Title: To Bleed a Crystal Bloom
Author: Sarah A Parker
Publisher: Independantly Published
Publication Date: 22nd July 2021
Genre: Dark YA Fantasy
Buy Links: https://amzn.to/3jGCY1j
Comment: I was gifted a free ecopy of this book from Turn the Page Tours and the author. I voluntarily left a spotlight and was in no way gaslighted into doing it by a High Master who needs a kick in the pants.
Trigger Warnings: Death of a minor. Violence. Gaslighting. PTSD. Drug Use. Dubious sexual consent.
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.
Review and Recommendations
Although I’m not writing a full review here I would like to point out trigger warnings for what amounts to grooming.
Orlaith was a child when tragedy struck and her whole family was brutally killed in an attack. The man who saved her later became her jailor. Theirs is a twisted relationship of desperation, devotion and deception.
Orlaith knows she can never have him but he won’t let her go.
This is a very very dark rapunzel retelling that will thrill dark fantasy fans.
If you love toxic romances in YA; first of all, who hurt you?
Secondly, you will love this. It’s brilliantly written and totally engaging in a way that will make you hate Rhordyn, Baze and even Orlaith to a certain degree. I’ve never rooted so hard for two characters not to end up together.
But there are so many loose ends and things that didn’t make sense so you are quite gripped for the next book even if you weren’t entirely sure you liked it.
If you like these books underneath then To Bleed a Crystal Bloom might be just up your alley.
Author Bio
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.
If you’d like to know what other people thought about this book check out the huge blog Tour with thanks to Turn the Page Tours.
Blog Tour
August 28th
Turn the Page Tours – Welcome Post
The Reading Chemist – Spotlight
Musing of Souls – Spotlight
August 29th
Paperbacks & Pen – Favorite Quotes
Goddess of Books – Review
Balancing Books and Beauties – Review
Justice for Readers – Review & Mood Board
August 30th
TheReadingCornerForAll – Review, Book Playlist & Favorite Quotes
Leann Reads Books – Review
The Offbeat Human – Mood Board
Lost in Neverland – Review
August 31st
Simply It’s Blue – Review & Mood Board
The Bookwyrm’s Den – Spotlight
Indelible Ink Inscribes – Review & Mood Board
The Introverted Reader – Review & Favorite Quotes
September 1st
Hear Me Out – Review
Bibliophile On Loose – Review & Mood Board
The Momma Spot – Review
Brinns Books – Favorite Quotes
September 2nd
Sometimes Leelynn Reads – Review
Sara Mackenzi Reads – Review, Book Playlist & Favorite Quotes
Broken Geek – Spotlight
Book Butterfly in Dreamland – Review
September 3rd
Chai N Books – Review, Author Interview & Mood Board
HerBookishObsession – Review
Reading Stewardess – Review
September 4th
Clouded Galaxy Reads – Review & Favorite Quotes
A Part of Your Book World – Review, Favorite Quotes & 5 Reactions While Reading
Blinded by Letters – Review
Debs’ Court of Dreams – Favorite Quotes
Bookstagram Tour
August 28th
@turnthepagetours
@thereadingchemist
@mysticalchapters
@readingmypages
August 29th
@paperbacksandpen
@goddess_ofbooks
@balancing_books_and_beauties
@justiceforreaders
August 30th
@paperfireheart
@TheReadingCornerforAll
@leannreadsbooks
@theoffbeathuman
August 31st
@the.book.nerd.fox
@fatimaa.zainab_
@a.little.bibliophile
September 1st
@moonlight_rendezvous
@thebook_smuggler_
@bibliophile_onloose
@bookworm.swiftie
September 2nd
@joanna.zoe
@sometimesleelynnreads
@bookaddict__ri
@bonggirlinabookworld
September 3rd
@chai_n_books
@herbookish._.obsession
@whatfarahreads_
@andkellyreads
September 4th
@svnshine.reads
@thegalaxydreamer
@debscourtofdreams
@tinybooknest
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