Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
This one was an absolute blast, and I somehow managed to start and finish it within a few hours! I think it is a testament to Garber’s incredible writing—it’s whimsical, magical, and very, very cosy. No matter the setting or the characters you meet, you are pulled into a fairytale where the world and environment are imbued with fantastical elements and enchantment. Garber’s style truly has this effect.
The sentiment extends to Alchemy of Secrets. Despite being set in Los Angeles and Hollywood, there are traces of magic in every object, building, and individual we come across, some containing more than others. It’s a familiar world with unfamiliar powers and secrets, and one I would love to put myself in. The best part about this is that all the marvel and charm are interwined with a cinematic mystery—a fantasy combined with thriller aspects, action, and lots of detective work. I felt like I was living the best of both worlds and was able to fly through the book so quickly as a result.
The best part about writing a mystery/thriller? The amount of plot twists you can include! I normally wouldn’t advocate for having so many plot twists in a thriller unless they are relevant to the narrative, but the fantastical nature of this story enabled them to exist. I kept being surprised and loved it!
The world-building is very reminiscent of Caraval, which is tempting me to re-read the entire series and remember why I loved the whimsical vibes in the first place. I did see lots of similarities between Holland and Scarlett though, especially how they both trust anyone and everyone with the slightest influence or opinion. This is repeated throughout the narrative, and whilst it can be a little frustrating (you had no idea how much I kept telling Holland off), it’s all part of the plot. Everything makes sense once you get to the end.
Also, it has taken me this long to remember that this was supposed to be Garber’s first book aimed at adults. I didn’t really get any of the “adult” undertones whilst reading the book (there wasn’t even any adult-like themes mentioned or any spice included except for kissing), so it still felt very YA to me. This isn’t a bad thing, however; the writing made it very easy for me to process what was happening and understand how the magic system worked.
Overall, Alchemy of Secrets was a 5-star read and a nice one to pick up if you’re craving an easy read for Halloween that doesn’t involve supernatural creatures or horror! I picked this one up to take a break between the books on my current tbr and have no regrets.
