It's amazing how much you can enjoy a book going into it blind. This was my case with Garden of Thorns. I'd only read the synopsis once even though I have a habit of dissecting book summaries before reading the actual book. Garden of Thorns turned out be such a fantastic and gripping read.

Ms. Mitchell does a great job detailing the harsh condition and abuse the girls suffer in the hands of the Gardener. Their treatment is hard to swallow but the unity born from it is priceless. The strong sense of family values really shines through in the book whether it was between the girls in the Garden or with the people involved in the rebellion. No one gets left behind.

Rose's struggles were authentic. After her long period in captivity and all that she's endured in the Garden it's understandable she would have some trust issues. However, at times I did find it to be too repetitive. The back and forth she does frustrated me. A significant loss resulted from her lack of confidence and it caused her and the rebellion a great deal. She does learn from it and I was glad to see her break out of the fears holding her back.

I enjoyed the romance between Rayce and Rose. It was a slow burn full of hesitation and uncertainty. The two both had to put their duties before their personal wants but it didn't stop them from bonding. I loved the kitchen scene between them. (Rayce's love for cooking was the best!) It was sweet but also bitter considering they had their obligations to think of. I thought the slight twist was really well-incorporated into the plot. There's more to Rose and Rayce than Flower and rebel leader.

Garden of Thorns appears to be a standalone but I could see a sequel happening. I'd definitely like to revisit the rebellion and see how the characters are faring. Fingers crossed for more and count me in if/when the next book comes out.

This was a decent read. I thought the pacing was great and it kept going without having moments that happens where nothing is happening. But, I did not love it and would put it into the solidly liked category..

Garden of Thorns intrigued from the beginning with its stunning yet simple cover and alluring synopsis. When I was granted an ARC for review, the publicist said that so many people requested it that they had a hard time narrowing the list down. This is one of those books that lures you in, holds you captivated throughout the story, and then drops a bomb at the end.

From the very beginning, there's this mystical aura that surrounds our main character Rose. She's the star Flower of her troupe called the Garden, made up of slave girls who are forced to entertain in a land where entertainment has been banned. If the girls do not obey the Master's demands, he'll punish their Wilted, companions whose sole purpose is to take beatings for the Flowers. This entire concept was so intriguing to me and the relationship that Rose has with her Wilted, Fern, just further emphasizes that bond. If Rose disobeys, she'll be punished emotionally by watching Fern take her beatings.

When the Garden makes its way to the capital to entertain the emperor, Rose finds herself running away from captivity but instead of using one of the emperor's guards, she ends up choosing the ex-heir Rayce. From that fateful meeting onward, there's no slow moment as Rose is constantly trying to go back to safe her Flower sisters while Rayce is trying to lead a rebellion to overthrow his uncle.

I'm pretty sure I read this entire novel in about three hours and I definitely sacrificed some piano practice time to finish it, but every single moment was worth it. From the beginning to the end, Rose just grows up so much and learns to trust and build new relationships that strengthen her as a character. I loved her relationship with Rayce and while sometimes she did act a bit irrationally which led to certain consequences, they help teach the other what it means to trust and love someone.

Garden of Thorns is just such a fascinating story that it's hard to describe clearly what I felt when reading. There's so much action from Rose escaping the Garden to Rayce and his rebellion trying to rescue the Flowers that you don't get a second to take a breath before something else happens. As secrets start to be revealed, the plot just grabs you and holds you utterly captive to the story. I hope there's a follow up because there were some points left unresolved and mostly because I want more from the characters and this world.

Not only is the cover of this novel beautiful, but the plot and the characters and story within the book is also a beautiful, enjoyable novel that is well written and fun to get into. The world building is done very well, and it is a real delight to read. I finished it one sitting, I enjoyed it so much!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
This book started out with a flare, excellently sucking me in by the first page. Unfortunately the momentum dipped quite a bit after we reached the 30% mark in the story. I still really enjoyed the plot and liked the heroine quite a bit, with her flaws and all. The whole thing has such a great idea behind it, the whole burlesque performers made out of kidnapped girls storyline is very genius and I found it really creative.
The writing style is solid, paints a horrible and graphic picture with crystal clarity and creates an emotional atmosphere to go on. Definitely has a heartbreaking flow to it. The plot is intense and fast paced but after Rose starts to think too much about possible love interests it loses the focus and that my problem with it. However I think the world building is quite unique and brilliant with Asian elements to it (which I love). Also has an interesting magical system.
Rose is a likeable character if not a bit too juvenile. She is strong but thinks too much. She overanalyzes everything in the most inappropriate moments which breaks up the flow of the storyline numerous times. But she is also bold and not afraid to act on her ideas but she has to be careful because the dangerous secrets she keeps.
Rayce is a long man who has a lot of responsibilities and quite a few people counting on him. This shadows his every days and it hard for him to give into his feelings because he has to consider the consequences of everything. I liked how he thought maturely. However his relationship with Rose is slow burn but predictable. They have perfect chemistry.
The book has a lot of potential in it and quite a few phenomenal ideas but its also predictable and has a lot of places to improve in. Although it has action, magic, love and war a perfect combination a great fantasy romance needs.

I absolutely, positively LOVED this book! I am a huge fan of fantasy to begin with, and I love how Ms. Mitchell took some “generic” fantasy elements and put them with her own new insights to create this awesome book. The idea of the Garden was pretty horrendous, and you immediately get on the side of Rose and the other Flowers and Wilteds. The villains were, in my opinion, wonderfully drawn and perfectly nasty. I also readily admit that I INSTANTLY fell for Rayce, oh heck yeah…from the moment he said, “You should really choose someone else.” Woo! He’s just…WOW.

The story is nice and meaty, and the plot plays out in a tantalizing fashion, keeping you on the edge and wanting to know more; I found it almost impossible to put the book down! I just loved everything about it. It wasn’t rushed, and both plot and characters were really allowed to develop and take hold with the reader, which is something I greatly appreciate, particularly with fantasy. I can only assume there will be more to the story…oh please let that be true!!! I need to know more about Rayce and Rose and Arlo and all the others. FANTASTIC debut for Ms. Mitchell!

Rating: 5 well-deserved stars!

This book was a really great read. I know it's supposed to be a "standalone" but the author has said that there is room for a sequel and I really hope there is. One of the issues that I had with this book was actually how sad I was that it ended, but I'll get to that later.

I found the concept of the Garden to be well-thought out and, frankly, really interesting. They basically have you bond with someone because they're the only person who will ever be kind to you, and then they use that person against you. Now, every time you make a mistake or don't do what you're told that person pays for your mistakes with physical punishment. Each girl is renamed after a flower to fit with the whole theme of the performance. Then you have the actual enforcer and executioner, Shears, who is a madman who takes pleasure in maiming and killing others. The Gardener was interesting as well because--well, he designed the whole thing. He took on this whole persona for it with a fake accent, but really he was just as twisted as Shears.

The Rebellion was also full of interesting characters from the leader, Rayce, who saw it was his job to know every single one of the people under his command, to Marin who becomes Rose's new sister and helps her get through the adjustment of living with the rebels. I liked the pacing of the story and how Rose slowly evolved into someone who could see a bigger picture without ever really letting go of who she was. Yes, she wanted to help the rebellion but she wasn't going to sacrifice her flower sisters in the process.

Being with this few family she formed really helped her see that not all people were terrible. Once Rose started shedding that thought process and confronted her past she became a strong, confident force to be reckoned with. Although her past was something I saw coming (and it was hinted at pretty strongly), I still enjoyed the story. I liked the way Rayce accepted it and there was no drama between them over it (for now *really hopes for sequel*). That was what was really unexpected and a pleasant surprise.

As for the ending: it was just so neat and tidy. I wanted things to go on longer. I really felt that it was anticlimactic to have one of the biggest obstacles be taken care of at the end of the book. I felt like it would've felt like more a payoff if it had happened later in another book, but I do understand why it happened. And I'm really hoping that this book has a sequel because there is still plenty to work with. I would love to see these characters come back and find out what happens to the fate of the two countries. I really recommend this book if you're looking for your next fun read.

To quickly recap in a near spoiler-free way, Rose is an eighteen year old girl who was kidnapped as a child and forced to perform in a sensual circus-like performance by a disgusting man who calls himself the Gardener, and his forced girls his Flowers. There are also Wilteds, which help the Flowers, and lackeys who do the Gardener's bidding, with Shears taking the lead. The book starts out with the Gardener about to go into negotiations with the Emperor, probably to legalize his Circus performance, but we don't really know till the book is near ending. The Emperor's nephew, Rayce, leads a rebellion against his evil uncle, and Rose finds herself embroiled in this rebellion.

Minor spoilers: Oren was my favorite character and I would've liked the book more if we knew more of Oren, his thought process, and his fatherly relationship with Rayce. I didn't think enough information was given about Piper and how/ what exactly she researched what she did to help the rebellion. Rose also thinks way too much about Rayce, even at very inopportune times. The romance was cooking in a slow-cooker fashion- at a snail's pace, but at least the ending left the romance part content. There's no mention of what Rose and Rayce plan to do about Rose's background when she finally confesses to him what this entails. So I give this book 3 stars because I felt that once you pass 10% into the book, the plot slows down, her "secret" is pretty obvious, and the aforementioned missing information which should've at least been hinted it and expanded on in the next book.

Left reviews on Goodreads and Amazon

From the very first page I knew this was a beautiful book. It is heart wrenching but beautiful. A young girl named Rose wants nothing more than safety, and to keep those she loves safe. But instead her world is full of pain, anxiety, and tragedy. Girls of all walks of life will be able to relate and sympathize with her. Amber Mitchell's writing sucked me in and refused to let go until I had finished Rose's story.

I also fell in love with her male counter-part Rayce. He is strong, yet vulnerable. He only wants to do good, but is still haunted by his past. This book is full of complex, yet amazing characters. They had me hooked right until the very end.

I do have to point out one thing that is keeping me from giving it 5 out of 5 stars, and I will try to do it without spoiling anything. Rose has a secret she is keeping throughout the whole book, and the whole time I was begging her to tell Rayce. I just knew it was going to lead to something big and it was driving me nuts.

But then it didn't. It was actually very anti-climatic and I felt let down after a whole book of emotional angst.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. 4 out of 5 Stars.

Warning: This book contains a lot of beheadings, and equally horrific deeds. I would recommend this for an older teenager.

4.5 Stars

'Garden of Thorns' is a fantastic debut young adult fantasy novel that readers are definitely going to want to read. I was surprised - and impressed - when I found out this was the author's first book. I wouldn't have had any idea from just reading the story. Every aspect of the book showcases the author's talent and I'm definitely looking forward to reading her future works. The story line was fascinating and had me hooked right from the very beginning - to the point where I read the entire book in one sitting. I really hope the author turns this into a series - there's so much that can be done with it and Rose is such a fantastic main character. I liked her right off the bat. She's smart, witty, down to earth, determined, and fiercely loyal. I loved getting to know everything about her throughout the book. I enjoyed watching her with Rayce and seeing their relationship grow and change.

The plot was a breath of fresh air - and that's hard to come by any more. The whole concept of the Garden and everything related to it was intriguing. I loved learning I could about it, but at the same time I hated it for all of the horrible things involved. It was definitely a love/hate thing for me throughout the book. The other aspects of the plot - the warring kingdoms, a lost heir to the throne, the rebellion - were all pretty predictable, but not in a bad way. It didn't bother me, mostly because of the vibrancy the Garden brings to the story. The author uses a great blend of vivid imagery and detailed descriptions to bring Rose's world to life before our eyes. One major plus for me that I want to at least mention is the author's choice of writing style. It's told from the first person point of view - from Rose's perspective. If you've read any of my other reviews, you'll know how important POV is to me. First person allows the reader to really connect with the narrator on a deeper and more personal level. This book was no exception and I'm so glad the author chose to use this style of writing. I don't think I would have been as immersed in the story if it had been done any other way. Luckily, I didn't have to worry. I highly recommend this novel to fans of YA fantasy, action/adventure, and readers looking for a nice change of pace and a breath of fresh air.

*I received a free copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

First things first, the beginning is captivating at a whole new level. Just seeing how that screwed up circus worked was interesting. Macabre also, but mainly pulling. However, then it took a turn that left me hanging a little bit like in mid-air. This turn, thankfully led me to get to know even more the main character, understand her personality (which was awesome, by the way), see her be the main piece in a war in an epic way.
Her romantic interest, on the contrary, was too flighty. One moment he is all 'you're the enemy' and the other 'you're my bff'. Gave me a bit of whiplash, but he was so sweet it didn't matter that much.

What you need to know about Garden Of Thorns is that if you don't read it, you'll be missing a great YA book, because this one has been one of the most original ones I've read in a while.
Just give it a chance. You Won't Regret It!

4 “Roses & Snakes” Stars

ARC via NetGalley.

Thank you, Entangled Teen!

Damn, this book was well-written. I really enjoyed it. The language was just beautiful in the way it blended with the theme. I loved how the writer managed to find the perfect analogies involving garden-related stuff, and it felt really original and unique. If nothing else, this book deserves a high rating just because of that.

But don’t worry, it has more than beautiful language. It has plot and romance, too.

And a stunning cover!!!

Garden of Thorns is a YA Fantasy set in a unique world where the main lands are at war. Rose, the MC, was born in Varsha, but she was brought to Delmar when she was a young girl by the hand of her slaver, the Gardener. Ever since then, Rose’s been forced to perform as an aerial acrobat, also known as Flower. Under the Gardener’s tyranny, Rose suffers the kind of mental and even physical abuse that paints in bold colors a really ugly picture of what a life as a Flower must be like. From moment on, I felt for her.

But Rose isn’t just any Flower. The Gardener has a special interest in her because of a secret she’s keeping. A secret that’s practically a chain holding her back and keeping her from trying to escape. Until the day that secret costs her the most important thing in her life. That’s when Rose decides she’ll escape and find a way to bring down the Gardener.

Enter Rayce, Delmar’s former heir to the throne (the emperor’s nephew) and the leader of the Zareen (the rebellion). Rayce’s fighting to overthrow his horrible uncle, a man who won’t hesitate before killing and destroying in order to maintain his power. Unlike him, Rayce is all about the people—he wants a fair world where everyone can leave in peace. A bit naïve, I guess, but he’s a young man and his heart is in the right place.

Rose and Rayce’s path cross during her escape, and they’re forced together when, instead of letting her go, Rayce takes her back to his people. That’s when the real fun starts.

This is an action-packed story that has enough fighting, planning and characters trying to escape or make their way back home to keep you entertained and turning pages. If that’s your kind of fantasy, I imagine you won’t be disappointed.

But there’s also plenty of romance for those, like me, who like their fantasies romance-heavy. Rose and Rayce have that type of slow burn romance that had my chest tight the entire time. I devoured their scenes, always wanting for more. They have the perfect chemistry and high stakes to go with it.

Rose had a lot to lose by trusting him enough to acknowledge her growing feelings for the boy who took care of his people like they were all his family. She’d been betrayed her entire life by men, and, with the secret she was keeping, there was a good chance Rayce would be put in a position to betray her, too. Even if he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Rayce was a young man plagued by past mistakes shouldering a lot more responsibility than anyone else in the book. There were so many people counting on him that he couldn’t allow himself the distraction of falling in love. Besides, in times of war, loving someone is dangerous because it turns that person into a weapon your enemies can use against yourself, especially if you’re the leader. So he also hesitate before giving in to his feelings.

We got to watch all of that “should-we-or-shouldn’t-we” play as the story progressed, and I loved every second of it. Bottom line, I ship Rayce and Rose. Hard.

But this book isn’t only about beautiful writing, great romance and action (although that’s more than enough to make it a great book, huh?). There was also space for character development and beautiful friendship/mentorship.

There are some great side characters in this story, but I think Oren deserves special attention. He was such an important figure in both Rayce and Rose’s personal journeys by being a positive influence and a paternal/mentor figure to both of them. I imagine he was as important to Rayce in a time prior to the start of the story as he was to Rose throughout this first book. He earned Rose’s trust and respect, and mine, too. I’m Team Oren forever.

Speaking of Rose’s journey, I was really proud of who she became in the end. Rose started out as someone who, at times, irritated me because of her inability to react. She let her secret—let’s be honest here, it wasn’t even that much of a secret—become a chain that held her back. A chain the Gardener didn’t hesitate to use on her. Every time she thought about that secret she froze. Every time she confronted the Gardener or any other powerful figure that could use her secret, she couldn’t think or react. It was frustrating and caused harm to those around her, which is something that always makes me look at the main character under a not-so-positive light. Having said that, I understand that this was the arc the author planned for Rose. She had to go from powerless, defenseless to someone who could fight for herself and those she cared for. It took her a while, but she got there. In the first book of the series!!! It’s more than I can say about some characters out there. So, go Rose!

Rayce’s journey was a little less dramatic, mostly because it had already started by the time the story started. When we met him, Rayce was already the leader of the rebellion, so we didn’t get to see how he got there. We got an explanation, though, and everything made perfect sense, as far as I’m concerned. I’m still betting the author will come up with a stronger arc for Rayce in a second book—although this didn’t end in a cliffhanger, it’s still clear there’s a lot more story there, so I’m betting on sequels. That though aside, I loved Rayce. He was a complex character battling the kind of guilt that would’ve incapacitated some people—like Rose noticed herself—but turned him into someone strong, someone with a purpose. I loved that about him. He reminded me a bit of another favorite character of mine, Stefan from The Vampire Diaries, in the way he channeled his guilt into this need to protect everyone around him and was willing to sacrifice everything for the ones he cared for. It’s such a great trait in a hero and so hard to do while looking genuine. For me, it worked here.

As you can see from this long review, Gardens of Thorns was a pleasant surprise. I expected to like this book because the blurb sounded intriguing enough, but I thought it was richer than I had anticipated. The writing, the characters and the messages make this a book definitely worth reading. I hope there’s a book two coming my way soon.

I really tried to connect to these characters and this story, but I just never got there. Throughout the book everything felt a bit stilted and lukewarm. I felt like I should be feeling deep emotions, but I never actually felt them. The most emotional part of this book, for me, was the Garden. I just wanted that entire situation to be treated with more gravity. I don't know. I feel like the girls' time there was never really addressed properly. I wasn't feeling the romance at all. And the world building left a little to be desired. Overall I just felt totally disconnected to the story and characters and therefore it was hard to care what they were going through. The concept was a unique idea, and I appreciate that.

For libraries with a strong YA dystopian demand. This was okay, the plot started abruptly and then dragged a bit.

Couldn't get into the story, wasn't my cup of tea!

In an asian cultured universe that mixes the ancient world and futuristic and magical technology, Rose is a slave arial dancer in a twisted horror show called The Garden. She is there under fear and force, where she hides her big secret and tries to keep herself and her adopted sisters alive. When the opportunity presents itself, she makes a break for it, right into the arms of the head of the imperial rebellion. Desperately trying to save her sisters, Rose will do absolutely anything to get back to them.
I found Garden of Thorns to be interesting in a weird way. It took what felt like asian culture and meshed it with just a sprinkle of sci-fi using things like blasters. It was disgustingly violent, and to a degree it was not beneficial to the story. The novel starts off with gruesome violence and sprinkles more throughout the novel, almost as if it was trying to simulate intensity by throwing in gruesome content, but it felt artificial and forced. Not all of the violence and death was even truly addressed in the plot or by the characters. It would be mentioned then quickly glossed over, never to be brought up again. All in all, "meh" is the best way I can describe Garden of Thorns, and I give it the rating of THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!

What a fantastic read! I loved the writing in this story and the characters of Rose and Rayce were both equally captivating. The story grabs you from the get go as the reader learns about Rose and the garden (basically a slave burlesque group). Rose has a desire for freedom but is bound to her wilted Fern. Her love for Fern is what motivates her actions and she ends up in a situation where she attempts to capture Rayce but instead ends up finding something she never expected to find with a man. This is a story of rebellion and fighting for what is right. It is a story of a young woman who must face her past to move forward so she can learn to trust and love again. This is a story of strength and courage and fighting against those that hold others down. Mitchell wrote a beautiful story with far more depth and layers to it than I initially anticipated. The ending worked but left me hoping that the story continues!

This book definitely had some unique elements that made it an entertaining read. I was intrigued by the idea of the Garden with the Flowers who dance and the Wilted who receive their punishment. If anything I wish the book had spent more time in this phase of the book, before Rose attempts to make her escape, to give more details about the other girls in the troupe and her daily life. I also found the technology development by the rebels based on Zarenite to be something that really caught my interest, and made me wonder if there is a sequel what the author would have them develop next. I like how the author integrated how Rose starts to heal emotionally after the trauma of the Garden, through her interactions with the other characters and her new experiences. The only issue I had was in the beginning of the book it took me awhile to understand the political situation between different kingdoms and what nationality was what, and it would have been easier to get into the book if it had been explained more clearly.

I received a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm hovering between 3.5-4 stars.

The beginning (the first 30%) was SO GOOD. Seriously, I had no doubt I was going to rate this 5 stars. It was immediately gripping - I felt for the heroine so much and my heart just ached for her. Unfortunately it lost a bit of momentum for me - mostly because the heroine did WAY too much thinking about the love interest was amidst all the more important things going on. Regardless, the plot was really fun and I still recommend the book!

Basically Rose is the 'star performer' of the Garden - a traveling burlesque full of girls who've been kidnapped/captured and forced into the rouse. It's horribly sad and quite graphic how everything is written (in no way is it romanticized or glorified - but be aware.) The garden master keeps the girls in line by harming the 'wilted' girls - girls who are raised alongside of the performer girls.

Anyway, after a horrific tragedy that I won't mention, Rose realizes she must escape so that she can find a way to free the rest of the girls. During a performance in front of the emperor, she ends up taking someone hostage - not realizing he's the ex prince and leader of a powerful rebellion.

That all happens within the first few chapters so the book starts off VERY intense.

Some of the highlights for me were the magic system (totally unique and looks super cool in my head) AND the book takes place in a fantasy nation that I believe was inspired by a mix of Japanese and Chinese cultures (I'm not an expert and I could be wrong but according to the terminology/descriptions, this is what it seemed like.) And Rayce, the former crown prince, was pretty much wonderful all around.

*Minor spoilers below - nothing big*

Rose ends up joining the rebellion, mostly because she wants to convince them to help rescue her friends. Things get pretty interesting as they are sent on missions. The pacing was really great all around. I also loved the fact that Rose's secret was obvious and the author didn't try to make it a big reveal. It was never meant to be a plot twist - she lets the reader piece it together it in Rose's thoughts without a major 'aha' moment.

Let me be clear... this is a fantasy romance. It is the main focus (at least it is a semi slow burn). I'm not really one to complain about that if it's done well - and even though I loved Rose as a character, I got reaaaally tired of her overanalyzing her feelings towards Rayce. Even amidst major scenes, she was thinking about him WAY too much. It didn't even really line up with her character because she wasn't petty or whiny at all. Some writing advice I received myself was to not 'think too much for your reader' and I believe this is what was happening here.

The whole 'garden' aspect was so unique (and heartbreaking). Mitchell's storytelling was phenomenal and she definitely knows how to break your heart. While there were several creative elements, the main plot line wasn't exactly anything new after the last 50% but I still enjoyed it. I'm glad I read it and I'd totally read another book by Amber Mitchell.