Very cool read! While not perfect, there is just something about the story telling that keeps you engaged. It felt a bit undeveloped, and I feel that with the premise so much more could have been done with it! It’s atmospheric, beautiful prose, great character interactions… this one makes you feel more than it does think.

I absolutely love how enchanting Shea Ernshaw writes. The words flow so beautifully and make for a page turner.
I love romantasy and throwing in the Gothic feels is going to get you a high rated book. I found plot more unique than some of what is churning out right now without taking away the magic of what I look for in this genre.

Lark and Oak. Can I say I was mmediately shipping because of their names? This was beautiful, it was maddening, so the name is VERY fitting but I loved waht I took away from this.

I enjoyed my reading experience, I just wish it centered more on the curse and the history of the tulips and the Goode family. I liked the beginning, where we start learning about the curse and how people reacted to its effects, but after that, it pretty much focuses on Lark and her forming relationship with Oak, which was cute, but it entirely lost the plot with the curse. I had a lot of fun with the book, but it did get really slow as the story progressed. Thank you to Tor Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for our honest review.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC!

This is such a cute and tragic story about love, pain, and obsession. The way the FMC is trying so hard to escape her curse, but ends up realizing the impact of her decisions still ended up with the same result was painful. I liked the way flora was included within the story. I also love that, though this has a happy ending, it was still bittersweet. There is no perfect resolution for this story, and I liked how Ernshaw made it clear that love is something you have to fight for.

I really love Ernshaw’s books and this one sounded like something I would love. The story was intriguing and a quick read! I am always enchanted by the author’s writing style and this one was no different. I struggled with some of the development throughout the story though. I also loved the developing romance and just wanted more from the ending. I will still read anything the author writes!!

This was such an interesting concept! From the beginning, I anticipated part of the ending but was able to enjoy the journey of how they got there. I feel like the ending was a shock and felt unsatisfying to me. I could see that being the point but it just fell short in the final act for me.

Every Spring, Goode's family garden blooms with magical tulips, with it comes a curse, anyone who breaths in their scent falls in love with one of them. Lark is tired of people giving her attention during that time. While her twin brother Archer embraces the attention. Lark is trying to avoid everyone attention until she graduations so she can leave town. Then she meets a quiet mysterious boy which doesn't seem to fall under the curse.

I really enjoyed the idea behind the story, the story description is top tier, always makes you feel like you're in the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the eBook!

2.5 stars rounded up

While the premise was intriguing, flowers that can make people fall in love and a family cursed by them, the story ended up being kind of flat for me. I felt like it was too basic, with not enough happening to be that interesting and a lackluster ending. I wanted more madness from the flowers, more obsession, and a bigger fight for Lark and her brother to break the spell.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the copy.

This book is geared toward YA; it’s emotion-provoking and has an odd, yet interesting and unique plot.
The writing is whimsical/lyrical and made me feel like I was in a gothic fairytale. I enjoyed following along Lark’s journey of fighting to stay away from love only to find herself wanting it just as much. I found her twin, Archer, endearing. I wanted more from the ending, but I’m not unsatisfied with it either.
This is a great book for young adults wanting to delve into fantasy/magical realism.

This is third novel I've read from Shea Ernshaw and she continues to do what she does best: writes the most gorgeous, elegant, emotionally resonating magical realism that bonds with your soul. This was another example of her growth as a writer.

What I loved most about The Beautiful Maddening is Ernshaw's ability to write about Lark's loneliness and her craving to escape. It was written so softly that I was rooting and hoping for Lark's success. I love the way the magic exists, it's not over explained in a way that makes me bored. One of my favorite things about magical realism is the idea of magical ideas just existing like a curse on tulips. The curse is presented as a fact in Lark's world, and that acceptance lets us focus on how it has changed Lark and the effect it had on her and her surroundings.

It is so clear how much Ernshaw's writing has developed. Her prose is more assured, the atmosphere is undeniable, and the emotions pack a punch. The book leans into being more character lead. Lark is definitely a memorable character, her emotions connecting on a deeper level for me.

My only negative is I couldn't help but compare this to Ernshaw's prior novels, and this one didn't build the same level of suspense. The revelations in this one, didn't have as much an affect on me as I was hoping or expecting. The stakes and twists are there, they just felt a little gentle like they were masked by the sadness. It's not necessarily a flaw, just something different. If you're looking for more high tension twists, this might feel more mild in comparison.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Lark's story, it was beautiful and melancholic. If you love magical realism that pack that emotional connection, I definitely recommend Shea Ernshaw's novels.

Shea Ernshaw has a way with words—she paints the most beautiful, dreamy pictures with them. This book was no exception. The characters are angsty, relatable, and perfectly flawed. The romance is gorgeous, and once I started this book I had a hard time putting it down.
The romance carried this book through—it’s very swoony!





Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

3.5 stars!
This was a YA contemporary fantasy with a romance-heavy storyline. We follow seventeen-year-old Lark, who wants nothing more than to escape her small town. Her family has been cursed for generations with tulips that make people fall in love with them. But when Lark meets a boy who doesn’t seem affected by the curse, she starts to feel the one emotion she’s been trying so hard to avoid.
I really liked this story, and the chemistry between the main characters was amazing. The ending felt a little rushed, and I wished there had been just a bit more to the story. Overall, a great read if you're looking for a cozy, romantic YA fantasy!

Thank you to NetGalley and SimonTeen for the ARC!

This takes me back to the writing in Shea Ernshaw’s first 2 books that I loved! Classic and magical YA books!

I love how she weaves a story together. She has such a way with words and this book is seeping with atmosphere. I swear I was there.

This is a very sweet story about love. It is YA, but I wouldn’t let that deter you. If you love beautiful writing and fantastical stories, this is for you!

I requested this on NetGalley because the premise was very intriguing — a cursed family with a garden of flowers that makes everyone around them fall madly in love with them. This could go anywhere and I was so excited to see what happened! Unfortunately, I didn’t love that the romance took up most of the story because I was far more interested in the rest of the plot and would have loved to have more “action.” I still enjoyed it!

I was beautiful and everything as I expected. I loved it. She’s is a wonderful and very talented author. And I always give her stories high ratings. 10/10 recommend.

3.75 Rounded Up

When Lark's voice broke when she was telling Archer that how life isn't life without love, I felt that. A story that at it's core is all about the lengths love will make us go to, real or perceived and how love can do some truly heinous things to yourself and those around you but at the end of the day you still yearn for it.

Ernshaw's storytelling style is so intriguing, this was my first book by her and I was entranced by the way this book was told. Both incredibly vivid while also kind of ethereal. I loved the lore and the way everyone was connected. I do wish we expanded more on the Goode's history and some of the high points of the story felt rushed. I will be the first to say many books do not need to be longer and I appreciate the brevity of this one but it could have used some expansion.

Overall, really enjoyed this.

𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs

𝒪𝓃𝑒-𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: ʙᴇᴡɪᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ

𝒯𝒶𝑔𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒: ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss ᴡᴀs ʟᴏᴠᴇ.

𝒪𝓅𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝐿𝒾𝓃𝑒: ʟᴏᴄᴀʟs sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪʀᴛ ɪɴ ᴄᴜᴛᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ғᴏʀ ғᴀʀᴍɪɴɢ.

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @simonteen ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴄ!

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝑀𝒶𝒹𝒹𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 ɪs ᴇxᴀᴄᴛʟʏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇs—ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ ᴍᴀᴅᴅᴇɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴡᴀʏ. sʜᴇᴀ ᴇʀɴsʜᴀᴡ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴜs ᴀ ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ ғᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ sᴛɪᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏsᴇ, sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʟᴋʟᴏʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅʀᴏᴡɴɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴀɪʀ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.

𝒲𝑒 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎, 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝑒𝓁𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓈 𝓊𝓈 𝒾𝓉 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒.

ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ—ɪᴛ’s ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɢʀɪᴇғ, ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴs ᴡʜᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sʜᴀʀᴘ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ sᴏғᴛ. ɪᴛ’s ᴇᴇʀɪᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀɪᴄ, ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ғᴀɪʀʏᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴅɢᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ғᴏʀᴇsᴛ. ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʟᴇᴛᴛᴇʀs, ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʟɪɴᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴛᴏᴡɴs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴜɴᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ.

ʟᴀʀᴋ ɢᴏᴏᴅᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ғᴍᴄ, ɪs ғʀᴀɢɪʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ—ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ ᴛᴇᴇᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴅɢᴇ ᴏғ ᴜɴʀᴀᴠᴇʟɪɴɢ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛ? ᴏᴀᴋ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ʙᴏʏ sᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ɪᴍᴍᴜɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅᴇ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ. ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏ ғɪɢᴜʀᴇ, ʟᴀʀᴋ ɪs sᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs—ᴡʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʟᴏɴɢɪɴɢ, ғᴇᴀʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ғᴀᴛᴇ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴs—ɪs ᴏᴀᴋ's ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ, ᴏʀ ɪs ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴜʟɪᴘs ᴀғғᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ ᴀғᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟ.

ᴛʜɪs ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ғᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴛɪᴇᴅ-ᴜᴘ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢs. ɪᴛ’s ᴀ sʟᴏᴡ ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴇs ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ʟᴏss, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss ʙʟᴜʀ. ᴇʀɴsʜᴀᴡ’s ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ɪs ʟʏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀᴇ—ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ, ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴇʟ ɪᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴋɪɴ.

ɪs ɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ? ɴᴏ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ɪs ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ sʟɪᴘᴘᴇʀʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴅᴇʀs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀs ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ɴᴇᴀᴛʟʏ ᴡʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴜɴʜɪɴɢᴇᴅ, ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍʟɪᴋᴇ—ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄʀᴀᴡʟ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴋɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ.

𝒩𝒶𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝑒: ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴠɪʙᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟᴀʀᴋ's ᴛᴡɪɴ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴛᴀɢᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɢɪʀʟs ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀғғᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇ. ᴇᴡᴡ.

ᴀʟsᴏ, ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴ-ᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢs. ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴄʟᴏsᴜʀᴇ—ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴏʀ ᴀʀᴇɴ’ᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ? ɪs ɪᴛ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴏʀ ɴᴏᴛ?

ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡʜʏ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ 𝟹 ᴏᴜᴛ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍᴇ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ 𝟺.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
✨ ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
🌷 ᴏʙsᴇssɪᴏɴ & ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss
✨ ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʟɪɴᴇ
🌷 ɢʀɪᴇғ & ʟᴏss
✨ ʟᴜsʜ, ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏsᴇ
🌷 ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴇᴀʟɪsᴍ
✨ ᴘʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ x ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ
🌷 ᴅᴏᴜʙᴛ & ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝒱𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉: ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs ᴅᴀʀᴋ, ʟʏʀɪᴄᴀʟ, sʟᴏᴡ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙɪᴛ ғᴇʀᴀʟ, 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝑀𝒶𝒹𝒹𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ᴡʀᴇᴄᴋ ʏᴏᴜ—ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ ʀᴇʟɪsʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴏғ ɪᴛ.

ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
ᴡᴡᴡ.ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ.ᴄᴏᴍ

a gothic romantasy about a girl who tries to escape a curse she can't get rid of. it's a quick, enjoyable read, although it could pass as a bit basic with not much development in several aspects of the story. but the twists left me shook and made me wonder if what i was reading was real or otherwise. i had fun with this!

The Beautiful Maddening was a very interesting read. The premise follows Lark Goode as she deals with the magical tulips that grow on her family farm and the love curse that blooms with them every year. When the tulips bloom every year the Goode siblings become irresistible to anyone that crosses their paths. Archer, Lark’s twin brother leans into the curse and embraces his admirers, while Lark wants nothing more than to leave the town of Cutwater and start a new life.

This year when someone steals some of the tulips, Lark’s classmates fall under the spell of the tulips. They become addicted to the feeling they get from the tulips. Soon Lark and Archer are taking turns guarding the enchanted flowers to try and stop the madness from spreading. Lark also has to deal with the arrival of a new boy that a seemingly unaffected by the magical tulips. Now for the first time she’s beginning to fall in love herself.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I love Shea Ernshaw and the magical worlds she brings to life. This one just didn’t have a lot happening, so at times it seemed dull. I enjoyed the premise and Lark was a fun character. I also enjoyed the nods to The Wicked Deep. There is nothing wrong with this book, it’s a sweet book with a nice love story. More of a cozy read, than some of the author’s previous books. I would definitely recommend to fans of Shea Ernshaw and to fans of quick light hearted reads.

Another absolutely beautiful atmospheric story from Shea Ernshaw!

Lark is stuck in a small town with her brother, cursed by the tulips on their property. She’s determined to escape… and then she meets a boy who is seemingly unaffected. But there’s more to that story.

I was completely sucked in - how bad is this family curse, what it does to the townsfolk, is it really a thing? What’s causing it? What happened to their Mom? So many questions and so much mystery! I had to keep turning the pages.

I also enjoyed how it all unraveled at the end. It wasn’t quite what I thought it’d be, which is always a good thing! No spoilers here!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my personal opinions only.