Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker

35 reviews

rachtmh's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I need the second book soooo much. 

If you don’t want to wait too long with hope in your heart, wait and read this shortly before the second book releases. Or just read it and suffer like the rest of us! 

This book is another great example of fantasy combined with real worlds/time periods done well. 

The characters are fantastic, the setting is incredible and the story had me on the edge of my seat unable to put the book down. 

It took some twists I hadn’t expected (which doesn’t happen often for me) and left me heartbroken and filled with hope for the future. 

Please don’t break is again kylie, I want them back….. you know who! 

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katyakat's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Diving into "The Scarlet Alchemist" felt like stepping into a world where every page crackled with intrigue and possibility. From the get-go, I was hooked on Zilan's journey – from practicing illegal alchemy to navigating the treacherous waters of the royal court is nothing short of spellbinding.I was drawn into a world filled with political intrigue, magical secrets, and unexpected romance.

Baker masterfully weaves together themes of identity and self-discovery as Zilan grapples with her aspirations to become a royal alchemist. Her quest for acceptance and recognition mirrors our own search for purpose and meaning in a complex world. Baker's characters are as real as they come, grappling with love, loyalty, and the complexities of human connection. 

The dynamics of power and politics play out against the backdrop of a society steeped in tradition and hierarchy. As Zilan navigates these murky waters, she must confront moral dilemmas and ethical choices that challenge her sense of right and wrong. Yet amidst the political machinations and alchemical intrigue, there beats a heart of romance.

"The Scarlet Alchemist" isn't just a fantasy novel – it's a journey of the soul. It challenges us to question our own values and beliefs, urging us to find strength in the bonds we forge and the choices we make.

So if you're in the mood for a tale that will transport you to another world and leave you pondering life's deeper truths, look no further than "The Scarlet Alchemist." It's a literary adventure you won't want to miss. 📖💫

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esmee0808's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


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sissizc's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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ariel_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.25


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faroguy's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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nalame's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I loved the first half of the book, but it took me longer to enjoy the second half of the book

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aquabak's review against another edition

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5.0


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sundayfever's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was wild and the ending was a batshit gory blood bath. I appreciated how chaotic it was and how it isn't your typical fantasy story about magic and resurrection. I loved the mixed race representation. The "lessons learned" here are very different than your typical story. The plot twists felt so unbelievable and hard to follow though.  Read like gory indulgent violent fantasy, which I guess isn't my thing. 

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emilysreadingbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Zilan is an orphan living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in the southern region of China in an alternate history where Chinese alchemists were successful in finding an elixir of immortality.

Only the rich have access, and while they don’t age, they can die through other means. 

Zilan is an alchemist, and she and her cousins, Wenshu and Yufei, perform illegal life alchemy that brings the recently deceased back to life to earn the money they need for their family to survive. 

Their dream is to move to the capital, Chang’an, for Zilan to become a royal alchemist, and her cousins to become civil servants; but to become a royal alchemist, Zilan has to pass the entrance exams, and the odds seemed stacked against her. 

Can she pass, when it seems like almost everyone is against her? And is being a royal alchemist really everything she thought it would be?

This book was amazing! The plot is creative, and the twists are so well done. I was hooked from the first chapter, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

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