Author: Mandy Rocha

Roses and Reviews is a book review blog that is committed to reviewing books by a diverse range of authors and genres. R&R features book reviews, book tours, author interviews, commentaries, book spotlights, unboxings, giveaways and more! I work with authors, publishers, editors and other bloggers to bring you honest reviews on all the best new and upcoming books.
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The Watsons by Jane Austen

The Watsons is one of Jane Austen’s two unfinished novels (the other being Sanditon). It is an abandoned fragment that is only about 7,500 words (or 80 pages), about a fifth of the length of her other novels. Though it is thought to be written around 1803 (and abandoned around 1805 after the death of her father), the fragment was given the title of The Watsons and published after her death in 1871 by the novelist’s nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh.

The heroine of the story is the youngest daughter in the Watson family, Emma Watson. Our MC Emma enters the story after being sent back to her family’s humble country home after having spent her youth raised by a wealthy aunt, who did everything to support a fashionable education for Emma. Unfortunately for Emma, she is now much more well-bred than the rest of her family, who is no doubt meant to be the cause of hijinx in the story. The action starts at Emma’s first ball, where she makes herself likable from the start by showing kindness to a sad little boy (which also warms her to the boys’ family, who happens to include the wealthy Lord of the neighborhood).

Introduced early on are a few of the story’s supporting characters, which gives us a glimpse into where the plot might have been headed—a gossiping sister who introduces us to some minor drama, a sickly father, a gentleman who makes himself unlikeable pretty quickly, a gentleman who makes himself agreeable, and another gentleman who remains mysteriously aloof.

The fragment offers a promising start, and it is just too bad that Jane never got around to finishing the story. The novella ends here, but Jane’s sister Cassandra hinted at a possible ending that had been revealed: Emma is meant to ultimately marry Mr. Howard, after declining an offer from Lord Osborne! What a twist!

Fan Fiction to read if you liked The Watsons:

Fortunately, many authors over the years have written their own continuations of the fragment, though sadly none will ever live up to Jane herself. One particular Jane Austen Fan-Fic author who has earned my devotion is the infamous Joan Aiken—her interpretation “Emma Watson” is an attempt to finish what Jane started with “The Watsons”, and the book does it’s best to follow the intended plot arc (according to Janes sister and closest confidant, Cassandra).

Emma Watson: a Jane Austen Sequel by Joan Aiken

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Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remixed Classic

“𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.” —𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐛 𝐑𝐨𝐞𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐠, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with an LGBTQ+ twist.

This was the first Remixed Classic that I have read and I am in love with them already! Written by a diverse range of authors, each book reimagines and reinvents a literary classic, bringing a fresh new spin to beloved stories.

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 captures the original story of R&J with a fresh new lens, making this a great companion (or trade-up) to the original story. Told from Romeo’s POV, this remix gave depth to the overall story, brought such passion to his thoughts and feelings, and shed light on the choices he makes.

I loved how Romeo and Valentine came together, the drama that unfolded around them, and their love story! Juliet is in it ofc, but tbh I was expecting her to be a Julio (or something…rather than introducing Valentine as Romeos’ love interest) so that was the biggest change IMO—the story otherwise incorporates many elements from the original.

I am so excited to discover more Remixed Classics, and would love to add the whole series to my collection!

Other Remixed Classics:

A Clash of Steel (Treasure Island)

 So Many Beginnings (Little Women)

 Travelers Along the Way (Robin Hood)

 What Souls Are Made Of (Wuthering Heights)

 Self-Made Boys (Great Gatsby)

 My Dear Henry (Jekyll & Hyde)

 Teach The Torches to Burn (Romeo & Juliet)

 Into the Bright Open (Secret Garden: coming September 2023)

 Most Ardently (Pride & Prejudice: coming January 2024)

Thank you to @netgalley for providing this audio ARC, and to @teatimeliterature for recommending this amazing series!

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House of Roots and Ruin Book Tour

House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

Thank you to Turn The Page Tours for sending me copies of this series and including me on this amazing book tour!

Connect with Erin A. Craig on Instagram @penchant4words or visit her website erinacraig.com.

#turnthepagetours #horar #hosas #houseofrootsandruin #houseofsaltandsorrows #delacortepress #randomhousekids #erinacraig

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The Third Daughter Book Tour

A sweeping YA fantasy about legacy, betrayal, sisterhood, and politicizing emotion in the quest for power—all balanced by a slow-burn LGBTQ romance.
 
For centuries, the citizens of Velle have waited for their New Maiden to return. The prophecy states she will appear as the third daughter of a third daughter. When the fabled child is finally born to Velle’s reigning queen all rejoice except for Elodie, the queen’s eldest child, who has lost her claim to the crown. The only way for Elodie to protect Velle is to retake the throne. To do so, she must debilitate the Third Daughter—her youngest sister, Brianne.

Desperate, Elodie purchases a sleeping potion from Sabine, who sells sadness. But the apothecary mistakenly sends the princess away with a vial of tears instead of a harmless sleeping brew. Sabine’s sadness is dangerously powerful, and Brianne slips into a slumber from which she will not wake. With the fates of their families and country hanging in the balance, Sabine and Elodie hurry to revive the Third Daughter while a slow-burning attraction between the two girls erupts in full force.

A must-read for fans of the BookTok sensations Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson, and These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. 

Thank you to @thenovl and @storygramtours for sending me a copy of the book.

#TheThirdDaughtertour #TheThirdDaughter #adriennetooley #thenovl #storygramtours

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Bellegarde Book Tour

Bellegarde reimagines the 90s romcom classic She’s All That in 18th-century Paris, France.

The lush pastel world-building of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette meets the modern twist of Bridgerton in this YA historical rom-com debut.

Beau Bellegarde, a second-born son, makes a deal: if he can turn Evie Clément, the unapproachable baker’s daughter, into the winner of the Court Ball, making her the most desired bachelorette in Paris, he inherits the family fortune, but his target has plans of her own.

Thank you to @epicreads and @storygramtours for sending me a copy of the book!

#Bellegardetour #Bellegarde #JamieLilac #epicreads #storygramtours

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The Blue Salt Road

“𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢,” 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘐𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥; 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯.” —𝘑𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘴, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘵 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥

This was another beautifully told story by @joannechocolat and illustrated by @bonniehelenhawkinsartist

The Blue Salt Road is a stunning tale of love, loss, treachery, revenge, and the call of the ocean. Set upon the high seas, this epic tells the legend of the selkie, and of the trickery and cruelty of human Folk.

Dark, magical, and deep as the open sea, it is a story I will carry with me 💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

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Psyche & Eros by Luna McNamara

Psyche and Eros is a stunning retelling of the classic Greek Myth about Cupid and his wife, originally a 2nd century story from Apuleius’ Metamorphoses.

Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis was one of the first mythology retellings that I had ever read, so the story of Psyche and Eros holds a special place in my heart. This new story by Luna McNamara gave me everything that I love about myths — beautiful worldbuilding, strong character development, and a love story for the ages.

In this book, Psyche is not the delicate princess of myth. She is a strong huntress and a warrior, trained by Atalanta herself. This gives her character so much more depth than before, and makes her a true SFL. Eros’ character is also given great depth through his backstory and inner struggles, which made me feel really invested in his journey. I loved the way these characters came together, and how their story represents true love.

A joyous and subversive tale of gods, monsters, and the human heart and soul, Psyche and Eros dazzles the senses while exploring notions of trust, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be a hero.

Thank you to William Morrow and Harper Collins for sending me a copy of this highly anticipated new release! I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to see more from this author!!

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Villainous: An Anthology of Fairytale Retellings

This has been one of my favorite books of June! I have been devouring fairytale retellings, and this was such a fun companion to read with @serena_valentino_author’s Villain Series ❤️‍🔥 these shorts retell and reimagine the stories of so many timeless villains, and I just loved the whole collection! Some of my favorites were 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, and 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦’𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘴𝘴 ❤️

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱:
Straw Into Gold @cbethanderson
Sisters @helenwhistberry
Bluebeard’s Wife @epstavs
The Ogress by Philip M. Jones
The Big Bad Wolf is Born by Jacob Klop
The Pied Piper @rebeccafkenneybooks
The Stepmother by Katherine Macdonald
True Love’s Kiss @julieembletonauthor
Jack, The Giant, and the Beanstalk @ltward.writer
Take My Heart @kamiltimore

Proceeds from this collection are being donated to charity, helping children in need ❤️ cover art by @faylane14

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Morgan Is My Name Book Tour

Morgan Is My Name is a powerful feminist retelling of the early life of Morgan le Fay, the famed villainess of Arthurian legend. This dazzling debut is the story of a woman both mortal and magical, formidable and misunderstood, told in her own words.

Young Morgan of Cornwall lives a happy life in Tintagel Castle until King Uther Pendragon, with the help of the sorcerer Merlin, murders her father and tricks her mother into marriage. Furious, brilliant, and vengeful, Morgan defies her brutal stepfather, taking up a secret education, discovering a lifelong affinity with the healing arts, and falling in love with a man far beneath her station. However, defiance comes at a cost. Used as a bargaining chip in her stepfather’s war games, Morgan finds herself banished to a world of isolated castles and gossiping courts, amidst the machinations of kings, sorcerers, and men.

But some desires are not easily forgotten, and the search for her independence is a quest Morgan cannot give up. As the era of King Arthur approaches, she must use all her wit, knowledge, and courage to fight against those who wish to deny her intelligence, crush her spirit, and control her body. But, in seeking her freedom, Morgan risks losing everything–her reputation, her loved ones, and her life.

Thank you to @penguinrandomca for sending me a copy of the book and teaming up with me for a great giveaway! Check out how to enter below:

Enter to win a copy of Morgan is My Name: 
– follow me, @penguinrandomca @sophiekeetchauthor and @storygramtours 
– tag a friend you think will be interested
For EXTRA entry
– visit @loreofthebooks’s account tomorrow and repeat these steps for extra entries!

RULES
– US AND CANADA, public accounts only
– not affiliated with Instagram
– Giveaway will end June 19th at midnight EST

#MorganisMyNameTour #MorganusMyName #sophiekeetch #penguinrandomca #storygramtours

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Fat Witch Summer Book Tour

𝘿𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙣’ 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮-𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙨, 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘.

Sixteen-year-old Thrash doesn’t enchant eyeliner over her lids or clear her acne with magic. She is plus-size, but she doesn’t hate what she sees in the mirror—that’s the realm of her mother, Osmarra, a slim and elegant Glamour witch. When Thrash unexpectedly breaks a mirror with her mind, she discovers she has a knack for magic and will receive one of the three sanctioned Gifts: Glamour, Growth, or Sight. The only problem is that mothers choose the Gifts, and Osmarra is convinced that the Gift of Glamour will fix her daughter’s looks.

When Thrash fails to persuade Osmarra to accept her as she is, a trio of cool witches who call themselves The Lunes offer her an out. Their leader, fiery and charismatic Cresca, recruits Thrash for a road trip to New Salem University, where the girls plan to steal their own Gifts. As Thrash crosses the magical Thirteen States of America, Osmarra hot on her heels, she discovers bewitched diners, haunted tourist traps, and a secret about the Gifts that will change the Thirteen States forever.

Thank you to @storygramtours and @lizzytacular for sending me a copy of this book!

#FatWitchSummerTour #FatWitchSummer #LizzyIves #storygramtours

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The School For Good Mothers

“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥.” —𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨

Heavy. Haunting.

The School For Good Mothers, though dystopian fiction, really highlights the ways in which motherhood can be judged and dismissed. Mothers are expected to be perfect all the time, but the reality of motherhood can be isolating, exhausting, and overwhelming.

In this story, our MC Frida is deemed a bad mom by social services and her 2 year old daughter is removed from her care. Frida is placed in a year-long motherhood training program where her decisions and actions are monitored and scrutinized alongside a group of other bad moms. They are degraded and dehumanized, forced to relearn how to feel in talk circle, graded on their parenting styles, and ultimately denied the right to be with their own children.

The book focuses on the pressure mothers face to give up their identity to be “good moms”, and I think it is an unfair expectation that hits too close to home. A country that doesn’t support motherhood should not have the right to control it.

As a mother, this book really resonated with me and left me feeling disturbed and outraged. It’s a scary idea that the government can step in to decide what makes you a good or bad mother. This book demonstrates the danger of letting government draw that line for us.

Good literature makes you feel and think, and this book definitely did that. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

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Marvelous by Molly Greeley: a Beauty and the Beast retelling

Set during the Renaissance in the French royal court of Catherine de’ Medici, Marvelous recreates the touching and surprisingly true story behind the Beauty and the Beast legend.

The legendary tale of The Real Beauty and the Beast (Netflix) is thought to be influenced by the true story of Petris Gonsalvus, a “Wild Man” who was brought to King Henry II of France in 1547 as a young boy as an “exotic gift”. His entire body was covered in hair, although he was, in fact, a human boy. He was treated as a monstrous beast for his wild, hairy appearance.

Modern science understands this real but rare condition – to be born covered in hair – as hypertrichosis (also known as Ambras syndrome, or warewolf syndrome) but in the 16th century a person like this would have been considered an outcast and a monster. Rather than keep him as an animal in a cage, the King decided to use Petris as an experiment, attempting to raise a savage as a tame human being. The boy was given a nobleman’s education and was eventually married off in the hopes that Petris would procreate more exotic, hairy children. It is believed that the marriage between Petrus Gonsalvus and Lady Catherine inspired the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast.

There are technically two source texts for the first recorded story of Beauty and the Beast. The original, La Belle et la Bête, was published in 1740 by Madame de Villeneuve, then abridged and rewritten by Madame Leprince de Beaumont in 1757. Find an analysis of the differences between the modern film and the original La Belle et la Bête by Madame de Villeneuve here.

Authors are drawn to revisiting legendary literature of the past and reworking them, and there have been many adaptations of the story since the original was written. This illustrates how stories can be adapted to new times and new media formats, making universal age-old ideas modern and relevant. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. Giants referring to major, canonical texts that have withstood the test of time. Ancient texts are still being studied and reworked today, simply because these stories offer ancient wisdom, and lessons, and are as relatable today as they were when they were written.

This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year! Thank you to @williammorrowbooks and @harpercollins for sending me a copy of this gorgeous new release! I absolutely loved @mollyjgreeley’s The Heiress (a sapphic Anne De Bourgh retelling), and am sooo excited for this new magical historical romance!

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