House of Rose

This was way better than I expected. It's narrated from a police perspective, and given that the author works in the force, it's a pretty accurate portrayal of the work they do. (Not that I would know either way, but it felt real) Given all the bad press police have been getting lately, it was eye opening to read it from their perspective - the internal dilemma of determining if the situation requires the officer to shoot, and how they have to deal with the emotional and political repercussions afterwards.

Since this was a fantasy book, mixing the real life of a police officer together with magic made this a unique read. It felt more real than most urban fantasy, especially since everyone's human. No hot werewolves or vampires running around naked here.

The characters were well done, the writing flowed nicely and easily, and the plot had several interesting twists. I really enjoyed reading it (it kept me up till 5am, and I had to be in work a few hours later). I'm looking forward to the sequel.

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent story, fast paced and entertaining. A different take on paranormal abilities. Looking forward to the next one.

5 stars
Review by Leah
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog

House of Rose by T.K. Thorne brought the art of magic back without all the black magic, spells and potions. She brings the power of Mother Earth, the grounding and I thank you for that, so refreshing. The bonus is, IT'S A CRIME NOVEL WITH WITCHES AND WARLOCKS!

A beat cop patrolling the streets, Rose and her partner Paul respond to a burglary call in her neighborhood. During that call, another comes in a couple of blocks over and they are in pursuit. As Rose turns the corner sees something she cannot explain. A vision, a premonition, all she knows is she has to save her partner.

Adopted as a child after a tragedy that took her family from her, Rose thought she was it, she had no blood family left. So it was quite a shock when she stumbles upon her Great Aunt Alice and it took quite a bit of convincing that they were related. Then finding out she is the firstborn heir of the House of Rose throws her for another loop. Oh yeah, Rose, there is a House of Iron who is trying to kill you. Perfect! Gotta love family drama. Rose took to her abilities like a deer to a frozen pond. Thank you T.K. Thorne for that, it drives me insane when I am reading about someone coming into their powers and *poof* they know how to use them.

Aunt Alice and her "kitties" (you will giggle when you get to that part of the book) is a character that everyone wants as an aunt and then there is Paul, ohhh Paul, you sir are a tricky little thing.

The book does not say it but the House of Rose reminds me of Green Witches (not the book, the actual Green Witches). They pull from the earth’s energy, stones, gems, elements, etc. which is near and dear to me. I am all for reading about the black/dark magic but it’s refreshing to read about the other side that many people do not think about. This was one read I did not know how it would end. I was not able to predict the ending in chapter 5, which was awesome! It kept me on my toes and up past 2 am. Ready for book 2 😀

** ARC provided for an honest review **

Interesting... I wasn't expecting several of the plot twists and I felt a real connection with the heroine; her character was well-developed and it was easy to empathize with her. Plenty of drama and magic, and the story moved along briskly so you don't get bored. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

This story of a cop by a former cop is rich in detail. I really enjoyed the descriptions that drew on real places.

Rose enjoys her job as a patrol officer for the city of Birmingham, AL. A strange incident occurs that results in Rose being forced to shoot a man who is about to fire at her training officer and partner. The shooting may threaten her career, but what really concerns Rose is the odd vision she had just before she fired. That vision showed Rose that the criminal was about to fire at her partner before it actually happened. If Rose had not had the vision she would never have been able to save her partner in time. Her investigation into incidents surrounding the shooting lead her to discover things that she never knew about herself. Rose knows that she was adopted shortly after her parents and younger sister were killed supposedly in a fire. She did not know that the adoption was actually a way for her identity to be hidden from a group who wanted her dead. What follows requires Rose to fight not only for her own life but for the lives of everyone close to her.

I love this book. Excellent story, fast paced and entertaining. It has great, believable characters and the writing flowed beautifully. It has an excellent story line. It is fast paced and very, very entertaining. There’s a lot going on in this book. It’s about a rookie police officer, Rose, who saw a strange vision of a crook about to shoot her partner before it actually happened. It also has lots of twists and turns. For example Rose finds a long lost aunt who tells her she is actually a witch from a long line of witches in the House of Rose. She has to learn to use her witch powers to try to figure out who is trying to kill her before it's too late. Great novel. I’ll be looking for more from his author. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Epicenter Press / Camel Press for this arc.

I was initially drawn to this story by it's subtitle "A Magic City Story"... I've lived in Birmingham, AL for the past 50 plus years and that really was the "draw" for me as I'd never heard of this author before.

I really enjoyed this book. I like police procedurals and that portion of the book was great. I also love the Harry Potter stories, so the magic and witchcraft portions were a bonus for me. But it was the authentic details of the book --- The Pita Stop, Taj India, Highlands Bar & Grill and the magic of Reed's Books that were a real treat for me. T. K. Thorne perfectly captured the stuffiness of "The Club" (where one of my sisters got married) and the creepiness of the Simpson home (I went to high school with the son) not to mention the whimsey of Fred Nall's sculptures in the fountain in Five Points South.

I thought the female characters were much better developed than the male characters, but that was okay -- it was Rose's story. The mystery wasn't much of a challenge, either. I did find the accuracy of the details of place to be wonderfully enchanting.