To Bleed a Crystal Bloom

Crystal Bloom, Book 1

"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.

©2022 Sarah A. Parker (P)2022 Podium Audio

Don’t waste your time on this book!

The story does not develop at all.. there is so much missing in the plot, world building is awful! The author spent so much time talking about the architecture of the castle… you will start sleeping listening to this.. The MC was annoying! I felt I was in the head of a crazy person! There were so many characters who were there for no reason… gosh I am glad I am done with this book! Please don’t waste your time reading other books in this series!

Confusing, had promise.

Hate the FMC but I kind of get it with how she was raised. Idk not enough explanation for so many little breadcrumbs that were what caught my attention. Then no conclusion for them, no answers.

Interesting plot, but a bit muddy.

Overall, the book was pretty good. It’s slow going at first with a lot of world building that I’ll be honest still has several holes in it right now. I’ll see what happens next and decide if I keep going.

Memorable characters

The story was fantastic, I had my earbuds in every chance I could.

A man who was about to assassinate a child that was 2 years old ends up changing his mind after accidentally tasting her blood (either we never find out why or I missed it) where he then takes her home and raises her. This is a romantasy, so we know where this is going, and that has a bit of an ick factor for me. It’s one thing to have know each other as friends through childhood and end up falling in love, but to raise her? It made it really hard for me to connect to the romance side.

It was the story and the characters that kept me reading. The entire reason he took her with him is for her blood, this for a reason we never find, or I possibly missed it. She stayed in her “tower” by choice.

The plot of the book is that there are these creatures terrorizing the people and he’s trying to stop them. At least I think that’s the plot.

The questionable plot and romance aspect are why I gave this book 3 stars.

In my opinion, it’s not book shelf worth.

Yes Yes Yes!

I've read the book 3 times now, So listening to the audio book was like entering the author's world all over again. The narrators were phenomenal. it took me a minute to get used to Laith's voice since I pictured it differently in my head, but her narration grew on me. I enjoyed every minute of it and really cannot wait for the next chapter of this growing story.