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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
Absolute perfection. I beyond enjoyed savoring this re-read. Book 4 can’t get into my hands fast enough!
dark
medium-paced
I finished this book about 10 days ago and have read 5+ books since then and I just can’t stop thinking about it. I miss Sarah’s writing and I miss Orlaith!! Can’t wait to jump back into this world with book 4.
4.5/5 stars. Wow this book was the best of the series. So much action but still a lot more questions that aren’t answered so we def need the 4th book out. (Think queen of shadows when there’s so much going on but it’s not the end of the series). When I say slow burn I mean SLLLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW BUUUUUURRRRRRRRRNNNNN. That’s a love it or hate it thing. It is a dark fantasy so the trauma is real. Still don’t really understand Kai’s play in all this or vicious; and it was still whiplash-y so that’s why it’s not a 5. The writing is AMAZING the story telling is great just slow.
Spice level 4/5 when it happened (like 1or2 scenes)
Spice level 4/5 when it happened (like 1or2 scenes)
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“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.
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.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the way I knew it was coming but it was still so unexpected