Firstly, thank you to Platkus for providing a copy of this via NetGalley – views remain my own.

This one, I admit, took me too long to get to. I think partially because I was expecting something a little more YA (not in a bad way!), if I’d known a bit more about it I would have read it sooner. I devoured this. It’s book 7 of the Supernatural Sisters series, but in can definitely be read as a standalone. I, however, am hoping to go back to the first book of the series and read them up to this one. Even as a standalone, there’s enough that gestures towards the larger story, and even a brief glance over the first 6 books reveals how they tie in, and with the way we’re given brief glimpses of these characters and stories in The Rose Daughter, it makes me really keen to read their tales in full.

Okay, focusing on the book at hand. Dreckly Jones has avoided heroics her whole life, taught by her father that the most important thing is to survive. However, when she’s approached (depending on how you look at it) by a group and told about other supernatural creatures going missing, it takes a lot of effort to walk away from them. Oh yeah, and Dreckly is a sprite, the result of a forbidden union between an earth elemental and a selkie.

Firstly, I think some writers are tempted to make the supernatural creatures in stories like this appear more in their late teens/early twenties, but here Lewis has thought out the rules around aging and we get a woman who presents as more middle aged, though in reality she’s 140-something. I loved that aspect, especially as the love interest is younger, and it feels like a dynamic we don’t get as often between immortal and not-immortal.

There’s a nice balance between the present and the past, too, with the chapters alternating and giving us Dreckly’s life story in one half and the present-day events in the other. The flashback chapters give us a strong sense of why Dreckly is, well, Dreckly, and makes for a really great blend of Historical and Urban Fantasy.

I loved the magic here, too, and the different paranormal creatures that inhabit this world. And the world building really is great, even jumping in at this point it’s easy to get a sense of the world and the history. It makes for a book that does exactly, I think, what an author would want a book like this do – serve perfectly as a standalone, but give just enough tantalizing crumbs to make the reader want to go back and read the rest of the series.

Dreckly forms friendships and alliances throughout, with shifters, demons, and more, and we get to see her go from someone who seems to keep to themselves, too scared of detection to form actual relationships, to someone who realises she can’t keep herself shut off from everyone. Like everything else in this book, it works really well.

If you want a bit of a different Urban Fantasy, one that contains plenty of present-day action as well as a more Historical setting alongside it, I definitely recommend this one. A really enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to dive back into this world.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I've not read any of the other books in the overall series or shared universe, but The Rose Daughter still worked really well as a standalone. I did feel like there were some background elements that could have been explored further, but this may have been covered in other books.

Overall, I loved how the two timelines were beautifully split and twined together, and explored different elements of Dreckly's life and love. I enjoyed the parts with the supernatural creatures, though I've never been into the whole werewolf alpha thing, and especially liked the strong early Hollywood era characters.

The plot was pretty engrossing, with a few spicy scenes (that I'm not a fan of but know a lot of people are) with nothing too graphic or excessive, and an interesting developing relationship. I liked how Dreckly developed over the story.

I think I'd be interested in reading the wider novels, and would like to know what Dreckly's future holds!

Amazing read!! ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

I haven’t read this entire series – only randomly picked up one or two of the books before. That said, each book works as a standalone. I really enjoyed this episode which drew on folklore and mixed it well with urban fantasy. This is not your typical UF but I think it’s all the better for that. Recommended.

It's good to be back in Maria Lewis's shared supernatural universe, which began with werewolves in Who's Afraid? and has progressed through other magical peoples including witches, ghost, banshees and now, sprites.

Or rather, a sprite. As Dreckly Jones makes clear in this narrative, split between the present day when she is lying low in Sydney and an account of her life up to that point, a sprite is a very rare thing indeed. Offspring of a selfie and an earth elemental, her kind are outlawed by the Treize (why?) the self-appointed government of all supernatural creatures. So Dreckly's life began in prison, locked up by the Treize with her father.

Now, a century later, she's off their radar, and determined to stay that way.

I was entranced by the way Lewis uses the story of Dreckly's life to explore the 20th century from below. Stowing away for the New World, she gets involved in the movie business, drifting into espionage as the times darken. Lewis has her witness some significant moments for the history of women: a period of brief and precious freedom and self-expression for women and minorities in the Hollywood of the 20s and 30s which gives way before a growing climate of moral censure and then the chaos of violence and loss that is the Second World War. Lewis has done her research, introducing us to some fascinating characters who provide the perfect milieu for a misfit like Dreckly. Throughout, though, Dreckly remembers her father's advice that she shouldn't try to be a hero. Though she sometimes disregards it.

The Rose Daughter seemed slightly different to some of the other episodes in this extended story of supernatural creatures, as a large part of the narrative is distanced from the immediate conflict with the Treize which has been developing throughout the series. That reality - of their desperation and willingness to commit atrocities growing - has to break in eventually, though, with Dreckly's hard won safety (hard won both in terms of what she's given up, and the guilt she feels for keeping her head down) inevitably threatened. First, though, Lewis explores what makes Dreckly, Dreckly - who she has loved, what and who she has lost in her long life, and what regrets she has. All of that lies behind her desire to stay out of sight, stay safe, not play the hero. It also illustrates what a competent and ruthless soldier she's capable of being when she has to be - one who will I'm sure reappear in future instalments of this fascinating saga.

A gloriously page-turnery novel that sheds new light on the revolution boiling up against the Treize, meshes nicely with the earlier books (even including some earlier scenes them a different perspective) and introduces a bold and distinctive new character. What else? Well, of course we have handsome, smouldering werewolves, some energetic sex, and plenty of peril. And signs of a team-up that should make the Treize very, very scared indeed.

I'd strongly recommend for fans of paranormal fiction, lovers of a good, exciting story and anyone interested in some of the less well known corners of 20th century history.

The Rose Daughter was an amazing book to read. I loved the main character, Dreckly Jones. This book had a dual timeline. Both of them were really interesting. Like all the supernatural sisters books this one also had a connection to other books. It was very clever and I can't wait to read what's gonna happen next now they all united.

This was super interesting and had a lot of elements I adored. Dreckly is a captivating main character and her storyline was so intriguing both in the present and in the chapters that narrated her youth/years before the current story.

The writing style is charming and this book is delightfully paced. My main issue with it is the romance element- I felt nothing for either primary love interest and felt there was no connection between either of them or Dreckly at all. My other gripe (and it's a nitpicky one) is what species Amos is. He was called a merrow and a selkie back and forth and those are not the same, I'm concerned that I missed something major in the text.

Overall this was very interesting and very glad I picked it up.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Fabulous!

I loved Dreckly's character arc. She's fierce, spunky and I loved following her journey from beginning to end. She has such a cool sense of humour that had me gasping for breath. The writing is great, and the pacing kept the story deeply interesting. I enjoyed this compelling novel so much! Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for and e-arc!

this is a really enjoyable read that i was captivated by, i couldnt put it down. well written with a great storyline, I really liked it,

A big thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a chance to read The Rose Daughter - apologies for being late!

I had no idea The Rose Daughter was the seventh installment, but I think I may have to go back and read them from the start. Saying that the book works really well as a standalone and I didn't find myself confused about what was happening.

We have Dreckly Jones, a sprite who is perfectly content to live her life in peace and never interact with anyone if she can help it. She works from her boat helping people to escape Sydney by creating perfect forgeries - passports, cards, documents - you name it, she can do it. She doesn't just help anyone, however. She helps supernatural creatures from werewolves, to banshees, to shifters. She's been around a while and she understands the need to have freedom, to be able to live your life without the fear of being kidnapped by the Treize and their Praetorian Guards. Dreckly is confident that they won't find her, not after all of these years, until she's drawn back fully into the supernatural world and they come knocking on her door. Now she has to decide - will she help, or will she follow her father's advice don't be a hero.

I really enjoyed Dreckly's character and I especially liked how the chapters alternated between first and third person. I'm interested to see where her story will take us next and whether her budding romance with Ben will continue to blossom.

You can find my review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4269440177

When I read the blurb for this book I was really excited about the premise, I thought there was a lot of scope for the story and different directions that such an interesting plot could take.

The book consists of two main storylines: one happens in present day and the other is flashbacks that tell the story of what has happened to Dreckly during her life. I have to be honest I wasn’t that bothered about the present day timeline, I found it too modern and jarring but I did like that the story is set in our current world but whilst there are supernatural creatures in it our history is the same. But I found the flashbacks the most interesting and I would rather have had the whole book be about Dreckly getting to modern day and then the other story happening in a later book.

I found the spy/thriller part of the story far more interesting than her getting ready for a date or randomly starting a fling.

Whilst I liked the book I just found myself less engaged in the modern day rebellion and I don’t think that was was the author intended. Maybe it is my fault for jumping in where I did but I found that a lot of the world and the big villains were not explored or explained, they were just there.

A brilliant fantasy novel which is a new take on werewolves. I really enjoyed it, and thanks to Netgalley and the publshers for giving me a copy of the book, highly recommended.