Name: A Forgery of Roses
Rating: 3.8 (30 reviews)
ISBN: 9780008592479

Jessica S. Olson

'A deliciously twisted gothic fantasy you'll want to read again and again, with characters you'll adore, prose that'll spellbind you, romance you'll swoon over, and a mystery that'll keep you guessing until the last stunning twist' Diana Urban, author of These Deadly Games

A Forgery of Roses

Aparna 

elle 

From the author of Sing Me Forgotten comes a lush new fantasy novel with an art-based magic system, romance, and murder... Myra has a gift many would kidnap, blackmail, and worse to control: she's a portrait artist whose paintings alter people's bodies. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor's wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son. Once she arrives at the legendary stone mansion, however, it becomes clear the boy's death was no accident. A killer stalks these halls--one disturbingly obsessed with portrait magic. Desperate to get out of the manor as quickly as possible, Myra turns to the governor's older son for help completing the painting before the secret she spent her life concealing makes her the killer's next victim.

What a wild ride. I did not see that plot twist coming! A whodunnit/fantasy mix, pretty entertaining. 

Saffia

Kelsey Munson

Quite an interesting magic system where the MC is able to manipulate the physical appearance of people through painting. A power she keeps secret because the ability is vilified in whatever time period/fantasy realm she is in. Plot is driven with a good ol’ murder mystery adventure (which to me felt a bit convoluted) and an anxious love interest to pair with the MC.

This was an okay story for me. Didn’t love it, but certainly do not regret the read.

Kelsey Joëlle

I received this book from Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

This book reminded me a bit of Sorcery of Thorns. The idea of a girl that paints but is also able to capture peoples real selves. I really liked that Myra can alter the bodies of the people she paints. It was really fun and interesting to read about an ability like that. Especially when she decides to bring somebody back to life. I did miss some info, like the town they live in, the government outside of the one governor, that felt very limited. 

I liked the romance. Myra was pretty bland in my opinion. She was just always busy with her sister and I didn't really like that.

Overall the book was enjoyable and I liked reading it.

She's a portrait artist whose paintings alter people's bodies, which is a talent some would kidnap, blackmail, and worse to control. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor's wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra is she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son. Once she arrives at the legendary stone mansion, however, it becomes clear that the boy's death was no accident. A killer stalks these halls -- one disturbingly obsessed obsessed with portrait magic. Desperate to get out of the manor as quickly as possible, Myra turns to the governor's older son for help completing the painting before the secret she spent her life concealing makes her the killer's next victim.

Gillian Rose

3.75 stars

There were a lot of elements that I liked about this book: the gothic vibes, the murder mystery-type plot, the magic system involving art, the sister relationship, and the romance with a shy, sweet boy. However, there were some really choppy moments that kind of took me out of it. Like there were clearly things that would turn out bad, but they happened in a very rushed fashion and I felt like I missed something because it was so abrupt. And at times, Myra described things that felt a little too modern to me. But I digress. It was an entertaining read.

Nicole Dykeman

3.5

Gothic, spooky YA with a really unique, awesome magic system. I always enjoy a good older sister protagonist. But there were some tropes I could have done without.

Julie Janis

This was so good! I loved the dark, eerie vibes this story brought along with the murder mystery. Definitely had me turning the pages! The magic was also super unique and that was what hooked me in the beginning. 

I really liked Myra's character as well as her relationships with Lucy and August. The sister bond was done very well and I adored the romance! August's character was done so well, and I loved his awkward side so much! They are so perfect for each other! 

The ending was wrapped up nicely and I totally did not expect who the murderer was! So cleverly written! I have no idea if there's going to be a sequel or not, but with the way it ended, it gave me feelings like the story hasn't ended yet? I'm excited to see if this story will continue!

Highly recommend this!

Aurora Corbett

Didn't expect the plot twist but the plot twist was weird and didn't make a ton of sense. Overall a really good book.

zoe troxler

good, fresh, interesting idea at first, but book seemed to lose sight of it after some time and the end read like wattpad. the makeout scene also happened in her little sisters hospital room too 😀🤨

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book:  A Forgery of Roses

Author: Jessica S. Olson

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, retelling, romance, mystery, thriller

Publication Date: March 29, 2022

Genre: YA Fantasy

Age Relevance: 14+ (death, gore, romance, violence, animal injury)

Explanation of Above: The book has a theme of death and does feature some gore and violence. There is also some slight romance. There is some small mention of animal injury as well, but it is quickly fixed.

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 368

Synopsis: She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

Review: This book has an interesting premise and Magic system. I think the most promising thing about this book is the promise of the book and how well it could become. The book had well done atmosphere and the world building was ok. The book also has fairly good character development. The book is also a slight retelling of The Picture of Dorian Grey.

However this book is just downright confusing as hell. The book immediately jumps into the story and doesn't really explain anything about what's going on. The book does require you to read the synopsis in order to know the basics of what is happening. The pacing is very slow and the characters are not very well developed at all. And a lot of stuff just happened but without any lead up to it. There's also something that is entirely missing from the book and I think that missing detail are the details. The book gives great atmosphere it's very Gothic and gory and twisty, but without any details there is no impact for the reader in this book.

Verdict: It’s ok, but it wasn’t for me.


vely

I GOT THIS IN MY OWLCRATE AND I LOVED IT. it's thoughtful, and really interesting all the way through- there are no dry spots!! 

Liz Griffin

Thanks to Inkyard Press and Storygram Tours for the giveaway ARC. This is my honest review.

Author of Sing Me Forgotten, @jessicaolson123 , returns with her magical sophomore novel, A Forgery of Roses. I loved the lush descriptions, the almost steampunk/gaslamp setting, the compelling protagonist Myra, the high stakes, and the sensitivity with which Olson includes topics such as chronic illness and anxiety. August’s feelings of powerlessness when it comes to his own life choices was achingly relatable. I also loved Lucy (yay women in STEM!). There are loose elements that will harken readers to A Picture of Dorian Gray, but it’s not a straight “retelling.” There is also a hint of a love triangle, which I didn’t find compelling, but otherwise I truly loved this book and think it will appeal to teen and adult readers alike.

A Forgery of Roses

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