salve for a local hospital. Things are looking up until Rowan, the leader of the magical community and her former lover, returns and demands her assistance. The magical are being gunned down, and cryptic messages are being left at the murder scenes. Messages that point a finger at alchemy—and her. The connection begins to make sense when she discovers that the bullets from the crime scenes have been altered with blood alchemy—and that the design is her own.
Working with Rowan won’t be easy, not just because of their lost love, but because her new business partner once tried to kill him. If Rowan finds out who he really is, Addie’s involvement in the investigation will be over. She can’t let Rowan shut her out again. Not when he might be the killer’s next target.
The risk proves worth it when she lands a contract to make burn salve for a local hospital. Things are looking up until Rowan, the leader of the magical community and her former lover, returns and demands her assistance. The magical are being gunned down, and cryptic messages are being left at the murder scenes. Messages that point a finger at alchemy—and her. The connection begins to make sense when she discovers that the bullets from the crime scenes have been altered with blood alchemy—and that the design is her own.
Working with Rowan won’t be easy, not just because of their lost love, but because her new business partner once tried to kill him. If Rowan finds out who he really is, Addie’s involvement in the investigation will be over. She can’t let Rowan shut her out again. Not when he might be the killer’s next target.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2014
45 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
Becca Andre
29 books241 followersBecca Andre lives in southern Ohio with her husband, two children, and an elderly Jack Russell Terrier. A love of science and math (yes, she’s weird like that), led to a career as a chemist where she blows things up far more infrequently than you’d expect. Other interests include: chocolate, hard rock, and slaying things on the Xbox. She also finds writing about herself in third person a bit strange.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
June 14, 2021
With this volume, Addie, the amnesiac Master Alchemist, continues to narrate her first person account. Faced with the need to redeem herself for the mental damage inflicted on Era, the Air Element, at the end of the previous main volume, Addie needed a laboratory. She did a deal with Ian, the undead necromancer, to use the facilities of his own. In exchange, she produced the Final Formula, the Elixir of Eternal Life and he is now restored to the prime of physical condition, though still dead.
She is still estranged from the Elements, including the Fire Lord with whom she had a brief affair. Then a series of murders occur, of magical beings, using the alchemically enhanced bullets that Addie previously made for killing animals when she worked at the gunshop owned by the psychotic brothers of her friend James.
This story was a disappointment. The interest would have been in the internal conflict in the character, who does not want to remember what she apparently did before the start of book 1, but instead there is a concentration on non stop action and violence. Also characters act stupidly, including Addie herself, running into peril for no good reason. Despite the constant murders, they act casually to the point where I fully expected a certain character to be shot so it was no surprise when it happened. James' brothers dish out over the top pointless violence, to the point where they become cartoon characters. The other main villain who it seems was behind only some of the murders, doesn't seem to have any real reason to have committed them. And there are scenes which are unclear - if the Final Formula requires a drop of the blood of an Element, why does Addie persist in using James' instead? Unless that was to misdirect the brothers - however, there were quite a few points throughout the novel which were unclear.
The book does show a competent level of skill, however, and So on balance, I would grant this 3 stars.
She is still estranged from the Elements, including the Fire Lord with whom she had a brief affair. Then a series of murders occur, of magical beings, using the alchemically enhanced bullets that Addie previously made for killing animals when she worked at the gunshop owned by the psychotic brothers of her friend James.
This story was a disappointment. The interest would have been in the internal conflict in the character, who does not want to remember what she apparently did before the start of book 1, but instead there is a concentration on non stop action and violence. Also characters act stupidly, including Addie herself, running into peril for no good reason. Despite the constant murders, they act casually to the point where I fully expected a certain character to be shot so it was no surprise when it happened. James' brothers dish out over the top pointless violence, to the point where they become cartoon characters. The other main villain who it seems was behind only some of the murders, doesn't seem to have any real reason to have committed them. And there are scenes which are unclear - if the Final Formula requires a drop of the blood of an Element, why does Addie persist in using James' instead? Unless that was to misdirect the brothers - however, there were quite a few points throughout the novel which were unclear.
The book does show a competent level of skill, however, and So on balance, I would grant this 3 stars.
June 23, 2015
To find more paranormal books check out: https://www.facebook.com/ParanormalBo...
First book free on Amazon.
This was fabulous, it started out and I ummed and ahhhd, and then I hit pay dirt. I loved it. In fact, just to cheat on this review, I've already read the next book and soon to read the 3rd.
The character is truly likable, including the support cast. This story is a little different than the norm, and that has certainly been a contributing factor at my joy in finding a new series that makes me jump up and down in joy.
The love and yummy interest is a fine looking man, and I have to say, I wouldn't pass up on a piece of him myself (except I'm already stuck with my own one {who's the jealous type}). I really appreciated the way the friendships and love interest panned on and out. It gave the book some credibility, which it didn't really need anyway.
There's a couple of surprises in here, and that's saying something as I generally have a story down pat(ish).
I definitely recommend this one. It's well written and a good read.
First book free on Amazon.
This was fabulous, it started out and I ummed and ahhhd, and then I hit pay dirt. I loved it. In fact, just to cheat on this review, I've already read the next book and soon to read the 3rd.
The character is truly likable, including the support cast. This story is a little different than the norm, and that has certainly been a contributing factor at my joy in finding a new series that makes me jump up and down in joy.
The love and yummy interest is a fine looking man, and I have to say, I wouldn't pass up on a piece of him myself (except I'm already stuck with my own one {who's the jealous type}). I really appreciated the way the friendships and love interest panned on and out. It gave the book some credibility, which it didn't really need anyway.
There's a couple of surprises in here, and that's saying something as I generally have a story down pat(ish).
I definitely recommend this one. It's well written and a good read.
Read
October 31, 2014Uploaded everywhere ebooks are sold! (Some sites take longer than others, so keep checking if you don't see it at your favorite retailer.)
April 4, 2015
I just sped through the first two volumes of this series and my elation came to a screeching halt with this one. It starts out rather intriguingly though. Abbie our memory-challenged alchemist is in a questionable alliance with a former enemy from the first volume, Ian Mallory, a 'lich king' or an undead necromancer. Using the 'final formula' she restores his decayed body to lifelike state -though he is technically dead- in exchange for the use of his alchemy lab. From revelations about her past, Abbie feels incredible guilty about being a blood alchemist and the methods she used to obtain her potion. Here she is implicated in the murders of magicals from the bullets she had created for hunting animals. I was hoping there would be more insight into her past and an internal conflict develops between her old and new personas.
Instead, the story is mostly a bunch of action scenes on top of each other, most of them repetitive. The many times Rowan is shot and almost dies, and Abbie taken hostage got boring. It's hinted that Abbie was a ruthlessly ambitious alchemist in her former life, but the newly altruistic and guilt-ridden replacement is often uninteresting and her frequent wise cracks can be very annoying. This one is a big let down for me and I hope the next volume is better.
2.5 stars.
Instead, the story is mostly a bunch of action scenes on top of each other, most of them repetitive. The many times Rowan is shot and almost dies, and Abbie taken hostage got boring. It's hinted that Abbie was a ruthlessly ambitious alchemist in her former life, but the newly altruistic and guilt-ridden replacement is often uninteresting and her frequent wise cracks can be very annoying. This one is a big let down for me and I hope the next volume is better.
2.5 stars.
February 6, 2015
Second time I've read this book. I Ioved it even more this time round than I did the first. Brilliant stuff, well worth getting into if you love feisty female characters and fast-moving, intricate magical plots. Lots of the undead, too.
October 13, 2014
4.5, but I’ll give it 5 stars. I liked the Final Formula a tiny bit better, but this one was still suspenseful and well thought out.
Plot:
In The Final Formula, Addie found out that she was responsible for James’ curse and Era’s condition. Rowan and James turned their backs on her, and she was alone and heartbroken. Trying to make up for everything she had done in her past, and trying to prove that alchemy doesn’t have to be used for evil, Addie teams up with Ian, the necromancer who tried to kill Rowan in the tomb. She is forced to hide that fact when Rowan requests her help to solve a series of murders that are linked to the bullets she created. While she is trying to help Rowan solve the murders, protect him and the other Elements from the killer, and rebuild her relationship with James, she experiences a series of failures and begins to wonder if she should give up on her goals and on alchemy altogether.
Characters:
Addie’s behavior was a little more erratic this time, and her judgment was definitely less than stellar, but she’s still very likable. I really appreciated the fact that unlike a lot of unrealistic book heroines, even though she was incredibly determined, she did break down and show fear and doubt at times when things looked exceptionally bleak. Then she’d get right back to work trying to do the right thing.
I got a huge kick out of Rowan. No matter how hard he wanted to reject Addie, he just couldn’t seem to stay away from her. His jealousy of Ian was hilarious!
I also really liked James in this book. It is obvious that even when he is disappointed, he still loves Addie and realizes how much she truly cares for him, albeit platonically. He has matured greatly, and – like Addie – has learned how to use what seems like a curse into a way to help others.
The supporting characters include Rowan’s fellow elementals: Cora, who is still distrusting but seems to be warming up; Donovan, who’s kind of a voice of reason in every situation; and Era, who is mentally back to normal but remains kind of impulsive and flighty. Lydia plays a larger part in this book, acting as both a mentor and a mother figure.
Ian is very entertaining. He’s witty and flirty and protective, but he’s at his best when he’s acting like he’s attracted to Addie just so Rowan will be jealous. I do think he cares for Addie, but as you would expect, he’s very hard to trust because of his past. For some reason, I’m thinking he’s going to become my favorite stereotype … the misunderstood character who does the wrong thing for the right reasons.
Less likable are Neil and the Huntsman brothers, who return to wreak havoc. And then there’s Xander, whose motivations aren’t really clear.
Writing:
Once again, the editing was spot on, and there was a ton of suspense because there was always something happening. There is still quite a bit of language (including the f-bomb), but the Blood Alchemist doesn’t have any sexual situations like the last one. (In this case, I actually thought that was a bummer because I’m really rooting for Addie and Rowan.)
The Bottom Line:
I really liked The Blood Alchemist. I appreciate how Andre continues to build on the characters and make them more complex instead of just prolonging the story. She does a great job showing that the lines between good and evil aren’t always clear even when we have the best of intentions. I can’t wait to continue the series to see how things progress.
Plot:
In The Final Formula, Addie found out that she was responsible for James’ curse and Era’s condition. Rowan and James turned their backs on her, and she was alone and heartbroken. Trying to make up for everything she had done in her past, and trying to prove that alchemy doesn’t have to be used for evil, Addie teams up with Ian, the necromancer who tried to kill Rowan in the tomb. She is forced to hide that fact when Rowan requests her help to solve a series of murders that are linked to the bullets she created. While she is trying to help Rowan solve the murders, protect him and the other Elements from the killer, and rebuild her relationship with James, she experiences a series of failures and begins to wonder if she should give up on her goals and on alchemy altogether.
Characters:
Addie’s behavior was a little more erratic this time, and her judgment was definitely less than stellar, but she’s still very likable. I really appreciated the fact that unlike a lot of unrealistic book heroines, even though she was incredibly determined, she did break down and show fear and doubt at times when things looked exceptionally bleak. Then she’d get right back to work trying to do the right thing.
I got a huge kick out of Rowan. No matter how hard he wanted to reject Addie, he just couldn’t seem to stay away from her. His jealousy of Ian was hilarious!
I also really liked James in this book. It is obvious that even when he is disappointed, he still loves Addie and realizes how much she truly cares for him, albeit platonically. He has matured greatly, and – like Addie – has learned how to use what seems like a curse into a way to help others.
The supporting characters include Rowan’s fellow elementals: Cora, who is still distrusting but seems to be warming up; Donovan, who’s kind of a voice of reason in every situation; and Era, who is mentally back to normal but remains kind of impulsive and flighty. Lydia plays a larger part in this book, acting as both a mentor and a mother figure.
Ian is very entertaining. He’s witty and flirty and protective, but he’s at his best when he’s acting like he’s attracted to Addie just so Rowan will be jealous. I do think he cares for Addie, but as you would expect, he’s very hard to trust because of his past. For some reason, I’m thinking he’s going to become my favorite stereotype … the misunderstood character who does the wrong thing for the right reasons.
Less likable are Neil and the Huntsman brothers, who return to wreak havoc. And then there’s Xander, whose motivations aren’t really clear.
Writing:
Once again, the editing was spot on, and there was a ton of suspense because there was always something happening. There is still quite a bit of language (including the f-bomb), but the Blood Alchemist doesn’t have any sexual situations like the last one. (In this case, I actually thought that was a bummer because I’m really rooting for Addie and Rowan.)
The Bottom Line:
I really liked The Blood Alchemist. I appreciate how Andre continues to build on the characters and make them more complex instead of just prolonging the story. She does a great job showing that the lines between good and evil aren’t always clear even when we have the best of intentions. I can’t wait to continue the series to see how things progress.
July 28, 2014
After finishing the first book in this series, I immediately picked up the novella and the second, and I was unreasonably annoyed to find out that the third book is not yet out. This book follows without much of a break from the first, resulting in a seamless continuation of the story over a realistic time period that is again paced very well with a mix of action and quieter moments.
Addie now knows who she once was, even though she still can't remember her time studying at the Alchemica, and the repercussions of her actions are still reverberating through her life. As she's trying to make amends for her past, while making unlikely alliances that allow her to continue her work, consequences from the events of the first book pop up and continue to try and take her down. And if that wasn't enough, Addie still has feelings for the Flame Lord even though she's pretty sure he's never going to forgive her. Ooof.
The characters were great in this book, especially Ian Mallory as ancient lich turned modern alchemist, and I really enjoyed his motives and development across the story. Addie's discovery of the powers of her blood and what she can do with blood alchemy is fascinating and were logical and made sense within the structure of the world. The media was the external organization focused on in this book, as opposed to the governmental PIA in the first, and I found that to be just as interesting and politically apt as before. Addie dealing with the consequences of her earlier actions and situations was handled deftly and realistically, and I wanted to applaud when at the end of the book she realizes that she may never gain forgiveness and she doesn't want to spend her life groveling in apology, so she says the hell with that. FANTASTIC, what a great example even if heartbreaking at the time.
If you enjoyed the first book, pick this up right now. If you didn't read the first book, what are you waiting for? Me, I'm now impatiently waiting for book 3...
Addie now knows who she once was, even though she still can't remember her time studying at the Alchemica, and the repercussions of her actions are still reverberating through her life. As she's trying to make amends for her past, while making unlikely alliances that allow her to continue her work, consequences from the events of the first book pop up and continue to try and take her down. And if that wasn't enough, Addie still has feelings for the Flame Lord even though she's pretty sure he's never going to forgive her. Ooof.
The characters were great in this book, especially Ian Mallory as ancient lich turned modern alchemist, and I really enjoyed his motives and development across the story. Addie's discovery of the powers of her blood and what she can do with blood alchemy is fascinating and were logical and made sense within the structure of the world. The media was the external organization focused on in this book, as opposed to the governmental PIA in the first, and I found that to be just as interesting and politically apt as before. Addie dealing with the consequences of her earlier actions and situations was handled deftly and realistically, and I wanted to applaud when at the end of the book she realizes that she may never gain forgiveness and she doesn't want to spend her life groveling in apology, so she says the hell with that. FANTASTIC, what a great example even if heartbreaking at the time.
If you enjoyed the first book, pick this up right now. If you didn't read the first book, what are you waiting for? Me, I'm now impatiently waiting for book 3...
May 12, 2016
Addie is back with a surprising sidekick and a huge lapse in judgement. The alchemist love story continues with a murder mystery.
I considered giving the book 4 stars because I love the chemistry in it. Not the one between the characters but the science. Even though in this installation it ends up being more magic (or luck of ancestors) than knowledge and skill, there's still enough of those to keep the refreshing change from other superheroes or magical creations who have their superpower as a literal "gift".
But other than that the story isn't a 4 star story. There are mixups about times: mostly the author says it's been 6 weeks since the last book's ending but other times she refers to it as "last October" or even "months". I guess I'm a sucker for these details but they can really put me off.
But more importantly, as much as I like the "new" Addie she doesn't deserve the redemption and forgiveness she gets. She is responsible for even more deaths in this book and even though the author wants us to see her as this great detective, I figured out the connections way before her - in a first person story it's really not a good thing. (Especially coz 1. I never do that in other books and 2. I like to be surprised.)
She still doesn't get her memory back because she's not ready to face the person she was (is?). As much as I like her and Rowan together, who would still keep a relationship with the person who abducted their adopted daughter and made her into a unintelligent mess? No matter the sexual tension that'd be an instant mood-killer in real life and amazingly other characters get over this fact very quickly too. Kinda weird.
I'm not sure if I want to continue with the series. Not only Addie but also Ian seems to get an illogical redemption and it bothers me now way too much.
I considered giving the book 4 stars because I love the chemistry in it. Not the one between the characters but the science. Even though in this installation it ends up being more magic (or luck of ancestors) than knowledge and skill, there's still enough of those to keep the refreshing change from other superheroes or magical creations who have their superpower as a literal "gift".
But other than that the story isn't a 4 star story. There are mixups about times: mostly the author says it's been 6 weeks since the last book's ending but other times she refers to it as "last October" or even "months". I guess I'm a sucker for these details but they can really put me off.
But more importantly, as much as I like the "new" Addie she doesn't deserve the redemption and forgiveness she gets. She is responsible for even more deaths in this book and even though the author wants us to see her as this great detective, I figured out the connections way before her - in a first person story it's really not a good thing. (Especially coz 1. I never do that in other books and 2. I like to be surprised.)
She still doesn't get her memory back because she's not ready to face the person she was (is?). As much as I like her and Rowan together, who would still keep a relationship with the person who abducted their adopted daughter and made her into a unintelligent mess? No matter the sexual tension that'd be an instant mood-killer in real life and amazingly other characters get over this fact very quickly too. Kinda weird.
I'm not sure if I want to continue with the series. Not only Addie but also Ian seems to get an illogical redemption and it bothers me now way too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2020
I was hoping for this to be a little bit more than it was. The first book I enjoyed but I thought it was a little too overly complicated with too much explaining. I wanted this one to pick up the pace and have a more impressive story-line but I found it a little dull.
The characters and the action seemed re-hashed from the first book with nothing new and no villain that I could really point out. The mystery of who was committing the murders was poorly explained and kind of got forgotten about in all Addie's angst.
After the ending of the first book I was expecting more of a redemption ark too, but it seems that Addie tried to heal a few burn victims and that was it, all is forgiven. Though I'm not sure why James is angry with her, I would have thought that Rowan would take more convincing to move past what Addie did before her memory loss. And it was also disappointing that Era was never told, they treat this poor 23-year-old woman like she is 10!
There was a lot I liked in this too, Addie rebuilding her lab and working with a lich was quite fun and the initial murder investigation was interesting but I think it lost its way towards the second half. It needed more alchemy, more murder story and more Addie and Rowan!
Despite this I'm still invested in the series, Addie is a likeable enough character to keep me readying. Hopefully the next one will be the one where it picks up a bit.
The characters and the action seemed re-hashed from the first book with nothing new and no villain that I could really point out. The mystery of who was committing the murders was poorly explained and kind of got forgotten about in all Addie's angst.
After the ending of the first book I was expecting more of a redemption ark too, but it seems that Addie tried to heal a few burn victims and that was it, all is forgiven. Though I'm not sure why James is angry with her, I would have thought that Rowan would take more convincing to move past what Addie did before her memory loss. And it was also disappointing that Era was never told, they treat this poor 23-year-old woman like she is 10!
There was a lot I liked in this too, Addie rebuilding her lab and working with a lich was quite fun and the initial murder investigation was interesting but I think it lost its way towards the second half. It needed more alchemy, more murder story and more Addie and Rowan!
Despite this I'm still invested in the series, Addie is a likeable enough character to keep me readying. Hopefully the next one will be the one where it picks up a bit.
February 24, 2020
I really enjoyed the first book in the series--The Final Formula--and The Blood Alchemist doesn't disappoint. Addie, cast out of the Elements' inner circle, now has to both make her own way and make amends for the sins of her forgotten past. Not wanting to the be the person she was before her memories were taken, she teams up with Ian, a Lich who may or may not be trustworthy. But it seems that someone doesn't want Addie's attempt to go straight to work. Her formulas start failing and, worse, members of the magical community are being murdered.
And the killer is leaving messages for Addie at each scene.
The murders bring her back in contact with the Elements, including her best friend James and her ex-lover Rowan. A race against the clock begins as they look for the killer, but the enemy could be anywhere...and with a lot of enemies, Addie can't be sure who to trust.
As usual, Andre's characterization and scene setting is excellent, as is the use of her own chemistry knowledge to add realism to Addie's concoctions. While not a love story, per se, the relationship between Addie and Rowan still sizzles and smolders. I can't wait to see what happens to them next
And the killer is leaving messages for Addie at each scene.
The murders bring her back in contact with the Elements, including her best friend James and her ex-lover Rowan. A race against the clock begins as they look for the killer, but the enemy could be anywhere...and with a lot of enemies, Addie can't be sure who to trust.
As usual, Andre's characterization and scene setting is excellent, as is the use of her own chemistry knowledge to add realism to Addie's concoctions. While not a love story, per se, the relationship between Addie and Rowan still sizzles and smolders. I can't wait to see what happens to them next
July 5, 2018
Could a heroine be any more dumb? Seriously. Let’s walk around outside while someone is killing people like us with my bullets. Let’s keep putting ourselves into positions to get kidnapped, shot at, blackmailed, and get our friends killed. Like, really??? And when they do get killed....where the fuck is the reaction, the emotion! Where is the devastation? The guilt, the grief, from Anyone!!!??? It was like the deaths never occurred! Instead, while magical people are getting killed left and right, let’s go to a friggin show with a whole crowd of people! Let’s wander off alone while we have no way to protect ourselves. Come On! I wanted to grab her and slap some sense into her! I am not officially over the whole series, as much as I would love to find out who Addie was in the past, and what happens to her in the future...her “I’m the consummate, stupid, b-horror movie victim” act is just to much and I can’t do it anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2014
The Blood Alchemist is the follow up to The Final Formula, and just like the first in the series, this book is very enjoyable. The book is packed with explosions, magic, and murders. Addie, an alchemist, works with her Element friends to solve the seemingly random murder of magical people using bullets designed by Addie. Throughout the mystery and action, the character relationships continue to develop and evolve, and I really enjoy the snappy dialogue between the characters. If you are fan of urban fantasy, I recommend you pick up this fun read.
May 19, 2014
So, I was supposed to be working today. Instead, I inconspicuously finished The Blood Alchemist while doing the bare minimum. Why? Because putting it down was just too difficult. Can't wait to read more about Addie.
July 13, 2014
I am very glad I clicked the 'try a sample' button for The Final Formula during my sampling Kindle blitz. I am ecstatic that so many authors are choosing to go indie so that we readers get a chance at great books and series. I love Addie, devoured the books, and cannot wait until book #3 is out.
March 20, 2015
I received this as a first read. This was a great read. A very fast pace read. It has great characters. I did not read the first book and was a little lost at first but picked it up quickly. Will definitely read the other books in this series.
May 26, 2014
Excellent following to The Final Formula, makes wish for the next one :). Please stop killing the characters please, keep some. Thanks.
February 18, 2018
Honestly, in retrospect, I should give this only one star. The two stars are because I just can not cope with a series that goes from a giddy 5-star rating down to … nothing.
What happened here? Did Becca let someone else take over writing in the middle of the book?
Building suspense is one thing. Building suspense on the back of the protagonists to make them act plain old stupid, and also forgetting the (magical) laws of a world one created – that is cumbersome. Very. I was tempted several times to throw the book against a wall.
The beginning sounds promising: Addie hooks up with an unlikely but likeable assistant to create a potion that will set wrongs done in her past to rights. So far so good. Not surprisingly the Flame Lord can not let go of her and intersects with her life again, even if no sparks are flying anymore (no pun intended). Unfortunately suffers the wit of the dialogs quite a bit if the protagonists don’t like each other. But we can hope …
And then it happens … just senseless stupidity, violence, out-of-character actions, undeserved forgiveness, …. and I could go on and on. I am compelled to go on and on, but with a spoiler alert (even though these are minor spoilers):
I could get more examples like this, stupidity was just ongoing, no matter if bad or good guys.
I did buy the next book in the series (The Necromancer's Betrayal), hoping the author would redeem herself. Alas, it flew against the wall 35% through it. A shame.
What happened here? Did Becca let someone else take over writing in the middle of the book?
Building suspense is one thing. Building suspense on the back of the protagonists to make them act plain old stupid, and also forgetting the (magical) laws of a world one created – that is cumbersome. Very. I was tempted several times to throw the book against a wall.
The beginning sounds promising: Addie hooks up with an unlikely but likeable assistant to create a potion that will set wrongs done in her past to rights. So far so good. Not surprisingly the Flame Lord can not let go of her and intersects with her life again, even if no sparks are flying anymore (no pun intended). Unfortunately suffers the wit of the dialogs quite a bit if the protagonists don’t like each other. But we can hope …
And then it happens … just senseless stupidity, violence, out-of-character actions, undeserved forgiveness, …. and I could go on and on. I am compelled to go on and on, but with a spoiler alert (even though these are minor spoilers):
I could get more examples like this, stupidity was just ongoing, no matter if bad or good guys.
I did buy the next book in the series (The Necromancer's Betrayal), hoping the author would redeem herself. Alas, it flew against the wall 35% through it. A shame.
May 7, 2020
I really loved the first book in this series. This one starts off quite well. Addie is trying to figure out how to move forward with her life knowing what she does of her past and with all her friends hating her. Without resources, she winds up having to make some questionable bargains to get access to a lab and everything she needs to try to redeem alchemy in the eyes of the world.
Of course, because it wouldn't be much of a story otherwise, she and her former friends are forced to work together due to some murders. Things start slipping a little here as she tried to turn lying to everyone into a high art form. However, I understood what drove her and, at the beginning at least, was able to shrug and keep moving. But the lies keep getting bigger and bigger.
In the meantime there are murders and random attacks by James' brothers for reasons I couldn't quite figure out. The scenes with them never felt natural to me, but rather felt shoehorned in for some reason that I couldn't figure out. The story had enough going on already without throwing them in as well.
Then, at about 60% in, Addie makes another series of poor decisions that lead to her being captured by James' brothers. And I found I just didn't care to find out what happened. While she had an excuse for some poor decisions, she'd just crossed the line into too many to excuse anymore and I just couldn't find any interest in finding out what happened to her. Which is sad given how much I enjoyed book 1.
Of course, because it wouldn't be much of a story otherwise, she and her former friends are forced to work together due to some murders. Things start slipping a little here as she tried to turn lying to everyone into a high art form. However, I understood what drove her and, at the beginning at least, was able to shrug and keep moving. But the lies keep getting bigger and bigger.
In the meantime there are murders and random attacks by James' brothers for reasons I couldn't quite figure out. The scenes with them never felt natural to me, but rather felt shoehorned in for some reason that I couldn't figure out. The story had enough going on already without throwing them in as well.
Then, at about 60% in, Addie makes another series of poor decisions that lead to her being captured by James' brothers. And I found I just didn't care to find out what happened. While she had an excuse for some poor decisions, she'd just crossed the line into too many to excuse anymore and I just couldn't find any interest in finding out what happened to her. Which is sad given how much I enjoyed book 1.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2018
This story is full of twists and turns. You find yourself totally immersed with the characters and emotionally involved (at least I did). I got to the point that one of the murders hit me so hard, I had to put the book down and get away from it for a bit before I could go back and finish. That is how much this author brought me into her world. It is well worth reading and I am looking forward to reading more of this series.
Poor Addie, she cannot remember what evil she did in her past, but she wants to be a new person. But she keeps ending up sabotaging herself and finding herself in deeper than she wants. As she does that she finds out more about herself then she wants to know. All she wants to protect those she loves, especially James and Rowan but can they forgive her? Will Era forgive her if she ever finds out what Addie did? All of these things, hopefully, will be answered in the upcoming books.
Poor Addie, she cannot remember what evil she did in her past, but she wants to be a new person. But she keeps ending up sabotaging herself and finding herself in deeper than she wants. As she does that she finds out more about herself then she wants to know. All she wants to protect those she loves, especially James and Rowan but can they forgive her? Will Era forgive her if she ever finds out what Addie did? All of these things, hopefully, will be answered in the upcoming books.
July 19, 2017
Addie Just Keeps Finding Trouble
Another really good book in this series. It pretty much picks up where the first book left off. We get to meet Ian Mallory, the Lich King. We learn more about necromancers and lich's. James' brothers make another appearance and an unexpected disappearance. Things between Rowan and Addie is a work in progress. And as usual Addie gets herself in some crazy situations.
This book, just like the first, is full of action. It is fast paced and well written. The words just flow off the page, in such a way, you feel like a spectator wi thin the book. The characters are believable and well thought out. Looking forward to reading the next. It's not often you find a good book about alchemy and magic that doesn't involve witches. If you're looking for a different kind of book series, I would recommend this one.
Another really good book in this series. It pretty much picks up where the first book left off. We get to meet Ian Mallory, the Lich King. We learn more about necromancers and lich's. James' brothers make another appearance and an unexpected disappearance. Things between Rowan and Addie is a work in progress. And as usual Addie gets herself in some crazy situations.
This book, just like the first, is full of action. It is fast paced and well written. The words just flow off the page, in such a way, you feel like a spectator wi thin the book. The characters are believable and well thought out. Looking forward to reading the next. It's not often you find a good book about alchemy and magic that doesn't involve witches. If you're looking for a different kind of book series, I would recommend this one.
May 25, 2019
Loved this book! It’s the dynamics between the characters that kept me going. I love all of them separate, but when they are put together with each other, I love the things that are said and the action that crops up. A bit of mystery in this story. Lots of action. Sometimes I get confused with all the necromancers and the names and who has what power, but if I keep reading the scene, it eventually all makes sense. I love how despite some really powerful characters, all of them seem to have weaknesses that make them vulnerable to the powers of others. It must have been really crazy trying to work out all the details while writing this. But it rocked.
Reader Rated for ages 15+ for moderate language and mild violence. No sex scene in this one like the last one.
Reader Rated for ages 15+ for moderate language and mild violence. No sex scene in this one like the last one.
June 11, 2018
#SpoilerWarrior
It’s hard to follow up a book like The Final Formula. This book was good, the plot twists insane, the betrayals many, but it didn’t hold a candle to the first book. Still, it’s a great second book in the series and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
Running thoughts:
Me to my husband: “I promise not to buy any more books this month”
Me: buys this book.
THEORY: Ian is the shooter.
Ian has to be bad, right?
THEORY: Lydia isn’t dead. And is impersonating Rowan right now.
It has to be Ian, right?
See. At least I was right this time.
He’s not dead. He’s NOT dead.
Um. Plot twist.
It’s hard to follow up a book like The Final Formula. This book was good, the plot twists insane, the betrayals many, but it didn’t hold a candle to the first book. Still, it’s a great second book in the series and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
Running thoughts:
Me to my husband: “I promise not to buy any more books this month”
Me: buys this book.
THEORY: Ian is the shooter.
Ian has to be bad, right?
THEORY: Lydia isn’t dead. And is impersonating Rowan right now.
It has to be Ian, right?
See. At least I was right this time.
He’s not dead. He’s NOT dead.
Um. Plot twist.
June 1, 2017
The first book left me wanting more so badly, I couldn't pick this up fast enough. Alchemists have always been cool, but this one really makes it cooler when you're dealing with Old and New Magic. I also love necromancers so seeing them finally getting their shot in the spotlight permanently sold it on me. The writing style is great, I click with all the characters, and the plot was suspenseful enough to satisfy me but still get me excited when other things happened.
February 15, 2025
Addie is interesting
I enjoyed this book. That's important, as I have to buy this series, as opposed to Kindle Unlimited that I use a lot. Hope things go better for our heroine, but she is getting to be a power unto herself.
I enjoyed this book. That's important, as I have to buy this series, as opposed to Kindle Unlimited that I use a lot. Hope things go better for our heroine, but she is getting to be a power unto herself.
May 20, 2017
Loving this series!
This is just my cup of tea, a blend of action and snark with a touch of science! On to the next book!
This is just my cup of tea, a blend of action and snark with a touch of science! On to the next book!
January 23, 2019
Awesome book!
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. Can't wait to read more! The characters are interesting, and the magic is different from other series.
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. Can't wait to read more! The characters are interesting, and the magic is different from other series.
January 31, 2020
Awesome
I wanted to know how the characters first met and ended up friends and lovers. These books tie together so seamlessly.
I wanted to know how the characters first met and ended up friends and lovers. These books tie together so seamlessly.
May 11, 2020
Book 20 complete.
September 6, 2025
Again I found a good read in this book. I would not mind more stories in this series. This was part of a collection
November 9, 2020
Have really been enjoying this series. No smut but strong love interests. Strong female characters and characters of the like that I have not read about before. I will continue to look for and read this series and possibly other books by this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews