I was hooked on this book pretty much as soon as I started it. I’ve already added book 2 to my July TBR. I went into this book blind and assumed it was maybe a Midas retelling. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it wasn’t! It is actually a Rumpelstiltskin retelling…which doesn’t sound like it would be hott, but it is. I promise! I absolutely love the alchemy aspect to this story line and that Eleanor can turn other metal into gold! If you love enemies to lovers, then this is a book for you! Eleanor and Ruskin are 🥵🥵🥵🥵 it’s an easy read that goes by very quickly…especially the second half of the book. The ending has me craving more 😩The narrators are also great! I received this audiobook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. 😊

I really enjoyed this one! The world building was rich and immersive—full of courtly intrigue, deadly beauty, and enough magic to keep things interesting. While it’s been labeled as a dark romance in some places, I wouldn’t quite call it that. The romance is definitely there, but it didn’t feel dark in the way I expected. Still, the story held my attention, and I’m definitely curious to see where it goes next.

The first half of this book was interesting, the story felt familiar but different enough that it kept my attention.
The metallurgy was a great concept and while it was heading in an obvious direction, it still felt like it was going to become an interesting storyline.
Unfortunately the pace of this book quickly slowed to a pace where my interest in the characters disappeared. I feel as if nothing happens, the book ends on a kind of cliffhanger but I don't feel it needed to continue on to another book. Most of the filler chapters being taken out and more being explained about backstory and history would have made it far more exciting to read.
Unfortunately I don't feel invested in the story enough to want to continue the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This was a compelling audiobook with a fleshed out and interesting world. Putting a twist on Rumplestiltskin, this novel was fresh and intriguing, I couldn't wait to hear what happened next every time I picked it up.

I had fun reading this fantasy. It was a pretty easy and comfortable read— the world building wasn’t too complicated and the fae premise was pretty familiar (maybe think Cruel Prince). I read some reviews saying the start of the book felt pretty fast, and I will agree with that sentiment. Actually, the whole book felt pretty fast and kind of surface-level. I’m kind of holding out hope that the next two books will delve us deeper into the world, characters, and story in general. I will plan to continue the series, but I’m not rushing to pick up book 2.

The audiobook narration was well-done, but a little slow for my taste (and I usually like a leisurely paced narration). I sped it up to 1.75x and it honestly seemed like regular speed 😆 Other than that, the performance was nice.

The blurb for this book was way more interesting than the actual book. I would have loved to see more character development and overall intrigue. I had high hopes for this one and ultimately it fell short of the bar. The audiobook narrator did a good performance though I was not a huge fan on her "Ruskin" voice. It was a decent read but overall didn't get too interesting until right when it ended. Not sure I'm invested enough to continue the series. We will see...

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Despite being comped to SJM, personally I found this read more as The Cruel Prince fae storytelling then it is A Court of Thorns and Roses fae storytelling [for clarity - compliment.]

Eleanor and Ruskin definitely had the undertones of Jude and Carden which I really enjoyed. Eleanor reads as intelligent, independent and had moments of genuine emotion and humour that made this book especially digestible. While Ruskin does tend to fall into the tropes typical to the genre [mostly touch her, go on try it] I enjoyed Storm's take on that. I especially found it refreshing that not only does this book centre on the male love interest's problem, the FMC is central to fixing that problem. Never did Eleanor feel passive while the plot happened around her rather constantly felt like she was actively moving it on, solving, exploring, etc, and I really enjoyed that.

I'm a big fan of the close friend who turns out to be a back-stabber, and this book has a fabulous example of that, which Storm does a really good job of foreshadowing throughout the plot.

While the core couple and to an extent the villain were standouts, unfortunately I found the supporting cast to be largely lacklustre. Archetypes to the genre that felt like they were paused at the last point we saw them, and only ever acted in the confines of the plot. They didn't feel flushed out.

The writing style was largely enjoyable, a bit sparse but easy to read. However, Storm does have a tendency to spoon-feed the reader exactly what they mean. Little is left to the imagination and a good portion of the wordcount is swallowed by language like, He was soaked... which meant it must be raining... because he was wet to the bone.

The magic-system isn't extensive, but it had some really imaginative aspects to it especially the central concept of gold-weaving and its implications. I'll always be a sucker for books where the fae are portrayed as being evil little sh*ts, which they do spectacularly well here.

A personal standout was the cliffhanger Storm left us on, and will definitely keep an eye out for the follow-up book despite some criticisms of the book.

this was entertaining and I do want to continue the story but it wasn't incredibly strong for a romantasy. Not a full three star, probably a 3.5 but what happens in the next book will really determine how good this all turns out or if it falls flat.

The fairytale retelling elements were good and I liked the subtle twist at the end. I'm very intrigued to see what the backstory to this whole relationship is.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title. I attest I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

Eleanor, a human alchemist, is highly sought after for her ability to create gold through metallurgy. Through a series of unexpected events, she catches the eye of the King and is soon to be his bride. In an effort to escape her unwanted engagement to the King, Eleanor makes a deal with a brutal Fae prince. However, the longer she spends with the Fae prince, Eleanor quickly learns that not everything is what it seems.

This was my first book by Zara Storm and it was a fun ride! Sometimes with fantasy books, readers get overwhelmed with world building at the start but I felt that Storm did a great job of pacing and balancing the world building and plot. I appreciated Eleanor’s wit and confidence in her knowledge and skills. Ruskin, our brutal Fae prince, kept us on our toes on his motives and goals.

I think this story is a good introduction to the world of Romantasy. As described, the story has shades of Rumpelstiltskin and Beauty and the Beast. There are also themes that have appeared in other fantasy books but Storm managed to make them her own with many unexpected twists, especially THAT ENDING! Lastly, I enjoyed the narration of this story by Ash Kingsley.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook thanks to Netgalley, in exchange for an honest opinion of the book.

I have always been obsessed with elves, fae, and fairytales since I was a little girl. This book definitely checks all of my favs. When I read the description of the book, I really got Rumplestiltskin vibes but with a twist. I did see the twist at the ending coming, but it makes me excited to read the next book in the series.

The narrator did a fabulous job with all the characters. She made it easy to tell them apart and give the characters life.

This was such a fun read! One of my favorite things about this book was definitely the magic system—I loved the incorporation of science. The FMC (Eleanor), who wielded such a magic, was smart, curious, and passionate about her craft. We got to discover her magical abilities and the Fae world she was thrown into both through her and with her. The MMC (Ruskin) had some pretty solid character development throughout the book. Honestly, he’s so precious, I just wanna put him in my pocket. I do wish there was more character development from Eleanor though. I’m excited to read the next book because the storyline was certainly intriguing!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

The Court That Bleeds Gold is a dark and magical fae romance that really leans into the folklore. The world feels dangerous and enchanting, and the tension between Eleanor and Ruskin is full of slow-burn chemistry. I liked how the story mixes fairy tale elements with court intrigue. Some parts start a little slow, but once it picks up, it’s hard to stop. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life. If you like morally grey fae, bargains with consequences, and enemies-to-lovers stories, this one is worth checking out. I got this book on audio and did not get a chance to listen to it, so I ended up purchasing it from Amazon.

A solid fantasy romance with an intriguing premise – though sadly, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I was drawn in by the blurb: Eleanor, a human alchemist who can turn a specific metal into gold, is captured by a greedy king, only to be rescued by Ruskin – the half-Unseelie ruler of the Seelie court. In doing so, Ruskin binds them in a fae bargain, and from there, their fates become tightly entwined. There’s plenty of potential for intrigue, fae politics, and a morally grey romance, but while the story had its enjoyable moments, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d read versions of it many times before. The scenes felt familiar, the twists expected, and it never quite carved out its own identity in a crowded genre.

Eleanor is a likeable heroine – intelligent, calm under pressure, and refreshingly grounded in the way she handles each new revelation. Ruskin, meanwhile, is surrounded by distrust – treated with suspicion and even betrayal by those he protects, which leaves him constantly unsure of who he can rely on. I liked the tension this created, even if his character didn’t quite reach the emotional depth I was hoping for.

The audiobook left me a little conflicted. Ash Kingsley’s narration is lyrical and easy to follow, but her light, floaty tone didn’t align with the darker undertones or the tension the story was aiming for. It made the whole thing feel oddly whimsical, rather than charged or dangerous.

Not a bad listen by any means, but ultimately one that didn’t linger once it was over.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op. This is my honest opinion.

An amazing debut novel by Zara Storm! I’ve been in a book slump for a while now and this audiobook snapped me right out of it.
I absolutely loved the chemistry between Eleanor and Ruskin. They have my heart.
The pace of the book was extremely comfortable and i really liked how well- written this book was.
Ash Kingsley (the narrator) also did an amazing job narrating this book. Her voice fit so well.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read A Court that Bleeds Gold.

As someone who doesn't often listen to audiobooks but is trying to get more into them, this was a great listen! I thought that the narrator was great and really brought the story and characters to life. I do wish, though, that there were multiple narrators because there were times that it was hard to tell which characters were talking. I also just tend to prefer multiple narrators/full-cast, so that will always just be my preference, no matter how good a single narrator is, so take that with a grain of salt.

The plot of the story was very fun and interesting, as it combined fairytale retellings with a dark fantasy world and metallurgy. The metallurgy aspect was very intriguing as I've never read a book (that I can recall) with that kind of component. Even though it was never explicitly explained how exactly the FMC is able to create gold, I think in this case the explanation that we were given is enough and does make sense for the story. The intertwining of the mystery at the core of the story and gold itself kept me hooked throughout.

I liked the main characters but I didn't find myself ever really invested in them or their relationship. I definitely think that the plot of this book was stronger than the characters, and if the characters were more fully fleshed out and had more time to develop their relationship, the story would be much stronger as a whole. The characters were just a bit boring and then seemingly all of a sudden loved each other, despite hating each other right before.

While I'm glad I listened to this eALC, and I do think that this story has potential, I don't think I'll be continuing to read/listen to this series because I'm not very interested in reading more about the main characters.

The FMC, an alchemist and metalargist, has a slight Rumpelstiltskin vibe as she discovers the formula to turn iron into gold. However, it was spun in such a way as to almost become the opposite when a deal made with the Fae prince for her freedom ends up with her being captive in the fae world to help save their kingdom by turning gold into something else.

Appearances can be deceiving, especially in the fae world, and the FMC, Eleanor, finds herself discovering more than what she bargained for with the prince.  Cue the spicy moments, which were exciting and heated, as lust and love combined as one.

There were also some moments where her strength and will were tested which had me cheering when she overcame her foes.

All in all, I enjoyed this first book in the series.

This was a great read! It had everything you could want in a romantasy. Great plot, well rounded characters, a dash of spice. I loved the spin on Rumplestiltskin. Highly recommend for anyone who loves spicy fairytale retellings.

Normally I don’t read “A court of…” books because I am let down by them; seemingly because they have to follow up well to SJM. But the fmc was able to hold her own in this book! As a debut novel, it was very well written and steamy enough of a romantasy that I enjoyed it thoroughly!

A Court that Bleeds Gold by Zara Storm
Narrated by: Ash Kingsley ✨

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Available to listen to on audible.

The narrator Ash Kingsley did a wonderful job with this one, the voice was so easy to listen to. I will definitely be listening to more audiobooks from this narrator. 💖

I loved everything this book, it’s a romantasy with enemies to lovers who is a morally gray fae.

The world building in this book was easy to follow, this book was very interesting. I am obsessed I need the next book immediately! 🤗

Thank you @netgalley for sending me an ALC!

#audiobooks #audiobookreview #audiobooksarebooks #bookobsessedgirl

Everything was going good, great even, till the last chapter.

Zara why must you hurt my heart like that? Why must you invoke this pain and tearing between both sides.

This story is a real trust the characters moment. You can go in and read everything as it comes or you can analyse every word said by the Fae to find their true meanings.

This story is gripping and I really feel Ruskin and Ella. They have both been through so much in their lives that they have this insane sense of independence.

Not everything is as it seems here, so don't be fooled by the glittering magic of the Fae, darkness and secrets lurk within their words.