About the Book:

Title: A Forgery of Roses

Author: Jessica S. Olson

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Release Date: March 29, 2022

Pages: 368

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Romance

Synopsis:

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

From Sing Me Forgotten author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.

Review:

I fell in love with Jessica S. Olson’s writing last year when I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of her debut, Sing Me Forgotten. A Forgery of Roses did not disappoint and in fact, it has cemented Jessica as an auto-buy author for me. Forgery is a thrilling and delectable fantasy, compelling mystery, and sweet romance rolled into one that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure! 

Myra Whitlock is a Prodigy, and as an artist she can alter people’s real life bodies with a painting. She has had to hide her gift and keep it safe from those that would try to exploit her, especially now that her parents are gone and she has a younger sister to protect. 

One night, the Governor’s wife discovers the truth about her gift and threatens to expose Myra if she doesn’t paint a special portrait that could resurrect her dead son. Left with no other choice, Myra heads to their lonely mansion.

Once she arrives, Myra begins to see that all is not as it seems and she teams up with the Governor’s oldest son, August, to discover what really happened to his brother. She must race against the clock to find out the truth, before she becomes a victim herself. 

I loved Myra so much! She is such a strong and compelling character. Her relationship with her sister Lucy is one of my favorite parts of the story. Her sister suffers from a chronic illness and I loved how Olson explores this in the story. Such great representation! Another character also suffers from anxiety, and I also appreciated that representation as well, as I suffer from anxiety myself. 

I completely fell in love with the atmosphere and feel of this story, and I wish it was not a standalone, as I would be so happy to spend more time with these characters. I also found myself thinking that I had things figured out, and then the author would surprise me again. Kudos to Olson for that! I highly recommend this one, and I hope that you will pick it up soon. 

About the Author:

Jessica S. Olson claims New Hampshire as her home, but has somehow found herself in Texas, where she spends most of her time singing praises to the inventor of the air conditioner. When she’s not hiding from the heat, she’s corralling her three wild—but adorable—children, dreaming up stories about kissing and murder and magic, and eating peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar. She earned a bachelor’s in English with minors in editing and French, which essentially means she spent all of her university time reading and eating French pastries. Sing Me Forgotten is her debut novel.

Jessica is represented by Christa Heschke of McIntosh & Otis Literary Agency.