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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Wow that got really good! I found book one to be pretty slow paced and I was a bit bored of the authors use of flowery writing, but book two really took off and the authors writing style really grew on me. I found myself savouring her words oppose to skimming them. This book is quite the ride. At one point I even slammed it shut, toss the book down and couldn't pick it back up for a while because the anxiety of it all was too much! I see a lot of negative reviews that only loved Kai's chapters, but I loved Orlaith's and Baze's. Kai's chapters just confused me, no idea what's going on there or how it ties into everything but I am sure I'll find out in book 3.
not an awful book, just didn’t keep my attention
This book was pretty good, but i’m very excited to get into the next one. There is so much emotion in this series, and i love that!! Although I must say, you should only read this if you’re okay with having a MULTITUDE of questions and also have them go unanswered for long amounts of time. I honestly enjoyed that and liked being in the dark alongside the fmc.
3.5
que desesperante este libro!! lo más interesante acá son los pov de kai y eso que sólo fueron 5
que desesperante este libro!! lo más interesante acá son los pov de kai y eso que sólo fueron 5
adventurous
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
“A smart woman once told me that everything is nothing if you’re in pieces.”
ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 4.3 - 4.5 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ The absolute joy I feel when I find myself rating a book in a series with four stars, especially the second novel, cannot be expressed in simple terms. I can honestly say that this series has me in a chokehold, and God almighty, I never want to escape it. I have been constantly disappointed by the second novels in several series, so you can imagine my astonishment when this one did not disappoint at all; in fact, it fascinated me much more than the first book.
ㅤ "To Snap a Silver Stem" still continues the very dark and gloomy story of the characters, so once again I am reminding you all to keep in mind that this is a dark fantasy book, therefore do not forget that some of the things it presents are not really light, so make sure to read the trigger warnings before starting this series.
ㅤ The second book in the Crystal Bloom series jumps straight back into the action, which was quickly and heartbreakingly cut short in the cliff-hanger of the first book. Despite her good intentions, Orlaith finds herself still unable to escape the clutches of her past, and her heart might not be the easiest thing which's desires one can quench. Her naiveté quickly drives her to realise that the world, which is still unknown to her, is indeed as cruel as she was repeatedly warned about. However, her wild and curious self can definitely not be tamed, and a gilded palace, no matter how beautiful and shining, still hides dark secrets that are waiting to be discovered. Lies are once again coming into view, and even those that hold her heart in the palm of their hands might turn into her worst enemies when some light is shed over their own sinful truths. But do not get too excited, because despite it all, our FMC is still just as easily tricked into believing sweet words and wicked lies, and you will find yourself brimming with annoyance more than once as your mind will work far better than hers in realising the real truth. However, when the object of all her desires turns into something far worse than she could ever imagine, heartbreak might lead one to make the hardest, most painful, and awful of decisions -and truth be told, who could even truly blame Orlaith?
ㅤ As usual, I am struggling to find the perfect words to write a review for a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. But let me do my best and explain briefly about some of the topics below.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ Very similar to the first book, the aspect of the world building is still shrouded in the mystery that you, as a reader, are also thrown into, very much like the FMC of the story herself. Way more things are getting clarified and are coming to light, and if you are reading carefully enough, you are sure to create some of your own theories regarding the world and its own secrets. Normally, I would really hate it for a second book to not clarify so many things concerning the way the imaginary world is created, but somehow, for this specific concept of this book, the mystery and secrets for the world-building simply work. Not to mention, that it actually serves the scope of this novel perfectly: it builds up the anticipation for the future events.
ㅤ I still did not manage to find the right words to perfectly describe the beauty of the writing in this book. I have absolutely NOTHING to say against it. Sarah A. Parker is an absolutely mastermind and one of the most amazing writers and word-crafters I've ever had the opportunity to read the works of. The writing in this book is simply magical.
ㅤ Once again I am getting back at making it very clear that this is a series inclining towards being character-driven, therefore, the action might seem pretty slow-moving for those of you that are more into action-packed writing. The second book in this series, doesn't really bring a change into that pace, but you definitely do not get bored while reading this; there are numerous revelations that drive you to draw so many conclusions and to create so many theories of your own that it all just becomes really engaging. I, for one, considered the pace of this novel to actually be perfectly suitable for this series and I just found myself loving every aspect of it.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ Unlike in my review for the first book, I will hopefully not have just as many tings to talk about concerning the characters. Frustratingly enough, this was also slightly helped by the quite disappointingly slow character progression and development.
ㅤ ❀ Orlaith - Despite realizing how her innocence plays into the evolution of the plot and has the scope of assuring the mystery that the entire story is submerged in, I was so frustrated by her lack of rational judgment and fundamental thinking. Despite her desire to help and become independent, to break free from the chains she believes others have placed on her, she has such terrible character judgment and is easily deceived as a result of her stubbornness. I would have liked to see actual character growth, but this did not happen, and as a result, I am unlikely to give this a 5-star rating. I sincerely hope that the next book will finally push her to become the powerful character that this series deserves, because there is a lot of potential in her.
ㅤ ❀ Rhordyn - This man is climbing my top of book boyfriendsfaster than I'd climb him if he were real. Aside from the continual mysteries he hides and the lack of answers he chooses to provide, this character is utterly, maddeningly phenomenal. I feel sorry for everyone who opted not to continue with this series, for a variety of reasons, because they will lose out on meeting THIS ridiculously fantastic MMC. He is the pure definition of "I would let the entire world burn for you", he has absolutely no moral limits when it comes to defending those he cares about, and he is one of the most intriguing, smart, and selfless characters I have ever read about, despite his claims of being selfish and some sort of villain. He truly provides the ideal balance for Orlaith, bringing everything this novel could otherwise have overlooked. He is still slightly frustratingly secretive, but I am so sure that the revelations about his character in the following books are about to be insane.
ㅤ ❧ The relationship between these two characters is probably the most complex and frustrating one you'll get to read about. The way the secrets seem to play into whatever comes between them and their outcome are entirely soul-crushing. This is the most amazing slow-burn I've ever encountered, and the tension and angst it creates are just out of this world. So, if you enjoy some good share of pain, READ THIS!
ㅤ If you read my review for To Bleed a Crystal Bloom, you will notice that I have brought some points that I noticed in the book, which helped me further clarify the nature of this relationship and some of the things that were highly controversial for a lot of people, even making them stop reading this story. I am very delighted that this book thoroughly defined exactly those points, made a lot of things really apparent regarding the evolution of the connection between Orlaith and Rhordyn, so that now I can fully come and confirm them to you, just in case you decide to give this series a try:
ㅤ 1. Rhordyn is indeed the one that repeatedly tried to push Orlaith to leave her safe-space and indirectly encouraged her to familiarise herself with the harsh world around her. He knew what was coming for her, and he really tried to prepare her to meet the unforgiving world in his own twisted ways.
ㅤ 2. Rhordyn was indeed entirely absent from Orlaith's life and he only started being more involved once she became a mature woman. This is specifically why the book starts with a 21-year-old Orlaith, and not an younger version of herself that held none of these controversial feelings. So, there was indeed NEVER even a master-ward relationship between them.
ㅤ 3. This book marks the slow beginning of the ending for the power imbalance between the two characters, and this is made clear especially at the very end of the book. Which makes perfect sense, since this is a very slow slow-burn romance.
ㅤ 4. Live, laugh, love Rhordyn! ♥ that's all.
ㅤㅤ ❀ Baze - BRING MY CINNAMON ROLL BACK AND GIVE ME MORE OF HIM RIGHT NOW!! How dare you take my moral support away from me and give me just a few very short chapters of him???
ㅤㅤ ❀ Cainon - A former psychotic b*tch in the making, now successfully becoming a full-time psychotic b*tch. I knew I was right.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ The ending of the first book was already the cause of a lot of anger and possibly heart issues for me, but it is absolutely cruel to go on and give me an even bigger pain, anguish, and fury with the ending of this second book. I do not think there are enough words in this world to describe the trip to Hell the very last pages of this book made me take. I am genuinely another person after reading this book, and I thank all the Gods above that they brought me this series at a time when the next book is already released, because otherwise I would not have been responsible for the person I would have become if I had to wait for the sequel to come out. I genuinely have nothingbeautiful/kind/calm/appreciative to say about this ending apart from: it is pure pain given form on a page in a book and you should all definitely read and experience it.
ㅤ For me, this series clearly became one of my best reads of the year and I am entirely captivated and ruined all at once by the beauty of this world and the words scattered on the pages of this series. The second book, "To Snap a Silver Stem, just cemented this idea for me, and it fills me with utter joy to actually see this literary series becoming better and better with each new book I am reading from it. Take this with a pinch of salt, because, as I've repeatedly stated, I am a mood reader and whatever works for me, is not guaranteed to work for you as well; but if you find yourself in the mood for some dark fantasy that puts secrets and mystery above all else and that keeps you frustrated and your mind brimming with theories for yet unanswered questions, please consider reading the beauty of Sarah A. Parker's writing in this series.
ㅤ Undoubtedly, I am plunging right into the next book, and I am hoping that this will be my next 5-star read if it begins to focus more on authentic character development. It is great to be so thrilled about a new book.
────────────────────────
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ finally having time to start this! I love going on trips, but my mind has been only on this series for the past 3 days and now I finally have some alone time!
Dark daddy Rhordyn HERE I COME!!!
ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 4.3 - 4.5 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ The absolute joy I feel when I find myself rating a book in a series with four stars, especially the second novel, cannot be expressed in simple terms. I can honestly say that this series has me in a chokehold, and God almighty, I never want to escape it. I have been constantly disappointed by the second novels in several series, so you can imagine my astonishment when this one did not disappoint at all; in fact, it fascinated me much more than the first book.
ㅤ "To Snap a Silver Stem" still continues the very dark and gloomy story of the characters, so once again I am reminding you all to keep in mind that this is a dark fantasy book, therefore do not forget that some of the things it presents are not really light, so make sure to read the trigger warnings before starting this series.
ㅤ The second book in the Crystal Bloom series jumps straight back into the action, which was quickly and heartbreakingly cut short in the cliff-hanger of the first book. Despite her good intentions, Orlaith finds herself still unable to escape the clutches of her past, and her heart might not be the easiest thing which's desires one can quench. Her naiveté quickly drives her to realise that the world, which is still unknown to her, is indeed as cruel as she was repeatedly warned about. However, her wild and curious self can definitely not be tamed, and a gilded palace, no matter how beautiful and shining, still hides dark secrets that are waiting to be discovered. Lies are once again coming into view, and even those that hold her heart in the palm of their hands might turn into her worst enemies when some light is shed over their own sinful truths. But do not get too excited, because despite it all, our FMC is still just as easily tricked into believing sweet words and wicked lies, and you will find yourself brimming with annoyance more than once as your mind will work far better than hers in realising the real truth. However, when the object of all her desires turns into something far worse than she could ever imagine, heartbreak might lead one to make the hardest, most painful, and awful of decisions -and truth be told, who could even truly blame Orlaith?
ㅤ As usual, I am struggling to find the perfect words to write a review for a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. But let me do my best and explain briefly about some of the topics below.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ Very similar to the first book, the aspect of the world building is still shrouded in the mystery that you, as a reader, are also thrown into, very much like the FMC of the story herself. Way more things are getting clarified and are coming to light, and if you are reading carefully enough, you are sure to create some of your own theories regarding the world and its own secrets. Normally, I would really hate it for a second book to not clarify so many things concerning the way the imaginary world is created, but somehow, for this specific concept of this book, the mystery and secrets for the world-building simply work. Not to mention, that it actually serves the scope of this novel perfectly: it builds up the anticipation for the future events.
ㅤ I still did not manage to find the right words to perfectly describe the beauty of the writing in this book. I have absolutely NOTHING to say against it. Sarah A. Parker is an absolutely mastermind and one of the most amazing writers and word-crafters I've ever had the opportunity to read the works of. The writing in this book is simply magical.
ㅤ Once again I am getting back at making it very clear that this is a series inclining towards being character-driven, therefore, the action might seem pretty slow-moving for those of you that are more into action-packed writing. The second book in this series, doesn't really bring a change into that pace, but you definitely do not get bored while reading this; there are numerous revelations that drive you to draw so many conclusions and to create so many theories of your own that it all just becomes really engaging. I, for one, considered the pace of this novel to actually be perfectly suitable for this series and I just found myself loving every aspect of it.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ Unlike in my review for the first book, I will hopefully not have just as many tings to talk about concerning the characters. Frustratingly enough, this was also slightly helped by the quite disappointingly slow character progression and development.
ㅤ ❀ Orlaith - Despite realizing how her innocence plays into the evolution of the plot and has the scope of assuring the mystery that the entire story is submerged in, I was so frustrated by her lack of rational judgment and fundamental thinking. Despite her desire to help and become independent, to break free from the chains she believes others have placed on her, she has such terrible character judgment and is easily deceived as a result of her stubbornness. I would have liked to see actual character growth, but this did not happen, and as a result, I am unlikely to give this a 5-star rating. I sincerely hope that the next book will finally push her to become the powerful character that this series deserves, because there is a lot of potential in her.
ㅤ ❀ Rhordyn - This man is climbing my top of book boyfriends
ㅤ ❧ The relationship between these two characters is probably the most complex and frustrating one you'll get to read about. The way the secrets seem to play into whatever comes between them and their outcome are entirely soul-crushing. This is the most amazing slow-burn I've ever encountered, and the tension and angst it creates are just out of this world. So, if you enjoy some good share of pain, READ THIS!
ㅤ If you read my review for To Bleed a Crystal Bloom, you will notice that I have brought some points that I noticed in the book, which helped me further clarify the nature of this relationship and some of the things that were highly controversial for a lot of people, even making them stop reading this story. I am very delighted that this book thoroughly defined exactly those points, made a lot of things really apparent regarding the evolution of the connection between Orlaith and Rhordyn, so that now I can fully come and confirm them to you, just in case you decide to give this series a try:
ㅤ 1. Rhordyn is indeed the one that repeatedly tried to push Orlaith to leave her safe-space and indirectly encouraged her to familiarise herself with the harsh world around her. He knew what was coming for her, and he really tried to prepare her to meet the unforgiving world in his own twisted ways.
ㅤ 2. Rhordyn was indeed entirely absent from Orlaith's life and he only started being more involved once she became a mature woman. This is specifically why the book starts with a 21-year-old Orlaith, and not an younger version of herself that held none of these controversial feelings. So, there was indeed NEVER even a master-ward relationship between them.
ㅤ 3. This book marks the slow beginning of the ending for the power imbalance between the two characters, and this is made clear especially at the very end of the book. Which makes perfect sense, since this is a very slow slow-burn romance.
ㅤ 4. Live, laugh, love Rhordyn! ♥ that's all.
ㅤㅤ ❀ Baze - BRING MY CINNAMON ROLL BACK AND GIVE ME MORE OF HIM RIGHT NOW!! How dare you take my moral support away from me and give me just a few very short chapters of him???
ㅤㅤ ❀ Cainon - A former psychotic b*tch in the making, now successfully becoming a full-time psychotic b*tch. I knew I was right.
ㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤ The ending of the first book was already the cause of a lot of anger and possibly heart issues for me, but it is absolutely cruel to go on and give me an even bigger pain, anguish, and fury with the ending of this second book. I do not think there are enough words in this world to describe the trip to Hell the very last pages of this book made me take. I am genuinely another person after reading this book, and I thank all the Gods above that they brought me this series at a time when the next book is already released, because otherwise I would not have been responsible for the person I would have become if I had to wait for the sequel to come out. I genuinely have nothing
ㅤ For me, this series clearly became one of my best reads of the year and I am entirely captivated and ruined all at once by the beauty of this world and the words scattered on the pages of this series. The second book, "To Snap a Silver Stem, just cemented this idea for me, and it fills me with utter joy to actually see this literary series becoming better and better with each new book I am reading from it. Take this with a pinch of salt, because, as I've repeatedly stated, I am a mood reader and whatever works for me, is not guaranteed to work for you as well; but if you find yourself in the mood for some dark fantasy that puts secrets and mystery above all else and that keeps you frustrated and your mind brimming with theories for yet unanswered questions, please consider reading the beauty of Sarah A. Parker's writing in this series.
ㅤ Undoubtedly, I am plunging right into the next book, and I am hoping that this will be my next 5-star read if it begins to focus more on authentic character development. It is great to be so thrilled about a new book.
────────────────────────
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ finally having time to start this! I love going on trips, but my mind has been only on this series for the past 3 days and now I finally have some alone time!
Dark daddy Rhordyn HERE I COME!!!
This was going to be 4 stars because it dragged a little in the middle but holy hell 5 stars for THAT ENDING IM SCREAMING
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1026 pages later (Book 1 and 2)
Orlaith is still making stupid decisions, everyone around her is still not ready to tell her anything and she blindly believes whatever her promised tells her! Open your EYES!! He's as controlling as Rhordyn was, if not more! Oh and Orlaith burnt a book, a dictionary but a book is a book!! It was completely unnecessary btw. And what does 'milajie' means? I think it means 'mate' but Orlaith ain't ready to tell.
I got a few spoilers for the next book (Yes, they are also Orlaiths's bad decisions) so I don't think I'll continue this series.
She kills Rhordyn. Didn't see that coming. Like why? Was it necessary to kill him? She could have atleast waited for him to confess whatever he was going to confess.
Orlaith is still making stupid decisions, everyone around her is still not ready to tell her anything and she blindly believes whatever her promised tells her! Open your EYES!! He's as controlling as Rhordyn was, if not more! Oh and Orlaith burnt a book, a dictionary but a book is a book!! It was completely unnecessary btw. And what does 'milajie' means? I think it means 'mate' but Orlaith ain't ready to tell.
I got a few spoilers for the next book (Yes, they are also Orlaiths's bad decisions) so I don't think I'll continue this series.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced