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A review by booksalacarte
To Bleed a Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5⭐️2.75🌶️
Dark adult Fantasy
Multi POV
Rapunzel retelling
Orphan FMC
Fae/fae adjacent
Folklore/mythical creatures
Stockholm syndrome
Slow burn
Fated mates
Forbidden romance
Secret identity
Tw: drug use, questionable ward/guardian relationship
I love the way that the author starts her series focusing on the characters and trickling the worldbuild and magic system into things as they go along. It leaves you guessing for the first handfull of chapters, but it creates the tension and interest in the characters and the unveiling of the plot in such an interesting way. The hard line is figuring how long is too long not knowing anything about this very intricate and well formed fantasy world before it starts becoming annoying not knowing what’s going on.
The end of this first book is straddling that line.
There is also the questionable relationships going on in this book. It made me question what grooming is when it comes to fae and fantasy books. Yes she is his ward and locked in a castle and barely interacts with her guardian… but it’s the knowledge around all of that that makes me raise my eyebrow to it. No matter how you feel, it’s an incredibly toxic relationship.
I finished book 1 with a LOT of questions. But book 2, here I come!
Dark adult Fantasy
Multi POV
Rapunzel retelling
Orphan FMC
Fae/fae adjacent
Folklore/mythical creatures
Stockholm syndrome
Slow burn
Fated mates
Forbidden romance
Secret identity
Tw: drug use, questionable ward/guardian relationship
I love the way that the author starts her series focusing on the characters and trickling the worldbuild and magic system into things as they go along. It leaves you guessing for the first handfull of chapters, but it creates the tension and interest in the characters and the unveiling of the plot in such an interesting way. The hard line is figuring how long is too long not knowing anything about this very intricate and well formed fantasy world before it starts becoming annoying not knowing what’s going on.
The end of this first book is straddling that line.
There is also the questionable relationships going on in this book. It made me question what grooming is when it comes to fae and fantasy books. Yes she is his ward and locked in a castle and barely interacts with her guardian… but it’s the knowledge around all of that that makes me raise my eyebrow to it. No matter how you feel, it’s an incredibly toxic relationship.
I finished book 1 with a LOT of questions. But book 2, here I come!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail