Rose

by Rami Ungar

Rose Taggert awakens in a greenhouse with no clear memory of the past two years and, to her horror, finds her body transformed into an unrecognizable form.

Paris Kuyper has convinced Rose that they are lovers and as Paris could not bear for her to die, he has used an ancient and dark magic to save her from certain death.

But the dark magic Paris has used comes at a price. A price which a terrible demon is determined to extract from Rose.

As Rose struggles to understand what is happening to her, she must navigate Paris’s lies and secrets; secrets that Paris will do anything to protect.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2019

About the author

Rami Ungar is a novelist from Columbus, OH specializing in horror and dark fantasy. He has published five books and a variety of short stories. His most recent book, "Hannah and Other Stories," was published in September 2023. When not writing, Rami enjoys reading, following his many interests, and giving readers the impression that he's not entirely human.

Reviews

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decline to give a full review on this book due to it's low rating from me.

UPDATE: This book had a very interesting premise and had a lot of potential. However, this book has major editing issues. There are tons of typos, misspellings and grammatical errors throughout the book. Also towards the end of the book there is a chapter that describes two characters by name and then as you carry on into the next chapter their names have completely changed. I really would have liked this book a lot more if it was put through a proper editing service before being published. Perhaps a second edition after a good clean sweep would be a good way to go with this one?

[Helen Power · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis
When Rose awakens in a greenhouse with no memory of how she got there, she’s horrified to discover that her body has transformed. Her memories are a jumble, and she encounters a strange man named Paris who claims to be the love of her life. She doesn’t remember him at all. He says that he saved her life using magic he found in an ancient tome, and that her bodily transformation is an unfortunate side effect. But there's a sinister side to Paris that scares her and makes her question everything he's told her…

Plot
The story gripped me from its very first lines. Ungar keeps the pages turning with a fast-paced plot. The novel itself is only 208 pages, and he fits quite a bit of action among its pages. The story is intense and dark and fit for any fan of the horror genre.

The transformations that Rose undergoes are truly unique, and Ungar has created a new horror monster that isn’t quite like the rest. He establishes limitations for her that make the story more interesting, as we discover that Rose cannot simply escape from Paris’ home.
While compelling, there are some aspects to the story that require a suspension of disbelief, and those have nothing to do with the magic. For example, what are the odds that both Rose and Paris speak Dutch? There are also a few inconsistencies in the plot. Rose’s parents are uneducated, yet one of them is a librarian? Ahem. I’m going to let that one slide, but just FYI, you need at least one master’s degree to be a librarian. Rose is Paris’ sociology “teacher”, but I couldn’t quite tell if that meant she was his professor or teaching assistant. These little inconsistencies are nitpicking, and while they did confuse me somewhat while reading the story, they didn’t affect my enjoyment of it.

Characters
Rose is categorized as a horror, and while there’s some body horror in her transformations, the real horror lies in what a human would do with seemingly infinite power. Paris’ transformation may not be a physical one, but it is the most terrifying part of this story. Paris is a fascinating character with a horrifying past that has distorted him into the man he is today.
As mentioned earlier, Rose has lost her memories. Part of the fact that she has lost her memories means that she could be any one of us. There aren’t any obvious aspects of her past that distinguish her from any other woman reading the book, and that relatability adds a personal touch to the horror. Ungar manages to develop her personality well without having the crutch of many flashbacks to draw on. She questions her sanity more than once which, again, adds another level of horror to the novel. As the story progresses, she regains some of her memories, and this enables Ungar to flesh her out into an even more compelling character.
There are other characters in the story, but they aren’t as well developed, which is the nature of such a short, plot-driven book. Had Ungar decided to make the novel longer, I would have liked to have seen more of these characters on the pages.


I recommend this book to those looking for a psychological thriller with a body horror twist.



*Thank you to the Blackthorn Book Tours for the ebook for review*


This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/

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My 2019 Reading Challenge

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not going to lie I was interested in this book but also very unsure if I'd enjoy it. I'm shocked to find that I actually loved it. The narration is actually quite good too.

The story itself was very unique, not at all scary for me but disturbing. I say disturbing because of one character in particular. I absolutely loved Rose's character. Her strength and resilience was beautiful. I will also admit the ending did hurt a little. Overall, such a pleasant listen!

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a fascination with people turning into plants - weird, I know - so when I got the opportunity to listen to this audiobook I was excited. The author wastes no one time diving right into the story but we soon find out, even though things are odd, they are going to keep getting even more strange! This is a dark fantasy horror with a fairy tale feel that I think most young adults could handle reading.

*Spoilers ahead*

From serious incel vibes - Paris steams with them - to stalking, murder, magic, abuse, and folklore monsters - this book is jam packed with exciting stuff, stuff that makes you cringe, and stuff that makes you think! Ladies, always trust your gut! The horror is a combo of body horror and psychological horror as well as a study of captivity and confinement. I was left wondering if Paris had really endured the horrible things he detailed or if he made them up to suit his twisted fantasies. I’m going with the latter. He’s an incel psychopath whose childhood clearly had an impact on him but how much was nature and how much was nurture?

As things were drawing to a close I was trying to guess how it was all going to end. I was hoping for a pretty ending...a happy fantasy ending. The actual ending left me wanting a different outcome but knowing that how it ended fit so well with the rest of the story.

I noticed some other reviews mentioned editing errors but I’m assuming because I listened rather than read that they were fixed in the process of the audiobook creation. I heard nothing amiss.

This was the first audiobook I’ve listened to that was narrated by a woman and I loved her style. Great narrator choice.

[Amanda Ruzsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must find more books like this. I loved every minute of this suffocating tale. Rose is thrown into the arms of Paris and given a second chance at life. But with a twist. I don’t want to give anything away but this was one of the most psychologically-horrifying and gut-wrenching and unsettling stories I’ve read. Not only are we subjected to, and living through, a relationship with a controlling and mysterious (not in a good way) man, but there are sinister forces at play, and Rose only falls deeper and deeper into a dark situation as the story goes on. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending, and while it truly hurt to read, I closed the book content and at peace with it. The blend of nature and magic and evil and family ties make this entirely relatable and realistic, even with the supernatural elements. Fantastic.

[Kim Napolitano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a gift by the author for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I looked into my email one day and an author was asking if I’d be interested in reading a new book? Intrigued I said yes and I’m glad I did! Rose is a wholly original story that has about everything horror and fantasy involved that it will satisfy every reader.

Rose wakes up in an unfamiliar home with her memory erased all of the past two years.. she’s in a panic because something is happening to her...

No spoilers, actually anything beyond that point would ruin the story for you. The action was fast, scare jumps perfect and plot twist? Absolutely! So if you love supernatural to creature feature. You got it all here! Enjoy!

[Angela Misri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose is one of those characters (like Carrie in Stephen King's book) who pulls you into the story, wrapping herself around you, making it impossible to stop reading.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I can’t remember how I got to the greenhouse in the first place, or where this greenhouse is located. Am I supposed to be here? If so, why?”

Join Rose on a rollercoaster of horror as she tries to come to terms with turning into a plant hybrid, and remember the missing memories of the man who saved her life… Paris.

This was such a crazy story that mixed a little bit of Japanese folklore with psychological thrills and biological terrors!

I loved the character of Rose, and her ability to adapt to the awful situations she found herself in!

[Ali O · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and unique story that I didn’t want to put down! The creativity and overall premise of the story is very enjoyable. The story is a combination of supernatural elements & some mind/body horror mixed in. It’s a fast paced and entertaining read with darkness and surprises. The narrator did a great job with the audiobook as well.

Thank you to Rami Ungar for a copy of this audiobook to enjoy!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's rare to find such a pretty cover with such a terrifying and unique story hidden inside.

It's even more rare that I find a book that makes me stop and go down a research hole involving other cultures' mythical creatures.

I HIGHLY advise you put this on your witchy halloween TBR list!

[Nisar Masoom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher, free and without obligation

It has been a very long time since I've read a great horror novel. Rami Ungar's Rose (2019) is actually the first horror novel I've read this year while being content with reading other forms of content related to the genre (such as short stories, novellas, etc.). And I wasn't disappointed with my choice.

To start with, they used to say that a book cannot be judged by its cover, but nowadays owing to the wide popularity of e-books, many potential readers do assess a book's quality by its cover. Rose's cover design by The Gilded Quill is majestic and pays a prominent tribute to the content as well. The lead character is shown on the front surrounded by trees in a forest and the quality of the coloring and illustrations is awe-inspiring. If I hadn't received a free copy in exchange for an honest review then the cover would've been my main reason for picking up this book.

The plot follows our protagonist, Rose Taggert who wakes up with 80% of her memory intact only to discover that she has become a plant-like creature. The storyline is quite Kafkaesque in nature albeit with a more modern take on the classic tale.

Nowadays, they say that a book or film's villain is more important than the hero, and if we keep that theory in mind, then Rose's antagonist, Paris Kuyper, is certainly one of the most cunning fiends I've encountered in a work of literature. He is a true psychopath with a cleverly constructed origin and add to that his mistreatment by his father Mr. Kuyper—the latter being one of the most intriguing characters in the narrative. So by inserting a bad guy with daddy issues, Ungar has promised us one rollercoaster of a ride.

The second-best feature of Rose is the pacing. While the novel's length is just over 200 pages, the pacing is consistent from the beginning until the ending. If I were to compare Ungar's writing style with another author then that person would be R.L. Stine (Goosebumps, Fear Street) as the yarn is filled with suspense, romance, and drama but it never loses the horror element. It also reads more like a young-adult novel than an adult one and I have no complaints seeing that I grew up on the Fear Street series.

However, the novel is not without demerits. There were some typos and grammatical errors which disturbed the continuity of the story. For example, blunders like writing "graduation party" instead of "engagement party", "Pairs" instead of "Paris" make for amateurish mistakes. I'm not sure whether the primary cause for this is that this is an ARC and not a final version, but whatever the case, the editing team should've done a better job.

Secondly, I felt that the overall planning of the narrative was amateurish. Rose is Ungar's first novel published by a press. He has self-published three novels and one short-story collection prior to Rose so he is not by any means a new author. However, Rose comes across more as a B-movie than a proper horror novel and I thought that a more experienced writer could have improved on the follow-through of the mildly clichéd plot.

As I mentioned earlier, Rose is B-movie material but that doesn't mean that it would make a bad script. The story could be made into an awesome film or miniseries. And with the original author's input, the adaptation might even end up being superior to the source material. This is because the variety of visualization in the novel is astounding such as Rose's plant-like structure, the scary-looking yew and orange trees, figures from Japanese folklore such as the Oni, etc. These would be even bettered by their transition to the big or small screen. I also favored the amount of references to Japanese culture such as their history, language, supernatural beliefs, and much more owing to my own fandom of anime. I was not surprised by finding out later on that Ungar is also an anime fan, and the influence of this art form showed conspicuously in his book. If I could name any anime which Rose reminded me of then that would be Death Note owing to the show itself featuring a cursed book and other similar elements.

To end with, Rose's plot might not be the most original but Ungar carries out a near-perfect utilization of the storyline. Nowhere does the story slow down nor does the fear factor lessen in any way throughout the 200-plus pages. I'm looking forward to reading more works by Ungar, and seeing that this is only his initial entry in the traditional market, I can't wait to see what he brings next to the genre.

You can read a copy of this review here: https://www.literaryretreat.com/rose-...

[Angela Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Rose by Rami Ungar the same week I was putting in a fall garden, so it was an immersive experience. The story of Rose begins with protagonist, Rose Taggert, waking up in a greenhouse. She opens her eyes to find herself a changed woman in every sense of the word.

A fast paced, quick read, the story grabbed me from the curious beginning and held on to the last page. I find a lot of plots are either too predictable or the logic collapses.

Ungar has managed to balance the fantastical with the believable to create a world of dark magic and terrible secrets.

The antagonist, Paris, is cruel enough to be repulsive but not so vicious that I couldn’t connect to him. The interaction between the characters was effective in establishing their relationship so that I could properly experience confusion at some of the tricks being played.

There were plenty of spooky descriptions and a sufficiently ominous atmosphere but no graphic violence without purpose. The story line is balanced and believable. The cover threw me off a little—I expected more of a Disney-esque story. What I received instead was a rich, dark plot with plenty of texture and madness, a nice surprise.

I enjoyed reading Rose and will look forward to more work by Rami Ungar. Find Rose by Rami Ungar yourself on Amazon and keep an eye on this emerging author.

I received Rose in the mail at Space and Time and review at my own volition. Space and Time shares books and other items received in the social media with no guarantee of review. I do my best to review what I can.

[Isobel Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

AT first Rose seems like the sort of light horror novel that will also appeal to fans of YA. Very fast, punchy writing, the narrative action packed and filled with the angsts and worries and conflicts typical of those in their late teens. The story opens with sociology graduate Rose Taggart, who awakes to find herself lying on a table in a greenhouse and realises she has partial amnesia. In a few short paragraphs the horror of her new circumstances unravels as she finds she has been the subject of a spell from 'The Forest God's Record', a grimoire that fell into the hands of her apparent boyfriend Paris. A playful wit vibrates behind the words, Ungar taunting his readers with the absurd, the ridiculous, Rose a hat tip to Kafka's Metamorphosis. Instead of finding herself transformed into an insect, Rose is part plant, a rose no less. Somehow Ungar renders Rose's metaphysical calamity plausible.

The playful wit soon gives way to a descent into the ominous and the spooky, Rose's situation unraveling, the lens pulled back bit by bit, the suspense building and building, culminating in an unexpected ending. Rose contains good characterisation, enough descriptions to offer a sense of place and Ungar demonstrates a keen talent for plotting.  In all Rose makes for very entertaining and disturbing reading.

[Matthew Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this work, Rami Ungar paints a captivating picture of Japanese folklore and magic, which serves as a backdrop for a story about captivity, manipulation, and possession! His narrative style also captures the dread and claustrophobia of being a captive, not to mention the twisted pathology of the captor! Scary stuff, and all the while you're rooting for the bad guys to get their just desserts!

[V.J. Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it in less than 3 hours. This story is one of those books where you can't put it down! The twists and turns of this intricate tale are mind blowing, each one more so than the last.

If you like horror and thrillers, this is sure-fire winner for you. Highly recommended!

[Michele S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down as I was constantly wondering what Rose would face next. The imagery and descriptions added so much to this story. This is a scary/fun summer read!

[Siobhan Falen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Rose awakens in a green house with no memory of how she got there, the adventure begins. This story explores her torture, among being experimented on, watching as the world she once knew and can only remember in fragmented pieces is stripped from her, all while dealing with a bizarre transformation.

This made me think of Poison Ivy, the character, someone who's innocence and naivety is stripped away by cruelty and I wanted her to rise up and be powerful one. But as her will is subjected to horrendous punishment and you see just how much she's beaten down, you realize that option grows slimmer and slimmer.

I loved that she is always fighting for survival, refusing to just give in, and this is why the ending actually really disappointed me. Sure, that could have been her choice but I would have loved to see her take what occurred and use it to become something more. She became something almost divine with protective and offensive powers, she could have gone through and saved more victims like herself from their inescapable prisons. It just was disappointing to me.

I'm glad I snagged this cause it is beautiful and the story's enjoyable.

[Matt (TeamRedmon) · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of Rose is that a woman wakes up in a greenhouse and has been turned into some kind of plant creature. I wanted this to be a book where the main character discovers her new self and unravels a mystery of what happened to her. Instead, the fact that she's supposed to be a plant is barely mentioned. What we get is some twisted incel that's kidnapped and gaslit her and used his appropriated Japanese magic book to change her into a plant and make her love him. There were several moments in the book that had Rose acting in a way that made no sense to her predicament and I found her character to be not authentic. I also think that men writing female main characters and then putting them in sexually exploitative situations is something that just shouldn't be done. It feels gross.

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this for review but I'm not the reader for this.

[Bill Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased a copy of Rose from the author while at Stoker Con last year. I finally got around to reading it and it was good story that incorporates magic and legend into a modern tale. A young woman is turned in a plant human hybrid by an obsessed admirer. The opening is inspired by Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, but it moves along into its own story quickly after that. The story is engaging and keeps the reader wanting more at the end of each chapter. It unfolds at a nice pace. It also explores the psychological aspects of each character well. One follows Rose's story as she tried to deal with this crazed lover, and explores how to escape and defeat him. The ending, however, is a little rough, but I won't divulge any spoilers. I would recommend this tale to anyone who enjoys magic realism or psychological thrillers.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had decent hopes going into this but unfortunately in the end the book just wasn't very good. The main character has a fun voice and I was hoping for something a bit like Transmuted where she learns to use her new body to overcome her situation, but the story just drags on and the character never winds up having much agency. A lot of characters and concepts are introduced near the end that don't really wind up meaning anything. The incel concept with the antagonist could have been something but instead felt pointless and some of the detail seemed gratuitous. There were a lot of little errors (characters’ names spelled differently in different places) and typos. The ending was stupid.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’ve all encountered stories that start off with the main character experiencing amnesia, but I promise you’ve never read a story like Rose!
Being a plant lover living where the story is set, I loved riding shotgun for Rose’s journey. While you can smell the nefarious characters from the start and feel where the story is heading, the method to the madness is unique and unexpected! This one brought my love of Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy to life.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the narrator. The story was unique and interesting. Some little twists in there. All in all a good psychological thriller. I've read other reviews that take away stars for the editing. I can't comment on that since it was read to me. I will check out more from this author in the future.

[Joan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You Rami Ungar

Wow this is an awesome Psychological Thriller with strong Lovecraftian Vibes.

The main character wakes up in a Greenhouse. She is confused. She wonders how long she has been here and not remembering anything. This novel would make a great anime.

Cosmic Horror
Lovecraftian
Japanese Folklore

[Kirstin Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It has a beautiful cover but is filled with a psychologically horrifying story, which is Ramis strong suit. Once I started reading I could not put it down. I highly recommend giving this book a read!

[Nita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a book with such an unusual premise fails to deliver. Not this one. Horror fans will love it!

[Britt Samples · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Missy Dillavou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique story line! The cover art is absolutely beautiful! This is a quick & creepy, but still fun read!!

[Deb O rah · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting concept but felt undeveloped

[Spoon Gaia-Lotus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book being a batman fan and thinking that the main character reminded me of poison ivy, I ignored the reviews and gave it a chance, the pace in this book is really good, I couldn’t stop reading, there were a couple things f point in the book where I thought wow did that just happen but then the story really helps the imbed the changes, the things I liked most about the book were the references to modern life which then gives you the impression that this is happening now and makes the story more real, the plot could of been quicker in places and you really want to see the main character you the abilities she has but at the same time the suspense has you waiting adds to the atmosphere

[Steph Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and to Isobel Blackthorn of Blackthorn Book Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*


Don’t let the beautiful, delicate cover fool you – this is out-and-out horror!

It’s hardly worth bothering with trigger warnings, as you can pretty much assume “all of them” covers it. For a short sample, we have – rape and molestation, violence against animals, violence against women (sexual, physical, coercion, financial, emotional… you name it), torture… you get the idea!

The story begins with Rose waking up without her memories and immediately undergoing a painful and terrifying transformation. Luckily for her, the lovely Paris appears to soothe and console her, and restrain her and hurt her… because he loves her, you see. So isn’t it also super lucky that he has access to some very powerful, dark magic, to help him punish those who oppose him? Yeah, Rose is in trouble.

In fact, although there are some very grisly physical and magical acts that occur during the course of this story, it is the psychological horror that really chills your soul and haunts you long afterwards. I just can’t stop thinking about the story; about the depths that human beings can go to to inflict pain for their own pleasure, and the lengths they will go to justify their actions to themselves. The real monsters aren’t always the ones with green skin or tentacles.

Rose is a chilling fantasy horror story for this spooky season and will stay with you long after the bonfires are done.





Abruptly, the rose dies in my hand: the pink fleshy petals turn black and crinkly, while the stalk becomes brown and brittle. I drop the rose and stand, alarmed. On the workbench and on the ground, roses wilt and die before my very eyes. What the hell?
As the flowers die, my eyes light on something lying at the foot of the workbench that’s not a rose. I lean forward to take a closer look, only to jump back in horror.

– Rami Ungar, Rose


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...