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The Alchemy of Being Fourteen

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Winter and Arden Allister are two teenage sisters who've just moved from Memphis to San Francisco and their interracial family is thrust into the bourgeoisie of San Francisco’s elite once the girls begin the year at an exclusive private school. But when Winter starts having problems with a boy at school and Arden continues to suffer inexplicable and terrifying blackouts, each girl must tease loose a separate thread of fate from their interwoven, close-knit identity as sisters in order to unravel the arcane mystery of who they really are.

Once their futures are disentangled, Winter and Arden find that destiny has drafted them both into the oldest war the world’s ever known—but placed them on opposite sides.

318 pages, Hardcover

First published September 16, 2015

13 people are currently reading
804 people want to read

About the author

Leah Williams

242 books207 followers
Leah Williams is an American writer originally from Oxford, Mississippi. She has written comics for Marvel, BOOM! Studios, Vault Comics, and is working on more. Her debut novel was a YA Fantasy book titled The Alchemy of Being Fourteen and she is currently writing its sequel, The Divinity of Hitting Fifteen. Leah has nonfiction articles and essays published in The Atlantic, Oprah Magazine, and Salon.

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5 stars
39 (60%)
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15 (23%)
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4 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Ruxandra.
1 review16 followers
May 2, 2015
This feels like the kind of book a teenage girl needs to read, it's like a crutch for those tumultuous years. It has drama which might not be anything new, but it doesn't ever claim to be.
It is self-indulgent, as the author declared from the start, but that doesn't stop me from rooting for the characters when they fall down and feeling oh-so-satisfied as they punch back. It's unapologetic in calling out the self-entitled and validating the feelings of the oppressed.
It tells young girls who want to feel pretty that they matter, that it's okay to be "selfish" and it's okay to want the best for yourself, that being noble and selfless is alright, but wanting a certain type of happiness just for yourself is equally so. Doing things because you want to, because you think it's cool and gives that little boost of self-esteem that you didn't even know you needed. That is not the same as doing things because they are "the right thing to do" or because it's "for the greater good", but not everyone can do that anyway. Or maybe they can, but they don't want to. Some people don't want to be larger than life, they just want to be the best they can be for their own sake. It's not self-deprecating, it's not shallow, it is self-empowering.

So, imagine all this within a particular setting:

Imagine a regular urban fantasy story in the suburbs. With mysterious circumstances and things crawling in the shadows. With fantastical beasts and equally fantastical beings. You know, a werewolf here, a vampire there, maybe a few hunters sprinkled somewhere too. But all of those are a secret, which means a lot of people know. They just don't talk about it with anyone else. Which can lead to some awkward moments, if you find out that one of your friends is secretly part of a super-powered gang hell-bent on destroying the other special secret super gang. Even worse when it's the one you're in.

But that's just, like, a hypothesis, a "what if" kind of scenario, you know? Because a girl who attracts trouble like a magnet and can do cartwheels in midair would not be very eager to tell everyone in sight about it, mostly because she can't explain why or how she's doing it. She has enough trouble on her hands, what with growing up and feeling awkward about it, having the foot-in-mouth syndrome when she was just trying to be nice or stick to her principles from time to time. Things just happen. Besides, getting attacked by a vampire is a bit more understandable than having gross old men leer at a pre-teen just for wearing her regular school uniform.

Your sister isn't helping much either. If you told her, she might think you're nuts. Besides, she has her own life, personal issues included. Heaven knows what's her problem, especially when she keeps disappearing in the middle of the night and comes back tight-lipped and cryptic. And since your best friend won't tell you anything when you ask her, why should you tell her your secrets? So yeah, who cares anyway, you've got practice and your pet rat is the only confidante you'll ever need.
Profile Image for Jim.
1,790 reviews66 followers
September 23, 2015
It's fun to get excited to read a book even before you read the first line. In The Alchemy of Being Fourteen, the cover, the chapter art, the chapter titles, even the intro all scream READ ME! (Have you heard a better chapter title than "Polyglot Muse"?)

And the book itself does not disappoint.

I love it when an author's writing style can suck you into the story and almost make you forget you're reading a book. Leah Williams writes her main (female) characters as smart. And real. I felt like these were friends of my daughter that I could meet in real life. It's nice that YA books are not only the most diverse books with the most cutting edge stories, but that they do a really good job of reflecting reality.

And, she does a fantastic job of showing you what it's like to be in high school.

It was like Dante’s Inferno except the seven circles of hell were different levels of starter-kit adolescent embarrassment on up to the patented, more potent, teen angst.

She has an amazing flair to her writing. It really is the kind of book you don't want to stop reading. And you know you've found an author that's great at writing suspense when you find yourself holding your breath.

So often in paranormal fiction, it ends up overtaking the whole book. This book is about the supernatural. But it isn't. The conflict between the Praeta and Supra is there (read the book), but it's not, like, the focus of the book. (Sorry, had to get one "like" in there.) It's the conflict between Winter and herself; between Arden and herself. About coming to terms with who they are. As teenage girls. Adolescence sucks in so many ways. There are so many conflicting things going on. Leah Williams captures that perfectly, adding a fascinating subplot. In this way it's like real life - you have the stuff you're truly dealing with, and everything else just serves to make it more frustrating - or more interesting, depending on your perspective.

Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Ramona.
10 reviews6 followers
September 23, 2015
So I don’t know if I can do this book the justice it deserves, not because the author is my friend but because this book crosses so many different genres and is exactly the kind of book I wish someone had handed me as a teenager and said “read this and everything will be okay.” To which I would have rolled my eyes because hello, teenager but still.

So this at the heart of it is an urban fantasy novel with teenage girls. Teen girls who just want to settle into their new town and their new private school which is hard enough to do with the usual litany of teen woes and hormones, learning and knowing your place in a society that at the end of the day doesn’t respect you for who you are. This is a book about awesome teen girls and the literal powers they wield while doing that.

This book is about identity, this book is about the kind of courage it takes to be a teenage girl who is still figuring out who she is and what she stands for. And what she stands for doesn’t always have to be noble or self-sacrificing because any kind of happiness you can claw from a world that is so intent on putting you down is enough. This a book about girls who cry, girls who are earnest, girls who are little bit dumb, girls who have developed a hard shell to protect the softness underneath but the best part is they’re all the same girl.
Profile Image for Samantha.
9 reviews6 followers
September 23, 2015
If you have hesitations to read this because you're WAYYYYY older than 14, lemme dispel any concerns. Leah has an impeccable ability to wrap you up in quick witted prose that appeals to older ages while still preserving the window looking into the mind of young teenage girls who have never even had their first kiss while navigating through a world of heavy issues revolving around self esteem, body image, sexual harassment, etc

Her story telling is fleshed out wonderfully with an amazing skill for making tricky descriptions click just right in ways I'd never expect. Her style of writing is colorful, vibrant, and cleverly designed for an audience of women of varying ages and walks of life that makes it hard to put her book down.

I'm fervently awaiting the next book and plan on donating to show my support for such a talented, ambitious author!

1 review
January 18, 2016
This book is AMAZING. I can't possibly give enough reasons to treat yourself to this fantastically told story. Mixing both classic and modern themes it tells the youth fantasy story in a way I have never encountered before. It's believable, moving, and genuinely funny. Like, seriously funny. This is the angst driven, hormonal romp through supernatural adolescence that Harry Potter could have been, but wasn't. I am counting the days until the next in the series is published and I can continue to learn more about the intense lore and exciting tale laid out in this intro. I really can't wait.

Read this book if you like books. Just read it. You won't regret it.
18 reviews17 followers
May 13, 2015
This book was everything I did not know that I desperately wanted to read in a young adult novel. Part teenage romance, part science fiction, part paranormal thriller, this book is impossible to classify. And it is all the better because of this. There are werewolves and vampires and girls with superpowers in this book. GIRLS WITH SUPERPOWERS. Girls that can do ridiculous backhand springs, and girls that are cheerleaders, and girls that are mean and snarky, and girls that smile dorkily when the boys they like text them, and girls that cry into their pillows, and girls that fight with their moms, and girls that get in trouble with their teachers, and girls that feel self conscious in their skin. Girls in all of their varied and wonderful and painful and HONEST manifestations.

I think this book is a brave and radical undertaking on the part of the author. It is hard, sometimes impossible work, to imagine a world that is better than this one. This book is beautifully written, has fantastic character development and dialogue, and is, above all else, an invitation into a world that none of us has dared to dream was possible in young adult fiction. I'm humbled and honored to have been allowed in to this world, and I cannot wait to see where Winter and Arden's journey takes them next. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Hannah Ryan.
4 reviews
December 29, 2015
I laughed a lot AND I had nightmares??? There weren't books like this when I was a teenager and I'm relieved there are now.
Profile Image for Summer (buttermybooks).
146 reviews110 followers
March 30, 2016
Y‘ALL. I THINK IM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.

I started reading this over a snowy weekend and almost immediately fell in love with the book aesthetic. The chapter headers are AMAZING and the cover is so bright and badass.. it practically screams at you to read it. Oh, and the best part? The story is JUST AS AWESOME as the artwork on the book.

I wish I could properly put into words how much I felt this book. While reading it, I realized that The Alchemy of Being Fourteen is one of those novels that really gets what its like to be a young person in the modern world. I will always appreciate a well written strong female main character, but I feel like Leah took it to another level with this book. What I appreciated most about the way that the girls are written is that they were allowed to be angry. So many times in books, women are expected to be docile and if they do get upset its made out to be unnecessary. Teenagers are angry. They’re angsty. That really shines through in this book and that is important to me. I felt their struggle throughout the entire book and that helped me become invested in them. I wanted to help them succeed but I also wanted to protect them?! Ugh, I need more.

Also - can we talk about the world building???? I thought I was in for a light / contemporary read but this turned out to be SO MUCH MORE OMG. Im not even sure what genre this book would be? Maybe magical realism? Fantasy? I HAVE NO IDEA BUT I NEED MORE OF IT IMMEDIATELY. I FELT SO BLINDSIDED BY THE PLOT TWISTS. I usually pride myself on being able to guess where a story is going but I LITERALLY HAD NO IDEA. The entire time I was reading the last half of the book I just kept saying “Jesus Christ WHAT NEXT?“

If you are looking for something to completely consume you, pick this book up. I absolutely DEVOURED IT and im already longing for morreeeee.
Profile Image for Emily.
107 reviews31 followers
November 25, 2015
The Alchemy of Being Fourteen is one of those very rare books you find that actually tells the truth of what it's like for girls growing up. It is urban fantasy, (which I rarely read, and even more rarely like,) but I loved this book. The reason? It is so different from so many of those fantasies in that it keeps up the reality of being teenagers in the modern world-with all the anger and other emotions that goes with that-along with the fantasy elements. (Which were also intriguing and I found myself really enjoying.)

The characters really shine, and the writing for them is amazing. You feel each character's struggle so intently. There's so much for people, especially teenagers, to relate to in this book, how horrible going through adolescence is, being Different, a misfit, a victim of racial prejudice, gender prejudice....really something for everybody.

One of the things I really enjoyed was reading the parts where the main female teenagers got *gasp* ANGRY. So much of the time anger in females is played down in books and film, and society today still has a problem with women feeling a perfectly normal emotion.
3 reviews
December 28, 2015
I haven't had the time to let myself fall into any YA novels lately, but I've been following Leah's updates about it his book from the start and when I got it for Christmas I dove right in. The characters and their world caught me immediately; their casual realness a refreshing change from books that try too hard to convince you that their characters are Normal Kids. Winter and Arden are in many ways the girls I wish I could have been strong enough to be in high school, but their insecurities, fears, and weaknesses are very familiar too. On top of this, the supernatural universe that Leah has built drew me in so fast and so hard, I don't know where I can get my fix until the sequel comes out. I have so many questions about their world, and I can't wait to catch up with these sisters again.
Profile Image for Matt.
9 reviews5 followers
February 3, 2016
I can't even describe how much I enjoyed this book.

The world building in the first half is welcoming and descriptive with descriptions that don't outsmart themselves and make it easy to experience the world the way the Arden & Winter do.

The characters are genuine and likable. You care about them and want them to be ok. The characters are distinct and full of life.

(Spoilery bit) The reveal that I felt like I was going to get with Arden was handled so well and so smooth. It feels like it would have had a place in any body horror classic.

The slow burn establishing the world is genuinely worth it as it shoots you out of a cannon at the end, rocketing toward what I hope are many more books to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Colleen.
1,481 reviews
April 2, 2016
Okay so this book started off as contemporary and then bam out of nowhere becomes thrust amazing fantasy book that has never been done before. The Allister sisters and the family as a whole are amazing. I love the family dynamic so much. The twists and turns that happened throughout the book were seriously the best. The final serious twist at the end had me screaming out loud it was that good. Do yourself a favor and read this book!
Profile Image for Barbara C.
16 reviews3 followers
October 31, 2016
This book was so good! Seriously, there are concepts in this book that were so refreshing to read especially in young adult. It was witty, and fun, and I can't wait to see where it leads.
You can see Leah's heart in the book , and I think it's fabulous. Thanks for making my day more enjoyable with this book. I'd have to have done homework otherwise and blegh @ that.
Profile Image for Jude.
29 reviews
February 8, 2016
Loved it! I need more!! It was a great read filled with just the right amount of fantasy and emotion and powerful female leads. I feel like we are going to grow with Leah as an an author as much as we are going to grow with the Allister sisters! I'm ready.
Profile Image for Kat.
735 reviews10 followers
January 30, 2016
Absolutely phenomenal. This book reminded me how it felt to be fifteen but did so with such empowerment that I almost feel okay with ever having to have been fifteen. It's fun and fierce and has some of the best written sentences I've ever seen. I am unspeakably eager for the sequel.
Profile Image for Rachie.
1 review
January 21, 2018
I cannot even explain how beautiful and amazing this book is along with the author herself! I can only say I'm sad I didn't express it far sooner. I adore this book with all of my being and tell anyone I can they should read it and I eagerly await anything new from Leah. Basically going same and I feel and NICE YES through the whole reading tbh I cannot wait for more.
Profile Image for Colleen.
287 reviews11 followers
January 8, 2020
I started this book without ever reading a synopsis, which was a first for me. It also caused a lot of confusion, and then forced me to read one! I originally thought this was just some coming-of-age teen book, when really, it was a pretty cool supernatural kickass teen book. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel (if there ever is one).
Profile Image for Alyssa.
64 reviews1 follower
September 30, 2016
The sister relationship captured by Leah Williams in this book is so authentic and messy and sweet and goofy I just actually can't say enough to praise it. This author has a firm handle on what it's like to be a teenage girl trying to figure out what that means both in the world and in her own body, and she takes us along on these girls' adventures and griefs with tremendous warmth and compassion. I can't wait to read what the Allister sisters get up to next!
1 review
October 1, 2015
Recommended by a friend. I really liked the book, but I feel like the author needs to work a bit more on her grace when writing. The were a few technical things that I felt could have been worked on like transitions between dialogue, whether internal or external, were a little awkward, or the plot progression being somewhat weird, and predictable but maybe that's a YA thing? The potential for the story is still really exciting (especially that angst that's for sure coming), and even if it is predictable, I want to know what's going to happen.
That being said, the book itself was really cool, even with the direct association I made to Buffy. Maybe the author is a fan? This isn't a bad association to make since Buffy desperately needed more diversity in its writing, which Leah does a good job of providing. The book is really captivating though, and I really am excited to keep reading.
I wasn't sure that I wanted to be critical about reviewing the book because again, I REALLY like it, but I know that Leah's writing will only get better. I know for my writing, I like that kind of feedback, and I'm hoping that it genuinely helps?
Ok, time to take that chip off my shoulder. Please don't be sad :(
Profile Image for Steve Harbula.
26 reviews1 follower
May 7, 2020
The Alchemy of Being Fourteen is a promising debut from Williams. The world building in this urban fantasy covers some familiar ground but with a unique spin, and the family relationships in the story are its biggest strength. Williams acknowledges influences like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson with a knowing wink to the reader, and weaves music deftly through the narrative. And she deserves huge credit for self-publishing the novel.

On the downside, some characters and conflicts were abandoned for stretches that felt too long. For a book that deals heavily with coming-of-age themes of angst and awkwardness, the two protagonists often didn’t seem to be concerned ENOUGH about some of the things happening to and around them. The efforts to make the teenage slang and mannerisms authentic seemed forced at times, and may not end up aging well. And she needs to find a slightly stronger proofreader!

Despite its flaws, the strengths of the book far outweigh the weaknesses. I found myself unable to put it down for about the last 80 pages as the plot started to coalesce. Williams seems to have a clear vision for where she wants to take the story, and I look forward to the next volume!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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