Unfortunately I gave up on this one at 55%.

I actually loved the beginning of the book and really enjoyed everything up until the point where Anna left home. Learning about the magic system and seeing it in use was super interesting to me and I was actually excited about the book. And then a third of the way in it totally changed directions and got really slow and really boring. I wasn't a fan of the writing and it felt difficult to read because of how flowery the author tried to make it. I was either rolling my eyes at the metaphors or re-reading passages to try and figure out what was going on. Sadly, this was not the book for me.

I'm sorry; I didn't get a chance to download this before it was archived.

BLOOD ROSE REBELLION by Rosalyn Eves is a debut fantasy novel set in 1847 London. The main character is a young woman of noble birth who, unlike others of her class, has no magical powers other than being able to break spells. Her "gift" contributes to the ruin of her sister's debut and Anna Arden is exiled to Hungary with her grandmother. There, she discovers Romani magic and has to decide if she wants to develop her power and support rebellion by granting more magic abilities to all.

There are elements of Austrian-Hungarian history, classism, and even sexism in this fantasy story, but the appeal will most likely be to younger (middle school and early high school) readers due to the immaturity of the character, her flirtatious romance and presence of magical creatures. BLOOD ROSE REBELLION is part of a planned trilogy – learn more at the author's website which is here: http://www.rosalyneves.com/books/

This book was one I was highly anticipating, I thought the setting and plot sounded like the next great fantasy, but alas, I was disappointed again.

While the plot WAS compelling, and the setting was one I haven't read much of, the info-dumping and all of the accents on all of the names was way too much.
I'm all for accenting, but when I open a page and it looks like someone sprinkled dirt on it... that's too much.
I did, however, enjoy the story, and when I listened to it on audiobook versus reading it, I enjoyed it even more without the accents!

DNF. I couldn't do it. The premise was interesting but it was just SO MUCH. I'm 40% of the way through and there still isn't really a plot. I hate the MC because I find her to have absolutely no agency or any actual motivation. The characters are flat and underdeveloped. Like I get the idea Eves is going for and I really think the premise is strong but I just can't get through the execution. I just forced myself to finish another galley I really didn't like and trying to force myself through this one too is just not good for my soul. Sorry :(

First, I have to commend Rosalyn Eves for her world building. Not only is there a historic setting, but a fantasy layer built on top of it which fabricates a beautiful and frightening world. There are some moments where it’s a lot of information to intake, but during those moments you appreciate how much went into this world. As a debut novel, the skill involved in formulating this level of world building is applause worthy! Also did I mention it takes place in Hungary? The landscapes are just as impressive as the detailing of gowns and china that form a grounding spell of their own.

Characters are always that cringe-worthy moment for me. I’m so touchy when it come to whether I will enjoy a read or not, and the characters define that for me. I didn’t love Anna at first, but she grew on me in ways I didn’t think she would. Watching her grow as a character is what drew me in and makes me say she’s a strong female character in a way that isn’t cliché or trope-ish. The journey Anna goes on personally is something I appreciate. Though at moments she could use a little more development in certain areas, I was overwhelmed that by the end she wasn’t your typical YA heroine. She is flawed, and she embraces those flaws— that is what I enjoyed most about seeing her play out on the page. In addition to the Radcliffe and Bronte references that influence Anna during a time of distress to follow their heroine’s action, I can’t express the subtlety of character that makes her a memorable character.

There are plenty of men in Blood Rose Rebellion, but William Skala stole my heart. And maybe it’s because he’s a redheaded Scot, but his passion and fervor that he pursues his conviction is what make him such a wonderful and full-bodied character.

What really makes Blood Rose Rebellion a must read for me is one of the resonating themes, and it revolves around monsters.
“But who can say, when you give a creature freedom, what he or she will choose? What will your world look like when you give all individuals the same rights? Can you say with certainty each person will use that power for good?”

What makes us monsters? Physically. Emotionally. In theory. There are very real monsters in Blood Rose Rebellion, but there are also the kind that hide in plain sight. We all contain monsters inside of us, it’s a matter of who we are that defines what we chose to do with that nature. This resonated with me because I’ve seen firsthand beautiful creatures turn into monsters like a light switch being flipped. I’ve had people I trusted do the same thing. Which monster do you want in the world? The ones you can see, or the ones you know exist but have no power over. The way Anna struggles with this notion is beautiful in its flawed and messy emotional state. That’s why Anna as a main character is relatable, she doesn’t just do it for cause or country, but she weighs each outcome throughout the novel in a way that is both personal and large scale.

I think as a craft, and a debut novel, Rosalyn Eves does a fantastic job setting a world in motion and giving us characters to grow with. A job well done and deserving of recognition.

Xoxo, Camille

The strongest points of this novel, for me, were the interesting concept and the intricate world-building. One of my favorite aspects of historical fantasy is following the way the narrative weaves together historical elements with fantastical ones in a way that can actually convince the reader that it’s all plausible. I think Eves did a great job with that. She chose a setting, time period and location-wise, that is quite unique and not usually focused on and that afforded her the ability to really craft her own story with it.

However, I just could not get attached to any of the characters or the relationships. I was not very invested in the story and this may just be because I didn’t find our protagonist Anna very compelling. So while I really enjoyed the idea behind the story and the world it was set in, I don’t think this was the particular story in the setting that Eves created that I cared to read about above all potential others.

I always hate DNF-ing a book and while I forced myself to finish this one, it was exactly that: forced. I made it about 30% of the way through before losing all energy and interest in continuing. After much consideration, I convinced myself to give it a second try and just read it. People raved about it, there must be something decent about it, right?

If I'm going to read a book, I need to feel some sort of hook within the first few chapters. Frankly, my biggest issue with Blood Rose Rebellion is that it bored me. You can throw all the world-building at me and it won't make a difference if the writing isn't engaging me as the reader. There's a lot of history at work here and maybe if I was more well-versed in Hungary and past politics and all that (though the book is obviously fictionalized), I might have enjoyed that element more. But I wasn't looking for a historical young adult novel. I was looking for a fantasy with historical tie-ins and I think this ended up being more of the opposite.

The world bogged down the story and I wasn't particularly fond of Anna. She struck me as a special little snowflake who had a long way to go before maturing and it was taking far too long for me to like her. The rest of the cast didn't strike me as anything special either. There aren't any standouts, any memorable aspects. I finished reading this book and my brain decided it had better things to think about.

There was so much going on in Blood Rose Rebellion that I feel like none of these issues should even exist. The magical element alone offered a realm of possibilities but was never clearly explained (at least, enough for me) nor took enough of a role for me.

Plus, this book is slow. Oh my goodness I sat at 30% for ages. I almost didn't come back to it but, again, I though that just MAYBE something would redeem it. Instead, the plot moved at a sluggish pace making reading far more difficult that it should have been and, combined with a dislike of the protagonist, I just didn't want to continue. I shouldn't have. I should have DNfed it earlier on.

I'm mentally cursing myself for bothering because Blood Rose Rebellion hit all the YA fantasy cliches and is now lost to the void of books I will never remember. I think this book excelled at the historical elements but the addition of the fantastical ones and using a character with a flat voice and no intriguing elements to her personality left this book better left with history itself. I doubt I'll attempt any future books in this series but may pick up other titles by the author down the road.

With fantastic world building, complex characters and a storyline that keeps you mesmerized, this book is an epic win!

A very fresh world in the fantasy and magic genre. I really enjoyed the growth of the main character and look forward to the next installment. I have many students who will appreciate the historical aspects combined with the magical elements.

I received this ARC from Random House Children’s. Sadly I have to say I didn't finish this book. I couldn't connect to any of the characters or anything in the story. I am not one to give up easily. The Hungarian setting added a really interesting element to the story. But I couldn't understand how to pronounce ANY of the names with was a terrible let down!

Leading up to reading this book, I was really excited. I had heard good things from other reviewers. I loved the synopsis, and the cover drew me in. Unfortunately, this book was just okay for me. I had a couple of major issues that really stood out to me. I liked the idea of the book, but the execution was lacking. The writing was dull and didn't grab me. It was a chore to read this book. It took me so long to finish it because I kept putting it down. Then there was a point where distant cousins are kissing, and that really turned me off. Even if it happened in history, it still wasn't appealing for me to read. In the end, this book was not for me.

I enjoyed the story, but I was waiting for something to wow me. I hope there is more of a story in the next book.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley an honest review.

While I hate giving bad reviews because it is someone else's hard work that they personally invested in, I have to be honest. I really didn't care for this book.

The character's were boring or I didn't connect with them. I found Anna very tedious and annoying. The world building was not explained properly and instead of making things clearer, it just made things more confusing. Also, most of the romance was unnecessary or just silly.

I'm sure this will work for some but I can't recommend it.

I started out not very impressed by this book and really not liking Anna. It is pretty bad when you don't like the main character. As the story progressed, Anna grew on me and I found myself enjoying the story more. I think part of the problem was that the blurb compares it to a series that I love, so it gave me (possibly unattainably) high hopes. It ended up being a good story with some great characters.

Started off a bit slow, but Eves' writing is spectacular and she writes an intricate and engaging story!

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves is full of action, magic, suspense and of course, love. The characters that are quirky, engaging and well developed along with a historical yet magical setting. Blood Rose Rebellion is a rich, imaginative, creative and amazing debut novel!

4.5 Stars

Visit https://renee1-blog.blogspot.com/2017/04/blood-rose-rebellion-by-rosalyn-eves.html to read my full review.

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers, MS. Eves and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book was smart and amazing and beautiful and richly imagined. I was hooked from the first moment, and had to know what was happening next every second of the way through.

This title is a mixed bag for me... I loved the endearing qualities of some of the secondary characters, but I found it really hard to feel anything for others or to even remotely connect with them. My biggest criticism of this book is more limited to the way the story seems to drag in places. It lacked that special quality that makes me want to drown in the pages of a story I really love. That said, it provides a starting place, and I'd be willing to visit the story again to see what happens to the characters I did come to love.