Alchemy of SecretsAlchemy of Secrets
What it's about
Holland St. James takes a class in an old movie theater, Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths. Most students think the Professor's stories are fiction, but Holland has always believed magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend, the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you'll die, her world turns upside down.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a romantic, twisty fantasy by the author of Caraval.
You'll love it if you liked
Not Quite Dead Yet
The Book of Doors
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your EnemyGood to know
It's the first of a series.
By the numbers
- Readers14 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Stephanie Garber
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The Book of Form and EmptinessExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Alchemy of Secrets worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 54.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Alchemy of Secrets about?
Holland St. James takes a class in an old movie theater, Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths. Most students think the Professor's stories are fiction, but Holland has always believed magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend, the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you'll die, her world turns upside down.
How long does it take to read Alchemy of Secrets?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Alchemy of Secrets?
If you liked it, try Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson, The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown or The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley.