This book was quite hard to get through in the end. I loved the plot and the worldbuilding but the characters were illogical for plot reasons and I couldn't get a handle on Catori at all. I never knew how she was going to react and it didn't seem like her being so changeable was an intentional thing. The world building and plot with the faehunter ancestors and everything was really interesting and I am glad I finished the book but I probably wouldn't recommend it.

ROSE PETAL GRAVES sounded like something I totally wanted to love, but it just didn't get there.

Catori was actually pretty likable. She had a likable personality and it was very easy to connect with her feelings. Unfortunately, none of the other characters in ROSE PETAL GRAVES pulled me in. I mean, no one could NOT like her dad, but that was about it. I could take or leave all the others.

The romances/love interests fell short for me. There were 3 contenders and I didn't really feel the connection with any of them—and I really hated that Cat jumped from guy to guy so easily. I think there needed to be more development, but it kinda just all felt like it was thrown together at the last minute with the expectation that we would totally get it. I didn't.

The storyline wasn't bad. I enjoyed the Native American and Fae folklore and I thought the ideas behind the plot were original. The ending just was. Nothing was really resolved and it didn't leave me wanting more. I can't say that I would read more, but then again, I haven't ruled it out.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Both the cover and blurb looked really promising, and as soon as I saw mentioned that Rose Petal Graves is basically a mix between myth and fantasy and something between A Court Of Thorns And Roses and Pocahontas, I was sold. Unfortunately, I dont' think the actual story lived up to expectations. Rose Petal Graves started interesting enough and I still like the general idea behind this story (the mix of myth and fantast with fae and fae hunters), but I encountered quite a few problems along the way. The biggest turn off for me was also very much a cliche. Because Rose Petal Graves turned out to be yet another YA fantasy series destroyed by a... yes, you can already guess... a freaking LOVE TRIANGLE!! I've become seriously allergic to them, and this particular case is no different. Too many forbidden love interests and love triangles seriously distracted from the rest of the story, and the fact that the main character (Cat) changes 'teams' constantly doesn't really help either. That leads me to another point: the credibility of the plot and the actions of the main character(s) in general. There were parts I just didn't find credible at all... An example? Why does Cat trust the very same persons that might have hurt her mother? And why does she keep talking to certain characters after she finds out the truth? Thankfully it was a fast read at least and I guess those who don't mind a love triangle or two will probably enjoy this story a lot better.

Let me preface by saying that Rose Petal Graves was not my cup of tea. I was mislead by the description, I despised the main character Catori and I was overwhelmed by all the characters and side plots.

Rose Petal Graves had immediately piqued my because the description reminded me of one of my favorite Buffy episodes. Come to find out though, it wasn't anything like "Pangs" which kinda bummed me out. Also, Rose Petal Graves was quoted as being perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses (A new favorite series of mine) and Pocahontas. This description is super misleading. Yes there's faes and there's Native Americans in Rose Petal Graves, but that doesn't mean it's a book that appeals to fans of both.

I found Catori our MC super annoying and unlikable. She's heading home in the beginning of the book to attend her mother's funeral. Early on she meets this super delicious medical examiner who she immediately falls for. Another guy comes along who she barely knows and is clearly not a good guy and she finds herself falling for him too. I loath triangles and this triangle was worse than most because she barely knows the guys and they're both sort of sketchy jerks.

I don't really know what else to say about this book. The whole Native American/Fae storyline held so much promise but it just wasn't developed enough. The characters were either totally unlikable or totally irrelevant.

Thank you so much for giving me this ARC. Unfortunately this story just didn't jive with me.

Today is the release date so I thought it fitting to get my review in. I stayed up all night reading this book and I am absolutely in love! The blurbs I saw said this book was similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses, which I didn't see at all, and I was a bit glad, as I wanted something different! Catori is a strong lead with a fae storyline. There is excellent history on who she is and where she comes from. The story moved at a fast pace and while it did have lags, I think this was an excellent book to start a series off with and I look forwad to many more. Catori and the way she handles her mother's death and her newfound history will leave you wanting more.

Wow! This book had me go through so many conflicting emotions. I cried, got angry, and even started to feel bubbly from the romantic interaction. Then the last sentence was read and I screamed inside my mind. I swear if this book was an actual copy I would have thrown it! I was completely entranced with this book and couldn't put it down. It's 4:45 a.m. and I'm gonna have a book hangover but it was completely worth it. I liked the uniqueness of the storyline and how the plot thickened with each new chapter. The characters are diverse and have personalities that make them come to life. Even now I still don't know what side I would choose and I think with how the book was written it was planned. Ugh! Now I have no idea when the next book will be out but I will be keeping a look out for it. I won't go into details because I honestly feel it ruins the experience of reading the book but I will say I will be recommending this book to several of my book reader friends. I think this will be a hit and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it.

The cover is BEAUTIFUL, but I wish the material inside matched the greatness of the outside.

So you know when you are getting ready in the morning and your brain switches to autopilot? You’re just going through the motions, not really focusing on what you are doing and then can’t remember if you locked the door before heading out for the day? That’s what reading this book felt like for me.

There were moments where I felt even Wildenstein was confused as to what she was trying to portray. She would throw in or change random setting details or plot points to make the story work. For instance, Cat is in a small town where everyone knows everyone, but then a couple chapters later, she tries to go to the bakery near her home and it’s swarming with tourists? Yeahhhh, not how small towns work. It was like she was trying to just force pieces of a puzzle together to make it fit, but in the end, you’re just left with a mess and no clear image of what the picture should be.

There was also no consistency in the magic system or limitations to what the fae or fae hunters could do. When something needed to happen or Cat needed to be saved, all of a sudden fae hunters could ‘influence’ or force people to do what they wished, fae could cast illusions on anyone, summon fire or even bring someone back to life.

There were also moments that were bogged down in unnecessary details. For instance:

"I returned to my cart and stalked down the aisles, tossing random things inside. My two bags could barely contain my shopping, and when I picked them up, the scratchy fabric handles dug into my skin. I heaved them back into my cart and walked back to the hearse… I opened the trunk and grabbed the first bag. Pinching my shoulder blades together, I hauled it out of the cart and lobbed it inside."

Completely useless descriptions being thrown at the reader. I would have liked less details in some areas and more plot in others. Also, the chapter where this excerpt appears is called, “The Supermarket.” I wonder why….

Now let’s throw in the fact that the main character, Cat, is not very likable. She makes skeptical, rash decisions, is rude to almost everyone she knows, and her ‘emotional’ moments when grieving for those she lost feel superficial and forced. It was near impossible for me to relate to her in any way. I spent half the time asking, “Cat, what the heck are you doing and how are you not dead yet?” And UGH, I get it. If someone isn’t related to Cat, then they’re in love with her. Thanks for pushing the bill on that one cause I really didn’t get it the first thousand times it was iterated.

Her numerous love interests also had no endearing qualities. Cruz, Ace, and Kajika (can we please pause and take a moment to reflect on how unimpressive these names are?) are all one-dimensional and show very little personality. Almost all their moments in the story consist of saving Cat from her stupid decisions, trying to get with Cat, trying to keep other guys from getting with Cat, and info-dumping. But they were all very good-looking, complete with that little curl that sometimes fall into their faces, so I guess they should be forgiven for being dull? NO.

I also picked up on some elements that reminded me of Twilight, which really didn’t help in getting me to like the story. A girl moves back to her small town to help take care of her father when she comes across members of a wealthy family. The members of said family are good-looking, elusive semi-celebrities that most people in town fawn over. Turns out, they’re faeries! (gasp) Cat, the completely-lacking-in-personality small town girl can’t help being attracted to one of the fae though, despite her better judgement and words of warning from the family members. Then, a fae hunter appears, a mortal enemy to the fae, and she is torn between the two of them. Please stop me if this sounds familiar. There are a couple differences, such as fae and fae hunters instead of vampires and werewolves, but the underlying story definitely reeks of Twilight to me.

There was also very little plot throughout the story. Cat is stuck between fae and fae hunters, but ultimately, nothing happened and nothing was resolved. There was very little action, no thrills or excitement, and the whole story was just....lacking. Character development was scarce, and the whole novel was devoid of emotion. There was nothing captivating about this read for me, which is why I struggled to finish it in the end.

*Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Girl comes home to dad. Meets a guy who’s actually a fairy…basically an evil-selfish type of fairy. She starts to like the guy even though they both know their relationship is going nowhere because of duh, circumstances. But still he’s uber hot, rich, and shows up when he’s not wanted. There’s another guy that likes her – but pass they’re just friends, and no matter if he is the only thing normal in her life she just doesn't like him like that. Enter in another guy and he is sort of more human, but still has special powers. What are these powers? He’s a Native American who’s from a clan granted special power to counteract the fairies and keep them in check. And no matter how much he basically tells her to stay away, she still tries to force him to be her friend.

….
I think we’ve been here before. In fact, I know I have been here before.

Edward Cruz and Jacob Kajika are creating a mess in Cat’s life and she’s basically got to choose a life between them, because she’s too involved to turn around and pretend it isn’t happening. Also, she’s dumb and keeps entangling herself more and more between the several century long feud between these families.

Okay, so the book was mostly entertaining. And I mean entertaining in the way that you find shows like Teen Mom entertaining. You know it’s not great content...but you still get sucked into it. Besides the striking similarities to Twilight, there were parts in the book that just seemed too convenient (super powers, portals, long life, mind control) or didn’t even need to be in the book at all (mallow-faerie weed). The book also jumped all over the place we have been thrown modern world elements, fae elements, made up Native American elements, and familiar elements. I sort of felt like we had our fingers in too many pots and was trying to mix them together into a book that might have some meaning.

Our protagonist is a girl who makes awful decisions and just trusts these rando’s with their magic and whatever they’re doing. I mean, what the heck is even happening here? I would think I was a schizo based on everything that I was encountering.

I just couldn’t get with a girl who goes from one guy, then another the next day. That’s just beyond flighty. On top of that, it’s not like she has any REAL connection to either of them. Considering the circumstances, the fact that she’s even attracted to the guys is slightly demented. None of the characters are believable.

The book is named after rose petals in the graves that magically kept these Native Americans preserved in their graves. But that’s it – there’s no other meaning to them. It just makes for a whimsical sounding title. Let’s call the book what it is: Native American Zombie Hunters versus Narcissistic Faeries.

I can’t even put together cognitive thoughts about this book. Gatizogin (that’s made up Gottwa for sorry), but I just didn’t like it. Now while I may rant about the book, you have to remember that I still read it to the end, even with all the other dubious head shakes – that doesn’t mean I intend to read the second book though. Pass.

I'm really sorry but I had to DNF this book. It wasn't terrible - I loved the diversity and the entire plot was something incredibly interesting. I really liked the idea of this Native American story - turned - reality as a story. I also didn't hate Wilderson's writing - it was easy to read and flowed really well.

I had to stop because I realised I wasn't enjoying it. The characters felt flat - Catori has a lot of things happening 'to' her rather than her actively having a role in her own life story. I don't like Catori and Cruz together. Maybe if they'd been in a relationship before and then Catori finds out there's secrets within their relationship it would be different, but as it is - chapter 9, three days after her mother's death, and she's making out with this dude she doesn't trust in the back of his car. I don't know. It doesn't feel right.

There would be interesting moments but then they'd pass and I'd be back to not caring. It's such a harsh review, but it's the truth. There's so much potential here to be brilliant, but I'm not sure it's been handled all too well.

This book is definitely not for me.

3.5 Stars. I will probably continue to read the next few installments as I see potential in this series. However, I may forget about it and that’s not a good thing.
Overview:
Rose Petal Graves is the first installment of The Lost Clan series. It begins as Catori arrives back into the small old town of Rowan for her mother’s funeral. Catori is a descendant from the ancient Gottwa Indian tribe. After her mother digs up a coffin that may have caused her death, Cat now faces beings she didn’t believe to exist. Suddenly, everyone in Rowan is intertwined in the mysterious events that unfold after her mother’s death. Cat ends up on a mythical journey of self discovery, as well as having to save the lives of the rest of her family and friends in Rowan.
Discussion
I found the premise of Rose Petal Graves interesting and I would love to see where it goes. I liked the setting of the story in the old town of Rowan although I wish there was a map of some sort or perception of distance supplied as the characters seemed to go from place to place, which seemed unrealistically close. I really enjoyed the pacing of the book. It is also generally a quick and easy read.
The characters are interesting and I hope we get to know more about them in the rest of the series as I felt there was a lot missing. I really would like to see more of the Faerie and Hunter's world in the upcoming books, especially her mother’s involvement prior to her death. I could do without the love triangles, in fact it was less of a triangle and more of a love web.
My biggest grievance was the cliffhanger or lack thereof. It didn’t leave me wanting more, it didn’t keep me up at night. If there weren’t more graves I would think the book was a standalone.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it lacked the depth and impact to really be great. I think it has potential to be more and I am really counting on the rest of The Lost Clan series to pick it up.

Before Catori, or Cat, moved to Boston to go to college she lived in the small town Rowan next to the town cemetery together with her family. Cat's mother is Rowan's coroner, so Cat's seen her fair share of dead bodies. This doesn't scare her, since she wants to be a doctor herself. The sudden death of her mother makes Cat return home. The medical examiner claims that her mother died of a stroke, but Cat doesn't believe that. Just before her death Cat's mother dug up a coffin. This coffin is ancient and had been buried in their cemetery for many decades. When Cat opens it all she finds are fresh rose petals and an old spell drawn on the inside. Did her mother resurrect a body that was once buried in the coffin?

Cat is a descendant of the Gottwa tribe. She's a hunter and she has no idea. When the medical examiner shows up early at their house Cat notices that there's something off about him. His skin seems to glow and when they touch actual sparks fly. More and more people are coming back to town for her mother's funeral and not all of them have good intentions. When an ancient feud between the Fae's and the hunters is being rekindled once again there is no time to lose. Will Cat be able to separate right from wrong and find out what happened to her mother?

Cat is a girl I connected with straight away. She's fierce, stubborn and strong. She loves her family and friends with her whole heart. I loved her sarcastic comebacks and they made me laugh out loud multiple times. Cat is brave enough to take on the most intimidating creatures without hesitation. She's determined to avenge her mother's death and I admired this about her. She's going through so much pain and horror, but whatever happens she's always still standing and she won't stop until she finds out the truth. I think that Cat is one of the most believable heroines I've read about in a long time.

I love to read about myths and mythical creatures. The vivid details, like the fresh rose petals for example, kept me hooked from beginning to end. I'm always drawn to stories about fairies and Rose Petal Graves didn't disappoint me one bit. It has everything a good story needs to keep the reader intrigued. Olivia Wildenstein has written a mesmerizing story about ancient times coming to life again in the present world. How amazing would it be to find out that there actually is a whole other magical world in existence? I love it when stories make me dream and I absolutely can't wait to read the next The Lost Clan book. I would really like to know how Cat's story continues.

The cover of this book is gorgeous and attracted me to this novel but the story felt disjointed.

The premise was okay--native hunters protecting the world from the fae--it felt very Twilight-esque. While the Native mythology was a plus for me, the characters were, err, not. Cat is an annoying heroine. I couldn't really get behind any of the love interests either.

I read the book in one sitting but I pushed myself to finish it. I will not read the sequel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand the prose and the tone are rich and evocative - I think I was drawn on just by the beautiful language. On the other the MC does inexplicably stupid things when she's supposed to be clever and we don't really get close enough to her to understand why. I did feel that the narrative jumped between plot strands too which detracted from what seemed to be quite an original plot. So I liked it but something was missing for me.

First off I would like to thank Olivia Wildenstein and netgalley for my advanced copy of this MASTERPIECE (pun intended) if you have read any of my reviews you will know that I am the biggest fan of this author, everything she touches is magic. I will be the first to admit that I am not a big fantasy fan nor am I really a YA fan but I loved loved this story.

Catori is a college student who has a life altering experience after her mother’s death. Fae fae hunter? Or human? Who do you trust where does she fit in and what will happen to everyone in her life that can’t keep a secret? The fact that every person and every detail is important makes you pay more attention to the little things and see how they bloom. Catori is stubborn Kajika is just this hard ass with a soft heart and Cruz I have yet to figure out Cruz. But if you have read anything by this author there is always one person that you kind of are left thinking about oh what role will he play or she play. This book has an awesome plot lighthearted banter and quotes that will make you believe in magic or at least in love. Five stars all the way can not wait to see what is next… Let the love triangle or square continue!

Catori's mother died, supposedly of natural causes, but Catori suspects someone (or something) murdered her. As she investigates, she finds herself immersed both in Gottwa mythology and their battle against the Fae. Plus, instalove.

I was pretty disappointed in this book. The premise is interesting, and I always like a good fae story, but this was ... not that. Part of it may be that I prefer well-developed characters. Catori, Blaze, and the others seemed very cardboard-ish. Catori acts in ways that makes no sense at all to me (kissing Cruz next to a dead body is just one example). She has deep connections with her friends and family, but this is explained to us rather than letting us actually feel it.

I also felt uncomfortable with all the Native American mythology. Instead of diversity, it seemed more like cultural appropriation.

Also, sadly, I did not care for any of the Fae. Or the hunters. But the cover was very pretty. Sigh.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Rose Petal Graves by Olivia Wildenstein. Cat returns home from college to a drunk father and her mother's funeral to prepare for. Her mother was Native American and believed in the magical legends of her ancestors. Part of the legends include fae and fae hunters. As the story is told, Cat learns how much her family roots are tied into the faerie world. She loses people she cares about and gains a relationship with others and she also has to resolve some guilt issues. The mix of good and evil and everything in between kept Cat alert and unsure of who she could put her trust in. I like the story and the fae and fae hunter concept, but I am a bit mad at Cat for turning Blake away when she falls for someone with his memories and similarities. It makes me wonder if Blake's injuries were the reason for her distance. I rate Rose Petal Graves 4 stars for a mysterious fantasy story with more to tell!

Despite the pretty cover and interesting synopsis, this book was pretty horrible. And that was mainly because of the main character. I hated her so much. She was just so stupid and annoying. I did not like the other hunters that wake up, but I did love the Fae. They were definitely my favorite. The story itself might have been okay if I could get over how much Catori bugged me, but I just couldn't.

Catori comes home from college when her mother dies for the funeral and to take care of her dad. Her entire life is about to change with the meeting of Cruz who poses as the medical examiner. Turns out that there's more to her and her family history than she ever would have believed and now she's caught in the middle of a reignited battle between the Fae and fae hunters. As she is part both, and can choose to become one or the other, each side wants her to pick them. Neither of which are adverse to using lies and tricks to get her there. Despite everything though, she wants to remain human. I'm sure we'll find out how well that works out in the future, but not me. I'm pretty certain there's no way that I'll read the next book, Catori ticked me off that much.

***I received and ARC through Netgalley***

4.5 stars

I found this book a bit slow in the beginning, it took me a while to really get into it, but once I was in I couldn't stop.
There was a love triangle, which I hate, but even worse, I love both of the guys int he love triangle. I really do. I need to read the next book. I need to see where it goes from here.
I'm a sucker for faeries. I love books with faeries. They're always so good. I loved this authors spin on this classic mythical creature.
For the most part I loved the characters, or at least the ones I was supposed to like. I did have a total hate on for several characters though. No attempt at redemption will save them from my hatred.
Overall, a solid read. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I need to know what happens next.

This book was like candy to my heart. I love it with everything in me, but it is still just a bit unhealthy. I read this book in two very delicious days and it was a whole lot of fun for me.

I enjoyed its offness. The constent setting of a graveyard, the ruffled browning skin of decaying corpses, and the morbid reality that Catori and her father drive a hearse everywhere they go. There was so many places for beautiful imagery to give life to a darkly riviting story, but sadly the lush writing I wished was present didn’t make much of an appearance.

The folk lore, the tribal spell casting, a racial and familial rivalry between two very magical races. There was so much substance in the very idea of this story, but when put into action there were way more instances of telling when I wished to be immersed and shown. There were too many conversations with questions and answers that, while interesting, I wanted the ideas to be shown to me rather then have all the answers given within a conversation.
I also felt as though I didn’t get to know enough about Catori as a character, because I didn’t get to truly live within her as a breathing and wholly alive human being. The most developed character for me was Ace, but that was only because he has such a loud personality and he in a way makes it so you never forget him and I loved that about him. His fierce protectiveness of his mute fae sister. His sarcasm and his ability to look past a persons outer layers really stood out to me and it felt weird to me that he’s the one I think of even though the entire story is told through Catori’s eyes.

I feel like Catori doesn’t really know who she is or who she wants to be, and that hesitance and her tendency to be very unsure makes it harder for me to know her well. I also feel like she alows herself to get involved in romantic situations too quickly and while she is in them she is afraid to commit and it leaves a lot of room to get a lot of people hurt.

As for the love interests, Cruz the handsome Fae, isn’t present long enough for me to know enough about him, but I do like the immpresions he gives off. I think I definitely have a mini-crush on him. Then we have Kajika, brooding and native Kajika. I don’t know what to think about him either, but I like his confidence. He feels a bit of a safer bet, but I can never be sure. I have reasons that would be too spoliery to meantion to further how I really feel about him. You could say I have a mini-crush on him too.

Overall I have to say I wanted more. I still want more. I am definitely looking forward to book 2. I need that piece of candy in my life as soon as possible.