Friday, December 15, 2017

Review: Wolves and Roses by Christina Bauer

Wolves and Roses
Release Date: October 31, 2017
Publisher: Monster House Books
ASIN:   B01N7D5C5P
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races—shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty.

“Should” being the key word.

Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to marry. Even worse, Bryar’s having recurring dreams of a bad boy hottie and is obsessed with finding papyri from ancient Egypt. What’s up with that?

All Bryar wants is to attend a regular high school with normal humans and forget all about shifters, fairies, witches, and the curse that Colonel Mallory the Magnificent placed on her. And she might be able to do just that--if only she can just keep her head down until her eighteenth birthday when the spell that’s ruined her life goes buh-bye.

But that plan gets turned upside down when Bryar Rose meets Knox, the bad boy who’s literally from her dreams. Knox is a powerful werewolf, and his presence in her life changes everything, and not just because he makes her knees turn into Jell-O. If Bryar can’t figure out who—or what—she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives… as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.

I had high hopes for WOLVES AND ROSES, but it didn't live up to my expectations. 

I actually really enjoyed the concept of WOLVES AND ROSES. For most of the book, things were great. The writing was smooth and the characters developed nicely. Unfortunately at some point things got a little ridiculous.

One of my biggest issues started when characters started going off on tirades or started going out of their way to make a snarky comment that really didn't fit the moment. During situations of conflict instead of doing the thing that would fix things right away—even as they mentioned they needed to do x or y—they just continued to talk about doing it instead of doing it. Very frustrating and definitely ruined the flow of the story. It made me want to put the book down and call it a day. Alas I forced myself to keep reading in hopes that it would only last a short time only to be disappointed that it persisted until the end.

I really really wanted to love WOLVES AND ROSES. Unfortunately I don't see myself continuing with this series.

I gave it 2/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.