The Bloodstained Key

by Charity Rau

Eighteen-year-old Marianna and her family live in luxury, attending balls every night. Despite being haunted by the death of her mother and the disappearance of her fiancé, Will, she tries to remain cheerful for her sister's sake. When their father falls ill, she discovers her family is in financial ruin and fears her world is falling apart.

An offer of salvation comes from the mysterious nobleman who lives isolated from the rest of the world in his extravagant, yet menacing mansion. Lord Bludington invites Marianna, her sister, and all their friends to his home for a week full of entertainment. He impresses everyone with his charm and wit, but Marianna can’t shake the feeling he is not all he claims to be. However, when her family cannot afford the medicine needed to save her father’s life, she reluctantly accepts Bludington’s proposal of marriage and moves into the manor.Now isolated from her friends and family, she no longer feels welcome in the eerie house. The housekeeper is abrupt, the maids spread gossip and fear her, and the butler appears to be spying on her. Then she discovers a secret that puts her life in danger, and unless Marianna can find the courage to fight for herself, she won’t make it out of Bludington’s manor alive.

Genres: Fantasy, Gothic, Retellings

282 pages, Paperback

Published November 29, 2023

About the author

Charity loves fairy tales and myths and re-imagining them. When not writing, she takes creative photos, paints, and spends time with family. Charity lives in Maryland with her sassy pomchi and her own charming prince. The Bloodstained Key is her first book.

Reviews

[Ronel Janse van Vuuren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling gothic fantasy retelling of “Bluebeard” with a creepy manor, odd servants, and strange things happening that gives a feel of the place being haunted.

Marianne is a bit foolish, but brave and loyal. Her sister irritated me enough that I wanted to push her off a cliff… But maybe that’s just me.

I liked the library and the horses the most.

There were things that bothered me, though. If he needed the hag to help him achieve his goals, why was another witch supposedly involved in his life since childhood? And how did the dungeon’s ecosystem work? Where did Sir Tom get the freshly baked bread if the town is basically a squatter camp inhabited by children, the only water tasting foul?

Because the rest flowed smoothly, these things stood out.

I had a problem with the italics as it messes with my eyes and head, making it difficult to read and enjoy the book. Authors and publishers: please consider the neurodivergent when making decisions about italics so books are accessible to all.

Interesting worldbuilding, magic, and a twist on the original tale.

[Becky • bookmarked by becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

The Bloodstained Key is a Bluebeard retelling. I wasn’t familiar with the original tale - a wealthy man murders his wives to gain more riches and power. Here, Marianna is the latest fiancée to Lord Bludington. She desperately tries to uncover the mysteries in Thunderwell Manor before her curiosity causes her own demise.

I particularly enjoy the setting at Thunderwell Manor with its creepy hidden passages, locked rooms, eerie paintings, magical keys, and ghost stories. The cliffs on the property where Lord Bludington's previous wives mysteriously disappeared create a sense of isolation and locked-room vibes, which truly adds to the atmospheric setting. The story, though relatively short (~300 pages), left me wanting more time to explore the characters and plot points. However, the epilogue nicely suggests another fairytale retelling from Charity Rau. I look forward to book 2.

[KMart Vet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really love the traditional Bluebeard tale since the moral is largely thought to be that women should be less curious, so I'm ALWAYS eager to see an author tackle this and reimagine it for a modern age. This was a fun little story and the author absolutely improved upon the fairytale.

Marianna's life is turned upside down as she faces familial financial ruin, her father's expensive illness, and her grief over a previous love lost at sea. When the enigmatic Lord Bludington offers her a chance to save her family, she reluctantly accepts, only to find herself trapped in a web of mystery and danger.

Despite being haunted by personal tragedy, she remains resilient, trying to keep her family's spirits up, especially for her sister's sake. The plot unfolds with twists and turns that kept me guessing and I found it quite engaging. The short length of the book makes it a quick and engaging read, perfect for fans of YA fairytale retellings and fantasy with a side of mystery.

While the main storyline is intriguing, the side characters (especially the servants) feel quite underdeveloped. At one point, it's implied that they would work for nothing except the goodness of their hearts. They seem to serve as plot devices rather than fully realized characters, which at times detracted from the overall story. Despite this, the novel's compelling mystery makes it difficult to put down.

This is a YA novel that trends towards the younger side in dialogue and characterization, but the mystery is interesting. This is a quick and fun read in a Regency-era fantasy world. I did not expect that epilogue!

Thanks to Hidden Hollow Booktours for the physical copy. This is an honest review and voluntary.

[Brenda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝑰𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒅."

Marianna has lived quite a charmed life, although she's carrying around a lot of grief over losing her fiancé and finding it difficult to move beyond it. But when her father becomes ill, it falls to her to save her family from financial ruin by reluctantly marrying a wealthy nobleman, Lord Bludington. With a history of previous wives who all met mysterious fates, she knows trusting him will not come easily.

His creepy manor with all its locked doors and hidden secrets, lends itself perfectly to the gothic setting I adore. It also adds to the feeling of isolation Marianna experiences as she searches to find the truth of what is truly going on within the walls of her new home.

I've become quite enamored with fairytale retellings, and this was a fun and quick read. While it's geared towards a younger YA audience, it still has an interesting mystery that kept me engaged. And the epilogue does not disappoint as it sets up the next book in the series spectacularly.

Thank you Hidden Hollow Book Tours and Charity Rau for the ARC and the opportunity to be on this tour.

[Piper Pringle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so very thankful to have received an ARC of this fantastic book! I can't wait to see what everyone else thinks. This book is filled with the kind of magical writing that anyone could want in a fairytale retelling. I'm not usually one to pick up a Bluebeard retelling, but this is a definite must read!

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through LibraryThing’s early reviewer program. This is a middle grade/ young adult book based on the Bluebeard Fairytale. I haven’t read Bluebeard but from the summary, it’s a pretty close retelling. It was a good read and kept me interested and a nice debut. It was also written a bit simply to be young adult but someone interested in fairy tales would enjoy it.

[Briana Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fun and creepy Bluebeard retelling!! It was just the right bit of spooky happenings and character development. Looking forward to book two!

[Heather Kruczek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodstained Key was my first Bluebeard retelling, and as I was familiar with the original, I was constantly trying to guess where the twists would come. I spun myself into all kinds of possible storylines. I found this was pretty parallel to the original, set in a gothic fantasy period, but I liked the ending better. This is a slow burn story and at times it felt like the story was dragging with very little action; however, if you pause and observe the moment you are reading, you will realize that the "dragging plot" is really the build up of anticipation, eeriness, and tension until it culminates into the "scary part."

Marianna, the FMC/narrator, is aggravating at certain points in the beginning. I found myself yelling at my screen repeatedly for her selfishness and pride. Would I marry the creepy older man with blue hair and a blue beard? No, absolutely not, but I'd at least give it a little more thought if my decision impacted my family as it did here. Lord Bludington appears sweet, caring and doting to the reader, but then he transforms into this frightening and calculating monster in Marianna's eyes. No one else sees this version, but her. She was isolated in a vast and ominous mansion, reading gothic stories in her spare time, and exploring the dark hallways at night. Shadows played tricks on her eyes, combined with her fear of Bludington and being spied on by Dunston, the ghostly butler. Adding fuel to the fire, Marianna started suffering from nightmares, as the previous wives did.

I frequently questioned the narrator's reliability, her sense of reality and sanity, despite being familiar with the original tale. I felt like I was going equally crazy alongside Marianna as she tried to get a grip on her emotions and reality, but instead dragged me into her world of nightmares and fright. Are some of the staff trying to protect her? Are they feigning ignorance to Bludington's evil? Is Betsy a plant by Bludington to use reverse psychology on Marianna with the door? Is Marianna even alive or is she already dead and this is her disassociated narration of the events leading up to her death?

Her descriptions of Bludington's smirks and the nefarious painting creeped me the heck out. Again, Bludington seems so normal and generous in the eyes of others. It isn't until Marianna starts to learn some of the rumors and hears of whispers that you begin to believe that maybe she is sane. The author does a phenomenal job at painting the perfect dark and disturbing picture; you can visualize everything. At one point, Marianna mentioned her heart was pounding and her hands were clammy, and I realized so were mine as I was reading. I was fully immersed in the scene, peeking around the dark corners for shadows that didn't belong. I even noted, "DON'T DO THIS!" as she creeped down a narrow hidden hallway with only a small candle.

It isn't until about 60% into the book when things start escalating. Bludington finally gives Marianna the test by delivering her a set of keys to every room, including the forbidden room. Like Pandora and the box, Marianna must satiate her curiosity, which will cause her the knowledge of her imminent demise. I'd like to say I wouldn't have gone into the room either, but curiosity is a fickle thing. The painting gave Dorian Gray-like vibes and I had all kinds of questions that unfortunately went unanswered by the end.

Why would you put your life at risk for something as silly as satisfying your curiosity?

Where this book differs and what I enjoyed most was how Marianna responded to all of this. She was reminded of her mother and the old hag's words, and dug deep for her bravery and confidence. By the end of the book, I didn't hate Marianna as I did in the beginning. As this is the first book in an upcoming series, the author leaves us on a bit of a cliffhanger, while setting us up for book #2, a Peter Pan retelling (my favorite kind!).

Overall, a thrilling recommended read and I look forward to hopefully getting some answers to my burning questions in the next installment.

I had the opportunity to receive a free copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Marianna, a woman whose husband has gone overseas and died. There are some side characters, like her sister and her sister-in-law. There are two brothers who have no plot sognificance snd a sick father. 

The other characters seem to mainly be in this book to gaslight Marianna and for Marianna to sum up the experiences she's already had. I'll read two pages of things happening, then book will say, "Marianna found Susan and told her about the strange thing that just happened. 'It's not a big deal,' Susan said." This got tiring to read about and went on for almost 100 pages. The beginning was the least engaging part to me and I almost considered dropping the book, and I probably would have if it wasn't a debut.

The passage of time felt very weird in this book. I almost felt like the author felt they had to account for every second of the day. Sometimes the story will read: "That evening, Marianna was tired, so she went to bed. The next morning, she woke up refreshed. She stayed in her room until the maid came. Then they got ready for lunch which was promptly at noon." There was so much filler to describe the passing of an afternoon where nothing of significance really happened. This did not improve even at the end of the book.

Nightmares were used repeatedly to sum up scary encounters Marianna had during the day or to emphasize what she was feeling anxious about. This became very tiring to read over and over. Maybe the reason everyone keeps gaslighting Marianna is because she is so damn dramatic about all her nightmares, with the waking up screaming so often. She also just sleeps until dinner, and Betsy can't wake her up without a cool conpress? I kept thinking Marianna's abnormal sleeping habits would be plot relevant. This is even mentioned as something of significance among the characters, but nothing came of the nightmares except heavy-handed foreshadowing. The series is not over, so maybe vivid nightmares is something that means more in the end. But I'm not impressed so far.

Something that felt super unnatural while reading, especially any time they were inside Bludington's manor, was the amount of times Marianna would "run into" people. She'd think "Oh dear, I could run into Dunsten at any time," and in the next line Dunsten would be there. She'd think "okay, I need to find Betsy" and in the very next line oh wow, there's Betsy coming down the hall. This feels related to the author having to account for all this time and the general summarization of unimportant events. 

Some other things I noticed were word choice, I think the word "grabbed" might be one of the most commonly used words I'm the book. It felt like there was an attempt to create a regency type of setting but the dialofue was very casual and modern. I also don't think Marianna and Betsy's relationship was well crafted, because Marianna was exploiting Betsy for information she didn't want to give and generally making her do things she didn't want to do. I would've been okay with this but framing it narratively as a genuine friendship felt icky.

One thing that was really well done in this book was tension. In my opinion the climactic scene was kind of anticlimactic (she basically thwarted him accidentally. This guy has all this magic but he just falls out the window?), but the scene where she is exploring the manor and the key becomes bloodstained was pretty good. I wish that tension was used a little better, but for a hot second I was really invested.

This is a debut novel and the author has created a workable story. There is plenty to improve on, but overall I had a fun time. I won't be continuing with this series but I would recommend it to middle-grade readers.

[Stephanie Tiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the harrowing disappearance of her fiancé, Marianna finds herself in a predicament she never imagined. Her father has become very ill, and there is no money for the doctor. However, there is, Lord Bludington. Marianna’s fiancé, Will, disappeared at sea over two years ago, and everyone believes she should move on and find love somewhere else. Lord Bludington has been showing a special interest in Marianna and has offered to pay for her father's expensive medicine if she agrees to marry him. Seeing no other options, Marianna decides to marry the blue-haired Lord to save her father, despite her feelings that there is something very wrong with the Lord. After agreeing to the marriage, Marrianna is sent to live in Lord Bludington’s stately manor until the marriage can take place.
While there Marianna feels that there is a deadly mystery hidden in the castle-like manor, one she must solve before she meets an untimely end, just as Lord Bludington’s other three wives had. This is a retelling of the French fairy tale of a Lord named Blue Beard. In this book, Lord Bludington also sports a blue beard and has had three wives before Marianna. Marianna is the daughter of a once-wealthy merchant who has fallen on hard times. I liked this book somewhat, there are some things, however, that made it hard for me to enjoy this book. One of them was the character of Marianna. As much as I wanted to see her as the strong and strong-willed character that the author had wanted her to be, her finicky character traits, including letting her fear send her into near-fainting spells, made her hard to see as the hero. Also, Lord Bludington is not present much in the novel, and when he is, the character Marianna constantly thinks there is something nefarious about him, with no reasoning. My biggest issues with this book, however, are my character traits. I am a huge fan of the Victorian period, and I am a bit of a stickler about things being correct for the period. Most of this book was not correct. For instance, Marianna would have never been able to live in the manor with him before they were married. It would have changed her status as a woman of good breeding into a lady of loose character. Her name and reputation would have been utterly destroyed. If you have no trouble changing this or having these small things being inaccurate then this book may be great for you. Also, there were numerous grammar errors in the book that threw me off when reading. They are simple and should be easy to fix, but they made it hard for me to stay enraptured in the story. The storyline seemed jumbled, and the fact that most of the story stemmed from an inability to find one's way and the rumors of the maids that roam the halls, made it hard to become too invested in it all. The author kept coming back to the same thing over and over again without adding to the issue. In one instance the characters even seemed to feel that part of the mystery was solved, but nothing had changed and they had learned no new information. I had high hopes for this novel and I was somewhat let down. That said many other people may love this novel for exactly what it is. It is a great idea for sure. I think this author has great potential to give us a retelling we are dying for and I cannot wait to read that novel. I won a copy of this novel from LibraryThing Early Reviewers and the picture featured above is my own, edited using the Photoroom app. 

[Jaryd Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars= A solid read that kept my attention throughout. Didn’t hate but didn’t love it either.

The story is a retelling of the French fairy tale Bluebeard, a story I was unfamiliar with before reading this book. In short, a young maiden reluctantly agrees to marry a wealthy nobleman to save her financially destitute family. What she discovers is a secret plot that puts her in danger of losing her life. It’s the maidens job to solve the mystery and save the day.


Pros:

-Rau does an excellent job with her imagery. Every scene is well described and makes her world feel full and lived in. I was able to imagine every character and setting fairly well. I even felt like I was in the manor for a time with how well she describes the building the story takes place in most of the time.

-I wasn’t expecting as much worldbuilding as there was in this story. Rau takes time to flesh out the world by describing the foods the characters eat and explaining places that we don’t even see in the story. It helps to flesh out the world and make it bigger than just the story that’s taking place. It’s clear Rau has a vision for the world she wants this story (and future stories) to take place in and it’s clearly demonstrated through her writing. It was a pleasant surprise and an aspect of the story I enjoyed.


Cons:

-Most if not all of the story’s cast are characterized by their relationship to the protagonist and not much else. (The family is given solid characterization, but not much else for everyone else). It makes sense that we would see characters through the eyes of our protagonist, but in turn it makes them appear one dimensional. They have no real motivations of their own, and for a lot of them their personalities change on a dime when the plot dictates them to.

Lord Bludington is the biggest example of this flaw. He isn’t presented as a character; he’s a force of nature, a “big bad” to be defeated. He spends most of the story away, and when he is there all he does is try to woo Marianna until the last few chapters where he suddenly becomes the wicked man we knew he was all along. While that may work for the simple nature of a fairy tale, that doesn’t translate well to a longer YA story.

This lack of character makes the twist less exciting as well. Because we don’t know anything about Bludington other than the protagonist’s reactions to him, it’s very easy to tell he’s evil from the start. Marianna doesn’t just dislike him; she’s disgusted by his presence from their first introduction, despite him appearing well mannered and a gentleman. Even if you aren’t familiar with the source material, it’s obvious who the villain is from the first time he’s introduced. That ends up taking away from the suspense built throughout the book because we knew he was the villain from the start.


Conclusion: Through good worldbuilding and easy to understand prose, Rau does a solid job taking a fairy tale for kids and writing a story that will keep older kids and young adults engaged. Character writing is lacking and the antagonist falls flat due to heavy handed dramatic irony. Overall it’s a fun read if you like fairy tales and YA fantasy.

[Julia Hahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will start by saying that it was me and not the book. I couldn’t get into the story until the very end and up to that point I could only get myself to read a few pages a day. There was nothing in the story that brought me back and made me excited to continue reading the book. With that said, I did enjoy the writing style and the premise of the book. I thought the ending was rushed and unsatisfying.

I wasn’t aware that it was a retelling, but you don’t need to read it to understand the story. Like I said, the book did drag on a bit too much for me, but it was a well written story with all the creepiness you would expect from a gothic fantasy. We follow Marianne, who has to marry an eccentric man named Lord Bludington in order to save her family from going to the poor house. When marianne arrives at Lord Bludington’s home, Thunderwell Manor, there is an eerie vibe to that unsettles her. Even moreso when Marianne has a dream that she is being warned that she will be killed by Lord Bludington. She asks all their servants in the manor about the hallway that appeared in her realistic dream but they evade her question.

One night Lord Bludington tells Marianne that it is her home and she is free to go anywhere she likes, and being a curious girl, takes him up on it. However when she is found by the creepy and suspicious butler, Dunsten, one night while exploring, he tells her that the manor is not safe for her when it is dark.

Before leaving on another business trip, Lord Bludington gives her a ring of various keys that opens all the doors in the manor but tells her there is one key she must not use. Of course she realizes it is to the door that she has been the most curious about, the one that was in the hallway in her dream. When she goes to unlock it, she is met with a ghastly scene. Inside she finds the skeletons of his previous wives—who had all died under unusual circumstances—wearing the exact replica ring she was given. She believes that Lord Bludington killed them and confirms for her that she is in grave danger and that she needs to find a way to stop Lord Bludington.

The story ends on a happy note, giving a hint to a second book where it is assumed Marianne will venture out to find her first love who was lost at sea. I don’t love this book enough to continue her story, but perhaps if I come across it, I will give it a shot.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic Regency-era-esque retelling of the French folk-tale “Bluebeard”. The female main character Marianna was immediately relatable to me, grieving the maritime loss of her fiancé, Will. He had been missing for two years, and without confirmation of his death, she continued to love him and hope for his safe return. I was immediately concerned for her emotional state and rooting for her. The fleshing out of the side characters, potential villains, siblings, even servants, was very well done and the world building was seamless, allowing me to be able to look out over railings in manors with Marianna, out over the ocean, up the streets, and down dark hallways with her. Marianna’s wealthy lifestyle revolves around attending balls and parties with her sister even though her country was in the brink of war, and she makes the acquaintance of Lord Bludington. She is very suspicious of him, concerned not only by his strange blue-haired appearance but also because of the fact that he’s been married several times and all his wives have died. However, her father suddenly falls ill and she is faced with the decision of accepting aid from Bludington, or trying to fix things herself. Any more would spoil the story, but it’s filled with twists and turns, angst, hidden identities, forged friendships, mystery, a bit of horror, and tons of suspense. And the surprise at the end was fantastic and made me smile, looking forward in anticipation of how things will resolve in the future. I thought it was a great quick read and it’s only the first book in the series!

[Tea_Reading_and_Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly did not realize this was a Bluebeard retelling until way later after I saw another person's review 😅. Which made me think this was gonna be a darker thriller than it was. Marianna was an interesting character because she seemed to act like someone demure and scared and then would start to command what was going on and just kind of switch back and forth, good thing was that she had that confidence when it counted. I did question for a bit though if her curiosity was just making a basic situation worse than it was until she started discovering things. Once her sanity was proven the story really started to pick up and really lost my interest.

Betsy was absolutely my favorite though because she did try to protect Marianna but wasn't afraid to start going against her original job description. She, I think, has more courage than Marianna and was just as important to all this as Marianna, because without her Marianna wouldn't have maintained enough sanity to keep searching.

The only reason this wasn't a 5 was because some moments felt a little long and made me think the story could have been just as good being a little shorter, but it still really enjoyed it and wanna see what else is supposed to happen with the note found at the end.

[im.booked.on.a.feeling · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know me, you know I love retellings! As soon as I heard that The Bloodstained Key was a Bluebeard reimagining, I knew I had to read it. I’m so happy to report it is just as creepy and mysterious as I’d hoped it would be!

I loved that from the very first page, FMC Marianna knew that something wasn’t quite right about Lord Bludington. What made the story even more addictive was that no one else could see credit in Marianna’s misgivings! It added this great spooky touch to the story that I couldn’t get enough of.

Along the same line, it was nearly impossible for Marianna to decide who was trustworthy and who wasn’t. The story kept me guessing until the very end! I couldn’t believe which characters turned out to friends and which were revealed as foes.👀

The conclusion of the book set up the subsequent installment of the series wonderfully, as well as revealed what fairytale retelling is next! I can’t wait to read what happens in book two!

🖤 Dark Fairytale
💪 Strong FMC
😱 Scary Gothic Mansion
🗝️ Mysterious happenings
🤫 Secret rooms
🚫 No Romance
📖 Short Chapters
🫣 Hidden World
🔮Prophecy and a Curse
📖 Retelling
📚 Sets up the plot for book 2!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Meigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reimagining of the classic Bluebeard, THE BLOODSTAINED KEY is the story of a young woman who’s forced to make tough decisions after she learns her family is on the brink of financial ruin. When she’s offered to be the guest of a mysterious lord, she has no other option but to say yes. Things get even more mysterious from there, and it becomes clear that danger lurks in the manor that she and her sister are guests of.⁣
⁣
I adore gothic fiction and spooky manors, so that was definitely the high point of this book for me. With twists and turns aplenty, the book kept me guessing until the very end. I love how atmospheric and mysterious the entire book was, it really amped up the tension and suspense for me. I also really liked Marianna and her loyalty to her sister, even if her sister was as annoying as they come. All told, a fun and atmospheric gothic mystery. Pick this one up if you enjoy:⁣
⁣
🥀Strong female MC⁣
🥀Hidden world⁣
🥀Prophecy and curse⁣
🥀Fairytale/Bluebeard retelling ⁣
🥀Gothic fiction ⁣
🥀Spooky manors ⁣
🥀Dark fairytale themes ⁣
🥀Historical fiction/historical fantasy ⁣
⁣

*I read an early copy courtesy of Hidden Hollow Book Tours and author Charity Rau.

[Space Station Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bloodstained Key is exactly what I wanted it to be--a fleshed out fantasy retelling of the story of Bluebeard. Marianna makes a great protagonist as the "wife who lives," and I also enjoyed the characterization of her maid Betsy and sister Annette, plus the library of everyone's dreams. Rau nails the elements of the original fairytale and expands on them in ways that add to the Gothic, claustrophobic feel of the original. There were a few awkward uses of diction ("taxidermized" late in the book, when before that the diction was standard American) and references to the "poorhouse" that didn't seem to fit with the other period-type references of balls and matches (it's not technically historical fic, but felt weird to me in combination, YMMV). On the other hand, I loved the references to all the imaginary fairytale or Gothic-type books Marianna had read! Overall, I loved what Rau did with an often overlooked fairytale, and her clearly deep affection for fairytales and Gothic suspense, and I would definitely read the Neverland-themed sequel hinted at in the epilogue.

Received for review from LibraryThing; opinions are my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of the Heart Stones series. This is a Bluebeard retelling. How did I not know this book existed?? I really like the FMC. She wasn’t someone who suddenly came into her powers or ever changed what she believed in. She was easy to relate to and believable. From the start of the book, you are drawn in and can’t put it down. Each page gives you more hints to the secrets in the story. This book has a strong, well-developed and an interesting story line with twists and unexpected turns that keep you reading and turning the pages. It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. Amazing world building that is detailed and imaginative and so well done that you're drawn into a fantastic world unlike any other. Strong, interesting, and fascinating characters that are well developed and diverse. The storyline is fast-paced and very well written, filled with magic, danger, death, politics, intrigue, and subterfuge. The plot thickens, the suspense builds, and the passion erupts! I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is chilling and tragic. This book was set in crazy atmospheric and is guaranteed to raise goose bumps at any rate. This was a very quick read. It's slow going at first, but engaging and towards the ending, I felt, was rather bizarre. I couldn't do anything until I completed this.

The author is great at creating a creepy atmosphere and then wrenching it into something even darker as the page turns with such patience and brooding, quaint characters living a simple life.

The book reminds me of The beauty and the beast, but it got me gasping at the end. The second book in the series got many more surprises, can't wait to read it too.

I love Betsy the most, aside from Marianna. Some of the characters are morbidly abnormal. When the tension builds in and the real drama occurs, makes it a compulsive read. The author shows small town dynamics with her unerring writing style.

Overall, this is an enthralling, if somewhat disturbing, story . This is one of those novels that just draws you in and never lets you out.

Rating :8/10

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy regency-era romances with a bit of intrigue and tension, that are inspired by fairytales, you’re going to enjoy this. I remember reading the tale of Bluebeard when I was younger, and while it’s not one you typically think of when you think “fairy tale retelling”, Rau did an amazing job of giving it a new, unique twist. I was immediately immersed in the story, with the descriptions being so vivid, and the characters being so real. Also, I loved Marianna, but my heart absolutely broke for her, having lost her beloved at sea, and her father being so ill. While I could understand her complicated feelings, and admired her determination to set aside her fears and desire for happiness to do what she had to in order to help her family. I won’t give any spoilers, but the story moves along at a good pace, and there’s just enough twists and surprises that you can never be totally sure you know what’s going to happen next!

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was everything I needed in a book, especially after being in a terrible reading slump.
Regency era books are my absolute favorite reads and this did not disappoint. Mariana and her sister are both used to going to balls and having a very nice life. Mariana is plagued with the disappearance of her fiance Will and is urged to move on by everyone around her. She simply refuses, hoping and praying that Will returns. Meanwhile, Mariana has a possible suitor who is interested in her and taking care of her family, since her father is very sick. 
The emotional rollercoaster that I went through while reading what Mariana had to go through while living in the home of Lord Bludington. So many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. The ending had me shook and i cannot wait to read the next book!

Huge thank you to Hidden Hollow Book Tours for my gifted copy.

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manor-house drama, spooky butlers, family tragedy, and small-town gossip form the backdrop of The Bloodstained Key, a YA retelling of the Bluebeard legends featuring Lady Marianna, the latest young lady to have unfortunately caught the eye of the mysterious Lord Bludington. The straightforward narrative sets a brisk pace, laying out Marianna's increasingly tragic circumstances - fiance lost at sea, brothers off to war, financial ruin knocking on the door. I wish more attention was given to creating an atmosphere and sense of place, and I found it hard to connect with Marianna as more than a character on a page. However, the story is clear and clean, and could be a good starting place for younger readers to experience the genre of gothic YA fantasy.

**Thanks to LibraryThing and the author for the review copy**

[Megan Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bloodstained Key is a deliciously atmospheric Victorian Gothic retelling of Bluebeard, blending mystery, romance, and a creeping sense of dread. Charity Rau captures the elegance of ballroom soirées and lavish estates, then deftly peels back the layers to reveal secrets, whispers, and shadows lurking in the corners.

Marianna is a girl you can root for, graceful yet determined, navigating grief, family duty, and an uneasy marriage proposal that promises salvation but feels tinged with danger. The setting is richly described, with a manor that feels like a character itself: grand, beautiful, but unsettling in its isolation.

Rau’s writing flows with a fairy-tale cadence while keeping the tension high, making it easy to fall into the story and hard to put down. Fans of Gothic suspense, historical romance, and dark fairy-tale retellings will find plenty to savor here.

[Amanda✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has that classic gothic atmosphere—creepy mansion, mysterious nobleman, secrets around every corner, and it pulled me in right from the start. Marianna is a sympathetic protagonist who’s trying to stay strong for her family while everything around her crumbles, and I appreciated her emotional journey.

The pacing kept me turning pages, and I loved the mix of suspense, romance, and just the right amount of drama.

There were a few parts that felt a bit predictable or could’ve used more depth, but overall, it was a fun, haunting read that fans of historical fiction with a dark twist will definitely enjoy.

I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaija · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve read a Bluebeard retelling before, it was interesting and such a page turner!
There is amazing world building and the characters are intriguing! The suspense on what’s going to happen next kept me turning the page!
Marianna is our FMC who has to make a choice between what she wants and what will save her family
Lord Bludington has many secrets hidden in his life and throughout his house that Marianna works to uncover!

This while a YA fantasy book is amazing and intriguing that all ages of fantasy lovers will devour!

So thankful to have been a part of the review tour with @hiddenhollowbooktours

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mariana lives a life of luxury and attends a ball every night until she finds out her family is penniless. After the death of her mother, the disappearance of her fiancé Will and her father falling ill she is still joyful. Lord Bludington has made a proposition to Marianna to marry him due to her father’s failing health. Marianna accepts his proposal and moves into his manor then things begin to change and she becomes isolated from everyone she loves. This is a kind of retelling of the Bluebeard tale. I really enjoyed this fantastic young adult dark fantasy novel.

[Kristen Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Gothic fantasy bluebird retelling was a haughtily lovely twist. It added a spooky touch to a already well-known story and it was brilliant. Marianna is a FMC who gets more then she bargains for and has to learn to navigate her way through life and who to trust. This story will keep you guessing until the very end and you won't be able to put it down once you pick it up. I can't' wait to see the what the next book brings.

"𝑰𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒅."

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Marianna finally accepts Lord Bludington's offer of marriage so she can help her family, she finds that nothing is as it seems. Marianna has to walk a tightrope of questionable actions as she attempts to unlock the dangerous situation she finds herself in. Walking on the beach one day after she is no longer in danger, Marianna finds a bottle with a letter from her beloved Wil and a compass to lead her to him. This story is full of danger, ending with a cliffhanger.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[TayTay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so this isn’t usually the genre of book I read. But I was gifted the book and just had to read it. It was overall good. I wasn’t able to always know exactly what was going to happen next. The ending threw me off, I wasn’t expecting all of it (I figured she should find something out about Will, but not Neverland and Tinkerbell being involved! But looking back it kinda makes sense with the other magical things happening) and I am really looking forward to a sequel! I am really looking forward to how the next book will play out.

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the combination of magic, fantasy and mystery within this book. I felt like the writing flowed really well and it didn’t take me long to read it at all.

I thought that Marianna was a great main character, who had a lot about her. I found her a little annoying at the beginning, but she soon came into her own and put her detecting skills to work.

I’m really excited to see where this series goes. I hope there will be a book 2!