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book, book reviews, books, characters, fantasy, fiction, Gigi Pandian, Jaya Jones, Mystery, Netgalley, novel, read, reader, review, The Accidental Alchemist, writer
Genre: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Fantasy
Pages: 360
Point of View: First (Zoe)
Source: NetGalley
Released: Jan 8 2015
Predictability: 2 out of 5 (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
My Rating: 7/10 Stars
Parental Rating: PG
My Summary:
Zoe is a 300 year old Alchemist. Due to a trauma in her past she gave up alchemy almost a century ago. Now she plans to start a ‘normal’ live in Portland Oregon. She bought a large old house that the neighborhood dubbed haunted and shipped her antiques from France.
When she unpacks she finds something unexpected in her crates, a living gargoyle named Dorian. He’s a person in his own right and he’s come seeking Zoe’s help. Between him and a local troubled teen they turn Zoe’s life upside down and make her house feel like a home.
When her contractor ends up dead on her doorstep and she smells poison she tells the police detective, but because she can’t explain her skill she naturally becomes a suspect. When they discover that Dorian’s Alchemy not Alchemy book was stolen by the murderer she has even more of a reason to find the killer.
My Review:
I’d dub this book cozy. It’s a nice little light mystery with a hint of romance. I liked that she was an alchemist, which hasn’t been done much. I think if you like mysteries you’d enjoy this book, because although she thinks about her long past often, her magic isn’t a large feature of the book. Though what magic there was, was well done. (Though of course I wanted more of it.)
The Good:
The best part of Accidental Alchemist was its characters, from the cooking gargoyle to the troubled teen who just wants to help his friend.
Dorian (the gargoyle) is French and has a love for everything from France. Throughout the book he uses French words and phrases (I don’t speak any French) but it wasn’t hard to figure out what he meant from the context. Dorian’s also a cook and since Zoe is a strict vegan he comes up with new recipes for her. Most of which are included at the end of the book, (I’m not going to try any of them, because when I cook bad things happen and though the author made the food sound good vegetables aren’t my cup of tea. (I prefer cookies)
The mystery was well done. I actually didn’t guess who’d done it ahead of time. (and I usually do.) There were enough suspects and details about all of the characters, and yes plenty of red herrings that threw me off the trail.
This isn’t a romance book and there isn’t much romance in it, but what is there is well done and if there’s a sequel I look forward to seeing the relationships grow. There’s also humor thrown in and I chuckled in spots, which makes all books better.
I liked how Portland was described, from the tea house to Zoe’s airstream, to her new home. Zoe has a great nose so there are also plenty of smells described as well, which I enjoyed.
This is a cute little feel good book, which was just what I needed. I look forward to the sequel. (The author hinted that there might be one in the acknowledgments and I’m hoping there is.)
The Bad:
This book is slow paced and there are long stretches where not a lot happens. My usual fantasy novels have magical duels and such, but this wasn’t that kind of book. (Which surprisingly wasn’t a bad thing.)
Would I recommend this book? Yes. Will I read the Sequel? Yup.
I read this book in December, so details are a little fuzzy. I don’t remember it as fondly as I wrote here, but that happens. I was surprised though that most of the reviews weren’t very positive. I think that’s because the blurb made it sound like an urban fantasy not a cozy mystery.
Has that ever happened to you, the book you got wasn’t anything like you expected? Was it still good or were you disappointed?
Woven Magic Books 
I got this for review but found it to be very slow and ended up not finishing it! Maybe I should of kept going but I have so many review books that if I’m not liking on, I don’t keep going. Glad you liked it though 🙂
Yes it was really slow. I understand there are just too many good books out there to read one you don’t like. I can never quit when it’s a review book, I feel too guilty. I’m glad I didn’t though, because although it’s nothing like I usually like it was just what I needed then. Thanks.
I saw this as an ARC and it looked interesting. It sounds like a good, light, fun book. Great review.
Me too. Usually I like quicker paced books where things happen, but this one was perfect for the mood I was in. Thanks. 🙂
This sounds interesting! I love a good cozy mystery. And I’d love to have my own gargoyle, especially one that can do all the cooking for me. Maybe I ought to go wander around France and try to pick one up…
haha I know what you mean. I keep trying but cooking is just not something I’m good at. I usually don’t like slow books like this, but I was really in a funk last December and it managed to cheered me up. 🙂
It sounds like overall this was a pretty solid read even if parts were predictable. I do like that it has that element of magic about it.
Nice review Molly! 🙂
My typical magic reads are mostly action, so it’s weird that I enjoyed this one because not a lot happened. I think it’s because I read it in December and the whole unconventional family thing was just sweet and perfect for the mood I was in.
sometimes a cute cozy mystery that gives you the light feel good feeling is exactly what you need! I’ll keep it in mind for the future
That’s exactly right. I hope you enjoy it too.
I must be tired, I read the rating as a 2 (yes the wrong rating) And was all confused, lol
That sounds like something I would do.
I liked this also Molly. And I LOVED Dorian 🙂 The only thing that got to me was the Vegan thing. I thought she over emphasized it a little.
Dorian was great! I agree that she mentioned way too often that she was a vegan. I assumed it was because of the recipes in the back. I’m glad to hear that you liked it.
I like a good cozy mystery/fantasy. This sounds interesting and I really like the cover. Glad the characters are well done! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Although it’s an adult book technically it could be read by anyone. I’d rate it PG. I’m glad I made it sound good. I hope you enjoy it. It’s nice to read a feel good book every once in a while.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard about this one but it sounds fun. And a gargoyle? I love them, it’s always so interesting to follow them in stories. Plus French? So fun! You know I love to see French sentences in books to see if the author actually did use google translate or if it’s a good French.
It was a cute little book. It’s really slow paced though. The gargoyle was the best character! And yes he was French and he loved everything about France. I’m curious if the French was accurate too. I always wished I could speak another language.
Love the cover, like mysteries, I want the book.
I’m glad. 🙂 It’s really slow paced though. As in not much happens for most of the book. It didn’t bother me because I liked the characters, but I thought I should warn you.
I haven’t heard of this book prior to reading your review. Not too enthused about the slow pacing, though.
Yeah usually slow pacing isn’t for me at all either, but I surprisingly was still entertained by this book when absolutely nothing was happening.
I actually like the sound of this and fickly person that I am I confess I love the cover!
Lynn 😀
I liked the cover too. I didn’t even notice at first that the gargoyle has a whisk in his hands.
Yes! I know what you mean- you think a book is going to be one genre and then it is totally another! The one that comes to mind for me is After the End by Amy Plum. I assumed (it was my fault, really) that it was like post-apoc or dystopian or something, and it was not in any capacity. I still liked it though, so that’s good 😉
I don’t think this book and I would get along well, but I enjoyed your review!
I understand, I often expect a book to be a different genre based on the cover or something too. Yeah, it’s probably not for you. I wouldn’t have thought it was for me though either. I guess I was in a strange mood when I read it. Maybe it was the holidays. Thanks! 🙂
This sounds like a really different book. One to be given a go, I think.
It was certainly different from the kinds of books I usually read. It’s short though so the slow pacing doesn’t hurt it. Plus even when nothing was happening I was entertained, so that’s all that matters, right?
I agree. As long as you enjoy the book it doesn’t matter what’s happening in it.
I’ve definitely read books that turned out much different than I was expecting (I can’t think of any specific titles at the moment, but yeah). Every once in a while it’s nice to read something “cozy” that doesn’t take much out of you, but I usually like stories that I can really get emotionally involved in.
I don’t understand why the blurb doesn’t match the book sometimes. I’d think that you’d want the right sort of people to read your book. Sometimes it’s my own fault that I think the book is going to be different, which is why Goodreads is so great. I agree, sometimes I want something light, but usually my light is still full of action.
It’s cute that the recipes are included in the book! I’m a vegan, so I’m kind of curious… and pleased, because I haven’t really heard of a lot of vegan characters, period.
It does sound like an urban fantasy, but if it’s more of a mystery… I’m not sure I’d be into that. Although, if it’s a good mystery where you can’t see the whodunnit ahead of time, it might be worth a try.
Thanks for the review!
I didn’t know you were a vegan. Yeah, I’ve often read about vegetarians but not vegans. (especially lately it seems like all of the books I choose the main character doesn’t eat meat, weird.)
Yeah it’s more of a light mystery which mostly focuses on the characters. For a lot of the time nothing really was happening, but I was still entertained. The mystery was good, at least I didn’t guess who’d done it.
Thanks! 🙂
Hmm… I distinctly remember reading this review last Thursday, and yet there’s no comment from me. WEIRD! WordPress must be playing tricks on me, or it went to spam. That seems to happen a lot whenever I make the rounds. *sigh*
Carmel @ Rabid Reads
I hate when that happens. WordPress doesn’t like me either. I checked my spam folder and nothing there from you, so I guess you were just deleted. Thanks for coming back! 🙂