Rounding up 3.5
This was a good story. I really loved the historical aspect. This really wasn’t for me. Idkw I expected this to be cute but t’was not. I couldn’t get over all the blood…everywhere

The Scarlet Alchemist is a triumph, a beautifully rendered blend of historical fiction and fantasy that had me from the first page to the ending, which is really just a pause until the next book comes out.

Fan Zilan is an alchemist who can do the most forbidden of tricks, resurrect the dead. It's not a neat art, and she relies on her two cousins both to do her work and to survive the dreariness of merchant life in Southern China. The three cousins want to go to the city and take exams that will allow them to have better lives.

The journey is full of dangers, which only grow when they arrive and Zilan attracts the attention of the Empress. She has already attracted the attention of the Crown Prince, and neither is a good thing. Notoriety brings envy and mortal peril, and soon Zilan finds herself at the center of a much larger set of circumstances.

I loved the alchemy as presented, it fits into the story in so many ways, but it is Zilan who truly transforms the most throughout the book. The next book should close out all the threads, and I can't wait find out what it brings to the three cousins.

The beginning was a little slow but it picked up and was a fun read. I really liked the MC and her lil himbo prince. However the end battle scene did make me cringe at some points with how dumb particular decisions were.

Overall, I loved the world that was built and I liked the overall character dynamics. I think this book also had a perfectly evil villain but her social power didn’t make sense at some points.

3.5, rounded up. This was a well crafted story on what could have been if an alternate version of the Tang Dynasty in China existed, where alchemy successfully allowed people to essentially live forever, if wealthy enough. Zilan is the fmc. She is a poor young woman, gifted in alchemy, who lives with her cousins - both gifted in academics. She is biracial, her mom was Chinese and her father was from Scotia, so she is looked down upon by everyone in her village. She wants to become a royal alchemist so she can provide money for her aunt and uncle and live with her cousins in the capital where they'll (hopefully) work as scholars. Along the way, Zilan meets the crown prince, Li, who believes in her and her skills and would like her help since he fears he'll be assassinated soon.

Zilan was a fine protagonist. The romance here is definitely a grumpy/sunshine wherein she is grumpy and he is sunshine. She has a very realistic view of the world, coming from poverty, and she would call Li out when his sheltered and spoiled lifestyle resulted in ignorance. Li was just a good-hearted guy who wants to see change and he's just blatantly smitten with Zilan, which is great.

The author did a good job of depicting the class differences between the wealthy and the poor. There was an undercurrent of a mystery throughout the plot as well - there were some pretty gruesome depictions of death too, both human and animal. Something about the plot just didn't do it for me. It felt a little scattered for me. The trials Zilan had to undergo to become a royal alchemist were one focus, but then Li's potential assassination were another focus, but then there were the monsters that were killing people and it just didn't feel seamless to me. The magic system was very interesting and I wish it had been explored a bit more. This book moved at a very fast pace and I think some things could have been removed or less of a focus to allow time for Zilan to practice alchemy more.

But maybe that will come with the next book. I'm not sure I'll read it... I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the end really. I was a bit disappointed with it, but maybe that's because I'm coldhearted and don't agree with Zilan.

Wow, this was a ride. It was so different than the usual type of romantasy, the narrator for the audio book was amazing.

I half feel like if the ending went in a different direction there would have been no book 2, but I'm so intrigued to see where it goes, it had me in tears and still hopeful at the end of book 1.

I can't wait till October for book two!

The Scarlet Alchemist finds Zilan raising the dead and taking her imperial exams in hopes of becoming a royal alchemist in the capital. However, with alchemy, one cannot create good without creating evil. Will the evil follow Zilan on her quest to make her dreams a reality? If so, will her dreams become her worst nightmare?
I will read anything Kylie Lee Baker writes. Her novels are so immersive and I enjoy how her story telling makes the reader feel as if they are part of the adventure.
I also love that Baker includes a brief history of the inspiration for her story. It is a great way to get a feel for what was happening during the time frame that the book takes place in.
I cannot wait for the next book in The Scarlet Alchemist series.

Everything I want. Historic Asian fantasy with humor and romance. Heck ya