Rose Petal Graves

The Lost Clan #1

by Olivia Wildenstein

Ancient secrets cannot remain buried forever.

Founded two centuries ago by a powerful tribe of Gottwa Indians, Rowan was a quiet town, so quiet that I fled after graduation. Staying away was the plan, but Mom died suddenly.

Dad said she suffered a stroke after she dug up one of the ancient graves in our backyard, which happens to be the town cemetery. Creepy, I know. Creepier still, there was no corpse inside the old coffin, only fresh rose petals.

As we made preparations for Mom’s burial, new people began arriving in Rowan, unnervingly handsome and odd people. I begged them to leave, but they stayed, because their enemies—my ancestors—were beginning to awaken.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Young Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic

390 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2016

About the author

Olivia is the byproduct of a meet-rude in a Parisian discotheque that turned into an epic love story spanning several decades. Naturally, this shaped the way she viewed romance.
After meeting her own Prince Charming—in a Parisian discotheque of all places—she decided to put fingers to keyboard and craft love stories for a living. None of her characters have ever met in a Parisian nightclub... as of yet.

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Reviews

[Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 16%

I... I just can't guys.

I was only six chapters in, but I already had way too many issues with the writing style, characters, and direction of this novel. In summary:

- Nobody told me this was fae, and that's not my thing.

- There's no sense of setting... at all

- There's so many logistical issues (How is the MC in medical school when she's only 19? If there's a huge snowstorm and this guy has to stay with her, how are all of her relatives able to arrive the next day?? If foul play is suspected in her mother's death, WHY IS THE AUTOPSY PREFORMED IN HER BASEMENT?)

- All references to the MC's Native American heritage seem to be shoved to the side in favor of paranormal elements.

- Incredibly stilted and on-the-nose dialogue. For example:

"And you became a medical examiner? What made you want to become that?"
"When my parents passed, it was my way of making death less alarming."

- A baffling combination of wordiness and lack of compound sentences. Examples:

"...old Mr. Hamilton asked. He used to be a famous actor back in the day. At least, that's what he claimed. We'd never seen him in any of the movies he bragged about."

"He'd always thought I was too headstrong. Mom said it was a wonderful trait for a girl to possess. Dad didn't agree. That wasn't too say he would have wanted me to be submissive, but perhaps more soft-spoken."

"Did you put a tarp up on that plot you dug up?"

Usually I can put up with some weirdness in the narrative if it's an ARC. But this has apparently already been published before? And as such been through several rounds of editing?

Maybe it needed another round. Certainly taking out those extra 'to be's and 'up's would have helped. Or maybe just combining some sentences to make things smoother. As it is, I it's not working for me and I have no desire to continue.


ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for opportunity!

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/2.75

Ever read, or in this case listen to, a book where you are not quite sure where you stand on it? Did I like it or not? Scratching head. What I can say is this is nothing like the Vampire Diaries. If you come to this thinking that, you may be disappointed.

Catori's mother dies after digging up a grave full of fresh rose petals in the backyard. Then newcomers show up in her town and life as she knows it will never be the same. By digging up the grave, her mother started a war between the fae and their hunters.

As I mentioned I am not quite sure how I feel about this book. I can't say I liked or disliked it. I am right in the middle. Parts I enjoyed, parts I didn’t I enjoyed the originality and the thought behind the book. I didn't quite get the insta attraction and feel the author is setting up a love triangle.

The reviews on this book are polarizing and I get it. This book will work for some. Be sure to read the reviews of those who loved it.

Thank you to Olivia Wildenstein, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Angelina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a struggle.

When the author make her characters do things that are so illogical.






I will spoil the beggining so you can understand.





The book starts with the death of Catori's mother Nova. A few days before the funeral arrives the medical examiner. He is hot. So I guess that means he can perform the autopsy in the basement of the house and stay there as well...
I mean.... What?
And Catori will fall for the man who sliced the chest of her dead mother??




She also wants to be in front of the autopsy? Why?
Why?

Why?

Who would want to see that?
And of course afterwards she was ready to pass out and the medical examiner became her knight??


Do you see why I am so frustrated???

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to author Olivia Wildenstein, and NetGalley.)

"What's with the rose petals?"
"They're said to preserve the bodies of dead faeries."

This was a YA fantasy story featuring the fae.

Catori had to deal with a lot in this book, with first her mother's death, and then all the information about faeries, and fae hunters, and her place among them. I did feel sorry for her because of her mother's death, especially when it seemed like she had more grief to come as the book progressed.

The storyline in this was about Catori coming home from university to attend her mother's funeral, and finding an unearthed casket filled with rose petals that her mother had dug up in the cemetary. Supposedly her mother had had a heart attack whilst digging up the coffin, which Catori didn't believe, and she also didn't understand why the casket was filled with rose petals rather than remains.
We then got a story about Catori's ancenstors being fae hunters, and a sexy but unavailable medical examiner who just so happened to be fae. I did find the number of characters in this a bit confusing though, and keeping straight who was a hunter and who was fae turned out to be quite difficult.
We had a number of love interests in this story too, with the sexy but engaged medical examiner, Catori's best friend Blake, and a hunter called Kajika, but I didn't really get a strong feeling for any of them.

The ending to this was okay, although not a lot seemed to have been resolved.



6.5 out of 10

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Cat's mother passes away suddenly she rushes home to the small town of Rowan for the services. She's sure that her mother was in good health and things just don't seem right with her passing although her father said she had suffered a stroke after digging up an ancient grave. Cat finds the ancient coffin is full of rose petals leading her into an investigation and discovering secrets about her family and a world that she never knew of.

Rose Petal Graves was a fairly short read that when done I'd have to say my biggest complaint is that it ended. This first book of the Lost Clan series introduces us to a world of magic, faeries, hunters, and ancient rituals. Full of surprising fun it was one that had me turning the pages to see what would come next.

Cat was a likable character that stumbles into a mystery that she's determined to solve. Finding herself involved in things she'd only imagined and learning more about who her family is over the course of the read she needs to find out just who she can trust. With a few surprises in store it definitely had me engaged the entire time.

Overall, great start to a new series will be looking forward to reading the next.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Hanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cat’s mother unexpectedly dies and Cat is devastated. She feels that something weird happened to her mother. A stranger who visits her house will turn Cat’s life upside down and he will introduce her to the world she didn’t know existed. She will get help from people that would do anything to protect her.

I liked Cat. She’s sweet, loving and determined, but also a little naïve and stubborn sometimes. She sometimes does things without thinking or against someone’s advice, and that gets her in danger. There was some suspense and mystery. Cat will get a special band with a man and she’s attracted to him, but at the end I’m not sure if he’ll be the one for her. I want to read the next part in this series to see who she will end up with and what else will happen to Cat.

I loved the author’s Masterful series, so I couldn’t wait to start another series by her and I didn’t care it was a paranormal romance. The setting was amazing and a little creepy. The writing was again great, but I missed some character development. There also were so many characters and I was really confused sometimes. I did like some secondary characters. I’m still not too sure about who to trust and who not, and I love that.

-- My honest review is based on a copy provided by the author. --

[Brittain *Needs a Nap and a Drink* · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 50%

My thoughts about this book:



1) Insta-love
2) Killed off the only good character
3) Male lead is supposed to be super attractive but he has no appeal
4) Called a paper ad in a magazine a "commercial"
5) Typos and misspellings
6) Draco Malfoy Syndrome
7) Most undertakers don't live in the funeral home with a morgue in the basement
8) Lots of explaining instead of showing
9) Lackluster writing overall with boring dialogue
10) Special Snowflake

[Olivia Wildenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready for some seriously sexy faerie hunters. ;)

Disclaimer: The Gottwas are an invented tribe, loosely inspired by the Ojibwe people. I did not want to cause offense to Native Americans by writing about customs that aren't mine.

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars

I had never read anything written by Olivia Wildenstein but this book won’t be my last, beginning with the second book of this series! I love her writing and the tense undertone she’s conveyed throughout the story. Her plot is solid with new characters and secrets added progressively all helping to make me read page after page.

I must confess I was first attracted by the pretty cover. I love gorgeous covers and this one fits the role perfectly. Then I read the blurb and it seemed right up my alley. I love PNR/fantasy and this one promised ancestor’s awakening. Why not give it a chance?
Now I can say I’m a really happy reader as this book had so many ingredients I’m looking for in PNR/Fantasy stories:

-mysteries and secrets. You’ll have them aplenty beginning by who Catori, our main female character is. She’ll be the first surprised.

-old legends resurfacing and disturbing a whole community;

-different fantasy characters (I don’t want to spoil the book so I’ll stay mute on this point) and a developed universe revolving around a quiet small town;

-said quiet won’t last long and soon enough new incomers and events will awaken the sleepy town;

-the writing creating a tense undertone. The story was creeping up on me, leaving my shoulders tense with fingers gripping my book;

-strong characters, well portrayed with some “meat” around the skeleton;

-steady pace. You’ll have adventure but you can breathe between one drama and the next. It’s never boring and the pace is just right for this story.

Catori, our main character is certainly not a doormat nor will she win the contest of any Southern Belle. She is opinionated, strong willed, wary and has built walls around her heart. She can be fiercely protective of her loved ones but she does not love easily. Smart but also reckless at times she has many contradictions: loving fiercely but not willing to be tied yet; mistrustful but following strangers. As she said: “ I decided I had a serious problem with self-preservation. What had happened to the Catori who prided herself on being street smart? Maybe that was my problem: I didn’t seek gratification; I sought thrills. And apparently putting my life in strange men’s hands thrilled me. I was seriously deranged.”
When her mother died a whole new world opened up to her. She was as rational as you can be and what will happen next turns her world on its axis. “Open your eyes, Catori. Open your eyes and look around. Your normal died with your mother.”



She will face everything head on and will adapt to her new reality. Every ordeal will be a blow to her soul but she is determined to protect her father and family at all costs. “Even though my eyes burned, I didn’t cry. My heart had begun to thicken, padding itself with protective layers to weather the chaotic storm raging across my life. I sensed this wasn’t the last death on my horizon. “
Brick by brick Olivia Wildenstein build this fantasy universe introducing us to many side characters, some more important than others, some hiding astonishing secrets but every single one adding one more layer and color to the story. Some don’t like having many characters in a story but I love it when they serve a purpose and help setting the scenery. It worked just really well for me.

I also loved having blurred or mixed feelings for many side characters. I love nothing more than “grey” characters not Manicheans ones. It makes a story so much more interesting! I did not know if they were friends or foe. Depending on their version of the story I could not help having understanding for them. I came to like these characters just to be unsettled in my beliefs by some of their actions or other ‘s “version of events”. Do I have to root for Catori’s ancestors or “the others”? Who are Catori’s allies and friends really? The jury is still out.

So would I recommend this book? In a heartbeat if you’re looking for an original plot in Fantasy supported by a strong willed heroine and a whole bunch of side characters.

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[Sylvia Mercedes]

Yeah, this one was a nope for me. Just not the right style or story in any way.

I won't bother with a long review since I didn't finish. Really, the style was just wrong, and I found the opening scenes so odd and so unconvincing.

This book probably suffered from coming right after W.R. Gingell's "Spindle" and Laini Taylor's "Strange the Dreamer," both of which I LOVED SO MUCH. But honestly, I don't think this one was going to be a fit for me anyway.

Beautiful cover, though!

[Megs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating 2.8/5 Stars

Catori was not the type of girl to believe in fairytales, regardless of what her mother told her growing up. Though, that changed the day after her mother died, when the fae came into her life. Growing up in north-eastern Michigan along the coast of Lake Michigan, Catori is a descendent of the Gottowa peoples, a long dead tribe and the enemies of the fae. It seemed as if her mother’s death had triggered an age-old battle between the two rivals.

I’m going to start with the fact that the author has made the statement saying that the “Gottowa Tribe” is a made-up tribe “loosely based” on the Anishinaabe or Ojibwe people. She claims to have made up this tribe so she did not anger Native Americans by writing about their culture. Well, as an Ojibwe woman myself, if there’s anything that offends me, it is the fact that she did indeed make up a tribe based on my people, and didn’t have the gall to properly research them or their beliefs. Along with the made up tribe, there is a made up language “loosely” based on the Anishinaabemowin language, a language that was lost to my family because of white people, but that’s besides the point. Let’s just say that the whole “Native American” element here is poorly researched and not only makes the author look foolish but it kind of makes the book well, not as great as it could have been.

I also want to know why nobody has mentioned anything about this poorly researched and fictional tribe.

The next topic I want to hit is the fact that this takes place in Michigan. I received this book in Audiobook format from Netgalley- A huge thanks to them and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. If you’re going to make a story take place in a state like Michigan, you’re going to have to do extensive research on what coastal towns in Michigan are like, especially those with a Native population. Moreso, research into the dialect would have been nice. Listening to the narrator pronounce and butcher names of cities like Traverse City and even call shopping carts “trolleys” (Not what they’re called in Michigan by the way!) At least look into the local dialect because the dialect in Michigan is a lot different than say, the dialect in New York.

I would also like to touch base on how flat the characters are. Catori is so flat and boring. She’s angry and I get that. She wanted to leave her hometown and escape and was dragged back all because her now dead mom decided she wanted to mess with her dead descendants. Yeah, I get it, but at least try to give the girl some personality. Catori is about as bad to read as Bella from Twilight. Though, should’ve seen that coming as the author describes this book as “Twilight but with fairies”. To me it seems like Kajik is the most complex character in the story, and I believe that party to be because he has a part of Blake in him.

I will admit that towards the end I became a bit more intrigued. Honestly, part of me wants to continue on with the series. Though, another larger part of me wants to shove this book away and pretend that I’ve not read it. I know for sure that if I do plan on continuing the series, that I will not be purchasing this book, and if I do choose to finish them out, it will honestly be due to pure curiosity, not that I really found this book all too enjoyable. There was just too much wrong about it that would allow me to truly enjoy the book. Like I said, I did enjoy the concept and towards the end I got a bit curious- mostly because I don’t like things being unfinished- but there’s so much wrong with this book that it’s kind of disgusting.

I got this book as an audiobook from Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and views of this book are my own.

[Scrill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Weapenry Co-Op via Netgalley.

So a girl comes home to dad. Meets a guy who’s actually a fairy…basically an evil-selfish type of fairy. She starts to like the guy even though they both know their relationship is going nowhere because of duh, circumstances. But still he’s uber hot, rich, and shows up when he’s not wanted. There’s another guy that likes her – but pass they’re just friends, and no matter if he is the only thing normal in her life she just doesn't like him like that. Enter in another guy and he is sort of more human, but still has special powers. What are these powers? He’s a Native American who’s from a clan granted special power to counteract the fairies and keep them in check. And no matter how much he basically tells her to stay away, she still tries to force him to be her friend.

….
I think we’ve been here before. In fact, I know I have been here before.



Edward Cruz and Jacob Kajika are creating a mess in Cat’s life and she’s basically got to choose a life between them, because she’s too involved to turn around and pretend it isn’t happening. Also, she’s dumb and keeps entangling herself more and more between the several century long feud between these families.

Okay, so the book was mostly entertaining. And I mean entertaining in the way that you find shows like Teen Mom entertaining. You know it’s not great content...but you still get sucked into it. Besides the striking similarities to Twilight, there were parts in the book that just seemed too convenient (super powers, portals, long life, mind control) or didn’t even need to be in the book at all (mallow-faerie weed). The book also jumped all over the place we have been thrown modern world elements, fae elements, made up Native American elements, and familiar elements. I sort of felt like we had our fingers in too many pots and was trying to mix them together into a book that might have some meaning.

Our protagonist is a girl who makes awful decisions and just trusts these rando’s with their magic and whatever they’re doing. I mean, what the heck is even happening here? I would think I was a schizo based on everything that I was encountering.



I just couldn’t get with a girl who goes from one guy, then another the next day. That’s just beyond flighty. On top of that, it’s not like she has any REAL connection to either of them. Considering the circumstances, the fact that she’s even attracted to the guys is slightly demented. None of the characters are believable.

The book is named after rose petals in the graves that magically kept these Native Americans preserved in their graves. But that’s it – there’s no other meaning to them. It just makes for a whimsical sounding title. Let’s call the book what it is: Native American Zombie Hunters versus Narcissistic Faeries.

I can’t even put together cognitive thoughts about this book. Gatizogin (that’s made up Gottwa for sorry), but I just didn’t like it. Now while I may rant about the book, you have to remember that I still read it to the end, even with all the other dubious head shakes – that doesn’t mean I intend to read the second book though. Pass.

[Kate (beautifulbookland) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rose Petal Graves sounds so promising, but I'm so disappointed with it. I usually love Fae stories, and I was so excited when I got accepted for this on NetGalley.

Basically, out protagonist Cat lives in a cemetery, where her ancestors are buried. After a casket is dug up, containing rose petals instead of bones, she is thrown into the world of fae, all the while trying to discover the truth about her mother's death. It's rather a lot to deal with, what with your ancestors (who just so happen to be fae hunters) being woken up and with a serious amount of angst regarding an brooding fella who just so happens to be engaged.

Now, if you were to set this book next to a block of cheese, there would be very few differences. It was just so cheesy , it was quite incredible. And it just got worse as it went on. Sadly, so did Cat.

To start off with, I didn't mind her, I felt sorry for her because she'd just lost her mam, but then she just got steadily more annoying. She was just so childish...just plain stupid . That is the only way I can describe her. Stupid.



The love interests...I don't even know what to say. They were pretty forgettable, especially when you only skim read the last 30% of the book.

If you're interested in reading this, I wouldn't let my review put you off, because I'm in the minority with my criticism of this book. While I didn't enjoy it, a lot of other people did, so I hope you have more luck than me :)

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this*

[Patty (IheartYA311) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely interesting and unique. It started out strong and I was enthralled by the story but it became a little silly and confusing. The variety of characters was hard to follow. It's written and paced well. I would have liked it more if the ending was better. Overall, entertaining and enjoyable. A solid 3 stars.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to the series but I really wasn't sure if it was going to hold my interest so glad I kept reading I'm hooked

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cool concept for a series!
I love fae culture and thought it was super imaginative that we didn't get the usual opposition/reasoning for the fae to be perturbed.
This focused heavily on the Gottwa clan and their history which I was all in for.
Super excited to read the other 4 books in the series!
Much love to NetGalley, Olivia Wildenstein & IBPA for my DRC.

[Melissa Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.

3 stars!!!

When I started reading this book, I was pretty psyched. The concept of faeries and faerie hunters mixed with Native American culture seemed interesting and original. However, I found the story to be just pleasant. It was not groundbreaking or overly different which is a shame in my opinion. So, before I go into the negatives of the novel, I'll try and break down what I liked.

At the start of the story, I liked how Olivia introduced the characters. The pacing was brisk and her writing style is quite succinct. The chapters were compact which made reading a breeze. There is not much worldbuidling but I liked how the story was set in a small town. The community vibe of the novel is rather engaging. I also liked how the story was inspired by Native Indian heritage and I liked her take on it. The idea behind using a book to explain the magic system and history was a novel concept. This meant that there wasn't too much info-dumping. It was either referred to in the story or spoken by characters. However, this also made things a bit confusing because some stuff was thrown at the reader and I was scrambling to understand how the magic system worked. The hunters and fae have various abilities but none of it is explained properly.

In terms of the characters, the MC Catori is quite an independent girl. I liked the idea of her being a medical student. But I feel she gives into the commands of strange men quite easily. I would have liked seeing her taking more of a proactive approach to things as opposed to just acquiescing to what others say. I think I would have liked her to be more badass. Hopefully, book two makes up for this and we see more character development. I also would have liked to see stronger relationships like a fierce friendship. There seems a dearth of engaging female side characters in this novel. Most of the characters are men and majority of them seem to be somewhat attracted to the MC - Ace, Cruz, Blake and Kajika. So we have a love geometry going on which is off putting. Don't get me wrong, I love romance even love triangles but when too many characters are vying for the MC's attention, the feels are lost. What could have turned into an epic romance becomes trivial.

That being said, I also feel that there weren't enough plot devices to take the story from one point to another. Or situations were forced together to get ahead. The story hinges mostly on Catori learning about her heritage and doesn't make much progression. There are reveals but none of the shocking kind. I'm guessing the story is going to get resolved over the course of a series but still I would have liked to see a bigger picture in place like what are the characters aiming at and how will they achieve their goals. I think this book would have done well with a cliffhanger. It needs more excitement. Anyway, as I said it was a pleasant read. I do intend to read the sequel, hopefully, there are more heart-thumping scenes in that one. Maybe that's what I was expecting. Would I recommend reading this novel? Yes, if you are looking for a quick and light afternoon read, then go ahead.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free Audiobook from the publisher through Netgally in exchange for my honest review.

Before I started this book I read quite a few critical reviews; so I went into it with pretty low expectations: I was pleasantly surprised. Nothing felt illogical, there wasn't insta love (insta attraction yes, insta love no) This was actually an extremely enjoyable read for me I finished quickly and will definitely be investing in the rest of the series.

Catori "Cat" Price is 19 years old in her first year of college in Boston working on fulfilling her dream to becoming a doctor. When her mother unexpectedly dies from a "heart attack" she travels back home to the small town of Rowan. She immediately doesn't believe it was a heart attack that killed her mother, after all she was only 44 and extremely healthy. But as she dives into finding out the truth she uncovers way more than she'd ever imagined she would. Struggling between two different sides of the same unbelievable story it's hard to figure out who is a friend and who is a foe. She finds herself in the middle of a feud dating back over 200 years, and all she really wants is to protect the people she loves.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the narration for the audio book was superb! I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a contemporary fantasy that involves mythical creatures living among us.

[Olivia Wildenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novella (ie. just an appetizer). It was part of an anthology (ENCHANTED: THE FAIRY REVELS)--thus its shortness. The next book will be a real one. ;)

[Sameera · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I will probably continue to read the next few installments as I see potential in this series. However, I may forget about it and that’s not a good thing.

*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overview:

Rose Petal Graves is the first installment of The Lost Clan series. It begins as Catori arrives back into the small old town of Rowan for her mother’s funeral. Catori is a descendant from the ancient Gottwa Indian tribe. After her mother digs up a coffin that may have caused her death, Cat now faces beings she didn’t believe to exist. Suddenly, everyone in Rowan is intertwined in the mysterious events that unfold after her mother’s death. Cat ends up on a mythical journey of self discovery, as well as having to save the lives of the rest of her family and friends in Rowan.

Discussion

I found the premise of Rose Petal Graves interesting and I would love to see where it goes. I liked the setting of the story in the old town of Rowan although I wish there was a map of some sort or perception of distance supplied as the characters seemed to go from place to place, which seemed unrealistically close. I really enjoyed the pacing of the book. It is also generally a quick and easy read.

The characters are interesting and I hope we get to know more about them in the rest of the series as I felt there was a lot missing. I really would like to see more of the Faerie and Hunter's world in the upcoming books, especially her mother’s involvement prior to her death. I could do without the love triangles, in fact it was less of a triangle and more of a love web.

My biggest grievance was the cliffhanger or lack thereof. It didn’t leave me wanting more, it didn’t keep me up at night. If there weren’t more graves I would think the book was a standalone.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it lacked the depth and impact to really be great. I think it has potential to be more and I am really counting on the rest of The Lost Clan series to pick it up.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free audiobook from the author and the review group Audiobx in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Catori has always had a complicated relationship with her home town of Rowan. It's a quiet town where nothing happens, until Catori's mother dies unexpectedly. She comes home determined to find out who killed her mother, even when everyone tries to convince her it was a heart attack. Catori finds the grave her mother had been digging up and the casket is only filled with rose petals. Things only begin to get stranger from there.

Catori is part Gottwa tribe, a fantasy tribe that has Ojibwe influences. I will admit that I was a little hesitant to read this in light of the BLM movement occurring, and the move to amplify melanated voices or Native voices in this case. Knowing it is a fantasy tribe does help a bit, but I still think you should look towards own voices Native reviewers for a true opinion on this book.

This book is basically a fae vs fae hunter story. However, for a good majority of the book, we and our protagonist Cat, have no idea which side is the right side if there even is a right side. Cat's situation is also compounded by the fact that her mother's death was caused by the awakening of her ancestors. Cat and her father are doing their best to hold on, but with Cat being pulled into this centuries old conflict, she doesn't know who she can trust let alone involve.

The magic in this world was confusing at times and didn't seem to have any concrete rules. But overall, I did enjoy the story and I'm curious to see what happens next.

[Mandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this magical book! I was captivated from the first page! It was wonderfully written with twists and turns!! I couldn’t get enough. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Alex ✴︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Rose Petal Graves was a bit of a frustrating read. It had so many great things going for it but was then marred down by bad characterization and a bit of a confusing plot.

The book follows Catori, a Native American descendant of the fictional Gottwa tribe. Cat left her small town of Rowan for college in Boston but had to rush home when her mother ended up dying unexpectedly. But things take a pretty creepy turn as Cat starts seeing things that don't make any sense and strange phenomena start happening. Plus Cat has a suspicion that her mom didn't just simply die of a heart attack.

I will say that the first part of this book had an amazing creepy atmosphere that I really loved. The small town of Rowan and the graveyard are eerie backdrops to Cat's life. Her father is turning to alcoholism to cope with the loss of his wife, and a strange medical examiner named Cruz shows up to determine a cause of death on her mother's body, which, by the way, is kept in the basement of Cat's house.

Oh yeah, the town morgue is in Cat's basement and she lives in a cemetery where old tribe ancestors are buried. Fun.

The setting and backstory created was a high point of the book. I love faerie books that are more creepy, mystical and atmospheric in nature and this book did a pretty good job in that regard. I also enjoyed the small town vibe that the book had and it that respect it did remind me a bit of Mystic Falls from Vampire Diaries.

After the 30% mark, things started to become a bit more questionable though. The creepiness wears off as we start to understand more of what's going on. The book is basically a fae vs. hunter book, and Catori is stuck in the middle unsure of which side is in the right. Gottwan ancestors (hunters) are coming back from the grave at the same time that faeries begin to show up in the small town of Rowan.

But I had one major gripe. Catori’s actions rarely ever made sense with respect to what was happening. Catori should be RAGING mad at what's going on, but instead she's given no agency and cow-tails to the fae and the hunters in turn, letting them walk all over her and ROYALLY eff up her life while keeping her in the dark. I would be threatening murder and severe bodily harm based on some of the things that these people (especially the hunters) pull but Catori is more sad and confused than anything. I cannot tell you how much this pisses me off. If someone killed someone close to you and gave you some misguided moral justification for it, would you just be like "oh, well that sucks. I'm sad and confused." No! You'd probably hit up the nearest flamethrower and start torching things, starting with the killer. It made the second half of the book particularly rage-inducing for me because Catori was consistently just not angry enough.

I really hate needless strong female characters™ that are abrasive for no reason, but here I was begging for Catori to grow a spine and not take shit and be a strong female character™. Alas. A whole new magical and dangerous world is starting to unfold in front of Cat and she never really asks questions, or is skeptical- or even angry.

But when Cat discovers who Cruz really is and what may have happened to her mother, she never asks questions. Cruz could be a murderer and she doesn't know jack about what's going on. She's freaked out when she discovers his lie but then in the next scene she's chill with him again? And trusts him? And then she has a whole car ride to ask what the hell is going on but doesn't. She's not disturbed or freaked out enough at all, or she'll be freaked out for 5 minutes and then throw common sense out the window. Bitch even throws away her protection necklace for no good reason! Why not wear it just in case?

The issue was Cat was mostly passive in this book. Instead of reacting appropriately and building a plan to figure out what the heck is going on, she is always at the faeries' or hunters' beck and call, when she knows both groups aren't telling her the full truth, and both of them have messed her life up significantly. I need some Jude Duarte characterization, please. For the love of God.

The romance is also a bit questionable, and turns out to be like, a *sort of* love parallelogram. A lot of people are a bit into Catori and she was giving in wayyy too fast especially given that all these people are psychos who are keeping dangerous secrets. Characters would be flirty or romantic at a time where it makes no sense whatsoever, which leads to a bit of thematic confusion and a lack of chemistry.

I honestly didn’t like anyone in the story aside from Cat, Lily and Blake. And yes while I had a ton of issues with how Cat responded to things, I think she has potential so we’ll keep her in the ‘like’ column for now.

So yeah, that was a lot of complaining. But the writing was great and the story has so much potential. I think I’m going to try book 2 and give it one more shot to impress me.

[Kayla Brunson]

DNF @30%
This book was pitched as "The Vampire Diaries with fairies". Also, the heroine's family lived with a cemetery in the backyard. I was excited to read this one!

Sadly, all I got was a lot of dialogue with hardly anything happening. I wasn't connecting to any of the characters. The heroine was a bit annoying and one of the so called love interest goes around kissing women before deciding to say he's engaged. Yeah, no thanks.

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[Alyssa Janine Busia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story started when Catori needs to go home because her mother died, and according to her father, she died of a heart attack while digging up the graves of her ancestors. After that, she found nothing inside the coffin her mother took from the grave but just fresh rose petals. What's weirder was when new and not familiar faces were coming to their town. And believing that her mother didn't die of heart attack will lead her to unlock the truth about Faeries and her ancestors who were Fae hunters.

I like the story but there were just things that made me off, and I'll tell those later. For now, I'll let you know why I like this.

First, the book cover was stunning, and I can't take my eyes out of it! Next, the idea in this book was good, especially, it talks about Faeries and Fae hunters. Then, I like how it was written to the point of me getting excited about turning the pages or knowing more stories between her ancestors and the Faeries.

Now, the main character, Catori, was likable, but sometimes she irritates me when she decides something stupid. She was mostly indecisive but I understand her, especially when she doesn't know anymore who speaks the truth and who was lying to her and her mother just died during that time too.

The other characters were okay, but I just don't get any connection with some of them. Maybe because many were introduced on the story and it's hard to give attention to all of them. I'm interested though to know more about Gwenelda and Ace. And another thing, I just hate Cruz for making me so confused about his motives.

Now, I dislike those short romances here. It just doesn’t give me any chills. It's like bland, but it was brushed aside when Kajika came. I am not sure if he was destined to be with Cat, but I'm hoping that they'll be together in the end. I just want to feel more, and I hope to be able to connect with the characters in the next book. And the other thing that also made me off was the ending. The author should make a cliff-hanger where it will devastate the readers to know it already because of the end, there was just not that helpful in making the readers crave for the next book.

All in all, I am very interested in the world of Faeries and the history of the Fae hunters. Also, I'm looking forward to what will happen to the characters, so I'm sure I'll be reading the next book on the series. I am just hoping for much better characters and plot development, and if that will be achieved, I know that the next book will be great!

I am recommending this if you like something about Faeries, Fae hunters, and if you are looking to read something new.

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy from the author via YA Bound Book Tours.

BLOG POST LINK: http://bit.ly/2oYX9Ie

[Aneta Bak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose Petal Graves is such a wonderful story. I loved the characters, the story and the world that Olivia created.

Catori is on her way back to her hometown from university to attend her mother's funeral. When Catori and the medial examiner view her mother's body, they find that when she died she was opening an ancient grave, but there was no body inside, just rose petals. Catori refuses to believe that her mother died of a heart attack, and when a strange book arrives at her front door, with her family history, Catori realizes that her mother released a Fairy hunter, who took her life. With the help of the medical examiner, Catori must find the hunter to ensure no one else faces the same death as her mother.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book. Catori was a fantastic main character, while she can be naive at times, she is very caring about her family and friend and has such a strong willed attitude. She is definitely the type of badass female main character that I love to read about.
This book has an alright love triangle. Catori falls in love with both a fairy and a hunter. While I liked both boys, they didn't really stand out that much, and while I do have a favourite, I wouldn't call them a ship.

What I loved most about the book is the world that Olivia created. The setting itself, and it's history was amazing to read about. The author has definitely put in a lot of time and research to make this world good. Every setting the characters visited were described perfectly, it really makes you feel like you're in the book. And the history created, is so rich that it feels like it could be a real town.

The main reason why I couldn't give this book five stars, was due to the plot line of the story. While there was plenty of small action throughout the book, it didn't feel like there was rising action working its way up to the climax. Heck, I didn't even know I read the climax till I was finished the book. I stopped after and said to myself "Oh? That was it?" It kind of felt like driving over a speed bump rather than up a mountain.
The book definitely had little twists and turns, but the main plot wasn't strong enough to make me fall off my chair from surprise, or stay up till 4 am reading. It was just... okay.

Overall, I would still recommend this book to all fantasy lovers, especially those who love books about fae. The main character and the world are fantastic, as long as you're not an action buff this book should good for you. I cannot wait to continue this series.

Happy reading,
Aneta

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love any book that involves fae, so I was very excited to get my hands on this book! I thought the fae elements of this book were entertaining. I didn't really like this book, but I still found it entertaining, kind of like a reality tv show. It wasn't GREAT, but I still found myself continuing to read it.

There were a lot of different things going on in this book, which made it kind of hard to follow what was happening. Things felt like they were kind of just thrown in the book, and it was hard to really get into the storyline. There were also a lot of characters, and I couldn't connect with them either. I liked that some of the characters seemed morally gray, so that added an interesting element to some of the characters.

I felt like a lot of the characters that didn't think through their actions, especially the main character. Catori made a lot of dumb decisions and she was quite childish. She also trusted strangers (usually because they were hot guys), and that drove me crazy! I felt bad for her and the situations she found herself in, but it didn't excuse some of her decisions.

The romances were a bit fast-paced, and I didn't really like any of the romances. There were multiple love interests, and that made it hard to root for any of them. I felt like we didn't get the chance to really get to know the characters and see the potential of them with Catori. The romances just didn't seem believable. I think this story could have definitely benefitted from having fewer love interests.

Overall, this was entertaining, but there were a lot of things that bothered me about this book. This book just wasn't for me.



2 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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[Tiffany Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE AUTHOR THROUGH A GOODREADS GIVEAWAY. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!

Welcome to Rowan, a tiny town that was founded two centuries ago by a powerful tribe of Gottea Indians. Rowan was so quiet that I fled after graduation for college, with the intention of staying away. I had to return when my mom died unexpectedly. My dad says that she suffered a stroke after digging up one of the ancient graves in our backyard, which also happens to be the town cemetery. As if that’s not creepy enough, there was no body inside the grave, only fresh rose petals. As we began preparations for Mom’s funeral, people started arriving in town, incredibly attractive and odd people. I begged them to leave but they refused because their enemies are beginning to wake up.

This isn’t the first book that I’ve reviewed for Olivia Wildenstein, and I hope it’s not the last. She’s incredibly talented and has a real knack for story development. This story definitely shows that. You can see how much research and time that goes into making sure the story flows properly. The character development is also amazing, which is another hallmark of her books. I’m so looking forward to reading book 2, as well as other books she writes in the future.

[Bri Martinez · Rating 1 out of 5]

So you know when you are getting ready in the morning and your brain switches to autopilot? You’re just going through the motions, not really focusing on what you are doing and then can’t remember if you locked the door before heading out for the day? That’s what reading this book felt like for me.



The story was so convoluted and messy that towards the end, I stopped trying to focus and remember what I read cause I just didn’t care enough.

There were moments where I felt even Wildenstein was confused as to what she was trying to portray. She would throw in or change random setting details or plot points to make the story work. For instance, Cat is in a small town where everyone knows everyone, but then a couple chapters later, she tries to go to the bakery near her home and it’s swarming with tourists? Yeahhhh, not how small towns work. It was like she was trying to just force pieces of a puzzle together to make it fit, but in the end, you’re just left with a mess and no clear image of what the picture should be.



There was also no consistency in the magic system or limitations to what the fae or fae hunters could do. When something needed to happen or Cat needed to be saved, all of a sudden fae hunters could ‘influence’ or force people to do what they wished, fae could cast illusions on anyone, summon fire or even bring someone back to life. Come on, not even the Genie in Aladdin could do that!



There were also moments that were bogged down in unnecessary details. For instance:

"I returned to my cart and stalked down the aisles, tossing random things inside. My two bags could barely contain my shopping, and when I picked them up, the scratchy fabric handles dug into my skin. I heaved them back into my cart and walked back to the hearse… I opened the trunk and grabbed the first bag. Pinching my shoulder blades together, I hauled it out of the cart and lobbed it inside."



Completely useless descriptions being thrown at the reader. I would have liked less details in some areas and more plot in others. Also, the chapter where this excerpt appears is called, “The Supermarket.” I wonder why….

Now let’s throw in the fact that the main character, Cat, is not very likable. She makes skeptical, rash decisions, is rude to almost everyone she knows, and her ‘emotional’ moments when grieving for those she lost feel superficial and forced. It was near impossible for me to relate to her in any way. I spent half the time asking, “Cat, what the hell are you doing and how are you not dead yet?” At one point she even asked herself the same question! And UGH, I get it. If someone isn’t related to Cat, then they’re in love with her. Seriously, Blake killed himself because Cat didn’t return his love. Thanks for pushing the bill on that one cause I really didn’t get it the first thousand times it was iterated.

Her numerous love interests also had no endearing qualities. Cruz, Ace, and Kajika (can we please pause and take a moment to reflect on how unimpressive these names are?) are all one-dimensional and show very little personality. Almost all their moments in the story consist of saving Cat from her stupid decisions, trying to get with Cat, trying to keep other guys from getting with Cat, and info-dumping. But they were all very good-looking, complete with that little curl that sometimes fall into their faces, so I guess they should be forgiven for being dull? NO.

I also picked up on some elements that reminded me of Twilight, which really didn’t help in getting me to like the story. A girl moves back to her small town to help take care of her father when she comes across members of a wealthy family. The members of said family are good-looking, elusive semi-celebrities that most people in town fawn over. Turns out, they’re faeries! (gasp) Cat, the completely-lacking-in-personality small town girl can’t help being attracted to one of the fae though, despite her better judgement and words of warning from the family members. Then, a fae hunter appears, a mortal enemy to the fae, and she is torn between the two of them. Please stop me if this sounds familiar. There are a couple differences, such as fae and fae hunters instead of vampires and werewolves, but the underlying story definitely reeks of Twilight to me.



There was also very little plot throughout the story. Cat is stuck between fae and fae hunters, but ultimately, nothing happened and nothing was resolved. There was very little action, no thrills or excitement, and the whole story was just....lacking. Character development was scarce, and the whole novel was devoid of emotion. There was nothing captivating about this read for me, which is why I struggled to finish it in the end.

One thing I did like about the book is the cover. It’s beautiful!

In summary:

The cover: amazing
The story: not so much….

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the publisher, Olivia Wildenstein and Netgalley.

[Jana (HokuGirlReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting urban fantasy novel! I can’t wait for book two. The author did a lot of world and language building to set a strong baseline for the Fae community that works adjacent to the “normal” human world. I enjoyed the narrator, I am pretty sure I have listened to another book narrated by her and she always does a great job.