Fate’s hands never weaken, never falter, and they never fail.
Thank you Book of Matches Media for the chance to read and review When Wishes Bleed by Casey L. Bond! When Wishes Bleed is the first book in the When Wishes Bleed series, and came out on the 30th of October, 2019. It is followed by The Omen of Stones that came out on the 13th of March, 2020.
When Wishes Bleed Book Sale
Before jumping into my review, I just want to remind everyone that When Wishes Bleed is still on sale for $0.99 on Amazon, so head over to the link right here to take advantage of that deal! Of course, those of us on Kindle Unlimited have it even better; the book is available for free to KU subscribers.
When Wishes Bleed reviewing perks
Every single book that Casey has published from the When Wishes Bleed series comes with reviewing perks! If you read and review Casey’s books, you can email her directly with your review link and she will send you that particular book’s specially designed tarot card. For When Wishes Bleed she has The Lovers card designed. Click the purchase link right here to head to her website to find that image along with all sorts of neat details about this book. These details include a map, book trailer, tarot card, and book excerpt.
Book Review
When Wishes Bleed has a solid plot, which takes elements from The Selection and even The Hunger Games. While its got a more obvious The Selection vibe, it’s a not a rip off that makes you want to throw it across the room, it’s more like a nice nod to it.
Sable is a solid character, who deals with her isolation well. Mira is very sweet and has a solid brain on her shoulders. Thankfully we don’t have a love triangle, we just have a friend being an idiot and Sable not budging or being an ass herself. The start of the book, and the way Sable can tell people’s fates and fortunes, and of course the hanging; so intense and insane and so good! I was blown away at the start. How fate heals that little girl was beautiful, and it makes what happens to the King even sadder. That they don’t let go of the handfasting custom is also interesting.
However, I feel like there was just so much more telling rather than showing with what was happening back home with the witches. Like this intensely dark witch, who has been trapped underground, comes back to life, and these guys are just so far away? I mean I get that IRL these things happen; you’re far away and everything seems to blow up back home, but I don’t know if that works in a book as well as originally hoped.
Her two friends take up incredibly powerful positions, fate releases her without a fight, her actual father turns out to be a nice person, the love potion has no effect, her house is being built up. The happy ending just seems far too perfect for my taste (and it could just be my taste).
All that being said, Casey L. Bond is a good writer, who built up a really interesting world. I’m excited to read the second book and see how that is further developed and what happens next.
When Wishes Bleed blurb
The upheaval in my life began the moment a prince stumbled into my house and asked me to read his fortune. Any other night, I might have made an excuse to get him to leave, but this was no normal visit. My fingers prickled to touch him. So, I granted his request by handing him a single wishbone. When he snapped it, the wish … bled.
Hearing me suck in a shocked breath, he asked what it meant. Such an ominous omen could only mean one thing: his death was imminent. Fate revealed that he wouldn’t die of natural causes. Someone wanted him dead. Stunned by the revelation, the man I now knew as Prince Tauren disappeared into a night I feared he wouldn’t survive.
The following day, I received an invitation to the castle. While it seemed the prince believed I could intervene and uncover who was plotting his death, his motives didn’t stop there. I was being summoned to join twelve other women in vying for the opportunity to be his wife and future queen. Going could mean jeopardizing my plans to reclaim my heritage and resurrect the House of Fate. But staying would guarantee Tauren’s death, and the blood of his wish would be on my hands.
When Wishes Bleed is a young adult fantasy romance perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, Cora Carmack, and Kiera Cass.
The Girl Who Reads 
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