Shelby Henderson’s Reviews > To Bleed a Crystal Bloom > Status Update

This book is written mainly from the FMCs POV - meaning that the reader is kept in the dark just as much as Orlaith, and that her thoughts and reactions are from the POV of a sheltered teen. There is definitely character development throughout for Orlaith, which is a relief at times. I am not currently rooting for her and the MMC to miraculously get together - they don’t have compatible personalities.

I love a forbidden romance trope, so the fact that the MMC is her guardian doesn’t bother me - especially as they make it very clear he has barely been around for her & has certainly never been a father to her.
I walk a fine line with a bully romance trope though - this once crosses it at times. The MMC raised her in ignorance and sheltered her, then lashes out at her for being ignorant and ‘without a life’.

The book is written almost entirely from the FMCs point of view. So far there have only been four chapters from two men’s POV total, and they haven’t been full of yearning or much turmoil. The author gives us hints of the men’s feelings, but not enough for a picture. The writing leaves the reader full of questions. The FMC is entirely self-absorbed & both childish which is hard to digest from her POV at times.

The world is beautiful, the characters intriguing. You’ll want to be familiar with reading about fae mates and primal behaviour to understand parts of this book. There’s a lack of connection between events and character history - I’m trusting the author to fill in the gaps eventually! I wish I knew how old some of the MMCs are for reference. The FMC is immature, volatile, unworldly, and screams a lot.