Creative Blog Tour: To Bleed A Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker
To Bleed A Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker
Please meet my new romantasy addiction - To Bleed A Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker 🙌🏻 - a new, dark, adult romantasy series; a rapunzel reimagining with unrequited love. Romantasy fans EVERYWHERE need this book ASAP!! It's haunting, mysterious, and breathtakingly beautiful. Be ready to have your heart ripped out in the best way 💔 And today is my creative blog tour stop with MTMC Tours! I’m so excited to talk about all things TBaCB and introduce you to this stunning fairy tale retelling! So, let’s dive in.
“What a pretty flower to keep locked in a big, rocky tower.”
About The Book
To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is the captivating first book in an adult fantasy series full of explosive secrets, breathtaking angst, immersive imagery, and heart-wrenching emotions. Released on July 24th, 2021, it’s also available on Kindle Unlimited! Check out the book details and synopsis below.
Book Details
Title: To Bleed a Crystal Bloom
Series: Crystal Bloom #1
Author: Sarah A. Parker
Publication Date: July 24, 2021
Genres: Adult, Fantasy Romance
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Blackwell’s
Add on Goodreads!
Synopsis
"What a pretty flower to keep locked in a big, rocky tower."
Nineteen years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else.
Small. Fragile.
An enigma.
Now ward to a powerful High Master who knows too much and says too little, I lead a simple life, never straying from the confines of an imaginary line I've drawn around the castle grounds.
Stay within. Never leave.
Out there, the monsters lurk. Inside, I'm safe ... though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily.
Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who's utterly unavailable.
My savior. My protector.
My almost executioner.
I can't help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground.
When voracious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. But in a castle puddled with secrets, none are greater than the one I've kept from myself.
No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds.
To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel reimagining full of immersive imagery and breathtaking angst. A unique new fantasy series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout, guaranteed to grip you from the very first page.
“I’m in love with a man who’ll never be mine—who’s unavailable in every way, shape, and form—and I’m certain it’s going to ruin me.”
The Story
spoiler-free
Holy moly. Okay, so fairy tale retellings are some of my favorite works of fantasy fiction and fantasy romance is just a drool-worthy genre for me! It’s my weakness. So when I heard about this new Rapunzel retelling, I haaaad to have it!! I’d never read a Rapunzel reimagining and oh man, this one takes THE CAKE… and the ice cream… and the frosting. It was AWESOME. Angsty and breathtaking and gut-wrenching and beautiful. All the feels. Seriously. You’ll want to have your heart broken by Sarah because she just does it the most mind-blowing way. A big part of this story is the unrequited love trope, and oh man, was it freaking phenomenal! Buckle up, folks. This story will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions and just have you all in your feels. Add in the playlist Sarah created for it and you’ll be finished. Completely wrecked.
So, upon the start of the story, we first meet Rhordyn and get a glimpse of an intense and intriguing backstory that I can’t wait to find out more of! At the same time, we get our first peek at Orlaith and the power she may, or may not, possess. It’s dark, it’s mysterious. Ominous as well as foreboding. That prologue draws you in immediately! Told from multiple points of view, but mostly Orlaith’s from here on out, we’re introduced to this feisty and fiery female who relies heavily on herself, her daily rituals, her routines, and above all, her Safety Line. Contrary to the original telling of this fairy tale, Laith is not confined to her tower she lovingly coined Stony Stem. No, she’s given, mostly, free reign of the castle she grew up in with only a few areas she’s never been able to get into or investigate. She’s curious and independent and wholeheartedly determined. But while she’s all of these wonderful things, she has a dark past that haunts her every waking moment. Not only is she plagued with night terrors, but certain sounds and noises can cause severe anxiety-induced episodes all stemming from that one night she first met Rhordyn, nineteen years ago. She trains daily with her close friend Baze, tends to her plants and garden, and spends time painting, and visiting her friends around the castle grounds every day. Rhordyn, however, is an intense, but distant figure in her life. One that she longs for and desperately wishes she could know more intimately. The one ritual that deeply binds them in Laith’s eyes - a nightly drop of blood.
In between all this, Laith comes of age, she has many angsty encounters with Rhordyn, and she discovers that their territory and surrounding kingdom are being plagued by familiar and terrifying monsters. And a sudden and unexpected Conclave and Tribunal held at the castle unravels everything Laith has ever known. Eeeek! Just writing about this story is giving me all the goosebumps and butterflies! This is all your getting, so pick the book up now!!
The Characters
Orlaith, or Laith for short, our reimagined Rapunzel - fierce and determined and utterly powerful.
Rhordyn, High Master of Ocruth, broody and distant but protective and secretive, you can’t really help but love him.
Baze, a close friend of Orlaith and confidant of Rhordyn, he’s our big brother figure in this story.
Kai, one of Laith’s close friends on the castle grounds, there’s definitely more to him than meets the eye!
Cook & Shay, two more of Laith’s friends within and around the grounds. She routinely visits them as part of her daily schedule in the castle.
Conclave & Tribunal Members - We meet some sneaky and bewitching new characters in this group when they start showing up!
Steamometer
🥵🌋 - somewhere between my ovaries are bursting and my body is melting
So while this story wasn’t extremely explicit as far as steam goes, I felt like I was in heat the whole time. It’s seductively tantalizing and if you love a good push and pull, intense romance, you will LOVE. IT. Think angst and longing with a whole bunch of emotions! And all the stolen moments make it feel even more heady while, again, not being very explicit.
For those who are unfamiliar with my Steamometer, check it out below (it’s ever-evolving lol)!
❤️ NICE AND SWEET
💃🏼 SASSY SPICE
🔥 STEAMYYYY GOODNESS
🥵 MY OVARIES ARE BURSTING
🌋 my whole body is on fire and I’m melting
🖤 SMUTASTIC
Book Aesthetic (by me) & Playlist (by Sarah)
So, for my creative piece of my tour, I put together a book aesthetic! This story was so vivid in my mind and just incredibly atmospheric, I couldn’t not put together an aesthetic that spoke to the book’s mood and angst. I’ll be sharing a reel on Instagram later today, that I’ll come back and share here as well, and I also have a board over on Pinterest with even more graphics 😍 I get a little obsessive with these aesthetics. They’re so fun for me. But, here are my top favorite graphics that really represent the book’s tone, atmosphere, and angst-filled heartbreak.
check out my full Pinterest board here
check out my Instagram reel here
Sarah also created a drool-worthy playlist that I have had on repeat since I started the book. It’s phenomenal - there’s more angst and longing and all the moody feels of emotion. Needless to say, I am OBSESSED with it.
Content Warnings
Content warnings are always strange with fantasy reads, but I like to call out things I notice that might be potential triggers for others. It’s done well and enhances, really, the tragedy and, well, despair of the story but with so much underlying hope and growth and positive self progression. Please take them into consideration albeit lightly as this is still fantasy.
Night Terrors - Laith suffers from almost nightly recurrent nightmares from the night Rhordyn rescued her.
Medicinal Drug Use - To combat the terrors and find some type of solace in sleep, she uses a medicinal drug that she heavily and desperately relies on. To counteract its effects, she also takes an upper in the morning.
Severe Anxiety Induced Episodes - Certain noises also cause Laith to recall the night Rhordyn rescued her inducing severe panic and anxiety. Rhordyn is always there for her when these episodes happen, but they are reminiscent of PTSD. Rhordyn and Baze spend much of their time working with Laith to overcome or more easily endure these episodes.
Past Trauma / Phobias - Laith has some major past trauma that we don’t fully know the scope of, but we have a fairly good picture of. It’s also instilled certain phobias within her. One, in particular, is her fear of going beyond, what she calls, her Safety Line, which stretches around the property of the castle.
Overall Thoughts
OMG MY HEART. I’m still screaming internally about this book. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. It’s going to absolutely be one of my favorites and a definite comfort read for all time. I love it so much. It was utterly amazing. I’ll say it again, If you’re a fantasy romance fan, you need to pick this up ASAP!! I am obsessed beyond words and I want everyone else to be too. The writing is mysterious. The story is haunting. When I imagine this world, everything is either black or gray or super muted. Like there’s a haze over everything. Think all things gothic. This world is SO immersive and atmospheric. The prose is poetic and enchanting and effortlessly draws you in. The characters are SO complex and dynamic. Along with just the overall secrecy surrounding EVERYTHING in this book, there’s still so much we’ll find out as readers and I’m hooked by that alone! And jeesh. Rhordyn is IN. TENSE. The unrequited love is painfuuuul. It hurts my heart so much, but he is amazing in the best? worst? way (😂)… I don’t even really know what that means, but there you have it, ha! My heart shattered many times alongside Laith, but HOLY CRAP. WAS. IT. GOOD.
“I refuse to live in a world where you don’t exist.”
The Series
And THANK GAWD. It’s series approved!!! Book 1 in the Crystal Bloom Series only came out at the end of July, but I’ve been chatting it up with Sarah (she is THE BEST!) and her goal for book 2 is around Christmastime this year. So exciting! Apparently, it’s going to be a chunk because her characters are throwing her all kinds of curveballs and wanting to expose all the secrets. HECK YES. I am READY!
About The Author
About Sarah A. Parker:
Sarah is an international bestselling author who also writes under the pen name S.A. Parker. She lives in Australia with her husband and children, and spends her days with her nose in a book or her mind in a world of her own creation. Her genre of choice is epic fantasy romance, and she thrives off dreaming up complex characters and immersive worlds to get lost amongst.
International Instagram Giveaway
Head over to my Instagram account (@LeahsLittlePleasures) to enter the tour giveaway where two lucky readers will win a signed copy of To Bleed a Crystal Bloom and a $25 Amazon gift card! The giveaway ends on August 29th, 2021. The winner will be announced on @mtmctours’ Instagram account.
Shop My Library
Shop To Bleed a Crystal Bloom and my other 2021 reads to date
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Oh hey, friend!
I’m Leah. Cozy connoisseur and bountiful book buyer. I have a minor obsession with getting lost in the pages of a good book, guzzling coffee, and thriving at home. Yoga pants, wine, and essential oils are also my jam. I'm truly just a homebody at heart with a knack for content creation, flatlays & cozy shots. This is my creative space.
