Review and Giveaway: The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose

Today I welcome France Book Tours back to the blog with a unique historical fiction novel. I invite you to read my reviews and enter to win a $20 gift card (open internationally).

My Review:
This novel appeals to a wide variety of interests because of the different genres it touches upon. First, and foremost, The Witch of Painted Sorrows is an historical novel, as it is set in the late 19th Century in Belle Epoque Paris. The sites and sounds of Paris are captured in great detail as Sandrine, the main character, describes her days spent in her grandmother’s luxurious apartments, in her family’s mysterious mansion, and in the famous museums of Paris. Sandrine’s grandmother is also a famous courtesan and the author makes it a point to describe what, exactly, this job entails.

The Witch of Painted Sorrows is also a mystery and delves into the realm of fantasy. Sandrine has always thought her grandmother and her grandmother’s home were very unusual. In fact, her father’s mother is so strange, that Sadrine never tells her husband or anyone else of her grandmother’s existence. Her grandmother seems to know about certain events before they even happen and she has a very strange fear of falling in love. When Sadrine finds a mysterious room at the top of her grandmother’s mansion, she becomes more intent on finding out about her family’s history.

Finally, The Witch of Painted Sorrows has a touch of romance as Sandrine is escaping New York and fleeing to Paris in order to avoid an abusive husband. When Sandrine settles down in Paris she meets a handsome young architect who shares her love of art. But Sandrine has never really found love as an adult. Will her grandmother’s warnings be enough to keep her away from this strong attraction, or will she give into her passion?

I don’t usually read books in the fantasy genre, but THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS has just enough mystery mixed with historical fiction to make a interesting novel.
About The Author:
New York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice…books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.
Please visit her website, her blog: Museum of Mysteries