Review: Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein

Ivory Apples by Lisa Goldstein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Ivy and her sisters have been brought up to keep the secret that their Great Aunt Maeve is really Adela Martin who wrote Ivory Apples. Maeve is a recluse hiding away from fans and refusing to answer their letters. Instead, the girls' father takes care of correspondence and business.

One day though while the girls are at the park, they meet Kate Burden. At first, all is fine, then Kate starts insinuating herself into their lives. Kate wants more than friendship. She wants something from Maeve. Something that Ivy already has.

The story takes some dark turns. Kate isn't the person she pretended to be. Ivy spends some time in despair. And magic of sorts is real.

Most of the book moves along at a good pace. There are a couple of spots where it is less show and more tell; and it slows the momentum. It is also a pretty dark fantasy. In some ways, it reminds me of The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. Magic is real, but it's not for everyone. And it always has a price.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's good. It's well written except for a couple of slow spots. Kate is a good villain. And you will hope for the best for the girls. It's also so dark in a couple of places I had a little trouble reading on. It turned out to be a good October read. I'd recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy, magical realism, and dark fantasy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.



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