I am officially giving up on this one, in spite of having managed to read exactly half of it and pretty much liking the narration. I had already read something by this author (that retelling of Beauty and the Beast which I liked better than this one... although I didn´t finish either) but well...
Look, I don´t think this book was bad per se. As a matter of fact, I have the feeling I could finish it if I were in another mood. But still, it has two problems for me:
1. The love story of the two main protagonists, Fi and Clara. It felt so... rushed somehow? I don´t know, it was kinda weird how that developed in something else.
2. The letters. The dozens of letters that don´t seem to have an end (and yeah, this is the thing that put me off). I can deal with a romance that is not very well paced if I like the characters enough (and I really like Clara) but there was just too many letters and they barely said anything interesting. I know I shouldn´t have done this, but after the 20th letter I got curious about, how many letters do you think Clara has left to translate? And I won´t say the exact number, but in total there were more than a hundred. A freaking hundred of pure banter and maybe one letter between each ten saying something actually relevant like "I am here" or "I will mention this person that might be relevant later".
I just got bored.
Plus the reveal that Clara´s employer is a vampire comes more or less in the middle of the story (even though as a reader you know almost since the beginning what Agatha is) so I ended up feeling that after reading half the story I didn´t advance much plot wise.
I would still rescue Clara and Fi´s love story because it was sweet. And like I said, I like the narration. But this novel didn´t really click with me enough to keep me focused till the end.

This book beautifully captures a blend of sapphic romance and the dark academia setting. The world-building is impressive, backed by thorough research that adds depth. Clara's task of translating ancient writings resonates with my interest in ancient history. The use of Sappho's translations and historical references, creatively adapted, speaks to my love for classical literature. The slow-burn romance is well-executed, and the surprising twist involving the main villain adds intrigue. The ending, while a bit disappointing, doesn't diminish the captivating earlier parts.
It’s worth reading, and I recommend it if you like sapphic vampires and academia.

Clara Eden is a professor specializing in the history of a little known empire that rose during the time of Alexander the Great. When she is approached with a too good to be true offer from a mysterious millionaire she can't say no. From there we join her on the hunt for answers as she dives into more source material from the Nektopolian society than anyone would have ever thought possible. As answers end up turning into more questions things start to get dangerous and even more unbelievable.
I really loved this book. It was right up my alley with the mysterious vampire, the unassuming academic and the closed off assistant to the absent benefactor. Clara's adventure here is a little more cerebral than physical unlike some of the other Burke books I've read but it does have it's fair share of physical intrigue, especially at the end. I really liked reading about this imagined world of Nektaria and how she fared after being a general in the Army of Alexander the Great. This back story was fascinating, especially along side the present day story of Clara and her new life at the Montague estate. Fiadh was mysterious but not so much that I didn't want to know more. She was at times so open and others so closed off and her interactions with Clara left me wondering what all was going on at the estate. The letters that Clara is translating lead you along the way with her hoping you know where the story is going but also waiting for the inevitable twists. I loved the writing here, Burke adds so much to the plot with the way she writes and I loved it. I am ready for the next and already can't wait to read this one again.

This wasn't a bad book per se, but I personally had issues with the pacing and the overall plausibility.
There were a lot of inconsistencies regarding the archival profession which speaks of the lack of research done by the author. The story started well but then it felt like it lost it's direction and was all over the place. The romance was rushed and based on lust rather than love, and it fell flat for me by the end.

I received an ARC thanks to Bywater Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, if you're reading this review before reading the book - I highly suggest that you don't.

I asked for an ARC at NetGalley (thanks so much for the approval, btw) because, as an avid sapphic fiction reader, I've only heard amazing things about Anna Burke, but I didn't have the chance to read one of hers before - I'm very glad I finally got to it and it was In The Roses of Pieria. However, I got into it without having any idea what it was all about and I'm happy I did.

For context, I'll tell you as little as I think doesn't ruin anything: we follow the heroin, Clara Eden, an scholar who is very well known for her research of a long forgotten realm - she gets picked up by a billionaire to have her very rare and precious archives studied.and digitalized.

There. I really don't think you need to know any more than this. If that's not enough, here's a couple more good reasons to pick it up: the research the author has done is amazing and her writing is very poetic and beautiful; the romance is not the main thing here, but the few scenes have tons of chemistry; the story is very well written and I was surprised on how much detail the author put into finishing up the dots; finally, there are so many cats in this book! I loved it!

I was positively surprised by Anna Burke and already have all her other works on my TBR. Recommend this one so much!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️
📑🏛️🐈‍⬛🩸🌹

This book was amazing! Honestly! If want to read a book that hooks you in from the start, following an academic historian who focuses on the history of the Greek Mythology, lover of fantasy books and sapphic romance.

Clara gets a job as an archivist for an estate owner with a private collection of the Nektroplis era, which is her specialty. Here, she gets to translate 2000-year-old letters, which is basically a sapphic enemies to lovers penpal situation. She also gets to become closer to her employer's PA, Fraidh, who first comes across as an uptight woman, but as they get closer and spend more time together, it's obvious it's just a front to protect her employer. They fall in love, and it's the cutest.

After a few years of letter translating, and a wonder of the grounds, and the rooms of the estate, it is clear to Clara that something isn't right. She discovers something about her employer and then things really start to hit the fan.

This book has twists and turns, and it is edge-of-the-seat gripping. I loved every minute of it and can't wait for book two.

Thank you to Netgalley and Anna Burke for the copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

“The Roses of Peoria” was a dark academia with a slight mix of fantasy. This book kind of had everything, from romance to mystery. Also “sensuous vampires”, who doesn’t love that??!

I loved Clara and Fiadh. Their relationship with each other, as well as the other characters, was so intriguing. I couldn’t get enough of it.

This is definitely a book to look out for and I can’t wait to read it again!

This one started off so promisingly - drippingly sensual prose, an intriguing premise, and a hint of dark academia lurking in the corners of what initially was a dream come true: Clare is offered a job working for a reclusive wealthy woman cataloging numerous archeological objects thought long lost to history. Despite the restrictive NDA Clare is forced to sign, she is initially quite happy reading through ancient letters and flirting with her employer's assistant - but it swiftly becomes apparent that history is not in the past, vampires are real, and she is in peril.

Oh, how enraptured I initially was with this one! Clare and Fi's love story is one of my favorite tropes - the prickly one and the one who wears her down. And let's be real, sapphic love and vampires go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Unfortunately, the book lost steam for me as soon as the "reveal" took place - Fi's character is in a frustrating place (cycle of abuse, etc) and the back-and-forth between the action and the letters just didn't work for me, taking the momentum from both storylines.

This one would likely work better for people who don't mind dual timelines. Unfortunately, that's something I just rarely respond well to.

This book was beautifully written.

Clara and Fiadh’s relationship had a grumpy x sunshine vibe. From a very early point they showed a strong desire to comfort and protect each other. It was sweet and I felt like they had good chemistry together.

Gata and Natek’s relationship was incredibly touching to read about. I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers aspect that their story added. Gata’s early disdain for Natek made her a special kind of ice queen and her subsequent melting was extremely satisfying to read about. Their longing for each other through the years seemed to bleed through the pages. Their letters were the highlight of the book for me.

This dark academia (heavy on the academia) light fantasy will have you always wanting to keep reading. The first maybe 30% of the book you’re not sure where it’s going but in a good way- you never want to put it down. This is a good blend of “normal” world and fantasy world. Pacing was good, the characters were good and likable. I liked the ending and really look forward to the story continuing.

I was so so excited to receive this book as I just finished a few of this authors other books which were mindblown. I have to say ‘ In the Roses of Pieria’ is a masterpiece. I find with Burkes books that they are so enveloping, so wonderfully written , that you can sit and devour it in one sitting then reread it and find bits you missed. This book in particular, I loved how the characters were introduced, the mystery surrounding on e of the main characters and the history that was discussed throughout. I felt I was going on a journey with Clara and I loved her passion for her subject. Burke manages to interweave some history with her own imagination and still makes it seem possible and unlike a work of fiction. I honestly could not put this book down and I’m so excited for the release date so other readers can experience this too!

3.5 stars

This was the first book (not audio or comic/graphic etc) I read in like 1.5 years, so yay for that! And what a premise for a book to get back into reading: lesbianism, vampires and plant magic? Don't mind if I do.

I was really invested in the epistolary side of this novel while it lasted. While the letters might be initially confusing for some, I really found myself enjoying them and even rereading them to understand them better (lesbianism defeats my ADHD once again), and they get clearer as you get more context.

Outside of the epistolary part, I enjoyed the rest of this novel, even though I never reached the level of enthusiasm I would have hoped for with that premise. I enjoyed the lore and various paranormal elements (vampires, fey and more). I think the plot flowed nicely. The romance was cute. I have nothing bad to say about any of it, and even the fact that I could more or less sense what any particular Chekhov's gun was leading to didn't negatively impact my enjoyment of the book.

I don't know what could have made this a 5 stars for me, but I liked it and I want more plant magic in books, especially if there's also lesbians in them, and vampires too.

I have so many thoughts in head about this book, so I’m going to just bullet point ramble on about the good and the bad:

- the way this book incorporated the gothic & vampire lore (this is a double-edged sword I will come back to) was highly reminiscent of Dracula & Interview with a Vampire (unsure of if this was intentional, but it was entertaining)
- it was very queer/sapphic, which is :))
- the first half of this book told two split-timeline love stories. one in a modern-day between an archivist & her employers assistant as she translates super gay ancient languages; then the other follows the translated letters spanning across millennia between two ancient vampires within this language/culture (that I think is a stand-in that goes hand in hand with Ancient Greek/Roman/eastern European??? The historical context got a tad fuzzy at times). Anyways, these romances (specifically the translated letters especially) had the best quotes about love, yearning, pining, aching, and burning for another person that I’ve ever read, and it truly did blow me away.
- the second half of this book started to get very, very questionable and fuzzy, firstly with the way vampires were being written and represented. At times it really felt like it was leaning into antisemitic territory, & I’m interested to see what some of my mutuals have to say about this topic once they start reading this and if I am wrong.
- also, the conversations around consent & grooming were very… strange and didn’t sit quite right with me.
- the addition of tons of different beings like werewolves, fae, shapeshifters, & fungal “magic/poison??” Felt incredibly clunky and confusing and just dumped in without much elaboration or point, and really took me out of the story being told
- the book was reaaaaalllly predictable; I personally, for the most part, overlooked that because it felt rewarding, but generally, it was very obvious
- also, literally, what even was the plot?? Initially, in the first half, the translating-translations was really doing it for me, but then it was just all over the place with no direction??
- by the end, the romances that had built up such powerful emotion somehow fell flat, and one note??? And I am shaken by that

In the Roses of Pieria is one of the best books I have read this year. What an incredible story, I was engage from Page 1 until the end.
If you love an epic story involving mythology, mystery, supernatural beings, then go read, Anna Burke does not disappoint.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I set out to reading this book I knew it was very far out of my comfort zone, while reading this book it was definitely confirmed. This book, the tale that Burke spins so well, is not necessarily for me.

The way Burke writes the story, it’s compelling and makes you want to read more and more, even if the story isn’t really for you. It’s a masterful feat. The story itself with vampires, fey, and sìth isn’t really for me. It’s just a little much. The way Burke decides to tell the story is a bit strange at times, the writing is wonderful and almost forces you to read on, while you don’t even know what the story is actually about.

I find it hard to say what I liked and didn’t like about this book. Excellent writing makes such a difference to me. I guess this just isn’t my genre. Because now, hours after I finished this book, I still don’t know if I liked it or not.

This story was different than most books I’ve read lately. Burke weaves a tale with in depth world building and multiple vampires that are at war with each other. Added in are 2000 year old love letters from Ancient Greece.

The two MCs have a quick attraction for each other but it was at a slow burn and seemed to progress in a realistic way.

Also two charming cats added to the story. And the exotic roses and all the interesting side characters round out a very intense read. This is part one of a new series that ends in a cliff hanger.

Arc provided by Baywater books through Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

My main issue with this one was plausibility. I actually have a degree in the field that is talked about in this story. And I have to say that this depiction was crap. I wish that authors would do their homework for things instead of just assuming you wouldn't need a degree or any kind of formal training for things. And the amount of money this girl is getting without anything in her background is outrages. So the story itself if you overlook this inconsistency, wasn't horrible but it wasn't all that good as well. I ended up DNFing this one around the 50% mark because I was just so bored out of my mind.

"Is there anything more terrifying than a woman confident in her own power?"

No, there is not, and just you wait to see the power this author has to drive you to finish this book in one sitting, forgoing sunlight and sleep, and then dropping an epilogue on you that'll slap you straight awake.

The excellence of the writing in this paranormal sapphic fiction is unparalleled. I was ill prepared for the imaginative world-building of historically accurate yet fictional timelines, for the Sappho passages, and for looking up a few words in the dictionary (susurrus, bucolic, elegiac) which have been added to my lexicon. I'm not entirely sure if I just read a book or attended a graduate seminar on dead languages and literature, but I was 100% invested. Sleep be as damned as my mortal soul.

Fiadh and Clara make for a fierce couple, almost as depth defying as Nat and Agatha, and they had a couple millenia on the young couple. The letters Clara is tasked to translate were just as mesmerizing to read as the rest of the book, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions and Clara and Fiadh stepped into a pile of history that neither were prepared for.

The women serve as pinnacles in their own right, but the beauty of the book is how the four MC's are woven together so intricately. You don't even realize it's happening until the roses have grown thorns and the air is laced with the smell of iron.

I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for the sequel.

There isn't a better storyteller than Anna Burke. She never fails to impress me with her character development and attention to detail. This book is another masterpiece from Anna Burke, and I can't wait for book two.
If you are a Burke fan, you will not be disappointed. If you have yet to discover one of our best writers, read this book and then get everything in her back catalog. She is a special author and I feel very fortunate that she shares her gift with us.

An ARC was received from NetGalley for an honest review.

This leans more feedback than review: DNF %10
For what I'm sure is a great read, I unfortunately cannot come to grips with fiction that is written in the first-person perspective. From what I could manage to muddle through whilst leaping over the "I" pronouns in an effort to make myself comfortable with the POV, it looked like an entirely enjoyable story. I did admire the author's splendid use of prose. I will endeavor to do my due diligence in future to research titles for this aspect before settling down to read.