This was phenomenal. The magic system was really cool.

This has anxiety representation!! I love August. It made me really happy that he found ways to work around his anxiety and achieve his goals. His relationship with Myra is adorable.

Myra’s character is very well written. She is trying to do her best in a world that refuses to give her an inch.

I was a huge fan of Stalking Jack the Ripper, so I absolutely adored this.

This was a thrilling page turner of a book! Full of suspense and mystery with a little romance thrown in. There’s a few surprises along the way certain to keep you guessing.
I thought it was really good!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order this year and will recommend it to students.

You had me at magic and murder! All lovers of a spooky, dark academia vibe, and anyone who enjoyed Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack The Ripper, absolutely need to read A Forgery of Roses. Jessica Olson takes us on a harrowing adventure with Myra, a young artist who yields magic almost as well as she wields her paintbrush, but who finds herself inadvertently thrust into the center of a mystery involving a suspicious death in a duplicitous family. What first begins as a straightforward need to complete an unsavory and difficult task in order to save her ill sister and possibly her own skin, quickly becomes twisted as secrets are revealed. The only thing Myra can be sure of, as she searches for answers and dodges shadows with murderous intent, is that nothing is as it seems.

I really enjoyed Myra's story, and I loved the depth and uniqueness of her relationships with August and her sister Lucy. Olson's writing was fluid and absorbing, and the story was wonderfully fast-paced, with plenty of engaging twists and turns. Not only was the plot clever and captivating, but Olson's exploration of the ramifications and possible self-acceptance that comes with living with an anxiety disorder was both enlightening and heartwarming. As someone who has lived all of my own life with an anxiety disorder, I thoroughly enjoyed Olson's encouraging take on the matter, and I loved watching August's character growth as he realized his own strength and agency, not in spite of his struggles, but because of them.

A Forgery of Roses is an extremely worthwhile read with both an entertaining plot and a lovely message, and I very much recommend it.

A Forgery of Roses is basically Dorian Gray meets Down Comes the Night - it's a gothic-y murder mystery with a very cool premise. In this world, artists can heal beings via art - they paint a picture of a healthy/healed person or animal, absorb the pain themselves, and voila! Healed (it is more complicated than that). So when the most powerful woman in town asks Myra to paint away her son's mysterious (but supposedly accidental) death for like a LOT of money, cash strapped Myra agrees.

This was a lot of fun! The murder mystery, while not super hard to solve, did come with a few surprises. The mythology around the healing through painting was very creative, and I really enjoyed that aspect. Our main character is likable, makes decisions that make sense and is fiercely loyal to her very sick sister. The love interest is a little meh, but there are several scenes that were almost slapstick rom com movie material, and while I wasn't expecting those cute scenes, they were very welcome. Overall, I'd recommend this to most fans of YA fantasy - especially those that also like mystery! 4 stars - I liked it.

With the description of a unique magical system, a gothic mystery, and such a gorgeous cover, I couldn’t pass up this novel.

An artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies. It’s something I haven’t come across before, and I liked that Myra didn’t completely understand everything about her power. The reader discovers new aspects along with her throughout the story. It’s a dangerous thing to be a Prodigy since many have gone missing, including Myra’s mother and then her father who went in search of her. Since their disappearances, Myra has struggled to provide food and shelter for herself and her younger sister, who suffers from a debilitating disease and desperately needs medical care. Money and jobs are scarce. When Myra is offered a significant amount of money to create a painting, it’s an offer she can’t refuse – especially since since it’s made by the governor’s wife, who also threatens to expose Myra if she can’t resurrect her dead son with the portrait. For Myra’s magic to work, she has to know exactly what happened to the subject of the painting and what they felt – and it soon becomes clear murder is involved. When the governor’s other son, August, offers his assistance, he and Myra undertake a dangerous journey to discover that truly happened.

I loved the gothic atmosphere of this story and the secrets and mystery surrounding August and his family. The descriptions made it easy to immerse myself in this world, and I felt as if I walked the ominous hallways and darkened streets along with Myra and August. The strong bond between Myra and sister Lucy is another strength of this novel, and the fear of losing her creates incredibly high stakes for Myra and pushes her to go beyond her limits.

I admit I smirked at some over-the-top romantic moments between Myra and August (that’s just me), and I grew exasperated with Myra a couple times when she discovered a clue and then backed off or forgot about it. None of that detracted from my enjoyment of this compelling novel, and I finished it in a couple days. It doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but does leave the door open for a sequel, something I’d snatch up in a second. I’d recommend A Forgery of Roses to readers who enjoy immersive, atmospheric mysteries with strong gothic vibes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I LOVED THIS BOOK WOW. Three things drew me towards this book, 1.) it says "For fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig," 2.) describing it as a gothic, fantasy, murder mystery, 3. deadly portrait magic. I'M SOLD. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed.

I really loved all the characters, even the twisted ones. I loved hating them; they were very intriguing. If I had to describe these characters in one word it would be layered. Everything in this book beautifully unfolded and expanded, revealing layers of characters, storyline, plot, motive, and romance.

Myra and the governor's son's relationship was perfection. I love that he is strong in his own way, not the way most men are written in books. He had struggles such as anxiety, fear, etc. which made their relationship so special because she brought him out of that. Everything in this book has history and purpose which again, I loved.

Lastly, I wanna talk about Jessica S. Olson's writing. It reminded me SO MUCH of Erin A. Craig in all the best ways. It was descriptive but not like you were drowning in words. I could picture and see everything so vividly, it was truly beautiful. I can't wait to read Sing Me Forgotten, her debut novel: a gender-bent Phantom of the Opera retelling.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for giving me a digital arc!

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book (as far as I can find). I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This book started off a bit slow for me and was primarily a "who-dun-it" type of story. I was actually considering DNFing this at about 50% of the way through because I was just getting really bored with it. However, at about that point things started to get really interesting and really pick up in pace.

The story is about Myra, who can paint things into reality and has to hide her talent because of local prosecution against magic. However, when she is contacted by the governor’s wife to raise his son from the dead, she just can’t say no. Myra’s sister is very sick and desperately needs medication and help. As a result, Myra finds herself drawn deeply into the dark secrets surrounding the governor's family.

I would give the first half of this book 3 stars and the last half 5 stars, so you have a 4 star rating overall.

Olson continues to do an amazing job with world-building and unique magic systems. I love the painting magic here; it seems to pull some influence from "The Picture of Dorian Gray".

The plot has some fun twists towards the end and I loved how Myra starts to grow into her magic later in the book. Early on in the book she is a bit whiny about her magic and it was nice to see her take ownership of it in the second half.

This does end a bit open-ended and feels somewhat incomplete. It makes me wonder if there will be a sequel to this book but I couldn’t find any information about a sequel.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. It starts a bit slow, but the intriguing magic and the increased action and pace of the second half of the book won me over. I would recommend it if you enjoy who-dun-it type mysteries with some intriguing magic woven throughout.

Love this gorgeous book. It's so unique and fresh, and the mystery kept me turning the pages. Olson's writing pulled me right in with her first book, and this one continued the tradition!

Myra is desperate to keep her sister alive at any cost, including exposing her biggest secret to a powerful family. She has a strong will and determination to force her magic to bend to her will and not overpower her.

So, when she is given the opportunity to do work that will provide her with the money to get her sister, Lucy, to a doctor, the risk is worth the reward. The painting that she needs to create, however, is of a dead Harris son and she needs to use her magic to try to bring him back from death. See, this magic is rare and she could be thrown in jail, or worse if Governor Harris learns the truth.

"I've spent my whole life striving for perfection, running myself into the ground searching for how to make things right, how to control every outcome, every moment."

I am eternally grateful to @jessicaolson123, @inkyardpress and @netgalley for the early copy of this book. It reminded me of Stalking Jack the Ripper, but with magic and such amazingly thought out sub-plots that enriched every moment on the pages. This is one of my most anticipated books of 2022, and I cannot wait to get a finished copy in my hands!! ❤️

This was a unique take on fantasy. I enjoyed it thoroughly. When I say I was SHOCKED at that plot twist, oh boy.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Myra can alter bodies through her paintings but she is faced with a challenge when she is tasked to bring the governor’s son back to life by using her magic. Problem is, the son’s death does not seem to be an accident and Myra is determined to figure out how he died.

This book is filled with magic and a murder mystery to be solved. The twists and turns had my mind going everywhere. I genuinely thought I predicted the plot twist but I certainly did not. The plot twist made my heart DROP and wrecked me but it was so good at the same time.

I was not a big fan of the love interest in all honesty. I was rooting for another character :/ I just feel like they didn’t have enough chemistry or tension and their little “moments” were a bit cliché and awkward. It also bothered me how the love interest failed to stand up for Myra multiple times and let her be mistreated. Which I do get was a result of his anxiety but it still made me wish he at least did something.

I loved the representation of having a male love interest who has anxiety which I rarely ever see. The man is usually always the confident or even cocky type and anxiety is usually only ever represented through the girls.

The first half of the book was honestly quite slow for me, and I was not feeling it too much because the story really only dealt with August and Myra, and I just needed more. But once Vincent was introduced and more drama started happening, however, that’s when I could not stop reading.

. When I read the blurb I was intrigued by the premise of altering reality through art. Adding in the mix of political secrets and murder only furthered my interest. While reading it took me some time to truly be interested in what was going on. The beginning felt a little unnecessarily slow. The middle when Myra finally had been commissioned was where I finally got into the story. The love interest that was introduced seemed forced and too convenient. There we also a series of choices Myra made that don’t make sense to me. The story is by no means bad or terribly written, there were just a few things that didn’t work for me. For those reasons decided to rate it 3 stars.

This wasn't bad but it wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be. The plot tipped more towards romance than what I wanted, which was historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. There was just too much focus on Myra's romantic issues than the mystery. I liked the relationship between her and Lucy, though I wish it featured just a bit more (while Lucy was awake!) The mystery was incredibly obvious to me and it made the second half of the novel just drag on.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so unique and absolutely satisfying. It has a beautiful, dark, gothic mystery feeling to the entire story that had me captured from the first chapter. I was quickly engaged and I never wanted to put this story down. The silbing relationship between our main character, Myra, and her sister was a beautiful, bright spot throughout the entire novel. It added the much needed light to the story, while keeping true to the overall plot by still having a bit of darkness and a lot of depth. Seeing Myra's love for her sister really gave her some beautiful character and made me love her that more.

Mystery has never been my go to genre, but I quickly found myself becoming a fan of the mystery and tried to solve it myself many times before the end of the book (I wasn't even upset when I was wrong). Add in the touch of a budding romance, this book had everything I wanted and more. I highly reccommend this book to anyone looking to get into mystery, as well as those who already love the genre.

<i> Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press, I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A mystery that kept me guessing and wondering how, or if, things would ever work out for Myra and her sister, Lucy. However, the mystery was only one aspect of the book, and the big reveal had me questioning the rules of this world’s magic system.

What I liked was August’s and Lucy’s struggles being depicted, and that being a major focus instead of a minor one.

It seemed that the author left the book open to the possibility of a sequel, but if it is a standalone that’s what I would prefer. Some things being left to the readers’ imagination, and not worrying about the villain getting revenge.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Let me start my review by saying, I am not a fan of mysteries generally. This book went above my expectations for fantasy, romance, AND mystery. LOOK AT THAT COVER!!! PERFECTION! The writing? Sublime and so intricate! REPRESENTATION OF A CHRONICALLY ILL PERSON?! AND A CAREGIVER?!?!!?? CHECK AND ACCEPTED! This book deserves hype and I want to see it everywhere.

It reminds me a bit of the Picture of Dorian Gray because of Myra's power of painting and changing people's physical appearance. Myra is wrapped up in the mystery of who killed the governor's son... The same son she is tasked with painting to resurrect. Myra may be the next victim because of her gift.

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but my first impression was WOW…..looking at this one. And picking up A Forgery of Roses, that impression just grew and grew on me, coloring my world!

The premise of this book is something special and truly unique. We have all read fantasy books with characters and their magical abilities. Jessica Olson introduces us to Myra Whitlock, a prodigy who can alter a person’s body through painting. It’s a dangerous world where being identified as a prodigy can lead you to jail or worse. When the Governors wife learns of Myras gift, she offers her a choice, heal her son and earn a large sum of money (which Myra desperately needs to help her younger sister), or be turned in to the authorities.

This story is immersive, ominous and atmospheric. It will suck you in. Olson’s writing flows beautifully making this a quick and enjoyable read. It’s filled with mysterious characters, secrets and lies, on top of many twists and turns. Honestly, it was difficult to know who Myra could trust!

And even though Olson’s world has dark gothic undertones, her story is filled with love and sacrifice and hope. Myra and her sister have unwavering support for each other. Their life circumstances are bleak (parents missing, loss of employment, Illness and lack of money.) Yet, there’s a fierce loyalty, drive and determination to make each other’s life brighter. Olson teaches us through her youthful characters that anxiety and fear cannot stop us when we listen to our inner voices, taking one step forward towards our dreams.

This is a must read book for anyone who has ever felt they didn’t have a voice. Olson’s words leave you with hope and belief in yourself.

Thank you NetGalley and InkYard Press for this colorful and inspirational tale.

The synopsis looks marvellous! I am sure many readers will love to read this book!
The cover too, looks marvellous.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson follows Myra Whitlock. She is a Prodigy, an artist whose portraits can alter people physically. She must keep this power a secret because powerful people deem it an abomination and will kill or punish her for it, or blackmail or use her as a means to control her power. Myra’s life is all about keeping herself and her younger sister safe since their parents mysteriously disappeared. One night, the governor’s wife discovers Myra’s secret and threatens her into painting a portrait that will bring her deceased son back to life. Myra and her sister desperately need the money the governor’s wife is offering, especially with her sister’s mystery illness worsening, so Myra agrees to do it. Soon she is brought to the governor’s mansion, where she will work on the portrait unbeknownst to the governor, who disapproves of Prodigies. It soon becomes clear to Myra that the death of the governor’s son was no accident. In order for her magic to work, she must know what really happened to him. She teams up with the governor’s eldest son August to discover the truth. They soon discover someone very dangerous is in the mansion. Someone using portrait magic in a very disturbing way.

I am blown away by how much I loved this book. It is a super twisty and gory gothic fantasy mystery. One aspect I especially adore about this book is the relationship between Myra and her sister Lucy. The sisters support each other so much throughout this book. It is clear how much they love each other. Lucy is a strong character, and I adore her pet frog George. I would absolutely love to see a sequel to this book!