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Alchemy of Secrets #1
Alchemy of Secrets
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2025)The HOTLY ANTICIPATED adult debut novel by the beloved, #1
NEW YORK TIMES
BESTSELLING author of the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series
It starts with a class in an old movie theater.
Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.
With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.
It starts with a class in an old movie theater.
Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.
With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 7, 2025
4094 people are currently reading
186667 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Garber
18 books85.6k followersStephanie Garber is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages. Alchemy of Secrets is her debut novel for adults and will be published around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,275 reviews
September 7, 2025
4.25 stars! It's so great to be back in a magical world created by Stephanie Garber. Stephanie Garber is AMAZING at creating magic, wonder, and adventure in her books. This one felt like a high-stakes treasure hunt through the secret magical side of Los Angeles. A good chunk of chapters also take place in a university class all about magical myths and urban legends, so the book felt like a fantastic fall read!
I will say that I did expect this book to be a 5 star read for me just based on how much I loved the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series. The things stopping this one from being 5 stars for me:
1. There are a few potential love interests at the start of the book and they're all very mysterious which was cool for the plot but it was hard to get invested in them when I didn't know much about them.
2. Soo many unanswered questions at the end! I understand this is a series so not everything will be wrapped up but I wish a little more loose ends and the magic system/history of the world were explained.
Overall, so so so magical and creative!
I will say that I did expect this book to be a 5 star read for me just based on how much I loved the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series. The things stopping this one from being 5 stars for me:
1. There are a few potential love interests at the start of the book and they're all very mysterious which was cool for the plot but it was hard to get invested in them when I didn't know much about them.
2. Soo many unanswered questions at the end! I understand this is a series so not everything will be wrapped up but I wish a little more loose ends and the magic system/history of the world were explained.
Overall, so so so magical and creative!
October 4, 2025
Ok idk where to start with this one 🤨 it was good? But I wanted it to be great ☝🏼
Holland is our main character & she has 24 hours to find the Alchemical Heart or she dies (this is given by a character called the Watch Man). This was Stephanie Garber’s first adult fantasy, but if I’m being honest it read completely the same as her previous books
It had so many similarities to Caraval & OUABH - ESPECIALLY the way Holland acts!!! GIRL TRUSTED EVERYONE! SO EASILY!!
Things I liked: the old Hollywood setting, the high stakes mystery, how fast paced it was, & the whimsical feel
Things I didn’t like: the story felt surface level, I didn’t find myself caring about any character, the magic didn’t feel developed, the “romance” was so odd, & the ending was unsatisfying
Holland is our main character & she has 24 hours to find the Alchemical Heart or she dies (this is given by a character called the Watch Man). This was Stephanie Garber’s first adult fantasy, but if I’m being honest it read completely the same as her previous books
It had so many similarities to Caraval & OUABH - ESPECIALLY the way Holland acts!!! GIRL TRUSTED EVERYONE! SO EASILY!!
Things I liked: the old Hollywood setting, the high stakes mystery, how fast paced it was, & the whimsical feel
Things I didn’t like: the story felt surface level, I didn’t find myself caring about any character, the magic didn’t feel developed, the “romance” was so odd, & the ending was unsatisfying
Want to read
April 8, 2025This cover reveal was the biggest jumpscare of my life 🧍🏻
(not hating 😭 was just very unexpected considering how her other covers look)
__
Stephanie Garner writing an adult fantasy will be my undoing 😩
It's gonna be five stars for sure considering all her other books were five stars for me 🤭
(not hating 😭 was just very unexpected considering how her other covers look)
__
Stephanie Garner writing an adult fantasy will be my undoing 😩
It's gonna be five stars for sure considering all her other books were five stars for me 🤭
November 7, 2025
3.5/5 stars
0 spice
Oh Stephanie. I trusted you, I trusted the process, and I was disappointed. This was messy! I could tell she was trying to be very clever but it just didn’t work the way I think she wanted it to.
The beginning was very alluring. She sets you up with so many questions and you trust her to take you on a journey. Unfortunately, the actual journey was all over the place (literally and figuratively).
And why have a love triangle with two boys when you can instead have a *trust* triangle with two boys? Girl was all over the place with her decisions and who she decided to trust. It was giving me whiplash and nearly had my eyes permanently stuck in an eye roll.
Also, I just have to say that not knowing your twin sister’s (and best friend!!) phone number is so Gen Z of her it hurt.
The big reveal at the end felt lackluster and the ending was unsatisfying.
I also felt like characters popped in and out of the plot like pawns instead of like actual characters.
Now, I was certainly intrigued the whole time, and I thoroughly enjoy her writing, but the payoff let me down. I didn’t hate the book by any means but it just didn’t work for me like her other books have.
—————————————————————————————
Pre-review:
Stephanie could write a grocery list and I’d read it. So excited for her Adult debut!!
0 spice
Oh Stephanie. I trusted you, I trusted the process, and I was disappointed. This was messy! I could tell she was trying to be very clever but it just didn’t work the way I think she wanted it to.
The beginning was very alluring. She sets you up with so many questions and you trust her to take you on a journey. Unfortunately, the actual journey was all over the place (literally and figuratively).
And why have a love triangle with two boys when you can instead have a *trust* triangle with two boys? Girl was all over the place with her decisions and who she decided to trust. It was giving me whiplash and nearly had my eyes permanently stuck in an eye roll.
Also, I just have to say that not knowing your twin sister’s (and best friend!!) phone number is so Gen Z of her it hurt.
The big reveal at the end felt lackluster and the ending was unsatisfying.
I also felt like characters popped in and out of the plot like pawns instead of like actual characters.
Now, I was certainly intrigued the whole time, and I thoroughly enjoy her writing, but the payoff let me down. I didn’t hate the book by any means but it just didn’t work for me like her other books have.
—————————————————————————————
Pre-review:
Stephanie could write a grocery list and I’d read it. So excited for her Adult debut!!
on-pause
October 7, 2025Tell me why Bruna just sent me a screenshot of this book and I screamed! Omg Omg Omgggg 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
We have a cover!! 😍
A new Stephanie Garber book! Yeeeee Christmas comes early this year! 😍
I'm so excited! Counting down to September 2025! I can't wait! 😭😭
We have a cover!! 😍
A new Stephanie Garber book! Yeeeee Christmas comes early this year! 😍
I'm so excited! Counting down to September 2025! I can't wait! 😭😭
on-pause
December 8, 2025 ๋ · ˚ 🖇️ ⊹ ⌇ pre-read. ⋆
⤿ started on december 1, 2025.
my first read of december! 🌟 eek i’m just so excited to start off the month with this one. 🤭 i read the ‘ouabh’ series a few months ago and absolutely loved it, so i’m trusting this one is going to be another work by this author that i’m going to love. 🧘🏻♀️ crossing all of my fingers! 🤞🏻
buddy read with my favorite person in the world maya. 🧚🏻♀️🪩
⤿ started on december 1, 2025.
my first read of december! 🌟 eek i’m just so excited to start off the month with this one. 🤭 i read the ‘ouabh’ series a few months ago and absolutely loved it, so i’m trusting this one is going to be another work by this author that i’m going to love. 🧘🏻♀️ crossing all of my fingers! 🤞🏻
buddy read with my favorite person in the world maya. 🧚🏻♀️🪩
September 11, 2025
I got this book for free and I still want my money back.
January 20, 2026
I’m feeling betrayed, omg 😭 I seriously have no words to describe how I feel 😭 How??? Why??? Is this real??? 😭😭
But I certainly know how to move on 💀🤭 Cuz now I’ve got another favorite 👀 HE’S HOT. HE’S HANDSOME. HE’S MUCH TALLER THAN HIM 😤 He also gives me Jacks vibes 😂 Yes, I’m talking about Mason Bishop 🤭 I need more of him 😭 Can’t wait for the second book to release because I NEED to know more about him 🙂↕️ Mason feels like the kind of character Stephanie is about to ruin us with in book two and I am READY to be emotionally destroyed again 🙂↕️🫶
I’ll start with Adam Bishop, because he’s literally been on my mind 😭 after knowing the truth 😭😭 At first, he gave me major Jacks vibes 😭 He still does… but not anymore 😔 I REFUSE to believe that 😭 Adam Bishop really said “let me give you Jacks-coded energy and then emotionally suplex you” 😭💀 Like EXCUSE ME??? You had ONE job, sir. ONE. But it is what it is, huh?? 😔 Okaaaay… at least I’ve got Mason 🤭🫶
I still like Gabe Cabral 👀 Though he’s suspicious and definitely up to something. I think he’ll appear again in the next book, and ngl, I can’t wait to read more about him 🙂↕️ He’s definitely interesting, and I need to know his background and his reasons for everything. Suspicious men who clearly know more than they’re saying are literally Stephanie Garber’s specialty 🙂↕️ Bestie Seeraaa, I definitely don’t hate him 🤭🫂
Holland St. James gave me Evangeline Fox vibes—but make her less dumb 💀 But after getting to know her more, she’s definitely her own person and not Eva 👀 Just add a sparkle of Eva in her 😂 that’s it. I love that she actually grew into her own person instead of staying in the “sparkly naïve girl” lane. There’s still so much left to be revealed 👀 especially about her sister, January. And the way the book ended?? 😭 Yes, I have questions 😭🫂
The story and world-building were absolutely amazing. I looooved every single second of it 🤭 The beginning was definitely confusing—especially those “Folklore 517 chapters”—but later, confusion turned into curiosity 👀 I started to understand everything 🙂↕️
Stephanie Garber did her magic again 🤭🤭 And I’m sooo happy I read this book. It’s definitely not perfect like “OUABH”, but this is her debut adult novel, so that’s totally understandable 🙂↕️ Still, she did everything amazingly 🤭 I’m sooo impressed. She caught my attention till the very end. I was constantly intrigued by the mysteries and the characters. It felt like being back in Stephanie’s magical world 🥹💙 And I really, really needed that.
I had sooo much fun with my bestie Seeraaa 🥹🫶 Thank you so much for buddy-reading with me. Hoping to do more with you 💙 I loved sharing my theories with you, even though some of them were very wrong 😂 And discussing everything together 🙂↕️ And ofc, choosing our teams 🤭 Even though mine turned out to be… 💀 uh… something else lol. ILYSM MWAH 💋
MA’AM, NOW GIVE ME THE SECOND BOOK ALREADY 🙂↕️🫂
Yeah, that’s it, guys. Love y’all 🫶💙
—————————————————
٭ ✧* . ⊹˙ pre-read ٭ ✧* . ⊹˙
Buddy reading with my bestie Seeraaa 🥹🫶 We’re so excited to read this 🤭💙 If Stephanie Garber wrote it, I’m reading it 🙂↕️
But I certainly know how to move on 💀🤭 Cuz now I’ve got another favorite 👀 HE’S HOT. HE’S HANDSOME. HE’S MUCH TALLER THAN HIM 😤 He also gives me Jacks vibes 😂 Yes, I’m talking about Mason Bishop 🤭 I need more of him 😭 Can’t wait for the second book to release because I NEED to know more about him 🙂↕️ Mason feels like the kind of character Stephanie is about to ruin us with in book two and I am READY to be emotionally destroyed again 🙂↕️🫶
I’ll start with Adam Bishop, because he’s literally been on my mind 😭 after knowing the truth 😭😭 At first, he gave me major Jacks vibes 😭 He still does… but not anymore 😔 I REFUSE to believe that 😭 Adam Bishop really said “let me give you Jacks-coded energy and then emotionally suplex you” 😭💀 Like EXCUSE ME??? You had ONE job, sir. ONE. But it is what it is, huh?? 😔 Okaaaay… at least I’ve got Mason 🤭🫶
I still like Gabe Cabral 👀 Though he’s suspicious and definitely up to something. I think he’ll appear again in the next book, and ngl, I can’t wait to read more about him 🙂↕️ He’s definitely interesting, and I need to know his background and his reasons for everything. Suspicious men who clearly know more than they’re saying are literally Stephanie Garber’s specialty 🙂↕️ Bestie Seeraaa, I definitely don’t hate him 🤭🫂
Holland St. James gave me Evangeline Fox vibes—but make her less dumb 💀 But after getting to know her more, she’s definitely her own person and not Eva 👀 Just add a sparkle of Eva in her 😂 that’s it. I love that she actually grew into her own person instead of staying in the “sparkly naïve girl” lane. There’s still so much left to be revealed 👀 especially about her sister, January. And the way the book ended?? 😭 Yes, I have questions 😭🫂
The story and world-building were absolutely amazing. I looooved every single second of it 🤭 The beginning was definitely confusing—especially those “Folklore 517 chapters”—but later, confusion turned into curiosity 👀 I started to understand everything 🙂↕️
Stephanie Garber did her magic again 🤭🤭 And I’m sooo happy I read this book. It’s definitely not perfect like “OUABH”, but this is her debut adult novel, so that’s totally understandable 🙂↕️ Still, she did everything amazingly 🤭 I’m sooo impressed. She caught my attention till the very end. I was constantly intrigued by the mysteries and the characters. It felt like being back in Stephanie’s magical world 🥹💙 And I really, really needed that.
I had sooo much fun with my bestie Seeraaa 🥹🫶 Thank you so much for buddy-reading with me. Hoping to do more with you 💙 I loved sharing my theories with you, even though some of them were very wrong 😂 And discussing everything together 🙂↕️ And ofc, choosing our teams 🤭 Even though mine turned out to be… 💀 uh… something else lol. ILYSM MWAH 💋
MA’AM, NOW GIVE ME THE SECOND BOOK ALREADY 🙂↕️🫂
Yeah, that’s it, guys. Love y’all 🫶💙
—————————————————
٭ ✧* . ⊹˙ pre-read ٭ ✧* . ⊹˙
Buddy reading with my bestie Seeraaa 🥹🫶 We’re so excited to read this 🤭💙 If Stephanie Garber wrote it, I’m reading it 🙂↕️
September 12, 2025
This was so magical! I will ALWAYS love Stephanie Garber’s whimsical writing.
This felt like a twist on Caraval - solving clues, and trying to figure out what’s real and not real. But less carnival/game, and more Hollywood mystery.
I will say, I was excited to read Stephanie Garber’s first adult novel… but to me, this still felt YA? The story & voice of our protagonist felt quite young still, reminiscent to Scarlett in Caraval.
This felt like a twist on Caraval - solving clues, and trying to figure out what’s real and not real. But less carnival/game, and more Hollywood mystery.
I will say, I was excited to read Stephanie Garber’s first adult novel… but to me, this still felt YA? The story & voice of our protagonist felt quite young still, reminiscent to Scarlett in Caraval.
November 14, 2025
This was good, I just expected… more? It felt a lot like Caraval in a different font. Which is fine, but I just wanted a bit more. Lots of things were left open ended, but I do think this is going to be a series! I liked it, don’t love it. Enjoyed Caraval more, actually.
October 19, 2025
alchemy of secrets ❌
children’s bed time story ✅
children’s bed time story ✅
October 31, 2025
೯⠀⁺ ⠀ 𖥻 2.75 stars ✶
— review contains minor spoilers (will not disrupt your enjoyment for the book!)
⤹ starting this review off with a controverisal opinion that could very well get me cancelled.. this was better than ouabh. not by much, but better. alchemy of secrets gave me a very specific feeling - i feel like stephanie garber’s writing developed even more in this book - a certain magical feeling that i can’t really explain. throughout the book, i felt like i was immersed in the world. her descriptions were so beautiful and overwhelming in an enjoyable way. her imagery was definitely my favorite part of the book.
⠀⠀ ☆ ( the characters ) ...
﹒ꗃ holland ; her character was very bland and i feel like that’s mostly due to the plot being the main focus of the story. we were constantly looking for the alchemical heart, learning new things about the world, and discovering other characters that we barely had enough time to focus on our main character that we’re supposed to empathize and care about - especially since we read about how much she supposedly misses her father. her father definitely came into play in the ending of the book, but that was such a big part of her (starting from the beginning) and we didn’t even get to see much of that throughout the book.
﹒ꗃ adam — gabe — mason ; stephanie why do we have THREE love interests in this book 😭 and why am I rooting for mason.. the other two were so bland and so obviously manipulative throughout the entire book.
﹒ꗃ january — the professor ; i really wish that we got to see more of them throughout the book - especially january. however, i’m confident that we’ll see more of them in the next book(s).
﹑ꕤ﹒୧ ??? this book was so confusing and the world-building made my head spin. istg, this was one of the weirdest books that i’ve read all year. so many peculiar things would happen throughout this book and i was questioning everything the entire time. the plot was so different from any romantasy that i’ve ever read (and i don’t say that lightly). wow!! as i’m writing this, i am still feeling so overwhelmed at what happened.
⤹ ( the pacing ) the pacing was one of the biggest problems with this book, and dare i say with ouabh and caraval too. there were parts that would move so fast and would hook me in, but then the story would suddenly slow down and i would get bored. there was such a good streak in the middle where i couldn’t put the book down, but then it suddenly got boring. stephanie: please work on the pacing of your books.
୭౿ ！🗝️ overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read. as I said, this book is very confusing but once you get past that, you’ll have a fun time.
⌇💐⁺ thank you to my dearest + most wonderful bff, ash, for reading this with me. reading anything with you makes it a million times more enjoyable! 💗
⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹
☆ ── preread ⊹
finally reading this 😚
BR with my favorite, ash! so happy to be br'ing with you again <3, fall book #5
September 19, 2025
4⭐️
Genuine question: when does Stephanie Garber NOT deliver a banger? This was so so good I thoroughly enjoyed every second reading this book.
If there is one that that Stephanie nails every time, it's the magic system. This was so mysterious and enchanting and I wish it was longer than just over 300 pages cause I ATEE it up. Just when you thought you figured something out, BAM plot twist. This book was full of them. The ending was so crazy and I couldn't predict what was going to happen whatsoever and I LOVE that in a book.
This was not your typical fantasy. This was more like a mystery with magical elements and I'm not complaining at all; I had a great time. I felt like I was watching a tennis match with how much back and forth there was between Adam and Gabe. 😭 I was like who do I trust? WHO DO I TRUST??? But in the end, it all just clicked.
Speaking of Adam and Gabe, I really enjoyed the characters in this book. This is not a book where the characters are fully fleshed out and you're left questioning your entire life but they're entertaining! Holland didn't feel like a gullible, naive character while reading this which I did enjoy. I just think there could've been a bit more to her.
Overall, this book is such an easy binge and you could probably knock this out in a day just from how engrossed you are in the story. Once I picked it up, there was no putting it down it was just THAT entertaining. However, don't go into this thinking it's purely fantasy because this is not that. Like I stated before, this is basically a mystery with magical elements. That being said, don't let that deter you from picking this up cause it hit all the marks for me and I think those who are fans of Stephanie would still really like this. 🤎
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𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: ✨🤎
Got an early copy through BOTM and I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS! 🙂↕️
Genuine question: when does Stephanie Garber NOT deliver a banger? This was so so good I thoroughly enjoyed every second reading this book.
If there is one that that Stephanie nails every time, it's the magic system. This was so mysterious and enchanting and I wish it was longer than just over 300 pages cause I ATEE it up. Just when you thought you figured something out, BAM plot twist. This book was full of them. The ending was so crazy and I couldn't predict what was going to happen whatsoever and I LOVE that in a book.
This was not your typical fantasy. This was more like a mystery with magical elements and I'm not complaining at all; I had a great time. I felt like I was watching a tennis match with how much back and forth there was between Adam and Gabe. 😭 I was like who do I trust? WHO DO I TRUST??? But in the end, it all just clicked.
Speaking of Adam and Gabe, I really enjoyed the characters in this book. This is not a book where the characters are fully fleshed out and you're left questioning your entire life but they're entertaining! Holland didn't feel like a gullible, naive character while reading this which I did enjoy. I just think there could've been a bit more to her.
Overall, this book is such an easy binge and you could probably knock this out in a day just from how engrossed you are in the story. Once I picked it up, there was no putting it down it was just THAT entertaining. However, don't go into this thinking it's purely fantasy because this is not that. Like I stated before, this is basically a mystery with magical elements. That being said, don't let that deter you from picking this up cause it hit all the marks for me and I think those who are fans of Stephanie would still really like this. 🤎
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: ✨🤎
Got an early copy through BOTM and I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS! 🙂↕️
December 20, 2025
2.5 stars
according to cosmopolitan, "Stephanie Garber spins pure magic in her adult debut, Alchemy of Secrets, taking readers on a wild ride through the hidden, magical world of Los Angeles behind the glamour of old Hollywood”
and to that i say: well, yes! but no. personally, i’d say stephanie garber spins perplexing, and somehow shallow magic in her “adult” debut, taking readers on a simultaneously underwhelming and overwhelming ride through a contrived world populated by love interests with homogenized and indiscernible personalities (which i presume they received via osmosis from the sheer amount of times they’re batting heads and swords—i frankly couldn’t imagine those scenes without laughing out loud cause it felt like reading a satirical cartoon strip) and who are more repulsive than the hygienically challenged guys at my school—ultimately leading to the most rushed ending i’ve read in a long time. but i will say that it could be slightly atmospheric!
with that to say, the premise is as alluring as it is beguiling. stephanie basically reheated ouabh’s and caraval’s nachos with this one—you might as well call it another YA book for that matter because everyone was so horribly petulant without even bothering to be funny while they’re at it. alas, the comedic aspect was replaced with horniness and triteness. THOUGH, i will admit it was slightly more digestible with the prose, and at times not too boring, but rather absurd to the point where it was kind of entertaining but still disturbing. naturally, i just had to keep reading because i’m a masochist with a penchant to read books in one sitting. hence the two and a half star rating! also, i was rendered A LITTLE empathetic for mason at the end.
maybe she’ll add more depth and genuine personality to the characters in the next book! maybe i could even go through a few chapters without wishing for one of these insufferable characters to actually die to make it interesting! maybe the pacing won’t be so weird! I IMPLORE. anyway! to each his own. that would just be my preference.
-
veerali said this is ouabh and caraval from temu so this might essentially be my worst nightmare (i absolutely abhor those series). anyway! buddy reading this with my absolute favourite!!
according to cosmopolitan, "Stephanie Garber spins pure magic in her adult debut, Alchemy of Secrets, taking readers on a wild ride through the hidden, magical world of Los Angeles behind the glamour of old Hollywood”
and to that i say: well, yes! but no. personally, i’d say stephanie garber spins perplexing, and somehow shallow magic in her “adult” debut, taking readers on a simultaneously underwhelming and overwhelming ride through a contrived world populated by love interests with homogenized and indiscernible personalities (which i presume they received via osmosis from the sheer amount of times they’re batting heads and swords—i frankly couldn’t imagine those scenes without laughing out loud cause it felt like reading a satirical cartoon strip) and who are more repulsive than the hygienically challenged guys at my school—ultimately leading to the most rushed ending i’ve read in a long time. but i will say that it could be slightly atmospheric!
with that to say, the premise is as alluring as it is beguiling. stephanie basically reheated ouabh’s and caraval’s nachos with this one—you might as well call it another YA book for that matter because everyone was so horribly petulant without even bothering to be funny while they’re at it. alas, the comedic aspect was replaced with horniness and triteness. THOUGH, i will admit it was slightly more digestible with the prose, and at times not too boring, but rather absurd to the point where it was kind of entertaining but still disturbing. naturally, i just had to keep reading because i’m a masochist with a penchant to read books in one sitting. hence the two and a half star rating! also, i was rendered A LITTLE empathetic for mason at the end.
maybe she’ll add more depth and genuine personality to the characters in the next book! maybe i could even go through a few chapters without wishing for one of these insufferable characters to actually die to make it interesting! maybe the pacing won’t be so weird! I IMPLORE. anyway! to each his own. that would just be my preference.
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veerali said this is ouabh and caraval from temu so this might essentially be my worst nightmare (i absolutely abhor those series). anyway! buddy reading this with my absolute favourite!!
November 17, 2025
“what is magic, if not something that makes you
believe and feel and wonder?” ── ⋆˙⟡ 2.5 stars! ★
⌗ ❪ contains spoilers ❫ ⸝⸝
🔎⌇ ⤿ my thoughts. ⟢ i don’t even know what to say about this book. i didn’t have high expectations going in, but i was hoping to at least have fun. maybe something fast paced. maybe something weird and atmospheric. instead i got one of the most frustrating reading experiences i’ve had in a while.
and here’s the thing—i actually liked some of the setup. the idea of a secret folklore class that isn’t on the school’s website? cool. a professor who tells stories that turn out to be real? cool. the watch man, the old legends, the vintage movie clues, the ticking countdown to midnight—all of that had me interested. i even liked the historical fiction setting more than i expected to. the film references, the hidden hollywood past, the time travel stuff? conceptually very cool. but nothing delivered. nothing stuck. nothing felt fleshed out.
the plot was a mess. it was hard to follow not because it was complicated, but because it was built on half formed ideas and no follow through. the mystery was boring. the magic didn’t make sense. the twists weren’t earned. i would’ve liked the hunt for the alchemical heart if it actually felt like a hunt. instead it was just her wandering around la trusting every random man who gave her a cryptic sentence and an intense stare. and the annoying part? the thing she was looking for barely mattered until the very end. the heart was supposed to be this life or death thing and yet the urgency never hit. i was never worried. i just wanted it to be over.
also i don’t think i’ve ever seen a story introduce so many people saying “don’t trust him” only for the mc to respond with “i hear you but what if i did.” it got old fast. and by the time the ending hit, i was annoyed all over again. this whole thing was a letdown.
🖋⌇ ⤿ characters. ⟢ holland st. james ─ i don’t think i’ve ever been this consistently annoyed with a mc. she was just so stupid. like in a way that actively made the story worse. she made terrible choices, ignored every red flag, blindly trusted strangers who were clearly lying to her, and then acted shocked when they betrayed her. adam was suspicious from the second he showed up. she was warned about him over and over again. she even questioned him herself. and she still let him manipulate her until he literally almost killed her. and her reasoning?? she said she trusted him because he didn’t seem interested in the alchemical heart. and she said that more than once. it was insane.
but beyond that, she was just kinda boring. her narration didn’t feel distinct. her reactions to things made no sense. she repeated herself constantly. she didn’t learn. and i genuinely think nothing about her felt compelling enough to justify being stuck in her pov.
೯ gabe cabral ─ i kinda liked him at first. for maybe five seconds. but once things got even slightly romantic i was out. then it got weird. like overly flirty for someone she just met. and then they kiss?? and she’s already thinking about sleeping with him?? it’s been like three hours. literally what are we doing here. and then he vanishes for most of the book and by the time he shows up again, i didn’t care. i still don’t know if he was actually sent by her sister or not. and honestly? i don’t even care enough to find out.
೯ adam bishop ─ did not like him from the second he was introduced. i don’t know how anyone could read this and not be suspicious of him. and holland was warned like five separate times and still kissed him. then found out he could mess with her memories. and still kept hanging around him. and then he tried to kill her. and she was shocked. like… you really didn’t see that coming?
೯ mason bishop ─ he showed up way too late to fix anything, but he was the only one i liked. which is kinda insane considering we barely got to know him. and yet somehow? still better than the others. if i ever do read the next book, it’ll be for him. but i also think continuing this series sounds miserable. so probably not.
೯ side characters ─ didn’t care. none of them stood out. her friends were all a blur. and the professor? still not even sure what her deal was. and then january… i don’t know. not only do we not find out if she actually sent anyone, but the missing sister plot just reminded me too much of caraval, which i hated.
🪡⌇ ⤿ romance. ⟢ i would not call this a romance. i would call this an absolute mess. what the fuck was going on here. we’ve got three (???) love interests and not one of them is actually romantic. gabe was insta lust at best, adam was the villain, and mason showed up way too late to count. there is zero emotional connection or chemistry. just red flags and weird tension and a bunch of moments that felt completely unearned. also this book takes place over two days. two. days. and somehow she’s out here kissing multiple people, feeling jealous, acting like she’s got some deep bond with these guys she barely knows?? i genuinely don’t get it. nothing about the romance made sense. and it made me dislike everyone more. especially holland. her kissing gabe was weird enough. but kissing adam too?? after being warned about him??? she has no standards. this whole “romantic tension” subplot should’ve been cut entirely. it added nothing except more reasons to be annoyed.
🗃️⌇ ⤿ extras. ⟢ the magic system? what magic system.
⊹ the fact that she kept saying “adam’s lack of interest in the heart makes me trust him more” ???????? i will never forgive that line.
⊹ the safe… why did she think the alchemical heart would just randomly be in that safe…
⊹ the writing style didn’t help. just made it harder to stay interested.
⊹ the 24 hour death countdown didn’t feel urgent.
⊹ everything about the alchemical heart was underwhelming.
⊹ the film references and old hollywood stuff were interesting. probably the only part i’d want more of.
📌⌇ ⤿ overall. ⟢ i thought the concept was cool, the setup had potential, and i actually liked the historical film stuff. but the rest? the characters. the pacing. the “romance.” the execution. all of it just fell flat. i didn’t care about the magic system, i didn’t believe in any of the relationships, and i was mostly just waiting for it to end. i’m not sure yet if i’ll read book two. i want to see what happens with mason, but if it’s anything like this? i might just read a summary and call it a day.
. . . . . ◟੭
☆ 🖇️ pre-read 𖥻 ＜꒱ — ❪ 0368 ❫
i’m going in blind and very unsure. i’ve read both caraval (hated) and ouabh (loved), so truly anything could happen here. also didn’t realize this was historical fiction until now so. no clue how this is gonna go.
believe and feel and wonder?” ── ⋆˙⟡ 2.5 stars! ★
⌗ ❪ contains spoilers ❫ ⸝⸝
🔎⌇ ⤿ my thoughts. ⟢ i don’t even know what to say about this book. i didn’t have high expectations going in, but i was hoping to at least have fun. maybe something fast paced. maybe something weird and atmospheric. instead i got one of the most frustrating reading experiences i’ve had in a while.
and here’s the thing—i actually liked some of the setup. the idea of a secret folklore class that isn’t on the school’s website? cool. a professor who tells stories that turn out to be real? cool. the watch man, the old legends, the vintage movie clues, the ticking countdown to midnight—all of that had me interested. i even liked the historical fiction setting more than i expected to. the film references, the hidden hollywood past, the time travel stuff? conceptually very cool. but nothing delivered. nothing stuck. nothing felt fleshed out.
the plot was a mess. it was hard to follow not because it was complicated, but because it was built on half formed ideas and no follow through. the mystery was boring. the magic didn’t make sense. the twists weren’t earned. i would’ve liked the hunt for the alchemical heart if it actually felt like a hunt. instead it was just her wandering around la trusting every random man who gave her a cryptic sentence and an intense stare. and the annoying part? the thing she was looking for barely mattered until the very end. the heart was supposed to be this life or death thing and yet the urgency never hit. i was never worried. i just wanted it to be over.
also i don’t think i’ve ever seen a story introduce so many people saying “don’t trust him” only for the mc to respond with “i hear you but what if i did.” it got old fast. and by the time the ending hit, i was annoyed all over again. this whole thing was a letdown.
🖋⌇ ⤿ characters. ⟢ holland st. james ─ i don’t think i’ve ever been this consistently annoyed with a mc. she was just so stupid. like in a way that actively made the story worse. she made terrible choices, ignored every red flag, blindly trusted strangers who were clearly lying to her, and then acted shocked when they betrayed her. adam was suspicious from the second he showed up. she was warned about him over and over again. she even questioned him herself. and she still let him manipulate her until he literally almost killed her. and her reasoning?? she said she trusted him because he didn’t seem interested in the alchemical heart. and she said that more than once. it was insane.
but beyond that, she was just kinda boring. her narration didn’t feel distinct. her reactions to things made no sense. she repeated herself constantly. she didn’t learn. and i genuinely think nothing about her felt compelling enough to justify being stuck in her pov.
೯ gabe cabral ─ i kinda liked him at first. for maybe five seconds. but once things got even slightly romantic i was out. then it got weird. like overly flirty for someone she just met. and then they kiss?? and she’s already thinking about sleeping with him?? it’s been like three hours. literally what are we doing here. and then he vanishes for most of the book and by the time he shows up again, i didn’t care. i still don’t know if he was actually sent by her sister or not. and honestly? i don’t even care enough to find out.
೯ adam bishop ─ did not like him from the second he was introduced. i don’t know how anyone could read this and not be suspicious of him. and holland was warned like five separate times and still kissed him. then found out he could mess with her memories. and still kept hanging around him. and then he tried to kill her. and she was shocked. like… you really didn’t see that coming?
೯ mason bishop ─ he showed up way too late to fix anything, but he was the only one i liked. which is kinda insane considering we barely got to know him. and yet somehow? still better than the others. if i ever do read the next book, it’ll be for him. but i also think continuing this series sounds miserable. so probably not.
೯ side characters ─ didn’t care. none of them stood out. her friends were all a blur. and the professor? still not even sure what her deal was. and then january… i don’t know. not only do we not find out if she actually sent anyone, but the missing sister plot just reminded me too much of caraval, which i hated.
🪡⌇ ⤿ romance. ⟢ i would not call this a romance. i would call this an absolute mess. what the fuck was going on here. we’ve got three (???) love interests and not one of them is actually romantic. gabe was insta lust at best, adam was the villain, and mason showed up way too late to count. there is zero emotional connection or chemistry. just red flags and weird tension and a bunch of moments that felt completely unearned. also this book takes place over two days. two. days. and somehow she’s out here kissing multiple people, feeling jealous, acting like she’s got some deep bond with these guys she barely knows?? i genuinely don’t get it. nothing about the romance made sense. and it made me dislike everyone more. especially holland. her kissing gabe was weird enough. but kissing adam too?? after being warned about him??? she has no standards. this whole “romantic tension” subplot should’ve been cut entirely. it added nothing except more reasons to be annoyed.
🗃️⌇ ⤿ extras. ⟢ the magic system? what magic system.
⊹ the fact that she kept saying “adam’s lack of interest in the heart makes me trust him more” ???????? i will never forgive that line.
⊹ the safe… why did she think the alchemical heart would just randomly be in that safe…
⊹ the writing style didn’t help. just made it harder to stay interested.
⊹ the 24 hour death countdown didn’t feel urgent.
⊹ everything about the alchemical heart was underwhelming.
⊹ the film references and old hollywood stuff were interesting. probably the only part i’d want more of.
📌⌇ ⤿ overall. ⟢ i thought the concept was cool, the setup had potential, and i actually liked the historical film stuff. but the rest? the characters. the pacing. the “romance.” the execution. all of it just fell flat. i didn’t care about the magic system, i didn’t believe in any of the relationships, and i was mostly just waiting for it to end. i’m not sure yet if i’ll read book two. i want to see what happens with mason, but if it’s anything like this? i might just read a summary and call it a day.
. . . . . ◟੭
☆ 🖇️ pre-read 𖥻 ＜꒱ — ❪ 0368 ❫
i’m going in blind and very unsure. i’ve read both caraval (hated) and ouabh (loved), so truly anything could happen here. also didn’t realize this was historical fiction until now so. no clue how this is gonna go.
December 8, 2025
I had more complex feelings about this book. Don’t get me wrong—I adored the premise, and I immediately grew attached to Holland, a nerdy cinephile who still believes in magic and sees the world through a vibrant, almost Panasonic-colored lens. She’s the kind of high-spirited dreamer who seems to summon cartoon birds with her optimism—someone who deeply resonates with my own way of seeing the world.
What held me back, though, is that too many questions could’ve been answered without saving everything for the sequel. There wasn’t much of a cliffhanger to make me scream in frustration or beg for the next book’s early release. Still, what I loved most was how the story felt like a love song dedicated to Los Angeles—not the superficial “La La Land” version people often imagine, but the city’s real soul: its rich history, hidden myths, and the ghosts still lingering in iconic places like the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (where I’m actually heading tonight for a Halloween party—strangely fitting for this book’s haunting plot).
The author beautifully weaves in recognizable landmarks—Greystone Mansion, the Queen Mary, and the Colorado Street Bridge—turning Los Angeles into a map of mysteries waiting to be explored. I truly hope the sequel continues this magical treasure hunt across the City of Angels, with even more chaos, secrets, and urban legends to uncover.
The story centers on Holland St. James, a Folklore 517 student with a tragic past who immerses herself in studying urban myths and local legends—research that begins to mirror her own family’s buried secrets. Guided by her enigmatic professor, Holland investigates the eerie myth of The Watch Man, a figure said to predict the exact time of one’s death. But when the myth becomes terrifyingly real and The Watch Man tells her she’ll die at 11:59 on Halloween night unless she finds the mysterious Alchemical Heart, Holland is thrown into a race against time.
Along the way, she’s thrust into a car with a strange man sent by her sister to protect her and meets another charming, suspicious figure who claims to replace her professor—each offering conflicting stories that threaten to shatter her reality. What is the Alchemical Heart? How can an ancient object save her life? What really happened to her family? And why are so many people desperate to catch her before she learns the truth? Holland must unravel the puzzle her father left behind to survive—even if it means losing everything she thought was real.
Overall: The story started strong and atmospheric, but it sometimes dragged, with side characters that left me uncertain about their motives and blurred the focus of the main mystery. Still, I couldn’t resist the book’s mythic charm and its mesmerizing blend of folklore and Los Angeles lore. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel—not just to find answers about Holland’s fate, but to dive once again into the city’s luminous chaos and ghostly magic.
I’m giving this one four mystical treasure-hunt stars and can’t wait to see what this brilliant author conjures up next.
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What held me back, though, is that too many questions could’ve been answered without saving everything for the sequel. There wasn’t much of a cliffhanger to make me scream in frustration or beg for the next book’s early release. Still, what I loved most was how the story felt like a love song dedicated to Los Angeles—not the superficial “La La Land” version people often imagine, but the city’s real soul: its rich history, hidden myths, and the ghosts still lingering in iconic places like the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (where I’m actually heading tonight for a Halloween party—strangely fitting for this book’s haunting plot).
The author beautifully weaves in recognizable landmarks—Greystone Mansion, the Queen Mary, and the Colorado Street Bridge—turning Los Angeles into a map of mysteries waiting to be explored. I truly hope the sequel continues this magical treasure hunt across the City of Angels, with even more chaos, secrets, and urban legends to uncover.
The story centers on Holland St. James, a Folklore 517 student with a tragic past who immerses herself in studying urban myths and local legends—research that begins to mirror her own family’s buried secrets. Guided by her enigmatic professor, Holland investigates the eerie myth of The Watch Man, a figure said to predict the exact time of one’s death. But when the myth becomes terrifyingly real and The Watch Man tells her she’ll die at 11:59 on Halloween night unless she finds the mysterious Alchemical Heart, Holland is thrown into a race against time.
Along the way, she’s thrust into a car with a strange man sent by her sister to protect her and meets another charming, suspicious figure who claims to replace her professor—each offering conflicting stories that threaten to shatter her reality. What is the Alchemical Heart? How can an ancient object save her life? What really happened to her family? And why are so many people desperate to catch her before she learns the truth? Holland must unravel the puzzle her father left behind to survive—even if it means losing everything she thought was real.
Overall: The story started strong and atmospheric, but it sometimes dragged, with side characters that left me uncertain about their motives and blurred the focus of the main mystery. Still, I couldn’t resist the book’s mythic charm and its mesmerizing blend of folklore and Los Angeles lore. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel—not just to find answers about Holland’s fate, but to dive once again into the city’s luminous chaos and ghostly magic.
I’m giving this one four mystical treasure-hunt stars and can’t wait to see what this brilliant author conjures up next.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
May 25, 2025
Already screaming for Book 2! This was flawless. Get it on your Fall TBRs tout de suite!
October 16, 2025
caraval and ouabh from temu.
September 9, 2025
EASILY one of my favorite books of the year! Stephanie Garber delivered above and beyond with Alchemy of Secrets. I read this in a day.
I absolutely LOVE the contrast of the gritty LA backdrop + Hollywood glam, art deco vibe with fantasy folklore and urban legends. Stephanie Garber's writing is so magical, and I loved how the whimsical writing style of Caraval and OUABH still translated to a different genre of fantasy. While Alchemy of Secrets was romantic, it wasn't a romance. I loved that it went in the urban fantasy, mystery/treasure hunt direction. It had a hint of Lady Midnight and Addie LaRue vibes as well.
The pacing was excellent, and I seriously could not put this book down. Everything felt so visual. It truly seemed like I was watching a movie in my head. Which, by the way, perfectly aligns with the screenwriter + Hollywood themes of this book. The magical underbelly of LA + all of the folklore was everything.
And the whole time while reading, I was thinking, "this feels like a Lana Del Rey song," and then she references Lana Del Rey? Iconic. The ticking time only added to the stakes. Plus the events taking place around and on Halloween makes for the perfect fall book. And the plot twist after plot twist...I couldn't get enough. If there's one book you read this fall, make it Alchemy of Secrets!
I absolutely LOVE the contrast of the gritty LA backdrop + Hollywood glam, art deco vibe with fantasy folklore and urban legends. Stephanie Garber's writing is so magical, and I loved how the whimsical writing style of Caraval and OUABH still translated to a different genre of fantasy. While Alchemy of Secrets was romantic, it wasn't a romance. I loved that it went in the urban fantasy, mystery/treasure hunt direction. It had a hint of Lady Midnight and Addie LaRue vibes as well.
The pacing was excellent, and I seriously could not put this book down. Everything felt so visual. It truly seemed like I was watching a movie in my head. Which, by the way, perfectly aligns with the screenwriter + Hollywood themes of this book. The magical underbelly of LA + all of the folklore was everything.
And the whole time while reading, I was thinking, "this feels like a Lana Del Rey song," and then she references Lana Del Rey? Iconic. The ticking time only added to the stakes. Plus the events taking place around and on Halloween makes for the perfect fall book. And the plot twist after plot twist...I couldn't get enough. If there's one book you read this fall, make it Alchemy of Secrets!
November 30, 2025
2025 just became better
September 22, 2025
જ⁀➴ 4 stars
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆
Stephanie Garber's adult fantasy debut did not disappoint! I haven't read any other books by her except for Caraval, and that was back in 2018, right before Legendary came out. I haven't picked up any books from her since, but I do have a goal of trying to read through the entire Caraval trilogy and the OUABH trilogy before the year ends. I've forgotten how magical her books are, and Alchemy of Secrets is no exception to that.
✎𓂃Full review to come soon once I get my thoughts sorted out a little more!
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (9/10/2025): I'm so excited to be able to read this early! I didn't get this as a formal ARC, but Book of the Month had this as an early release as one of their September 2025 picks for their box, so I managed to get my hands on an early copy! The only other book I've read from Stephanie Garber is Caraval, so I can't wait to see what her adult debut has in store!✨🗝️
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (1/16/2025):
Update: I preordered it lol. It comes out the same week as my birthday so I'm preordering this as a (very) early birthday present for myself. Sign me tf up; I’m ready for this. I love me a good dark academia story! This is Stephanie Garber's adult debut so I can't wait to see where she goes with this.
Here’s the blurb posted by Stephanie Garber on IG:
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆
Stephanie Garber's adult fantasy debut did not disappoint! I haven't read any other books by her except for Caraval, and that was back in 2018, right before Legendary came out. I haven't picked up any books from her since, but I do have a goal of trying to read through the entire Caraval trilogy and the OUABH trilogy before the year ends. I've forgotten how magical her books are, and Alchemy of Secrets is no exception to that.
✎𓂃Full review to come soon once I get my thoughts sorted out a little more!
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (9/10/2025): I'm so excited to be able to read this early! I didn't get this as a formal ARC, but Book of the Month had this as an early release as one of their September 2025 picks for their box, so I managed to get my hands on an early copy! The only other book I've read from Stephanie Garber is Caraval, so I can't wait to see what her adult debut has in store!✨🗝️
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (1/16/2025):
Update: I preordered it lol. It comes out the same week as my birthday so I'm preordering this as a (very) early birthday present for myself. Sign me tf up; I’m ready for this. I love me a good dark academia story! This is Stephanie Garber's adult debut so I can't wait to see where she goes with this.
Here’s the blurb posted by Stephanie Garber on IG:
"It starts with a class in an old movie theater. Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor.
Most students believe the Professor's stories are just fiction. There isn't a man in Hollywood who you can call to find out the time you'll die. There's no haunted hotel bar in Los Angeles that the devil likes to frequent.
There's no such thing as magic.
But... Most students don't have the same tragic past as Holland St. James.
Now a graduate student, Holland is hoping to use her thesis to rewrite her past by proving that some of the most infamous deaths in old Hollywood were actually murders committed by the devil. She has no idea that this quest will lead her into a deadly world of century-old secrets and unimaginable lies, and onto the path of two very dangerous men, both of whom are willing to do whatever it takes to find a magic that will either forever alter Holland's life or completely destroy it."
December 12, 2025
rtc 🥀🥀🥀
ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ੈ✩‧₊˚
buddy reading with my stunning girlie alina 🤭🌷
7/10/25
guess what just arrived at my door!!! it’s a signed edition too 🤭
okay so… to be honest! I have no idea how to feel about the MMC being the devil. I mean, I know I shouldn’t take it seriously but Death as an MMC and Devil himself being love interests are two totally different things to me. We’ll see how I like the book anyway!
I have mixed feelings about Stephanie Garber books so I really hope this decides for me if I should continue or not since it’s a different universe. I want to do the same with Lauren Roberts’ books because imo idrc for her books so I’m just waiting for her to start a new universe as well for me to decide if I want to read her books again.
also that cover sucks sorry not sorry 😭✋
ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ੈ✩‧₊˚
buddy reading with my stunning girlie alina 🤭🌷
7/10/25
guess what just arrived at my door!!! it’s a signed edition too 🤭
okay so… to be honest! I have no idea how to feel about the MMC being the devil. I mean, I know I shouldn’t take it seriously but Death as an MMC and Devil himself being love interests are two totally different things to me. We’ll see how I like the book anyway!
I have mixed feelings about Stephanie Garber books so I really hope this decides for me if I should continue or not since it’s a different universe. I want to do the same with Lauren Roberts’ books because imo idrc for her books so I’m just waiting for her to start a new universe as well for me to decide if I want to read her books again.
also that cover sucks sorry not sorry 😭✋
October 5, 2025
3.75💫
i really felt like this was a 5 star. i think it would have if she didn’t rush the ending.
the overall plot was very captivating and magical. i love this world that she created and the scavenger hunt she took us on. i wish we got more class chapters because i love how they really pulled you into the book because its second person POV, which i never read much. i felt like i was in class and i love how she did that. the rest of the book was in third person when it was hollands adventures.
i think holland was entirely too trusting and sometimes chose to ignore the very obvious red flags. i did enjoy her story tho and following along with her as she tried to find these clues.
the book as a whole was so fast paced and entertaining, but once we got close to the end of the book, it seems like it was wrapped up very quickly and there are so may things unanswered. like im soooo confused by a lot of things and thats what bumped it down to a 3.75 from a 4. these aren’t like small unanswered questions tho, like they are very valuable to the plot of the book and i just feel more confused than entertained.
i still recommend this book! i think the writing and the storytelling were beautiful and so captivating. i enjoyed being in this world!
i really felt like this was a 5 star. i think it would have if she didn’t rush the ending.
the overall plot was very captivating and magical. i love this world that she created and the scavenger hunt she took us on. i wish we got more class chapters because i love how they really pulled you into the book because its second person POV, which i never read much. i felt like i was in class and i love how she did that. the rest of the book was in third person when it was hollands adventures.
i think holland was entirely too trusting and sometimes chose to ignore the very obvious red flags. i did enjoy her story tho and following along with her as she tried to find these clues.
the book as a whole was so fast paced and entertaining, but once we got close to the end of the book, it seems like it was wrapped up very quickly and there are so may things unanswered. like im soooo confused by a lot of things and thats what bumped it down to a 3.75 from a 4. these aren’t like small unanswered questions tho, like they are very valuable to the plot of the book and i just feel more confused than entertained.
i still recommend this book! i think the writing and the storytelling were beautiful and so captivating. i enjoyed being in this world!
Want to read
July 21, 2025Orion, if you’re seeing this, I’m prepared to crawl for an early copy 😩
——
Prepare for me to be INSUFFERABLE when this comes out. If her YA books were anything to go by can you imagine what this adult fantasy will be like 🪭😍
——
Prepare for me to be INSUFFERABLE when this comes out. If her YA books were anything to go by can you imagine what this adult fantasy will be like 🪭😍
January 21, 2026
✎ᝰ.𝟯.𝟱☆
"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘵."
This book was good… but not as good as I hoped it would be. I absolutely loved the OUABH series, and this book gave me strong Jacks/Eva vibes, but in a way I didn’t fully enjoy this time 💔✨.
One thing Stephanie Garber never fails at is magic, and it was present here 🪄💙. I really enjoyed that aspect, but there were moments where I honestly forgot magic even existed. The folklore chapter was confusing for me. I understood its purpose—helping us grasp the myths and legends—but I found myself getting distracted every time.
The quest to find the alchemical heart was supposed to be a huge, life-or-death event. Holland needed it or she would die in a little over 24 hours ⏳. It was important, but it didn’t feel important. For Holland, it felt more like one of her father’s old scavenger hunt games rather than a true fight for survival.
As for Holland as a character, I honestly didn’t know...🤷🏻♀️ she was eating, sleeping, and thinking about love, kisses, and handsome men… even though she only had hours left to live 😭. That made her feel quite shallow at times. Still, I can’t deny that she is intelligent—she did solve the puzzle in the end.
Now let’s talk about the men 👀✨
Gabe, Adam, and Mason. At first, I thought this would be a love triangle, but it turned out to be a love square. Did we really need three men? Probably not 🤷🏻♀️. I read this book over three days with my bestie uswah, and we were lucky enough to meet a new male character every day 🙃
At first, Gabe dominated the story—and I won’t lie, I liked him 😁. I believed him and defended him from the very beginning. Then he disappeared in a strange way, almost as if he was never there, leaving behind unanswered questions. I really hope we learn more about him in book two.
Then came Adam—a big no no 🚫. uswah told me she felt betrayed by him, and I could tell from early on that he was hiding something dark.
Finally, in the last quarter of the book, Mason appeared… and I loved his presence. He had that aura, that quiet power ✨. I definitely want to know more about him.
As for the romance, I don’t really think it was there. Everything felt chaotic, and let’s not forget that all of this happened in less than two days. This isn’t romance—it’s a desperate girl who doesn’t want to die, leaning toward any man who could help her or make her feel safe 💔
The professor was another disappointment. Holland kept saying the professor loved her because she was her best student, but in reality, she didn’t care about Holland—only about what she had.
And January, her sister… I hated that she didn’t answer Holland’s call, especially since she sent a man to help her instead. She gave me strong Tella vibes from Caraval, which I did not enjoy at all because she was so irritating 😩. I really hope January has a good reason for ignoring her sister.
Now… the ending 🪄✨
This was honestly my favorite part of the book—along with Mason’s appearance. The idea of going back in time repeatedly? I loved it. I came up with so many theories, and what actually happened ended up being even better than all of them 💙✨
I didn’t care much about the guardian of the alchemical heart—I honestly forgot about him for a moment. But where the alchemical heart actually was? I loved that. I loved it so much. Her father was right—the alchemical heart was right in front of her all along, she just needed to look closely 🫶🏻✨
✨ Overall ✨
Yes, there were things I didn’t like—but I truly enjoyed reading this book with my bestie uswah. It was a perfect buddy-read experience 🤍🫶🏻. I even founded Team Gabe Club 😂, and I’m very happy that uswah joined me… even if she prefers Mason 😅💙. Thank you for reading this book with me 🪄✨
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ |𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑🪄
Super excited to start this new Stephanie Garber series with my bestieee uswah! Our first buddy read together 🫶🏻
let the magic begin ✨💙
"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘵."
This book was good… but not as good as I hoped it would be. I absolutely loved the OUABH series, and this book gave me strong Jacks/Eva vibes, but in a way I didn’t fully enjoy this time 💔✨.
One thing Stephanie Garber never fails at is magic, and it was present here 🪄💙. I really enjoyed that aspect, but there were moments where I honestly forgot magic even existed. The folklore chapter was confusing for me. I understood its purpose—helping us grasp the myths and legends—but I found myself getting distracted every time.
The quest to find the alchemical heart was supposed to be a huge, life-or-death event. Holland needed it or she would die in a little over 24 hours ⏳. It was important, but it didn’t feel important. For Holland, it felt more like one of her father’s old scavenger hunt games rather than a true fight for survival.
As for Holland as a character, I honestly didn’t know...🤷🏻♀️ she was eating, sleeping, and thinking about love, kisses, and handsome men… even though she only had hours left to live 😭. That made her feel quite shallow at times. Still, I can’t deny that she is intelligent—she did solve the puzzle in the end.
Now let’s talk about the men 👀✨
Gabe, Adam, and Mason. At first, I thought this would be a love triangle, but it turned out to be a love square. Did we really need three men? Probably not 🤷🏻♀️. I read this book over three days with my bestie uswah, and we were lucky enough to meet a new male character every day 🙃
At first, Gabe dominated the story—and I won’t lie, I liked him 😁. I believed him and defended him from the very beginning. Then he disappeared in a strange way, almost as if he was never there, leaving behind unanswered questions. I really hope we learn more about him in book two.
Then came Adam—a big no no 🚫. uswah told me she felt betrayed by him, and I could tell from early on that he was hiding something dark.
Finally, in the last quarter of the book, Mason appeared… and I loved his presence. He had that aura, that quiet power ✨. I definitely want to know more about him.
As for the romance, I don’t really think it was there. Everything felt chaotic, and let’s not forget that all of this happened in less than two days. This isn’t romance—it’s a desperate girl who doesn’t want to die, leaning toward any man who could help her or make her feel safe 💔
The professor was another disappointment. Holland kept saying the professor loved her because she was her best student, but in reality, she didn’t care about Holland—only about what she had.
And January, her sister… I hated that she didn’t answer Holland’s call, especially since she sent a man to help her instead. She gave me strong Tella vibes from Caraval, which I did not enjoy at all because she was so irritating 😩. I really hope January has a good reason for ignoring her sister.
Now… the ending 🪄✨
This was honestly my favorite part of the book—along with Mason’s appearance. The idea of going back in time repeatedly? I loved it. I came up with so many theories, and what actually happened ended up being even better than all of them 💙✨
I didn’t care much about the guardian of the alchemical heart—I honestly forgot about him for a moment. But where the alchemical heart actually was? I loved that. I loved it so much. Her father was right—the alchemical heart was right in front of her all along, she just needed to look closely 🫶🏻✨
✨ Overall ✨
Yes, there were things I didn’t like—but I truly enjoyed reading this book with my bestie uswah. It was a perfect buddy-read experience 🤍🫶🏻. I even founded Team Gabe Club 😂, and I’m very happy that uswah joined me… even if she prefers Mason 😅💙. Thank you for reading this book with me 🪄✨
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ |𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑🪄
Super excited to start this new Stephanie Garber series with my bestieee uswah! Our first buddy read together 🫶🏻
let the magic begin ✨💙
Want to read
October 6, 2025➳ I am ready to dive in 🤸
November 5, 2025
Holland is going to die unless she finds the Alchemical Heart in 24 hours. Great premise but poor execution. For a fast paced premise it didn't feel fast paced at all and the magic was very underwhelming. I will hold out for book 2 as I did like the idea of the book.
December 27, 2025
̨ ╭╯ꗃ 12. 2. 25 ˚﹒
︵࣪ ˖ ໒꒱ pre-read
╰› wow, I have not written a pre-read in... God knows how long. I think July. BUT to the important point, END OF THE YEAR BUDDY-READ WITH MY IGGGLERS > sama, maysa, yusra, april, and almas (nat u are dearly missed pls come back) 💗 stephanie we are so ready
︵࣪ ˖ ໒꒱ pre-read
╰› wow, I have not written a pre-read in... God knows how long. I think July. BUT to the important point, END OF THE YEAR BUDDY-READ WITH MY IGGGLERS > sama, maysa, yusra, april, and almas (nat u are dearly missed pls come back) 💗 stephanie we are so ready
December 19, 2025
➳ 3.75 ☆! 🗝️🍷 spoiler free + mini review
⤷ if youve read.. I NEED YOUR THOUGHTS!! and this is a good 3 star rating dw 💌
🎧 - west coast + ultraviolence
ᯓᡣ𐭩 down on the west coast, they got a sayin'
"if you're not drinkin', then you're not playin'"
this book is so so lana coded
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊ ✨
⤷ okay, so for my favorite parts of this book... i liked the short chapters, i liked the concept, and i liked that i was able to binge it. and i never really got bored! honestly when this was announced i was excited! not like HYPE HYPE, but still looking forward to read it! now thats ive read it i have some thoughts 🫣 for a debut adult fantasy, this was interesting! i def see how this is considered adult but if you want, upper ya is good too. my main qualms were the love interests! MY TRUST WAS ALWAYS TESTED LOL, but i think we were supposed to be a bit confused bc i have NO clue who to fully root for! but i love that i get to sit and ponder until the next one! overall i really liked this, js wish i could understand better, but yk what: ima just let her work her magic!
⤷ i will say, i was a bit confused on this being set in "our time" i felt like we were in 1960s hollywood LOL, but still i love the vibes 🙂↕️ i guess for now i really like gabe! OH and i hope we see more january <3 + holland was a nice fmc <3 happy reading everyone! ILL BE 1st AND CENTER AT THE BOOKSTORE WHEN AOS #2 COMES OUTT ✨
- “Once she started down a rabbit hole, she couldn't stop herself from going all the way to the very end. Falling never scared her as much as failing to find out the truth.”
⤷ overall i can really appreciate how easy it was to get thru, excited for more updates soon! OH AND ONE LAST THING, it felt a bit insta lovey at times.. well not really "insta love" just spur of the moment i think youre hot type stuff. but anyways... I NEED SLOWBURNN.
---------
🗝️ | ₊‧꒰preview!!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ wow, 11 months later and here we are reading! YAY <3 ive been anticipating this for a bit now, 3 of my fav fantasy authors are releasing adult books so i thought id start w this one!! so far so so interesting 🙈 i can still see the hint of stephanie's magical writing but its completely different from her other works (at least atmosphere wise!) anyways excited to finish and give my thoughts <3 ✨
jan- 16 - 25
OLD HOLLYWOOD?!?! HISTORICAL FICTION?? HELLO?? STEPHANIE GARBER?? yk, im happy with anything queen stephanie writes, but i will still be longing for the world of magnificent north and valenda 😭😭 BUT ITS OKAR CANT WAIT FOR THE COVER REVEAL <33
⤷ if youve read.. I NEED YOUR THOUGHTS!! and this is a good 3 star rating dw 💌
"he looked like that old lana del rey song come to life, dressed in blue jeans and a soft white shirt."
🎧 - west coast + ultraviolence
ᯓᡣ𐭩 down on the west coast, they got a sayin'
"if you're not drinkin', then you're not playin'"
this book is so so lana coded
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊ ✨
⤷ okay, so for my favorite parts of this book... i liked the short chapters, i liked the concept, and i liked that i was able to binge it. and i never really got bored! honestly when this was announced i was excited! not like HYPE HYPE, but still looking forward to read it! now thats ive read it i have some thoughts 🫣 for a debut adult fantasy, this was interesting! i def see how this is considered adult but if you want, upper ya is good too. my main qualms were the love interests! MY TRUST WAS ALWAYS TESTED LOL, but i think we were supposed to be a bit confused bc i have NO clue who to fully root for! but i love that i get to sit and ponder until the next one! overall i really liked this, js wish i could understand better, but yk what: ima just let her work her magic!
⤷ i will say, i was a bit confused on this being set in "our time" i felt like we were in 1960s hollywood LOL, but still i love the vibes 🙂↕️ i guess for now i really like gabe! OH and i hope we see more january <3 + holland was a nice fmc <3 happy reading everyone! ILL BE 1st AND CENTER AT THE BOOKSTORE WHEN AOS #2 COMES OUTT ✨
- “Once she started down a rabbit hole, she couldn't stop herself from going all the way to the very end. Falling never scared her as much as failing to find out the truth.”
⤷ overall i can really appreciate how easy it was to get thru, excited for more updates soon! OH AND ONE LAST THING, it felt a bit insta lovey at times.. well not really "insta love" just spur of the moment i think youre hot type stuff. but anyways... I NEED SLOWBURNN.
---------
🗝️ | ₊‧꒰preview!!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ wow, 11 months later and here we are reading! YAY <3 ive been anticipating this for a bit now, 3 of my fav fantasy authors are releasing adult books so i thought id start w this one!! so far so so interesting 🙈 i can still see the hint of stephanie's magical writing but its completely different from her other works (at least atmosphere wise!) anyways excited to finish and give my thoughts <3 ✨
jan- 16 - 25
OLD HOLLYWOOD?!?! HISTORICAL FICTION?? HELLO?? STEPHANIE GARBER?? yk, im happy with anything queen stephanie writes, but i will still be longing for the world of magnificent north and valenda 😭😭 BUT ITS OKAR CANT WAIT FOR THE COVER REVEAL <33
December 30, 2025
✩ 3 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Hidden Magic
➼ Dangerous Love Triangle
➼ Deadly Treasure Hunt
➼ Old Hollywood Mystery
➼ Urban Legends
➼ Magical Realism
➼ Secrets & Lies
➼ Dark Academia
➼ Race Against Time
➼ Narrated by Sutton Foster
➼ Third Person POV
I feel like I should start this review by saying that historically, I have not loved Stephanie Garber’s work. I wouldn’t recommend Caraval to anyone and in my opinion Once Upon a Broken Heart was just okay. I do think her writing has improved over the years and I found Holland to be a much more likable character than Scarlett (Caraval), but this book still didn’t quite give what I wanted it to give.
I think my biggest issue with this book is that it read like a standalone. The story built nicely and even the confusing parts felt completely by design (you’ll see what I mean if you read it), but the ending felt very rushed and anticlimactic. I am still not 100% sure if some of these characters can be trusted, which does feel like a bit of a recycled theme from Caraval, but I wouldn’t mind that so much if the ending hadn’t felt so much like a true ending.
In a mystery I guess you’d want some resolution, but there’s really not much to build off of from here and I don’t see how book two won’t feel like a completely separate standalone story. There were some loose ends about her professor and I’m sure there’s still a lot to learn about this underground world of magic, but now that her 24 hours are up (again, you will see if you read), I’m not sure how SG will create that same sense of urgency again.
Despite being a little disappointed, this did hold my interest and I thought the overall pacing was good until we got to the ending. Mystery/Thrillers aren’t typically my genre, but if you love them and also read fantasy, I think this will be right up your alley! Overall this was a pretty solid adult debut and I’m definitely seeing growth! I don’t I will continue this series.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: This has a super intriguing premise! I’m not the biggest Stephanie Garber fan, so I hope it delivers!
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
What to Expect:
➼ Hidden Magic
➼ Dangerous Love Triangle
➼ Deadly Treasure Hunt
➼ Old Hollywood Mystery
➼ Urban Legends
➼ Magical Realism
➼ Secrets & Lies
➼ Dark Academia
➼ Race Against Time
➼ Narrated by Sutton Foster
➼ Third Person POV
I feel like I should start this review by saying that historically, I have not loved Stephanie Garber’s work. I wouldn’t recommend Caraval to anyone and in my opinion Once Upon a Broken Heart was just okay. I do think her writing has improved over the years and I found Holland to be a much more likable character than Scarlett (Caraval), but this book still didn’t quite give what I wanted it to give.
I think my biggest issue with this book is that it read like a standalone. The story built nicely and even the confusing parts felt completely by design (you’ll see what I mean if you read it), but the ending felt very rushed and anticlimactic. I am still not 100% sure if some of these characters can be trusted, which does feel like a bit of a recycled theme from Caraval, but I wouldn’t mind that so much if the ending hadn’t felt so much like a true ending.
In a mystery I guess you’d want some resolution, but there’s really not much to build off of from here and I don’t see how book two won’t feel like a completely separate standalone story. There were some loose ends about her professor and I’m sure there’s still a lot to learn about this underground world of magic, but now that her 24 hours are up (again, you will see if you read), I’m not sure how SG will create that same sense of urgency again.
Despite being a little disappointed, this did hold my interest and I thought the overall pacing was good until we got to the ending. Mystery/Thrillers aren’t typically my genre, but if you love them and also read fantasy, I think this will be right up your alley! Overall this was a pretty solid adult debut and I’m definitely seeing growth! I don’t I will continue this series.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: This has a super intriguing premise! I’m not the biggest Stephanie Garber fan, so I hope it delivers!
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
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