This was not a quick read for me due to some lag in the middle. But, I've given it a perfectly respectable three stars because it's an entertaining idea, I enjoyed our protagonist and her band of weirdos well enough, and the conflicts were good to scary. I adored how smart Bailey is when she isn't getting in her own way. I'm glad I read it, and if you like mixed drinks, diversity just because it's human, and magic and monsters, you'll probably enjoy this one, too.

This was amazingly fun; I sped through this in practically one sitting. I love the idea of bartenders being the defense against supernatural monsters (tremens) that prey on inebriated humans, and use perfectly mixed cocktails to give themselves magical abilities - different abilities based on the drink and the base liquor. The story telling was interspersed with pages from the The Devil's Water Dictionary, the handbook-slash-recipe book-slash-history book for magical bartending. I thought it was a really neat way to give worldbuilding backstory and flair, and it introduced me to some new drinks as well.

This isn't a serious book. It's supposed to be light and funny, and it delivered. Yes, the plot was ridiculous. Yes, the characters were also ridiculous. But it was incredibly fun and I smiled throughout. I'm really looking forward to any further adventures of the Alechemists.

Also, huge cheers to the author for having an Asian protagonist and not devolving into Orientalistic mystic stereotypical claptrap.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. ( )

This was lacklustre and very messy.
Intriguing concept with a terrible execution.
I just could not bring myself to suffer any more.
(The recipes were the best part IMO)

FINAL VERDICT : MAYBE TRY BUT DON'T EXPECT MUCH ( )

The pluses: yay for an asian wopman main character, yay for a trans friend, yay for weird Canadians, yay for a super silly premise -- cocktails as super powers.

The minuses: takes itself a little too seriously, given that premise. The relationship drama is very high school and quite annoying. The plot kept skipping a beat here and there in confusing ways -- loyalties shifting, breakups and getting together with no conversations, endless in-moments -- not believable, and eventually just wanted the book to be over already because that aspect was annoying to me.

In summation: good world building, good face to the characters but no depth, and the plot left something to be desired. ( )

I started this hoping for “fun” and got it! There’s a great mix of characters, strong quips, a kooky magic system, nice diversity, fun and showy fight scenes, and basically that light urban fantasy zing I really go for. I was rooting for Bailey pretty heavily throughout, especially after the hints that the status was not, in fact, quo. It’s not a by-the-books urban fantasy, however. There were plenty of things I didn’t see coming, and some good depth to the character development.

(Also, I want this to be a series so I can keep following these people.)

Warnings: Alcohol? Nothing that I perceive as possibly triggery, but there’s booze in pretty much every scene, due to setting if nothing else.

8/10 ( )