First read: 5 - ??????????
Second read: 5 - ??????????
Third read: 5 - ??????????

I’m in love with a man who’ll never be mine—who’s unavailable in every way, shape, and form—and I’m certain it’s going to ruin me.

To Bleed A Crystal Bloom is an exquisitely dark reimagining of Rapunzel and let me warn you: it's delightfully addictive.

This book is splendid in its own book right and Sarah A. Parker did a brilliant job in taking little pieces of the Fairytale and penning an authentic story that is emotionally unsettling and wickedly thrilling.

Tropes:

— Dark, dark fantasy romance (new adult)
— Inspired by the fairytale of Rapunzel
— Forbidden romance
— Star-crossed lovers
— Unique lore and world-building
— Gods and prophecies
— Cast of nuanced and morally grey characters
— Soft and a fiesty 21-year-old heroine
— Heroine who loves to paint and garden
— Angsty sexual tension (100x)
— Enigmatic and dark love Interest
— Close proximity
— Spice (gets even spicier in later books)
— Character-driven plot
— Multiple POVs (incl. future secondary romances)
— Immortals and beasts
— Secret powers and identities
— So many secrets lurking at every corner


Before I get into more details I must say, this book is part of a series and so it serves more as an origin story or a prologue that starts to push the wheels of the main plot into motion. I think it did a spectacular job at building up the foundation of the main plot and this is why I am dying to get my hands on the sequel right now.

I was wholly immersed and could not put this book down. The vivid writing flowed with ease and the richly visual descriptions felt tangible. The author managed to create an eerily mesmerizing atmosphere. Every page kept sparking my intrigue because I am impressed by the world and the mysteries we've yet to uncover about it.

ItÂ’s a pretty lie I to paint; a fabled reality where he needs me just as much as I need him. Something that helps tame this unwanted feeling sprouting in my chest.

Let's start with a summary of the story:

21-year-old Orlaith was the only survivor of a bloody massacre at the tender age of two. For the past 19 years, she lived within the comfort of her stony tower and became a ward to a powerful High Master of Ocruth. Rhordyn is a mystery himself, cloaked in darkness and secrets.

Orlaith is enamored by Rhordyn, who to her is the center of her world. Her savior and protector.

The harsh reality of their world begins to seep into Orlaith's small peaceful life with vicious beasts stepping into their lands, hunting for flesh... and possibly something else.

Orlaith takes hold of a thread that leads her from one secret to another until it brings her to the one secret that will shatter her heart.

A stony tower may no longer be the shield that keeps out the horror and the heartbreak.

Those dark secrets begin to tear the seams of the bubble she was content to live in.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’ve come from; it’s in our nature to fall in love with the shackle that binds us.”

I loved Orlaith. I really delved into her character layer after layer. She is fiesty and mishchevious but maintains the innocence of a girl that truly lived a sheltered life. I was emotionally connected to her and felt joy when she was happy, felt the sour taste of sorrow she was sad, and felt the burning sting of pain when she was heartbroken. I was so impressed by her character development and rooted for her.

I understand the way her emotions work, she lived a sheltered life and was surrounded by specific people. She may come off as a bit immature to readers but I find that to be a natural characteristic of someone whose world is very small. I could understand why her thoughts and emotions worked that way. I also applaud the author for highlighting Orlaith's struggle with her identity especially when some secrets come to light.

It's not easy at all. Her trauma is a frequent visitor in her nightmares and what I think slips the attention of many readers is the fact that Orlaith has a raspy voice because on that bloody day when she was saved, her piercing scream caused an injury in her throat.

“You’re going to be the death of me.”
“So long as you take me with you.”
“Never.”

Rhordyn is intriguing in a dark way. This is a man that I want to shred into pieces because he is that mysterious. I want to wring out every secret he keeps. I smell a tragic backstory. He also exudes dark dom energy and something about him is simply... intriguing.

I adore Kai and hope to see more of him but I definitely do not want him as a romantic option for Orlaith. Cain is the one I have a lot of thoughts about. I d him from the first time he interacted with Orlaith and I am eager to see what his role will be in the story. I do think he has his own agenda but we'll see.

The sexual tension is deliciously angsty. There is clear a power imbalance between Orlaith and Rhordyn yet... you just know there is more to their connection.

He pillaged my weakness. Offered me a drink from his well and I gulped with greedy draws until I was intoxicated and mindless. Then, he tossed me down the hole and left me there with no way out. Now all I can do is drown.

I do recommend this for readers that enjoy the works of Sarah J. Maas and Raven Kennedy.

Trigger Warning: drug use, explicit language, self harm (only tip of fingers), graphic scenes.

I would to put in a disclaimer and mention that this is a dark, dark fantasy romance. You will be frustrated and devastated by the turn of events and you won't always agree and be happy with the choices the characters make—and that's the point of it sometimes and flawed characters are more compelling to me. Characters in this book make mistakes and the relationships can be toxic but it makes their growth and change more meaningful. There is a lot of suffering, guilt, and grief that all the characters deal with. From book 1 the plot was building itself gradually and woven with an intricate lore that sheds itself more with every book and that's why not all questions are answered right away and when they do, it creates more questions and that what personally keeps me invested in the series—knowing that there is more that I want to unravel and how it ties into the stories of all these characters.

Un other dark fantasy romance books this is just not surface-level dark, it dives right into the depths. And as my friend Underseabookish said and I quote:
"this series dares to be bold and wants to set itself apart within that genre by bringing back the DARK, the FANTASY, and the ROMANCE all into one series."

I've been craving a dark fantasy series such as this for a long time but I absolutely understand how it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I just wanted to express why I appreciate the series for what it is.

?? Warning: there are spoilers in the comments section and the second section of the review, please avoid it if you have not read the book yet.

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*** SPOILERS BELOW***

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After my reread, I think Rhordyn is so incredibly misunderstood as a character and his role in this story.

I have to establish first that Rhordyn is an extremely complicated and nuanced character. He is a morally ambiguous character but in no way the villain in this story.

First let's get some facts straight:

1. Rhordyn is not forcibly locking Orlaith in the tower, it is mentioned multiple times that he tried to integrate her into society, but Orlaith is content to live in behind the safety line away from the whispers of the general public. This is what he says to Orlaith: “I’ll stay here,” I whisper, and a shadow shutters his eyes, the muscle along his jaw feathering. “Live, Orlaith. All I’m asking is that you live.” Rhordyn even tells Orlaith at some point that her tower won't keep her safe from the looming danger, this is why he wanted her to train to fight with Baze, he wants her to be prepared in case the worst happens. The only instances he locked her in is when he did not want her to attend the ball (because of Cain) and to not let her leave to Bahari/Cain. Un the fairytale, Orlaith was not locked in her tower the entire time. Actually she wasn't locked for 90% of the book except on two instances.

2. He can be controlling and manipulative at times especially when it concerns her safety and her feelings, but he is not a groomer in any shape or form. It's mentioned that Rhordyn avoids her the plague to the point she never sees him around since he rescued her until in recent years. Orlaith is raised by Cook and Baze, Rhordyn wasn't involved in raising her at all nor did he act a parental figure to her (more of this is even clarified in book 2 about what happened in the past). Her blood was even delivered by Cook to Rhordyn until she was able to do the offering herself and place it in the small door for him to take, it's even mentioned in the book Rhor was never involved in the act and he did so the first time when she refused to give him the blood offering. Orlaith did not grow up while being in love with Rhordyn, her feelings were only recent. Yes, there is a clear power imbalance between them that he uses to his advantage and protection comes in many "forms" even one that is very questionable. As Orlaith begins to rebel and ask questions Rhordyn is not ready to answer, he resorts to the influence he has over her and the unexplored connection between them to push her back.

3. Rhordyn IS toxic but he is not the villain. Nothing that Rhordyn did was ever meant to harm Orlaith. He is the one who wants to appear toxic to her to push her away and to accept that he is a monster beneath. He finds relief in her ignorance merely because the fear that took root within him the day he saved her and tasted her blood will force him to confront the reality of their situation and of who they are to each other—and that is what he thinks might break Orlaith. It's very ly that they are mates.

4. Not once has it been mentioned that Rhordyn had been inappropriate towards Orlaith or had shown any desire for her prior to the events in this book. Eventually, it's pointed out to which moment he actually started to feel more than just a protective instinct (as I said they have a unique connection that is ly a mating bond).

5. Last but not least, I think Rhordyn directs so much self-loath at himself. I do not think he finds pleasure in what his instincts draw out of him especially when it comes to Orlaith. I don't think he relishes in their power imbalance either and I'll dive into that more when I talk about the mates and their bond. His self-loath is what influences a lot of his actions when it comes to her. Not justifiable in any way, but this is why this book is considered a dark fantasy romance. Nothing is coming easy for them.

This doesn't mean Rhordyn's actions can be justified because what I love about this book is you can understand the questionable actions of the characters without the need to justify them.

Sarah unfurls such a complex relationship with a tinge of taboo and yet underneath it all lies a thousand questions and secrets.

I think the tabooness of their relationship is what haunts most readers, which is totally valid. But there is some clear misinterpretation that's confusing readers.

The dynamic between Orlaith and Rhordyn is meant to unsettle the reader but also spark that intrigue and curiosity on where it could all lead to.

Their relationship is dysfunctional and the power balance is very off, but for such a dark tale and for the sake of Orlaith's arc it should be done that way.

Orlaith is not kept from the world, there is not much of the world out there to discover because it reeks of monsters and deaths.

And perhaps, the world is kept away from Orlaith herself. She's the one with the mark of death.

This is not a blossoming romance, it's tearing both Orlaith and Rhordyn apart. This longing, attraction, and anguish is a festering wound on their souls.

The day Rhordyn had a sip of Orlaith's blood was the day the gods damned them both.

As much as I have enjoyed the sexual tension and chemistry between them, neither of them are ready for any notion of a romantic love. Orlaith must break out of her confines and let her world expand beyond her tower—and Rhordyn must face his own demons. As of now, they are not a healthy option for each other, not until that power imbalance shifts and for Orlaith to experience what the world, and not Rhordyn, has to offer for her.

And if they turn out to be mates, which I truly believe there are given the strong evidence in the book itself, I'm really intrigued by the concept of a mating bond that is not romanticized. Most of those who find their mates struggle a little or accept that they have found their one true love, and that bond mostly gives them little butterflies and an infinite love. The dark concept of mates in this world is a tragedy, at least for Orlaith and Rhordyn.

Her voice may have been fragile, but everything else was the opposite. Her upper lip was curled with hate, she had fire in her eyes, and she looked at me she saw through my skin to the monster I am beneath.
Part of me was relieved—screamed for her to look deeper. To delve until she ripped herself on all my sharp bits. Perhaps then she’d see why I’m stuck in her orbit ... unwillingly.
Why drifting too close would destroy everything.



“Mates, Orlaith, are a fairy tale. A tragedy painted with the pretty face of a happily ever after, but at its core, it’s still a fucking tragedy. If you believe everything you read, you’ll be disappointed when you finally step into the real world.”

They would be the epitome of star-crossed lovers.

His eyes harden. “What I want, what I need, and what is right are three entirely different things.”

To me, it feels that the source of Rhordyn's self-loath comes from how the bond influences his feelings for Orlaith. He is a man of complete control yet a force beyond his reach is slowly depriving him of that privilege and it pushes towards instincts that he may find... depraved.

He seems to be tainted by her affections, not because they repulse him but because she is too good for him. He wishes that she could see the monster underneath his skin, probably in belief that it may deter her.

It seems a doomed love more than anything -me he knows it—and maybe it has to do with the prophecy?

This is why I love Rhordyn as a character, there is so much to explore about him and while my morals can be questioned because of the type of characters I am drawn to, I only hope that we get to see his ice crack and he is caught up in Orlaith's fire.

In the end, what matters to me is Orlaith's journey and I'm so excited to see where it will lead up to. I may be rooting for a second chance romance for her and Rhordyn but I'm rooting more for her happiness.2021-releases adult-na dark ...more275 s Sarah Eliza99 41

Was this book confusing to follow? Yes.

Did the protagonist randomly go into heat mid book which was never addressed before or after this point? Yes.

Am I a bit obsessed with it anyways and need to read the next book as soon as possible? Also Yes.

I will be taking no further questions at this time5-stars-elite200 s3 comments Maggie533 10

I need someone to tell me why they thought this book was good. It had so much potential. I have SO many questions and I'm assuming it's all to set up for the next book so it better get explained there. Rhor is a completely inappropriate love interest for her. He saved her when she was two and then raises her and somehow falls in love with her during the 19 years she hides in his castle? are you for real? He should be a father figure! This book was also hella boring. I found myself checking to see how many pages were left. I will read the second one only to answer the questions I have.121 s2 comments Nenia ? I yeet my books back and forth ? CampbellAuthor 52 books19.5k


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DNF @ 11%



I've been wanting to read this for a while because the summary sounded intriguing and I loved the cover and the title of the book.



This just isn't working for me, though. The writing style is that ultra-modern and kind of clunky "new adult fantasy" style of writing that's become popular, and I know a lot of people are into that but it's not for me. I'd recommend this to people who d GILT and Jennifer L. Armentrout, because I think their styles are similar (and I wasn't keen on either of those authors' fantasy books either, unfortunately).



Un some readers, I didn't mind the age gap. I guardian/ward in theory. But I didn't feel much chemistry between the H and the h.



1.5 to 2 starsi-came-i-saw-i-yeeted kindle-unlimited magic-and-sparkles-and-shit88 s Al *the semi serial series skipper*1,659 755

I honestly have no idea what this book is about. I got it without looking at the and seeing them now is shocking, what was so good about it.

The heroine was the only survivor after a massacre that left an entire village dead. Her savior puts her in a castle which she is free off anytime but she has PTSD and cannot cross a barrier a few feet from the castle for fear that the things that killed her family will come for her.

She is stuck in the castle lusting after her savior but he seems to want nothing to do with her except a few drops of her blood every other day.

There is a summit to talk about the creatures that killed her family, as there have been reports that they are growing large in number.

She decides that she's been stuck in the castle so long because of her fear and she wants to help defeat those things.

That's how the book ends, oh there's some bits of inconsequential drama thrown in there to bulk up the book but nothing happens. It was a slumberfest. abandoned-series angels-demons bland-as-fuck ...more53 s Charlene ?429 107

currently reading 
? Trigger warnings: *contains spoilers*  abusive relationship, emotional and verbal abuse, drug use, blood and gore, self-harm, scars, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, nightmares and night terrors, agoraphobia, dead bodies & body parts, death of a sibling, arranged marriage, adult-minor relationship, .

? 6th August ?
They time has come my friends. I starting my re-read of this book. Now I know what is coming, I will try and pinpoint my overall thoughts and feelings about this. Will I have a good time? I don't think so. However, I am committed to finding out what in the darnation is going on in this book and in the sequel (releasing 8th August).


? July 2021 ?
3 stars  ?????
This review is also posted in my July Wrap Up on my blog ??

Crystal Bloom Series :
#1     To Bleed a Crystal Bloom: ?????
#2     To Snap a Silver Stem: 8th August release


This is a dark Rapunzel reimagining where Orlaith is the sole survivor to a massacre that kills her all her friends and family when she was 2. Rhordyn is her saviour and protector, and soon becomes the target of her affection. Olaith lives in a tower, and develops agoraphobia where she physically cannot go beyond the castle garden. It cripples her and earns her scorn from Rhordyn. While she tries to forget her troubles within her safety bubble, the world entrenches in her relative peace forcing her to realise some harsh truths about herself and her situation.

ahhhh..... I am on unsure footing about this one. I picked this up solely because it was marketed around the Gild series. I predicted this would be another 5 star read for me. This was very much not.


There were ups, and there were downs. I laughed out loud and cringed vigorously. I was arguing with Orlaith alone in my room at 2am about her actions and what she should do. My emotions were all over the place and my idea of where the story was going to take me was constantly challenged. I went through it. My heart rate was not at a healthy level.



All my main issues are below but let me say this. I had no idea what to rate this. I thought about it exhaustively and came to the conclusion that I didn't want to rate it. In the end I just decided because there were some amazing scenes and definitely some disturbing scenes that these two dichotomies they averaged each other out. Call me a cop out but I stand by it. It is such a wild ride that I cannot rate it anything other than 3 stars.

Orlaith was an easily able, relatable main character but her choices were infuriating. They were made under rose-coloured glasses over a man that didn't appreciate nor love her the same and that broke. my. heart. Reading her go through it made me so mad I contemplated DNF-ing just to stop myself getting anxiety from this book. My blood pressure was raised and tears were shed. I was even questioning if this was the beginning of a Reverse Harem, and I was accidentally sucked into a story setting up for a polyamorous relationship. Who does that. Who tricks you into a reverse harem book?! Jail. I STILL DON'T KNOW IF IT EVEN IS A RH AND THATS THE MOST FRUSTRATING PART!!

This isn't even a review anymore. Just an account of my emotional journey and my need to find out what they hell I will come next.


??  Questions / Issues ?? 
** This whole section is a spoiler so you have been warned. Don't @ me. **
?? There is this weird the age difference between Rhordyn and Orlaith. He found her when she was 2 and raised her and now there is this weird sexual tension that is kind of acted on. Sure it doesn't even explicitly say that Rhordyn (and even Cain) are characters that are long lived and that age differences isn't a big deal when we are talking centuries but it just felt weird that it was unanswered... when did Rhordyn start getting sexual feelings for her and how long did he know her parents and stuff to trust and hide them and then also raise the surviving daughter... Cain seems to have lived a long, different life and has the scars to prove it... idk I assume Orlaith is going to be 'long-lived' because of her heritage so I guess we'll find out... but this age-gap, raised daughter turned love interest pipeline is gross and needs to be addressed. I want assurances and justifications. Call the Senate and Olivia Benson because I need an investigation. I cannot sleep at night knowing he is endgame with this looming over their relationship. I refuse. JAIL.

?? Is Rhordyn even endgame?? Or is the author going to chuck a Sarah J. Maas and it's some other guy because his treatment towards her was real wack, real disrespectful, real disgusting. I was very uncomfortable and I demand restitutions for having to read that. I am currently on the fence on whether I want them to be endgame. I think I'm leaning away from him because of the age-gap and the vibes he gives off and wish on anything that is holy and just that it's someone else (but not the new guy she's engaged to he's giving weird vibes but I will hold out any vibe-checks until the next book). This isn't even an enemies-to-lovers storyline. It's guardian-to-lovers. GROSS who the fuck thinks "yes let's make the MC fall in love with the guy who raised her"??


?? And finally I once again ask, is this a Reverse Harem??? Why haven't they said it is or it isn't?? Just tell me so I am mentally prepared!! I need to know who to root for and if I should continue investing my energy in a monogamous endgame! Is it the ocean guy? Rhordyn?? Fiance?? Someone not even in this book?? There are too many options and that's weird!! I do not want to be bamboozled at the finish line. I would prefer a monogamous endgame please.


I hope I have neither convinced you or warned you away. Read better, more articulate if you need either. I'm just a girl, screaming into the void about a book that took her through it. I need to go lie down now.


Would I recommend this book?
I would recommend it if you Gild because they are both just the start of a rich fantasy story with similar themes.
I would also say Rejected, and Flames of Chaos have similar vibes. If you are looking for a cute fantasy romance, girlie this is not it. If you read this, you will not find peace, only problems.


Will I continue reading this series? 
Yeah because of all the unanswered questions. I refuse to live my life without knowing wtf is going on.

Will I re-read this book? 
Yeah probably just before the next book comes out. I have shit memory and I want to see if I can predict what happens next. Also I lowkey feel I missed something and I need a refresher to sus out any foreshadowing. Call me Nancy Drew because I will crack this shit wide open, just you wait.




Blog ? Goodreads ? Twitter ? Instagram ? Pinterest ? StoryGraph ? Discovery ?2021 3-stars ebook ...more41 s2 comments Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction)478 8,273

Rated 3.5/5 stars physically-own39 s Krati127 23

Do you ever read a book that is so bad that instead of dnf-ing you keep reading it? 30% in this book and I knew that this book was a colossal waste of time and I should dnf this book... But I hate-read it instead.

I spent a long time scrolling through the , and was seriously considering that either GR hid the negative and kept the good ones on top or maybe I didn't read the same book as everyone else. How this book has over 4 stars and such rave is beyond me. How can anyone not see how problematic this book was? Since I have already wasted my time on this book I am gonna write this rant and make my peace with it. I honestly feel mean to do this but I just need to do this for my own sanity.

Reasons why I didn't To Bleed A Crystal Bloom:

? This book was very toxic and problematic.
? He rescued and raised her when she was TWO years old. He groomed her for 19 years.
? She lusted after her father figure a sicko and he did the same.
? She lived in a castle and never went out. She basically had Stockholm syndrome.
? This girl loves self-harming, has to drug herself every night just so she can sleep, lusts over her guardian whose castle she has not left in 19 years, her instructers gave her selected education, she doesn't know and doesn't want to know anything thing about her own world. She is physically and mentally unwell.
? I legit didn't know what the hell was happening the entirety of this book. For example: What do they look ? How old are the males in this world? Do they look 20 or 50?
? This book tried to be too many things. There were mermen, random monsters, I am pretty sure she was described as fae but I can't be sure and none of them were described and explained and we were just left to understand by ourselves... Ooh so this is a loch ness monster, oohh this man living in sea literally lives in the sea.
? She randomly had heat in the middle of the book for no reason it was neither explained nor discussed. WHY? WHAT WAS THE POINT? IS SHE AN OMEGA? WHAT AM I EVEN READING?
? On that note: Why is she "offering her blood" to him? Is he a Vampire? Is he fae? What the hell is this book trying to be?
? She is offering him blood every night since she was 2. She thinks she is sharing a part of her with him and feels satisfied by self-harming. Tell me that is not sickening to you.
? There were random words thrown in the book that were neither explained properly nor written in the glossary. By the way, the glossary had info about random names of places bitten bay, sprouts, whispers, and safety line. ...ma'am, you explained these random names of the places this woman-child mentioned once but you can't be bothered to explain WHAT THE HELL IS A CUPLA????
? Why is she so horny 24/7? She finds out a world-shattering thing and then two seconds later she wants him to dick her good. ... bro?????
? This dude is basically her entire world but we legit don't know what the hell is he? What is his power? What does he look ? Why is he doing anything in this book? Why is he so cryptic? Even in his chapters, we don't know what he is doing? He is just there to be brooding and angry. Worst of all he is psychologically abusing her.
? She somehow has survivor's guilt over an event that happened when she was TWO. Not only that, she remembers it all. Maybe her superpower is her memory.
? This discussion:
"You are bleeding."
"Not the sort you can lick better, I am afraid."
"You sure about that.
They are talking about her menstrual cycle. This book made me nauseous.
? The girl is stupid, never left her castle, has a victim complex, doesn't know anything about anything and that man thinks he is some kind of tragic hero, keeps her in the dark about her own self, is possessive about her, is psychologically abusive, drinks her blood (with no explanation why. I finished the book and I still don't know), is her father figure since she was two, forces and assaults her a lot.

In conclusion, I wish the editor had read this book before greenlighting it. The story had potential, and some sick part of me wants to read the second book just to find out what the hell was going on in this one. Don't even get me started on the way this toxic, creepy and abusive relationship was romanticised. Maybe this could have been a decent book if the author had not tried to braindump all the things she thought were cool. If your book has made up words that need a long-ass dictionary so the readers can understand just what the hell is going on. You fucked up. Define the genre, define the themes, don't complicate the world, and make it make sense.33 s2 comments NavessaAuthor 13 books8,082

Hmmm...

This seems it was heavily influenced by KMM's Fever series. It's also highly readable (I absolutely flew through it). Unfortunately, the romance in it is equally toxic, and while I sort of got it at the beginning, by the end, the repetitiveness really started to wear on me. 32 s2 comments Jess Hatton9

A meh story with troubling relationships

I'm going to be honest, this isn't a badly written book and the story has its good points and some people will love this I have no doubt.

For me however it was slow. There was too much focus on the environments and the repetitive activities...it just felt nothing much happened because most of the time it was the same thing, every conversation between the main character and her psychologically abusive love interest was the same and her obsession with this man is horrifying. He physically hurts her multiple times and plays with her head. It was honestly quite horrifying to read and I'm not sure that it's in the way the author intended.

This girl is basically groomed from being a small child, controlled, lied to so that she is obsessed with this one guy. As much as he stays away or whatever, his coldness is what draws her in and surely he would realize that at some point? The relationship is wrong and I have never wanted two people NOT to end up together this before. She never stops obsessing over him and this is a dangerous portrayal of 'romance' as its actually just full on abusive but there are no consequences for it.

I genuinely don't want her to end up with any guy because she's just so reliant on all of them for every piece of her happiness. It's really not a good message. Every decision she makes is because of the men around her. Even Bryce says he started her love of plants. She finds no strength within herself and her character seems really stuck.

She gets lost, she gets angry, she gets scared, she makes a stupid decision...around and around we go. I was waiting for her to do something for her own character but she is more a plot piece for me.

I honestly wouldn't mind if the ship she was on sunk...

The story was okay and the twist at the end was pretty good but nothing haopened with it. It was just another breakdown and stupid decision trigger so it just got lumped in with the others. I just felt unhappy and uncomfortable reading. I finished it in the hopes the end would save the day and that the mc would realize she was strong and capable and go live in the woods with her shadow monster...I will definitely not be reading the next one. 26 s Bianca Rose (Belladonnabooks)777 81

I've just finished reading To Bleed a Crystal Bloom and I'm over here already in a major book hangover, deeply saddened by the fact that I need to wait almost a year for the next instalment in this series. This was impossible to put down after the first quarter.

To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is the series I didn't know I needed in my life. A dark fantasy reimagining of Rapunzel filled with gorgeous imagery, morally grey characters and angsty sexual tension. On top of this the writing is beautiful and captivated me from the moment I opened the book.

The world building was incredible and the characters felt real. I invested myself hard. By the end of the novel Sarah A. Parker had created a complete, magical filled world yet the building was done steadily and purposely, rather than information simply dumped early on as some authors rush to do. Expect gorgeous landscapes, evil selkies, iridescent sprites. medicinal plants and plenty of whimsy. I fell completely in love with this world and all of its characters.

The dynamics between Orlaith and Rhordyn were *chef's kiss* and had me speeding through the pages at a lightning speed just to see what would happen. Tension builds a rubber band that I expected to snap at any minute. Expect a reluctant love story with plenty of resistance from both parties yet sexual attraction that continues to build regardless. Orlaith is feisty, sassy and brave. Rhordyn on the other hand is dark, self-lothing and full of inner turmoil that threatens to bubble out at any moment. I NEED to know what happens between them next. Other characters within the story were just as fascinating and I am excited to see where their stories also lead.

I feel that fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, dark fairytale retellings and smutty fantasy will adore To Bleed a Crystal Bloom.

Thank you so much to the author and MTMC Bookstagram Tours for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.2021 fantasy faves ...more21 s Samantha122 541

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