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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
*it's actually 4.25 stars
First, take a moment to appreciate the masterpiece on the cover.
Second, I love Caleb.
We follow two main characters in this book, Taylor and Ava. The chapters take turns between Taylor (presently) and Ava (1912) personally my favorites were Ava's chapters.
Taylor is a teenage girl who gets a spot in a summer journalism program in Oxford and is also there to find out who the woman is with her father in a photo and if her father was who she thought he was. Before she can begin to investigate, Lady Knight (a stranger to Taylor) invites her to tea and Lady Knight tells her things about her father through a letter and Taylor decides to go find out what Lady Knight wants to tell her, before that. Taylor can hear Lady Knight. Lady Knight dies. But Taylor finds Ava Knight's journey and how she survived the Titanic in hopes of finding out who the woman in the photo is and what is the relationship between the woman in the image and what is the relationship between them, she begins to read Ava's journey and everything comes to light.
Who is Ava Knight? Taylor's father is who she thought?
The book really puts you in the story, that is, while reading Ava's story, I really thought she was on the Titanic and that's what really happened to the Titanic.
The plot twist at the end I didn't see coming, the only thing I don't like at the end is that Taylor's story was left a bit unfinished.
*Thanks to Owl Hollow Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not influence my thoughts and opinions.
“Even then, I understood that epitaphs mattered— a few lines that made the impossible effort to sum up a person, a life. The dead may be gone, but in the silence of a cemetery where time stands still, they continued to speak.”
First, take a moment to appreciate the masterpiece on the cover.
Second, I love Caleb.
We follow two main characters in this book, Taylor and Ava. The chapters take turns between Taylor (presently) and Ava (1912) personally my favorites were Ava's chapters.
Taylor is a teenage girl who gets a spot in a summer journalism program in Oxford and is also there to find out who the woman is with her father in a photo and if her father was who she thought he was. Before she can begin to investigate, Lady Knight (a stranger to Taylor) invites her to tea and Lady Knight tells her things about her father through a letter and Taylor decides to go find out what Lady Knight wants to tell her, before that. Taylor can hear Lady Knight. Lady Knight dies. But Taylor finds Ava Knight's journey and how she survived the Titanic in hopes of finding out who the woman in the photo is and what is the relationship between the woman in the image and what is the relationship between them, she begins to read Ava's journey and everything comes to light.
Who is Ava Knight? Taylor's father is who she thought?
The book really puts you in the story, that is, while reading Ava's story, I really thought she was on the Titanic and that's what really happened to the Titanic.
The plot twist at the end I didn't see coming, the only thing I don't like at the end is that Taylor's story was left a bit unfinished.
*Thanks to Owl Hollow Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not influence my thoughts and opinions.
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I did not like this book at all.
This is a dual time period story about an American teen attending a summer journalism program at Oxford (though this is barely referenced and comes to nothing) who meets a bunch of extremely stereotypical British people including her scholarship benefactor. The benefactor claims to have some information about the teen’s dead father but dies herself before she can reveal it. This leads to the teen somehow becoming trapped in the benefactor’s house reading a very shallow and annoying girl’s memoir of surviving the sinking of the Titanic, which is full of more ethnic stereotypes, stupid psychic powers and moustache-twirling revolutionaries.
The resolution of the Titanic story is frankly unbelievable and the resolution to the story in the present isn't much better. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
This is a dual time period story about an American teen attending a summer journalism program at Oxford (though this is barely referenced and comes to nothing) who meets a bunch of extremely stereotypical British people including her scholarship benefactor. The benefactor claims to have some information about the teen’s dead father but dies herself before she can reveal it. This leads to the teen somehow becoming trapped in the benefactor’s house reading a very shallow and annoying girl’s memoir of surviving the sinking of the Titanic, which is full of more ethnic stereotypes, stupid psychic powers and moustache-twirling revolutionaries.
The resolution of the Titanic story is frankly unbelievable and the resolution to the story in the present isn't much better. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, War
Last year when I was mentally and physically preparing for a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago route, I came across a memoir by Ashlee Cowles from her journey. I loved it and kept Cowles on my radar. So when I saw she had a new book being released this year, I pre-ordered it. She has two other novels that I haven’t yet read but will rectify shortly.
The Poppy and the Rose is the first novel of Cowles that I have read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wow! This book blew me away. Cowles writes beautifully and is a world class storyteller. I had so much fun reading about Lady Ava and her journey on the Titanic and about Taylor and her sleuthing adventures. The structure, historical accuracy, main character arcs, and secondary characters of the novel are developed, brilliant, and imaginative. I felt swept away as I read, staying up way past my bedtime to finish the book because I was so invested. Cowles delivers wisdom and teaches history without the reader’s full awareness because the story is that good. This would be a great read for learners of any age.
I hope Cowles continues to write both fiction and nonfiction. I will read everything she writes.
The Poppy and the Rose is the first novel of Cowles that I have read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wow! This book blew me away. Cowles writes beautifully and is a world class storyteller. I had so much fun reading about Lady Ava and her journey on the Titanic and about Taylor and her sleuthing adventures. The structure, historical accuracy, main character arcs, and secondary characters of the novel are developed, brilliant, and imaginative. I felt swept away as I read, staying up way past my bedtime to finish the book because I was so invested. Cowles delivers wisdom and teaches history without the reader’s full awareness because the story is that good. This would be a great read for learners of any age.
I hope Cowles continues to write both fiction and nonfiction. I will read everything she writes.
I was offered a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Poppy and the Rose tells the story of two girls from different time periods in alternating chapters. Taylor is an American doing a summer journalism program at Oxford in 2010, sponsored by Lady Mae Knight. Upon arriving in England, Taylor is invited to visit the home of Lady Mae Knight, however, when she arrives, she learns that Lady Knight passed away the night before. However, Taylor learns that Mae had intended to give her a journal during the visit and upon inspection discovers it belonged to Lady Ava Knight, the daughter of an eccentric English lord traveling on the Titanic in 1912 and the second girl in the story. While aboard the Titanic with her father, Ava is approached by a man who is a soldier and fellow passenger. He asks her to gather information about a mysterious woman her father has been spending a lot of time with and in return, the man promises to heal Ava’s mother, who had to remain home due to her illness. Ava quickly agrees and as she observes the woman, becomes suspicious of the large amount of time the woman spends with her father. Ava also learns that the woman is a psychic and is predicting a terrible disaster to occur. As the journey aboard the Titanic progresses, Ava must decide who she can trust and if there is a way to prevent the impending disaster.
So I absolutely loved the story. The book easily switched between these two perspectives and entwines the two girls’ stories perfectly. I was more invested in Ava’s story, but that was probably because I have a slight fascination with the story of the Titanic. Ava’s story also felt very complex and kept me guessing throughout. I loved figuring out who the mysterious woman was, her relationship with Lord Knight, and why the soldier was interested in her. Additionally, the romance subplot was adorable, and I was super invested in the two characters. Taylor’s story was also interesting but sometimes felt like it simply revolved around Ava’s story. I did enjoy really enjoy the mysteries presented in Taylor’s story and discovering the truth about Mae’s death, her connection to Ava, and how Taylor is involved with it all. The romance subplot with Taylor did feel rushed however and lacking some depth.
Overall, I would give this book a five star rating because I really did enjoy the book and would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy young adult fiction with a historical setting or a slight mystery.
The Poppy and the Rose tells the story of two girls from different time periods in alternating chapters. Taylor is an American doing a summer journalism program at Oxford in 2010, sponsored by Lady Mae Knight. Upon arriving in England, Taylor is invited to visit the home of Lady Mae Knight, however, when she arrives, she learns that Lady Knight passed away the night before. However, Taylor learns that Mae had intended to give her a journal during the visit and upon inspection discovers it belonged to Lady Ava Knight, the daughter of an eccentric English lord traveling on the Titanic in 1912 and the second girl in the story. While aboard the Titanic with her father, Ava is approached by a man who is a soldier and fellow passenger. He asks her to gather information about a mysterious woman her father has been spending a lot of time with and in return, the man promises to heal Ava’s mother, who had to remain home due to her illness. Ava quickly agrees and as she observes the woman, becomes suspicious of the large amount of time the woman spends with her father. Ava also learns that the woman is a psychic and is predicting a terrible disaster to occur. As the journey aboard the Titanic progresses, Ava must decide who she can trust and if there is a way to prevent the impending disaster.
So I absolutely loved the story. The book easily switched between these two perspectives and entwines the two girls’ stories perfectly. I was more invested in Ava’s story, but that was probably because I have a slight fascination with the story of the Titanic. Ava’s story also felt very complex and kept me guessing throughout. I loved figuring out who the mysterious woman was, her relationship with Lord Knight, and why the soldier was interested in her. Additionally, the romance subplot was adorable, and I was super invested in the two characters. Taylor’s story was also interesting but sometimes felt like it simply revolved around Ava’s story. I did enjoy really enjoy the mysteries presented in Taylor’s story and discovering the truth about Mae’s death, her connection to Ava, and how Taylor is involved with it all. The romance subplot with Taylor did feel rushed however and lacking some depth.
Overall, I would give this book a five star rating because I really did enjoy the book and would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy young adult fiction with a historical setting or a slight mystery.
(actual rating: 3.5/5)
Thank you to Netgalley and Owl Hollow Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'The Poppy and the Rose' presents an interesting tale that is bound to interest most YA readers: mystery on the Titanic, family secrets, and a dash of romance. The story is told through two parallel timelines; Ava Knight, an aspiring photographer on the Titanic with her father, and Taylor Romano, who's just arrived in Oxford and is looking for the key to her father's past.
What follows is an interesting historical mystery with different characters and some unexpected twists, all of which made for an enjoyable reading experience.
I think that of the two timelines, I was much more interested and invested in Ava's. The writing was atmospheric, in a way that made you feel that you were there on the Titanic with her. There were some info-dumps, especially in the beginning, which made it a little difficult to get into. The best way I can describe the romance is as "meh". It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either; it was just there.
Taylor's perspective felt more like a way to tell Ava's story, without actually making the entire book about just Ava. While I really liked the concept of the dual timelines, I think that there should have been more detail about her story, rather than just the bare minimum, because it didn't explain some of her actions, as well as the eagerness she had to learn more about Ava.
The plot twists at the end, however, really made the whole book worth it all. It was interesting to see how the timelines converged, but also how a certain plot twist really put all the little details from earlier in the story together.
Overall, I think that my expectations might have simply been too high for this book. While I do think that it had an excellent concept, I think that it needed some more work, as well as some important details from Taylor's side of the story to make it more cohesive. That being said, this book definitely made for a relatively quick and enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book for others if you're looking for exactly that sort of mystery novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and Owl Hollow Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'The Poppy and the Rose' presents an interesting tale that is bound to interest most YA readers: mystery on the Titanic, family secrets, and a dash of romance. The story is told through two parallel timelines; Ava Knight, an aspiring photographer on the Titanic with her father, and Taylor Romano, who's just arrived in Oxford and is looking for the key to her father's past.
What follows is an interesting historical mystery with different characters and some unexpected twists, all of which made for an enjoyable reading experience.
I think that of the two timelines, I was much more interested and invested in Ava's. The writing was atmospheric, in a way that made you feel that you were there on the Titanic with her. There were some info-dumps, especially in the beginning, which made it a little difficult to get into. The best way I can describe the romance is as "meh". It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either; it was just there.
Taylor's perspective felt more like a way to tell Ava's story, without actually making the entire book about just Ava. While I really liked the concept of the dual timelines, I think that there should have been more detail about her story, rather than just the bare minimum, because it didn't explain some of her actions, as well as the eagerness she had to learn more about Ava.
The plot twists at the end, however, really made the whole book worth it all. It was interesting to see how the timelines converged, but also how a certain plot twist really put all the little details from earlier in the story together.
Overall, I think that my expectations might have simply been too high for this book. While I do think that it had an excellent concept, I think that it needed some more work, as well as some important details from Taylor's side of the story to make it more cohesive. That being said, this book definitely made for a relatively quick and enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book for others if you're looking for exactly that sort of mystery novel.
I received this book as an ARC via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
When Taylor Romano ends up at Oxford for a summer program and met by the odd old lady Mae Knight a series of random events leads to her discovering more about her family and it’s history than she ever imagined .
I really enjoyed this book. The author has a strong voice and I loved how deeply researched the book was as it dipped between history and present day. It was fast paced and included some of my favorite themes- historical events, mystery, England and not everything appearing as it seems.
I would definitely recommend this book!
When Taylor Romano ends up at Oxford for a summer program and met by the odd old lady Mae Knight a series of random events leads to her discovering more about her family and it’s history than she ever imagined .
I really enjoyed this book. The author has a strong voice and I loved how deeply researched the book was as it dipped between history and present day. It was fast paced and included some of my favorite themes- historical events, mystery, England and not everything appearing as it seems.
I would definitely recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an e-arc of this book.
I am a sucker for anything involving the Titanic, but when you add in a mystery, secret societies, and a hint of paranormal, I know I'm going to be in for a treat.
The Poppy and The Rose by Ashlee Cowles follows two timelines. In 1912, Ava Knight and her father are traveling across the Atlantic Ocean on the new luxury liner, Titanic, While on the ship, Ava becomes involved in a plot to stop an evil organization from bringing about the destruction of millions of lives. In 2010, Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program and becomes embroiled in the mystery of an old heiress' death. Taylor uncovers Ava's journal and works to figure out how Ava's story is connected to her own history.
I really enjoyed the dual timelines in this book. Usually dual timelines are hit or miss, but this one done really well. We are slowly learning information in both timelines and can work to try to solve the mystery as we go back and forth. Ava's timeline was a little more interesting at the start, since being set on the Titanic is what initially drew me to the book. But slowly, I began to get more intrigued with Taylors timeline as we try to figure out the connection between the two. The ending was a little predictable, but overall, the book was enjoyable and well written.
The cover is also stunningly illustrated.
I am a sucker for anything involving the Titanic, but when you add in a mystery, secret societies, and a hint of paranormal, I know I'm going to be in for a treat.
The Poppy and The Rose by Ashlee Cowles follows two timelines. In 1912, Ava Knight and her father are traveling across the Atlantic Ocean on the new luxury liner, Titanic, While on the ship, Ava becomes involved in a plot to stop an evil organization from bringing about the destruction of millions of lives. In 2010, Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program and becomes embroiled in the mystery of an old heiress' death. Taylor uncovers Ava's journal and works to figure out how Ava's story is connected to her own history.
I really enjoyed the dual timelines in this book. Usually dual timelines are hit or miss, but this one done really well. We are slowly learning information in both timelines and can work to try to solve the mystery as we go back and forth. Ava's timeline was a little more interesting at the start, since being set on the Titanic is what initially drew me to the book. But slowly, I began to get more intrigued with Taylors timeline as we try to figure out the connection between the two. The ending was a little predictable, but overall, the book was enjoyable and well written.
The cover is also stunningly illustrated.
Loved it! I just read practically non-stop from 60% on because I couldn’t put the book down! I love time-slip novels and I love YA fiction, but there aren’t many YA time-slip novels published at this time (at least not that I know of). I’m happy to say that this is an amazing YA time-slip novel and I’m so glad I read it! It can be hard to balance both the contemporary and historical sections of time-slip novels, but this book is beautifully done. I liked the main characters, the writing was evocative, and the storyline was gripping, all of which contributed to my enjoyment of this book. I also really appreciated that the romance was sweet and that there was only mild swearing in the book. I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to reading more books by this author!
Content:
Mild swearing
Sweet romance with a few kisses
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content:
Mild swearing
Sweet romance with a few kisses
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review**
3.5 stars. I'm not the biggest historical fiction reader but the premise really intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. This story is about two characters: Ava and Taylor.
1912: Ava Knight boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. 2010: Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program but also to investigate a photograph of her father with a mysterious woman.
I had never read any of this authors previous works but I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing of the novel. I was immediately hooked within the first few pages. At first I was not as interested in Ava's story because she came off as a bratty, spoiled, rich girl who's only on this boat because she has to be. As I kept reading I was sucked into the story of the Titanic and all the other cast of characters aboard this ship. I grew to enjoy Ava's chapters but her character did do certain things that annoyed me throughout the novel and I was not fond of the way she treated certain characters at certain times. I'm sure the author wrote her character this way to show how rich people thought of themselves and how they treated others back in those times, and if that's the case then she did an excellent job.
Taylor's chapters were shorter than Ava's but I felt that they could have been a bit longer and maybe could have let us in in what Taylor was thinking while reading and experiencing Ava's story and how it connected to her own search for answers. In the end we find out everything and I'm not sure if I liked the way it wrapped up. I enjoyed Taylor and Nathaniel's relationship but I felt that they became a "couple" way too quickly considering they've only known each other a few days.
All in all I enjoyed the book! I would recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction and the Titanic and enjoy some mystery.
3.5 stars. I'm not the biggest historical fiction reader but the premise really intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. This story is about two characters: Ava and Taylor.
1912: Ava Knight boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. 2010: Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program but also to investigate a photograph of her father with a mysterious woman.
I had never read any of this authors previous works but I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing of the novel. I was immediately hooked within the first few pages. At first I was not as interested in Ava's story because she came off as a bratty, spoiled, rich girl who's only on this boat because she has to be. As I kept reading I was sucked into the story of the Titanic and all the other cast of characters aboard this ship. I grew to enjoy Ava's chapters but her character did do certain things that annoyed me throughout the novel and I was not fond of the way she treated certain characters at certain times. I'm sure the author wrote her character this way to show how rich people thought of themselves and how they treated others back in those times, and if that's the case then she did an excellent job.
Taylor's chapters were shorter than Ava's but I felt that they could have been a bit longer and maybe could have let us in in what Taylor was thinking while reading and experiencing Ava's story and how it connected to her own search for answers. In the end we find out everything and I'm not sure if I liked the way it wrapped up. I enjoyed Taylor and Nathaniel's relationship but I felt that they became a "couple" way too quickly considering they've only known each other a few days.
All in all I enjoyed the book! I would recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction and the Titanic and enjoy some mystery.