**Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**

Jessica S. Olsen's debut novel, Sing Me Forgotten, was a standout for me. For the better part of a year, I was sure that would be my top book of last year (It came in at #2, just barely beat out for that top spot). So I was REALLY excited to see that she had another book coming out. I think, unfortunately, though, that I was really interested in the first one because I already had a vested interest in The Phantom of the Opera. This one was completely original and the pacing just felt off for me at times.

The book follows Myra, a painter who is something called a "Prodigy". In this world, that means she has magic that allows her to change someone's features or heal someone through painting. Myra is propositioned by the wife of Governor Harris, a very powerful man who detests artists and Prodigies and has run on bigoted views towards them. Their son has died recently and so Mrs. Harris would like Myra to try and paint him back to life. She desperately needs the money to help provide a better place for her and her sister, Lucy, as well as to help Lucy get medical treatment for a mysterious illness, so she agrees. But as she spends more time in the Harris' home, mystery upon mystery pile up. She also starts to develop a romance with their other son, August. This all leads to very dangerous times ahead for Myra.

To begin with, I ADORED how she portrayed Myra and her sister, Lucy. As I have a younger sister who is also my best friend, as well, I related very heavily to the aspects of the book that dealt with Myra and Lucy's relationship and how close they were. It's very apparent that Myra would do anything for Lucy and that Lucy, despite a pretty debilitating illness, would do the same for her sister. That aspect of the book is really strong.

The mystery part is where it starts to fall apart a bit. It took me quite a while to finish this book and that largely had to do with guessing the "big twist" at the end REALLY early on. I'm talking less than 1/3 of the way through, I knew how it was going to end. That kind of takes the wind out of your sails in a 400 page book a bit. I liked the romance Myra was developing with August and I will say between the point I knew and the ending, there were a few more minor twists that I didn't see coming. But overall, the fact that I figured it out so early really bummed me out. I also felt like this lead to pacing issues for me, as it started to feel like the mystery and the romance were being dragged out. There were maybe one or two more red herrings than there really needed to be. The mystery part is what really held me up there.

Overall, I think the writing was still well done. I liked Myra as a character. I liked her tight family bonds, her determination, and how kind she is in a world where her existence is a danger and she's become the main breadwinner at a young age. I just also think it could have been shorter and had a few less "twists" that ultimately weren't as important to the story as they initially felt. For that reason, I gave this book a 3.5 (rounded up to 4 for Goodreads).

Heavily young adult, with a lot of focus on the action in the writing. The painting magic is really cool. I read through 10%, and if it continues as it has, it's a very easy 4 stars for anyone who likes young adult fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC.

Creating a portrait to resurrect a dead person? Sign me right up. I want to know what consequences are in store when one messes around with death because what goes dead should stay dead… right? A Forgery of Roses has a great premise with all the right elements I enjoy reading but it fell flat in others.

What Worked For Me
The art-based magic system was detailed. Myra is a Prodigy, which gives her the ability to alter the bodies of humans and animals with her paintings. It’s an ability where if she or anyone with Prodigy magic is caught with it, they could use it to blackmail, kill, kidnap, etc. And it’s also what lands her into trouble when the governor’s wife, Mrs. Harris, discovers her ability and threatens to expose her unless she does a portrait to resurrect her dead son.

There’s a lot of information and details about the magic system and how it worked, all of which were fascinating to read.

The anxiety and chronic illness representation were amazing. There were a lot of discussions about August’s anxiety and Lucy’s chronic illness throughout the book and their experiences. That being said, I can only speak of how anxiety was represented, but I loved when Lucy explains to Myra about energy levels and how that affects her day-to-day life using the spoon concept (or in this case, juice).

I loved Myra’s and Lucy’s relationship and interactions with each other. Myra feels a great sense of responsibility to her sister since their parents disappeared and it’s obvious the two are close. Every decision she makes she thinks about her sister — she’d do anything for her, which is what ultimately leads her to accept the governor’s wife’s proposal. Their interactions are some of my favorite parts of the book and I honestly wished there was more of this throughout rather than the few we got. Most of what we get to know about Lucy is unfortunately through Myra’s narration.

What Didn't Work For Me
The world-building was pretty vague. As much as I loved the magic system and how much detail there is to it, there’s not too much detail to the world itself. We don’t know what time period the story is set in or get a sense of the world much, mostly since we’re in Myra’s head a lot. There were a lot of times where I wondered if this was based on 1800s England with an element of magic or an entirely different world.

The romance was just… meh. I do think this is very much a personal preference as I’m not one to care for romance in novels (unless it’s a romance novel). At the same time, it also felt entirely unnecessary and was there for the sake of being there, which… no. Just no.

Everything felt too obvious. I don’t know how exactly to word this any further without giving anything away. Some people might feel differently, but I felt like I was going along just to see how everything played out in the end.

Overall
There were a lot of things I did enjoy about A Forgery of Roses, so while this wasn’t terrible, I’m also likely to forget about the book in a few weeks. That being said, while this didn’t turn out better than I hoped, I’m likely to pick up another book by Olson.

I finished this book last night and I seriously cannot stop thinking about it. I loved every damn minute of this book and I lowkey wish I could wipe it from my mind so I could read it again for the first time.
I knew I was going to really enjoy this book, and I'm so glad it exceeded my expectations, but now I don't know what to do with myself. I'm pretty sure this book just put me into a slump. I can't stop thinking about it,. about Myra and August and the twist at the end that I didn't see coming. 100% recommend this book. If you liked Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula (or just Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell in general), then you're going to enjoy this new book by Jessica S. Olsen and I need everyone to go buy it so that maybe we get a book 2, because I need a book 2.

I always find myself always intrigued whenever there is a new YA fantasy book coming out. And this book really did peek mine my interest. It's a bit different from the usual YA fantasy genre, but that's a good thing.
A Forgery of Roses started off strong in the beginning. I was really curious about why her parents went missing and what she was going to do next. There are so many questions to be answered, so it kept me on edge. I keep on reading and reading until I find the answers. However, the ending in the book was not what I expected. I expected more from it. It started off with a great beginning, then it should end with a great ending.

I am always a fan of inventive forms of magic, and I love a good Oscars Wilde allusion. Unfortunately, the plot was not nearly as innovative as the premise would lead one to believe ,and I found the characters to be pretty generic and boring. Add in a forced and vanilla romance and I ended up not wanting to finish.

Wow! This book literally me on the edge of my seat. So many times I thought I had the plot twists figured out but I never really did. The characters were amazing- fleshed out yet they always had a side of themselves hidden.
I absolutely enjoyed it and would especially recommend this book to fans of House of Salt and Sorrow or A Sorcery of Thorns!

I wasn't thrilled with Olson's first book - but A Forgery of Roses was worth giving her writing another try. Olson is fantastic with unique magic systems, A Forgery of Roses includes Prodigies - artists who can paint and change the object of their painting's physical characteristics. This could be for disguise, healing, or malicious intent. They are viewed by the majority of society as dangerous and would be killed or arrested if found so they must hide their talents.

Myra Whitlock is a Prodigy and orphan trying to take care of her younger sister who suffers from a GI condition they can't afford to treat. She is just trying to keep her head over water when the governor's wife comes in for a portrait and notices her magic. Myra's given no choice but to complete the task she is charged with, otherwise her and her sister's lives are in danger. But what she doesn't expect is to find a murder mystery in the governor's house and a handsome yet quiet boy who could be the best or worst thing that ever happens to her.

This book really was a ride the whole way. The fantasy mystery combination isn't one I see often but I really enjoyed trying to figure out what was happening. I wasn't really able to predict the events in this book which is always a great sign. I got the ending I was missing in her first book and was so proud of the characters by the end. I also sense a possibility of a sequel or companion novel and am hopeful that happens! I really enjoyed the experience of this book, definitely recommend.

**Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

Loved this one! The uniqueness of the magic was captivating. I loved Myra's character and the characteristics of the world surrounding her. I wish there was more to this series. I totally felt compelled by the cover and thankfully the story did not disappoint. The one thing I couldve done without was the repetition of the inner thoughts, but again that was a big trait for the main character. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

This book was a little more lyrical and descriptive than I had expected. Even though the writing was beautiful, I felt that the romance was a little forced and the plot was winding.

This is a perfect read for fans of Shelby Mahurin and Erin A. Craig. Beautiful, luscious writing mixed with an original and exciting plot makes for a wonderful debut that holds its own amidst a sea of YA fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and will recommend it to my students who love fantasy.

𝘈 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 by Jessica S. Olson is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! I’ve seen it described as a mix of 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘺 and I’d say that’s totally on point. Full of mystery, murder, betrayal, romance, complicated family ties, sisterhood, and magic 𝘈 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 kept me hooked and on my toes from beginning to end. I finished it in a day. Highly, highly recommend!

𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒃𝒚 𝑯𝑻𝑷 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔/𝑰𝒏𝒌𝒚𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 (𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌-𝒚𝒐𝒖!). 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏.

Last year I read and loved DOWN COMES THE NIGHT, which also has a creepy, murder mystery in a mansion feel to it. I hoped to find a similar vibe in A FORGERY OF ROSES, and it definitely hit a lot of those notes for me, so I really enjoyed that.

I’m also a huge fan of sister books, so the fact that Myra’s driving goal is to save her sister was also something that drew me to this book. I liked that Lucy is portrayed with a chronic illness. I think she’s also sort of this angelic character– she’s super smart, incredibly supportive of her sister and rarely complains about her own discomfort. I think she would have read as a more real character if she’d at least been grouchy sometimes, or if there was something the sisters consistently argued about or disagreed on.

I liked the way Myra and August’s relationship developed. There were some really fun moments between them, like when they’re exploring a place they shouldn’t be and nearly get caught, so of course they have to cram themselves into a tiny closet together. Ha.

The only thing that I struggled with was that there are a couple moments where characters seemed to suddenly become different than they’d been all the way up to that point in the story. Those caught me by surprise (which is good) but also left me thinking, wait, where did this come from?

Despite that, I enjoyed seeing Myra figure out how to trust others and keep fighting for her family. I think readers who like slow burn romance and fast-paced mysteries in a fantasy world will enjoy this story.

I feel like this took me forever to get through because I had a hard time forcing myself to pick it back up. I debated between 1 and 2 stars, but I'm settling on 2 since it wasn't downright awful. It just wasn't something I liked.

At the beginning, I was intrigued by the magic - I liked the idea of artists being able to draw remedies or mended ailments. That was a cool idea. My problem is that the story itself was boring. Here is this cool idea that barely gets any play because this girl is trying to draw a person back to life and it's not working. I don't know... The very beginning with the dog was so cool and this book could have used a lot more instances like that to display the magic. After a while, it was just annoying that we didn't get to see it.

As for the romance, it didn't hook me in the slightest. It was really flat and I didn't care about either of them. Again, it felt like time wasted that could have been spent going into the prodigy magic.

I really didn't like this one. It was boring, the characters were blah, and I just became increasingly annoyed that there was untapped potential.

Thank you to Netgalley, Inkyard Press, and Jessica S. Olson for the opportunity to read nor only read A Forgery of Roses, but to be a part of the blog tour as well.

Myra must be careful. In her world, she is a Prodigy, someone who can alter reality through painting. Prodigies are hunted and outlawed by the current government order, so she must keep her gift a secret, even though the magic tickles the back of her mind to be let out and used every time she paints a subject. With the disappearance of her parents (her mom also being a Prodigy), she must be even more careful because of the association. On top of keeping her secret, she works at an art studio to pay for care for her very intelligent thirteen-year-old sister, who also has an undiagnosed ailment that gives her terrible stomach pains. Unfortunately, with their parents missing, Myra makes enough money to keep them taken care of, but not enough for a doctor.

When working, a patron comes into the art studio seeking an artist. Myra's boss suggest she take this patron. It just so happens to be the Governor's wife requesting a painting of her dog. When Myra notices a small wound on the dog, her magic can't help but slip and heal the dog's wound. It's such a small feat, and surely the governor's wife, Mrs. Harris, wouldn't notice. Right?

Mrs. Harris does notice and instantly points out Myra as a Prodigy. With the threat of blackmail, but also the offer of a sum that can save Myra and her sister from their current state of living, Mrs. Harris hires Myra to do something that no pay grade may be comparable. While the world believes Will Harris to be ill (publicity and politics, you know...), he actually lay covered under a cloth, dead, his skull bashed in from falling from his balcony. Myra must bring him back to life within three days or face the consequences.

With the help of the eldest son (not exactly the ideal politician), Myra works with August to uncover the truth of Will's death. If she does not have an understanding of how he died and what he may have felt when he died, she has no chance of bringing him back to life. Closer inspection of the body and a few failed attempts at her task bring Myra to believe Will didn't just fall; he must have been murdered.

With someone out to kill Prodigies, Myra's life is on the line. Will she be able to solve the secrets of Will's murder and the strangeness of the Harris family before she herself becomes a victim? It's up to her belief in her own skills and herself.
What an absolutely excellent novel. There is romantic intrigue, magic, art, and murder mystery, all nicely woven into this fast-paced work of art. The writing is eloquently crafted, the plot is interesting, and everything about this book takes some ideas we know and love in a book and makes it quite the original piece.

2022 is only a quarter over and there are many more books coming out in the year, but A Forgery of Roses is by far one of the best releases this year. It will be hard to top this one, certainly. A highly recommended read for any lover of magic realism, artistry, romance, on top of a good old murder mystery in the mix.

I really liked Jessica's first book "sing me forgotten", and definitely feel like this book had similar vibes. I loved the aspect of the picture of Dorian gray twist story! The characters felt a little rushed at times, and the story had its ups and downs. However, I rated it 3 star and thought it was fun, quick read!

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of A Forgery of Roses in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


The Gist

I remember requesting “Sing Me Forgotten” last year through NetGalley; I was so excited by the premise that I just had to read it. I got declined and haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

When I got invited to join the blot tour to promote A Forgery of Roses I could barely contain myself.

Fast forward to just about now and all I can think of is “oh farts”. This is not going to be fun.

Ever had a book that made your brain itch? A book that you had to stop reading before that big blue vein inside your head pops? Yup, I’m pretty much there right now.

No kidding. What the heck did I just read?

And did I mention that A Forgery of Roses is listed by Goodreads as one of 68 most anticipated YA novels of 2022?

The Details

Honestly, I can’t get past the world building or serious lack thereof. What is this world? Where is this world? What bloody time period are we in?

These are the questions I was actually shouting at the book while I was reading it.

Please, someone explain to me how a population that is capable of producing plastic thinks that the best mode of transportation is a horse-drawn carriage. What am I missing.

The language in A Forgery of Roses equally got me all hot and bothered. At one point a character says “What the hell”, which is quite modern. A few pages later we have another character using the word “hence”, a relatively old/classic word to use.

It’s not like the reader is thrown out of the story when such discrepancies happen. There is no world that has been established in the first place!

I really did not care about the characters at all, because I couldn’t get past the mess of a narrative A Forgery of Roses is.

Plot is also all over the place. Is it a story about forbidden magic? Or a bloody murder mystery?

The Verdict

Overall, I have to stop this review before I start pulling out my hair. This has been the most frustrating story I have read in a while.

Again, this seems to be a rather unpopular opinion I’m having, but I can’t help myself. There was nothing redeeming or interesting about A Forgery of Roses.

It’s a pass for me.

I loved the entire idea and execution of this book! The magic system was so detailed and the whole murder mystery story really had me wondering what would happen the entire time. As I was reading scenes where Myra used her magic all I could think of is what I could do if I had the same gift! Throughout my reading, all of my guesses as to what really happened fell short and I’m so glad they did because I really was captivated by the storyline! I hope that there is another book following the events of this one.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson is a standalone young adult fantasy novel. The story within A Forgery of Roses is one that combines romance, magic and mystery in a gothic setting.

Myra Whitlock has a secret that she needs to hide everyday. You see Myra is a prodigy, her talent in painting can alter reality. When a woman hires Myra to paint her small dog Myra can’t help herself and heals a wound on the pup.

Myra finds that the woman isn’t just any random stranger who hired her, she is the Governor’s wife. The Governor believes prodigies should be stopped but his wife wants Myra to bring their son back to life after an accident but what Myra finds is his death was no accident.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson was a fantasy that I easily fell into the story and didn’t want to stop reading. The idea of helping through art was engaging and interesting to learn about with how it worked and it was fun to have a mystery to solve thrown into the use of the magic. Myra was a likable character and I enjoyed how she cares for her sister all the while watching a romance unfold as another layer to the story. Definitely a great book to pick up with my love for a variety of genres.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Myra Whitlock is an artist. More specifically, she's a Prodigy. A Prodigy is an artist who can alter others with their portraits. Unfortunately, Prodigies are also villainized as abominations. And what's more, they're going missing. Myra's parents are two people who've gone missing and now Myra is solely responsible for the care of her thirteen-year-old sister, Lucy, who has a digestive disorder that keeps her mostly bedridden.

"Magic sings in my body, bright columns of color and light pulsing inside my fingertips through my heart to that tingling place at the base of my skull."

When Myra is hired by the governor's wife (the very governor who wants to outlaw Prodigies), to resurrect her dead son, Myra is put in the precarious position to simultaneously accomplish something that she's never done before and keep her sister well.

From the first, the reader is aware that not is all it seems at the governor's mansion. First, we are introduced to his firstborn son, August--when no one quite realized the governor had another son. Poor August, not at all what his parents hoped for in a firstborn, struggles with feelings of inadequacy and being an outsider in his own home.

"Something is off about this family, about this house. Gritting my teeth, I focus on my painting. The faster I do this portrait, the sooner I can get out of here and back to Lucy."

August and Myra start the process of digging into the truth of how August's brother, Will, had died. But, again, there is a lot to uncover here, for Myra. And she's never quite sure who she can and can't trust.

This addictive story had a very gothic and mysterious undertone--while also evoking feelings of hope and strong familial bonds. The relationship between Myra and her sister, Lucy, is really the only one you can trust in this entire book.

"Maybe I'm making a fool of myself. Maybe trusting him with all of this is a huge mistake. After all, life has proved to me time and again that I can't lean on anyone but Lucy. It's just the two of us against the world."

The climax came with a twist that I was not expecting--and I'm usually pretty good at predicting these kinds of things. It wasn't contrived or forced, either. Everything at the end made perfect sense and flowed in such a way that made this fantastical tale seamless in its storytelling. Good, evil, dark, light. These are the themes that I most picked up on.

And, of course, what it means to love someone so much that you'd sacrifice for them, unquestionably.

Jessica S. Olson, masterfully crafted this beautiful, haunting story and am I crazy for hoping for a sequel?