Ghost Flower by Kathryn A. Broderick is a fantasy tale of romance and the fight for justice. It follows plucky young Sophia on her journey of self-actualization. At the outset, Sophia discovers her small but immensely effective power to intercept magical spells cast by the more powerful mages. One of these mages, her fiancé Aiden, is the catalyst for Sophia’s rampage of revenge against the magical elite when he mercilessly rejects her. Sophia inadvertently sparks a battle between the Tower, representing the mages and good, kind King Solen. With Sophia’s help as the anonymous Ghost Flower, the Crown fights it out for power and fairness. Throughout it all, Sophia must battle with her conflicted emotions for Casimir. He is the king’s right-hand man and pursues her relentlessly. Her past relationship and a deeper part of her that has been hidden since childhood weigh heavily on her mind.

Broderick’s richly descriptive language paints a vivid picture of the kingdom of Arcadia and all its fascinating characters. This enchanting story explores themes like the power of the people against oppression, manipulative relationships and their tragic consequences, and the importance of being your own hero.

This beautifully written book will inspire readers to find greatness within themselves rather than gravitating towards others’ greatness. With a slow burn style to draw the readers in, Broderick reveals vital story elements gradually so as not to overwhelm young adult readers with too much information all at once. Sophia is like most teenagers; she seems to do things haphazardly, giving readers a chance to speculate on her motivation at times. Ultimately Sophia is a complex character who will gain readers’ sympathy and support.

Readers will be surprised and delighted with this imaginative novel’s rich and magical world. The way the author describes being under someone’s spell, and the difficulty of breaking this, is something that many readers will relate to. Sophia’s discovery and mastery of her own shortcomings are superbly developed.

Ghost Flower is a spellbinding young adult novel that will capture the attention of teens and middle-grade students that have a love of fantasy and magic.

Pages: 302 | ASIN : B09PJX5H6Z