Alchemised by SenLinYu

---

Read: December 27, 2025 - January 24, 2026

I had to let my opinion on this book simmer for a couple of days before I wrote this because I was so emotional finishing it.

I know that everyone loved Manacled more than this, but if I'm being completely honest, I loved that they were different characters. Maybe just because I didn't read Manacled first, but I feel like I wouldn't have been as connected to the story and the characters if they were Harry Potter characters, because I would just be comparing it to everything I know from the universe.

After saying that, I absolutely loved this book. The fact that I felt just as confused as Helena in the first part is genius. In the second part, the number of times I screamed "THE DOTS ARE CONNECTING!" is quite insane. I was so wholly and completely invested in the world and the characters for the entire 1024 pages.

This is a brilliant book on love, war, heartbreak, torture, all of it. I felt like I was in the war with them. Helena and Kaine's relationship is so intricate and complicated. Kaine is portrayed as the monster throughout the book, when, in reality, they depended on him so much and didn't even realize it. The whole plot twist with Luc left me in absolute shambles.

"She was a non-active member of the Order of the Flame and did not fight," legit don't even get me started on this right now. SHE DID IT ALL, AND THEY WOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT! I'm just happy that Helena and Kaine got their happy ending, and I want to believe that this book is Enid telling their story for them so that people know who they are and what they did.

So basically, I loved everything about this book. It ruined me.

5 stars. If I could give it more, I would.