I got this book for the publisher for my honest thoughts*
I really loved this read. I thought not only the characters were awsome but also the elments of a fantsay story but mixed with a murder mystery was so captvating to me. I also thought this book had a important rep like anxiery rep but also the possilbity of chronic illness. This book also had a real cool hero that just capatived me. It also had so many twists and turns and read herrings that just kept me gussing. This book I had such a hard time putting it down and really loved this this book was standlone but would love to see mroe stories set in this world!! I also want to read this author backlist! ( )

I got this book for the publisher for my honest thoughts*
I really loved this read. I thought not only the characters were awsome but also the elments of a fantsay story but mixed with a murder mystery was so captvating to me. I also thought this book had a important rep like anxiery rep but also the possilbity of chronic illness. This book also had a real cool hero that just capatived me. It also had so many twists and turns and read herrings that just kept me gussing. This book I had such a hard time putting it down and really loved this this book was standlone but would love to see mroe stories set in this world!! I also want to read this author backlist! ( )

Another hit by Jessica S. Olson! She's fast becoming one of my favorite auto-read/buy authors. I fell in love with her and her writing with Sing Me Forgotten, which as a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera was the best and a new fresh take on it that I love, love, loved.
Back to A Forgery of Roses - this is another one that checks a bunch of my favorite boxes.
Gothic - Check
Fantasy - Check
Mystery - Check
Romance - Check
The whole of this amazing lush fantasy story - check, check, double-check, and triple-check. If you like me love gothic and lush fantasies with mystery and romance then get on it and go read this book!
This is about Myra, who has a gift that many would like to control, and a younger sister who has health issues that she is the caretaker for since their parents are gone. Her gift is that of being an artist, a portrait artist whose paintings can alter people's bodies. Her gift is something she wants to keep secret to protect herself and her sister, but one night, the governor's wife stops by where she works, asks for a portrait, and discovers the truth about Myra and her gift. She threatens to expose Myra and her gift unless she agrees to paint a portrait of her dead son that would resurrect him.
However, once she goes to the Governor's mansion she discovers that the death was no accident and that there's a killer obsessed with portrait magic roaming the halls. Myra is desperate to get out of the mansion so she turns to the older son for help to complete the painting so she can keep her secret, get the money she so desperately needs and escape.
There are so many twists and turns in this story. It's an emotional rollercoaster ride that takes your breath away with one or two swoon-worthy romances and shockers/twists that completely caught me off guard when I thought I was on the right track or thought I had it all figured out and then BAM haha no you didn't. That was a new experience to actually be off in a few of my guesses because she went places I didn't even think to go with this story and blew my mind.
This story is reminding me and giving me vibes of all or parts of multiple stories like the gothic and romance especially reminding me of the romance with part of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan - if you've read this story you know what I'm talking about. Then reminding me of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and such with the Gothic vibes, etc. Also reminds me of the mystery and the twists etc. with The Picture of Dorian Gray.
The end has some of a satisfying ending, but at the same time there are things unanswered and I'd love to read more of this world and these characters. I don't know if there's more, but I'd love more otherwise I'll just have to keep reading this one.
If you haven't read this, go get it now! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for letting me read and review this fantastic story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Another hit by Jessica S. Olson! She's fast becoming one of my favorite auto-read/buy authors. I fell in love with her and her writing with Sing Me Forgotten, which as a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera was the best and a new fresh take on it that I love, love, loved.
Back to A Forgery of Roses - this is another one that checks a bunch of my favorite boxes.
Gothic - Check
Fantasy - Check
Mystery - Check
Romance - Check
The whole of this amazing lush fantasy story - check, check, double-check, and triple-check. If you like me love gothic and lush fantasies with mystery and romance then get on it and go read this book!
This is about Myra, who has a gift that many would like to control, and a younger sister who has health issues that she is the caretaker for since their parents are gone. Her gift is that of being an artist, a portrait artist whose paintings can alter people's bodies. Her gift is something she wants to keep secret to protect herself and her sister, but one night, the governor's wife stops by where she works, asks for a portrait, and discovers the truth about Myra and her gift. She threatens to expose Myra and her gift unless she agrees to paint a portrait of her dead son that would resurrect him.
However, once she goes to the Governor's mansion she discovers that the death was no accident and that there's a killer obsessed with portrait magic roaming the halls. Myra is desperate to get out of the mansion so she turns to the older son for help to complete the painting so she can keep her secret, get the money she so desperately needs and escape.
There are so many twists and turns in this story. It's an emotional rollercoaster ride that takes your breath away with one or two swoon-worthy romances and shockers/twists that completely caught me off guard when I thought I was on the right track or thought I had it all figured out and then BAM haha no you didn't. That was a new experience to actually be off in a few of my guesses because she went places I didn't even think to go with this story and blew my mind.
This story is reminding me and giving me vibes of all or parts of multiple stories like the gothic and romance especially reminding me of the romance with part of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan - if you've read this story you know what I'm talking about. Then reminding me of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and such with the Gothic vibes, etc. Also reminds me of the mystery and the twists etc. with The Picture of Dorian Gray.
The end has some of a satisfying ending, but at the same time there are things unanswered and I'd love to read more of this world and these characters. I don't know if there's more, but I'd love more otherwise I'll just have to keep reading this one.
If you haven't read this, go get it now! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for letting me read and review this fantastic story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

This book gave me the warm and fuzzies. The magic system and Myra's motivations were so pure and painted a beautiful picture. It reads like a fairy tale. ( )