Heather’s Bookshelf: A Rose for Ava
Author: Mary Hallberg
Released: 03/04/25
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
“Ava’s entire body weakened. She tried to move, but her vision was taken up by large white spots and her legs shook like Jell-O. It wasn’t long before she felt herself falling to the floor and everything went black.”
“A Rose for Ava” is book 1 of the Descendants series and was reviewed as a standalone novel. The book introduces Ava Miller, a 16-year-old high schooler who’s living a pretty ordinary life. She’s doing well in school, has a loving family, good friends, and a sexy doting boyfriend.
But then she starts hearing voices…
And there’s other things too. She’s the only girl her age to not get her period, she never remembers getting sick, and things seem to move when she gets upset. Her world is turned upside down when the truth and a lifetime of secrets is revealed to her. Retreating into a shell of herself in order to work through everything, she befriends the new student in class, Declan.
Declan’s smart, handsome, and a bit mysterious. He also seems to be holding some secrets of his own. In an attempt to regain some semblance of her prior life, Ava sets out on a journey with her new friend. Will they find what they seek or will this be much more than either of them asked for?
Trigger Warning: violence, sexual situations, death, reference to murder, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The story is told through Ava’s POV. She starts the story as a smart, determined, and naive teenager who’s biggest care in the world is if she should spend prom night in a hotel room with her boyfriend. Her family and friends, especially May, provide a lot of the backstory and truths that push forward the rest of the tale. Declan has his own motivations and terrible secrets. He’s seeking companionship and finds a common thread with Ava. The two of them together invite angst, insecurities, and anxiety, but they also seek adventure. I felt that there were some inconsistencies in the lore. Ava can’t get cold, but she feels hunger. Early on in the story she’s wondering what a wavering voice is but then she later states she used to be worried about invading someone’s privacy by listening in. The pacing is also a little hit or miss with the flipping back and forth between realms/realities. There are some periods of action, light moments, but then there’s the in between that sometimes rehashes what has just occurred and drags on the narrative. The meshing of genres- a little bit of Mean Girls meets Twilight is a successful one overall.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A YA fantasy with strong paranormal elements, dripping in angst. Some difficulty with pacing and inconsistencies in lore faulter a bit.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Mary Hallberg
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Find it for purchase here
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