4,5 stars

I had never read anything written by Olivia Wildenstein but this book won’t be my last, beginning with the second book of this series! I love her writing and the tense undertone she’s conveyed throughout the story. Her plot is solid with new characters and secrets added progressively all helping to make me read page after page.

I must confess I was first attracted by the pretty cover. I love gorgeous covers and this one fits the role perfectly. Then I read the blurb and it seemed right up my alley. I love PNR/fantasy and this one promised ancestor’s awakening. Why not give it a chance?
Now I can say I’m a really happy reader as this book had so many ingredients I’m looking for in PNR/Fantasy stories:

-mysteries and secrets. You’ll have them aplenty beginning by who Catori, our main female character is. She’ll be the first surprised.

-old legends resurfacing and disturbing a whole community;

-different fantasy characters (I don’t want to spoil the book so I’ll stay mute on this point) and a developed universe revolving around a quiet small town;

-said quiet won’t last long and soon enough new incomers and events will awaken the sleepy town;

-the writing creating a strained undertone. The story was creeping up on me, leaving my shoulders tense with fingers gripping my book;

-strong characters, well portrayed with some “meat” around the skeleton;

-steady pace. You’ll have adventure but you can breathe between one drama and the next. It’s never boring and the pace is just right for this story.

Catori, our main character is certainly not a doormat nor will she win the contest of any Southern Belle. She is opinionated, strong willed, wary and has built walls around her heart. She can be fiercely protective of her loved ones but she does not love easily. Smart but also reckless at times she has many contradictions: loving fiercely but not willing to be tied yet; mistrustful but following strangers. As she said: “ I decided I had a serious problem with self-preservation. What had happened to the Catori who prided herself on being street smart? Maybe that was my problem: I didn’t seek gratification; I sought thrills. And apparently putting my life in strange men’s hands thrilled me. I was seriously deranged.”

When her mother died a whole new world opened up to her. She was as rational as you can be and what will happen next turns her world on its axis. “Open your eyes, Catori. Open your eyes and look around. Your normal died with your mother.”

She will face everything head on and will adapt to her new reality. Every ordeal will be a blow to her soul but she is determined to protect her father and family at all costs. “Even though my eyes burned, I didn’t cry. My heart had begun to thicken, padding itself with protective layers to weather the chaotic storm raging across my life. I sensed this wasn’t the last death on my horizon. “

Brick by brick Olivia Wildenstein build this fantasy universe introducing us to many side characters, some more important than others, some hiding astonishing secrets but every single one adding one more layer and color to the story. Some don’t like having many characters in a story but I love it when they serve a purpose and help setting the scenery. It worked just really well for me.

I was also delighted as I had blurred or mixed feelings for many side characters. I love nothing more than “grey” characters not Manicheans ones. It makes a story so much more interesting! I did not know if they were friends or foe. Depending on their version of the story I could not help having understanding for them. I came to like these characters just to be unsettled in my beliefs by some of their actions or other ‘s “version of events”. Do I have to root for Catori’s ancestors or “the others”? Who are Catori’s allies and friends really? The jury is still out.

So would I recommend this book? In a heartbeat if you’re looking for an original plot in Fantasy supported by a strong willed heroine and a whole bunch of side characters.

Rose Petal Graves is such a wonderful story. I loved the characters, the story and the world that Olivia created.

Catori is on her way back to her hometown from university to attend her mother's funeral. When Catori and the medial examiner view her mother's body, they find that when she died she was opening an ancient grave, but there was no body inside, just rose petals. Catori refuses to believe that her mother died of a heart attack, and when a strange book arrives at her front door, with her family history, Catori realizes that her mother released a Fairy hunter, who took her life. With the help of the medical examiner, Catori must find the hunter to ensure no one else faces the same death as her mother.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book. Catori was a fantastic main character, while she can be naive at times, she is very caring about her family and friend and has such a strong willed attitude. She is definitely the type of badass female main character that I love to read about.
This book has an alright love triangle. Catori falls in love with both a fairy and a hunter. While I liked both boys, they didn't really stand out that much, and while I do have a favourite, I wouldn't call them a ship.

What I loved most about the book is the world that Olivia created. The setting itself, and it's history was amazing to read about. The author has definitely put in a lot of time and research to make this world good. Every setting the characters visited were described perfectly, it really makes you feel like you're in the book. And the history created, is so rich that it feels like it could be a real town.

The main reason why I couldn't give this book five stars, was due to the plot line of the story. While there was plenty of small action throughout the book, it didn't feel like there was rising action working its way up to the climax. Heck, I didn't even know I read the climax till I was finished the book. I stopped after and said to myself "Oh? That was it?" It kind of felt like driving over a speed bump rather than up a mountain.
The book definitely had little twists and turns, but the main plot wasn't strong enough to make me fall off my chair from surprise, or stay up till 4 am reading. It was just... okay.

Overall, I would still recommend this book to all fantasy lovers, especially those who love books about fae. The main character and the world are fantastic, as long as you're not an action buff this book should good for you. I cannot wait to continue this series.

This one just didnt work for us. The reader didnt get far enough into it for us to feel comfortable giving it a review.

I loved everything about this book , can't wait until I read more this author

I was excited to read this because it sounded promising but overall I ended up being disappointed, The plot was interesting but I ended up unimpressed, also the main character seemed plain and uninteresting. I'm sorry that I didn't like this book more.

I started Rose Petal Graves a few days ago. I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb and started reading right after I received the copy from Netgalley. I liked the idea of ancient battles between men and faeries and the love story that had been promised.

As I started reading, I soon realized that Cat, the main character was really lost in the world which had revealed itself after th tragic death of her mother. I enjoyed that Rose Petal Graves was a family story. She and her father have a very close relationship. In fact, the whole town seems to have close ties with everyone basically.

I liked that the story was progressing fast and there was never a boring par to this book. Unfortunately, the characters were rather flat in my opinion. There was hinted at a lot of tension between different people and groups, but usually, they were only mentioned in passing which was a shame. I would have like to get to know the characters better.

The romance-y part seemed kind of forced in the beginning because suddenly, there was a kiss and then for a long time nothing. It was a little weird.

The writing style was not to my liking because I don't enjoy reading a book where everything important is conveyed through two characters speaking. I really liked the ideas the author had but I have to say that I did not enjoy the story a lot. I have two stars because I felt that I might be too harsh and the plot was cool.

I can recommend this book to everyone who likes sudden turns of action and doesn't mind characters being a little flat.

*I received this copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to really like this one! I mean that cover is freaking amazing, but I did not like the mc at all. It also felt slow to me.

Wow! All I can say is WOW! I absolutely loved this book. It made me smile, cry and tugged so hard at my heart that it broke.

Enter the world of faes, faehunters and mystical powers. Enter Rowan.

Catori couldn't wait to leave Rowan, the town she grew up in. But when her mother died suddenly she goes back to be with her dad and bury her mom in the town cemetery, which just happens to be in her yard. When she arrives home she finds that things aren't exactly "normal". Her mom has a casket that she recently unearthed from the cemetery in the basement/morgue, but it is full of fresh rose petals.

To uncover the secrets of what is going on she will have to unearth the secrets of her lineage and do it quickly before others close to her die.

I received an advanced eARC from NetGalley.

It is a quite interesting story and a good way to start a series. I really enjoyed how the main character deals with grief and death and how she develops during the story, learning about her ancestors and about the world she's just discovered.
However there are some parts that didn't make a lot of sense (or it didn't to me) and I would've really liked to know more about the fae world.
There's a love triangle and I still don't know how I feel about it, but the romance is a bit insta love-ish.
Maybe the problems I had with this book will be disolved with the sequel so I'll continue with the series because I liked this book enough to do so.
Actual ranting: 3.5/5☆

Olivia Wildenstein’s book is an enchanting work that somehow managed to pull plenty of action and romance into one story of mythical proportions. If her fabulous, and well written storyline isn’t enough to make you fall in love with her, wait until you reach the climatic ending that will leave you drooling for her sequel.

Wildenstein has a real talent for vibrant and fast paced plot lines, detailed character development and picturesque imagery. She’s created this fantastic world of magic along with surprisingly realistic, multi-faceted characters that make the world around you melt away as you become surrounded with only what the author wants you to see and experience.

I loved her writing as she draws you in to the point that you feel the anguish and power emanating from her words in this poignant story about love and family. You just can’t ask for more than what Wildenstein gives.