There is magic in history, told in lyrical, structured poetry that paints a tale of cultural connections, history, and lore.

Firstly, let me speak of the structuring. As it did for me, aI understands that the poetic structure may turn some people or even scare some away from it, but as this was my first foray into this type of novel, I can say that it does it such a service. There is no fluff in the plot, with the story moving efficiently and at a pace that keeps it entertaining. What brings the world to life is the poetic structuring, the use of metaphors, and descriptions that allow us to visualize the lore of the setting.

And the setting! The description of the mythological world with the natural world paints such a vivid image that shows so much of a place, the people, and their culture. It takes hold of the worlds that collide in the mind of our protagonist and finds similarities and differences that allow you to understand her place in life and her culture.

The addition of the lore/mythology that encompasses this story reads like a modern fairytale. one I would tell my kids. The characters are not given the said service as the plot with the book's structuring; however, personalities favored less over the story's outcome with character development being minimal.

This favoring of the plot over the character also leads us to come to the story's finale with no character development/growth for our main protagonist, with her conclusion coming abruptly, moved by the story's flow and journey.

There is a lot of good in this story, where its only weak points are the often faceless nature of the characters. However, I would still highly recommend giving it a read.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Magic will burn you up.

Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez - a biracial Jewish girl - finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.

When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth.

But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him - forever.

With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe."

Here for the magic of Prague and history.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review! This did not affect my opinions in any way.

Although this book is structured in prose/verse, and it might scare people away, I think this book is a work of art in words. The prose was easy to read, and had a certain rhythm to it that kept building up to the conclusion. While not a usual stylistic choice, I really loved this book for its prose as it was unique.

It starts off with a Jewish-Latina girl who just wants to get away from SATs and the looming concerns of her uncertain future, but then morphs into something else entirely. Ilana is a talented budding musician and has moved to Prague to be with her aunt for the summer when she comes across a forgotten Jewish cemetery. Upon taking care of it, she meets Benjamin, a century old ghost, who she later finds is entrapped by an evil <i>Vodnik</i> creature. She has to work with Benjamin and the other children the Vodnik has trapped in a battle for their souls.

This book is heart-wrenching in nature; the <i>Vodnik</i> preys upon the Jewish children to take their memories and thus their souls. However, it is also a story about Hope and perseverance. This is a quick, important read bound to stick around with you for a long, lone time after finishing it. Highly recommend this one.

"Maybe sixteen is a curse, a time when everyone is stuck between being a child and being something else. Maybe that's why we find our ghosts then."

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Many people will find comfort in this novel. The main character, Ilana, is Jewish Latina and struggles to reconcile the life she wants for herself with her parents' dreams. While visiting her aunt's house and restoring the Jewish cemetery on Rose Hill in Prague for the summer, she meets several ghosts, one of whom is a sixteen-year-old boy named Benjamin. Rudolph Wassermann, another character, promises her immortality, music, and magic for the rest of her life—an irresistible offer to Ilana. However, Wassermann isn't all he appears to be.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill is told in verse, and while the writing is both lush and whimsical, I am not totally sure the book benefits from being told that way. It almost felt like the book was too detailed for verse and too vague for prose—a weird in-between that left me disconnected from the book and its characters. Also, the romance between Ilana and Benjamin felt ill-placed and unnecessary. The novel didn't really benefit from it, and I think it would have been better if they remained platonic. However, I really enjoyed Wassermann's interludes and his story.

Overall, this was an enjoyable novel, and I recommend it for anyone feeling lost in their desires and hopes, who appreciates this writing style, or anyone who dreams of a future of their own making.

This book was everything I needed and so much more. I can already see myself going back to it and re-reading again and again. :')

The writing style, the verses are so beautiful, each and every line touched me profoundly.

The storyline is amazing and I couldn't stop reading it. The characters were written so well, even Wasserman!! And then the pieces of jewish history and origins and belonging woven in, it was perfection :') What pulled me even more was the mysterious vibes mixed in with beauty in the verses and the fairytale like feeling!! Ah I CAN'T EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

The only negative thing I can think of is that I would've loved to know more about Aunt Žofie, she sounded amazing in the few parts she had!

Regardless, I would be forever recommending this book to everyone :') So y'all, GO READ THIS BOOK!!! 😌🤌🏻

I really didn’t think I’d like it when I began reading, but the beauty of the story just captivated me. It’s written in poem form, but doesn’t rhyme. The story is wonderful and well thought out. The history and religion is captivating and a perfect blend that adds so much depth. I love this book and how to turned out!

3.75-4 stars. The poetry was beautiful, and I loved being able to see Jewish Latina rep, which isn’t something I’ve seen a lot of in books before. I also loved that this book was set in Prague and featured ghosts and fairytales. It was dreamy and sad and hopeful.

This was a painstakingly, beautifully written book. I've never read a book told in poetry form but this one was lovely.

The character growth and development was nicely done. Each character, even the minor characters, were different to what they started out in.

Ilana's history and her love for her culture was so nice to see and read. Her relationship with Benjamin was to touching and heartfelt.

Overall, I would highly recommend this story. It's a completely different ghost story to anything I've read before and yet the story is still the same - good overcomes evil. It was an absolute joy to read.

The perspectives and careful consideration of the author throughout this novel was noteworthy and admirable. I was not expecting a prose style story but I didn't even notice because the story was enchanting.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was surprised to see how much I enjoyed reading a book that was in all prose! This was something that was definitely out of my comfort zone and I'm surprised to see how quickly I was reading it. I enjoyed the story about Ilana getting in touch with her roots in Prague with her dad's side of the family while also reading about her relationship with Benjamin. The only things I would change are the fact that we didn't really hear much about what it meant to Ilana to be Jewish and Latina (we only hear about her Jewish roots because her dad's side of the family is Jewish and from Prague, where the story takes place) and that the story started off somewhat slow.

Overall, it was a great read and I enjoyed every minute of it!

This was a very beautiful read. I’ve never read a novel in prose and was a bit worried but this had me in the first few pages. The depth of emotion expressed in this is very relatable and honest, Ilanas struggle, her understanding of life, and the struggles of an immigrant family and the history of Prague was very moving. The story was easy to read and well paced.

This is a quick read, the writing is so beautiful, really enjoyed this read. The history of Ilana's family o so good. Definitely a different from what I usually read.

Absolutely stunning. I was a bit apprehensive when I saw that this was written in verse, because I feel like I sometimes read books in verse too quickly and don't get enough of a chance to appreciate them, but I shouldn't have worried. This was so gorgeously written, and I couldn't even try to count the number of times I had to pause after a stanza and just go wow.

Like many books in verse, this is a quick read - I read it in one sitting - but there is so much substance here. The setting and the characters come alive (no ghost-related joke intended). I was completely immersed in the story.

CW: antisemitism, discussion of the Holocaust, past deaths

I recieved an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off, the writing is so beautiful. It is written in verse, and this writing style really lends itself to the story. Set in Prague, this story touches on aspects of Jewish history while also weaving a ghost story. There are really beautiful moments of love between our main character Ilana, and Benjamin, a ghost from the 1900s, while she tries to free him and three other ghost children from the vodnik. I really loved the story, and flew through the last 100 pages, although I did find it a little hard to get into at first. But I would really recommend this book, and I learned so much about Jewish culture and history that I didn't know before.

really, REALLY impressed by the authenticity of heritage throughout this book, and the narrative voice within it!! there were some times where the dialogue felt a bit disjointed, but overall, greatly enjoyed this read!

𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘎𝘏𝘖𝘚𝘛𝘚 𝘖𝘍 𝘙𝘖𝘚𝘌 𝘏𝘐𝘓𝘓 is the story of a sixteen year old llana Lopez, who comes across a boy with a secret in an abandoned Jewish cemetery, as she spends her summer in the mythic city of Prague, to where she's been exiled by her parents.
But what happens when she has to fight against dark magic to unravel why the blue-eyed boy is still trapped in the city a century after his death!?
Perfect for fans of CORALINE and SPIRITED AWAY.

- ~ -

What a hauntingly mesmerizing read!!
This book's prose is compulsively readable, it manages to perfectly capture Ilana's voice as a young, talented biracial Jewish girl just trying to find her footing both externally and internally. Her thoughts are beautifully expressed with a prose that verges on perfect; the best way I'd describe the authors's writing is elegant. She paints the world through Ilana's eyes in such a vivid way; all the imagery in this book is described with same finesse that Ilana has when she plays her beloved violin: it's fluid and intricate but brief considering its set in verse.
I'll provide evidence to prove further:

"𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧
𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥,
𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙙
𝙗𝙮 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙠.
𝙄𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙨
𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨."

And the best of all:

"𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨
𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣."

- ~ -

Throughout the story, the author addresses numerous issues such as the sense of familial duty and individualism in the Jewish-Latina experience and with each passing page I was enchanted by Ilana's courage and her strength.

Now, let's talk about the romance in this story because I was LIVING for each and every second of it. My heart was bouncing all over the place for my latest favourite ship of the month!
And I could swear I felt their kiss reverberate through my own self, it was DIVINE!

- ~ -

From the heart-skipping romance to moments of self-discovery, this book was ironically full of life yet also incredibly thought-provoking and reflective, exploring both the complicated dynamics of culture and family as well as complexes regarding where one truly belongs.
Conclusively, I highly recommend this book.
Mark your calenders, it's out 5/3!

3.94 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘦𝘯 & 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This book was simply enchanting. This is how you write a novel in verse.

I loved reading about Ilana's journey and how she struggled with magic and reality and ghosts both tangible and those of her family history.

My only issues were that I was looking to hear more about what it means to be both Latina and Jewish and we really only heard about her Jewish cultural background and the ending felt a bit rushed with how quickly her parents changed their minds.

Overall, a very lovely and well written novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Delicious writing with an absolutely beautiful story. The author wrote about immigrant experience, and the dark history of Jews in Prague. Each word was just perfect and seamlessly conveyed a story about pain and trauma, but also hope and love. The whole book had a fairy tale vibe that I enjoyed.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero is a book about Prague, ghosts, and finding ones place in the world (or at least starting to) while staying true to yourself. And I absolutely adored it.

The book literally sucked me in from page one and didn’t let me go until the very last page. And I loved pretty much everything about this book. From the writing, all in prose and very lyrical, to the story, slightly spooky but also heart-warming. The writing style and tone made this novel feel so magical, and I loved the way art and music were described and woven into the story.

I genuinely find it hard to put into words how this book made me feel, but I definitely recommend checking it out. I have a feeling I’ll still be thinking about this book months from now (in the best way possible).

I loved this book so much! The prose is so beautiful and flows so well. So many verses resonated with me and brought such beautiful images to life. I loved the Jewish History throughout and how she learns more about herself through interacting with the ghosts.

"Every shop we visit is hidden away,
the rooms so cold
December itself
would feel at home in them."

This one is at the beginning, but it was one of the ones I took time to write down and read over and over.
This book is intense, has ghosts and darkness and remnants of a fairy tale; but it is lyrical prose that will haunt you and stay with you.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!