Title: A Curse of Roses
Author: Diana Pinguicha
Pages: 352
Genre: YA Fantasy/ Historical Fiction
Release Date: 01 December 2020

From Goodreads: "With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies. There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain. If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food. Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss. As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death? With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more. She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction."

Historical fiction is one of my favorite things to read, so A Curse of Roses was right up my alley. I had no idea that the story was based on a Portuguese legend about Saint Elizabeth and it was called The Miracle of Roses. The story goes that Elizabeth was caught by her husband taking food to the poor, and he eventully forbade her from doing it ever again. After she was caught once again by her husband hiding bread in her apron to take to the poor, he asked what she had and she replied that it was only roses. Being Winter, he was reluctant to believe her so he told her to unfold her apron to see what she was hiding. When she unfolded the apron, roses fell out instead of the bread. I really enjoyed that this was a twist on such an interesting legend and I liked looking into it to try to understand the influence behind the book! And to top it off, the author included a really cool bit at the end where she explained the original tale and some of the aspects of the story that she changed in order to create her retelling. I love that detail and think that it really took the story to another level for me as a reader.

This was a wonderful LGBT retelling of this story with some really memorable characters that I instantly found myself loving (and shipping, let's be honest). I genuinely felt for Yza as I read about how she was quite literally starving, unable to eat anything because it continually turns into flowers and thorns in her mouth and throat. She's surviving on broth and is realizing that her people are also enduring the same pain that she is so she wants to enlist the help of the Enchanted Moura, Fatyan, to help her reverse her magic and allow her to turn flowers into food. But the twist? She's magically trapped and the only way to set her free is for Yza to grant her a kiss. The kiss not only sets Fatyan free but also awakens something inside of Yza and it was such a lovely story of acceptance and, well, love!

The writing. Oh wow the writing. I was immediately transported to Yza and Fatyan's world and it was absolutely magical! I have a hard time staying interested in fantasy stories if the writing is hard for me to follow but I found Diana Pinguicha's writing to be absolutely magical. She has a lyrical way of writing that had me hooked and wanting to know more about the story and the characters from the very beginning. I found the story to be both well written and easy to follow which allowed me to get through the story with ease. But it also made me want to read more as soon as I was finished so I will absolutely be looking out for more by this amazing author! Oh, and did I mention that the descriptions of the food (and for some reason the flowers as well?) made me constantly hungry?! I found myself snacking while reading because some of the foods sounded so delectable that I couldn't resist eating something, as much as I wished I could be eating some of the food from the story. That was a huge plus in my book, personally. I also liked that the magic was...simple? It didn't feel complicated or hard to keep up with like a lot of YA fantasy books tend to get sometimes. I wasn't really confused and found it easy to follow which, again, is a huge plus.

All in all, A Curse of Roses was a fantastically beautiful read. With historical legend roots, a love story between two amazing women, and world building that will draw you into this magical world and keep you hooked from start to finish, this is a book you absolutely do not want to miss!

From Goodreads: "In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall. The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline. All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end."

Thank you to YA Bound Book Tours and Graydon House for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

Historical fiction has been one of my favorite genres to read since I was very young. I remember perusing the shelves in my middle school library for books in this genre. One that stands out to me (and that is by an author that I read a large majority of her books back in the day) is A Break with Charity by Ann Rinaldi. It's a story about the Salem Witch Trials, which loosely relates to this book, and was one of my absolute favorite historical fiction books ever. I can definitely say that The Witch of Willow Hall has made that list!

Plot:
In order to escape a scandal, Lydia and her family have just moved from Boston to their Summer home turned permanent home at Willow Hall in the country. While Catherine, the eldest, and their mother are fairly unhappy with the move, Lydia and Emeline, the youngest, don't seem to care too much. Emeline is too concerned with the mermaids in the new pond and Lydia, trying to forget about the engagement she had to break off, just wants to focus on taking care of Emeline and avoid any more possible scandals happening to her family. But Lydia has secrets from her past buried deep beneath the surface that she tries to keep hidden, and Willow Hall is determined to bring them to light.

I definitely went into this expecting a paranormal historical fiction story and was surprised to find out that there was actually a bit of romance sprinkled in as well! I'll be the first to admit, I was hesitant, but I really ended up enjoying this surprising bit that was written in the story. I'm not usually a huge fan of romance or anything like that, but this one was so well done I just couldn't help but fall for it every step of the way. The story itself did start off a little slow but really started to pick up until maybe about halfway through, but once it did, I found it difficult to put down! But I believe that the slow buildup is one of the plus sides to this story, as it really gives the reader time to get engrossed in the world and everything that is going on. It shows that you don't need a lot of flash and a quick moving plot to write a great story! I just loved the atmosphere that was present all throughout the story and found myself wanting to stay within the pages of the book for just a bit longer whenever I read. I do wish there had been a bit more development with the witch-y side of the story and maybe just a little more backstory on the history of some things, but overall, I really really enjoyed this story. As I said above, it's one of my new favorite historical fiction books! It has an overall creepy vibe that I really enjoyed and it's definitely a book that I didn't know I needed to read, but am very happy I was able to read. It's an atmospheric (have I said that enough?) story that really draws you in with the eerieness and unknown feeling that Willow Hall gives off and keeps you guessing with every page. It really is a fantastic gothic tale that I'm sure will be enjoyed by many and will easily become a new favorite among historical fiction readers such as myself.

Characters:
All of the characters in this book were so well-written and each had their own qualities that I liked and/or disliked about them. My favorite, not surprisingly, was Lydia, but I really enjoyed all three of the sisters in their own way. Catherine was a typical older sister and a bit shallow but ended up having more depth than I really thought she would, and Emeline was the younger sister who aspired to be like her older sisters. But Lydia, who had been taught to never attempt to stand out in any way but rather to remain plain and unimpressive, had such a strength and a light in her that was just absolutely captivating. She was such a lovely character and I truly enjoyed following her story and watching her start to understand her secret and unravel the secrets that hide within the walls of Willow Hall. Their parents, Mr. Montrose and Mrs. Montrose, were also interesting characters. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the father, but I really liked that he came through for his family when it mattered the most. All in all, the characters in this story definitely had a huge part in my enjoyment of the book overall and I really found myself in awe of Hester Fox's way of writing character growth and development!

Writing:
Hester Fox is just...wow. From the very first page, I was completely and totally enchanted. Honestly, I was shocked that this was her first novel! She writes like no other author I've ever read. Not only does her writing remind me of the wonderful historical fiction authors I grew up reading, but it also reminds me of the gothic horror writers I've come to enjoy recently, one of those being Wendy Webb. Hester Fox has a unique voice that brings each and every word on the page alive and I found myself devouring every word she wrote, but still hungry for more. By the end, I knew that I had found a new auto-read author, and I am so eager and excited to see what Hester Fox writes next!

If you're looking for a spooky and atmospheric story to round out your October reading list, then The Witch of Willow Hall is one you don't want to miss!

From Goodreads: "Dresden is cursed. His chest houses a hive of bees that he can’t stop from stinging people with psychosis-inducing venom. His face is a shifting montage of all the people who have died because of those stings. And he has been this way for centuries—since he was eighteen and magic flowed through his homeland, corrupting its people. He follows harbingers of death, so at least his curse only affects those about to die anyway. But when he arrives in a Midwest town marked for death, he encounters Essie, a seventeen-year-old girl who suffers from debilitating delusions and hallucinations. His bees want to sting her on sight. But Essie doesn’t see a monster when she looks at Dresden. Essie is fascinated and delighted by his changing features. Risking his own life, he holds back his bees and spares her. What starts out as a simple act of mercy ends up unraveling Dresden’s solitary life and Essie’s tormented one. Their impossible romance might even be powerful enough to unravel a centuries-old curse."

From Goodreads: "In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that. Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that. With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that."

Title: The Kingdom Saga Collection: Books 1-4
Author: Megan Linski
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 19 May 2017
Publisher: Gryfyn Publishing

Summary:

A princess becomes a warrior, indulges in forbidden romance, and rules an empire in an epic fantasy saga inspired by Aladdin and the 1001 Arabian Nights.

Princess Bennua is betrothed to a foreigner in a far-away land -- until a prince of thieves comes to claim her for himself. Kidnapped and brought to a desert of mystery and wonder, Bennua finds herself the master of a djinn trapped within a magic lamp... and in love with a man who’s as secretive as he is dangerous.

Her travels take her to lands of ancient pharaohs and dark crypts, to illustrious palaces and jungles filled with mythical beasts. Bennua finds herself in service of an ancient deity, a fire god who is at war with the devil, and in the middle of a war where angels battle kings and monsters devour men. 

Swords clash, magic ignites, and sultans fall. One girl has the power to save the world, and she will bring the desert to its knees with her bravery... her strength... and her love.

With thousands of copies in the hands of readers, The Kingdom Saga is an emotional story of true love, redemption, and faith featuring a strong heroine, a handsome prince and a lovable djinn.

Includes all four books in The Kingdom Saga series! 

About the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Keep reading for some cool Rhodi Saga related goodies!

Click here to listen to the Rhodi Saga playlist! I've been listening to this on repeat and can't even begin to describe the amount of feelings that it has given me. With every song that plays, I can see where it fits with the story and why the author chose to include it on the playlist. I encourage everyone, whether you have read the trilogy or not, to give this a listen and really dive into the series in a musical way. It has certainly given me more insight into this world that I have come to love so much and I hope to be able to share this love with others! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out the wonderful world of the Rhodi! A huge thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of this tour, Gryfn Publishing for providing me with copies of this series in exchange for review, and Megan Linski for writing this series that will forever have a place in my heart and on my bookshelves. Be sure to pick up this amazing new trilogy when it releases on 04 September 2016!