Alchemy of Souls

by Adriana Mather

"The keenly romantic enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating, magic-school romance you've been looking for!" –Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles

From New York Times-bestselling author Adriana Mather comes the next big YA fantasy romance Alchemy of Souls, following two magically bound teens as they race to solve the mystery of an ancient mystical key before it’s too late.

Grayson Stone is no stranger to deception. Under the watchful eye of his uncle, the High Chancellor, he has been well-trained in all four types of magic, all while secretly working against his uncle’s corrupt rule. Years of plans depend on him being marked Gifted during his University entrance exam, proving that he is the perfect heir and gaining his uncle’s trust. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, and he has only one person to Eloise Belrose.

Raised by a family of Laborers, Eloise is the most unlikely student to become a Mage, but through her hard work and long hours spent practicing she is finally admitted to the prestigious University of Magical Arts, guaranteeing safety and security for her whole family. Until things go very wrong, and she somehow becomes magically linked to Grayson Stone, the school’s arrogant, annoyingly attractive, golden boy, putting not only her University acceptance, but also her and her family’s lives at risk.

Eloise and Grayson are given less than two weeks to solve an impossible mystery—one that will give the High Chancellor even more power and control—or face the consequences. Forced to room together, with all the same classes, while pretending to date to hide their secret quest, sparks definitely fly. As their feelings grow more real it becomes harder to live the lies they’ve had to tell to survive. With time running out, will they be able to trust the bond between them or will their lies tear them apart forever?

A Macmillan Audio production from Feiwel & Friends

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Dark Academia, Romantasy, Fiction, Magic

Audible Audio

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Adriana Mather is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch, with family roots that go back to Sleepy Hollow, the Salem Witch Trials, and the Titanic. She's also an actor and producer best known for her role in the award-winning Honeyglue. She co-owns Zombot Pictures, a production company that makes feature films. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza, she has too many cats, and a deep abiding love for all things autumnal.

Reviews

[Isabelle]

Magical Academia, may you never stop being a good time 🙌🏻

Alchemy of Souls is a delightful YA story that follows two protagonists at a magical college who are forced to work together to summon a magical artifact. The book deals with class division, corruption, and relationships of all kinds. I always enjoy the dynamic of “privileged boy who has everything gets humbled by girl who has nothing but a spine of steel”. I think the romance worked really well mixed with the magical ultimatum. The way Grayson and Eloise had to slowly learn to trust each other with their magic and secrets was so sweet 🩷

This is technically an urban fantasy, which I wasn’t expecting, but it worked! I had some questions about how the integration between magical/non-magical communities was set up, but after the setting was moved to the magical college, I found myself not overly worried about it. Does that mean I was just vibing and not overthinking it? Maybe 😂 But I was having fun.

I won’t deny that as a standalone (or at least I’m pretty sure it is), there were some plot points that were rushed. The Lawless subplot especially happened very quickly at the end. But as I said before, I was having too much fun to be too bothered. Sometimes it’s refreshing to go back to YA for a fast paced, “let’s go defeat the big bad guy” energy. 🩷


••••••••••
Dark academia and a gorgeous cover?? I can’t wait 😍 Massive thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for the advanced copy! ✨

[AndaReadsTooMuch]

Excuse me Adriana Mather, just where the heck did you come from? And where do you get off writing the most delightful YA dark academia magic book, like ever?

This was a blast to read! I got sucked in from the very first page and didn’t stop until I was done. (Excellent way to spend a weekend day, just saying.) Once again I found myself reading about a sentient key (also not mad about it either). This was such a beautiful story woven around all types of love, familial, friendship, and even romantic. And the best part? It’s a standalone, so you can dive in and not worry when the next one is coming. This was super fast-paced, immersive, funny, tragic, and downright adorable. I can’t recommend this one highly enough!

Grab yourselves a copy when it hits shelves on August 4, you’re going to love it!

Huge thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Liralen]

Grayson wants to bring down his uncle. Eloise wants a better life for her family. They've been in each other's orbit for years, but kept their distance...until they have no choice but to work together to ensure their mutual survival.

I had it in my head that this would be a boarding school book, but it's more of a restrictive college with boarding school rules (curfew, very limited freedoms, sneaking out to drink, etc.) setting. This is a highly regulated society with strict class division, which plays a huge role. Think dystopia books from the early 2010s; Eloise and her family are on the poverty track with very limited options for upward trajectory, while Grayson's family is high up in the food chain and determined to keep it that way.

I loved the premise (and the cover!) but could have used a bit more by way of worldbuilding. It was late in the book before I got a sense of what the wards were, and I never did figure out why Eloise's bestie from Maine has an aggressive Irish(?) accent. (Maggie doesn't serve a whole lot of purpose in the book—she's mostly accent and Eloise feeling guilty that she doesn't have time to hang out with Maggie because she's trying to save her own life.) I'd also be curious to know more about how the wards, which seem to have quite strict and limited borders, work across continents, and what exactly they do beyond keep out the "riffraff".

This is YA, so there's a romance; it's not really my jam, but it'll be good for readers who like enemies-to-lovers and a pretty high level of knight-in-shining-armor heroics. I wondered for a while whether this might be the first in a trilogy (again: dystopia books from the early 2010s!), but things feel fairly wrapped up by the end, so while it's possible that it'll spin off in other directions (or with other characters?), this makes for a quick read on its own.

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.

[kat]

this is a book that i honestly enjoyed the general premise of but unfortunately found that the execution fell as bit flat for me personally :( i do think it is more of a me problem as ive seen a lot of people who enjoyed this book!
there was something about some of the writing choices that made it feel a bit off to me - for example i found a pretty substantial disconnect between the vibes of the book and some speech choices. i truly didnt not expect nor want to read 'i am cooked' or 'this shit is wild' in books just yet lmao?

i will say though, this book was incredibly easy to binge, i read it in one sitting and flew through it! its super digestible and easy to follow while not being boring in any sense, i truly did enjoy the plotline of this book and would still be interested in checking out some other works by this author!

the narrators were both really impressive and did a great service to this book! they were really expressive and that really helped you believe in our characters emotions throughout the story. i would love to check out more of their works in the future

thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook for an honest and voluntary review

[Laura Vander Mey]

Alchemy of Souls is a thrilling adventure that has romance, suspense, and magic which makes every turn of the page more impossible to put down. The characters are fantastically matched with Eloise always rising to the occasion to do what is right while Grayson is the perfect blend of omission and challenge. He will do whatever is necessary to protect the people important to him and end his uncles corruption.
I was captivated by Eloise and Grayson, their romance blossoms through magic, understanding, and eventually trust in each other. They have quickly become one of my favorite book couples.
As an advance copy reader, I have read several of Adriana’s books and each one delights more than the last. I might even say that this is the best book yet by Adriana Mather.

[Mackenzie]

Alchemy of Souls captured me immediately, and turned out to be a book I found very, very hard to put down. Looking back, a big standout was the world building. Adriana Mather crafted a unique world with different social classes, magical abilities, and a corrupt political structure. While the magic system was complex, her stellar world building made the world and information easily digestible. Considering this is a stand alone book, I found this to be quite impressive, especially considering similar books/styles I've read are duologies/trilogies. Another element I loved was the academy setting. Transparently, academic/training programs are a favorite of mine so it's not unexpected that I enjoyed that piece, but I thought it added a fun layer of forced proximity to the mix.

I loved the world and setting, and I also loved our characters! For being a YA story/having young characters, I actually found Grayson and Eloise to have a maturity to them. They didn't feel ridiculously young or naive, and I found that to be quite refreshing. Also, considering this is a singular book, I was really impressed with Mather's ability to develop their relationship from reluctant allies (with a dash of enemies) to unlikely friends to fake dating to real dating/love. I never felt like it was all lust or instant attraction, and I was just obsessed with seeing how their relationship adapted throughout the book. Also, I'd be remiss to not mention the banter. Grayson was such a flirt, and I was kicking my feet reading their back and forth. This was even better on audio, I thought the narrators did such a good job bringing these characters to life. They were able to seamlessly switch from fun flirting, to a more emotional tone when discussing their pasts, families, fears, etc. I would 100% listen to these narrators again and again.

All in all, this was a great YA fantasy/romantasy! Anyone who likes dark academia or books with an academic background, enemies to lovers, or schemes to dismantle the current system will really enjoy this. I also think it'd be perfect for those wanting these things, but not wanting to commit to a 2-3 book series. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

[mith]

meh

[Holly]

just so we're clear, I would read anything Adriana Mather writes. I would read her grocery list if she published it.

[selly rose]

the premise and world building of this story was interesting, but unfortunately the execution felt quite flat for me. maybe it’s just my personal taste, but when i read fantasy i don’t want to see modern day lingo like “i’m cooked” and “this shit is wild.” i don’t want to blame it on the genre being ya because some of my favorite fantasy books are ya as well.

i am quite a fan of adriana mather’s style of writing though! it was very easy to get into and i found myself reading multiple chapters at a time. i’d be interested to reading other books from her and hopefully enjoying those more!

this was an immersive read and let me say I LOVE YOU CAITLIN KELLY. i think i’d listen to any book voiced by her. stacy carolan did an amazing job as well! all characters had their own unique voices which i always appreciate.

[anovelaccount (Kayla)]

This cutesy YA book was a fun time! I really liked Grayson in particular, and I’m always a huge fan of forced proximity, which this one has in spades. I didn’t realize going in that this book is urban fantasy, so I was initially a bit thrown by such modern language/terms being used, but I also felt like this became less as the story went on.

I’d love to know if this is meant to be a standalone or if it will be a series, because I could see it going either way. The ending was satisfying, but there’s a definite opening that would make for an exciting sequel. In fact, the ending was a bit rushed, so I’d love for it to be explored further!

While I loved the fake dating, and really all of the romance aspects of the book, Eloise was a little off-putting at times, but in all reality she was probably just acting her age so 🤷🏻‍♀️ I also really liked Grayson and Eloise working together on their shared mission and watching them slowly be open with each other and trust one another. I would, however, have liked more content from the actual academy because that’s ultimately what drew me to pick up the book.

All in all, though, I really liked this one! I thought it was a solid YA romantasy, and I’ll be hoping for a second book. 🤞🏻

🎧This was a great one to listen to! I felt like both narrators really sounded their age (sometimes hard to accomplish in YA books) and really embodied their characters. I think the audiobook is a great way to enjoy this book!

[ᴄᴀᴛ]

3☆ | really this was an arcade and I finished it before it was published (yesterday) but I may or may not have forgotten to write the review so here we are..

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
One thing I just could not stand was the nickname that Grayson had for Eloise, Claws. I just hated it and I'm not sure why. To me it felt forced, and after a point, everytime he called her that I was just rolling my eyes because I did not like that nickname.

Another thing that just didn't work for me was the way the author described things (places, characters, etc.)
The writing was nice, and I liked the way the story was executed, but the descriptions of everything just felt off to me and I cant explain why. Some things were also just not explained enough? Like I feel like we didn't get nearly enough info about the Lawless, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 that does not mean we need an unnecessary book 2 or prequel or anything. I just wish it went into detail some more.
There was also a huge chunk of the book where it felt like we weren't going forward at all, nothing new was happening and it just felt a bit boring for a lot of the book because of that.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
Definitely wasn't a terrible book but I think it could've used much more work and could've done with some changed before it was published but it was still an enjoyable read as it is!
Thank you to the publishers for reaching out to me and offering an arc in exchange for a review!

[☾arina⭐︎]

Adriana Mather wrote one of my favorite YA duologies, “Killing November,” and this gave me similar vibes. Instead of a school of student assassins, this is a magical school where students learn to become mages. It had the same fun vibe I enjoyed in her other series.

Eloise and Grayson come from two vastly different social standings. Eloise sees Grayson as an arrogant golden boy, but must learn to put their differences aside when they are unexpectedly paired to solve a mystery that Grayson’s uncle will do anything to solve. I love how Eloise and Grayson slowly learn to trust each other, though it isn’t easy at first. They have their reasons not to trust each other, but they have no other choice or they will face dire consequences. Grayson gets on Eloise’s last nerve, and he enjoys it. He likes making her flustered and getting her to open up more. Eloise isn’t afraid to punch back, which makes Grayson like her more because he enjoys the challenge. No one has ever treated him the way she has.

The history with the Lawless, Laborers, and Mages was intriguing. I wish we had more story with the Lawless because what we learned about them toward the end made me want to know more about who they were and how they were making everything work without the support of others. It is a standalone, which might explain why there wasn’t time to go more in depth, but I wouldn’t mind it being longer.

I really enjoyed this standalone and all its magical elements. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC.

[Joseandbooks]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an advance audiobook copy of Alchemy of Souls in exchange for an honest review.

Alchemy of Souls was an enjoyable YA fantasy with an interesting magic system, strong world-building, and a sweet slow-burn romance. The story follows Eloise and Grayson, two students from completely different social classes who are forced to work together on a dangerous mission involving an ancient magical key. As they uncover long-buried secrets, the stakes continue to grow.

What stood out most to me was the contrast between the two main characters and how naturally their relationship developed. I also liked the focus on class inequality and how it was woven into the story without taking away from the adventure. The different magical disciplines gave the world a unique feel, and I found myself wanting to learn more about how everything worked.

The audiobook was easy to listen to, and the narration did a great job bringing the characters and magical world to life. It kept me engaged from beginning to end and made the story flow really well.

My only real complaint was that the ending felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the book. I was hoping for a bit more payoff after everything that had been building, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.

If you’re looking for a YA fantasy with magic, mystery, a slow-burn romance, and an engaging academic setting, this is definitely worth picking up.

[Samantha]

Enjoyable and far better written than much of YA Fantasy.

This is not actually a Romantasy, which was great news for me but probably something to be aware of if that’s your preferred genre. This book is primarily a standard Fantasy with some dystopian elements and a very mild romantic subplot.

This doesn’t feel quite as atmospheric as Mather’s fantastic How to Hang a Witch books, nor is it as exciting as the Killing November duology. But it’s a well constructed world, has some decent magical campus vibes, and boasts a compelling enough story.

The magical system isn’t super well-defined here, but the rules of the game and the magical politics are, and in all it’s a good blend of palace intrigue and hero’s quest.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[The Reading Raccoon]

Alchemy of Souls is a young adult magical academy book about two first-year mages that are asked to conjure an important key.

On the day she’s supposed to test into the University for the Magical Arts, Eloise Belrose, the daughter of a poor laborer, should be conjuring spells that will secure her spot. Instead, she creates an image of a mysterious magical key—and her classmate, Grayson Stone. Unsure of how she managed to do it but desperate to gain access to the elusive key, the High Chancellor (who also happens to be Grayson’s uncle) sends them both to the University with one condition: they have to stay together and recreate the events that led to the key’s appearance. Of course, forced proximity leads to feelings along with a magical connection.

Alchemy of Souls is a contemporary romantic fantasy about two people who, because of their different social classes and magical abilities, would normally never end up together. I really enjoyed their banter and chemistry, which made this such a fun read. I also really liked the magical system and the way the class system was incorporated into the story. I’m definitely hoping there will be more books in this series!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Narration Notes: Alchemy of Souls was read by Stacy Carolan and Caitlin Kelly, who do an excellent job with the voices of Grayson and Eloise plus the various accents at their European University.

Disclosure: An ALC (advanced listening copy) was provided by LibroFM for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[minimalistreadingnook]

Alchemy of Souls follows the characters of Eloise and Grayson as they attempt to understand the link they have to a mysterious key that only seems to appear in their presence. If you go into this book understanding that it is written for a young adult audience, it is an enjoyable read.

The magic system is interesting with students having specific talents that they attend university to master while a select few are deemed "gifted" due to being attuned to multiple types of magic. The characters are interesting if not a little less developed than I normally like; however, like I said, this is typical of a young adult novel so that is to be expected. I wish some of the characters (like Maggie, Adrien, and Akari) would have been present more in the book to allow for a deeper connection with them. They show up often enough to move the plot forward, but not enough to be truly meaningful outside of that. The developing romance between the main characters was sweet and fun to read at times, but doesn't go much beyond that in terms of depth which makes it a suitable romance for younger readers, but not enough for someone looking for something more.

The ending was predictable, but still had enough action that it was interesting to read. The first part of the book drug a bit, but picked up once the final conflict was set in motion. The resolution to the book was rushed and simplified, but (since I haven't said this enough) that's what makes it more suitable for a younger audience. The topics are complex enough for some teens, but still oversimplified at times.

Overall, I would recommend this to young adult readers with the caution that there is some more mature language at times that can take you by surprise. It does, however, have an interesting enemies to lovers trope with enough action to be engaging and interesting.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book to review!

[Paris Hendershot]

Review of ARC received by the author

I am currently in a reading slump right now because I feel like a lot of the newer books being published are severely lacking in that feeling I used to get when I was younger which is why I’ve been reading a lot of my old favorites trying to bring back that spark I once had. I certainly didn’t have to worry about that with Alchemy of Souls. (I never do with Adriana Mather’s books, though.)

The only “complaint” I have is that I want more! It has the classic foundation of a young adult novel with a unique storyline. So it healed a bit of that nostalgic void I can’t seem to fill lately while also providing a fresh new story that left me hoping for more to come.

[🧸🎀Tiff]

4.5 rounded up to a 5!

this was sooo fast-paced & I flew through the audiobook in less than a day because of it! I also love that it’s a standalone — sometimes it’s nice to mix things up a bit. I loved Grayson & Eloise so much! this was a cute but high-stakes academy romantasy that had me in a chokehold from the very first chapter, and I really loved the narrators too. they did an amazing job at bringing Gray & El to life!

🔮 magical academy
🔮 rivals to lovers
🔮 fake dating
🔮 class war
🔮 standalone
🔮 forced proximity
🔮 found family
🔮 duet narration

4.5 rounded up to 5!

thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook copy!

[Alyssa Knappenberger]

I absolutely loved this book! I was immediately hooked from the start. The magic system is very unique, and I loved that Grayson and Eloise couldn't disclose their actions to anybody. It kept me on my toes, wondering if anyone was going to find out. I loved all the characters in this book, especially Grayson. He was the perfect MMC. This book is dual POV and has the fake dating trope in it. I highly recommend this read!

[abigail ⋆.˚☾.⭒˚]

* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ Alchemy of Souls by Adriana Mather

* ੈ✩‧˚
⤷ find me as @abby.reads14 on YT and IG <3

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
★★★★☆
⤷ 4.25 stars

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
⤷ enemies-to-lovers
⤷ fake dating
⤷ dark academia
⤷ magic academy

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤:
⤷ profanity - yes
⤷ romance - 2.5/4
⤷ violence - 2/3
⤷ trigger warnings - death of sibling

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
⤷ This book was pretty good! I’m always down for a good academic fantasy, and this book definitely delivered there. The magic was well done, and I so was the romance; overall, a very enjoyable read!

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
⤷ Yes! I really enjoyed the vibes of this book and was everything I expected it to be!

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖:
⤷ Alchemy of Souls is out now!!!

* ੈ✩‧˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕:
⤷ Thanks to the publisher, Macmillan Children’s, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc of this book! This is an honest review, and all thoughts are my own <3

[B]

ARC Review - Goodreads Giveaway

Though this follows a pretty standard YA fantasy romance format/flow, the vibes were most certainly vibing, and the dark academia setting will always be my favorite. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, devouring it over 3 afternoons. Although typically I am not one for modern settings in my fantasy tales, however light or high fantasy, there were no distractions with modern references pulling me out of the settings and ‘world’ elements so beautifully crafted in this book— which is a an admirable feat magnificently achieved by the author. There is magic, mystery, class-divide, adventure, betrayal, banter, friendship, and above all else character growth and inner & conjoined strength. “Nothing less!” — I am so excited to share this book with my niece when it publishes!

[Bookworm_119]

DNF

[Lisa Welch]

Mather has such depth to her writing, and I cannot believe how many genres and ages she is able to successfully write! I really enjoyed this YA dark academia/fantasy. I think this would make a great "starter" fantasy as the world Mather has created is easy to dive into, the characters are well developed, and the story moved along at a good pace. It also is enjoyable for those who are seasoned fantasy readers who are looking for a lighter fantasy read. I look forward to reading whatever Mather writes next!

[A Novel Approach]

⭐️ 5/5. This is absolutely going to be a contender for top book of 2026 because what do you mean there’s a magical academy, forced proximity, YA enemies to lovers, and a magic-based caste system?! Say. Less.

Eloise and Greyson have attended the same magical academy through high school but they could not be more opposite. Eloise comes from a laboring family while Greyson is the son of the High Chancellor. On the day of the exam that determines their futures, unexpected results push them into working together on a high stakes assignment from the chancellor that could mean their deaths if they fail.

If that weren’t enough, the lawless (those outside the magical wards) are threatening magical civilization and secrets are coming unwoven at every turn. Eloise and Greyson have to work together to find the truth and expose it before it’s too late.

This audiobook grabbed me from the first minute with an inner monologue from Eloise about the high stakes surrounding her graduation exam and I never got bored for a second after. The narrators had the perfect voices and tones for these characters, and the pacing of the audiobook was ideal.

The author wove a magical, emotional, unique tale full of friendships, secrets, privilege, and love. There were amazing side characters (Eloise’s best friend Maggie is a spitfire of a human being and I loved her! Also, she and I share a name!), and this story gave me everything I wanted from a magical academia book. It’s perfect for fall! I insist you pick this up ASAP.

And Adriana Mather if you’re listening, I loved these characters and will be crushed if there’s not a sequel. 😜

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen and review this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Kari]

I’m such a sucker for dark academia, so I couldn’t say no to this YA spin on it. I thought Mather did well with this story. I really enjoyed the magical academia setting with the opposites attract main characters who are forced to work together to solve a mystery. We’re also treated to a fake dating scenario between Eloise and Grayson. Between the pressure to solve the key mystery and the fake dating, there’s definite chemistry brewing between the two that you can’t help but root for. I also liked the world building, especially the magic system. I do wish the pacing was a little more consistent as it took a little while to get hooked by the story. I also felt like the ending was rushed. The audiobook was easy to follow and I enjoyed the use of dual narrators. The performance was engaging and entertaining making for an easy binge read.

ARC courtesy of Mac Kids — Feiwel & Friends
ALC courtesy of Macmillan Audio

[Justin Turczak]

Loved the magic of this world. Very simple but well written. And the book not the most perfect chemistry of the 2 but I still liked their character arcs one being grumpy other more sunshine and nice and wanting more of these characters since way it’s written seems it’s a stand alone but I’m hoping for a series.
So Adriana has made for a very fast paced urban fantasy I couldn’t put down.

[Riley Lee]

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Okay… this book had me HOOKED. I kept telling myself, “Just one more chapter,” and suddenly it was way past my bedtime. 😭

Alchemy of Souls had everything I love in a fantasy: incredible world-building, magic that kept surprising me, twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, and characters I couldn’t help but root for. The atmosphere was so immersive that I felt like I was right there uncovering every secret alongside them.

One of my favorite things was how naturally everything unfolded. Every answer just led to more questions, and I was fully invested from beginning to end. I never hit a point where I wanted to put it down because I needed to know what happened next.

This was such a fun, magical, and captivating read, and it’s easily earned its five stars from me. If YA fantasy with mystery, adventure, and plenty of heart is your thing, definitely add this one to your TBR!

[iga]

1.5/5
i was actually quite excited to read this one. i thought it had a really cute premise and i really liked the cover. i suppose that is why you are not supposed to judge a book by one.

from the pros:
* it's not an unreadable book by any means. i enjoyed some of the prose itself -- there are a few paragraphs, mostly of grayson detailing his thoughts on eloise, that i thought were genuinely beautifully written.
* the romance itself is perfectly fine, cute; it rushes forward, going from deep annoyance/dislike, even to "i can't bear the thought of my uncle taking you away" within a week, which maybe could have been organized better, but it is, nevertheless, quite nice.
* there is really good follow through! i don't think there was a single chekov's gun left unfired here; every element that is brought up earlier in the story, from eloise wearing her feelings on her sleeve or maggie's invisibility, to the briefest mentions of akari being from a laborer family having a big pay-off later when the cobbler is introduced.
* the scent of spells is a rather unique sensory detail to add, and i enjoyed it. at first.
* eloise is not annoying and has a consistent personality. i liked reading her chapters.
* i like bas as well! he was actually given something beyond "laid-back aussie" as a personality, with how he helps grayson with the larger mission of the book, and i honestly didn't expect it after seeing a lot of laid-back male best friends in media lately.

from neutral things i can mention:
* the book has no filler. the pacing is break neck. it definitely makes for a quicker read, which i can appreciate; no scenes felt like they weren't pushing some element of the story, be that romantic or entirely plot-related, forward.
* the class system is rather simplistic, but it does wrap up nicely when the information on magical training is revealed in the last arc, and i thought that was a good way to explain it.

from the cons...
* the scale of the world makes negative sense to me. it is both big enough to have one continent's academy of magic be more competitive than the other, to the point where moving continents is a viable solution (mentioned when discussing maggie's family moving to the US), but also small enough so that all the magical high schoolers are stuck in continent wide academies. the high chancellor is present at high school graduation, and also runs the university, question mark? the logistics of the council make little sense to me, and i couldn't place whether they were academic, political, both, and to what extent they were involved in each sector.
* similar confusion with what the lawless are actually meant to be for half of the first chapters. are they an entirely political faction? are they part of the class system? do they have different abilities? until we get to actually meet them, they were just thrown out whenever the author needed to remind you that eloise's grandpa is dead and that grayson isn't evil, without any explanation or context for who they are, what they do, or why i should care. there's a whole reveal here about them that i have annotated as "i think this is meant to be important, but i don't know enough to care."
* there's also an issue of scale with the pacing, which is why i cannot fully put the lack of filler as a pro, even though i think it is executed well in some parts. three hours pass when eloise and grayson are first practicing spells, and the only reason i know that is because grayson quite literally informs eloise that it has been three hours. their three hours of practice take up less than half a chapter, while we can have singular conversations last a whole one later.
* there are seven editors listed in the back of this book. i would have hesitated to say even one worked on it. spaces in hyphenated compound words, clunky sentences that could do with an extra comma, or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, clunky sentences that are cut off with a period at odd moments, indecision with whether ellipses should be separated by spaces on both sides or only one, other stylistic choices that make the reading experience worse. i had sentences annotated because either the grammar or word choices made were, while technically correct, almost incomprehensible.
* i didn't actually mind the slang that other people in these reviews say drove them crazy; i'm fine hearing "low-key" or "shit" in an urban fantasy. what i did mind were the obvious millennial-isms that get thrown in by the author. i cannot read "chicken-nugget butt farter or whatever," and "to be continued, he winked," and then nod along and act like either of those are funny or flirty. what gets me is that when the author just treats her characters like actual people in the later chapters, there is cute banter between eloise and grayson, so i'm confused as to how we got here.
* vast majority of characters are flat and one-note. maggie is irish, that is all you need to understand about her. naomi is a bitch, that is all you need to understand about her. adrien is evil, that is all you need to understand about him. i thought we were going to get something more interesting -- there is, indeed, a singular conversation that grayson has with naomi that reveals they are friends, and understand each other, and perhaps she might not be the irredeemable, post-2003 "mean girls" boom regina george copycat that she comes off as at first! of course, the moment that conversation ends, she loses any depth she just showcased, because eloise needs a secondary antagonist to stand up against to showcase what little character growth she was given. adrien is a dick because there would be no "semi-antagonistic-relationship to lovers" book complete without a sacrificial awful secondary male love interest that grayson can growl at, or whatever. why does he work for the chancellor? does he have a singular character motivation? fuck if i know, the book certainly didn't try and show me. or feck, i guess, we're in ireland.
* maggie is perhaps the worst offender of the above -- she is irish, and she is a device the author uses to explain half the tension between the fmc and her away. she just somehow knows, and can *tell* what eloise is doing or feeling, and she repeats it so that the reader understands what's going on. maybe it's mean to show off their close bond, but it comes off more like the second-screen screen-writing of netflix, except in a book. audience trust is dead.
* in general, so much telling instead of showing. the scenting that grayson establishes early on is then used to excuse any amount of his knowledge of others' emotions. eloise at some point just literally spells out her motivations at the beginning of a chapter. the actual line "like we're flirting instead of arguing," or "did he just admit that he was wrong?" followed immediately by "i'm not saying that i'm wrong." again, audience trust is dead in a ditch somewhere back in maine.
* ireland is treated the same way some millennial white guys treat japan: that is to say, with an unreasonable amount of reverence. it's a magical land of... magic, and... green, i guess. pick your stereotype: a spunky red-head with a funny attitude and too many brothers, a grouch of an old man with a heart of gold, or a caring, motherly older lady that exists to show our mmc really does trust some people. just kidding, you don't need to pick, this book has all three.
* grayson himself has little personality. he's rich, he smirks, his brother is dead. he's a rich asshole, except not really, because he's actually super cool and class-conscious and all that and actually super involved and helps the poor. was i expected forget the beginning chapters where he was just kind of a dick to eloise specifically? the comments on how he didn't know she existed and was surprised by her having decent enough magical ability to get into the university?
* more use of the word "wee" than you expect. not as in "little," as in "piss."
* the phrase mage-baby is used three times, and that is four more than it ever needed to be.

[Shahana]

I absolutely devoured this. Every single second of it. The writing was so immersive, the pacing never let up, and I was hooked from the very first chapter.

Eloise and Grayson were such compelling characters. Eloise’s determination to secure a future for her family made her a character I was deeply invested in, and I loved how much heart she brought to the story. Grayson, meanwhile, had that perfect mix of arrogance, charm, and hidden vulnerability that made every scene with him interesting. Together, their chemistry was fantastic. Their banter was sharp, the tension was delicious, and I loved watching them get pulled deeper into the magical mess they were trying to solve.

Beyond the romance, I really enjoyed the mystery and the exploration of power, privilege, and corruption within the magical system. The stakes felt real, and the emotional weight of the story hit hard, especially the grief surrounding the loss of family members. That part felt incredibly real and tugged at my heart in a way that was especially personal for me, since I’ve recently gone through something similar.

Thank the Lord I was invited to read this ARC because this was everything I wanted from a YA fantasy. I already miss these characters.

[Mackenzie Roberts]

I am grateful to have received an arc of Alchemy of Souls from NetGalley.

Alchemy of Souls begins with our FMC, Eloise, wanting to be the first from her family of laborers to get into the “elusive” Mage university. She ultimately gets into the university, along with what seems to be every other student from her school. However, during her entrance exam events happen that lead to her having to work alongside Grayson, the MMC from an elite Mage family, to retrieve a special key for the Chancellor that only their connection can access.

Character wise, I was not a huge fan of Eloise. I felt like she had unnecessary animosity towards Grayson, in the beginning, and was more focused on trying to enjoy college with her best friend than focus on the task at hand. She was almost one dimensional to me. Whereas, Grayson was a more likable character. He was witty and charismatic and I found myself enjoying his POV more because he had more character depth and a stronger personal storyline.

I do have to say that there was a huge part of the book where I felt nothing really happened. It wasn’t until about 70% in when things started to come to light, truths were revealed, and the plot started to pick up. And by that point, the book was basically over. If this is meant to be a standalone, I don’t feel like the author did a strong job of giving us enough insight into the “Lawless” people and what the ultimate goal was for them.