This was not at all what I was expecting but in a good way. I liked it more than I thought I would and am glad I picked it up. It's written beautifully. I loved the Hebrew in it. I am neither Jewish nor Cuban but I really enjoyed that aspect of everything and how they were woven together. I love that this based on R.M's own experiences working in the cemeteries, and it has made me want to travel to Europe even more than I already do.

It's taken awhile for me to read this book on my TBR list, but now I've finished it, I'm cursing myself for not getting to it sooner.

IT. IS. SO. VERY. GOOD.

I've been reading more novels-in-verse lately, and it felt like R. M. Romero imbued THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL with all of my favourite things. It has that lyrical, fairytale atmosphere I love, combining darkness and beauty into a shimmering, poetic swirl. Prague is breathed alive: the streets, the forgotten graveyard, the history and the hurt. At the center is Iliana, an intrepid heroine with music in her bones.

And the boy who is a ghost.

And the man without a shadow.

This novel is an experience, with all the delight of jumping into a treasured storybook. It's escapist but it doesn't shy away from pain. It's about wanting what you cannot have, and shared traumas, and monsters of many different kinds. But most of all, I think it's about love.

I loved it.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R. M. Romero is such a unique book! The book is written in a prose poetry style and is absolutely beautiful to read. It follows the complicated love story of Ilana Lopez and Benjamin, a ghost. The book has a magical fairy tale like feel to it and incorporates Jewish history and lore into the tale. Reading this book feels like listening to a love song and I recommend it to any romantic.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a delectable book if it works for you taste. The prose when I first began reading this book was beautiful, don't get me wrong, it was fluid and flowery and perfect for fans of verse. However, the story in itself made me less enthused the more magical it became. Ghosts and magic would be one thing, however, the element of magical realism seemed so far from out of nowhere that I wasn't sure how I could continue reading and grasp what the author was selling. Unfortunately after a few chapters I found myself uninterested in continuing, and I feel while this may be perfect for others, it wasn't for me.

This was a nice change from the typical kind of books i read. I don't think i've ever read a book written in the poem style and found it fun, yet this was a lot of fun to read. The imagery was great, probably my fav part of the whole book. I liked the plot even though the characters were a bit dull.

I received The Ghosts of Rose Hill as an ARC from NetGalley. I enjoy ghost stories and decided this would be perfect for Spooktober...and I was right.

Told in poetic passages, we follow the Ilana as she finds a forgotten cemetery, meets Benjamin and defeats evil. This is so much more than just a ghost story. It's a journey of a young girl, trying to find herself and in the process she becomes a savior and realizes her strength, courage and life is hers to command.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. While a review wasn't expected, I have offered my opinion and these are my own thoughts.

It's a pretty good read. Written in prose which was a first for me and I'm not disappointed. The pace of the story is quite fast and entertaining. Am not into ghost reads so that was a first as well.

I really admired how the author brought out the struggles of immigrant families, especially Jewish families and the dark history of Nazi occupied Prague. It's heavy stuff but it's the reality. There were so many emotions behind each and every word it just pulls you into the story right away. It's just beautifully written. Kudos to the author.

The only thing I had a problem dealing with was romancing a ghost. It honestly weirded me out, especially during the make out scenes. I could not visualise it without feeling icky. But at the same time, I understand why it was vital to the story. I'm not saying I liked it, I'm saying I understand.

Overall, it's a pretty good read. Would recommend it.

*Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC, in exchange for an honest review*

In the beginning of the book, it seems like the common YA book about a girl that need to gather courage to tell her parents she wants to play music instead of being a doctor or a lawyer. But the further you get into the book, the more you see the fantasy aspect and the Jewish background of Prague.

I love the Jewish history and the love for the dead Jews and the funeral it shows in the book. I come from a Jewish family, and it really hit some tear canals to read about the attacks that took place in Prague, and the whole setting in the novel.

I think the book was so well written and explained in a wonderful language, which can be read at different ages, so middle graders can learn about Prague in a different way.
I also really loved the fantasy aspect of the book, and the relationship between Benjamin and Ilana, that shows a lot of love and affection, and also shows what most important, that it isn’t to be together forever, but to give each other peace and love.

Overall a really great novel with a lot of lovely contexts and aspects.

WOW! I am blown away with the beauty, tragedy, and triumph of this gorgeously poetic novel! The pacing and prose stir your emotions like complex and beautiful music. I loved every word! READ IT. LOVE IT. Thank me later!

*I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review, but I promptly purchased a copy for my library.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero was a delight! I was intrigued by this book being set in beautiful Prague and loved that it was told in verse. I couldn’t put this book down and was lucky to be able to read it in one enjoyable sitting!

I was so excited to write my review about this book, it did not disappoint and I highly recommend it. My younger self is screaming inside, sometimes I wish I could bring the young adult novels I'm reading back in time, just so I can have them in my memories for a longer time.

Torn between her own dream of being a musician and her parent's desires, Ilana meets Benjamin, a young ghost living in the Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's house. While discovering the beauty of Prague as Benjamin sees it, Ilana meets a darker entity who may not be as nice as he seems.

I have no words, this novel is absolutely mesmerizing and so beautifully written. Somehow, it truly made me emotional by moments, it's more than a beautiful story, it will stick with you for a long time.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Peachtree, and Peachtree Teen in exchange for an honest review.

Romero gives us a heartfelt novel-in-verse featuring Ilana Lopez, a sixteen year old Jewish girl who is raised by parents who both had to flee their home countries because of political unrest (her mom is from Cuba and her dad is from Prague. All Ilana wants to do is play music, but her parents have other plans for her and THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL are as much about the pressures first generation children grow up under, as it is about what happens to Ilana when she spends the summer in Prague.

Filled with a depth of history that can only come from a country that has been around for centuries and where most things are much older than the oldest parts of America. It's a place where one can believe that there are ghosts and other worldly beings walking amongst humans.

Haunting, entrancing, and so poetic.

Absolutely beautiful story of a biracial Jewish girl who is sent away to stay with her aunt in Prague. I was soon hooked after reading the first chapter and read this book late at night finding it difficult to put down.

Ilana is torn between pursuing her parent’s wishes of having a stable career, for example in the sciences or medicine, and becoming a violinist. While she’s in Prague, she learns about a forgotten Jewish ancestry, encounters a ghost name Benjamin and also a man with no shadow, Rudolf Wassermann and is compelled to know their stories.

The book stresses the importance of remembering our history. Quick and impactful read – I recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetic storytelling and is intrigued by the synopsis. Beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a review copy in exchange of an honest review.



Content Warnings: antisemitism, death, war, genocide.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R. M. Romero

This book was very different. It was very informative. I learned more history facts. Well-written. Good characters.

A solid short read coming of age story filled with mystery, emotion, and fairytale elements. Thanks to Netgalley for this eARC

The Ghosts of Rose Hill is the story of a Jewish Latina who is sent to stay with her aunt in Prague for the summer. The folkloric tale is woven into the young women's story and sheds a light on the stories told that transcend culture. It was an enlightening read.

Thank you Netgalley, Peachtree Teen, and R. M. Romero for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the reading experience that Romero was able to provide. I found the book to be very atmospheric and exciting. I was not able to put it down until it was over.

Slavic mythology meets Jewish history (and presence), set in Prague, with a biracial Jewish MC.

That's all you need to know, if that doesn't sell this book to you, nothing will.

It's a beautiful, emotional story told in verse - a story of dreams, of magic, of music and art, of being torn between following your heart and the pragmatism of your immigrant parents, of first love.

I loved the setting of the book and the history it talked about. The paranormal aspect of the book was also fun. I didn't like the romance as much, though, I'm not sure why. Overall, this was a good read though and I would recommend it most of the time.

Thanks to Netgally for providing an ARC of this book.
I went to Prague a few years ago, and I remember clearly how every walk in the city felt like living in a fairytale. Reading this book, I felt like the author knew that, because her rendition of Prague was beautiful and whimsical. However, she did not simply show the reader the best parts of Prague: in between the beautiful descriptions of the city, she weaves parts of darker moments in history.
Ilana’s story is intriguing and heartbreaking, but throughout her journey she remains a very relatable teenager to follow. She loves and hates without holding back, and she is acutely aware of how her family’s history is her history too. I really appreciated how she took something from both of her parents: even though the story takes place in her father’s city, and a lot of it revolves around Jewish history, she never forgets about her mother’s legacy as well.
The writing style is really what stood out the most to me. I had never read a fantasy book in verse, but The Ghosts of Rose Hill was beautiful and intricate in its writing, and in its storytelling. There were a lot of passages that I had to reread because of how impacting the author’s writing was.
I think the only reason I didn’t appreciate this book to its full extent is that I read it during a heat wave, and this is definitely a winter read. I also think this might be more of a younger YA book; but it covered such important topics that I think anyone, regardless of age, can pick it up and get something from it.