Book Review: When Wishes Bleed by Casey L. Bond

🌱The Excellent:

~ YA fantasy with witches, kingdoms and nifty abilities

~ Well told story with a growing and expanding world

~ Lots of pretty dresses/outfits (if you like that)

~ The ‘romanticism’ of giving your life for another’s (if you like that)

~ A satisfyingly complete story

🌱 Connections:

~ All the Murmuring Bones

Similarly to All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter, we start off in a very small world that significantly expands as we go on. There is wonder to the growing space and things to learn. UNLIKE ATMB the world created doesn’t have as much detail, nor does the world itself play as significant a role.

~ The Moonfire Bride

Much like the excellent beginning of The Moonfire Bride by Sylvia Mercedes, there is a compelling mystery of who this girl is and what magic she has. There are mysteries characters that are sampled at the beginning and something summons/compels her to leave her home. 

~ Heart of a Raven Prince

As in Heart of a Raven Prince by Tessonja Odette, young woman in working somewhat professionally in a somewhat ‘excluded’ part of the kingdom and she is not cherished nearly enough (like TMB). She is then introduced to a prince, taken to the palace where mysteries and attractions continue to infold until danger threatens them both and they must stand together.  

~ An Unkindness of Magicians

Much like in An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard, there are witches who fall under magical and somewhat sentient houses. There is also the need to protect what these houses mean and to ‘refresh’ the Priestesses and Priests of each house. 

🌱 Themes:

~ Magic

~ Relationships

~ Kingdoms and danger

~ Being haunted by your past

~ ‘Dark’ magic

🌱 Audience:

~ YA and older

🌱 The Meh:

~ After some of the choices made, love proclamations just seemed… basic?

~ Tauren’s bizarre desire to unsubscribe from life

~ I still find the idea if 17yros promising eternal love to someone they first burned with lust for, ludicrous 😔 

🌱 Verdict:

~ A solid read for lovers of YA

🎁 Thank you @BoxofMatchesMedia for the gift.