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Crystal Bloom #3
Une fleur de fureur et de flammes
Elle n’a aucune idée du pouvoir qu’elle détient. Je détruirais des mondes juste pour la voir sourire.
Orlaith est devenue une traîtresse et une meurtrière. Bien que consumée par la culpabilité et le doute, elle ne peut se laisser sombrer : le destin de son peuple dépend désormais entièrement d’elle. Cainon est prêt à s’emparer d’Ocruth par la force si elle ne se soumet pas, et il devient clair qu’il n’a aucune intention de livrer les navires nécessaires pour contrer l’invasion des vruks. La pleine lune, date de la cérémonie d’union si elle parvient à surmonter l’épreuve du Bassin, n’est plus très loin. Confrontée à des vérités horrifiantes, Orlaith devra abandonner ses principes et élaborer un plan audacieux si elle veut avoir une chance de réussir. Chaque faux pas pourrait tout détruire, à commencer par elle-même.
Orlaith est devenue une traîtresse et une meurtrière. Bien que consumée par la culpabilité et le doute, elle ne peut se laisser sombrer : le destin de son peuple dépend désormais entièrement d’elle. Cainon est prêt à s’emparer d’Ocruth par la force si elle ne se soumet pas, et il devient clair qu’il n’a aucune intention de livrer les navires nécessaires pour contrer l’invasion des vruks. La pleine lune, date de la cérémonie d’union si elle parvient à surmonter l’épreuve du Bassin, n’est plus très loin. Confrontée à des vérités horrifiantes, Orlaith devra abandonner ses principes et élaborer un plan audacieux si elle veut avoir une chance de réussir. Chaque faux pas pourrait tout détruire, à commencer par elle-même.
660 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2023
1002 people are currently reading
23752 people want to read
About the author
Sarah A. Parker
6 books9,073 followersSarah is an international bestselling author who grew up on a farm in New Zealand, where she spent her days getting lost amongst the rolling pasture, building forts in the hedge, climbing trees, and exploring the forest pathways—making up elaborate stories that never lost their grip on her.
She now lives in Australia with her husband, dog, three children, and countless plants, and spends her days pouring her stories onto paper rather than throwing them to the wind.
Her genre of choice is epic fantasy romance, and she thrives off dreaming up real, complex characters and immersive worlds to get lost amongst.
She now lives in Australia with her husband, dog, three children, and countless plants, and spends her days pouring her stories onto paper rather than throwing them to the wind.
Her genre of choice is epic fantasy romance, and she thrives off dreaming up real, complex characters and immersive worlds to get lost amongst.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 994 reviews
December 25, 2025
Five stunning stars for a stunning series ⭐️!
First read: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Second read: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve never begged. Not once. But I’ll stay on my knees until I feel that flame sputter out.
Then…
I’ll rip the world to shreds.
Once again, Sarah A. Parker rendered me speechless with her beautifully devastating story.
To Flame A Wildflower is a release I've been waiting for with bated breath after I was left hanging on the excruciating cliffhanger of the second book.
I continue to be in awe of Parker's craft and how she intricately carved Orlaith's journey from the beginning to where she is now. This book continues to prove what a brilliant storyteller Parker is.
This woman is ruthless. She won't hesitate to leave readers devastated and tear off the veil that the readers and Orlaith were encompassed in to reveal how dark and merciless Orlaith's world is.
A few mysteries and questions are revealed and the theorists are certainly going to have the time of their lives dissecting the new reveals and the mysteries that are yet to be unfolded. Some of it may come as a shock so brace yourselves.
Orlaith had my heart from book 1, but as her journey descends into a darker path I couldn't help but let my tears flow for her. Orlaith became an open wound for all to see and infest with their diseased intentions and schemes. The rawness of her grief and trauma gripped my heart with phantom hands that kept digging it's claws deeper and deeper. Orlaith bled, but so did I as a reader.
And I will brush over this quickly because this is an experience I want readers to have with no expectations, but you will be proud of Orlaith's growth. There is no question or doubt that she is one of my favorite characters of all time and she continues to rise up on the list.
I always applaud Parker for ensuring that her characters are nuanced with their own set of flaws. No character is wholly good and no character is wholly bad. Well... in some cases some are utterly rotten and this book does not shy away from the depravity some characters would gladly descend into.
I would say this book had a faster pacing than Stem and I was kept on edge while my nerves were being grated throughout the majority of this book. I'm surprised I did not pass out by holding in my breath.
I will keep raving about this series because this to me is one of the perfect examples of a dark fantasy romance?
Nuanced morally questionable characters? You got it!
A complex story with an intriguing lore? Yep
Exquisite world-building? one of the best to me
Plot twists? be prepared
Action sequences and tension-filled scenes? Oh yes
Angst? Oh be prepared for so much
Passionate and sensual romantic scenes? Mhmmm 😏
Spice? [see above] but that remains unspecified until you read the book 👀
I honestly can't wait to discuss some of my favorite scenes with other readers once it's out in the world because oh man do I have many I need to discuss AND YELL about!
Also, not to be too greedy so I'll drop a little crumb and say there is a cliffhanger but it's not as bad as the cliffhanger of book 2. Nevertheless it's one that will have you wanting to get your hands on book 4 right away!
Dear reader, this is a book I promise you won't be able to put down and be prepared to be struck by a flood of emotions this story unlocks. Chocolate or any comfort food is highly recommended.
I would like to put in a disclaimer and mention that this is a dark, dark fantasy romance. You will be frustrated and devastated by the turn of events and you won't always agree and be happy with the choices the characters make—and that's the point of it sometimes and flawed characters are more compelling to me. Characters in this book make mistakes and the relationships can be toxic but it makes their growth and change more meaningful. There is a lot of suffering, guilt, and grief that all the characters deal with. From book 1 the plot was building itself gradually and woven with an intricate lore that sheds itself more with every book and that's why not all questions are answered right away and when they do, it creates more questions and that what personally keeps me invested in the series—knowing that there is more that I want to unravel and how it ties into the stories of all these characters.
Unlike other dark fantasy romance books this is just not surface-level dark, it dives right into the depths. And as my friend Underseabookish said and I quote:
"this series dares to be bold and wants to set itself apart within that genre by bringing back the DARK, the FANTASY, and the ROMANCE all into one series."
I've been craving a dark fantasy series such as this for a long time but I absolutely understand how it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I just wanted to express why I appreciate the series for what it is.
Trigger Warning: this series includes dark and graphic scenes.
This series is planned to be 6 books in total, this is book 3 so three other books are left in the series.
I am incredibly grateful to be a part of Sarah A. Parkers' ARC team so thank you Sarah for gifting me with an eARC. Being part of the ARC team does not influence my review and rating.
First read: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Second read: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve never begged. Not once. But I’ll stay on my knees until I feel that flame sputter out.
Then…
I’ll rip the world to shreds.
Once again, Sarah A. Parker rendered me speechless with her beautifully devastating story.
To Flame A Wildflower is a release I've been waiting for with bated breath after I was left hanging on the excruciating cliffhanger of the second book.
I continue to be in awe of Parker's craft and how she intricately carved Orlaith's journey from the beginning to where she is now. This book continues to prove what a brilliant storyteller Parker is.
This woman is ruthless. She won't hesitate to leave readers devastated and tear off the veil that the readers and Orlaith were encompassed in to reveal how dark and merciless Orlaith's world is.
A few mysteries and questions are revealed and the theorists are certainly going to have the time of their lives dissecting the new reveals and the mysteries that are yet to be unfolded. Some of it may come as a shock so brace yourselves.
Orlaith had my heart from book 1, but as her journey descends into a darker path I couldn't help but let my tears flow for her. Orlaith became an open wound for all to see and infest with their diseased intentions and schemes. The rawness of her grief and trauma gripped my heart with phantom hands that kept digging it's claws deeper and deeper. Orlaith bled, but so did I as a reader.
And I will brush over this quickly because this is an experience I want readers to have with no expectations, but you will be proud of Orlaith's growth. There is no question or doubt that she is one of my favorite characters of all time and she continues to rise up on the list.
I always applaud Parker for ensuring that her characters are nuanced with their own set of flaws. No character is wholly good and no character is wholly bad. Well... in some cases some are utterly rotten and this book does not shy away from the depravity some characters would gladly descend into.
I would say this book had a faster pacing than Stem and I was kept on edge while my nerves were being grated throughout the majority of this book. I'm surprised I did not pass out by holding in my breath.
I will keep raving about this series because this to me is one of the perfect examples of a dark fantasy romance?
Nuanced morally questionable characters? You got it!
A complex story with an intriguing lore? Yep
Exquisite world-building? one of the best to me
Plot twists? be prepared
Action sequences and tension-filled scenes? Oh yes
Angst? Oh be prepared for so much
Passionate and sensual romantic scenes? Mhmmm 😏
Spice? [see above] but that remains unspecified until you read the book 👀
I honestly can't wait to discuss some of my favorite scenes with other readers once it's out in the world because oh man do I have many I need to discuss AND YELL about!
Also, not to be too greedy so I'll drop a little crumb and say there is a cliffhanger but it's not as bad as the cliffhanger of book 2. Nevertheless it's one that will have you wanting to get your hands on book 4 right away!
Dear reader, this is a book I promise you won't be able to put down and be prepared to be struck by a flood of emotions this story unlocks. Chocolate or any comfort food is highly recommended.
I would like to put in a disclaimer and mention that this is a dark, dark fantasy romance. You will be frustrated and devastated by the turn of events and you won't always agree and be happy with the choices the characters make—and that's the point of it sometimes and flawed characters are more compelling to me. Characters in this book make mistakes and the relationships can be toxic but it makes their growth and change more meaningful. There is a lot of suffering, guilt, and grief that all the characters deal with. From book 1 the plot was building itself gradually and woven with an intricate lore that sheds itself more with every book and that's why not all questions are answered right away and when they do, it creates more questions and that what personally keeps me invested in the series—knowing that there is more that I want to unravel and how it ties into the stories of all these characters.
Unlike other dark fantasy romance books this is just not surface-level dark, it dives right into the depths. And as my friend Underseabookish said and I quote:
"this series dares to be bold and wants to set itself apart within that genre by bringing back the DARK, the FANTASY, and the ROMANCE all into one series."
I've been craving a dark fantasy series such as this for a long time but I absolutely understand how it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I just wanted to express why I appreciate the series for what it is.
Trigger Warning: this series includes dark and graphic scenes.
This series is planned to be 6 books in total, this is book 3 so three other books are left in the series.
I am incredibly grateful to be a part of Sarah A. Parkers' ARC team so thank you Sarah for gifting me with an eARC. Being part of the ARC team does not influence my review and rating.
September 25, 2024
“I bow to no one, but I’ll get down on my knees before the Gods and beg you to choose this. To live.”
ㅤ ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 5.0 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ It happened and I am finally writing the review for my first 5-star read of this year! ✨ I realised I might indeed be slightly harsh since it is September and I am finally rating a book with 5 stars, but oh well. The most difficult part is actually beginning only now, as I genuinely have no clue what I am going to say in this review, as I am utterly shattered in the best way possible, I am still trying to piece everything together, and I was left absolutely speechless by this book. I hope you all know, I am going to recommend this over and over again from now on and I will probably not stop talking about this series any time soon.
ㅤ "To Flame a Wild Flower" is the most perfect, agonizing, painfully beautiful sequel this already amazing series could have received. From the very first pages, you are thrown right back into the heart-wrenching and drowning feelings of Orlaith, who now finds herself untethered to the world, alone and missing the one person who was constantly grounding her. Unfortunately, too late, she realises that her naivety cost her way more than she was willing to offer and, due to her own mistakes, the world is left looking bland and cold. But lies do come to light no matter what, and revenge is a much stronger feeling than self-loathing and sadness, which overrides one's emotions and drives them to extreme lengths to just see the one person responsible for all the suffering pay. Be prepared to read chapters so dark and twisted that will make your skin crawl in disgust, that will make you pity Orlaith and beg for someone to just save her and take her out of the hands belonging to the biggest creep I've ever read about. But do not fret since, above all else, there is a feeling so pure, deep and vengeful that can break all rules and that can bend even death to its own will: love . Pair that feeling with a character like Rhordyn, and I assure you, you will get a new book obsession.
ㅤ I am really struggling to find my words and think of something to write in this review only because I fear my words might not be enough and might end up tainting the beauty of this book alone.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ I cannot emphasise enough how in love I am with the world-building in this series. I am completely enthralled by whatever new book in this series decides to provide the reader. I am addicted to the way it precisely provides small clues that are mind-blowing enough to keep you very engaged and captivated while being small enough to keep you hostage in the shrouding mystery. I am utterly enamoured with every small detail of this world, and I just cannot wait for the day when everything will finally be revealed and everything will make complete sense.
ㅤ The writing once again emphasizes what an absolutely amazing and purely talented words-weaver Sarah. A. Parker is and how perfectly she chooses her words in accordance with the register of her book. If I were to go into full, close analysis, I would mention that there are some really small issues with some quite repetitive structures, but I just do not want to go into these details. The writing is beautiful, is captivating, is purely enchanting and I was fully enraptured for 590 pages.
ㅤ While the first two books seemed rather slow-paced to me, this book made it entirely impossible for me to just set it down and stop reading. It brought me back to nights spent till 2-3 AM just so I could read one more chapter. The action is perfectly written in this book. You get a lot of new events, each one gets their deserved attention and you simply do not get bored for a single moment. The tension created by some of the scenes is so perfect that it genuinely keeps you reading with bated breath. This has really been the best book I've read this year in terms of action. And I do not even concern myself with the probability of being somehow biased; it was exactly what I wanted from a book.
ㅤ ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ These are my new favourite characters. Did I get frustrated by them? Yes, more than once. Am I still madly in love with their development? Absolutely. .
ㅤ ❀ Orlaith - This book finally brought me exactly what I wanted to see ever since book 1: an unhinged, feral, commanding, and purely savage Orlaith. Of course, we still get the very closed, self-loathing character that we got in the first two books, but she is slowly evolving and she starts taking decisions for herself; she starts commanding her own life and making her own rules, setting her own boundaries. We also get to see a very vulnerable, devastated side of her; a side that is so lost in the dark that she can't even find life worthy. So be aware that this book and this character might make you feel really strong, uncomfortable feelings.
ㅤ ❀ Rhordyn - He is, by far, one of my most favourite fictional characters ever. He just casually climbed my top 3 for book men and I do not think he will be leaving that sport any time soon.The things I would let this man do to me, might actually get me banned on any social media platform if I were to speak them. He is an amazingly complex character who wears his secrets like his own personal, beautiful armor. 3 books in, and you, as a reader, still feel like you do not actually know this man and what he is capable of. But what you will certainly know after this book is that there is no thing, no obstacle big enough, to stand in the path of this man towards the ones he loves. Just imagine a morally-gray (if he has any morals at all), dark-haired, and slightly more witty Rowan Whitethorn.
ㅤ ❧ The last 200 pages of this book cured all my life problems and the beauty of this ever-growing relationship is absolutely impossible to encompass in words. I had an awfully strong feeling of déjà-vu comparing it to the lengths Rowan was willing to go for Aelin. This love is the main catalyst in what represents Orlaith's development as a character, and I was entirely surprised to see that this is the direction towards which this series is going. It is simply heart-warming to see how love is the driving force for how both the main characters slowly start to change. Not to mention that my favourite thing about the unfolding of this story is how it slowly resolved the power imbalance between Rhordyn and Orlaith; because there is nothing more beautiful than a groveling man, isn't that right?
ㅤㅤ ❀ Baze - I will not spoil a single thing. I will just sob in a dark corner and burn the next book if I don't see something good coming to this man, because MY SUNSHINE DESERVES THE BEST.
ㅤㅤ ❀ Cainon - even Maeve (from Throne of Glass) would lose a psycho competition against this man. I genuinely hope this series will make the most excruciating d*ath befall this man.
ㅤㅤ ❀ This book did an amazing job in also bringing more of some absolutely badass side characters. Kai, Zali, Gunthar,not you Zane, you are the reason I hate kids; they were all so beautiful to read about and I think we are slowly getting our
found-family
built.
ㅤ ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ Despite finally not being such a gut-wrenching cliff-hanger, the ending of the book will still leave you completely spiraling. I was left with so many questions, and I feel like the entire book is so peppered with small clues that I, unfortunately, was not smart enough to get in my first read. I guess I was too busy simping and crying to actually put my mental capacity to serious work. The epilogue is probably what will haunt my mind for a very long time and it will surely not let my brain rest until I finally have my hands on the next book. The ending is just perfect at keeping you on the edge and making you so addicted that you will not be able to not wait for whatever this series plans to bring next.
ㅤ The only complaint I genuinely have about this book is that the sequel to it is not yet available and will probably not be for a while. Those who followed me a bit around here know that one of my favourite series ever is Throne of Glass; and ever since finishing it and Lady of Darkness, which comes as a close second, I have been dying to find a series to make me feel like these two, very dear book collections made me feel. It had finally happened, and this book just cemented Crystal Bloom series as one of the best ones I've ever gotten the chance to read. I am so excited for whatever will come next, and I highly hope that whatever happens will not disappoint, as that would be the biggest shame ever.
ㅤ I genuinely want to thank Sarah A. Parker for giving me another obsession and a deserving 5-star book. (now please, please give me the next one....)
────────────────────────
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ so, I started this series thinking it was a complete one.....it is not. 🥲 and now I am praying to every divinity for this to not end on a cliff-hanger that would make me want to hang off a cliff.
ㅤ ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 5.0 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ It happened and I am finally writing the review for my first 5-star read of this year! ✨ I realised I might indeed be slightly harsh since it is September and I am finally rating a book with 5 stars, but oh well. The most difficult part is actually beginning only now, as I genuinely have no clue what I am going to say in this review, as I am utterly shattered in the best way possible, I am still trying to piece everything together, and I was left absolutely speechless by this book. I hope you all know, I am going to recommend this over and over again from now on and I will probably not stop talking about this series any time soon.
ㅤ "To Flame a Wild Flower" is the most perfect, agonizing, painfully beautiful sequel this already amazing series could have received. From the very first pages, you are thrown right back into the heart-wrenching and drowning feelings of Orlaith, who now finds herself untethered to the world, alone and missing the one person who was constantly grounding her. Unfortunately, too late, she realises that her naivety cost her way more than she was willing to offer and, due to her own mistakes, the world is left looking bland and cold. But lies do come to light no matter what, and revenge is a much stronger feeling than self-loathing and sadness, which overrides one's emotions and drives them to extreme lengths to just see the one person responsible for all the suffering pay. Be prepared to read chapters so dark and twisted that will make your skin crawl in disgust, that will make you pity Orlaith and beg for someone to just save her and take her out of the hands belonging to the biggest creep I've ever read about. But do not fret since, above all else, there is a feeling so pure, deep and vengeful that can break all rules and that can bend even death to its own will: love . Pair that feeling with a character like Rhordyn, and I assure you, you will get a new book obsession.
ㅤ I am really struggling to find my words and think of something to write in this review only because I fear my words might not be enough and might end up tainting the beauty of this book alone.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ I cannot emphasise enough how in love I am with the world-building in this series. I am completely enthralled by whatever new book in this series decides to provide the reader. I am addicted to the way it precisely provides small clues that are mind-blowing enough to keep you very engaged and captivated while being small enough to keep you hostage in the shrouding mystery. I am utterly enamoured with every small detail of this world, and I just cannot wait for the day when everything will finally be revealed and everything will make complete sense.
ㅤ The writing once again emphasizes what an absolutely amazing and purely talented words-weaver Sarah. A. Parker is and how perfectly she chooses her words in accordance with the register of her book. If I were to go into full, close analysis, I would mention that there are some really small issues with some quite repetitive structures, but I just do not want to go into these details. The writing is beautiful, is captivating, is purely enchanting and I was fully enraptured for 590 pages.
ㅤ While the first two books seemed rather slow-paced to me, this book made it entirely impossible for me to just set it down and stop reading. It brought me back to nights spent till 2-3 AM just so I could read one more chapter. The action is perfectly written in this book. You get a lot of new events, each one gets their deserved attention and you simply do not get bored for a single moment. The tension created by some of the scenes is so perfect that it genuinely keeps you reading with bated breath. This has really been the best book I've read this year in terms of action. And I do not even concern myself with the probability of being somehow biased; it was exactly what I wanted from a book.
ㅤ ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ These are my new favourite characters. Did I get frustrated by them? Yes, more than once. Am I still madly in love with their development? Absolutely. .
ㅤ ❀ Orlaith - This book finally brought me exactly what I wanted to see ever since book 1: an unhinged, feral, commanding, and purely savage Orlaith. Of course, we still get the very closed, self-loathing character that we got in the first two books, but she is slowly evolving and she starts taking decisions for herself; she starts commanding her own life and making her own rules, setting her own boundaries. We also get to see a very vulnerable, devastated side of her; a side that is so lost in the dark that she can't even find life worthy. So be aware that this book and this character might make you feel really strong, uncomfortable feelings.
ㅤ ❀ Rhordyn - He is, by far, one of my most favourite fictional characters ever. He just casually climbed my top 3 for book men and I do not think he will be leaving that sport any time soon.
ㅤ ❧ The last 200 pages of this book cured all my life problems and the beauty of this ever-growing relationship is absolutely impossible to encompass in words. I had an awfully strong feeling of déjà-vu comparing it to the lengths Rowan was willing to go for Aelin. This love is the main catalyst in what represents Orlaith's development as a character, and I was entirely surprised to see that this is the direction towards which this series is going. It is simply heart-warming to see how love is the driving force for how both the main characters slowly start to change. Not to mention that my favourite thing about the unfolding of this story is how it slowly resolved the power imbalance between Rhordyn and Orlaith; because there is nothing more beautiful than a groveling man, isn't that right?
ㅤㅤ ❀ Baze - I will not spoil a single thing. I will just sob in a dark corner and burn the next book if I don't see something good coming to this man, because MY SUNSHINE DESERVES THE BEST.
ㅤㅤ ❀ Cainon - even Maeve (from Throne of Glass) would lose a psycho competition against this man. I genuinely hope this series will make the most excruciating d*ath befall this man.
ㅤㅤ ❀ This book did an amazing job in also bringing more of some absolutely badass side characters. Kai, Zali, Gunthar,
ㅤ ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ Despite finally not being such a gut-wrenching cliff-hanger, the ending of the book will still leave you completely spiraling. I was left with so many questions, and I feel like the entire book is so peppered with small clues that I, unfortunately, was not smart enough to get in my first read. I guess I was too busy simping and crying to actually put my mental capacity to serious work. The epilogue is probably what will haunt my mind for a very long time and it will surely not let my brain rest until I finally have my hands on the next book. The ending is just perfect at keeping you on the edge and making you so addicted that you will not be able to not wait for whatever this series plans to bring next.
ㅤ The only complaint I genuinely have about this book is that the sequel to it is not yet available and will probably not be for a while. Those who followed me a bit around here know that one of my favourite series ever is Throne of Glass; and ever since finishing it and Lady of Darkness, which comes as a close second, I have been dying to find a series to make me feel like these two, very dear book collections made me feel. It had finally happened, and this book just cemented Crystal Bloom series as one of the best ones I've ever gotten the chance to read. I am so excited for whatever will come next, and I highly hope that whatever happens will not disappoint, as that would be the biggest shame ever.
ㅤ I genuinely want to thank Sarah A. Parker for giving me another obsession and a deserving 5-star book. (now please, please give me the next one....)
────────────────────────
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ so, I started this series thinking it was a complete one.....it is not. 🥲 and now I am praying to every divinity for this to not end on a cliff-hanger that would make me want to hang off a cliff.
November 13, 2024
This is EXACTLY how you keep a reader sucked in to a long fantasy series WOW!!!
ANSWERS!! We got answers but I still have SOOOOOOO MANY QUESTIONS!!
Orlaith continuing to come into her own has me FERAL for me, I just love her and my heart breaks for her at the same time!
That 3 book slow burn pay off though >>>>
THE CHASEEEE!! Ahhhh I’m still giggling and kicking my feet! Rhordyn and his beast have me in a choke hold. No shame.
Love love love this poetic masterpiece.
I need more.
ANSWERS!! We got answers but I still have SOOOOOOO MANY QUESTIONS!!
Orlaith continuing to come into her own has me FERAL for me, I just love her and my heart breaks for her at the same time!
That 3 book slow burn pay off though >>>>
THE CHASEEEE!! Ahhhh I’m still giggling and kicking my feet! Rhordyn and his beast have me in a choke hold. No shame.
Love love love this poetic masterpiece.
I need more.
October 12, 2024
This is just torture atp 😔 when Sarah??? When will it stop!!
March 31, 2023
If you want to read an amazing dark fantasy book with beautiful romance (where they at least meet in the first 70% of the book), a lovable love interest and a FMC who is tolerable and not annoying at all and of course if a fantastic plot is a must,
then do not read this book
Bye
then do not read this book
Bye
August 5, 2024
~2.5 stars~
I am convinced that this is a me, not you situation that I can't like this book. And it's coming from a series that is underrated, but very much loved by many people. But it's just not for me.
What I gathered from Orlaith's entire character growth in this book was her constant reminder "to not cry" and that's all. Rhordyn is such a miss character for me, and although this is a dark fantasy series, where all characters are not at their best, and their descisions are not always the best, and will make readres frustrated, it did bother me a lot.
I would say, I will however continue with this series, but with no expection from now on. I just want to know how the story ends and that's it.
I am convinced that this is a me, not you situation that I can't like this book. And it's coming from a series that is underrated, but very much loved by many people. But it's just not for me.
What I gathered from Orlaith's entire character growth in this book was her constant reminder "to not cry" and that's all. Rhordyn is such a miss character for me, and although this is a dark fantasy series, where all characters are not at their best, and their descisions are not always the best, and will make readres frustrated, it did bother me a lot.
I would say, I will however continue with this series, but with no expection from now on. I just want to know how the story ends and that's it.
March 31, 2023
⭐️1 STAR.
Sarah Parker’s style was wonderful in TO BLEED A CRYSTAL BLOOM it was flowing an rhythmic. It has only gotten worse over time. The disjointed way the story is told, and I say that kindly because it was a fucking DISASTER. How did this happen? I can’t even begin to piece together what was going on.
As I thought about this book and tried to piece together a nice review it just couldn’t happen. I was lost within the first 50 pages, having done a re-read of TO SNAP A SILVER STEM the previous DAY.
Hard pass.
Sarah Parker’s style was wonderful in TO BLEED A CRYSTAL BLOOM it was flowing an rhythmic. It has only gotten worse over time. The disjointed way the story is told, and I say that kindly because it was a fucking DISASTER. How did this happen? I can’t even begin to piece together what was going on.
As I thought about this book and tried to piece together a nice review it just couldn’t happen. I was lost within the first 50 pages, having done a re-read of TO SNAP A SILVER STEM the previous DAY.
Hard pass.
April 2, 2023
Screams angrily in miscommunication trope
March 29, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 CRYSTAL STARS
I am so overwhelmed right now. A mere few words won't be able to fully express how much I love the series. This book is breathtakingly beautiful and devastating at the same time. I sobbed and laughed and felt everything what Orlaith was feeling- pain, sorrow, guilt, shame.
I am so proud of Orlaith in this book. I love that she is totally flawed and not some typical female character who has to oh so perfect girl. Her journey is one of the most beautiful thing I've experienced. I can understand her every action and reaction. It is always so real. The way she is blooming more and more each day, I waiting for that day with a bated breath on which she blooms completely and how she turns out to be.
As we dive into the book, we see more of the complex and dark world. Many secrets are revealed, many questions are answered, which we had since the first book but at the same times more questions are raised than ever, more secrets are packed and hidden away. To be honest, I wasn't expecting the reveals to so shocking, I thought I had it figured out but oh my my, I was so wrong.
S. A. Parker didn't hesitate to show us the dark and deprave things of Orlaith's world. What we are shown is just barely a scratch on the surface of the world. I am so intrigued with the complex world weaving and the lore. I can't wait to explore more.
There are multiple POVs like previous book in the series. It gives us an insight into other characters' mind and life. I am very surprised by the fact that none of the characters are truly bad or truly good. All of them are morally grey and complicated. I won't be able to talk about this more because those would be spoilers.
I would really love that you would jump into this book without any expectations and even minor spoilers so that you get to experience everything on your own. As you know, this is a character-driven story, you must be patient. This one surely has more pace than To Snap A Silver Stem and I loved every second of it.
I consider this series as the one of the finest Dark Fantasy Romance. It has everything from flawed and morally grey characters, phenomenal world building, surprising plot twists to action scenes, angst, tension, romance and portrayal of dark and gritty things. I would Highly recommend this series to all my dark fantasy lovers.
I truly thank Sarah for this wonderful book.
I know this book hasn't been released yet but I already want to have my hands on book 4 right away.
TWs- explicit dark and graphic scenes.
Thank you Sarah for gifting me an eARC.
5 CRYSTAL STARS
“I know the hurt is loud, but it won’t always be.” He holds my hands, like they’re butterflies caught in a warm hug. “One day it’ll stop screaming at you. It’ll become nothing more than a whisper.”
I am so overwhelmed right now. A mere few words won't be able to fully express how much I love the series. This book is breathtakingly beautiful and devastating at the same time. I sobbed and laughed and felt everything what Orlaith was feeling- pain, sorrow, guilt, shame.
I am so proud of Orlaith in this book. I love that she is totally flawed and not some typical female character who has to oh so perfect girl. Her journey is one of the most beautiful thing I've experienced. I can understand her every action and reaction. It is always so real. The way she is blooming more and more each day, I waiting for that day with a bated breath on which she blooms completely and how she turns out to be.
As we dive into the book, we see more of the complex and dark world. Many secrets are revealed, many questions are answered, which we had since the first book but at the same times more questions are raised than ever, more secrets are packed and hidden away. To be honest, I wasn't expecting the reveals to so shocking, I thought I had it figured out but oh my my, I was so wrong.
S. A. Parker didn't hesitate to show us the dark and deprave things of Orlaith's world. What we are shown is just barely a scratch on the surface of the world. I am so intrigued with the complex world weaving and the lore. I can't wait to explore more.
There are multiple POVs like previous book in the series. It gives us an insight into other characters' mind and life. I am very surprised by the fact that none of the characters are truly bad or truly good. All of them are morally grey and complicated. I won't be able to talk about this more because those would be spoilers.
I would really love that you would jump into this book without any expectations and even minor spoilers so that you get to experience everything on your own. As you know, this is a character-driven story, you must be patient. This one surely has more pace than To Snap A Silver Stem and I loved every second of it.
I consider this series as the one of the finest Dark Fantasy Romance. It has everything from flawed and morally grey characters, phenomenal world building, surprising plot twists to action scenes, angst, tension, romance and portrayal of dark and gritty things. I would Highly recommend this series to all my dark fantasy lovers.
I truly thank Sarah for this wonderful book.
I know this book hasn't been released yet but I already want to have my hands on book 4 right away.
TWs- explicit dark and graphic scenes.
But fear is a luxury I can no longer afford— not for myself.
Thank you Sarah for gifting me an eARC.
May 25, 2024
alexa, play:
guilty conscience - tate mcrae
dream girl evil - florence + the machine
I'm a selfish person with no shoes and no sense of the world, leaving a trail of destruction, self-detonating because my own actions hurt.
orlaith’s try-not-to-piss-me-off challenge: FAILED
i mean, really, i can’t blame her all that much. she was sheltered and not told anything about the world before she was thrown out into it and expected to manage. she did really start to come into her own near the end. trauma does make you mature a lot faster.
I'm not the same person I was. I have new scars and cracks in places that weren't there before. The soles of my feet are splintered from a field of thistles I sprinted through to get here.
i struggled with all the flowery prose(thank you bruna) for the first 20% of this book. i really had no idea what i was reading, it was lowkey exhausting. HOWEVER, the beginning made a lot more sense during the latter part of the book once context was given and some truths were revealed. i absolutely devoured the last 50%. i don’t really want to say much because spoilers but CHEFS KISS. it was delicious. i will definitely be finishing this series.
guilty conscience - tate mcrae
dream girl evil - florence + the machine
I'm a selfish person with no shoes and no sense of the world, leaving a trail of destruction, self-detonating because my own actions hurt.
orlaith’s try-not-to-piss-me-off challenge: FAILED
i mean, really, i can’t blame her all that much. she was sheltered and not told anything about the world before she was thrown out into it and expected to manage. she did really start to come into her own near the end. trauma does make you mature a lot faster.
I'm not the same person I was. I have new scars and cracks in places that weren't there before. The soles of my feet are splintered from a field of thistles I sprinted through to get here.
i struggled with all the flowery prose
April 8, 2023
This was already a favourite series of mine after B1&2… but B3 To Flame a Wildflower absolutely BLEW MY MIND ❤️🔥 in all the best ways.
It was just so full…
Full of answers (finally)
Full of more questions (yes more)
Full of the most poetic prose that grips you with imagery & emotion & doesn’t let you go until the last word,
Full of intrigue & character development,
Full of trauma & confronting topics,
Full of strength & love,
Full of pain,
Full of healing…
This book is one of those ones where it’s MORE THAN 5 ⭐️ - it’s ♾♾♾
Never have I been so enthralled by a story,
Wanting to know the answers so desperately,
In so much pain for the characters,
Kept on the edge of my seat for HALF the book - How she managed to keep that level of intensity from 50% to 70% I will never know!?!
The healing of certain relationships was so well executed I can hardly explain it… but it was just what my heart needed.
It was 3 books worth of twisty turns to get to this point & I was eating it up!
One thing I really love about this series is how the author deliberately leaves out information so you make assumptions on what is happening (from previous books & tropes you have read) which then later, when she reveals the threads she has woven together, you look back & realise it was all there to begin with - but you are the one who made the assumptions!
It was an unreliable narrator, & limited povs that gave you little tid bits & questions & you filled in the blanks… but what it really is, is something else entirely - it’s utter genius
I normally gravitate towards strong & sassy fmcs, which some people may not see Orlaith as being. But to me she epitomises true strength. Because she ALWAYS makes the hard decision. Not the easy one, or the one that will gain her something, it’s not always the right decision either. But it’s the ones that she needs to make to help her healing (or her motivation is a selfless act to save others)
Her trauma is palpable & visceral & even though she doesn’t feel worthy & she feels like a monster, she is trying ✨
The mental health rep in this book is unmatched. I truly understand every decision (bad or otherwise) she has made, because the author has written such a 3 dimensional character.
I have SO many theories,
But I also know that Sarah has us in the palm of her hand,
She knows where she is steering the ship & I am just along for the ride.
It was just so full…
Full of answers (finally)
Full of more questions (yes more)
Full of the most poetic prose that grips you with imagery & emotion & doesn’t let you go until the last word,
Full of intrigue & character development,
Full of trauma & confronting topics,
Full of strength & love,
Full of pain,
Full of healing…
This book is one of those ones where it’s MORE THAN 5 ⭐️ - it’s ♾♾♾
Never have I been so enthralled by a story,
Wanting to know the answers so desperately,
In so much pain for the characters,
Kept on the edge of my seat for HALF the book - How she managed to keep that level of intensity from 50% to 70% I will never know!?!
The healing of certain relationships was so well executed I can hardly explain it… but it was just what my heart needed.
It was 3 books worth of twisty turns to get to this point & I was eating it up!
One thing I really love about this series is how the author deliberately leaves out information so you make assumptions on what is happening (from previous books & tropes you have read) which then later, when she reveals the threads she has woven together, you look back & realise it was all there to begin with - but you are the one who made the assumptions!
It was an unreliable narrator, & limited povs that gave you little tid bits & questions & you filled in the blanks… but what it really is, is something else entirely - it’s utter genius
I normally gravitate towards strong & sassy fmcs, which some people may not see Orlaith as being. But to me she epitomises true strength. Because she ALWAYS makes the hard decision. Not the easy one, or the one that will gain her something, it’s not always the right decision either. But it’s the ones that she needs to make to help her healing (or her motivation is a selfless act to save others)
Her trauma is palpable & visceral & even though she doesn’t feel worthy & she feels like a monster, she is trying ✨
The mental health rep in this book is unmatched. I truly understand every decision (bad or otherwise) she has made, because the author has written such a 3 dimensional character.
I have SO many theories,
But I also know that Sarah has us in the palm of her hand,
She knows where she is steering the ship & I am just along for the ride.
May 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I know the hurt is loud, but it won't always be. One day it'll stop screaming at you. It'll become nothing more than a whisper."
This haunting 3rd installment to the Crystal Bloom series plants us immediately back into Orlaith's dark and gritty world. Nestled among the shadowy repercussions of Orlaith's choices, we finally begin to see streaks of light cutting through the unrelenting darkness and uncertainty of her past, present, and future.
As Sarah's immense world continues to expand, we get to learn more about each character inside and out. Long-held secrets are revealed, but in true Sarah fashion, more sprout in their wake.
This is Dark Fantasy at its finest. Gritty. Real. Twisted. Emotional. However, in Flame, we also have moments of joy and light that help soothe the sting of Stem's abrupt end.
What truly sets this story apart is its characters. All of them are wonderfully morally grey and complicated, but Orlaith is one of my favorite characters of all time. She is hauntingly and tangibly real. A fully fledged person with flaws and self-destructive tendencies, hobbies, people she loves, demons inside of her fighting to come to light. We truly see Orlaith grow in Flame and watching her vulnerability, strength, and tenacity start to sprout was so gratifying.
To Flame a Wild Flower is a book for people who have ever felt like they couldn't go on, but did. It is a book for people who have found themselves lacking but allowed themselves to feel goodness, love, or forgiveness anyway. It is a book about hope. About defying fate, despite the uncertainty of each new day. It is a book about people with loud hurts, brave enough to wait for the days when all they hear are whispers.
One of my favorite series of all time. Thank you Sarah A. Parker for your words.
This is an ARC review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
"I know the hurt is loud, but it won't always be. One day it'll stop screaming at you. It'll become nothing more than a whisper."
This haunting 3rd installment to the Crystal Bloom series plants us immediately back into Orlaith's dark and gritty world. Nestled among the shadowy repercussions of Orlaith's choices, we finally begin to see streaks of light cutting through the unrelenting darkness and uncertainty of her past, present, and future.
As Sarah's immense world continues to expand, we get to learn more about each character inside and out. Long-held secrets are revealed, but in true Sarah fashion, more sprout in their wake.
This is Dark Fantasy at its finest. Gritty. Real. Twisted. Emotional. However, in Flame, we also have moments of joy and light that help soothe the sting of Stem's abrupt end.
What truly sets this story apart is its characters. All of them are wonderfully morally grey and complicated, but Orlaith is one of my favorite characters of all time. She is hauntingly and tangibly real. A fully fledged person with flaws and self-destructive tendencies, hobbies, people she loves, demons inside of her fighting to come to light. We truly see Orlaith grow in Flame and watching her vulnerability, strength, and tenacity start to sprout was so gratifying.
To Flame a Wild Flower is a book for people who have ever felt like they couldn't go on, but did. It is a book for people who have found themselves lacking but allowed themselves to feel goodness, love, or forgiveness anyway. It is a book about hope. About defying fate, despite the uncertainty of each new day. It is a book about people with loud hurts, brave enough to wait for the days when all they hear are whispers.
One of my favorite series of all time. Thank you Sarah A. Parker for your words.
This is an ARC review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 6, 2023
"Your first mistake was assuming a measly four-letter word could encapsulate the way I feel for her. Your second was assuming I’ll ever let her go.”
OMG 😭😭😭
I am DAZED.
Where do I even begin? I don’t know what to do with myself.
This story has pierced my heart and planted itself in my soul. Embedded itself. And this review will not nearly convey how much I mean that. I am changed. The emotional impact of this book fully hit me a few hours after I finished it. And I'm still in a trance. Reliving it over and over. Wanting to dive back in for the first time... and never leave.
This installment felt infinitely beautiful and tragic in the best sort of way. It dazzled and consumed me. Gripped me! Tore at my heart. Healed it. Tore it up again. Left it in a puddle. So many questions were answered and yet so many sprouted and remain...
My insides were in knots, an utter tangled mess of knots, from start to finish. I held on to every word of this story with bated breath, gobbling up the words. Some moments were agonizing to get through. Edge of your seat, hand to mouth, internal screaming, can't-process-the-words-fast-enough kind of mood. The stress and worry I have for these characters is REAL. Other moments I wanted to endlessly live in. And cradle close. Just like Laith.
All the stolen moments. The gravity of realizations. The gritty peril. The danger. The journey of healing. The heart swelling emotion. And pure love. The most beautiful found family that gut-punched me every time they were on the page. Baze. Kai. Zycanth. Mersi. Zane. All the main players truly came into their own in Flame and I’m so excited to see where they're all headed, what’s next for them. I am loving their journeys.
This story’s scale is astounding and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. And the uniqueness of it is striking.
For now, my heart is full yet still wanting more. We are home and I could live in this world without end.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
— my favorite romantasy trope (that would be a spoiler so here's the placeholder for it lol)
— one bed
— gods x goddesses
— fae-like beings
— shape shifters
— land x water beasts
— stolen moments
— prophecies
— the feeling of home
— found family
— multiple POVs
“Don’t let me go,” she whispers against my skin. “Never.”
OMG 😭😭😭
I am DAZED.
Where do I even begin? I don’t know what to do with myself.
This story has pierced my heart and planted itself in my soul. Embedded itself. And this review will not nearly convey how much I mean that. I am changed. The emotional impact of this book fully hit me a few hours after I finished it. And I'm still in a trance. Reliving it over and over. Wanting to dive back in for the first time... and never leave.
This installment felt infinitely beautiful and tragic in the best sort of way. It dazzled and consumed me. Gripped me! Tore at my heart. Healed it. Tore it up again. Left it in a puddle. So many questions were answered and yet so many sprouted and remain...
My insides were in knots, an utter tangled mess of knots, from start to finish. I held on to every word of this story with bated breath, gobbling up the words. Some moments were agonizing to get through. Edge of your seat, hand to mouth, internal screaming, can't-process-the-words-fast-enough kind of mood. The stress and worry I have for these characters is REAL. Other moments I wanted to endlessly live in. And cradle close. Just like Laith.
All the stolen moments. The gravity of realizations. The gritty peril. The danger. The journey of healing. The heart swelling emotion. And pure love. The most beautiful found family that gut-punched me every time they were on the page. Baze. Kai. Zycanth. Mersi. Zane. All the main players truly came into their own in Flame and I’m so excited to see where they're all headed, what’s next for them. I am loving their journeys.
This story’s scale is astounding and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. And the uniqueness of it is striking.
For now, my heart is full yet still wanting more. We are home and I could live in this world without end.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
— my favorite romantasy trope (that would be a spoiler so here's the placeholder for it lol)
— one bed
— gods x goddesses
— fae-like beings
— shape shifters
— land x water beasts
— stolen moments
— prophecies
— the feeling of home
— found family
— multiple POVs
“Don’t let me go,” she whispers against my skin. “Never.”
April 6, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
If I have to read the words “dome” or “inky tendrils” one more time I might spontaneously combust.
This series started off strong but good lord has it become a slog. I wished this was the final book so I didn’t have to keep reading to know the ending.
If I have to read the words “dome” or “inky tendrils” one more time I might spontaneously combust.
This series started off strong but good lord has it become a slog. I wished this was the final book so I didn’t have to keep reading to know the ending.
April 1, 2023
the series isn’t finished after this book
Here’s my issue with this series, when there are action scenes, the writing is BEAUTIFUL, CAPTIVATING, SUSPENSEFUL
However!!
The relationships that she has crafted are toxic, frustratingly vague in their motivations, and don’t make me want to hope they end up together, we know they will because of the nature of the story, but both main characters are so caged up in their feelings for each other that it’s not fun to read their love story.
The best part of the book was Orlaith living her life without him and having to fight for herself and discover who she is, and then he comes back and I hate her again.
I think the main issue that this happened is that the author doesn’t set us up to like the live match in the first book, she’s a naive child and he treats her like garbage cause he’s “pushing her away” but it just comes off as creepy now, it’s very disappointing. I think it could have used a major edit in their beginnings for use to want them to end up together.
This is a good story, and then the main characters interact and I question my entire reason for reading this in the first place.
I kept going because I wanted it to get better once they decided to accept each other but I’m concerned it’ll never happen.
Unsure if I keep my eyes open for the next book. Maybe if there’s nothing else to read at the time.
Here’s my issue with this series, when there are action scenes, the writing is BEAUTIFUL, CAPTIVATING, SUSPENSEFUL
However!!
The relationships that she has crafted are toxic, frustratingly vague in their motivations, and don’t make me want to hope they end up together, we know they will because of the nature of the story, but both main characters are so caged up in their feelings for each other that it’s not fun to read their love story.
The best part of the book was Orlaith living her life without him and having to fight for herself and discover who she is, and then he comes back and I hate her again.
I think the main issue that this happened is that the author doesn’t set us up to like the live match in the first book, she’s a naive child and he treats her like garbage cause he’s “pushing her away” but it just comes off as creepy now, it’s very disappointing. I think it could have used a major edit in their beginnings for use to want them to end up together.
This is a good story, and then the main characters interact and I question my entire reason for reading this in the first place.
I kept going because I wanted it to get better once they decided to accept each other but I’m concerned it’ll never happen.
Unsure if I keep my eyes open for the next book. Maybe if there’s nothing else to read at the time.
June 30, 2025
“We’re two monsters in the dark, painful secrets lodged between us like dual-tipped spikes. I can’t move any closer without hurting him, and I won’t…not again”
Here I was thinking this was a completed trilogy, it’s not! Where is book 4? Sarah has me in the palm of her hand! Obsessed with this world and characters.
Here I was thinking this was a completed trilogy, it’s not! Where is book 4? Sarah has me in the palm of her hand! Obsessed with this world and characters.
January 30, 2025
2.5 stars I was debating giving this 3 stars but when I think about it... I don't even know what I read? the story was so disjointed and kind of messy and these are not the characters or the story I fell in love with in the first book. In the beginning I was wondering if I just wasn't understanding the writing but honestly I just don't think it was the most comprehensive? idk.
Also, I can only deal with Orlaith's constant self loathing and spiralling repetitive thoughts for so long. It was exhausting. I felt like everything she did was stupid. I actually kind of think she's an idiot. Like yes obviously Cainon the asshole manipulated you. And the next stupid thing she does is take off her necklace and show this VERY CLEARLY EVIL man who she is and HOW she's been able to hide herself. Why girl why? I couldn't understand why she went back to him and played the docile lover in the first place since it clearly wasn’t helping her. Whenever she shows a bit of backbone and Cainon gets the upper hand she backs down and it's so frustrating. Like it gets to a certain point where I don't even care what she does anymore because I know it’s gonna be some more stupid shit. All I can really say for her is she needs intensive therapy.
As for her and Rhordyn, it took so long for him to come back into the narrative, and when he did come, it didn't really fill me with the same intrigue as in the first or even second book. And now they're mated and in love and blah blah blah, what else is new in a fantasy book? At this point, will I even be reading the next one?
And Kai? I had to CRAWL through his POV with Vicious.
shoutout to Baze and Zali respectively for kind of moving the plot forward
I hate that I'm trashing on this book so much, especially when I know the author is capable of writing such intriguing characters but I think it’s just lost a bit of direction from where it first started.
Also, I can only deal with Orlaith's constant self loathing and spiralling repetitive thoughts for so long. It was exhausting. I felt like everything she did was stupid. I actually kind of think she's an idiot. Like yes obviously Cainon the asshole manipulated you. And the next stupid thing she does is take off her necklace and show this VERY CLEARLY EVIL man who she is and HOW she's been able to hide herself. Why girl why? I couldn't understand why she went back to him and played the docile lover in the first place since it clearly wasn’t helping her. Whenever she shows a bit of backbone and Cainon gets the upper hand she backs down and it's so frustrating. Like it gets to a certain point where I don't even care what she does anymore because I know it’s gonna be some more stupid shit. All I can really say for her is she needs intensive therapy.
As for her and Rhordyn, it took so long for him to come back into the narrative, and when he did come, it didn't really fill me with the same intrigue as in the first or even second book. And now they're mated and in love and blah blah blah, what else is new in a fantasy book? At this point, will I even be reading the next one?
And Kai? I had to CRAWL through his POV with Vicious.
shoutout to Baze and Zali respectively for kind of moving the plot forward
I hate that I'm trashing on this book so much, especially when I know the author is capable of writing such intriguing characters but I think it’s just lost a bit of direction from where it first started.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2023
Okay update: my review since reading Flame. This came out at 11 pm for me on the 29th of March and I stayed up till 5 am reading, and then I finished it on March 30th at nearly midnight, so I am running very low on sleep and brains.
This book is marvelous. Wonderful.
It is such a hard, difficult read because it deals with such hard topics. Loss, death, grieving, love, hurt, betrayal....
But whew this was beautiful. This made my heart feel whole. Sarah has a way of creating characters who live in the middle ground...not good or evil but in some gray shadow in between. There were times when I disliked Orlaith, and times when I loved her and hurt for her. And times when I felt certain ways about other characters (let me just say that Baze is my favorite of all). I've come to love these characters, and they are familiar to me, and it is so sad closing a book and knowing that there is a long wait until the next one. I'm so excited to see where this goes next. To see Orlaith continue to grow and heal and take control of whatever that power is that she has and use it and wield it.
When my brain is not mush, I'll come back here and update with my theories. Overall, best book of the series (so far)
ALSO: My prediction for the next books name is:
To Tame A Tangled Thread
🥀🌋😭🤯
This book is marvelous. Wonderful.
It is such a hard, difficult read because it deals with such hard topics. Loss, death, grieving, love, hurt, betrayal....
But whew this was beautiful. This made my heart feel whole. Sarah has a way of creating characters who live in the middle ground...not good or evil but in some gray shadow in between. There were times when I disliked Orlaith, and times when I loved her and hurt for her. And times when I felt certain ways about other characters (let me just say that Baze is my favorite of all). I've come to love these characters, and they are familiar to me, and it is so sad closing a book and knowing that there is a long wait until the next one. I'm so excited to see where this goes next. To see Orlaith continue to grow and heal and take control of whatever that power is that she has and use it and wield it.
When my brain is not mush, I'll come back here and update with my theories. Overall, best book of the series (so far)
ALSO: My prediction for the next books name is:
To Tame A Tangled Thread
🥀🌋😭🤯
April 5, 2023
DNF, 17%
You may say that I didn’t give it enough of a chance… but I assure you I did. I swear she uses so many words in bizarre and not fully accurate ways. Like she had a good, sensible sentence written and then grabbed her thesaurus. It’s so frustrating.
And the way the story is told is so disjointed. Nothing flows nicely. And Orlaith is honestly just a big bumbling fool. I get that she is sheltered but I can’t make sense of her motivations.
Frustrating and not worth wasting more of my time, even with the cliffhanger from the last book hanging over my head.
You may say that I didn’t give it enough of a chance… but I assure you I did. I swear she uses so many words in bizarre and not fully accurate ways. Like she had a good, sensible sentence written and then grabbed her thesaurus. It’s so frustrating.
And the way the story is told is so disjointed. Nothing flows nicely. And Orlaith is honestly just a big bumbling fool. I get that she is sheltered but I can’t make sense of her motivations.
Frustrating and not worth wasting more of my time, even with the cliffhanger from the last book hanging over my head.
September 24, 2023
I’m not sure why I feel compelled to keep reading these books. The author has good story ideas, but the execution just doesn’t work for me. Here’s just a random list of thoughts I’ve had reading these books:
- I feel like I must be dumb because the ratings on these books are so high but I literally can’t understand what’s happening in the story. Sometimes I have to reread a page because I’m like, wait, what?? And not like “wow, amazing” like “I don’t understand what just happened. Did something happen? I can’t tell.” But at the same time, the writing can be kind of pretty at times and the author certainly has a variety of ways to communicate emotions. So the writing is both good and bad. It’s confusing.
- I have zero understanding of the world. I don’t understand the various political groups, where nations are in relation to each other, how large the world is, etc. I don’t understand the gods, the magic, the various beings (what they look like, what they do, why they do it, etc). And this is 3 books in at this point. I still don’t understand anything. I feel like the author does understand her world because characters will have conversations that sounds like they know what they’re talking about, but I feel like a child listening in on the adults talking and I don’t understand what’s happening. Again, either I’m dumb and everyone else gets it, or the author just isn’t explaining this stuff well.
- all the POVs felt unnecessary
- still don’t understand why Kai exists or why he gives a crap about Orlaith because she’s terrible. Speaking of Orlaith…
- Orlaith is one of the worst FMCs I’ve ever read. For three books now she’s had TSTL syndrome (too stupid to live). She’s immature and incapable of learning from her mistakes. One of my fav situations in this book: after having self-reflection, she decides that she really needs to think things through better (you know, after she murders Rhordyn based on info from someone she doesn’t like without talking to R about it), and she decides Tali is someone she should listen to. Tali tells Orlaith to stay in this hotel room and to absolutely not tell anyone R is dead. So what does she do? 2 seconds later she jumps out the window, climbs over the city wall where there’s all these random diseased people and almost gets touched. Then she immediately gets captured by Mr. Bad Guy (but like, why is he so bad? Still don’t get it). Mr. Bad Guy (Cainon) asks her, hey, did you kill R? She immediately confesses. I died. What happened to that introspection???!?
- Orlaith gets another bullet point because I’m not done with her. Her character is all over the place. For the first half of this book she’s blabbing stuff to people she shouldn’t (see point above), then when R returns (because obviously he can’t die) she won’t freaking talk to him. She just keeps avoiding him, even though when she thought he was dead she kept wishing for another chance to talk to him. Like, what?
- I don’t understand how things escalated to the point where Orlaith was on death’s door at the end. It just felt… unnatural? And then she was in Kai’s giant mouth? See I’m just confused. What. Is. Happening?
- now there’s some prophecy about how Orlaith is going to die? But she’s supposed to save the world? From what, exactly? NO IDEA.
- I could not read the fancy fonts used for things like the prophecy. Looks pretty, but if we can’t read it…
I may come back and add thoughts. These books mess with me. Will I read the next one? Probably. And it’ll probably make me mad. I just want something to make sense.
- I feel like I must be dumb because the ratings on these books are so high but I literally can’t understand what’s happening in the story. Sometimes I have to reread a page because I’m like, wait, what?? And not like “wow, amazing” like “I don’t understand what just happened. Did something happen? I can’t tell.” But at the same time, the writing can be kind of pretty at times and the author certainly has a variety of ways to communicate emotions. So the writing is both good and bad. It’s confusing.
- I have zero understanding of the world. I don’t understand the various political groups, where nations are in relation to each other, how large the world is, etc. I don’t understand the gods, the magic, the various beings (what they look like, what they do, why they do it, etc). And this is 3 books in at this point. I still don’t understand anything. I feel like the author does understand her world because characters will have conversations that sounds like they know what they’re talking about, but I feel like a child listening in on the adults talking and I don’t understand what’s happening. Again, either I’m dumb and everyone else gets it, or the author just isn’t explaining this stuff well.
- all the POVs felt unnecessary
- still don’t understand why Kai exists or why he gives a crap about Orlaith because she’s terrible. Speaking of Orlaith…
- Orlaith is one of the worst FMCs I’ve ever read. For three books now she’s had TSTL syndrome (too stupid to live). She’s immature and incapable of learning from her mistakes. One of my fav situations in this book: after having self-reflection, she decides that she really needs to think things through better (you know, after she murders Rhordyn based on info from someone she doesn’t like without talking to R about it), and she decides Tali is someone she should listen to. Tali tells Orlaith to stay in this hotel room and to absolutely not tell anyone R is dead. So what does she do? 2 seconds later she jumps out the window, climbs over the city wall where there’s all these random diseased people and almost gets touched. Then she immediately gets captured by Mr. Bad Guy (but like, why is he so bad? Still don’t get it). Mr. Bad Guy (Cainon) asks her, hey, did you kill R? She immediately confesses. I died. What happened to that introspection???!?
- Orlaith gets another bullet point because I’m not done with her. Her character is all over the place. For the first half of this book she’s blabbing stuff to people she shouldn’t (see point above), then when R returns (because obviously he can’t die) she won’t freaking talk to him. She just keeps avoiding him, even though when she thought he was dead she kept wishing for another chance to talk to him. Like, what?
- I don’t understand how things escalated to the point where Orlaith was on death’s door at the end. It just felt… unnatural? And then she was in Kai’s giant mouth? See I’m just confused. What. Is. Happening?
- now there’s some prophecy about how Orlaith is going to die? But she’s supposed to save the world? From what, exactly? NO IDEA.
- I could not read the fancy fonts used for things like the prophecy. Looks pretty, but if we can’t read it…
I may come back and add thoughts. These books mess with me. Will I read the next one? Probably. And it’ll probably make me mad. I just want something to make sense.
April 1, 2023
This is basically illegible.
March 29, 2023
To Flame a Wild Flower Scorches at Every Level!
I’m lucky to be on Sarah A. Parker’s ARC team and my expectations were so high for this release I feared that TFAWF would fall short instead it shattered those expectations of mine and To Bleed a Crystal Bloom series is firmly rooted in my heart 💜
If you read The first two books in this epic dark romantic fantasy series, you are well aware of how many questions and secrets are skillfully woven in this tale and we finally get some insight! I don’t want to give any spoilers but I will say this, it’s the best book out of the series and it’s a roller coaster of emotions. The masks start to come off in this installment and the twists and turns will leave you stunned.
If you think you really know who these characters are, I assure you that new depths are revealed. It’s not often you come across a dark romance fantasy with a solid plot, machinations, mythology and a slow burn that actually pays off in spades! Orlaith has so much ahead of her and I’m already anticipating the next release!!!
I’m lucky to be on Sarah A. Parker’s ARC team and my expectations were so high for this release I feared that TFAWF would fall short instead it shattered those expectations of mine and To Bleed a Crystal Bloom series is firmly rooted in my heart 💜
If you read The first two books in this epic dark romantic fantasy series, you are well aware of how many questions and secrets are skillfully woven in this tale and we finally get some insight! I don’t want to give any spoilers but I will say this, it’s the best book out of the series and it’s a roller coaster of emotions. The masks start to come off in this installment and the twists and turns will leave you stunned.
If you think you really know who these characters are, I assure you that new depths are revealed. It’s not often you come across a dark romance fantasy with a solid plot, machinations, mythology and a slow burn that actually pays off in spades! Orlaith has so much ahead of her and I’m already anticipating the next release!!!
September 10, 2024
This has gone straight to the top of my favourites and has positively ruined me for all future books.
I will think about this book for infinity. Emotionally, you really go through it with this book but at the same time it heals you. I am completely in awe of this world, and Sarah’s writing and her characters. It’s the most beautiful reading experience.
I loved this book more than words can say and it will stay in my heart forever.
I will think about this book for infinity. Emotionally, you really go through it with this book but at the same time it heals you. I am completely in awe of this world, and Sarah’s writing and her characters. It’s the most beautiful reading experience.
I loved this book more than words can say and it will stay in my heart forever.
June 6, 2023
So... flame was a bloodbath.
This book destroyed me... genuinely killed me a bit.
I'll be back with a review when I can function like a normal human being again.
This book destroyed me... genuinely killed me a bit.
I'll be back with a review when I can function like a normal human being again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2023
need the next book immediately
September 7, 2025
I LOVED THIS!!
March 28, 2023
To Flame a Wild Flower was my most anticipated book of 2023. After being completely enraptured by book 1 and 2, I had extremely high expectations for book 3. I have been completely blown away by the absolute majesty of this series.
From beginning to end there was no single part of this book that I could have gone without, no single detail that I don’t think brought this story to life.
A measly four-letter word could never encapsulate the way I feel about this this book, this series and these characters.
Thank you Sarah for this absolutely devastating, heart wrenching, divine and powerful story.
I count myself incredibly lucky to be apart of Sarah ARC team and this in no way changes my thoughts or my honest review.
From beginning to end there was no single part of this book that I could have gone without, no single detail that I don’t think brought this story to life.
A measly four-letter word could never encapsulate the way I feel about this this book, this series and these characters.
Thank you Sarah for this absolutely devastating, heart wrenching, divine and powerful story.
I count myself incredibly lucky to be apart of Sarah ARC team and this in no way changes my thoughts or my honest review.
April 8, 2023
I’m not mad, I’m just…disappointed. I struggled to focus until about 80% and then it blasted through to the weirdest, fast, I-don’t-even-know ending. I’m wondering if I should’ve reread the first two before going into this because I swear I have more questions than answers. Wtf.
July 3, 2023
i survived a hell of my own doing!
October 8, 2023
I don't really know what to say or think because this series has made my heart so heavy... so I'll just quote this line,
" I'll be a flower in your garden." 🥀
" I'll be a flower in your garden." 🥀
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