Well, I confess that I was drawn to this book because of this cute cover, So I didn't notice that the entire book was written in verse. But it wasn't a bad surprise. on the contrary. It was quite greatly organized and indeed the verses tells Us the author's story and memories, and experiences mixed in a fantasy narrative. Cool idea.

This was lovely. Sprinkled with spookiness and bittersweet romance. I thought the verse format really worked well here and kept the story moving along at a nice pace. It was occasionally hard for me to tell which character was speaking, because of the way the dialogue was written. I particularly loved the setting. The first half of the book worked a bit better for me than the second half, some things towards the end felt a bit rushed and the main character's ongoing disagreements with her parents felt like they were too easily solved. I think younger teens will really enjoy this book and its determined heroine.

This book was written entirely in verse, which it turns out, is unfortunately not for me. I really wanted to love this, so my star rating is unfair to count towards its overall rating because it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me and I couldn’t get into the story.

I was a little daunted when I realised this was written in blank verse – I don’t tend to get on well with stories that do that. But this was lovely, lyrical and almost dreamlike while tackling some dark and gritty themes. Ended up really enjoying it. If you’re not sure because it’s written in verse, give it a try.

I loved the debut novel by this author, and knew I had to read anything else she came up with. So when I saw there was an opportunity to read this book, I didn’t think twice about it!
I love her writing style and her stories although I must say the fact that this one was written in verse was a first for me and I don’t think it’s a favorite, which is quite unfortunate.
Still I really enjoyed it!

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by RM Romero is a ghost story, a fairytale, a love story, and a reminder wrapped up in roses. Ilana Lopez is brought to Prague to help focus on her future, being a doctor or a lawyer but never a musician, as her parents told her. While there, she finds a forgotten cemetery where the ghost of a Jewish boy still mourns and where a monster waits for his prey. Drawing on Jewish history with Czech folklore, Romero spins a story written in verse about a girl who finds her strength among the dead.

This book nearly made me cry at work. The magical realism that spills from the prose creates vivid scenes perfect for fans of Anna-Marie McLemore. It's easy to imagine the Charles Bridge shrouded in mist, the streets paved with tombstones. As someone who visited a few years back, it also reminded me of the grief that lingers in the city. Everywhere you go is a graveyard; there are monuments and stories half-forgotten, and for some, a memory of a family that is just out of reach.

With absolute skill and care, Romero draws on this memory with Ilana as the protagonist. I love her tender nature and how she wants to be selfish but doesn't know how. As a girl, she grew up on warnings from her immigrant parents, be careful, be safe. Thus, seeing her growth in Prague was phenomenal! By the end, she is a little sadder, a little wiser, but also so much stronger with her heart.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a memory of the diaspora brought to life with beautiful prose.

A copy was provided to me by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a beautiful book about a young girl who spends a summer in Prague and falls in love with a ghost boy. It's a beautiful story of love and loss, and I really enjoyed it. I was honestly surprised I liked it so much, because I'm typically not a huge fan of novels written in verse. However, I think R.M. Romero did a wonderful job of keeping the story compelling and easy to comprehend while still in lovely verse. This is a great story for this press to debut with, and a super quick read, too, which made it easier for me to want to read it right away. I have nothing bad to say about this charming novel.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero is a novel written in prose. Ilana Lopez is a biracial Jewish girl. She has been sent by her parents to live with her aunt in Prague. Ilana dreams of becoming a violinist, but her parents don’t approve of her dreams because they want her to have a more stable career. At her aunt’s cottage, Ilana explores and discovers an abandoned Jewish cemetery behind the cottage. She meets Benjamin, the ghost of a boy who died long ago. Ilana restores his grave, so Benjamin shows Ilana the haunted side of Prague. When Ilana catches the attention of Rudolph Wassermann, a man without a shadow, he becomes fascinated with her. He offers to help her pursue her violinist dreams, and be with Benjamin. Ilana soon discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city. Ilana vows to save the boy she loves.

This story is haunting. I really like the use of prose. It is very unique and makes for a dream-like quality.

Beautiful and lyrical writing! The story is so vivid in my head, Romero is an amazing author. It's mystical, thoughtful, and romantic. I happily immersed myself in this world. While reading the book, no one could touch me. This is an experience that I hope everyone can feel. Automatic 5 stars!

This is a gorgeous verse novel that twines reality, magic, fairytale and history with a musicality that is enchanting. Through the eyes and heart of sixteen year old Ilana, we travel the palimpsest masterfully layered by R.M. Romero to bring the living and the dead, Jewish resilience and loss, and the double-edged sword of passion to celebrate and acknowledge the cost of being the other.
Reading this book was a pleasure. Anyone who loves modern retelling of fairytales, magic, stories about Jewish identity, strong female characters, and stunning writing is in for a treat. I couldn’t put it down.

Wow, what a gorgeously written and symbolic story. The author's writing is already beautiful, but they really took advantage of the form of the book (poetry). This story has a lovely and fascinating premise, but the highlight is absolutely the author's writing style. I can't recommend this enough.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and R.M. Romero for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Ghosts of Rose Hill was an enchanting book. It felt almost dreamy, most likely because of the poetic format and the quiet, peaceful ghost that inhabits the graveyard. The poetry was flowing, and felt easy to read not just because of the format but because every sentence was a pleasure to follow. Romero paints a vivid, beautiful picture of love, life and hope in this novel. I would highly recommend this to anyone, even if you’re not a big poetry person.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing house for a chance to read an ARC of this book! Spooky, beautiful, and steeped in folklore, The Ghosts of Rose Hill hooked me from the very first verse! Highly recommend!

I love poetry but this one felt…juvenile, Maybe I am too old for the writing style, younger me would have appreciated it more. I appreciate the setting and the story the author wanted known, the execution was just not to my taste.

This is a beautifully written story. I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a quick escape. Will be looking for other titles by this author.

Full review closer to publication date!

I'd like to thank the publisher, Peachtree and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A spooky, sumptuous, folklore- and history-inspired bildungsroman about love and heritage. Because it's in verse, it's a very quick read, more like a novella though it's over 300 pages.

tw// Antisemitism, child abuse, mentions of child death, kidnapping

That was a fun ride! I've read a lot of reviews gushing about its prose, and I 100% agree. It was lyrical and poetic, which is something I like a lot when reading a book. The story might seem simple but I loved how the author wrote the story, it makes it more special!

It's a pretty good read. Written in prose which was a first for me and I'm not disappointed. The pace of the story is quite fast and entertaining. Am not in ghost reads so that was a first as well.

I really admired how the author brought out the struggles of immigrant families, especially Jewish families and the dark history of Nazi occupied Prague. It's heavy stuff but it's the reality. There were so many emotions behind each and every word it just pulls you into the story right away. It's just beautifully written. Kudos to the author.

The only thing I had a problem dealing with was romancing a ghost. It honestly weirded me out, especially during the make out scenes. I could not visualise it without feeling icky. But at the same time, I understand why it was vital to the story. I'm not saying I liked it, I'm saying I understand.

Overall, it's a pretty good read. Would recommend it.

eARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

“I’m just a girl who dreams about magic and can’t wrap her mind around algebra equations”

This book was really good! I thoroughly enjoyed the prose, and I thought that the story was expressed well in this format. I often find that books written in prose are hit or miss in the sense that the story sometimes gets lost in the poetry or the poetry is lost to fit the story, but that was not the case with this one. Aside from the beauty of the actual words, the story itself was so important and so real. I truly felt the emotions of the characters, and I would recommend this book to anyone who asked for a novel in verse recommendation. Great job!