Fantasy Fiction. Myra and her sister are on their own and destitute. First, their mother disappeared and then their father was gone. But Myra is determined to not only ensure her ailing sister thrives, but find their parents, and get back on their feet. So, when an unexpected job to paint a portrait arrives, Myra jumps at the chance (even though "yes" was the only choice). But when Myra understands the full extent of this job, she begins to worry for her life.

The premise of this book is SO good: artists called prodigies are capable of altering people and animals-both their features and healing injuries-through painting. Prodigies, however, are rare, and often in hiding due to the governor's hatred of secular art. Myra is a prodigy trying to lay low after her parents disappeared while taking care of her sick sister when the governor's wife shows up at the studio she works at, requesting a portrait. She discovers Myra's secret and demands she come to the governor's house and attempt the impossible: bring their dead son back to life. The plot is part murder mystery, part suspense, with a bit of romance thrown in and while the idea sounded super good, I did have some issues with the execution. Myra was an interesting character, and so was August, but they, and most other characters, seemed to always make weird choices and jump to strange conclusions. The plot started strong but begins to meander once Myra develops feelings for August, with romance taking over the more interesting mystery aspects. Things got a bit muddled again at the end, I felt that the leaps of logic the characters were making were not easy to follow. But, overall, an interesting concept that was fun to read.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica Olson

Pros: realistic characters, excellent romance, interesting magic system

Cons:

It’s been a year since Myra Whitlock’s parents vanished and with her sister sick, she’s desperate for money. The governor’s wife discovers Myra’s a Prodigy, a magician who can use paintings to change reality, and offers her a lot of money to resurrect her son. But the governor hates Prodigies and using magic comes with a cost. It’s quickly apparent that the son’s death might not have been accidental after all and Myra’s secret may not be the only thing at stake with this job.

There are three main threads in this book, the murder mystery, a romance, and the family love that causes Myra to risk everything to save her sister. The threads interweave beautifully. The writing occasionally veers into poetry with a lot of gothic overtones.

Myra is a complicated woman who has dreams of going to art school that are frustrated by her lack of money and her inability to control her magic. Her sister has a chronic illness they can’t identify and so don’t know how to properly treat. August has anxiety issues and has spent his life subsuming his desires and personality to save face for his family. None of the characters’ problems are easily solved and that makes them feel realistic. I loved how they variously helped each other deal with their mental and physical health issues, like Myra helping August breathe slowly to get through a panic attack.

I appreciated that magic couldn’t hand wave away illness or poverty and that there’s a physical cost to the user. It makes it feel like a precious commodity, hard earned and so used sparingly.

The ending wrapped things up in a satisfying manner.

This was a really strong series opener! It started off a little slow but quickly picked up and immersed me into Myra's world. Honestly, I found it the perfect amount of spooky that kept me on the edge of my seat and emotional, the combination of which kept me going- I finished almost the whole thing in one night once I got into it! If anything could be improved I'd say there were some times I found inner monologues a little repetitive, but I still flew through it. The story is really creative and I'm so looking forward to there being a next one!

SPLENDID!!! This book fed into everything I could ever want in a fantasy romance book. Such vivid, cunning characters and a world rich in power that you cannot help but be completely swept away in the magic of the story!

The premise of A Forgery of Roses is so unique – Myra Whitlock is a Prodigy, an artist who can alter a person’s body through painting. It is a dangerous gift that Myra keeps hidden, even more so since other Prodigies, including her mother, have gone missing. When the Governor’s wife learns of Myra’s gift, she offers Myra a choice – save her son and earn a large sum of money or be turned in to the authorities. Myra’s been caring for her younger, ill sister ever since their parents’ disappearances, and the money offered would get Myra’s sister the medical attention she so desperately needs. However, when Myra goes to the Governor’s house, she becomes immersed in a mystery much more dangerous than she ever expected. Can Myra trust August, the Governor’s other son, and what really happened to August’s brother? The more secrets Myra learns, the more her life becomes endangered.

The story has a darker, Gothic feel to it, and it is atmospheric and ominous from the very first lines. I love Olson’s writing style! It’s so immersive and vivid, and I found myself pulled into the story pretty quickly. I also really like the idea of being able to change one’s physical appearance or health through art. It’s such a unique, potentially dangerous, and fascinating concept. Secrets and mystery surrounding August and his family, as well as many twists and turns and secrets on top of lies, adds to the darker mood and Gothic feel of the story.

In contrast to the dark, Gothic elements, Myra’s relationship with her sister is the bright spot in the story. Their sisterly bond is really strong, and it is what motivates Myra throughout the story. They have such a wonderful bond, and they are very close. Myra loves her sister more than anything, and she will do whatever it takes to help her get well, even if it means putting her own life on the line. This sibling relationship contrasts with August’s relationship with his brother, which is described as turbulent at best.

I like the anxiety rep and the young man dealing with it. Surrounded by many people who don’t support him or understand anxiety, he faces a lot of his challenges alone. I thought that the author did a great job of realistically showing how anxiety affects people. This character makes a really powerful point when he says, “Just because my battles aren’t visible doesn’t mean they aren’t as real or as difficult as yours.” His character, and others in the story, show that internal struggles are just as significant and complex as external, and I love that.

The book also makes some really interesting points about social class, the inequities of health care among people of different socio-economic backgrounds, society’s fear of the unknown, people’s willingness to vilify those who don’t conform to societal norms and expectations, and more. Myra’s desperation to earn enough money to get proper health care for her sister, as well as their impoverished living conditions, for example, stand in stark contrast to the opulence of the Governor’s home and life. Also, Myra’s constant fear of being exposed, people’s reaction to her phenomenal ability, and the hesitation in being with someone of a different class highlight themes of prejudice, control, and more. I thought these themes and messages were thought-provoking and developed, adding even more layers to a well-layered story.

I really enjoyed this book. It is unique, the premise is super intriguing, the writing is immersive, the mystery is unpredictable, and the sibling relationship is strong. Plus, there’s a bit of romance that totally keeps you guessing. I would definitely recommend the novel to readers who enjoy YA fantasy with mystery and romance and am so thankful to NetGalley, the author, and Inkyard Press for sending a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. This is the second book I've read by Jessica Olson, the first one, Sing me Forgotten is also set in the same "world". I guess it's sort of a fantasy, but definitely not high fantasy, so that was nice. The characters were interesting, but I found myself more intrigued by the concept of being able to paint away ones physical blemishes was very fascinating. There were times when the naiveté of the main female character grated on my nerves, but then I'm not a young adult, so I'm not sure if it would have bothered them as much. I'm excited to see what else this author writes, she has an easy to read style, an interesting world she has created for the characters, and her story lines tackle some of the current issues faced by teens.

Thank you so much to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are entirely my own. I thought this book had a really unique concept and I have never read anything like it! I also liked how I did not see lots of twists and turns coming in the book. I thought I had the mystery figured out but I was not even close! I also thought the characters and their relationships with each other were very well written. I also thought the dialog in the book was great. My only complaint is that it was a bit gory than expected and a bit much for my taste. Other than that I loved it!

I really enjoyed the world building and magic in this book. I didn't realize it was a mystery novel until I started reading which was nice because I typically don't read those. The author does a wonderful job in including roses throughout the story. Very good!

I enjoyed this book! I really loved the magical world building - I haven't read anything quite like it before. I would love to know more about the magic in this world - is it limited to artwork?

At the heart of the book was a mystery - I liked the solution and though I suspected every character at one point or another, ultimately the mystery did not unfold how I thought it would - which is good!

I loved the descriptions of the city and its buildings. As the title suggests, roses are scattered throughout the novel in a variety of inventive ways.

I hope the magic in this world will be explored to a greater degree if there is another novel!

WOW, this book is amazing. Get ready for a wild ride of murder, magic and mystery. Each chapter kept me wanting more and therefore I could never put this book down. Olson's world building did not let me down, and I really liked the magic system. Highly recommend everyone pick this up!

After reading Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S Olson, I was a little hesitant trying another on of her books as it took almost the entire book for me to get interested, Am I ever glad that I picked up A Forgery of Roses.

Right from the beginning you are tugged into a world where people called Prodigy’s can heal wounds and change appearances through painting. I immediately fell in love with Myra and her determination, love and struggle to survive.

From the beginning I was unable to put the book down, as I just needed to know what happened.

Thank you NetGalley for sending this arc for an honest review!

A fantasy mystery mayhem? Oh yes yes yes. Honest to god this book was so good and had me hooked from the beginning. It was an adventure of trying to discover who the killer may be and who the potential next victim would be. As the MC tries to unlock the mystery- she soon too also becomes the victim of the killer.

Ohhh this was so good!!! I was really impressed by Jessica's debut novel, but I loved this book even more! The plot was so engaging and different, the characters intriguing and complex, the writing captivating and beautiful. The pacing and character development was also spot on. I found this novel to be much less predictable than most YA and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for her next book!!

Myra is a Prodigy - a painter who can alter reality with her work. She hides her gift less it bring the attention of the authorities who would see her killed for wielding the power of the creator. When the governor's wife arrives at Myra's studio, she comes with a request that Myra cannot turn down - half a million golds to paint her son back to life. The money would pay for treatment for Myra's sister Lucy, and she knows that Mrs Harris would out her if she doesn't agree, so Myra takes an impossible job - and discovers secrets long buried among the Harris household.

This was a twisty, turning mystery with some strongly drawn characters. Myra is fierce, Lucy is brilliant, August is kind. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Myra is an artist with a rare gift: Her paintings can alter real-life people and animals' bodies. Sounds cool, right? Except, the people in this world are not too keen on Prodigies and their eerie god-like abilities. When Myra accidentally reveals herself to the governor's wife while painting what should have been a routine portrait, she is blackmailed with exposure unless she complies with one request: She must attempt to bring the governor's dead youngest son back to life in four days before his body decomposes.

Things are not what they seem with Wilburt's death and as Myra tries to figure out how to do the impossible, secrets start to unravel around her. Desperate to finish her task and get back to looking after her sick sister, Myra has to decide who she can trust to unearth the terrible secrets of the Harris Family with her.

This was such a cool concept. It sounded like it was going to be a chilling murder mystery, but I found myself fiercely disappointed. The characters and their relationships were not well-shaped. The plot was choppy and had to double back on itself several times to tie up loose ends that never needed to exist. I think Myra was supposed to be a witty and sardonic character, but I did not find any of her quips funny or charming. She had minimal chemistry with her proposed love interest and even with her own sister that she nearly died for several times. This novel just felt half-baked to me, when it was bursting with potential.

Myra Whitlock, a young painter with a unique gift of altering people's bodies, is in desperate need of finding her parents for the sake of her and her younger sister. Through a work project she was working on, the Governor's wife notices her hidden talent in which she is willing to expose in exchange to save her son's life. Myra is at risk and willing to help to hopefully obtain the money she is offered to complete the special portrait she demands. Once she arrives to the mansion, she slowly comes to realize that she is getting deeper into what she has bargained for.

This is a great novel for readers that love to figure out a mystery with a unique twist of fantasy from the main character. The art incorporated into the character's resource is something new to hear as well. Looking forward to hear a book two for Myra on how she will continue to use her talent to help herself and others.

This book had it all! Intriguing magic (super unique magic as well!), forbidden romance, strong sisterly bonds, a house full of dark secrets and a murder mystery! I was invested from the beginning! The plot is non-stop action but not at the expense of the excellent writing. I loved how gothic the atmosphere felt while juggling the murder mystery plot, sickness and danger around every turn! The way the house was described as well the more "gory" scenes sent chills down my spine in the best way! All I can hope is that there might be a sequel!

I really enjoyed this one. It has an interesting magic system, some beautiful descriptions, and a thrilling murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

Bonus: one of the characters suffers from anxiety, and his descriptions of it hit home for me, as did his frustrations with others who don't understand, and think that it's something that one just has to push through. It was incredibly refreshing not only to see that kind of representation, but to have it handled in such a relatable and realistic way, and not wrapped up in toxic positivity.

I read Forgery of Roses to the 20% mark but ultimately had to pass on it. The story was intriguing but there were so many details and info dumping that it pulled me away from the actual story. In between dialogue would be tedious explanations for paragraphs just to jolt me back into the story. When this happened I was left confused because I had forgotten what the characters were discussing. I didn't want to force myself to read any further knowing I had to get through another 80% of details and explanations so the best decision was to set it aside.