Blood Rose Rebellion

Rosalyn Eves takes readers to 19th century Hungary, where revolution is brewing as the common people fight for the right to access the magic that the ruling classes have reserved for themselves. In the midst of the turmoil is Anna Arden, banished to Hungary with her grandmother to wait out two burning shames: kissing a man she is not promised to and being Barren of magic. At the start of the novel, Anna thinks mainly of herself, of how unlucky she is to be Barren, and of how she never can seem to do anything right—but she slowly grows to see the troubles of those around her, to learn from those she has been told are not worth listening to, and to decide she wants to change the world. The book makes some strong commentary on class difference and social justice issues, in the vein of Red Queen or A Shadow Bright and Burning. Eve’s rich world-building draws readers into Anna’s story, a beautiful blend of fantasy and retold history. The pacing does slow at times, and the rules of the magic system are frequently conveyed via info dump. However, a fast-paced plot and well-drawn characters will make the book appeal to YA fantasy fans.