A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

Published on August 26, 2022

A Forgery of Roses Book Cover. Gold text on a black background. Charred roses are centered on the cover, with glowing orange embers falling around them. Dark scroll designs border the roses.

Reviewed by Jayde Valosin

Myra Whitlock is a Prodigy- when she paints, she can repair bodily damage (if she understands the cause) and change the appearance of the subject she is painting. Prodigies are forbidden by the governor, but the governor's wife has a proposition for her- if she paints the governor's son back to life, she will be awarded enough money to make a new life for her and her sister, Lucy. Lucy desperately needs medical treatment, so Myra agrees. She enlists the help of August Harris, forgotten son of the governor's family, to help her investigate his brother’s cause of death. As more information is uncovered, it gets harder to understand who can be trusted and what really happened the night the governor’s son had his fatal accident.

Jessica S. Olson has taken a unique magical premise and woven an incredibly detailed story around it. The sisterhood between Myra and Lucy is worth reading the story for alone. Because their parents have disappeared suddenly, Myra needs to make ends meet which is not easy to do when she makes very little money and has to figure out medical care for her sister. Whether it be because of their struggle or because of their friendship, I can see many readers relating to these two characters. The story is full of twists, making the ending completely unanticipated. The romance helps to add tension and to demonstrate character growth for main and side characters. Great for readers who want an interesting and mysterious fantasy standalone.

 

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