Spoiler free review

This book sold me at titanic. Come on, a titanic mystery book!? Of course I had to pick it up. The poppy and the rose has two separate timelines, one during the time of the titanic and one in modern time. I found myself being intrigued to solve the mystery and eager to learn more about Ava’s story. I’m new to books by Ashlee and this absolutely swept me away. I will definitely look into reading more books by her.

-PLOT-
The story starts with Taylor trying to find out who a mysterious girl is that is with her dad, in a photograph she found. Taylor moves to Oxford for a summer journalism course. She there meets Nathaniel and Mae Knight who claims to know Ava’s father and knows who the woman is. Taylor gets Ava’s memoir and starts reading it. There we meet out second perspective of Ava, a photographer who’s life changes on the titanic. Soon reading into the story we get more information on Ava’s life on the titanic and really get to know her character so vividly through the pages. PLOT: 5/5

-SETTING-
The book is set in Oxford and an old house for Taylor and the titanic for Ava. I loved the titanic and the book described it quite well. I liked the mood the story created through the setting. SETTING: 4/5

-WRITING-
One of the first things I noticed right from the first chapter was the poetic writing. I especially liked Ava’s point of view who I think the book more focuses on. For Taylor there wasn’t much vibrant personality to her in the writing so I think thats where it lacked a bit. The rising action part really didn’t start till around 70% of the book so from 0-60% ish it wasn’t that fast of a pace. Overall the writing was pretty good. WRITING: 4/5

-CHARACTERS-
In the end the characters were developed well. Ava’s story was told really good and I liked how her character learns and we get to see all her personality. But I kind of think Taylor didn’t have as much depth into her and her only purpose was really only to solve the mystery. I still liked her ambition. I adored our Shakespeare loving character Dalia and I wish there were more scenes with her in it. I did also like Nathaniel and Caleb too. I thought that the romance in The poppy and the roses was cute and fun. CHARACTERS: 4/5

-CONCLUSION-
Do I think you should read The poppy and the rose? Yes! If you like the titanic, mystery, dual povs, historical fiction I think you should read this. This book I believe is YA but I think all ages can read this book!

Reviewed 11/17/2020
I’ve requested and received an e-book copy of this book via netgalley. Thank you to the author, Owl Hollow, and Netgalley!

While I was very interested in the plotline of the book, as I love mysteries as well as historical fiction, I had a hard time feeling engaged with the story and ended up not finishing the book about 1/3 of the way through.

The beginning was quite promising and I was certain I would enjoy the story. However, my interest began to wane after the first couple chapters. I'm not sure if it was the ghost element that just didn't do it for me, or if it perhaps felt a bit juvenile... Admittedly, I didn't realize this was a YA book prior to beginning reading. Reflecting back on it, I certainly think it would appeal more to a younger demographic.

Also, I think the cover design is quite beautiful.

DNF'd about a third of the way through. I really wanted to like this, as I am a Titanic enthusiast, and thought I would have a lot in common with Taylor and her own fascination with Ava's story. Unfortunately, the language really got to me, and it was a little too pretentious and poetic for my taste.

This book originally interested me because I am a completer sucker for mysteries. However, I only really enjoy mystery books if they have a strong plot filled with twists and turns throughout the whole book.

This book started off strong, with plot twists within the first 30 pages that did leave me wanting to turn the pages to see what happens next, needless to say, I was intrigued. But then things took a turn when I realized that this book has multiple points of view. Normally, I won't put a book down it there is more than one POV, but it is definitely not something I enjoy in a book and I think it something that has to be executed very well for me to enjoy the book. Unfortunately, the POVs in this book made everything more confusing for me, and half the time I was getting lost as to who was telling the story and waiting until we got back to the main character or plotline. I felt like the plot fizzled out, and suddenly we were jumping back and forth at almost every chapter and I could not keep my interest up.

I was hoping that this book would be enjoyable, as it has some seemingly interesting themes to it and some that I usually enjoy, but it ultimately lost its charm about a quarter of the way in.

Actual rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

“Death can take a lot of things, but it can’t take your memories.”

The Poppy and the Rose was such a surprise!! I was a little hesitant to read it because of all the mixed opinions about but thank goodness I took the chance to read it!

The book is all about Taylor and Ava. Taylor belongs to the year of 2010 while Ava is from 1912. Taylor follows Ava’s story, specifically her experiences in Titanic, and tries to find the connection between Ava’s story and her own life.

I LOVE the movie Titanic. And I also liked to read about the history of the real Titanic. Reading this book gave me soooo many emotions. It was beautifully written, and even though you have the movie Titanic to compare it to, the book remained to be unique. I knew what happened to Titanic in the end but reading about it in this book still made my heart ache. It gives you a different side to the whole story of the sinking of Titanic (I know it’s just fiction, but it was really interesting.)

The missing 0.5 stars is because I still can’t decide how I feel about Taylor’s part. I know I’ll still love the book even without her part, but I don’t think I want her part to be removed either lol. I’m still confused about her.

This definitely made my list of 2020 fave reads!

With a promising description, I was certain I would like this book! Between a rendition of the sinking of the Titanic, and a mystery, jumping between timeline, it seemed like it couldn't fail, but yet I was somehow wrong.
While the beginning was promising, an interesting set up with likeable characters and sprinkling mystery elements into the narrative, I was pulled into the story pretty quickly. It wasn't until getting about 30% in that the story started to fizzle out for me. I found myself feeling reluctant to pick up the book, and only reading a chapter a day for the final 2 weeks of working on it.
Somewhere in the middle the plot got a bit convoluted, and just when I would begin to feel interesting in a timeline the chapter would end and it would switch, making me lose interest all over again. The twists and turns also needed a bit of refining, so overall while I though I would give this at least a 3.5* upon further reflection I feel sorry to say this ended up being a 2* for me.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me a free copy for an honest review.

The Poppy and the Rose is one of those books that is just a hidden gem. It follows the tale of two girls: Ava Knight, teen heiress and budding photographer who boarded the Titanic in 1912, and Taylor Romano, a girl still reeling from her father's death who arrives at Oxford for a summer journalism program only to attract the attention of Lady Mae Knight. When Lady Mae unexpectedly passes away, Taylor finds herself at Meadowbrook and discovers a journal containing Ava's story. As the doomed voyage takes sail, Lady Ava finds herself confronted with a family legacy filled with deceit, and in the throes of a prophecy not just foretelling the Titanic's doom--but possibly the entire world's. Taylor and Ava's conjunctive stories make the past meet the present, and unravels a generations long secret that could change everything both young women know about themselves, their families, and the society in which they live.
I was not expecting this book to delight me as much as it did, but it did so and more. I loved the amount of historical research and detail Cowles infuses into this story and how she brings to life both fictional and nonfictional characters whose lives were irrevocably changed by the doomed Titanic voyage. I also feel under the enchantment that is Cowles's writing style, something about it is just so subtle and melodic yet very poignant as she goes through this story. As I got deeper and deeper into the book, I just had to know more and by the end I couldn't get enough. The ending itself was really satisfying too. The Poppy and the Rose is a story of two young women whose lives and worlds are changed by tragic loss, and their journeys as they try and make sense of the secrets those losses left behind. This tale deals with so many themes, including the aftermath of trauma, grief, family secrets, socioeconomic inequality and the lengths people will go to for power.

This book started off strong but definitely lost itself along the way. I found myself more interested in the present story line and couldn’t figure out why she blew off a scholarship to England to pursue a mystery. I wanted a deeper ending for the Titanic story line. It left me wanting more

This review was also posted on my blog http://reviewsofyabooks.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-poppy-and-rose-by-ashlee-cowles.html and Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3602753967

Quick Thoughts

I feel like I took a chance on this book because I don't often read books that tell a story across time, but I am so glad that I took that chance. This book was fantastic. The storytelling was wonderful and I liked all of the characters.

My only small bit of criticism is that the story takes a while to get going, but the slow pace issue is saved by the writing style. The writing was so smooth and full of beautiful lines that I almost didn't mind that the story took awhile for me to get into.

The settings of both England and the Titanic were described so nicely, and the emotions of the characters felt so authentic that I truly felt like I was inside the story.

The twists at the end were very good, and I was satisfied with the ending as a whole.

Overall, The Poppy and the Rose was a beautifully written and emotional story, that's worth the read despite the slow start. I think I would recommend this book to teens who are maybe slightly older, as the story does cover the sinking of the Titanic. Because of that, I would recommend that those who may be uncomfortable reading about mass death stay away from this book.

This was a wonderful book! I love books with dual timelines, and this one was woven together very well. It handled the subject of the Titanic very beautifully, and I really liked the ending. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes historical fiction. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

i loved the use of mystery and the Titanic, the characters felt like real people and I enjoyed getting to know them. It was a beautifully told story and I look forward to more from the author.

The Poppy and the Rose is a fantastic YA mystery. The main characters are Taylor in modern times and Ava whose story is also being told. While Taylor is trying to figure out a family type mystery involving her dad she starts to read Ava's account of the Titanic sinking. I really loved the alternate chapters, it makes the story flow nicely. The characters are well written and the author did a lot of reseacrh into the Titanic which makes the story very believable. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author, she really tells a wonderful tale.

Book Review for The Poppy and the Rose by Ashlee Cowles
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

So while reading this book I got totally swept away with the characters, we had present day Taylor, an investigative journalist student. And Ava recounting her time on the titanic through a memoir. The two girls shared similarities within their personal life and when Taylor finds Avas memoir she must work out why it’s been left for her and the connections that tie Past and present.

I was confused In a good way for most of the book as I wanted to understand how the two very different lives linked together.

The historical portion of the book was extremely well written and although fictional did include real characters from the era and true facts.

The author did a fantastic job into the research and had some really fascinating facts about the Titanic and the 1st and second world wars.

About 80% the book really comes together and all the mysteries are connected and understood.

This book is very different to a lot of retellings out there and I thought it was very clever and well executed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

SYNOPSIS
In 2010 Taylor goes to England for a journalist program. She meets Lady Knigth, a woman who might knows secrets about Taylor's father. When Taylor arrives at the next day she discovers that Mae has died.
She finds a book in Mae's bedroom. It's a memoir about a young lady named Ava who survived at the Titanic in 1912.

In 1912, Ava meets three persons whom will influence in her travel through the Atlantic.

Taylor reads Ava's story and finds out that the link between Ava’s past and her own are connected.

OPINION
I thought this wasn't my type of reading. But I enjoyed it a lot.

This book has history, drama, love, family secrets and so many things that makes it perfect.
The story is related from the point of view of the two main characters, Ava and Taylor, in two different times. And this is a thing I loved to read.

Another good thing I enjoyed is the fact I could see the Titanic's sink from another perspective.

Finally, I loved the fact that many of the characters are inspired by real people. This gives it realism to the book.

I recommend this book for those who wants to enjoy a historical book but in a no boring way. It's very interesting learning in a narrative way.

Initial Thoughts

I was bummed that I didn’t get to read this book before release day but, I’m so glad that my forever buddy reader @lianne_the_bibliophile and I decided to make this our next pick. I loved the idea of historical fiction mixed with a modern twist.

Some Things I Liked

Independent storylines. I really enjoyed that these main characters had their own stories with plenty of parallels. I liked the idea of each of them telling their own story and being so similar without feeling repetitive.
Cute and subtle romance plots. I also liked that the author managed to write two subtle but very believable romance plots into these stories. I loved both Caleb and Nathaniel and would read more about their adventures if given the chance.
A sprinkle of the supernatural. I loved that there was a very slight nod to historical fantasy / supernatural elements in this story. It was not the focal point of the plot but it made for an interesting addition.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

The two main storylines did not converge in a meaningful way until very late in the book. As much as I loved each storyline individually, I felt that they were almost entirely independent for most of the story. It was hard to see both characters as part of a larger plot without that element. I wish we had seen them connect sooner than we did.

Series Value

This story feels very Lara Croft – Tomb Raider meets National Treasure in the investigative journalism sense. I can easily see Taylor going on more adventures and I’d like to think that Ava and Mae had more adventures that they documented and Taylor could relive. I would read more of their adventures if Ashlee Cowles wanted to write them.

Furthermore, I am interested to read more of Ashlee Cowles’s writing. I enjoyed the writing style here and the characters were very engaging.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and I loved the historical fiction mixed with modern contemporary elements.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok – if you enjoyed the idea of a historical fiction story with a sprinkle of the supernatural, try this series.
The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill – if you liked the historical side of The Poppy and the Rose, try this standalone mystery.

I wanted to choose some young adult novel to read in October and this one strikes me at first sight. The synopsis was very interesting promising both mystery and historical fiction. Topics that aren’t your usual cup of tea.
The story is told by two points o f view: Ava Knight in 1912 and Taylor in 2010.
I loved Taylor point of view, the mystery about her father and the lovely and colorful characters that she met in Oxford. I’m such a big fan of OXFORD since I’ve read A discovery of witches pretty much I wanted to go there to study anything and this teen gets a summer Journalism program pretty much for free… you gotta love that books exists!
It was well paced and the two POV makes everything more exciting to read, letting the mistery unfold in the very last part of the novel.
Like the author saids in her review: I love Titanic and historical facts, I love intrigue, I love romance and I love mystery in the good old England that looks like Downtown Abbey so I’m going to rise my 3.5 Oxford stars up to four in goodreads, because this book deserves it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. This is such a great premise for a book. It is told in 2 timelines and that was well done. It grabbed me in the beginning but somewhere along the way, it lost that excitement. It tied together nicely but by that point, I really didn't care too much.

The Poppy and the Rose by Ashley Cowles is perfection. I enjoy books set in the present and the past. The character development and storyline kept me interested throughout the entire book. While I did like Ava’s story a bit better than Taylor’s story, the book is one I will recommend to anyone who will listen.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this book, and will be seeking out the author's other novels.

Taylor is a teenage girl who has recently lost her father, and confused about her mother's reaction to his death. He has left behind a bit of a mystery, as there is a photo of him and a strange woman and a small key on a necklace. Taylor follows the clues to England, and learns the stories of Mae, a 100-year-old benefactor, and Ava, a young woman who survived the Titanic. The story then splits between Taylor, who is trying to solve the mystery of her father's secrets as well as the location of Mae's will, while reading Ava's story. Ava is on the Titanic with her father, whom she thinks is having an affair, and she has made a bargain with a stranger to follow the movements of a woman who claims to have foretold the unfolding of a great war.

I loved Ava's story, and understood her motivations for almost everything she did. I could not relate to Taylor as much, as she really made some dangerous decisions that could have put her in harm's way, in a way that seemed unrealistic even for a book that needed the story to move. Regardless of that, I rooted for her. The author's portrayal of other characters kept me guessing as to their motivations, and I kept going back and forth as to who I thought "did it," so to speak.

Great book! Interesting facts about the Titanic were included.