Alchemised
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.
This stunning hardcover edition features a deluxe jacket with gold foil on the front and a full-color illustration on the reverse, gorgeous designed endpapers, a gold foil case stamp, and, from acclaimed artist Avendell, a black-and-white interior illustration.
A SHE READS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”
Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.
In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.
According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?
To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.
This stunning hardcover edition features a deluxe jacket with gold foil on the front and a full-color illustration on the reverse, gorgeous designed endpapers, a gold foil case stamp, and, from acclaimed artist Avendell, a black-and-white interior illustration.
A SHE READS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”
Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.
In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.
According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?
To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.
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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Alchemised* by SenLinYu is a dark, emotionally intense read with intricate world-building and morally complex characters. Many praise its...
Almost gave it a 10! Why I didn’t…. I typically don’t read fantasy/ sci-fi. Getting into it was challenging because I don’t KNOW that world. I had to learn and understand the people, place, skills, words… it was like learning a new language in the beginning. Once I understood the world. Part 1 is the “present.” These characters are coming at you and it’s confusing… slow to read and I need brain breaks… towards the end of Part 1 I am definitely thinking “Stockholm Syndrome.” Part 2 you learn about the past and what lead up to the “present.” Ferron grows so much and he becomes likeable and it’s understanding how he got to be so “mean.” Ferron and Halena remind me of Vampire Diaries: Klause and Carolyn or Damon and Elena. Klause and Damon will do ANYTHING for the people they love…so will Ferron. It’s interesting that Ferron, at a young age always questioned SOL (Gods) and their actual contribution to Paladia. Would I have acted similar to Ferron in the beginning- I may have. Would I have mass murdered people- probably not. Paladia was almost like a cult (or Alchemy Institute) raising people to believe what they believe no matter the cost. Not that Necromancy was better! The book also references similarities to the rise and fall and redemption of humanity- Christianity. Lumen joined all elements and created earth. Then the fall- the great disaster: fires and rising temperatures, tides, earthquakes, plagues and redemption( culmination, resonance, coagulation…). At the end of the day, Helena saw the good in people and was forgiving. It would have been interesting to learn how Enid took the news about her dad. BTW- love AMARIS and I knew he would find them- predictable! Would read again if only to truly understand part 1!
Slow read. Lots of detail that draws you in deeply. It draws you into Helena’s world. The story is very heavy. War religious conflict and rape are depicted in this book Read discretion is advised. These depictions made the book emotionally intense and sometimes hard to read. The depth of character development and world building is undeniable. If you stick with reading, I will say it’s a worth while book. This was a powerful experience that last even after the final page is read and the book is closed.
I’m gutted - I cried - what an amazing fan fiction story about Hermione and Draco. I listened to 36 hours of an audiobook done by several narrators.
S A D B E A U T I F U L T R A G I C
Gut wrenching. Now, I look forward to reading the 'edited' new version of this as ALCHEMISED. Still waiting for it at the library (another 36 hours lol)
S A D B E A U T I F U L T R A G I C
Gut wrenching. Now, I look forward to reading the 'edited' new version of this as ALCHEMISED. Still waiting for it at the library (another 36 hours lol)
I didn’t just read this book—I went through an emotional centrifuge and thanked it afterward.
Alchemised is, without exaggeration, one of the most unforgettable reading experiences I’ve had in 2025. What makes it extraordinary isn’t just the lush prose or the aching romance—it’s the audacity of its structure. SenLinYu hands us the middle of the story first and dares us to sit in the discomfort. We’re allowed—encouraged, even—to hate the MMC. To question him. To grieve what’s already been lost. And then the narrative rewinds, slowly and deliberately, giving us the beginning: the context, the love, the humanity. By the time we reach the end, we aren’t just forgiving—we understand. That emotional alchemy? Rare. Devastating. Brilliant.
Kane is one of the most tragic MMCs I’ve ever read—not because he’s perfect, but because he isn’t. His arc is messy, morally gray, painful, and deeply human. Watching readers grapple with him is half the magic of this book. You’re not spoon-fed redemption; you earn it alongside the FMC. Their love story isn’t sweet—it’s earned through sacrifice, grief, and the slow realization that love can exist even after ruin. And the ending? Quietly powerful. Not flashy. Not easy. But deeply satisfying in a way that lingers long after the final page.
That this story began as fanfiction and evolved into something so confidently literary only adds to its legend. Alchemised trusts its readers. It asks for patience, emotional stamina, and a willingness to sit with discomfort—and then it rewards you tenfold. This isn’t just a romance or a fantasy. It’s a meditation on memory, consequence, love, and what we choose to forgive.
In short: if you like your books emotionally devastating, structurally bold, and incapable of being forgotten—congratulations. You’ve found the one.
Alchemised is, without exaggeration, one of the most unforgettable reading experiences I’ve had in 2025. What makes it extraordinary isn’t just the lush prose or the aching romance—it’s the audacity of its structure. SenLinYu hands us the middle of the story first and dares us to sit in the discomfort. We’re allowed—encouraged, even—to hate the MMC. To question him. To grieve what’s already been lost. And then the narrative rewinds, slowly and deliberately, giving us the beginning: the context, the love, the humanity. By the time we reach the end, we aren’t just forgiving—we understand. That emotional alchemy? Rare. Devastating. Brilliant.
Kane is one of the most tragic MMCs I’ve ever read—not because he’s perfect, but because he isn’t. His arc is messy, morally gray, painful, and deeply human. Watching readers grapple with him is half the magic of this book. You’re not spoon-fed redemption; you earn it alongside the FMC. Their love story isn’t sweet—it’s earned through sacrifice, grief, and the slow realization that love can exist even after ruin. And the ending? Quietly powerful. Not flashy. Not easy. But deeply satisfying in a way that lingers long after the final page.
That this story began as fanfiction and evolved into something so confidently literary only adds to its legend. Alchemised trusts its readers. It asks for patience, emotional stamina, and a willingness to sit with discomfort—and then it rewards you tenfold. This isn’t just a romance or a fantasy. It’s a meditation on memory, consequence, love, and what we choose to forgive.
In short: if you like your books emotionally devastating, structurally bold, and incapable of being forgotten—congratulations. You’ve found the one.
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