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The Final Formula #1
The Final Formula
To a master alchemist like Addie, impossible is just another word for challenge. When a fiery explosion destroys the Alchemica, the premier alchemy institute in the United States, she’s left with nothing. No home, no colleagues, and no memory. Learning what happened seems impossible, but she still has one strength, and in her opinion, it’s the only one she needs. She hasn’t forgotten a thing about alchemy.
Addie brews a potion to restore her lost past, but remembers only the flames of the Alchemica’s destruction—and a man among the ashes. A man with the elemental power of fire, who just happens to be the leader of the magical community. He might know what happened, but getting him to tell her will require some…creativity. The magical aren’t fond of alchemists. Some say it borders on hatred, but Addie isn’t one to back down from a challenge, even if that challenge happens to be a man who can turn her to ash with a thought.
Addie brews a potion to restore her lost past, but remembers only the flames of the Alchemica’s destruction—and a man among the ashes. A man with the elemental power of fire, who just happens to be the leader of the magical community. He might know what happened, but getting him to tell her will require some…creativity. The magical aren’t fond of alchemists. Some say it borders on hatred, but Addie isn’t one to back down from a challenge, even if that challenge happens to be a man who can turn her to ash with a thought.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2013
394 people are currently reading
3722 people want to read
About the author
Becca Andre
30 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
February 17, 2016
A fast-paced story, part mystery, part alchemical fantasy, part romance. Addie is an easy character to empathize with: clever, kind and courageous. At least, that's what she is now, without her memories. She's also a master alchemist, or so the tattoos on her arms suggest. As Addie struggles to figure out who she was, and what to do with her rather supernatural frenemies, her past comes after her with a vengeance. I especially loved the alchemy side of things here, and just how awesome Addie is at creating and developing new alchemical concoctions.
A couple of minor quibbles: First, I have a hard time believing that the essence of Addie was so completely different then and now. Without her memories, she should have returned to the same essential person--if that person was at heart kind and thoughtful, then that's what we get. If she was selfish and greedy, then there you go. Second, yo! Not cool when male characters go all possessive and start saying thing like "You're mine!" Let's nip that one in the bud, Addie.
Overall, definitely recommend! For my YA readers, please be advised that there is an adult scene that will require skipping over.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
A couple of minor quibbles: First, I have a hard time believing that the essence of Addie was so completely different then and now. Without her memories, she should have returned to the same essential person--if that person was at heart kind and thoughtful, then that's what we get. If she was selfish and greedy, then there you go. Second, yo! Not cool when male characters go all possessive and start saying thing like "You're mine!" Let's nip that one in the bud, Addie.
Overall, definitely recommend! For my YA readers, please be advised that there is an adult scene that will require skipping over.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
February 14, 2020
Well written, fast paced and twistier than a mountain road...if you love a great urban fantasy, you need to try The Final Formula. Every character is fully realized, and who doesn't love a feisty, sarcastic heroine?
Addie is an alchemist with a problem--she has total amnesia. Rescued from the ruin of the Alchemica, the premier Alchemy institute in the U.S., she remembers nothing about her past...except alchemy. And she's darn good at it. But why?
After preparing a memory potion, Addie hopes to remember everything that happened. Instead, she gets sketchy memories of the night the Alchemica burned...and of the Fire Elemental, one of the four leaders of the American magical community. A man who could turn her to ashes with a thought holds all the answers, or so she thinks.
From there, things take a number of twists and turns as Addie, her friend James (who has his own secret) and the elementals race to find out what happened that night before someone else does.
What I love most about this tale is Addie's world view. She's snarky, but vulnerable. Hard, but naive. She hopes everything will turn out for the best, but plans for the worst. She has heart, but knows how to outsmart an enemy. Addie's study in contrasts, and that makes for a compelling character. A big plus--her romance with Rowan is just plain hot. There's a dark side to all this as well, including a double-cross, a pack of zombies and something haunting in Addie's past. I'm dying to read the next installment.
Addie is an alchemist with a problem--she has total amnesia. Rescued from the ruin of the Alchemica, the premier Alchemy institute in the U.S., she remembers nothing about her past...except alchemy. And she's darn good at it. But why?
After preparing a memory potion, Addie hopes to remember everything that happened. Instead, she gets sketchy memories of the night the Alchemica burned...and of the Fire Elemental, one of the four leaders of the American magical community. A man who could turn her to ashes with a thought holds all the answers, or so she thinks.
From there, things take a number of twists and turns as Addie, her friend James (who has his own secret) and the elementals race to find out what happened that night before someone else does.
What I love most about this tale is Addie's world view. She's snarky, but vulnerable. Hard, but naive. She hopes everything will turn out for the best, but plans for the worst. She has heart, but knows how to outsmart an enemy. Addie's study in contrasts, and that makes for a compelling character. A big plus--her romance with Rowan is just plain hot. There's a dark side to all this as well, including a double-cross, a pack of zombies and something haunting in Addie's past. I'm dying to read the next installment.
May 20, 2021
I can't recall how this book and its sequels ended up on my Kindle, but I decided it was time to read a few of the books that have been on there for ages. I found this good on the whole, but not quite good enough to earn a full five stars.
On the plus side, the premise and world building are refreshingly novel for the paranormal romance genre. Addie, short for Addled Alchemist, is a young woman who has no memory beyond waking up near the burning ruins of the famous alchemist school. However, her encyclopaedic knowledge of alchemical formulas is undamaged, and the tatoos on her arms indicate she is a Master Alchemist, something very unusual for one apparently so young. For this alternative world is one in which magic returned about 20 years ago, and New Magic, as it is known, is alive and well and even has a government department to oversee it. (Old Magic, which includes a few creatures such as Hellhounds, stayed undercover until the return of magic.)
There are magical people and creatures - such as the Elementals who can wield earth, air, wind or fire, and Addie's close friend James, who is a shapeshifter and Hellhound with the ability to create gateways into a reality where living beings generally cannot survive. Alchemists are not magical in themselves, but their potions work practical magic. Other magical practioners include necromancers who tend to be villains as they reanimate the dead - and sometimes kill people to do so.
As the story opens, Addie is earning a living making magic bullets for a gunshop run by James' very unpleasant brothers, but both of them are soon set on a breakneck series of adventures when some SWAT type characters arrive, seemingly to kidnap Addie, and they are helped by Rowan, Lord of Fire, a powerful Elemental. A mutual attraction eventually becomes a romance between Addie and Rowan, despite Addie's habitual sarcasm (the story is told as a first person narrative). Addie's quest to discover how and why she lost her memory, and to regain it, ultimately causes heartbreak for her and others.
I enjoyed the story but found it a bit too whistlestop in places and would have liked a bit more change of tone. I also wasn't totally won over by the ending, although I can see that sets up great possibilities for the sequel(s). So, as indicated above, it is a 4 star rating for me.
On the plus side, the premise and world building are refreshingly novel for the paranormal romance genre. Addie, short for Addled Alchemist, is a young woman who has no memory beyond waking up near the burning ruins of the famous alchemist school. However, her encyclopaedic knowledge of alchemical formulas is undamaged, and the tatoos on her arms indicate she is a Master Alchemist, something very unusual for one apparently so young. For this alternative world is one in which magic returned about 20 years ago, and New Magic, as it is known, is alive and well and even has a government department to oversee it. (Old Magic, which includes a few creatures such as Hellhounds, stayed undercover until the return of magic.)
There are magical people and creatures - such as the Elementals who can wield earth, air, wind or fire, and Addie's close friend James, who is a shapeshifter and Hellhound with the ability to create gateways into a reality where living beings generally cannot survive. Alchemists are not magical in themselves, but their potions work practical magic. Other magical practioners include necromancers who tend to be villains as they reanimate the dead - and sometimes kill people to do so.
As the story opens, Addie is earning a living making magic bullets for a gunshop run by James' very unpleasant brothers, but both of them are soon set on a breakneck series of adventures when some SWAT type characters arrive, seemingly to kidnap Addie, and they are helped by Rowan, Lord of Fire, a powerful Elemental. A mutual attraction eventually becomes a romance between Addie and Rowan, despite Addie's habitual sarcasm (the story is told as a first person narrative). Addie's quest to discover how and why she lost her memory, and to regain it, ultimately causes heartbreak for her and others.
I enjoyed the story but found it a bit too whistlestop in places and would have liked a bit more change of tone. I also wasn't totally won over by the ending, although I can see that sets up great possibilities for the sequel(s). So, as indicated above, it is a 4 star rating for me.
July 7, 2021
Love when I find a good KU series!
RTC
RTC
February 19, 2016
For most of the book I was hovering between 4 and 5 stars. It was well paced, fun and the alchemical stuff was interesting and not over done. I liked the character of Addie - she is feisty, kind, self confident and very creative in her potion making. I loved her relationship with best friend James and she and Rowan were really cute together and I love the development of their romance. But then
August 9, 2015
I did not expect this book to be as good as it is. Usually, well in my case usually, alchemy is set in Victorian times or some other old world time and they tend to spout a bunch of science, which usually goes right over my head because it was never my best subject, so I lose focus and don’t finish.
Not the case with this book. There were so many twists and turns that I was on the edge of my seat, eager to turn the pages to anxious to find out what was going on. I couldn’t even begin to suspect the ending, this reader was floored and I have to go on to the next book.
The writing was simply amazing and I instantly connected with the characters, especially when the protagonist saw the lab equipment because that’s how I feel about books.
It was set in modern times so, even though my mind kept wanting to put all this alchemy talk into a distant past, the use of cell phones and current cars kept bringing me back. That could have been tricky for a book about alchemy but, the author did it just right.
A little bit of a romance but, it’s not the main focus, which this reviewer thought was a great idea since there was so much that the author gave the readers about that world and all the information she gave us. I raved to a couple of my friends to try out this book, I was just enchanted by it.
Another thing that I loved about this book, I was constantly smiling or laughing at something that they were saying, the sarcasm and witty comebacks just keep coming. Usually, as the story goes on and the characters grow, everything gets serious and while this did happen, the author didn’t lose the sarcasm.
It still manages to be light-hearted and there is no chance of it getting boring.
I would recommend this to teenagers and up, considering they don’t mind a little cussing or a couple of innuendos. Pick this book up and you won’t want to put it down.
Thank you for reading my review.
-Sam
Not the case with this book. There were so many twists and turns that I was on the edge of my seat, eager to turn the pages to anxious to find out what was going on. I couldn’t even begin to suspect the ending, this reader was floored and I have to go on to the next book.
The writing was simply amazing and I instantly connected with the characters, especially when the protagonist saw the lab equipment because that’s how I feel about books.
It was set in modern times so, even though my mind kept wanting to put all this alchemy talk into a distant past, the use of cell phones and current cars kept bringing me back. That could have been tricky for a book about alchemy but, the author did it just right.
A little bit of a romance but, it’s not the main focus, which this reviewer thought was a great idea since there was so much that the author gave the readers about that world and all the information she gave us. I raved to a couple of my friends to try out this book, I was just enchanted by it.
Another thing that I loved about this book, I was constantly smiling or laughing at something that they were saying, the sarcasm and witty comebacks just keep coming. Usually, as the story goes on and the characters grow, everything gets serious and while this did happen, the author didn’t lose the sarcasm.
It still manages to be light-hearted and there is no chance of it getting boring.
I would recommend this to teenagers and up, considering they don’t mind a little cussing or a couple of innuendos. Pick this book up and you won’t want to put it down.
Thank you for reading my review.
-Sam
February 15, 2018
Alchemist Addie lost her memory and takes refuge and a job with the family of James, who saved her after the explosion of her old home and workplace, the alchemy institute. Together they start to investigate the explosion and pick up new acquaintances through the magic community in contemporary Cincinnati while also discovering secrets about themselves.
What can I say - I loved this book! Yes, Addie was a bitch, and the Fire Lord a push over, but the story was never boring, the dialogs witty and righteous funny, the characters interesting, the plot mostly made sense, and I was HIGHLY entertained.
On to the next books in the series.
What can I say - I loved this book! Yes, Addie was a bitch, and the Fire Lord a push over, but the story was never boring, the dialogs witty and righteous funny, the characters interesting, the plot mostly made sense, and I was HIGHLY entertained.
On to the next books in the series.
July 11, 2021
The plot is great but I kept skimming and skimming to get to the reveal. I don’t know if that’s my fault or if there was just too many extra moves made by the author.
September 30, 2018
I enjoyed this paranormal/urban fantasy novel, although it is not my genre of choice. Entertaining and love the humor. I did not care much for the "romance" and thankfully, there wasn't much of it.
February 5, 2015
Second time round . . .
So much action, sharp dialogue and suspense, it left me breathless!
It's been a long time since a series of books has captured my imagination quite like The Final Formula. I downloaded the first book early one evening and read through the night. I finished it at dawn, and promptly downloaded the next two in the series. I raced through them almost as quickly.
Blown away by the story and the amazing characters, I took a deep, calming breath – and started from the beginning, reading slowly and carefully. That is definitely required because the storyline is very, very complex and very, very imaginative.
The end result . . . I actually emailed Becca Andre to ask when the next in the series is coming out. It's that good.
Okay, sure. there are the a few problems. Like I said, the story is complex with a lot of characters, which has left me with question marks about a couple of things. But wow, as criticisms go, that's minor.
I mean, chuck in an alchemist, a hellhound, four magical elements, some zombies, and some necros, and, hell, what could possibly go wrong?
So much, it makes your head spin! There are more twists than a spiral staircase and so many surprises.
I absolutely loved Addie! She's such an exciting addition to my literary friends. If ever there is a woman who owns the page, it's her. She has a unique way of looking at life that manages to get up the noses of everyone she meets, leading to some amazing conflicts, some great potions, and tons of fast-paced action set in, often, very creepy surrounds. Magical stuff!
And as for the Lord of Fire whom she tussles with, he has totally captured my heart. Personally, I would love to read the entire book again from his perspective. How about it Becca?
So, if you are looking for an amazing fantasy to keep you awake at night, then this is it.
So much action, sharp dialogue and suspense, it left me breathless!
It's been a long time since a series of books has captured my imagination quite like The Final Formula. I downloaded the first book early one evening and read through the night. I finished it at dawn, and promptly downloaded the next two in the series. I raced through them almost as quickly.
Blown away by the story and the amazing characters, I took a deep, calming breath – and started from the beginning, reading slowly and carefully. That is definitely required because the storyline is very, very complex and very, very imaginative.
The end result . . . I actually emailed Becca Andre to ask when the next in the series is coming out. It's that good.
Okay, sure. there are the a few problems. Like I said, the story is complex with a lot of characters, which has left me with question marks about a couple of things. But wow, as criticisms go, that's minor.
I mean, chuck in an alchemist, a hellhound, four magical elements, some zombies, and some necros, and, hell, what could possibly go wrong?
So much, it makes your head spin! There are more twists than a spiral staircase and so many surprises.
I absolutely loved Addie! She's such an exciting addition to my literary friends. If ever there is a woman who owns the page, it's her. She has a unique way of looking at life that manages to get up the noses of everyone she meets, leading to some amazing conflicts, some great potions, and tons of fast-paced action set in, often, very creepy surrounds. Magical stuff!
And as for the Lord of Fire whom she tussles with, he has totally captured my heart. Personally, I would love to read the entire book again from his perspective. How about it Becca?
So, if you are looking for an amazing fantasy to keep you awake at night, then this is it.
November 24, 2014
The Final Formula is a break-neck ride through a parallel Earthworld where much of contemporary life is the same, except alchemy is a recognized profession and "Old Magic" has just returned (about 20 years prior to this story). Having a base of common knowledge between author and reader allows Andre to play with the changes that define this different Ohio.
We meet several alchemists, "elementals," and those who are dead (or lack souls) such as hellhounds. Credit Andre for a well thought-out world for her protagonist, "Addie." That's not her real name, but she remembers nothing prior to finding herself in the exploded ruins of the Alchemica, a well-known "college" for the training of alchemists and for their research. It is Addie's amnesia that drives the plot, and I was reminded of Roger Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber that rolls out in a very similar manner. [Note to self, write a review of Nine Princes in Amber.]
The Final Formula is what everyone seems to be seeking and it has to do with immortality. Addie is often on the move, either fleeing someone who thinks they can use her, or seeking out someone or something that can aid her desire to find out about life before the explosion. There's a lot more plot than character development, but that's not a bad thing in this genre.
You need to know that The Final Formula is not the final book for Addie or this issue. In fact, it is the start of a series. Andre has done a good job of making it interesting. There is hope that she can flesh out the characters, while adding to the plot about magic loose in a contemporary world. The pace of the plotting and the wise-cracking Addie, make it possible that she will succeed.
We meet several alchemists, "elementals," and those who are dead (or lack souls) such as hellhounds. Credit Andre for a well thought-out world for her protagonist, "Addie." That's not her real name, but she remembers nothing prior to finding herself in the exploded ruins of the Alchemica, a well-known "college" for the training of alchemists and for their research. It is Addie's amnesia that drives the plot, and I was reminded of Roger Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber that rolls out in a very similar manner. [Note to self, write a review of Nine Princes in Amber.]
The Final Formula is what everyone seems to be seeking and it has to do with immortality. Addie is often on the move, either fleeing someone who thinks they can use her, or seeking out someone or something that can aid her desire to find out about life before the explosion. There's a lot more plot than character development, but that's not a bad thing in this genre.
You need to know that The Final Formula is not the final book for Addie or this issue. In fact, it is the start of a series. Andre has done a good job of making it interesting. There is hope that she can flesh out the characters, while adding to the plot about magic loose in a contemporary world. The pace of the plotting and the wise-cracking Addie, make it possible that she will succeed.
November 2, 2013
I personally found the start a little slow, which is why I only rated this a four, but that is completely justified as without the initial groundwork the rest of the book would have crumbled. Once the scenario was set the story was fast paced and well written.
Addie (short for Addled Alchemist) is a strong willed, intelligent young women with one major problem - she has no memory of her past, apart from alchemical formula, hence her new found name. The tale follows the adventures she endures in the bid to regain her memory, with the help of her new found friends, including a rather forbidding dog who has his own secrets and a formidable (yet enticingly 'hot') elemental lord.
The book was a pleasure to read. Despite being a first novel and self published (to my knowledge), the editing was excellent with few, if any typo's or grammatical errors which spoil the reading experience for me and is often my only criticism of self published works.
As I stated, at first I found it a little difficult to get wrapped up in this tale but once I had been reeled in... well it was 2am when I put my book down, reluctantly!
Addie (short for Addled Alchemist) is a strong willed, intelligent young women with one major problem - she has no memory of her past, apart from alchemical formula, hence her new found name. The tale follows the adventures she endures in the bid to regain her memory, with the help of her new found friends, including a rather forbidding dog who has his own secrets and a formidable (yet enticingly 'hot') elemental lord.
The book was a pleasure to read. Despite being a first novel and self published (to my knowledge), the editing was excellent with few, if any typo's or grammatical errors which spoil the reading experience for me and is often my only criticism of self published works.
As I stated, at first I found it a little difficult to get wrapped up in this tale but once I had been reeled in... well it was 2am when I put my book down, reluctantly!
August 5, 2014
The perfect mix of science, magic, romance, friendship, action, mystery, and suspense. Not a dull moment! Just Perfect!!!
January 2, 2022
Fun sci fi page turner
I never buy books. I also never read zombie books. But this was fun and well thought out and different and I will definitely get the next in this series.
I never buy books. I also never read zombie books. But this was fun and well thought out and different and I will definitely get the next in this series.
January 3, 2020
The heroine tries to survive in an unfriendly world. She has to find out about her mysterious knowledge. Of course there is a lot of adventure, romance and mystery.
The story reads fast and is never boring. I loved the book and I am looking forward to tom 2 of the Final Formula by Becca Andre.
To be recommended.
Aybi
The story reads fast and is never boring. I loved the book and I am looking forward to tom 2 of the Final Formula by Becca Andre.
To be recommended.
Aybi
September 28, 2019
This was quite good. It’s a bit different, so that was refreshing. It’s not on KU, and I didn’t like it enough to continue the series.
October 13, 2014
4.5. I hadn’t heard of The Final Formula but decided to take a chance anyway. I was very pleasantly surprised. Great plot. Great characters. Heartbreaking ending.
(Pre-review note: I do a lot of cutting and pasting in my reviews, so I’m truly sorry if I leave details from one of my previous books.)
Plot:
Addie was attending Alchemica, a school for alchemists, when it was destroyed by an explosion. She lost most of her memory during the accident, but she does still remember most of the formulas for her potions. With that knowledge, she tries to create a potion to restore her memories. She is only able to recall one detail…. The Flame Lord, one of the authorities who watches over magic, was at the school when it was destroyed. With the help of her friend James, a grim who rescued her from the wreckage, she tracks down the Flame Lord, whose name is Rowan, in hopes of filling in the blanks in her memory. As Addie, James and Rowan work together to understand what happened, she begins to realize that some things are better left unknown.
Characters:
Addie is your typical loner/outcast heroine with a heart of gold. She’s kind of a smart ass, but it actually becomes her. She’s very confident (to the point of being cocky) in her abilities as an alchemist, but she does to use her talents for good … making potions to heal others, trying to help James overcome his curse, etc.
As Addie’s best friend, James spends much of the book protecting and defending Addie. He knows that she is the only person who loves despite knowing what he is, a grim with the ability to suck out people’s souls and send them to hell. As a grim, he knows he could easily fall under the control of any necromancer, but he has great confidence in Addie and believes she is his only hope in removing that curse.
Rowan is the mysterious Flame Lord, a magical being who has the ability to manipulate fire. As they work together to find out what happened at Alchemica, he and Addie constantly clash, but their banter (which is full of innuendo) is very entertaining.
The supporting characters include Rowan’s fellow elementals: Cora, the distrusting and extremely blunt water elemental; Donovan, the brawny, but happy go lucky earth elemental; and Era, the air elemental whose mind was destroyed when she was kidnapped by necromancers. While we are fairly certain they are working for the greater good, there are several characters we are unsure of, including Addie’s former mentor Emil, her classmate Neil, and Agent Lawson, a member of the PVI (an agency that investigates the paranormal.
Writing:
The book was very well edited, which always makes me very happy. In terms of plot, for the first part of the book, there are several things happening at once. That sometimes makes it confusing for readers, but at the same time, it helps us be more empathetic because we are in the same boat as Addie. Once the details start coming together, the story took off, and I found it really hard to put down. There is quite a bit of language (including the f-bomb). There are also sexual situations that go into a little bit of detail, so you might want to keep this one out of the hands of younger readers.
The Bottom Line:
As I mentioned earlier, The Final Formula was a very pleasant surprise. It breathes new life into the concepts of magic, werewolves, and zombies. The plot was also refreshingly unpredictable. Be prepared, though…. While the action in the book is resolved, there is a HUGE emotional cliffhanger, so you should definitely have the second book (The Blood Alchemist) on standby. If you want some additional reading, there is also a novella, The Element of Death.
(Pre-review note: I do a lot of cutting and pasting in my reviews, so I’m truly sorry if I leave details from one of my previous books.)
Plot:
Addie was attending Alchemica, a school for alchemists, when it was destroyed by an explosion. She lost most of her memory during the accident, but she does still remember most of the formulas for her potions. With that knowledge, she tries to create a potion to restore her memories. She is only able to recall one detail…. The Flame Lord, one of the authorities who watches over magic, was at the school when it was destroyed. With the help of her friend James, a grim who rescued her from the wreckage, she tracks down the Flame Lord, whose name is Rowan, in hopes of filling in the blanks in her memory. As Addie, James and Rowan work together to understand what happened, she begins to realize that some things are better left unknown.
Characters:
Addie is your typical loner/outcast heroine with a heart of gold. She’s kind of a smart ass, but it actually becomes her. She’s very confident (to the point of being cocky) in her abilities as an alchemist, but she does to use her talents for good … making potions to heal others, trying to help James overcome his curse, etc.
As Addie’s best friend, James spends much of the book protecting and defending Addie. He knows that she is the only person who loves despite knowing what he is, a grim with the ability to suck out people’s souls and send them to hell. As a grim, he knows he could easily fall under the control of any necromancer, but he has great confidence in Addie and believes she is his only hope in removing that curse.
Rowan is the mysterious Flame Lord, a magical being who has the ability to manipulate fire. As they work together to find out what happened at Alchemica, he and Addie constantly clash, but their banter (which is full of innuendo) is very entertaining.
The supporting characters include Rowan’s fellow elementals: Cora, the distrusting and extremely blunt water elemental; Donovan, the brawny, but happy go lucky earth elemental; and Era, the air elemental whose mind was destroyed when she was kidnapped by necromancers. While we are fairly certain they are working for the greater good, there are several characters we are unsure of, including Addie’s former mentor Emil, her classmate Neil, and Agent Lawson, a member of the PVI (an agency that investigates the paranormal.
Writing:
The book was very well edited, which always makes me very happy. In terms of plot, for the first part of the book, there are several things happening at once. That sometimes makes it confusing for readers, but at the same time, it helps us be more empathetic because we are in the same boat as Addie. Once the details start coming together, the story took off, and I found it really hard to put down. There is quite a bit of language (including the f-bomb). There are also sexual situations that go into a little bit of detail, so you might want to keep this one out of the hands of younger readers.
The Bottom Line:
As I mentioned earlier, The Final Formula was a very pleasant surprise. It breathes new life into the concepts of magic, werewolves, and zombies. The plot was also refreshingly unpredictable. Be prepared, though…. While the action in the book is resolved, there is a HUGE emotional cliffhanger, so you should definitely have the second book (The Blood Alchemist) on standby. If you want some additional reading, there is also a novella, The Element of Death.
August 19, 2014
Addie is a master alchemist who lost her memory during an attack on her alchemy institute. All she knows is that during the explosion, men were trying to abduct her and she has been hiding ever since, trying to get her memory back. The only other witness was a fire elemental called The Flame Lord and Addie schemes to find a way to get his help. She has to team up with him, her best friend James and Rowan's family who are suspicious of alchemists.
This was a frustrating book. There are some great ideas and exciting action sequences, good characters and good writing...all things that make you want to know what was going to happen next. The alchemy story was great, I found the way she mixed her potions interesting and there were a mix of interesting characters that you wanted to find out more about. There were action fights, magical assaults, zombies, vampire alchemists, grims, hellhounds and elementals fighting with air, fire, earth and water which was pretty cool and it was a decent plot with a mixture of urban fantasy, magic and mythology. There is a lot to like about this book and the author is obviously good at telling a story and doing good in depth character development.
Which is why it did not need to go down the typical route of copying all those other books in having the love triangle and the 'I-hate-you-you-smell' childish relationship between the two main characters who you know will end up in bed together at some point. I've seen it in a million books and it bugs me that everyone feels the need to write the same things. So we had Addie acting like a five year old every time Rowan asked her to do something or saved her or SPOKE to her. OOh I hate you so much in spite of you saving me and my friend countless times and I can't admit I fancy you. Oh grow up! Her whining and petulant behaviour grinded on my last nerve and I nearly quit the book 100 pages in. She was also rude to everyone she met which made her look like a spoiled brat and that was really bugging me. Other niggles were minor like it taking so long to find out everything that James was and could do, and the fact that there were too many secrets being kept from the reader as well as each character.
The big plot reveals about Addie's past did not come as a surprise and there are lots of hints, intentional or otherwise, through the book as to what she has done. It didn't spoil the plot though which is the main thing. So in general I found it interesting and entertaining and I did like the way it finished. I'm not sure that I would read on with the next book though as Addie was too much of a pain and it looks like a lot more of her angst is still to come.
I would recommend it to fans of magic, urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
This was a frustrating book. There are some great ideas and exciting action sequences, good characters and good writing...all things that make you want to know what was going to happen next. The alchemy story was great, I found the way she mixed her potions interesting and there were a mix of interesting characters that you wanted to find out more about. There were action fights, magical assaults, zombies, vampire alchemists, grims, hellhounds and elementals fighting with air, fire, earth and water which was pretty cool and it was a decent plot with a mixture of urban fantasy, magic and mythology. There is a lot to like about this book and the author is obviously good at telling a story and doing good in depth character development.
Which is why it did not need to go down the typical route of copying all those other books in having the love triangle and the 'I-hate-you-you-smell' childish relationship between the two main characters who you know will end up in bed together at some point. I've seen it in a million books and it bugs me that everyone feels the need to write the same things. So we had Addie acting like a five year old every time Rowan asked her to do something or saved her or SPOKE to her. OOh I hate you so much in spite of you saving me and my friend countless times and I can't admit I fancy you. Oh grow up! Her whining and petulant behaviour grinded on my last nerve and I nearly quit the book 100 pages in. She was also rude to everyone she met which made her look like a spoiled brat and that was really bugging me. Other niggles were minor like it taking so long to find out everything that James was and could do, and the fact that there were too many secrets being kept from the reader as well as each character.
The big plot reveals about Addie's past did not come as a surprise and there are lots of hints, intentional or otherwise, through the book as to what she has done. It didn't spoil the plot though which is the main thing. So in general I found it interesting and entertaining and I did like the way it finished. I'm not sure that I would read on with the next book though as Addie was too much of a pain and it looks like a lot more of her angst is still to come.
I would recommend it to fans of magic, urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
August 30, 2016
This review also posted at A Bookish Compulsion
I was sucked in to The Final Formula from the very beginning by the immersive world-building and quirky and lovable characters. Ms. Andre builds a believable world balanced between normal humans, Old and New magic as told from one balancing between the magical and mundane: an alchemist who is without magic of her own but can create magical slaves and potions. I loved the fact that while I gained an understanding of the political make-up of this world, politics wasn’t shoved down my throat. Instead this world grew from minute details and character interaction making the places feel real and tangible and the tensions and alliances more easily understood.
The characters in this book were intelligent, charming, frustrating, caring, bull-headed, funny, sweet and sad. In other words they were everything good characters should be. I found them to be both accessible and realistic, containing both strengths and flaws some of which were indistinguishable from the other. The main protagonists had me rooting for them until the very end and even with some twists and turns I cared about their journey.
If I had one criticism of this book it would be the plot itself. There were times when it dipped into trope, and some twists I found trite, while others I plain didn’t like but in the end I still believed. So, despite all the neat ribbon wrap-up that was a tad too quick for my liking (and a bit far-flung and fetched) and the should-have-known-betters I enjoyed the journey The Final Formula took me on and, more, would happily ride again to see what happens next.
As one last note, I have to express my dissatisfaction with the cover of this book. It almost dissuaded me from buying as it has the dark and creepy thing going and I’m not into the blood-spattered walls of creepiedom. If I hadn’t read the sample first (which was likely picked up on a recommendation as I doubt I would have clicked this cover on my own), I definitely would not have picked up this book based solely on this cover. And yes, I know, “don’t judge a book by its cover” but really would that be an adage if it wasn’t applicable? With millions of books to choose from having a quality cover that accurately depicts the story is an important element and one that I feel this publication is weak on.
I was sucked in to The Final Formula from the very beginning by the immersive world-building and quirky and lovable characters. Ms. Andre builds a believable world balanced between normal humans, Old and New magic as told from one balancing between the magical and mundane: an alchemist who is without magic of her own but can create magical slaves and potions. I loved the fact that while I gained an understanding of the political make-up of this world, politics wasn’t shoved down my throat. Instead this world grew from minute details and character interaction making the places feel real and tangible and the tensions and alliances more easily understood.
The characters in this book were intelligent, charming, frustrating, caring, bull-headed, funny, sweet and sad. In other words they were everything good characters should be. I found them to be both accessible and realistic, containing both strengths and flaws some of which were indistinguishable from the other. The main protagonists had me rooting for them until the very end and even with some twists and turns I cared about their journey.
If I had one criticism of this book it would be the plot itself. There were times when it dipped into trope, and some twists I found trite, while others I plain didn’t like but in the end I still believed. So, despite all the neat ribbon wrap-up that was a tad too quick for my liking (and a bit far-flung and fetched) and the should-have-known-betters I enjoyed the journey The Final Formula took me on and, more, would happily ride again to see what happens next.
As one last note, I have to express my dissatisfaction with the cover of this book. It almost dissuaded me from buying as it has the dark and creepy thing going and I’m not into the blood-spattered walls of creepiedom. If I hadn’t read the sample first (which was likely picked up on a recommendation as I doubt I would have clicked this cover on my own), I definitely would not have picked up this book based solely on this cover. And yes, I know, “don’t judge a book by its cover” but really would that be an adage if it wasn’t applicable? With millions of books to choose from having a quality cover that accurately depicts the story is an important element and one that I feel this publication is weak on.
July 25, 2014
I picked up this book due to an entry on a blog, and it's one of the better ones that I've read recently. In fact, it's the first book in a while that I enjoyed enough to immediately buy the sequel as well as the novella that fits between the two.
What would happen if magic returned to the modern world? If some people had the talents to command the elements, to become necromancers, or to learn alchemy? That's the world of this book, and it's a fascinating one complete with new and old magics as well as alchemy, which was a particularly fascinating topic for me. Our protagonist, Addie, doesn't remember anything from when she was rescued from a destroyed alchemy school three months ago - other than alchemy, that is. She wears the tattoos marking her as a master alchemist, but she's just in her 20s and that rank isn't attained until after decades of study, adding further to the puzzle. Soon someone is coming after her, she ends up making friends with the Lord of Fire, her closest friend turns out to not be quite human, and more all while she's trying to figure out what happened to her earlier in life.
This was a great story, with good pacing that had both action and calmer portions, so that it was never boring nor was it hectic. The tactic of having Addie be amnesiac was handled brilliantly, as it allowed her to have the alchemical skills to be an equal player with the others in the book without having the baggage of the training that gave them to her, and recovering memories / learning her history provided another sort of journey along the way. The inclusion of the PIA as a government agency was highly amusing to me too, and provided another angle of modern life that I don't think I've seen applied to magic before. There is a romance involving Addie, I'd say the overall rating is about R due to the intimate scene between her and her paramour late in the book, but it's not a romance or erotica. Finally, the descriptions of the alchemy labs and processes and how Addie is *such* a scientist about her alchemical craft completely resonated with me, and made the book even better.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and as of writing this review I've already finished the next novella and am a good portion into the second book. If any of these ideas are interesting to you, especially alchemy, then pick up this story and enjoy!
What would happen if magic returned to the modern world? If some people had the talents to command the elements, to become necromancers, or to learn alchemy? That's the world of this book, and it's a fascinating one complete with new and old magics as well as alchemy, which was a particularly fascinating topic for me. Our protagonist, Addie, doesn't remember anything from when she was rescued from a destroyed alchemy school three months ago - other than alchemy, that is. She wears the tattoos marking her as a master alchemist, but she's just in her 20s and that rank isn't attained until after decades of study, adding further to the puzzle. Soon someone is coming after her, she ends up making friends with the Lord of Fire, her closest friend turns out to not be quite human, and more all while she's trying to figure out what happened to her earlier in life.
This was a great story, with good pacing that had both action and calmer portions, so that it was never boring nor was it hectic. The tactic of having Addie be amnesiac was handled brilliantly, as it allowed her to have the alchemical skills to be an equal player with the others in the book without having the baggage of the training that gave them to her, and recovering memories / learning her history provided another sort of journey along the way. The inclusion of the PIA as a government agency was highly amusing to me too, and provided another angle of modern life that I don't think I've seen applied to magic before. There is a romance involving Addie, I'd say the overall rating is about R due to the intimate scene between her and her paramour late in the book, but it's not a romance or erotica. Finally, the descriptions of the alchemy labs and processes and how Addie is *such* a scientist about her alchemical craft completely resonated with me, and made the book even better.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and as of writing this review I've already finished the next novella and am a good portion into the second book. If any of these ideas are interesting to you, especially alchemy, then pick up this story and enjoy!
September 19, 2014
Wow!
I bought this book (£0.77 at Amazon) because Becca apparently beta reads for one of my favourite authors, Lindsay Buroker, and Lindsay raved about her. I am so glad I did.
Addie's past is a black hole. The only thing she can remember is alchemy but not her name or anything else. She is eking out a living making heart-seeking bullets for a gun shop. Her first memories are of surviving the explosion which flattened the alchemy building and killed all the alchemists. She also saw the Fire Elemental and a group of black-clad special forces types. She decides to try to find out what really happened that night and how she lost her memories.
There were some parts of the book which followed a standard PNR/UF expectation there's nothing wrong with that at all and others might not agree that these were either sign-posted or expected.
However, there were also lots of things which I didn't expect, even after some revelations have been made - I'm not even going to spoiler them!
The story progressed at a cracking pace and although I was a tad confused at the start about how things fitted in it all resolved itself nicely at the end.
On the strength of this I have already downloaded the novella and the next full book - thanks for the recommendation Lindsay.
I bought this book (£0.77 at Amazon) because Becca apparently beta reads for one of my favourite authors, Lindsay Buroker, and Lindsay raved about her. I am so glad I did.
Addie's past is a black hole. The only thing she can remember is alchemy but not her name or anything else. She is eking out a living making heart-seeking bullets for a gun shop. Her first memories are of surviving the explosion which flattened the alchemy building and killed all the alchemists. She also saw the Fire Elemental and a group of black-clad special forces types. She decides to try to find out what really happened that night and how she lost her memories.
There were some parts of the book which followed a standard PNR/UF expectation there's nothing wrong with that at all and others might not agree that these were either sign-posted or expected.
However, there were also lots of things which I didn't expect, even after some revelations have been made - I'm not even going to spoiler them!
The story progressed at a cracking pace and although I was a tad confused at the start about how things fitted in it all resolved itself nicely at the end.
On the strength of this I have already downloaded the novella and the next full book - thanks for the recommendation Lindsay.
February 1, 2014
WOW!!! I finished this book within a day....just.could .not.put.down! Becca Andre i salute you! You drew me in from beginning to end. The main female character is 'Addie' (a master alchemist) There is alot more to learn about her , given the fact that she has no memory after an explosion at the alchemy institute. Although she still remembers her alchemic learning.
I feel that given her age and what she goes through in this first book, I would like to see a more fiesty Addie in the next book(please let this be a series!)
The chemistry between 'Addie' and the leader of the magical community is definately 'grin worthy' :) The flirting that goes on in their first scene made me smile and recognising that I need to polish up on my own flirting skills lol!
A book which has magic, necromancers, hellhounds, Zombies, elementals, touch of romance and injection of humour....what more could you ask for!! A great read and highly recommended to anyone avoiding household chores! (I got nothing done while reading this and I don't care because it was worth it ;) Make haste with book 2 Becca Andre....your readers await!! :)
I feel that given her age and what she goes through in this first book, I would like to see a more fiesty Addie in the next book(please let this be a series!)
The chemistry between 'Addie' and the leader of the magical community is definately 'grin worthy' :) The flirting that goes on in their first scene made me smile and recognising that I need to polish up on my own flirting skills lol!
A book which has magic, necromancers, hellhounds, Zombies, elementals, touch of romance and injection of humour....what more could you ask for!! A great read and highly recommended to anyone avoiding household chores! (I got nothing done while reading this and I don't care because it was worth it ;) Make haste with book 2 Becca Andre....your readers await!! :)
January 1, 2014
won on Goodreads
The Final Fornula by Becca Andre
Wonderful writing for author got you right at the beginning and keep you wanting to finish the book.
Addie as she was called because she had lost her memory in an explosion at the academy for alchemica academy she was at. Chased by evil men in black and seeing the Fire Lord at the scene things keep her confused. A Hellgound saved her and then James took her to his family business to work and have a place to stay til she got her memory back. There are all kinds of paranotmal people after her so Addie goes on a hunt runs into the fire Lord Rowan and he protects her and James costing him a lot of trouble and falls for Addie and she falls for him Everyone wants the Final Formula because its makes you immoral. In the end it made me so sad to see that she was the one that was the cause of all after being drugged and remembers all that she had done and every one turns there back on her again being all alone. Hope there is a second book coming because I did not like the ending
The Final Fornula by Becca Andre
Wonderful writing for author got you right at the beginning and keep you wanting to finish the book.
Addie as she was called because she had lost her memory in an explosion at the academy for alchemica academy she was at. Chased by evil men in black and seeing the Fire Lord at the scene things keep her confused. A Hellgound saved her and then James took her to his family business to work and have a place to stay til she got her memory back. There are all kinds of paranotmal people after her so Addie goes on a hunt runs into the fire Lord Rowan and he protects her and James costing him a lot of trouble and falls for Addie and she falls for him Everyone wants the Final Formula because its makes you immoral. In the end it made me so sad to see that she was the one that was the cause of all after being drugged and remembers all that she had done and every one turns there back on her again being all alone. Hope there is a second book coming because I did not like the ending
July 11, 2017
Alchemy, Elements and Necromancy
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written, the characters were very believable and the world building was brilliant. There was a lot of action and it was a fast paced plot. The relationship dynamic between Addie and Rowan was a fiery temperament, antagonistic and witty. Thankfully no insta-love in this story, although there is a steamy scene near the end of the book.
We are introduced to Addie (an alchemist), Rowan (an element), James (a grim) and Xander (The Deacon, who is over Old Magic - necromancers). We follow Addie in her quest to gain her memories back, and others who want the Final Formula. It is riveting and a page turner, that takes you on a journey of self discovery for Addie. There are twists and turns, and a kicker or a revelation at the end.
If you want to read something different in the world of magic and mayhem, I would recommend this book. It is easy to follow and allows you to feel like you ate part of the story. For me it was hard to put down.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written, the characters were very believable and the world building was brilliant. There was a lot of action and it was a fast paced plot. The relationship dynamic between Addie and Rowan was a fiery temperament, antagonistic and witty. Thankfully no insta-love in this story, although there is a steamy scene near the end of the book.
We are introduced to Addie (an alchemist), Rowan (an element), James (a grim) and Xander (The Deacon, who is over Old Magic - necromancers). We follow Addie in her quest to gain her memories back, and others who want the Final Formula. It is riveting and a page turner, that takes you on a journey of self discovery for Addie. There are twists and turns, and a kicker or a revelation at the end.
If you want to read something different in the world of magic and mayhem, I would recommend this book. It is easy to follow and allows you to feel like you ate part of the story. For me it was hard to put down.
November 5, 2013
You can tell how good a book's going to be by how quickly you get hooked. Well, 3% of the way into The Final Formula and I was wondering if I could do with a couple of less hours of sleep....
This is a fast paced mystery adventure. The main character, Addie, has lost all her memories except for alchemy formulas. She's scraping by making magic bullets and trying to remember who she is. In an attempt to learn more about what happened to her, she ends up antagonizing an element - the leader of the magic community and a master of fire. He's hot stuff, in many different ways.
Everything comes down to the final formula - the fountain of youth potion, which grants immortality. Everyone thinks it's been found. Did Addie discover it? Did another alchemist? If so what happened to the formula? What will people do to get it again?
I really enjoyed the character development and plot twists. And sexy men! Never forget the sexy men...
I want the next book. NOW.
This is a fast paced mystery adventure. The main character, Addie, has lost all her memories except for alchemy formulas. She's scraping by making magic bullets and trying to remember who she is. In an attempt to learn more about what happened to her, she ends up antagonizing an element - the leader of the magic community and a master of fire. He's hot stuff, in many different ways.
Everything comes down to the final formula - the fountain of youth potion, which grants immortality. Everyone thinks it's been found. Did Addie discover it? Did another alchemist? If so what happened to the formula? What will people do to get it again?
I really enjoyed the character development and plot twists. And sexy men! Never forget the sexy men...
I want the next book. NOW.
November 18, 2014
Addie the Addled Alchemist doesn't remember who she is or what happened before the explosion at the Alchemica Academy. All she knows is alchemy. Bits and pieces of the night of the explosion start to come back to her and she is determined to find out what happened to to get her memories back.
With the help of her friend and trusty sidekick, James, Addie begins her quest to find out what happen. First stop, The Flame Lord, who ends up being more than what she expected.
The mystery of what happened becomes more complex and ends with a twist that no one saw coming.
I really enjoyed this book. It's the first book I've read that was focused on alchemy and I found it really interesting. Addie's a great character, with her wit and no nonsense attitude, although she does tend to get herself into trouble. The chemistry between Addie and Rowen was great too.
The ending completely took me by surprise, and I really felt for Addie. Can't wait for the next book to see what happens!
With the help of her friend and trusty sidekick, James, Addie begins her quest to find out what happen. First stop, The Flame Lord, who ends up being more than what she expected.
The mystery of what happened becomes more complex and ends with a twist that no one saw coming.
I really enjoyed this book. It's the first book I've read that was focused on alchemy and I found it really interesting. Addie's a great character, with her wit and no nonsense attitude, although she does tend to get herself into trouble. The chemistry between Addie and Rowen was great too.
The ending completely took me by surprise, and I really felt for Addie. Can't wait for the next book to see what happens!
March 24, 2021
This isn't a horrible book but I'm getting sick of stories with plot holes and dumb choices made by characters who are supposed to be highly intelligent. If you want an easy read with insta-love you might enjoy it. Or you might end up just as frustrated as I am.
The one thing I wanted to find out ( if she is good or bad ) doesn't really resolve in this book and that bothers me. I looked through the synopsis of the next books in the series and it seems we don't get to learn about her memories until the last book. I'm not interested enough in the characters to continue.
*Bribing someone to kiss you the first time you meet isn't cute, it's pretty pervy and did not endear me to Rowan.
Also, none of the characters have certainty on what actually happened by the end of the book but instead of trying to find out they just take shoddy evidence, barely there memories and the word of the bad guys to heart and all start hating on Addie 🙄 It's aggravating.
The one thing I wanted to find out ( if she is good or bad ) doesn't really resolve in this book and that bothers me. I looked through the synopsis of the next books in the series and it seems we don't get to learn about her memories until the last book. I'm not interested enough in the characters to continue.
*Bribing someone to kiss you the first time you meet isn't cute, it's pretty pervy and did not endear me to Rowan.
Also, none of the characters have certainty on what actually happened by the end of the book but instead of trying to find out they just take shoddy evidence, barely there memories and the word of the bad guys to heart and all start hating on Addie 🙄 It's aggravating.
July 8, 2014
It's free on Amazon right now. I took a chance at it and it's a diamond in the rough. I was so lucky it was free at the time! I just loved Addie's curious and fearless mind, it was so refreshing. Rowen was such a suave dude, but I loved the romance. The fact that it was slowly built up made it a little more enjoyable because it wasn't so "wam bam thank you ma'am" (no offense to other wam-bammers).
The details of the bad guys and what the good guys thought they were at the time was a little disorienting, but the rest of it was just amazing and I loved. It. I'm totally gonna spend money to get the second book. XD
This had an array of fantasy characters that I adore, like elementals, grims, necromancers, zombies, etc. The dialogue was witty and flowed nicely, bringing humor and mystery to the pages.
I recommend.
The details of the bad guys and what the good guys thought they were at the time was a little disorienting, but the rest of it was just amazing and I loved. It. I'm totally gonna spend money to get the second book. XD
This had an array of fantasy characters that I adore, like elementals, grims, necromancers, zombies, etc. The dialogue was witty and flowed nicely, bringing humor and mystery to the pages.
I recommend.
September 29, 2013
I loved this book and am hoping it was the first in a series! Becca Andre has created a very interesting world where magic has returned and alchemy works. Addy (short for Addled Alchemist) has lost her memory and is desperately seeking to get it back. Her best friend, James, is a Hellhound as well as a budding alchemist. There are Elementals, necromancers, zombies and plenty of others to keep things lively. Fast pace keeps the reader from getting bored.
Main characters are well drawn and the writing is quite good. Did run into one formatting weirdness where one scene ran into another in a confusing manner. Otherwise very professional effort for a first book. :-)
Main characters are well drawn and the writing is quite good. Did run into one formatting weirdness where one scene ran into another in a confusing manner. Otherwise very professional effort for a first book. :-)
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