Myra Whitlock, a young painter with a unique gift of altering people's bodies, is in desperate need of finding her parents for the sake of her and her younger sister. Through a work project she was working on, the Governor's wife notices her hidden talent in which she is willing to expose in exchange to save her son's life. Myra is at risk and willing to help to hopefully obtain the money she is offered to complete the special portrait she demands. Once she arrives to the mansion, she slowly comes to realize that she is getting deeper into what she has bargained for.

This is a great novel for readers that love to figure out a mystery with a unique twist of fantasy from the main character. The art incorporated into the character's resource is something new to hear as well. Looking forward to hear a book two for Myra on how she will continue to use her talent to help herself and others.

This book had it all! Intriguing magic (super unique magic as well!), forbidden romance, strong sisterly bonds, a house full of dark secrets and a murder mystery! I was invested from the beginning! The plot is non-stop action but not at the expense of the excellent writing. I loved how gothic the atmosphere felt while juggling the murder mystery plot, sickness and danger around every turn! The way the house was described as well the more "gory" scenes sent chills down my spine in the best way! All I can hope is that there might be a sequel!

I really enjoyed this one. It has an interesting magic system, some beautiful descriptions, and a thrilling murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

Bonus: one of the characters suffers from anxiety, and his descriptions of it hit home for me, as did his frustrations with others who don't understand, and think that it's something that one just has to push through. It was incredibly refreshing not only to see that kind of representation, but to have it handled in such a relatable and realistic way, and not wrapped up in toxic positivity.

I read Forgery of Roses to the 20% mark but ultimately had to pass on it. The story was intriguing but there were so many details and info dumping that it pulled me away from the actual story. In between dialogue would be tedious explanations for paragraphs just to jolt me back into the story. When this happened I was left confused because I had forgotten what the characters were discussing. I didn't want to force myself to read any further knowing I had to get through another 80% of details and explanations so the best decision was to set it aside.

I really loved this one! Olson has a way of writing that absolutely captures your heart, and this one was no exception. I fell in love with the characters, the world, and the relationships. This was one of those books you dread finishing, because it means you have to leave the world its created. Even after I turned the last page, i refused to believe that was the end, because I wanted more.

Although it's hard to pin down a favorite, the thing that made this so heartbreaking has to be the bond between Myra and Lucy. They were so close, and their bond was so beautiful. What made it even better was that it was the focus of this book. This wasn't a romance, no. This was about the bond between family, and how far one will go to keep it alive. It was beautifully written, and possibly one of my favorite book pairs ever.

Another thing I really loved was the magic system. Like Sing Me Forgotten, it took an ordinary idea and flipped it completely. The portrait magic was so nuanced, yet easy to understand. It was thought through so well, and i loved picturing Myra's portraits. In a world full of fantasies using the same premise for magic, this was a welcome escape.

Finally, I loved the way this ultimately resolved. It wasn't the perfect ending, it was far from it. It even made me angry. But it was the best possible ending for this. Anything else would've felt like a cheap escape. It was an open ending, which I both loved and hated. I wanted more, but at the same time, I was happy with where it left off. It tormented my emotions in the best way possible, and even now, I'm struggling to untangle them.

After Sing Me Forgotten, I knew I wanted to pick this one up as fast as possible. I put it off for a little while, but here I am. Captivated by this masterpiece, and craving Olson's next book.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Loved it!!! This was very unique and I loved the whole aspect of everything!
This was a wild ride with all the magical elements that you love in a great fantasy book along with the murder mystery you crave! Soo Maya has this incredible gift of painting, and while that alone is a great gift but her paintings are soo much more! Maya's paintings have a way of coming alive, and while this is an amazing gift. If knowledge to the wrong people of her abilities it would definitely cause an upstir for people wanting to use her gift for power.
Now, this is where things get messy. Maya teams up with the governor's son and the governor's wife finds out her gift and basically blackmails her into painting her deceased son. To bring him back to life or the Governor's wife will expose her for everything she can do. While if Maya was only worried about herself this threat may not have done all it did but because Maya is taking care of her sickly sister because her parents disappeared Maya had to try to complete the painting or risk exposure of her gift! The setting and plot of this book were amazing! I loved the whole fantasy aspect mixed with the mystery, that was something unique and I loved it! Definitely an author I should check out to see if she has more books! If you loved the Jack the Ripper series then this is something right up your alley! Thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the extraordinary opportunity to read and review this book!

I first wanted to read this because the premise was so interesting and the cover was really attractive. it checks all the boxes for the fantasy genre and the magic system is really inventive.

This book was way more than I thought it was going to be. This was such a unique story, and I was so sucked in that I ended up reading it in one sitting.

The writing is atmospheric and it had some Jack the ripper vibes with some magic tossed in. It was a little on the spooky side, but it was just the right amount of spooky. Towards the end I felt like it became predictable .. and than it was not at all. I definitely did not see that extra twist coming. I loved the family dynamics with the sisters and how far she will go to save Lucy.

I definitely recommend this book.

While this book took me a few chapters to get into, I am really glad that I did. It starts off a little slow and depressing with a lot of descriptions, But after a little while it really picks up and becomes such an easy read. There were a few times that I actually felt like jumping and the thrill of the story really captured my complete attention. I loved the details and the imagination of the author throughout the book. I am not an artist at all but I could imagine the paintings coming together simply from the descriptions in the text. The book is such a unique idea and I loved how the author not only included the challenges of the main character but of the side characters as well. It was nice to see a book touch upon the challenges of a chronically ill child, anxiety, mental illness and the sacrifices people make for those they care about. The ending actually threw me (which very rarely happens) and I was shocked. It did feel like it wrapped up a little quickly but I also can't think of another way that it could have ended. For anyone contemplating this book, I would recommend it. Despite the beginning being absolutely necessary to set the stage, I wish that there was a hook in there to capture the reader's attention right from the start. Even something as simple as a prologue with a part from deeper in the story that leads to a flashback of how it all started. I would hate for readers to pass up this book. I am ultimately glad that I powered through the first few chapters to get to the wonderful story beneath.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really interesting and kept my attention. I wasn't a big fan of the religion and the political info dumps in the beginning. Once we got to the main story, it was really good and I enjoyed it. I didn't see the twists coming at all. I definitely recommend this Mystery/Thriller Fantasy! All of the opinions and views are my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Jack the Ripper meets Dorian Gray in this atmospheric and dazzling ya novel.

Mara is the caretaker of her little sister after the disappearance of their parents. She has also been handed down the ability from her mother to heal with her painting. So, when she is commissioned by the governor’s wife to paint the woman’s son Will back to life, she takes the job because she and her sister are struggling. With her sister so sick, Mara has no other options.

But mystery swirls around the events leading up to Will’s death and Mara cannot help but try to get to the bottom of it, especially considering it will help her immensely in her endeavor if she knows just what happened to the young man.

The governor’s other son August catches her eye immediately. She feels a connection with the boy who is determined to help her see to the truth. But nothing is at it seems and with twists at every turn, Mara is at a race against the clock to find answers before her own life is at stake. More deaths occur and danger spikes while Mara searches for answers, including the mystery surrounding what happened to her own parents.

This was such a dark and intriguing read. I will admit that I didn’t see some of the surprises coming in this one and I love when that happens. I loved Mara’s strong character and her unwavering love for her sister. This was a solid mystery with well crafted characters and a vivid backdrop.

A fantasy murder mystery romance - this novel has it all.

The novel follows Myra, a young painter, who has the gift to be able use her art to change reality. Know as a Prodigy, she lives in fear that her power will be discovered and that she will be persecuted or even disappear like many others before her. What makes this possibility even more scary is that she is the sole provider for her ill little sister after her parents disappeared. Faced with limited options, Myra takes on a commission for a painting for the anti-Prodigy Governor’s wife and gets pulled into mystery, life threatening situations, and a little bit of slow burn romance.

4 stars. I loved how this novel kept me at the edge of my seat trying to figure out the who/what/how of the mystery knotted up with the Prodigy. I also thought the slow burn romance was paced just right throughout the novel. Myra and her sister, Lucy, were easy characters to fall in love with and cheer on through their struggles. I felt the author could have spent more time providing additional depth to the members of the Governor’s family (besides August) as those characters felt very one dimensional to me -- they were awful people and that was it.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. It was a great, quick read with an original and interesting magic system, good mystery and romance.

Review based on digital Advanced Reader’s Copy from Net Galley and Inkyard Press.

This was SUCH a fun read. I am a big fan of standalone fantasy novels. I also really appreciated how unique this magic system was. The connection of art and magic was really interesting to learn the rules for. Myra was such a passionate and dedicated protagonist who just wanted to keep what is left of her family together. August's character development felt appropriate as well. The world building was light so this was a really approachable fantasy story for people who don't often read fantasy - it felt really accessible.

This novel was nothing like I had expected! I'd been under the mistaken impression that it was a fairy tale retelling, so this story advertised as a cross between Stalking Jack the Ripper and The Picture of Dorian Gray was a tremendous surprise, one that I enjoyed.

I have not read fiction based on the Ripper murders, but I know the real history sufficiently well to not be lost, and not being a fan of murder/mystery fiction I was apprehensive once I realised what this book was about. It was the magic system that saved it for me and got me engrossed in the plot. You see, some years back, I had read a couple of Fantasy books that had a magic system I found original and intriguing, and I'd lamented back then that there weren't more books with this kind of magic system for me to devour: the ability to alter reality through painting. Just imagine it, a painter draws a picture on a canvas and the magic-infused oils will change and create and alter reality according to what's painted on the canvas by the artist. Leonardo could change the flesh-and-blood lady posing for the Mona Lisa in whichever way he fancied! Fascinating, but also frightening, isn't it?

That's the ability Myra Whitlock has in "A Forgery of Roses," and it could cost her her life were she to be found out by the wrong people. People interested in (mis)using her talent for their own ends with absolute disregard for ethics and morality. People who ask of her the impossible, what no Prodigy, as the magical painters are called here, has ever been able to achieve: play God, so appropriately called the Artist in this world, and both create and restore life.

There's more of Ripper than of Dorian Gray in this book, as Myra has to play a delicate game of trying to please the powerful people that can have her and her sickly sister brought to a better life after the destitute state they're left in, or kill them both. Along the way, she becomes close with the Governor's oldest son as they team up to try and solve the mystery behind a series of disappearances connected to the artists in the city, and an apparent murder. I was glad to see that people afflicted by extreme anxiety are represented in a sensitive and realistic way here, too; it's not something I'm used to seeing in Fantasy.

The only bad part was that I was able to guess the solution to the mystery too early, one of the reasons I don't enjoy mysteries anymore. But don't worry, it's not blatantly obvious and you'll still enjoy the ride. I sure did in spite of guessing right early, because Olson weaved an engrossing yarn. However, I have to mention that I wasn't thrilled at all by the ending, and not because of the events that take place there but because its conclusion is on an open-ended cliffhanger that's tooting a second volume. Whilst it's true that there are questions yet to be answered, those weren't so pressing that they needed a series to address them, and the book could've wrapped up perfectly as a standalone with only a few adjustments and additions. The mystery wrapped up just fine, in my opinion, and I'm not sure I'd want another volume.

Plot: I loved how the plot of this was both a fantasy, a romance, and a mystery I managed to guess a couple plot twists, but there were others that completely took me by surprise, which was fantastic! (The whole book was awesome, but the last third was so good!!) I personally think this book can stand alone, BUT after that ending, I would absolutely love another book!

Characters: Myra was a great main character, and her love for her family was so nice. I thought the relationship between Myra and August was adorable!

The Cover: I like it!

Overall: Oh my goodness, I loved this book!! This was the first fantasy I’ve read in awhile, and it’s reminded me why I love the genre so much. I highly recommend reading it when it releases next year!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

A Forgery of Roses is a is a wonderful and incredibly rich fantasy novel, so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, and the characters.

This novel submerges the reader in a landscape so imaginative and detailed that the information of the world building/plot never feels forced, and is never difficult to understand or picture in one's mind. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

Wow! What can I say blew me away! I can see this book as a best seller! Incredible!! Great story line, great characters, awesome, incredible plot. There had to be more!!! Give me more!!

The imagery and storytelling are amazing. This book was fast paced and hooked me from the first page. The plot was so interesting and original. I loved the characters and the development of the story. An overall great read!

A Forgery of Roses is a wonderfully fresh, addictive YA fantasy full of darkness, magic, mystery, and romance.

What I loved about this book is it felt different from the young adult fantasy I'd read lately. Nothing felt glossed over or too easy: Myra is a scrappy, smart heroine with the secret power to heal and change lives through her painting, and she lives in poverty with her ill younger sister, Lucy. Myra works hard and makes tough decisions.

There's a central whodunit mystery that I loved: Myra is asked to raise someone from the dead, but in order to do it, she has to understand how they died. She works together with August, a governor's son above her station -- a great hero who is shy and indecisive, and the two of them grow together.

Overall this was a fantastic read and I'm going to check out Olson's previous novel, Sing Me Forgotten. The only piece that was missing for me was a bit of world-building: while Myra referred to their religion and their god often, and there was a vague sense of painters being persecuted, I wanted to know more -- the sense of a larger world never solidified for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with a review copy.

The storyline was interesting but the characters were uninspiring. The main character was so naive at times and her motivations were hard to understand. Even though there was plenty of action to keep the plot moving, much of the time the dialogue felt forced. I give the characters and dialouge two stars and the concept, action, and pacing four stars. I will recommend this book to patrons who like stories involving magic and/or romances with a gothic feel. However, I liked Sing Me Forgotten by by the same author much better.