To Bleed a Crystal Bloom
Author: Sarah A Parker
Pages: 486 pages
Genre: Adult Dark Fantasy/Romance Retelling
Published: 24th July 2021 (self-published)
Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis:
“What a pretty flower to keep locked in a big, rocky tower.”
Nineteen years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else.
Small. Fragile.
An enigma.
Now ward to a powerful High Master who knows too much and says too little, I lead a simple life, never straying from the confines of an imaginary line I’ve drawn around the castle grounds.
Stay within. Never leave.
Out there, the monsters lurk. Inside, I’m safe … though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily.
Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who’s utterly unavailable.
My savior. My protector.
My almost executioner.
I can’t help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground.
When voracious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. But in a castle puddled with secrets, none are greater than the one I’ve kept from myself.
No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds.
To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel reimagining full of immersive imagery and breathtaking angst. A unique new fantasy series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout, guaranteed to grip you from the very first page.
Author Info
Sarah is an international bestselling author who also writes under the pen name S.A. Parker.
She lives in Australia with her husband and children, and spends her days with her nose in a book or her mind in a world of her own creation.
Her genre of choice is epic fantasy romance, and she thrives off dreaming up complex characters and immersive worlds to get lost amongst.
My Review!
Thank you to Sarah A Parker and Turn the Page Tours for providing me with an ARC to review. You can check out the other posts on the tour here.
Wow, this book did not disappoint. I went into this book with expectations based on the synopsis and the mention of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout, and those expectations were met and maybe even exceeded.
‘Live, Orlaith. All I’m asking is that you live.’
It’s no secret that I love fairytale retellings and To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel retelling that left me desperate for the sequel with many many questions. The author states that she wanted to give Orlaith the origin she deserved and I feel like that has been done so well. It was very easy to interpret the main characters feelings and her struggles about what to do in her situation. It was easy to tell that this was a first instalment as it sets up the story very well and leaves you wanting to know more about the world.
‘There’s fire in my veins but ice at my back, and the two are battling.’
Orlaith keeps herself locked in the castle and its grounds. She is the ward to the High Master, Rhordyn, and overtime finds herself more and more drawn to him. In contrast to Rapunzel, Rhordyn is not keeping her locked in the tower, but kind of encouraging her to prepare for the outside as it is Orlaith that refuses to pass over her safety line due to past trauma. Throughout this book there are lots of whispers about what could happen as there is potential for violence in the next books. The romance in this book is mainly kept between Rhordyn and Orlaith and it is a very slow burn and kind of toxic, but I found myself getting attached to Cainon further in the novel so I’m excited to see what role he has to play in the next book. (And whether it’s going to be like ACOTAR).
‘I refuse to live in a world where you don’t exist.’
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one! If you like books like ACOTAR and Blood and Ash, then I think you will enjoy this!
Keep reading,
Georgia x
Giveaway!
Up for grabs, we have a $50 Amazon Gift Card. This giveaway will be open INTL and will run from August 28th to September 5th at 11:59 PM CST. One winner will be chosen. To enter, click the link below!
Lost in Neverland 
love your review georgia! the quotes you put are really nice too!
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Thank you so much! I love picking out quotes!
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A dark Rapunzel reimaging!? I need to definitely add this book to my TBR. Excellent review as always! 😀
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I loved it so much! I hope you do too, thank you ! 🙂
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