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A Curse of Blood and Bloom
For romantic fantasy fans who loved From Blood and Ash , The Song of the Marked , and The Bridge Kingdom . Step into a Greek-inspired world of warriors, vampires, and fae who are tangled up in a haunting curse. Dark, enchanting, addictive escapism wrapped in a swoon-worthy romance.
The Isle of Meraki has been ruled by women for four hundred years. That is certain, but what the legends don't tell us is how they overtook the throne.
Evanthe Sideris, 27-year-old daughter of a fallen monarch, is determined to bring honor to her mother's name once more. She's a trained Stone Holder of Meraki, likely to earn a place in the next Noonsnight, but that isn't enough for her. In a moment of desperation, she makes a dire bargain to gain advantage and is left with a burden so deadly she may lose everything she has worked for.
Aero Vouvali, 30-year-old Prince of Baros, has learned above all else- Never trust a woman. Many years ago, his ancestors were banished from Meraki and left to fend for themselves on a foreign isle. Despite the odds, they thrived- until now. His people face a grave famine and taking back Meraki may be their only way to survive. When the consequences of Evanthe's pact threaten his expedition, he must set aside past grievances and fight beside her or lose everything.
She owes him an island.
He owes her his sword.
Together, they get so much more than they bargained for.
A Curse of Blood and Bloom is an enemies to lovers romance and the first book of the Blood and Bloom series. This book contains explicit content and is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.
The Isle of Meraki has been ruled by women for four hundred years. That is certain, but what the legends don't tell us is how they overtook the throne.
Evanthe Sideris, 27-year-old daughter of a fallen monarch, is determined to bring honor to her mother's name once more. She's a trained Stone Holder of Meraki, likely to earn a place in the next Noonsnight, but that isn't enough for her. In a moment of desperation, she makes a dire bargain to gain advantage and is left with a burden so deadly she may lose everything she has worked for.
Aero Vouvali, 30-year-old Prince of Baros, has learned above all else- Never trust a woman. Many years ago, his ancestors were banished from Meraki and left to fend for themselves on a foreign isle. Despite the odds, they thrived- until now. His people face a grave famine and taking back Meraki may be their only way to survive. When the consequences of Evanthe's pact threaten his expedition, he must set aside past grievances and fight beside her or lose everything.
She owes him an island.
He owes her his sword.
Together, they get so much more than they bargained for.
A Curse of Blood and Bloom is an enemies to lovers romance and the first book of the Blood and Bloom series. This book contains explicit content and is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2023
42 people are currently reading
1271 people want to read
About the author
Santana Saunders
5 books80 followersSantana Saunders grew up along the Missouri River in North Dakota, where the sandbars were far-off lands and the canoes were pirate ships.
Santana went on to pursue a career in business development, and creative writing went on the back burner. In 2019, she and her family relocated from the midwest to the coast. Sandbars and canoes quickly became beaches and ocean. This change of scenery inspired her to return to writing.
Today, she is a U.S. based author of fantasy romance novels. When she isn’t reading or writing stories, she is playing at the beach with her husband and three daughters or attempting a DIY home project that will take weeks longer than anticipated.
Santana went on to pursue a career in business development, and creative writing went on the back burner. In 2019, she and her family relocated from the midwest to the coast. Sandbars and canoes quickly became beaches and ocean. This change of scenery inspired her to return to writing.
Today, she is a U.S. based author of fantasy romance novels. When she isn’t reading or writing stories, she is playing at the beach with her husband and three daughters or attempting a DIY home project that will take weeks longer than anticipated.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 8, 2023
This was my very first ARC and I want to thank you in advance Santana Saunders for allowing me to have a glimpse into your debut novel.
Please take my review with respect and know I am not meaning this with any malicious intent; In exchange for an ARC I do honest reviews of work and have the right to not finish them if I feel like I cannot finish them.
My rating was a 3-1/2 ⭐️. I tried to keep in mind that this is an indie author’s debut novel, and I was so nervous to DNF due to the fact that this is my first ever ARC.. but unfortunately I could not finish this book.
Let me start off by saying this:
• Unlike alot of other debut authors she has the world building down, for many it takes a long time to understand world building and to grasp how to have a reader envision things correctly.
• She also has a very unique and interesting concept for her story, which is that the FMC Evanthe Sideris is one of a handful of participants who fight eachother to gain the throne of the island they live on. She is special because the throne SHOULD be hers because her family has always been the ones to rule it, along the way she meets Aero Vouvali who is from another island where majority of men were banished and he is trying to find a way to get their land back. The furthest I got was there was some sort of curse that happened I guess and now vampires are taking over?
This leads me to why I DNF. The book jumps from scene to scene with barely any transitions, I felt like I was reading a jumble of scenes that were strung together and it was honestly very difficult for me to grasp what was going on. I had to take a break for a day because I thought maybe it was just me getting into a slump and I need to step back, but I came back to read it again and it isnt me. Im not sure how the other reader got through the book unless it gets better towards the end?
Alongside that the relationship that is being attempted to develop between the FMC and MMC is just like the scenes. There is no actual development or build ups to next levels, it is jumping from her meeting a stranger in the woods and finding him attractive to 2 chapters later he’s feeling the need to protect her and hold back his urges to comfort her, and then the next chapter her Aunt is telling him she can see young love plainly….
I dont know. I guess I had my expectations very high for my first ARC. Or maybe im critiquing too hard? This book reminds me of one that I would find a Wattpad writer writing, which makes sense because SHE IS an indie author. All in all I feel like there is rework that needs to be done and that if it were straightened out more then it would become a great novel!!!
Please take my review with respect and know I am not meaning this with any malicious intent; In exchange for an ARC I do honest reviews of work and have the right to not finish them if I feel like I cannot finish them.
My rating was a 3-1/2 ⭐️. I tried to keep in mind that this is an indie author’s debut novel, and I was so nervous to DNF due to the fact that this is my first ever ARC.. but unfortunately I could not finish this book.
Let me start off by saying this:
• Unlike alot of other debut authors she has the world building down, for many it takes a long time to understand world building and to grasp how to have a reader envision things correctly.
• She also has a very unique and interesting concept for her story, which is that the FMC Evanthe Sideris is one of a handful of participants who fight eachother to gain the throne of the island they live on. She is special because the throne SHOULD be hers because her family has always been the ones to rule it, along the way she meets Aero Vouvali who is from another island where majority of men were banished and he is trying to find a way to get their land back. The furthest I got was there was some sort of curse that happened I guess and now vampires are taking over?
This leads me to why I DNF. The book jumps from scene to scene with barely any transitions, I felt like I was reading a jumble of scenes that were strung together and it was honestly very difficult for me to grasp what was going on. I had to take a break for a day because I thought maybe it was just me getting into a slump and I need to step back, but I came back to read it again and it isnt me. Im not sure how the other reader got through the book unless it gets better towards the end?
Alongside that the relationship that is being attempted to develop between the FMC and MMC is just like the scenes. There is no actual development or build ups to next levels, it is jumping from her meeting a stranger in the woods and finding him attractive to 2 chapters later he’s feeling the need to protect her and hold back his urges to comfort her, and then the next chapter her Aunt is telling him she can see young love plainly….
I dont know. I guess I had my expectations very high for my first ARC. Or maybe im critiquing too hard? This book reminds me of one that I would find a Wattpad writer writing, which makes sense because SHE IS an indie author. All in all I feel like there is rework that needs to be done and that if it were straightened out more then it would become a great novel!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2023
I received this ARC read from @santanasaundersbooks and I was so excited to dive into it. This is her debut into the Romantasy world and it has all the makings of my favorite themes and tropes. The beginning started off a little chaotic and I was kind of confused by what was going on at first as it jumped from scene to scene too quickly and that is the only reason this book doesn’t get a 5 ⭐️ from me. Once it got going though I could not put it down. It’s plot is unlike any that I’ve read before.
I absolutely loved the word choices Santana made and it really stood out to me because a lot of authors tend to use the same verbiage over and over. She is excellent at world building and taking you on an adventure of a lifetime. There are secrets & lies laced with a curse that is interwoven in this story as we follow humans who run into vampyre, fae, and deities along the way.
There is not a lot of spice in book one between Evanthe and Aero, but the slow burn and tension building has me on the edge waiting for book two. I also can’t wait to learn more about the side characters whom I grew to love in the next books! Liri, Feliks, & Diaspor to name a few. I await a Litha scene in the future books too! Honey lavender cake? Yes, please!
I absolutely loved the word choices Santana made and it really stood out to me because a lot of authors tend to use the same verbiage over and over. She is excellent at world building and taking you on an adventure of a lifetime. There are secrets & lies laced with a curse that is interwoven in this story as we follow humans who run into vampyre, fae, and deities along the way.
There is not a lot of spice in book one between Evanthe and Aero, but the slow burn and tension building has me on the edge waiting for book two. I also can’t wait to learn more about the side characters whom I grew to love in the next books! Liri, Feliks, & Diaspor to name a few. I await a Litha scene in the future books too! Honey lavender cake? Yes, please!
March 29, 2024
3.75⭐️!
“if there is one thing you should know about me, aero, know this… i turn grief into power.” -evanthe sideris
a curse of blood and bloom is the first book of a four book romantasy series. this book contains vampire, fae, and greek mythology - which i found to be a very interesting and intriguing combination. i would say about 75% of this book felt a lot like it was mostly world building and was done at a slower pace than i anticipated. i found myself having to refer to previous chapters again to remember certain things i might have forgotten as (especially the first three chapters) everything can feel a bit chaotic. however, after awhile (about 40% in), i felt sure enough that i understood what was going on.
in regards to the romance part, all i knew was this was heavily marketed as “enemies to lovers” and “fated mates.” i would have to say that one of the biggest let downs for me was that i would say it was more like strangers to kind of rivals to “we shall see.” that is totally a fine path for a romance to take place, but it just wasn’t as strong in the enemies part for me to truly feel that intense tension that applies to that specific trope.
overall, i’d say this book is a great spring board and starting point for the rest of the series! between the cliff hanger and the room for potential, i will definitely be wanting to read the next book in the series! evanthe is a take charge kind of girl, and i’m so excited to see how aero and evanthe’s characters develop in the upcoming parts of their story!
thank you, santana saunders, for providing me an electric advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
“if there is one thing you should know about me, aero, know this… i turn grief into power.” -evanthe sideris
a curse of blood and bloom is the first book of a four book romantasy series. this book contains vampire, fae, and greek mythology - which i found to be a very interesting and intriguing combination. i would say about 75% of this book felt a lot like it was mostly world building and was done at a slower pace than i anticipated. i found myself having to refer to previous chapters again to remember certain things i might have forgotten as (especially the first three chapters) everything can feel a bit chaotic. however, after awhile (about 40% in), i felt sure enough that i understood what was going on.
in regards to the romance part, all i knew was this was heavily marketed as “enemies to lovers” and “fated mates.” i would have to say that one of the biggest let downs for me was that i would say it was more like strangers to kind of rivals to “we shall see.” that is totally a fine path for a romance to take place, but it just wasn’t as strong in the enemies part for me to truly feel that intense tension that applies to that specific trope.
overall, i’d say this book is a great spring board and starting point for the rest of the series! between the cliff hanger and the room for potential, i will definitely be wanting to read the next book in the series! evanthe is a take charge kind of girl, and i’m so excited to see how aero and evanthe’s characters develop in the upcoming parts of their story!
thank you, santana saunders, for providing me an electric advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
May 24, 2023
A Curse of Blood and Bloom
by Santana Saunders
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2/5 🌶️🌶️
I need book 2!
"Her smile shines in a way the moon envies. Nothing like the sun. The sun’s shine is too obvious. Her brightness hides behind layers of dark forest, obsidian skies, and amber starbursts."
"He shoots me a painstakingly handsome grin. Not the kind meant to charm a gal, the kind made of magic and moonlight."
This was a fast-paced, female focused, adult fantasy. I found it so refreshing that the main characters are actual adults, ages 27 and 30. The romance is slow burn while the plot swiftly dives further into a world the MCs didn't know existed.
There is a balance of humor, sorrow, banter, and desire within the different relationships of these characters and I'm excited to see how it all continues to develop.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I hope to stay on the ARC team for the sequels so I can read them ASAP.
by Santana Saunders
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2/5 🌶️🌶️
I need book 2!
"Her smile shines in a way the moon envies. Nothing like the sun. The sun’s shine is too obvious. Her brightness hides behind layers of dark forest, obsidian skies, and amber starbursts."
"He shoots me a painstakingly handsome grin. Not the kind meant to charm a gal, the kind made of magic and moonlight."
This was a fast-paced, female focused, adult fantasy. I found it so refreshing that the main characters are actual adults, ages 27 and 30. The romance is slow burn while the plot swiftly dives further into a world the MCs didn't know existed.
There is a balance of humor, sorrow, banter, and desire within the different relationships of these characters and I'm excited to see how it all continues to develop.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I hope to stay on the ARC team for the sequels so I can read them ASAP.
May 13, 2023
I received eARC in exchange of honest review!
This fantasy romance is an epic adventure filled with action, adventure, and a hate to love romance. The author has created a rich and immersive world, filled with hidden identities, secrets, and a prophecy that will change everything. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with each one bringing their own unique perspective to the story.
The enemies to lovers romance between Evanthe and Aero is slow and engaging. The witty banters between them are both entertaining and endearing.
The journey Aero and Evanthe embark on is filled with danger and new challenge bringing them closer together. The inclusion of humans, faes, and vampires adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story.
The story picks up like 60% in and where Aero and Evanthe finds out who they are and with the fate of the world resting on the shoulders on them. The curses and prophecies that are woven throughout the story filled with mystery, keeping me guessing until the very end.
Overall, this fantasy romance is a must-read for anyone who loves a good adventure with a hate to love romance.
This fantasy romance is an epic adventure filled with action, adventure, and a hate to love romance. The author has created a rich and immersive world, filled with hidden identities, secrets, and a prophecy that will change everything. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with each one bringing their own unique perspective to the story.
The enemies to lovers romance between Evanthe and Aero is slow and engaging. The witty banters between them are both entertaining and endearing.
The journey Aero and Evanthe embark on is filled with danger and new challenge bringing them closer together. The inclusion of humans, faes, and vampires adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story.
The story picks up like 60% in and where Aero and Evanthe finds out who they are and with the fate of the world resting on the shoulders on them. The curses and prophecies that are woven throughout the story filled with mystery, keeping me guessing until the very end.
Overall, this fantasy romance is a must-read for anyone who loves a good adventure with a hate to love romance.
July 7, 2023
2.5 Stars
I received this as a free ARC in turn for an honest review. I wish I could leave more stars but unfortunately this book just was not for me, so much so that I was very close to DNF a number of times throughout.
My main issue was that I felt nothing for the FMC, which I have never experienced before. I felt no connection to her whatsoever, if anything I highly disliked her. I could feel that I was supposed to be feeling sorry for her, but I just did not feel it.
The book picked up from about 70% of the way through and I actually thought maybe I was going to like it in the end. However, the "relationship" with the MMC completely ruined it. I love a good "alpha" male, territorial, overprotective mate type relationship, but this just got weird. The development of their relationship was all over the place then all of a sudden he was threatening to take her when she was saying no....... it wasn't just dominant vibes I was getting here, it really made me uncomfortable. This alone reduced my rating from 3 stars to 2.5.
Overall, I felt the story was very bitty and did not run smoothly. It was like the time line did jumps with regards to relationships etc which meant that the reader (or maybe just me) struggled to feel in touch with them.
Unfortunately, I personally did not enjoy this book and don't think I will pick up the second one. Everyone is different though, and I can see some really positive reviews on here as well, so I would never say to anyone not to read this book. Give it a try and I hope you enjoy it as the author has put a lot of work into it. All books appeal to someone.
I received this as a free ARC in turn for an honest review. I wish I could leave more stars but unfortunately this book just was not for me, so much so that I was very close to DNF a number of times throughout.
My main issue was that I felt nothing for the FMC, which I have never experienced before. I felt no connection to her whatsoever, if anything I highly disliked her. I could feel that I was supposed to be feeling sorry for her, but I just did not feel it.
The book picked up from about 70% of the way through and I actually thought maybe I was going to like it in the end. However, the "relationship" with the MMC completely ruined it. I love a good "alpha" male, territorial, overprotective mate type relationship, but this just got weird. The development of their relationship was all over the place then all of a sudden he was threatening to take her when she was saying no....... it wasn't just dominant vibes I was getting here, it really made me uncomfortable. This alone reduced my rating from 3 stars to 2.5.
Overall, I felt the story was very bitty and did not run smoothly. It was like the time line did jumps with regards to relationships etc which meant that the reader (or maybe just me) struggled to feel in touch with them.
Unfortunately, I personally did not enjoy this book and don't think I will pick up the second one. Everyone is different though, and I can see some really positive reviews on here as well, so I would never say to anyone not to read this book. Give it a try and I hope you enjoy it as the author has put a lot of work into it. All books appeal to someone.
June 13, 2023
When I began reading this novel, I thought, "Hmmn, maybe it's just a coincidence that they're using Greek goddesses as names." Then, I progressed to, "Oh, not it isn't." And then to, "Oh! It is!"
This back-and-forth questioning continued throughout all of what I was reading. I couldn't believe that for once, I actually had to quit a book that has Greek Mythology within it. Furthermore, all though I didn't get far, (maybe 10% of the way through) I cannot possibly see the romance whatsoever.
And I know I already mentioned that it saddened me to DNF a book with Greek Mythology, but what saddened me even more was that it was also a book with enemies to lovers and Fae. Those facts alone almost made me shed a tear. However, I will mention that wherever it was that I got to, so about 10%, there were no Fae that had made an appearance. Sure, they were mentioned, but not in the book as a character.
1/5 stars, DNF.
This back-and-forth questioning continued throughout all of what I was reading. I couldn't believe that for once, I actually had to quit a book that has Greek Mythology within it. Furthermore, all though I didn't get far, (maybe 10% of the way through) I cannot possibly see the romance whatsoever.
And I know I already mentioned that it saddened me to DNF a book with Greek Mythology, but what saddened me even more was that it was also a book with enemies to lovers and Fae. Those facts alone almost made me shed a tear. However, I will mention that wherever it was that I got to, so about 10%, there were no Fae that had made an appearance. Sure, they were mentioned, but not in the book as a character.
1/5 stars, DNF.
May 23, 2023
📚ARC REVIEW📚
A Curse of Blood and Bloom by Santana Saunders
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 🌶️/3
Genres: New adult, romantasy
Tropes: slow-burn romance, one horse, hidden identities, enemies to lovers, no interest in love, hidden powers
Evanthe Sideris is the daughter of a monarch who fell too soon, and she is determined to bring honor to her and her mother’s name again. She trains intensively to take over the throne through the winning of a competition, but is worried it won’t be enough. Through a chance encounter, she is able to make a blood bargain to give her an advantage in the competition. However, the consequence of this bargain is nothing like she could have imagined.
Training for the competition is put on hold as she must now save her island from this “unintended consequence”. Throughout the book, Evanthe learns about herself and her lineage, and also the power that she holds. She makes some unexpected friends and learns to put her rivalries aside for the good of her future people. She puts her trust in a man who she barely knows with the hope that he can also help save her people.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ll be honest, I really struggled with this book. I signed up to receive an ARC of this book because I like all of the books the author said it was similar to (From Blood and Ash, and the Bridge Kingdom). I can see similarities in the tropes the main relationship to the Bridge Kingdom, but I don’t see FBAA.
I was intrigued by the concept of combining both Fae-type lore as well as Greek mythology and vampires, as I have not read a book that has done that before. However, I was confused how it played a part in this book. It was clear that they must “worship” the gods in this book (instead “oh god” it was “oh Hades”), but they discussed half-deity humans (one human parent, one god) as well as having multiple characters with names of Greek gods (Hera and Athena). It was unclear to me if the gods were seen as something far in the past, and people were getting named after the gods in “honor”, or if the gods were meant to still be living in this world with them.
I think Evanthe had the potential to be a super snarky, very strong and independent, bad*ss FMC but she fell flat for me. The love interest, in my opinion, also didn’t really have any redeeming qualities which made their relationship difficult to get in to. Aero trying to win her over was a bit confusing to me. It was clear he was trying to do something similar to Lara and Aren in the Bridge Kingdom, but he was completely unprepared? He seemed to go in blind, with no information about this girl he was supposedly going to make fall in love with him so he can steal a throne.
This brings me to probably my biggest issue. The entire monarch system, as well as the noonsnight competition and the stones, doesn’t make sense. It’s not really explained at all, although it is made out to be a super big deal and is a huge plot point. If the women on this island are the rulers, and Athena is the current “monarch” it doesn’t make sense why no one else on the island accepts her as a leader? Additionally, how did she become leader? She won some sort of competition, or some stone, or something, and everyone (or at least the women) accepts her as leader? This is a big part of Eva’s motivation for basically everything but it is never explained.
Eva, as a character, didn’t make sense to me. She is supposedly super independent, and strong, and is trying to take over as monarch, but she seemingly accepts and “trusts” Aero with very little convincing? Trust may not be the right word, but she lets him come along on this journey for no other reason than he’s a good fighter. It doesn’t make sense; he doesn’t give a good reason for wanting to come, it seems to conflict with her character (especially in this “female dominated” world) that she would just let him tag along.
It took entirely too long for them to explain how the vampyrs are made, I feel like the characters would have been (realistically) questioning this sooner. It is also still unclear, even after finishing the book, how the first ones reappeared? Did they poof back into existence after Eva made the blood contract, or did that just summon them from some other place?
The concept was so unique, it had so much potential to be good. And to be fair, I like the author’s writing style. I just feel like there were SO many plot things and background things that didn’t make sense, and it really took away from the story while I was reading. If this is meant to be a multi-book series, the world building needs to be more solid.
A Curse of Blood and Bloom by Santana Saunders
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 🌶️/3
Genres: New adult, romantasy
Tropes: slow-burn romance, one horse, hidden identities, enemies to lovers, no interest in love, hidden powers
Evanthe Sideris is the daughter of a monarch who fell too soon, and she is determined to bring honor to her and her mother’s name again. She trains intensively to take over the throne through the winning of a competition, but is worried it won’t be enough. Through a chance encounter, she is able to make a blood bargain to give her an advantage in the competition. However, the consequence of this bargain is nothing like she could have imagined.
Training for the competition is put on hold as she must now save her island from this “unintended consequence”. Throughout the book, Evanthe learns about herself and her lineage, and also the power that she holds. She makes some unexpected friends and learns to put her rivalries aside for the good of her future people. She puts her trust in a man who she barely knows with the hope that he can also help save her people.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ll be honest, I really struggled with this book. I signed up to receive an ARC of this book because I like all of the books the author said it was similar to (From Blood and Ash, and the Bridge Kingdom). I can see similarities in the tropes the main relationship to the Bridge Kingdom, but I don’t see FBAA.
I was intrigued by the concept of combining both Fae-type lore as well as Greek mythology and vampires, as I have not read a book that has done that before. However, I was confused how it played a part in this book. It was clear that they must “worship” the gods in this book (instead “oh god” it was “oh Hades”), but they discussed half-deity humans (one human parent, one god) as well as having multiple characters with names of Greek gods (Hera and Athena). It was unclear to me if the gods were seen as something far in the past, and people were getting named after the gods in “honor”, or if the gods were meant to still be living in this world with them.
I think Evanthe had the potential to be a super snarky, very strong and independent, bad*ss FMC but she fell flat for me. The love interest, in my opinion, also didn’t really have any redeeming qualities which made their relationship difficult to get in to. Aero trying to win her over was a bit confusing to me. It was clear he was trying to do something similar to Lara and Aren in the Bridge Kingdom, but he was completely unprepared? He seemed to go in blind, with no information about this girl he was supposedly going to make fall in love with him so he can steal a throne.
This brings me to probably my biggest issue. The entire monarch system, as well as the noonsnight competition and the stones, doesn’t make sense. It’s not really explained at all, although it is made out to be a super big deal and is a huge plot point. If the women on this island are the rulers, and Athena is the current “monarch” it doesn’t make sense why no one else on the island accepts her as a leader? Additionally, how did she become leader? She won some sort of competition, or some stone, or something, and everyone (or at least the women) accepts her as leader? This is a big part of Eva’s motivation for basically everything but it is never explained.
Eva, as a character, didn’t make sense to me. She is supposedly super independent, and strong, and is trying to take over as monarch, but she seemingly accepts and “trusts” Aero with very little convincing? Trust may not be the right word, but she lets him come along on this journey for no other reason than he’s a good fighter. It doesn’t make sense; he doesn’t give a good reason for wanting to come, it seems to conflict with her character (especially in this “female dominated” world) that she would just let him tag along.
It took entirely too long for them to explain how the vampyrs are made, I feel like the characters would have been (realistically) questioning this sooner. It is also still unclear, even after finishing the book, how the first ones reappeared? Did they poof back into existence after Eva made the blood contract, or did that just summon them from some other place?
The concept was so unique, it had so much potential to be good. And to be fair, I like the author’s writing style. I just feel like there were SO many plot things and background things that didn’t make sense, and it really took away from the story while I was reading. If this is meant to be a multi-book series, the world building needs to be more solid.
May 21, 2023
A Curse of Blood and Bloom by Santana Saunders
I'd put 3.5 if I could do half stars, but I'd rather round up than down!
🌶
.
Let's get my biases out of the way: I generally do not enjoy vampires in media. Due to this, the first half of the book was hard for me to get into, but the last half pulled me in!
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The trope that most excited me was "Enemies to Lovers" and, sadly, I think this missed the mark. Evanthe didn't know Aero was her enemy for most of the book. It more seemed like "frigid loner to lover" on Evanthe's part and "Unrequited Love" on Aero's. "Touch her and you die" was done great in this book! The "Fated Mates" was only touched on a bit, but I'm sure it'll be bigger in later books.
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I was a huge fan of the Greek mythology that was weaved throughout the book and the vampyrs, while not my style, were done really well. I didn't get invested in the story until about halfway through the book. Santana is good at drip-feeding information to the audience, but it sometimes felt like I wasn't given enough to care to find out more. I got drawn in when the Fae became integral to the story and we learned about Aero and Eva's gifts. The cliff hanger at the end was done so well and has me wanting more!
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The character building in this book was great! I enjoyed Aero, and Sorrow was my favorite by far. Honestly, Evanthe wasn't my favorite FMC. Since I'm not a fan of her character, it makes her narration a bit grating. She got less frustrating toward the end, but her distrust for most everyone around her got annoying at times. Her attitude fully fits in with her upbringing, so it isn't out of place, it just didn't do it for me.
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Santana's scene descriptions are great, but the world building fell a bit flat for me in the beginning. The pacing was a bit off at the beginning too. I felt like there was both too much and too little going on almost all the time and events went from 0 to 100 to 0 again within a few paragraphs. BUT! The parts with the Fae were great and the pacing of the last half of the book was fantastic!
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I ended up enjoying this book even though it took a while for me to get into! I'm excited for the 2nd one to see what happens with the Fae! Thanks so much to Santana for letting me part of her ARC team!!
I'd put 3.5 if I could do half stars, but I'd rather round up than down!
🌶
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Let's get my biases out of the way: I generally do not enjoy vampires in media. Due to this, the first half of the book was hard for me to get into, but the last half pulled me in!
.
The trope that most excited me was "Enemies to Lovers" and, sadly, I think this missed the mark. Evanthe didn't know Aero was her enemy for most of the book. It more seemed like "frigid loner to lover" on Evanthe's part and "Unrequited Love" on Aero's. "Touch her and you die" was done great in this book! The "Fated Mates" was only touched on a bit, but I'm sure it'll be bigger in later books.
.
I was a huge fan of the Greek mythology that was weaved throughout the book and the vampyrs, while not my style, were done really well. I didn't get invested in the story until about halfway through the book. Santana is good at drip-feeding information to the audience, but it sometimes felt like I wasn't given enough to care to find out more. I got drawn in when the Fae became integral to the story and we learned about Aero and Eva's gifts. The cliff hanger at the end was done so well and has me wanting more!
.
The character building in this book was great! I enjoyed Aero, and Sorrow was my favorite by far. Honestly, Evanthe wasn't my favorite FMC. Since I'm not a fan of her character, it makes her narration a bit grating. She got less frustrating toward the end, but her distrust for most everyone around her got annoying at times. Her attitude fully fits in with her upbringing, so it isn't out of place, it just didn't do it for me.
.
Santana's scene descriptions are great, but the world building fell a bit flat for me in the beginning. The pacing was a bit off at the beginning too. I felt like there was both too much and too little going on almost all the time and events went from 0 to 100 to 0 again within a few paragraphs. BUT! The parts with the Fae were great and the pacing of the last half of the book was fantastic!
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I ended up enjoying this book even though it took a while for me to get into! I'm excited for the 2nd one to see what happens with the Fae! Thanks so much to Santana for letting me part of her ARC team!!
May 13, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
.🌶️/5
First I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book felt very unique to me due to all of the different ideas the author had for it, along with the world building. The concepts in the book were definitely intriguing.
I was also so excited to have an older FMC that is in her late twenties and I adored the dual POV between Evanthe and Aero. I appreciate how much the author focused on the characters emotions their responses to everything they were going through. I enjoyed how each of the main characters seemed to develop more and more throughout the book. This book also had beautiful and intricate world building.
The book lost 1 stars for me due to how it was a little confusing with the world and politics especially in the beginning because a lot was happening at once between the vampyr, the fae, the different islands/kingdoms and politics. At times it felt like there was too much going on and some ideas felt under developed. With so much happening at once so it was confusing. I feel like a lot more will be ironed out for book two and have very high expectations.
This book set up so much more to happen in this world and I cannot wait to see what happens next in Evanthe’s and Aero’s journey. I just feel like there is so much more to happen.
***Spoilers***
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I LOVED Hera and really hope that we get her POV in books to come. Evanthe’s and Hera’s relationship and it’s growth was one of my absolute favorite parts of the books. The scene where Hera fed Evanthe and was the only one who really brought comfort to her after Sorrow was taken was just so touching. Definitely cannot wait to read more about their friendship that seems to be growing.
.🌶️/5
First I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book felt very unique to me due to all of the different ideas the author had for it, along with the world building. The concepts in the book were definitely intriguing.
I was also so excited to have an older FMC that is in her late twenties and I adored the dual POV between Evanthe and Aero. I appreciate how much the author focused on the characters emotions their responses to everything they were going through. I enjoyed how each of the main characters seemed to develop more and more throughout the book. This book also had beautiful and intricate world building.
The book lost 1 stars for me due to how it was a little confusing with the world and politics especially in the beginning because a lot was happening at once between the vampyr, the fae, the different islands/kingdoms and politics. At times it felt like there was too much going on and some ideas felt under developed. With so much happening at once so it was confusing. I feel like a lot more will be ironed out for book two and have very high expectations.
This book set up so much more to happen in this world and I cannot wait to see what happens next in Evanthe’s and Aero’s journey. I just feel like there is so much more to happen.
***Spoilers***
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I LOVED Hera and really hope that we get her POV in books to come. Evanthe’s and Hera’s relationship and it’s growth was one of my absolute favorite parts of the books. The scene where Hera fed Evanthe and was the only one who really brought comfort to her after Sorrow was taken was just so touching. Definitely cannot wait to read more about their friendship that seems to be growing.
May 10, 2023
This was a free ARC received in place for an honest review. I gave this book 3 stars.
The 2 main characters, Evanthe and Aero, are both after the throne, technically it's rightfully both of theirs. Aero's people being sent into exile from Evanthe's ancestor. The story didn't really pick up until about 60% in. Anything before was building up to that point. Which is fine, but I found myself putting my kindle down often, but I would keep picking it back up from curiosity.
I really enjoyed Evanthe's character, she's rough around the edges, and remains that way throughout the book. While she has the pull towards Aero, whom is the enemy to lover trope, she doesn't completely give up her inhibitions. Then we see some morally grey decisions from Aero, which really excited me. The goody hero characters never interest me, so those certain scenes with Aero piqued my interest. I have to wonder, will he shift to morally grey completely? I sure hope so.
Now that there are 2 deities on board for the Guardian, who will she bond with? I mean, it's more than likely Aero, there hasn't been a single "bond" moment between Evanthe and the other deity, I already forget his name. I hope he has a larger role in the next book. It would be an interesting twist if she IS INDEED bonded to the OTHER Fae deity, then where does that leave Aero? Does it begin a villain arc?
Am I leaning too far into the possibilities? Yes, probably, but that would make things so very complicated and interesting. I'm interested to see what the Author does in book 2, can't wait to read it.
Thank you for the ARC, I enjoyed the read.
The 2 main characters, Evanthe and Aero, are both after the throne, technically it's rightfully both of theirs. Aero's people being sent into exile from Evanthe's ancestor. The story didn't really pick up until about 60% in. Anything before was building up to that point. Which is fine, but I found myself putting my kindle down often, but I would keep picking it back up from curiosity.
I really enjoyed Evanthe's character, she's rough around the edges, and remains that way throughout the book. While she has the pull towards Aero, whom is the enemy to lover trope, she doesn't completely give up her inhibitions. Then we see some morally grey decisions from Aero, which really excited me. The goody hero characters never interest me, so those certain scenes with Aero piqued my interest. I have to wonder, will he shift to morally grey completely? I sure hope so.
Now that there are 2 deities on board for the Guardian, who will she bond with? I mean, it's more than likely Aero, there hasn't been a single "bond" moment between Evanthe and the other deity, I already forget his name. I hope he has a larger role in the next book. It would be an interesting twist if she IS INDEED bonded to the OTHER Fae deity, then where does that leave Aero? Does it begin a villain arc?
Am I leaning too far into the possibilities? Yes, probably, but that would make things so very complicated and interesting. I'm interested to see what the Author does in book 2, can't wait to read it.
Thank you for the ARC, I enjoyed the read.
May 10, 2023
Thank you so much Santana Saunders for sending me this ARC!
A Curse of Blood and Bloom is a Fantasy Romance and a great debut novel from Santana Sanders that I really enjoyed. It has many of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, he falls first, only one horse, found family and many more. While it took me a bit to get into this book, after a while I started to really enjoy it and became invested in Evanthe’s story. The author created an interesting world with unique take on vampires and Fae and I liked learning more and more about it. Evanthe, our main character, was really strong and I was rooting for her to get her revenge and become the queen. I also liked the romance, it was a slow burn but I liked seeing them getting to know each other and how Aero tried to win Eva’s heart, he truly fell first and despite his mistakes I hope to see more of them in the second book.
While I enjoyed reading this book, there are some reasons why I couldn’t give it 5 stars. I didn’t really connect with the characters, I had fun reading about Evanthe, Aero and their friends, but I felt there was something missing that kept me from enjoying this book fully. Also, sometimes I felt that the pacing was off, there were moments where a lot was happening very quickly and it was hard to understand everything fully, but there were also some scenes that dragged a bit and I was becoming slightly bored. Despite that, I think this is a really great debut novel and I will definitely continue reading about Eva’s adventures. If you like fantasy romance books you should definitely give this one a try.
A Curse of Blood and Bloom is a Fantasy Romance and a great debut novel from Santana Sanders that I really enjoyed. It has many of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, he falls first, only one horse, found family and many more. While it took me a bit to get into this book, after a while I started to really enjoy it and became invested in Evanthe’s story. The author created an interesting world with unique take on vampires and Fae and I liked learning more and more about it. Evanthe, our main character, was really strong and I was rooting for her to get her revenge and become the queen. I also liked the romance, it was a slow burn but I liked seeing them getting to know each other and how Aero tried to win Eva’s heart, he truly fell first and despite his mistakes I hope to see more of them in the second book.
While I enjoyed reading this book, there are some reasons why I couldn’t give it 5 stars. I didn’t really connect with the characters, I had fun reading about Evanthe, Aero and their friends, but I felt there was something missing that kept me from enjoying this book fully. Also, sometimes I felt that the pacing was off, there were moments where a lot was happening very quickly and it was hard to understand everything fully, but there were also some scenes that dragged a bit and I was becoming slightly bored. Despite that, I think this is a really great debut novel and I will definitely continue reading about Eva’s adventures. If you like fantasy romance books you should definitely give this one a try.
May 27, 2023
A Curse of Blood and Bloom by Santana Saunders is a fresh take on the action fantasy genre. With characters that win you over, a villainess with a grudge due to ancestors, enemies to lovers, fae, vampire, and mortals there will be something for everyone.
Genre 5/5
A brilliant adult Action Fantasy filled with new concepts setting it apart from others in the genre. Also, it doesn’t feature 15-20 year olds. Evanthe is 27!
Characters 5/5
Evanthe is an amazing heroine and I love her bff Sorrow. Aero is a new book boyfriend for me. And all the characters are great in their own way. And the villain, oooh.
Plot 5/5 centuries old grudge and curse, mixed bloodlines, deities, a monarchy that has contenders fight to the death for the throne, bad blood between families of those fighting for the monarch throne and the current one her self. Fae and vampyres, it has everything.
Pacing 5/5 a perfect blend of action, character development, and world/lore building. Santana Saunders does a great job making the two POVs balanced and equal, too!
Prose 5/5 another other that has an entertaining but not super flourished writing style. Easy to get into and fly through for sure. I loved how great Saunders is at entertaining us while giving us characters that we can feel for and root for (whether to win or die).
Overall 5/5 and I will be reading the rest in this series and drooling over Aero for a while. Definitely one of my favorite fantasy books in a while. I love strong heroines.
Genre 5/5
A brilliant adult Action Fantasy filled with new concepts setting it apart from others in the genre. Also, it doesn’t feature 15-20 year olds. Evanthe is 27!
Characters 5/5
Evanthe is an amazing heroine and I love her bff Sorrow. Aero is a new book boyfriend for me. And all the characters are great in their own way. And the villain, oooh.
Plot 5/5 centuries old grudge and curse, mixed bloodlines, deities, a monarchy that has contenders fight to the death for the throne, bad blood between families of those fighting for the monarch throne and the current one her self. Fae and vampyres, it has everything.
Pacing 5/5 a perfect blend of action, character development, and world/lore building. Santana Saunders does a great job making the two POVs balanced and equal, too!
Prose 5/5 another other that has an entertaining but not super flourished writing style. Easy to get into and fly through for sure. I loved how great Saunders is at entertaining us while giving us characters that we can feel for and root for (whether to win or die).
Overall 5/5 and I will be reading the rest in this series and drooling over Aero for a while. Definitely one of my favorite fantasy books in a while. I love strong heroines.
May 31, 2023
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will say, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this book. It was confusing in the beginning, but I picked up what was going on. I liked the different fantasy elements and the banter between Aero and Evanthe.
I very much disliked Skira in the beginning. She was so annoying! But I did grow to like her before they left Meraki. I'm eager to find out what she's been up to since they left. Has she found Sorrow and is she helping her? I hope she is because she definitely needs the support right now. I want so badly to know what happened to her! I really liked the friendship that blossomed between Hera and Evanthe (even if they don't see it). When she helped her do her makeup and was there for her with Sorrow went missing? Yes please.
This book is very much slow-burn and I'm hoping for more spice in the next book. I'm rooting for Aero and Evanthe. Idk. I get bad vibes from Shade. But also....could his whole thing be an act? Could he have been putting on a show his entire life? Hopefully we find out in the next book. On another note, I have a bad feeling about Liri. I'm not sure, but I think she's manipulating Evanthe and her crew.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next one! I can't wait to see where Santana takes them next.
I very much disliked Skira in the beginning. She was so annoying! But I did grow to like her before they left Meraki. I'm eager to find out what she's been up to since they left. Has she found Sorrow and is she helping her? I hope she is because she definitely needs the support right now. I want so badly to know what happened to her! I really liked the friendship that blossomed between Hera and Evanthe (even if they don't see it). When she helped her do her makeup and was there for her with Sorrow went missing? Yes please.
This book is very much slow-burn and I'm hoping for more spice in the next book. I'm rooting for Aero and Evanthe. Idk. I get bad vibes from Shade. But also....could his whole thing be an act? Could he have been putting on a show his entire life? Hopefully we find out in the next book. On another note, I have a bad feeling about Liri. I'm not sure, but I think she's manipulating Evanthe and her crew.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next one! I can't wait to see where Santana takes them next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2023
What a start to this series, I absolutely loved the universe that Santana created. The world building was very well done and the mix of different fantasy themes (the Fae, Gods, vampires) was so interesting and made the story so unique!
I had a little bit of a hard time in the beginning but once I got into it, I found myself really invested in the characters and their stories, I cannot wait to read the 2nd book!
The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is that I found myself a little confused some times. I couldn't really understand why Aero started hanging out and sticking with Evanthe and co on their adventures, he kind of just showed up randomly (for Evanthe obviously, he had a perfect reason to stick with them!) and he just...stayed without anyone questioning him.
The moment when Evanthe discovers why Aero was here was also confusing, maybe I misread something and it is entirely my fault? I just think that a few key elements could have done with a little bit more context.
I did really like Aero and Evanthe relationship but I would have liked more interaction between them, more dialogues to really build up to enemies to lovers aspect. I did however really love the slow burn!!
This book was overall an amazing start to a series I cannot wait to read more of and I am sure the next books will be even better than this first one!
I had a little bit of a hard time in the beginning but once I got into it, I found myself really invested in the characters and their stories, I cannot wait to read the 2nd book!
The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is that I found myself a little confused some times. I couldn't really understand why Aero started hanging out and sticking with Evanthe and co on their adventures, he kind of just showed up randomly (for Evanthe obviously, he had a perfect reason to stick with them!) and he just...stayed without anyone questioning him.
The moment when Evanthe discovers why Aero was here was also confusing, maybe I misread something and it is entirely my fault? I just think that a few key elements could have done with a little bit more context.
I did really like Aero and Evanthe relationship but I would have liked more interaction between them, more dialogues to really build up to enemies to lovers aspect. I did however really love the slow burn!!
This book was overall an amazing start to a series I cannot wait to read more of and I am sure the next books will be even better than this first one!
May 11, 2023
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
"A Curse of Blood and Bloom" by Santana Saunders is an intriguing enemies-to-lovers romance set in the Isle of Meraki, ruled by women for four hundred years. While the book has some positive aspects, such as the well-crafted world-building, the pacing felt slow at times, which made it hard to maintain my interest in the story.
The characters were underdeveloped, and their motivations were not always clear. Evanthe's decision to make the pact that puts her in danger felt forced and out of character, making it hard to connect with her struggles. Additionally, the plot was predictable, and the twists were not surprising, which made the book less enjoyable.
However, the concept of a matriarchal society was intriguing, and the tension and conflict between the main characters that slowly evolves into a meaningful connection were well-done. The romance element was sweet and heartwarming, and the chemistry between Evanthe and Aero was palpable.
Overall, "A Curse of Blood and Bloom" is a decent read with some flaws in terms of pacing and character development. While it was not a page-turner, it was an enjoyable romance novel that fans of the genre may appreciate.
3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
"A Curse of Blood and Bloom" by Santana Saunders is an intriguing enemies-to-lovers romance set in the Isle of Meraki, ruled by women for four hundred years. While the book has some positive aspects, such as the well-crafted world-building, the pacing felt slow at times, which made it hard to maintain my interest in the story.
The characters were underdeveloped, and their motivations were not always clear. Evanthe's decision to make the pact that puts her in danger felt forced and out of character, making it hard to connect with her struggles. Additionally, the plot was predictable, and the twists were not surprising, which made the book less enjoyable.
However, the concept of a matriarchal society was intriguing, and the tension and conflict between the main characters that slowly evolves into a meaningful connection were well-done. The romance element was sweet and heartwarming, and the chemistry between Evanthe and Aero was palpable.
Overall, "A Curse of Blood and Bloom" is a decent read with some flaws in terms of pacing and character development. While it was not a page-turner, it was an enjoyable romance novel that fans of the genre may appreciate.
May 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! It has everything you could want: Fantasy, romance, strong female main character, fae, vampires, gods, powers, curses, you name it!
I normally don't have a lot of time for reading as a busy, working mom of young kids, but this book was easy to make time for.
I thought the way the author wrote full chapters from each of the two main characters' points of view was really interesting. I hadn't read a book where this was done before. It was a great way to get to know the characters' back stories. I really enjoyed the development of the secondary characters as well and how they interact with the main characters and each other. Enemies forced to work together to save the land they both hope to rule one day. A prince searching for his long lost brother. Friends as close as sisters, but will everyone make it out alive?
I don't want to give away too many spoilers but I will add that there is just enough spice in this first book that I am hooked and can't wait to see where things go in the next book and beyond!
As I was reading the final pages of this book I was already wondering when the next book was going to be released. I have to know what happens next!
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.
I normally don't have a lot of time for reading as a busy, working mom of young kids, but this book was easy to make time for.
I thought the way the author wrote full chapters from each of the two main characters' points of view was really interesting. I hadn't read a book where this was done before. It was a great way to get to know the characters' back stories. I really enjoyed the development of the secondary characters as well and how they interact with the main characters and each other. Enemies forced to work together to save the land they both hope to rule one day. A prince searching for his long lost brother. Friends as close as sisters, but will everyone make it out alive?
I don't want to give away too many spoilers but I will add that there is just enough spice in this first book that I am hooked and can't wait to see where things go in the next book and beyond!
As I was reading the final pages of this book I was already wondering when the next book was going to be released. I have to know what happens next!
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.
January 11, 2024
I give this book a 2.7.
The word building was good.
It had potentional but fell short.
The chapters are POV back and fourth between the 2 main characters.
Aero and Evanthe.
Reading it, I thought this was a great idea but than I was wrong. In my opinion, Characters became super unrelatedable or even likeable.
Theyre suppose to be romance between them and I felt no chemistry between Aero and Evanthe.
It felt very rush, no build up to them.
Aero gives off "too fast" and weirdo vibes.
Evanthe character was pretty boring and at times just exhausting.
I read about Vampry, Fae, Ghost and Greek Gods ...but kinda not really.. a bit misleading.. After a while of reading I started to think, wow this is just lots of ideas vomitted together.
At certain points it was just confusing, felt like there wasn't one or two things to focus on, there had to be 5 or 6 "important" task, which some had no backstory or a reason of why it even mattered.
just very confusing and majority of it just didnt make sense.
For me, It started to become "ok" after chapter 27.
The ending was alright i guess, I really pushed myself to finish this book and Overall the execution Felt a bit disappointing. Sadly i wont continue this series.
The word building was good.
It had potentional but fell short.
The chapters are POV back and fourth between the 2 main characters.
Aero and Evanthe.
Reading it, I thought this was a great idea but than I was wrong. In my opinion, Characters became super unrelatedable or even likeable.
Theyre suppose to be romance between them and I felt no chemistry between Aero and Evanthe.
It felt very rush, no build up to them.
Aero gives off "too fast" and weirdo vibes.
Evanthe character was pretty boring and at times just exhausting.
I read about Vampry, Fae, Ghost and Greek Gods ...but kinda not really.. a bit misleading.. After a while of reading I started to think, wow this is just lots of ideas vomitted together.
At certain points it was just confusing, felt like there wasn't one or two things to focus on, there had to be 5 or 6 "important" task, which some had no backstory or a reason of why it even mattered.
just very confusing and majority of it just didnt make sense.
For me, It started to become "ok" after chapter 27.
The ending was alright i guess, I really pushed myself to finish this book and Overall the execution Felt a bit disappointing. Sadly i wont continue this series.
May 29, 2023
Received this as an ARC! 3.5 Stars 💫
I absolutely love the worldbuilding as it has so much potential to be a greater story, but I personally think that there's quite a bit of issues when it comes to how the story is laid out itself. Reading through this it's like I was barely given enough time to breathe and read through what's going on. It's a little jumbled for me and sometimes I find difficulty in what the story is about sometimes, but the second half definitely picks up. I'd just love a better sense of clarity with the writing to be honest.
However, I looove the premise of this story and the themes and motifs it has going on for it. Even if my rating is what it is, I'll still be down to reading the next book just for the worldbuilding alone! I also give special props to the main characters since I'm tired of the usual "They're barely 18/19 years old" type of cast, while in A Curse of Blood and Bloom we have characters in their late 20s and early 30s which I ADORE.
Thank you Santana Saunders for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review of mine! Would love to see more of this series!
I absolutely love the worldbuilding as it has so much potential to be a greater story, but I personally think that there's quite a bit of issues when it comes to how the story is laid out itself. Reading through this it's like I was barely given enough time to breathe and read through what's going on. It's a little jumbled for me and sometimes I find difficulty in what the story is about sometimes, but the second half definitely picks up. I'd just love a better sense of clarity with the writing to be honest.
However, I looove the premise of this story and the themes and motifs it has going on for it. Even if my rating is what it is, I'll still be down to reading the next book just for the worldbuilding alone! I also give special props to the main characters since I'm tired of the usual "They're barely 18/19 years old" type of cast, while in A Curse of Blood and Bloom we have characters in their late 20s and early 30s which I ADORE.
Thank you Santana Saunders for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review of mine! Would love to see more of this series!
May 29, 2023
Curses and Secrets
3.5/5
A new fantasy romance that incorporates Magic, Vampyr, Greek Mythology and other otherworldly things. The Evanthe is on a mission to regain the throne from her evil aunt. A trained Stone Holder of the Isle of Meraki she is working to earn a place in the next Noonsnight. No matter how hard she tries it seems her opponents are one step ahead.
Aero is a Prince of Baros and on a mission to reclaim the land his ancestors were banished from but first he must join with the woman who is next likely to take the throne.
When Evanthe makes a deal to ensure her victory it comes with grave consequences. Now tangled in a haunting curse, paying for the sins if her ancestors Evanthe embarks upon a journey to find answers on how to destroy the evil spreading land. What she found instead is the TRUTH. The truth about her curse, the truth about her lineage and the truth about her prophesied futher.
Expect to Find:
Family Secrets
Enemies to Loves
Found Family
Vampyr
Curses
Fae w/Elemental Magic
Possible Love Triangle
There are alot if moving parts in this story and it ends on a Cliffhanger.
3.5/5
A new fantasy romance that incorporates Magic, Vampyr, Greek Mythology and other otherworldly things. The Evanthe is on a mission to regain the throne from her evil aunt. A trained Stone Holder of the Isle of Meraki she is working to earn a place in the next Noonsnight. No matter how hard she tries it seems her opponents are one step ahead.
Aero is a Prince of Baros and on a mission to reclaim the land his ancestors were banished from but first he must join with the woman who is next likely to take the throne.
When Evanthe makes a deal to ensure her victory it comes with grave consequences. Now tangled in a haunting curse, paying for the sins if her ancestors Evanthe embarks upon a journey to find answers on how to destroy the evil spreading land. What she found instead is the TRUTH. The truth about her curse, the truth about her lineage and the truth about her prophesied futher.
Expect to Find:
Family Secrets
Enemies to Loves
Found Family
Vampyr
Curses
Fae w/Elemental Magic
Possible Love Triangle
There are alot if moving parts in this story and it ends on a Cliffhanger.
May 30, 2023
*I received this book as an eARC by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you Santana Saunders for the opportunity.*
A Curse of Blood and Bloom is the first book of a four book fantasy romance containing fae, vampires and Greek mythology. Some of the tropes are slow-burn romance, one horse, enemies to lovers, hidden powers and hidden identity. The MC's are actual adults, which I loved. There is not a lot of spice in this book, we got some steamy kissing scenes and naughty thoughts/language.
It is evident that Saunders has a clear picture of both the world and her characters, but it almost feels like she wanted to just get it all on paper as fast as possible. There is a lot going on and I was, and still am, a little confused regarding several plot points in this book. The scenes skips very fast and lack a little depth for me personally. However, the story and the characters are intriguing, and regardless of my confusion I wanted to finish this book.
Overall the writing is pleasant, the story feels new and interesting, and it's a solid debut from Santana Saunders. I am interested to see where the next book takes us.
A Curse of Blood and Bloom is the first book of a four book fantasy romance containing fae, vampires and Greek mythology. Some of the tropes are slow-burn romance, one horse, enemies to lovers, hidden powers and hidden identity. The MC's are actual adults, which I loved. There is not a lot of spice in this book, we got some steamy kissing scenes and naughty thoughts/language.
It is evident that Saunders has a clear picture of both the world and her characters, but it almost feels like she wanted to just get it all on paper as fast as possible. There is a lot going on and I was, and still am, a little confused regarding several plot points in this book. The scenes skips very fast and lack a little depth for me personally. However, the story and the characters are intriguing, and regardless of my confusion I wanted to finish this book.
Overall the writing is pleasant, the story feels new and interesting, and it's a solid debut from Santana Saunders. I am interested to see where the next book takes us.
February 25, 2024
I received an ARC of the sequel to this book, so of course I needed to read the first book before I continued on to the ARC.
I was drawn in as soon as I read enemies to lovers. I also love all the mythical elements (vampires, fae, Greek mythology) being meshed into one! 💕
Synopsis: overcome with grief and anger after her mother’s wrongful death, Evanthe trains to take the throne and avenge her mother. This leads to her to making a deal that affects not only herself but everyone around her.
Aero’s people were banished from Mekai and now they are threatened with dying due to famine. Aero comes to the conclusion that he must take back Mekai, which resolves in him having to work beside Evanthe.
Opinion: I really enjoyed this book. The writing is done really well, especially the dialogue and the world building. The three stars mainly come from this.
I struggled to connect with both Evanthe and Aero. I think I would have liked them more if they weren’t forced together so quickly.
I wanted more from the Greek mythology. Though this is a series, I think it’s important to set the connection early in the series.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this and I’m excited to read the second book! ⭐️
I was drawn in as soon as I read enemies to lovers. I also love all the mythical elements (vampires, fae, Greek mythology) being meshed into one! 💕
Synopsis: overcome with grief and anger after her mother’s wrongful death, Evanthe trains to take the throne and avenge her mother. This leads to her to making a deal that affects not only herself but everyone around her.
Aero’s people were banished from Mekai and now they are threatened with dying due to famine. Aero comes to the conclusion that he must take back Mekai, which resolves in him having to work beside Evanthe.
Opinion: I really enjoyed this book. The writing is done really well, especially the dialogue and the world building. The three stars mainly come from this.
I struggled to connect with both Evanthe and Aero. I think I would have liked them more if they weren’t forced together so quickly.
I wanted more from the Greek mythology. Though this is a series, I think it’s important to set the connection early in the series.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this and I’m excited to read the second book! ⭐️
May 7, 2023
ARC was provided by the author in exchange of a fair and honest review.
4,5/5 for this first book in a new series.
I haven't read a lot of romantasy novels as I'm more of a grimdark girl, but after reading A Curse of Blood and Bloom I'm definitely gonna read more like this.
The characters are likable, feisty and have their share of secrets. The story is fast-paced and easy to get into.
It only took me a day to read the book because I simply couldn't put it down.
You should definitely read this book if you like:
- enemies to lovers
- fae, vampyr and gods
- characters with depth
- banter between characters (I had to laugh out loud a few times)
- romance and adventure
- new and interesting worlds, cultures, traditions
I will definitely read the next book in this series as well, not only because I want to know how the story progresses, but also because I think Aero is one hot guy and I really, really wanna know more about him. The same goes for Evanthe...will she be able to save the ones dear to her?
4,5/5 for this first book in a new series.
I haven't read a lot of romantasy novels as I'm more of a grimdark girl, but after reading A Curse of Blood and Bloom I'm definitely gonna read more like this.
The characters are likable, feisty and have their share of secrets. The story is fast-paced and easy to get into.
It only took me a day to read the book because I simply couldn't put it down.
You should definitely read this book if you like:
- enemies to lovers
- fae, vampyr and gods
- characters with depth
- banter between characters (I had to laugh out loud a few times)
- romance and adventure
- new and interesting worlds, cultures, traditions
I will definitely read the next book in this series as well, not only because I want to know how the story progresses, but also because I think Aero is one hot guy and I really, really wanna know more about him. The same goes for Evanthe...will she be able to save the ones dear to her?
May 13, 2023
I received an ARC copy from Santana Saunders in exchange for my honest review.
I liked the world building aspect of this book. Thrones, curses, vampires, Greek mythology, hunger games style fighting… and more. However, the wording used was very fluffy and I had to read over a couple times to decipher what it was trying to depict.
I was intrigued by the main character but confused about some of the whys? I think some addition back story ion her and her mother, their relationship, and Evanthe herself would have been helpful. Evanthe has this very real and rooted aspect about her that I liked.
Aero was too cute with his efforts to win Evanthe. I enjoyed reading about them hope the slow burn amps up.
It was many things I enjoyed about this book and others I did not. Something just seemed to be missing. Sometimes there wasn’t enough back ground to parts of the tale and other scenes their was more details than was needed. The books was overall a good read and I’m looking forward to book 2!
I liked the world building aspect of this book. Thrones, curses, vampires, Greek mythology, hunger games style fighting… and more. However, the wording used was very fluffy and I had to read over a couple times to decipher what it was trying to depict.
I was intrigued by the main character but confused about some of the whys? I think some addition back story ion her and her mother, their relationship, and Evanthe herself would have been helpful. Evanthe has this very real and rooted aspect about her that I liked.
Aero was too cute with his efforts to win Evanthe. I enjoyed reading about them hope the slow burn amps up.
It was many things I enjoyed about this book and others I did not. Something just seemed to be missing. Sometimes there wasn’t enough back ground to parts of the tale and other scenes their was more details than was needed. The books was overall a good read and I’m looking forward to book 2!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2023
I Received an ARC copy of this book
When I first started this book I was excited to dive into a new fantasy world as always with most fantasy books you have to go through the world building sometimes different languages and learning how to pronounce certain names what I liked best about this book was the world was so easy to picture and was so captivating from page one I loved the Greek references but more then that I loved our main character Evanthe most stories paint the picture of a girl who doesn’t know what to do with how strong she might be or has to build up to her finding her strength Evanthe was a bada** from page one and never let up “if there is one thing you should know about me Aero Know this …..I turn grief into power “ (that line will stick with me forever ! ) the romance was there and Aero was amazing I wanted a little more spice and a little more romance but what we got was amazing . I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for us in this amazing world .
When I first started this book I was excited to dive into a new fantasy world as always with most fantasy books you have to go through the world building sometimes different languages and learning how to pronounce certain names what I liked best about this book was the world was so easy to picture and was so captivating from page one I loved the Greek references but more then that I loved our main character Evanthe most stories paint the picture of a girl who doesn’t know what to do with how strong she might be or has to build up to her finding her strength Evanthe was a bada** from page one and never let up “if there is one thing you should know about me Aero Know this …..I turn grief into power “ (that line will stick with me forever ! ) the romance was there and Aero was amazing I wanted a little more spice and a little more romance but what we got was amazing . I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for us in this amazing world .
March 9, 2024
A Curse of Blood and Bloom by Santana Saunders is the first book in this fantasy series. As Evanthe prepares to compete in the next Noonsnight to become the monarch of Meraki and follow in her late mother's path, her life is quickly changed after making a bargain to try and gain an advantage. She learns that she must work with those she previously fought against in order to save Meraki.
The beginning of this book and the world building was a little difficult for me to understand and keep track of, but it did become easier as the book went on. It is filled with fae, vampyr, deities, and curses. There is so much action in this book, making it very fast paced. Each character has a story that is complex and written well by Saunders.
I did appreciate the slow burn between Eva and Aero and was really enjoying the sweet moments they shared together. But will the betrayal Evanthe feels be something she can forgive him for?
It does end on a little cliffhanger and I’m thankful that I have an ARC of the next book, A Vow of Stone and Salt, waiting for me to dive into!
The beginning of this book and the world building was a little difficult for me to understand and keep track of, but it did become easier as the book went on. It is filled with fae, vampyr, deities, and curses. There is so much action in this book, making it very fast paced. Each character has a story that is complex and written well by Saunders.
I did appreciate the slow burn between Eva and Aero and was really enjoying the sweet moments they shared together. But will the betrayal Evanthe feels be something she can forgive him for?
It does end on a little cliffhanger and I’m thankful that I have an ARC of the next book, A Vow of Stone and Salt, waiting for me to dive into!
May 22, 2023
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The book started off confusing, I had a hard time following the story easily and the writing style made it difficult for me to feel immersed in the story. However, around 60% of the way through I felt that the writing smoothed out and I began to feel in the story with the characters. By the end if this had been a completed series I would have been ready to dive into the next book to find out more. The improvement in the feel of the writing by the end of the book combined with the unique world building and intriguing story line brought the book from a 3 star to a 4 star for me. I am planning on following Eva and Aeros story in the books to come and I have a feeling that as the story progresses the writing will continue to smooth itself out!
The book started off confusing, I had a hard time following the story easily and the writing style made it difficult for me to feel immersed in the story. However, around 60% of the way through I felt that the writing smoothed out and I began to feel in the story with the characters. By the end if this had been a completed series I would have been ready to dive into the next book to find out more. The improvement in the feel of the writing by the end of the book combined with the unique world building and intriguing story line brought the book from a 3 star to a 4 star for me. I am planning on following Eva and Aeros story in the books to come and I have a feeling that as the story progresses the writing will continue to smooth itself out!
May 27, 2023
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of A Curse of Blood and Bloom! I really enjoyed the story's setting and was impressed by the worldbuilding. The beginning of the book was a little confusing because so many characters were introduced early on and the story jumped right into some major plot developments, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the story included vampires and fae. As soon as the vampires were introduced, I couldn't put the book down, and I loved learning about the fae and the protagonist Evanthe's abilities. I'm not a big fan of Aero's possessive and aggressive character, so I don't know if I'm on board with the romance between him and Evanthe yet. Maybe the next book will change my mind. Otherwise, I loved Evanthe's strong and spunky attitude, her friendship with her best friend Sorrow, and her interesting rivalry with Hera!
June 22, 2023
I want to start by saying I received an ARC copy of this book so I wasn’t paid to advertise. With all firsts in a series there has to be backstory and world building so that the series can continue.
I enjoyed the book and I feel bad I didn’t rate it 5 stars as I really wanted to like it due to the mythology aspect but couldn’t. I did give it 3 stars because it is the first in a series and I did enjoy it. The world building was struggling a bit and I’m not sure how the fae lore and Greek mythology are supposed to coincide with the story. Maybe that part fell flat for me because I LOVE Greek Mythology woven into books.
I love a strong independent FMC which this book did have. Nothing screams horrible as a whining pathetic FMC. I definitely like the MMC brooding attitude. *smolder* I was really hoping there would be more spice and didn’t realize it was a slow burn type of book.
I enjoyed the book and I feel bad I didn’t rate it 5 stars as I really wanted to like it due to the mythology aspect but couldn’t. I did give it 3 stars because it is the first in a series and I did enjoy it. The world building was struggling a bit and I’m not sure how the fae lore and Greek mythology are supposed to coincide with the story. Maybe that part fell flat for me because I LOVE Greek Mythology woven into books.
I love a strong independent FMC which this book did have. Nothing screams horrible as a whining pathetic FMC. I definitely like the MMC brooding attitude. *smolder* I was really hoping there would be more spice and didn’t realize it was a slow burn type of book.
July 29, 2023
3.5 ⭐ rounded up to 4
I really wanted to love this one, but I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it was still an enjoyable read but it fell kind of flat for me personally.
The beginning was a bit confusing for me, and nothing really made sense until about the 35% mark. I feel like although we journeyed with the characters and there were things I liked about them individually they didn't really have a lot of bonding moments with each other or as a group other than putting their differences aside to deal with the vampyres. And although there was some mutual pining between the two MCs I didn't really get the feeling that they had bonded enough for the type of excruciating slow burn I enjoy.
Would I still recommend this book? Absolutely, I just didn't fall in love with it. Tropes for this one include:
🗡️Touch her and 💀
🗡️Betrayal/Lies
🗡️Curses
🗡️Magic
🗡️Found family
I really wanted to love this one, but I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it was still an enjoyable read but it fell kind of flat for me personally.
The beginning was a bit confusing for me, and nothing really made sense until about the 35% mark. I feel like although we journeyed with the characters and there were things I liked about them individually they didn't really have a lot of bonding moments with each other or as a group other than putting their differences aside to deal with the vampyres. And although there was some mutual pining between the two MCs I didn't really get the feeling that they had bonded enough for the type of excruciating slow burn I enjoy.
Would I still recommend this book? Absolutely, I just didn't fall in love with it. Tropes for this one include:
🗡️Touch her and 💀
🗡️Betrayal/Lies
🗡️Curses
🗡️Magic
🗡️Found family
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