MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of A Forbidden Alchemy

A Forbidden Alchemy

by Stacey McEwan

🌶️🌶️mild·The Artisan Trilogy #1
3.0 on MoodReads (1 rating)4.3 on Goodreads (24,284)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

Available on Kindle Unlimited
find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

You'll get obsessed with morally gray characters and plot twists that leave you feral for the sequel.

Synopsis

This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals. Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive. And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone. In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

McEwan builds a class-war romantasy where the magic system IS the oppression—Artisans vs Craftsmen, chosen not born, and the lie holding it all together. Nina and Patricks slow burn runs through alternating timelines from childhood to revolution, and when they finally collide as adults on opposite sides of the fight, its devastating in the best way. He falls hard, she fights it harder. Ends on a cliffhanger that will make you desperate for book two.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.26 ★ (24.3k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

480 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2025

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dual Narration (M+F)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Billie Fulford-Brown, Joshua Riley

Narrator Count

Dual

Narration Style

Duet

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
forbidden lovesecond chanceforced proximitycaptive romanceclass differenceslow burnhidden identitysecret relationship
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

intensedarkromanticangstysuspensefulatmosphericdramatic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

immersiveatmosphericdramaticemotional

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

forbidden desiremorally complex

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

warrior/fightermorally gray FMCsurvivor

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

morally gray MMCreluctant herosecretly soft

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

forbidden loveclass differenceslow burnenemies to lovershurt/comforthe falls first

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 2

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

dark / taboo styleintense / passionatetension / anticipation focus

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

tensionanticipationlonging glancespossessive/protectivetouch starvation

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (16)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assault (referenced)violencegraphic violencedeathemotional abuseparental abusechildhood traumaaddictionsubstance abusekidnappingtorturewargriefabandonmentclassismstalking
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

low fantasy / secret magic

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

big city / metropolisunderground / underworldwar front / rebellion

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredobsessedaddictive readbook hangover

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

at nightcozy eveningrainy weekend

The Artisan Trilogy

A Forbidden Alchemy

#1 A Forbidden Alchemy

A Forsaken Prophecy

#2 A Forsaken Prophecy

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️mild
PagesHow long the commitment is.480
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.26 ★ (24.3k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

The Artisan Trilogy #1
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about A Forbidden Alchemy

Similar Books

Cover of Silver EliteKU

Silver Elite

Silver Elite, #1

Dani Francis

🌶️🌶️·first person
enemies to loversforced proximityhidden identity
Cover of Ash Princess

Ash Princess

Ash Princess Trilogy, #1

Laura Sebastian

🌶️🌶️·first person
love triangleforbidden lovehidden identity
Cover of The Alice NetworkKU

The Alice Network

Kate Quinn

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forbidden loveforced proximitystuck together
Cover of Fable

Fable

The World of the Narrows, #1

Adrienne Young

🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximityhidden identitysurvival romance
Cover of Shatter Me

Shatter Me

Shatter Me, #1

Tahereh Mafi

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
forbidden loveslow burnlove triangle
Cover of Heat of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #3)KU

Heat of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #3)

Kindred's Curse, #3

Penn Cole

🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximityhidden identityfated mates
Cover of Flock

Flock

The Ravenhood, #1

Kate Stewart

🌶️🌶️·first person
love trianglereverse harem / why chooseenemies to lovers
Cover of Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1)

Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1)

Captive Prince, #1

C.S. Pacat

🌶️🌶️·third person
captive romancedark romanceforced proximity