Thank you to Netgalley & Hodder & Stoughton for this arc in exchange for a review.
A dark gothic fairytale with beautifully written lyrical prose! Roshani Chokshis adult debut is fantastic and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!

This a unique, wonderful and compelling fantasy read. As I started reading I felt like I was personally being immersed in the characters lives and moving dreamlike into their wonderful thick tapestry of a human fairy story. One of leaving the real world behind, of playing and searching to enter the world of the Fae. A story with mysteries to be solved that are not what the seem. This is a must read for fantasy fans. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely.given.

I am speechless. This book broke my brain with its aching, haunting beauty. There is a good book and there is this masterpiece. The writing grips your heart and will not let it go until it is finished devouring you, just like Indigo's Otherworld.

What captivated me the most about this story is what stays mostly implied through the whole book: the everyday horrors no one dares to talk about and how these shape us into adulthood. On the surface level, this book is about fairy tales and how they shape us through our childhood, but below that, it is about coping, turning a blind eye to reality until coming full circle and facing it, recognizing the monstrous and loving it still or despite. But most importantly, it is about unconditional love.

If I had to compare it to other stories, I would say it is a haunting mix of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente, but set in our modern days.

I'm incredibly thankful for Hodder & Stoughton and Roshani Chokshi for the eARC.

I have been wanting to read Roshani Chokshi's books for a while. The Gilded Wolves trilogy and the Aru Shah series have been on my TBR for ages. But instead of reading those, I started off by reading The Last Tale of the Flower Bride a book that doesn't come out till next year. And after finishing this, I can say that Chokshi is a truly incredible writer. I had no idea what to expect going into this series. But when I started it, I was hooked and I couldn't put it down. I literally finished this in one sitting.

I have not read a lot of gothic books, but after reading this, I want to read more of the genre. The writing in this is lyrical and haunting, reminding me of old fairy tales that were full of warnings. I don't know how much I can say about the story, without spoiling it, but just know this is one book that you're not going to forget.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a masterpiece of the book and I cannot wait for it to be out in the world.

Wow! Roshani Chokshi really has a way with words. Her writing is magical. From the outset you are transported into another realm. Fantasy isn't really a genre I gravitate towards, but this book really pulled me in. A story of the real world and that of Fae, surrounded by mystery and gothic romance. The characters were interesting, and the description throughout the story made it very easy to picture what the author has imagined. I would definitely recommend this book, and look forward to reading any future publications from Roshani Chokshi.

I would like to thank @NetGalley, @HodderBooks and @HodderPublicity for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Wow wow wow. This was everything I needed it to be and more. A haunting, lyrically poetic and compelling novel, this was so well written that once I started I couldn't put it down. The 'Fae' have been slightly overdone in fiction in recent years, but this put a whole new spin on the genre and made it feel entirely new. Is it an exaggeration to call it a masterpiece? In the case of this book, I don't think so. Deserves all the praise and more.

This was such a great read! I was completely captured me from the get go. This is my first Roshani Chokshi book and certainly won’t be the last. She has an elegant and immersive writing style that will completely transport you.

This book was so perfectly eerie and truly chilling. I didn’t know what was happening most of the time and that was part of the fun.

Depth-full, interesting characters hand in hand with a storyline that will literally keep you on the edge of your seat.

This is a tale of two girls, one who is lost and one who is found, and a marriage threatening to crumble on the precipice of the unknown.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is compelling and poetic in itself. Set in the backdrop of the past and the present, the story weaves on the becoming of the one greatest secret of what happened the night the two girls went to the Otherworld for the last time.

The story is a tragedy, crafted beautifully in the light of poems. A lost poem that centered on Indigo Maxwell-Castañeda. You will feel mesmerized, captive, and be touched. You will feel frustration, anger, and then a devastating sadness that will carve your heart out to be willingly presented for all the others to poke through as it bleeds, slowly detaching life from it.

I felt all those things. I smiled, I screamed. But most of all, I felt pity to the victims of fairy tale, where all tales are not as they seem. They are surrounded by a mist, and only then will you know the truth as you enter.

Shock is an understatement after I learned of the plot twist. I was thrilled and partially excited once I knew. It's the kind of plot twist that I didn't see the coming because reading the last few pages of the book I've come to a resolve that it has a predictable ending...which turned out to be not true.

I was slapped by it like a thousand knives plunging my flesh in all directions in every angle. Everything about this book is soaked in mystery, and only then you will know the truth once you turn the last page.



MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY HODDER & STOUGHTON FOR APPROVING NY REQUEST. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. AND TO ROSHANI CHOKSHI YOU ARE ONE OF THE RENOWNED AUTHORS I LOOK UP TO, AND THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT. OVERLY BRILLIANT, MIGHT I SAY. THANK YOU THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN NETGALLEY AND HODDER & STOUGHTON.

A beautifully written book with an original storyline and well developed characters. It is haunting and othic and I loved it.

Favorite character: Azure / Indigo
Three words: haunting / poetic / captivating
Favorite quote: But I had forgotten how certain places can be so old they are alive. So alive they do not simply hunger; they learn to hunt.

A scholar of myths marries the beautiful and even more mysterious Indigo, heiress to a fortune. As they're both fascinated, almost obsessed, by fairy tales and myths, their marriage is full of story telling and the dream of a happily ever after. The bridegroom is enchanted by his otherwordly wife and Indigo shares everything with him as long as he promises he will never pry into her past. He is keen on fulfilling the wish and they live in their own bubble of wealth and fairy tales until Indigo's estranged aunt is dying and they are forced to return to Indigo's childhood home. The old and slowly crumbling estate called House of Dreams seems to have its own magic and it doesn't take long until the bridegroom can't resist the urge to pry around the many dark and extravagant rooms. When Indigo's confused aunt begs him to find someone called Azure, the bridegroom slowly discovers the secrets of his wife and her childhood best friend, Azure, who suddenly disappeared around the time they graduated.

Last Tale of the Flower Bride is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read! I can't believe how the author is able to write in such a poetic and enchanting way, it made the story even more atmospheric and haunting. I loved how the mystery about Indigo's past and her friendship with Azure slowly unraveled itself and I couldn't put the book down.
The book is written in two different timelines and shows in an enchanting as well as haunting way how the two girls become soul mates and create their own magical world, and then how everything falls apart. It's about coping with neglect and trauma by creating an alternate reality and how it shapes a person as they grow up, in a good and in a bad way. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a story about the power love holds, on how you turn a blind eye to the evil side of the person you love, and how you love them anyway. The story about Indigo and Azure shows in a beautiful and cruel way how love and dependency blur together.
I got Last Tale of the Flower Bride as an ARC but I love it so much, I will buy a physical copy as soon as it's released, because I want it on my shelf. I think it might be the book I annotated the most. It's only the 6th book I've read this year that I've given 5 stars, so I highly recommend it if you like haunting, dark, mysterious, enchanting and atmospheric books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"We are two blues, the neat seam of dusk and dawn. We share a sky, if not a soul, and yet we are cut of the same shades."

Where to begin with this review?
How do I explain how deeply I fell into this sumptuous, gothic tale full of myths and fables and fairy tales?

From the very first page I knew this would be one of those books where the prose itself spins webs around you and tangles you in it's atmosphere. You're unsure if there's a villain, or if your narrators are reliable at all. You're dragged into hazy summer days of youth, into dark memories glazed over with honey, into the unravelling mind of a man who has no idea what his wife is, into the secrets of a woman more faerie than human.

In the past, ethereal girls become soul-sisters in a house that seems alive and a boy remembers a brother his parents say he never had. In the present, mysteries and secrets and hopes unravel.

This was an easy five-stars for me. Effortlessly executed in a softly spooky way, a magical, dangerous thriller that takes you on a journey you'll not forget quickly. Recommended for anyone who enjoyed Mexican Gothic and adores folkloric tales of wives from the sea, flower brides and foolish mortal men.

This book drew me in from the very first few pages with its evocative writing style and intriguing characters. I really enjoyed the overarching gothic and dark fairytale themes.

I was immediately fascinated by Indigo and her backstory and loved the slow reveal and introduction of Azure. The House of Dreams was so spooky and I loved the building tension woven throughout the book as we learned more about everything which had taken place there.

All in all this was a fantastic read and I would absolutely look to read more by this author as their writing style was so unique and impressive.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a stunning adult debut with some of the most gorgeous prose I have ever read. This is the first book I've read by Roshani Chokshi and it completely blew me away. It is gothic and romantic with dark fairytale vibes. I really enjoyed the plot but the writing style really added to the narrative and made it stand out to me from other books of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

From the moment I picked up The Last Tale of the Flower Bride Roshani's writing had me hooked. This book is beautifully written, lushly descriptive and I devoured it in a few sittings.

We follow two timelines. That of The Bridegroom, and also Azure, both characters tangled up in the mysterious life of Indigo, the house of dreams, and her obession with fairy tales and the other world. This book was everything I wanted, I worried how it would end but I thought it was perfect. I have no other words to describe how beautifully this book is written! I'm sad I have to wait until next year to own a physical copy. Stunning!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read The Last Tale of the Flower Bride.

Let me start this review by saying this might be my favorite Roshani Chokshi book, she really outdone herself with the writing. The prose is lyrical without being overdone, it’s hauntingly beautiful. The story is executed in a spooky way – in the best sense.

I haven’t read a lot of gothic books, but this title made me want to read more from the genre. It has many elements of a fairytale, which I loved. I am familiar with the Bluebeard book, and this retelling is done with a twist to the original story that worked really well.

Reading this book was a wild ride, it intrigued me from the beginning. As a reader, you start by questioning reality and if magic really plays a part in the story. You want to uncover these character’s secrets and know more. You don’t know if the narrators are reliable and you want to find out if you’re being mislead or not.

The pacing was the only thing I wasn’t super crazy about. It started off super strong but things started to get a little repetitive around the middle and I got a bit bored, but then the ending changed everything. I saw the twist coming but I welcomed it, since it was the best outcome for the story.

Even with this minor pacing issues, I’m obessed with the story and the direction it took. It’s definitely worth reading it, and I'll be recommending it for sure.

I couldn't be happier to have been able to read this early, because a gothic novel like this was exactly what I wanted to read this October.

Rooted in fairytales, with emphasis on the "fairy", and with beautifully lush and atmospheric writing that's poetic but never dense, this was truly such a beautiful read. The synopsis talks mainly about the marriage aspect of this book, but, without wanting to give too much away, there's also a central toxic friendship that I loved to see unravel.

This was comped as Mexican Gothic meets Addie Larue, which I think really holds up. It's unsettling but never outright scary, with an intriguing plot that slowly slooowly unravels while keeping your interest the whole way through.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!

I don't think I ever loved a book this quickly.
The narration pulls you in immediately, that prose concise and enchanting at the same time, full of fairy tales and myth and wonder. Thoughts confuse as you wonder whether the apparations are real; is there really a secret gate to a magical land of wonder in the house's back yard, or - is this a shared delusion of two isolated girls who are left unchecked in their imaginations of grandeur and otherness?

I'm not gonna tell you about the plot. I need everyone to read this book, immediately.

Our story is told by two characters: Our unnamed bridegroom, a scholar just teetering at the edge of losing himself to tales of old, and Azure, the girl who tells us about her past before she disappeared into thin air, leaving only a strand of dark hair and a tooth behind. As the bridegroom searches, Azure slowly unravels the mystery. Both of them are connected by a singular woman - Indigo. Indigo, who has as many secrets as her old home, the House of Dreams, has rooms.

This is a wonderful little book, and I cannot wait for it to come out so I can keep it on my shelf forever and ever like the treasure it is. I loved every single sentence of this.

Where to start... This book had me hooked! Gosh loved it so much. The plot thickens, as they say, the further you get into the book, the more you get to know. Azure and Indigo's friendship starts as a pure, innocent friendship, but turns into something less innocent over time. As badly they want to 'cross over' to the 'other world', the worse Indigo's bossy and demanding behaviour gets.

I often enjoyed the chapters from Azure's point of view more than the bridegroom's. Azure's were more memorable in my opinion...

The plot was what drew me in but I honestly fell for the writing. It was so lyrical and poetic that it really felt like of fanciful dark fairytale. The haunting and dark imagery really drove that it was this gothic tale. I could not put this book down. The dual POV was a plus for me, I always love varying perspectives. I cannot begin to describe how much I love the characters. They were so well constructed and did not seem flat at all. I really don't have anything negative to say about this book.

A full review will be posted closer to publication date and posted to my bookstagram.(Link will be provided).

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this beautiful and immersive book.

Wow, now I need to read everything else that Roshani Chokshi has ever written because her writing style is absolutely flawless. This was a gorgeously gothic tale of myths and fairytales and suspicion and intrigue. From the very first page, the author sets up this tangled web of plot that just completely immerses you and has you trying to figure out where the story will go and whether you can trust the perspective you're reading from, and what is and isn't real. Every single word in every single line has clearly been so carefully selected to create this magically beautiful prose that fits the vibes and atmosphere of the plot perfectly.

Throughout this book are various folklores and myths scattered and pebbled, all dark and dangerous and you're trying to figure out exactly what role they place in the story, and I will say that the plot is a bit confusing (purposefully) so this book definitely won't be for everyone, but it was exactly how I imagined it would be so I loved it!

If you're looking for something to sit down and read while it's raining outside and that will immerse you to the point where you either could finish it in one sitting, or where you just want to slowly savour it, and you want intrigue and mystery and houses that seem alive and toxic friendships and secrets, this is the book for you.

‘The Last Tale of the Flower Bride’ is a beautiful, lush gothic novel, both intimate and complex at the same time. I’ve never read a Roshani Chokshi book before this one, but I think I might have to go through after her backlist after this, because if her other novels are as good as this one, she’ll be a new favourite. I keep thinking about what makes this novel such a good one since I finished reading—hence why it took me forever to write this review—but I think the answer lies in how assured Chokshi seemed in what she was writing. The thematic elements of this novel are written perfectly, and by the time you finish, you know exactly what Chokshi was aiming to achieve.

Another element of this book that was perfectly done was its prose. This is a story about fairy tales—the way in which they can be comforting and terrifying all at one—and Chokshi’s writing mimics the styles of these tales. Littered with metaphors of myths and fairy tales, this novel wraps itself in layers of fables to create an almost dreamlike experience. I’m not one for writing on books, but I know if I had a physical copy of this one, I’d be highlighting page after page, because the writing is just gorgeous.

This writing style also leans itself towards shaping its characters, the main three of which—the Bridegroom, Indigo, and Azure—feel achingly real. Through them, Chokshi explores themes of childhood friendship, sisterhood, loss, and love, and this is done in an extremely thoughtful way. Indigo is the central character in both of our POV characters story, and she’s the one who stuck in my mind the most: this carefree, almost mysterious and whimsical girl, who has an obsession with fairy tales and making her life a myth. Her childhood with Azure displays the desperation of this obsession, her desire to offer herself to the Otherworld, while her marriage to the Bridgegroom shows the horror of trying to keep your past locked, of hiding from the person who you used to be. Indigo is multi-faceted character, who whilst never being a POV character, is almost the best crafted character in this story.

But the thing which stuck out the most to me while reading this book was its theme of love, and how it shows it as both a terrible and wonderful thing at once. I’m often drawn into thinking about the author’s note Roshani Chokshi wrote for this novel, and I think it’s the most accurate way of thinking about this book. This is a story about marriage, but also about how marriage is giving yourself to another wholly, showing them all of your self and accepting all of them in return. The main driving thread of this novel is the mystery of Indigo’s past with Azure, and how she doesn’t want her husband to know it, but how her want for secrecy results in a rift between them. Chokshi shows how the want for love can be terrifying, but how beautiful it can be at the same time. And she shows all the different types of love too—that between family members, friends, and sisters, not just the romantic kind. She creates a beautifully intimate story, that sweeps you up and doesn’t let you go until you’re finished.

Overall, ‘The Last Tale of the Flower Bride’ is a masterpiece of a novel, and one I’ll be thinking for a long time. Do yourself a favour and preorder this one, so you can get it immediately when it come out!

So, I finished »The Last Tale of the Flower Bride« yesterday and the good thing is that I can't stop thinking about it - but I also can't decide whether I want to give this 4 or 5 stars.

I’m actually really really happy I got approved for the eARC of this - thank you Hodder & Stoughton! - because this is the perfect book for autumn. Roshani Chokshi has the most beautiful writing style, she just has a talent for describing things in a really beautiful way without it getting dense. I just adore her writing and if I wasn't sure before, she’s definitely a favorite author of mine now. »The Last Tale of the Flower Bride« is dark and mysterious, full of fairytales, myths and folklore. It also gave me major Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier vibes with the house and that we never learned the name of the bridegroom and as with Rebecca as soon as Indigo and the bridegroom enter the house there's this third person that strains the relationship between Indigo and her husband and where we don't know what happened to her and finding out was a big part of the story. I just really loved that I got similar vibes from »The Last Tale of the Flower Bride«, even though it is a lot more mystic and ominous than Rebecca. And I’m not like, comparing the books or saying they are very similar, it just gave me similar vibes here and there, which I really enjoyed.

The story itself became a bit predictable from a certain point which didn't exactly bothered me but I did hope I would be a bit more surprised. This is the reason why I’m struggling to decide if this was a 4 or 5 star read for me. I was pretty set on 4 stars during the last chapters but then the ending was written so beautifully and in a way that I didn't exactly expect and that made me appreciate the whole book even more. So, I think it has to be 5 stars. Because I really really loved »The Last Tale of the Flower Bride« and it’s for sure a book I’ll be thinking about every now and then.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is an interesting read, it’s a dark, poetic, classically romantic gothic read, and while I say it’s romantic, it’s not a love story in a sense, it’s a love story to fairytales, to childhood fancy, to wanting to belong. The book follows 2 plotlines, the present with ‘Bridegroom’ who meets Indigo Maxwell Castenada and becomes seduced by her mystery, soon marries her but with the explicit instruction from her that if he looks into her past, if he delves, he will lose it all. For a while he is content living this mystery and missing that part of his wife, until Indigo receives the call that her Aunt is close to death and they must visit her childhood home, The House of Dreams. While there, Indigo’s husband is tempted by Indigo’s secret, her childhood friend Azure, known to have gone missing, who she forbids to talk about, but he cannot resist not knowing. The 2nd plotline follows Indigo’s childhood with Azure, a childhood of 2 girls who form a sisterhood only needing each other, who believe in a fairy underworld and do everything together to ensure they can live there one day together, however their sisterhood strains as Indigo becomes more persistent and possessive of this dream and Azure finds a belonging elsewhere. But what happens to Azure? What happened to Indigo to make her so secretive?

The true heart of this book is the writing, it’s just delicious, it’s like red wine, dark chocolate, it’s just sxy, Indigo in particular is just incredible and while she’s potentially deadly and dangerous and you don’t really know much about her, whenever she is on the page, you’re in for a wild ride. Chokshi intertwines the story with fairytales, ancient stories and characters that the characters on the page start to shadow. It’s very clever writing, it gives off a powerful but unstable vibe, which is actually very reminiscent of the characters themselves. The Bridegroom isn’t a character I necessarily connected nor cared about, although seeing as he has back story but is never given a name, he really is more of a plot device and I’m sorry but as terrible as she was at times to everyone in this book, I couldn’t help but root for Indigo.

The house itself is also an interesting character, the building being almost alive, you get to know how it feels and how it reacts to the characters who play out their story inside it, likewise the fairy underworld written enough to be intriguing but not overwritten to be fantastical, this book really is just the right about of dark fantasy you want to curl up and get lost in.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. I would really recommend reading this and what an introduction to Chokshi’s writing!

No history is created by people keeping their oaths. Stories are only created when vows are broken....
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The Last Tale Of The Flower Bride was my first book by Roshani Chokshi and it will not be the last.
The blurb talks mainly about a marriage with secrets. But there is also a toxic relationship that takes up a big part of the story, fairytales and a lot of gothic vibes.
I liked the plot, even if it was a bit predictable towards the end. But mostly I was there for the atmosphere. Chokshi created an incredibly great little world and described it so vividly, I could picture everything. I am very happy that I could read it already, because it fits perfectly to autumn with its unsettling atmosphere.
Even though the writing style was poetic and descriptive, it never read dense.
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Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the eArc of The Last Tale Of The Flower Bride.

I got a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

It's not often that I give 5 stars, but this book deserves it.

I haven't read anything from this author before.
The prologue is good. And I really like the writing style. The prose is so captivating.
The book is gothic and mysterious, it kept me on my toes, pulling me in.
I couldn't stop reading this book.

We have two POV's. The Bridegroom as the present and Azure as the past.
Normally, I hate switiching between past and present POV, but for this book I actually enjoyed it.
It didn't put me off, annoy me, or confuse me when we changed POV.

I have no cons at all for this book. I liked this book tremendously, and I will definitely get a physical copy of this book when it releases. This book was just so good, I don't have anything else to say, other than read this book, you won't regret it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A hauntingly beautiful tale, full of half-truths and hidden reality. I loved every page of the book. The author really has a way with words. The story grabs you tight and doesn't let you go. Hold your breath cause you're going to immerse in the story. And with some luck, you'll make it out alive.

Indigo has a secret, and she warns her husband not to pry. I will say no more about the plot. This beautifully written novel uses vivid imagery and is illustrated with fairytales. It is well worth reading and I do recommend it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.

I'm going to prelude this by saying that I read for enjoyment. I don't necessarily read for my reading ability to be test (though I enjoy my views and perceptions being challenged). So I will generally read books that are "easy" to read for me - language that I understand without subtext or second meanings.

However, after reading The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, I think I'm missing out.

This story was DRIPPING in poetry. It is the most hauntingly beautiful tale I have ever read. I just -. I can't shift it.

"In the end, a fairy tale is nothing more than a sense of hope."

I feel like anything I say may well lead to spoilers and I can hand on heart say - I'd never want to spoil any aspect of this book for anyone.

All I'll say is that this is a gothic fairytale in every sense of the word - one I could well see Del Toro producing - and I think this could become one of the few books I would re-read.

I loved every single part.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the early access!

This was one of those fun, quick reads that will get you out of a slump, or just keep you company on a rainy afternoon.

You won't put this book down: it's intriguing, confusing (in a good way), and amazing.

I just love reading purely escapist novels in winter and "The Last Tale of the Flower Bride" by Roshani Chokshi did not disappoint. I just loved the friendship of Indigo and Azure and the magical house they frequented when they were younger, juxtaposed with the visit of Indigo and her husband when her aunt is dying. Brilliant, just brilliant.

I have so many thoughts and feelings on this I don't even know where to start. Usually when I question 'What did I just read?' it's not for good reasons. This time, I'm so unsure of what was real and not in after closing the pages on this story.

"Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. " This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of everything happening.

Their marriage, we see from the POV of the scholarly man named only as the Bridegroom, is riddled with its own mysteries. Games of being this and that from different stories, nightmares from the Bridegroom's childhood that he can't remember. It isn't really until we meet the House of Dreams and delve into the entity that is/was Indigo and Azure that we find more mysteries than answers.

Moving between Azure and the Bridegroom's views, we get a full picture: a deeply dysfunctional, obsessive and toxic co-dependent relationship. As we know Indigo marries a man who believes in fairytales, it comes as little surprise that the relationship between Indigo and Azure is also rooted in a different world.

Indigo says they are one soul, split in half and by the end you cannot help but wonder if they really were.

There's suspense, unsettling moments, betrayal, the struggle of growing vs staying where are, and a startling series of dramatic moments for a book just over 300 pages.

In short, I read through it as fast as I did because I couldn't put it down.

This is a fairy story but it’s not for children. This is for adults. The characters and the story are complex and like all good fairy stories, they live in a strange world of their own making and their tale is compelling.
It goes from character to character in each chapter; revealing a bit more of its secrets as we go. You need to concentrate so you don’t lose the thread and there’s here’s a twist at the end.
Do they live happily ever after? You’ll have to read it to find out.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a brilliant book, full of magic, beautifully written and dreamily poetic. It draws you in immediately, keeps you guessing all the way, is incredibly intriguing and wonderfully smooth. I absolutely loved the mysticism throughout and greatly appreciate all the fairy tale references.

Fairy tales however are often also unsettling and the same goes for this book. Particularly the friendship between Indigo and Azure was both magical and uncomfortable, which really demonstrates the complexities of female friendship. It felt like a dance with fire, with a looming threat of something terrible.

This book is as heartbreaking as it is exquisite, nothing is what it seems and the ending was entirely unpredictable, leaving you feeling as though the spell is finally lifted.

After reading the Gilded Wolves Trilogy by Roshani Chokshi, I was excited to read her new adult book.

First of all, I am again deeply in love with the author’s writing style. It is really poetic and draws you right into the story. Also, the author always finds the right words to describe emotions and feelings in a very metaphorical way. Because of this, the story had a very intriguing atmosphere. It was mysterious and a at times a bit unsettling, but most of all, it made me read the book in one sitting.

Concerning the story, I think it is best to just dive into it without much knowledge. The story evolves really nicely and I think the pacing was just perfect. Moreover, there are some plot twists that will make you even more invested in the story.

What I liked most was definitely the potrayal of the characters. I personally wasn’t sure who I could trust, who was crazy and who was telling the truth. Because of this, I always had a chilling feeling while reading which made me enjoy the story even more.

I also liked the ending, however, it didn’t really surprise me that much. I wished I would have been a bit more shocked but I guess this is just a personal thing. Maybe the big plottwist in the end will surprise other people more than me.

In conclusion: Eventhough the ending couldn’t shock me, I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the dark and mysterious atmosphere and I also liked the many flawed and complex characters. Additionally, the writing style fits the story perefctly and it reads like a twisted, gothic fairytale come to reality. So, I can totally recommend this book and give it 4,5/5 stars.

Thankyou Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for a honest review

This book had me hooked from the first page. The way it is written is very lyrical and descriptive. I could visualise everything perfectly and the vibes for autumn was on point. I felt every emotion and couldn't put it down. It is a fairy tale for adults and was done perfectly!

This one was such a pleasant surprise! It was my first book by the author and must say it had me hooked right from the start. Excellent pace, right narrative and fab plot - if you aren't reading, you're missing out something great!

Indigo Maxwell-Castenada is like something out of a fairytale. She wraps herself in stories and myths and legends and decorates them with riches and mystery. When a historian who specializes in the myths and fairytales Indigo covets catches her interest, a whirlwind romance ensues. Soon after, a long-term relationship with a single catch: he must never ask Indigo about her past or risk losing her forever. Years later, when Indigo's aunt lay in her death bed, that promise proves hard to keep. As questions pile up and inconsistencies rise, their relationship is put to the test and Indigo's worst fear draws near: the truth.

Fairytales and myths play a huge role in this book, evident in not only the storyline but also the prose and timing. The writing was both atmospheric and, in a way, ethereal. It had the same beauty as the prose in Circe while having the same addicting quality of House of Hollow. It also managed to work two timelines both without losing this quality and without a decline in clarity.

The plot was engaging and while I wasn't expecting a mystery/thriller at first, the transition felt natural and unforced. The characters very extremely well written, and while every single one was either morally grey or just downright evil (except maybe the Bridegroom...) I still found myself rooting for most of them. They were multidimensional and interesting.

I don't know how else to convince you to read this, but I loved it a lot and if you enjoyed A Lesson In Vengeance or House of Hollow, you will love this. This was my first read by this author, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Chokshi's work!

A beautifully lyrical and atmospheric gothic fairytale full of magic and secrets. This book is deeply imbued with folklore and the way it has shaped the world we live in, Perhaps a little predictable to voracious fantasy readers, but still poetic, immersive and enchanting in a way that kept me turning the pages right to the end.

Gorgeous book. Would absolutely recommend to anyone who loves this genre. What a fabulous read! Thank you for letting me review your work.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is Roshani Chokshi's debut in the adult novel world and as you can see from my rating it's an outstanding debut! I had already read the first two books of The Gilded Wolves series by Roshani Chokshi and I have to say that this new novel is something completely new and unique! This is a light fairytale that mixes with an horror and gothic fairytale, almost disturbing!

The story begins with a fairytale love story in which our protagonist, known only as The Bridegroom, meets and falls madly in love with a mysterious heiress: Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. Their attraction is impulsive, intoxicating, and in no time at all the Groom and Indigo are wed and promise to live happily ever after... on one condition: The Bridegroom must never ask about Indigo's past, he must never dig into its secrets. By dint of a spell, the Bridegroom is content to spend his days devoted to his wife and happy in her presence. However, when Indigo receives a phone call informing her that her aunt is dying, the couple must travel to Indigo's childhood home, the House of Dreams. Within the walls of this house the temptation to pry into Indigo's life becomes too great for the Groom, for the House knows her secrets and the House wants to reveal them. Furthermore, Indigo was not the only one who lived in the House of Dreams, there was also little Azure, Indigo's childhood friend who mysteriously disappeared. As the narrative unfolds, the Bridegroom becomes entangled in a web of fantasy and reality where he no longer knows what is real, what is fake and what is just a fairy tale.

In a nutshell, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a story about fairy tales, dreams, nightmares, friendships, toxic friendships, marriages, obsessions, complex relationships, mysteries, secrets, passion and much more! And manages to mix all these themes in a truly amazing and unique gothic fairy tale!

The story is divided into two timelines with two totally different MC: in the present timeline we find the pov of the bridegroom, a passive, fearful and little-characterized character, who exists only as a function of his wife and who tries to find out who is behind the woman who married! I loved the Bridegroom! Even without much characterization of his character, he still managed to be very strong and vivid, and the author's choice to tell the story from the groom's point of view is really excellent, when usually all the books only have the pov of the bride/female protagonist!

The second timeline is the “ancient” one, of Indigo's childhood, and is narrated by Azure, Indigo's inseparable best friend! I enjoyed Azure chapters immensely! I loved Azure and her story of her childhood with Indigo in the House entertained me a lot, sometimes even made me emotional and of course it scared and unsettled me a lot!

In the two timelines, Roshani Chokshi's writing changes a lot and I greatly appreciated this stylistic choice. The chapters with the bridegroom's pov are very gothic and serious while the chapters from Azure's pov are very fairy-tale and dreamlike and reminded me a lot of coming of age novels (but always with a dark note).

The friendship between Indigo and Azure is beautifully written! It’s a toxic and obsessive friendship, with happy moments but also with many moments where my heart was literally broken! Furthermore, I also read between the lines a slight love story between the two! Azure becomes literally enchanted by Indigo and also by the House!

The House is obviously another character in the story, it’s a luxurious and glittering place but it’s alive, observes everyone and is disturbing and delusional both for those who live there and for the readers too.

I also loved the way the author blended many fairy tales into the story, some I was familiar with and some I discovered while reading the book! I also really liked the way she managed to combine a fairytale environment full of Fae and magic with a gothic, dark and horror environment!
The only thing that didn't make me give 5 full stars was the ending... a bit rushed and fast in my opinion, but it's still a satisfying ending!

Highly recommended if you are into dark fairy tales, gothic novels, disturbing atmospheres, bizarre characters and a (tragic) friendship story described very well! It gave me the vibes of Mexican Gothic, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and any book by Alix E.Harrow so if you love these books you can't miss it!

Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder&Stoughton and Roshani Chokshi for providing me with this digital Arc in exchange for an honest review! The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is out everywhere February 16, 2023, don't miss it!

This tale is deceptive- it's fantastical, and yet anchored in the real world, but it's a world layered over our own, one full of decadence and sumptuous detail. I absolutely adored this book. The slow unravelling of the story of the two best friends, the way the main character excavates the truth about his wife. And all wrapped up in delicious prose, it felt like eating a piece of dark chocolate torte.

This book will haunt you in the best way for a good while.

An evocative and beguiling mystery of secrets, mad passion and chilling deception.
This story brought a beautiful poetic prose as well as mythical references that built the tension and "other-wordly" sense of the dynamics both between the characters and the setting. Told from the perspectives of "the bridegroom" in the present and the historical narrative of his bride's childhood friend Azure, the truth that Indigo protects fiercely is slowly revealed to all. Alongside this, a repressed memory of a deep pain from his own childhood lures the Bridegroom in to risking everything to uncover the truth.
A truly unsettling and fantastic read.

I am not too sure about what I have just read: an oniric fable? a twisted tale? What I can definitely say is that the writing is impeccable, the story telling masterful and the topic wildly original and novel. I loved it and can still picture the settings, the decors and feel the essence of the characters. A memorable must read!

A beautiful, beautiful dark fairytale. Absolutely enchanting and magically written, The last tale of the flower bride will warm your heart before the final lines. The characters are mesmerising, I so deeply adore Indigo and Azure's poetic relationship! And the whole reflexion on dreams and fairytales and magic ? I say masterpiece ♡

This beautiful gothic tale focusses on bringing fairytale, myths, legends to life. This gorgeous novel captivates you within the first page. This books is a dual POV between the Bridgegroom and Azure.

This novel starts with a marriage between our MC (Bridgegroom) and FMC (Indigo) He vows to never pry into Indigos past. However what happens when he does? This quickly picks up pace as we are introduced to Azure. A childhood friend of Indigos'. We learn secrets, mystery, childhood dreams, past trauma and so much more.

The relationship between Azure and Indigo is one to remember. Two halves of the same soul. Learning more about their relationship throughout this book was captivating in a dark, perplexing way. Azures childhood is the polar opposite to Indigos. Indigo has wealth, clothes, a home whereas Azure has nothing. This is why their relationship is so important in this book. Two unlikely characters coming together.

I personally did not like how the relationship between Indigo and Bridgegroom was rushed at the start of the book however upon reading further this does get explained.

Story -5/5
Character Devolopment - 5/5
World Building - 4/5

"You never forget the moment when beauty turns to horror"

Overall this dark gothic novel will leave you hooked!

4.5/5

Thank you Hodder / Netgalley for my Arc. All of my views on this book are my own opinions.

Pre Order The Last Tale of the Flower Bride today!

The last tale of the flower bride by Roshani Chokshi

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an arc ebook for an unbiased review.

While Roshani Chokshi isn't someone I'd read previously, I had heard she had done some great YA books so I was intrigued when I heard about this foray into the adult gothic genre.

I was fascinated by this book. We though have to be aware, the basis of this book is fairytales. One in particular. They aren't as a rule, wholesome fun stories (some are of course). Many are gruesome, many have aspects of co-dependency and/or toxic relationships. So the contents of this story tend to explore themes that touch based on many a fairytale.

The imagery is so beautiful and vivid. It allowed the fantasy nature to shine through. The narrative is between past and present and it helps build the complexity of Indigo and others around her.
Although the main story is based on a particular fairytale, there are others scattered throughout. Some I know, some I didn't, and the mark of a great piece of writing is when I want to find out more. I certainly am intrigued to find out more about some.

The book cover is dark and foreboding, and it sets up the whole story as it is also dark and foreboding and complex. Although some of it was beautiful and full of magical wonder. I am glad we had those sections, as it allowed you to breathe around the weightier moment

I know this isn't going to be a book for everyone, but I found I loved it far more than I had anticipated I would.

A solid 5/5 stars from me.

What a gorgeous book. The writing is perfect for the story and the story is a wonderfully gothic fantasy. Not my usual read as I avoid fae and faeries and the like despite enjoying fantasy but this one just drew me in from the original email from NetGalley and then from Page 1.. The writing was too good to speed read so I took my time and wallowed in it. Just lovely. I've run out of superlatives now so it's only the thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the eARC to read and review. What a privilege..

A nightmare wrapped in a fairy tale. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is an exquisitely written gothic mystery, as enchanting as it is dark.

First of all, this was very dark. I do not think the blurb reflects what this story is really about. It isn't a romance or a friendship that ends up in tragedy per se. The book has these elements, but it's fucked up on many different levels that I wasn't expecting. While I enjoyed the book and I think it made sense, I didn't think this was where I'd go.

The story unravels as the unnamed narrator meets Indigo and they fall in love with each other and their love for fairy tales. They communicate in riddles and live as if they were part of a myth. But it's all fun and games until she's called back to her home and he is faced with the terrible question of finding out her secret at expense of their marriage or continuing living their dream relationship.

Turns out, there's a story behind her secret. And well, it's dark. There's a very toxic friendship with sapphic undertones and an effed-up family situation. My Goodreads review adds a spoiler tagged trigger warning list.

Do I recommend this book? Yes. It's honestly perfectly written and it's such a good idea. I cannot express how beautifully written it is, it felt like reading honey?? But it was effed-up at the same time. I just think it's best to read this without knowing what you're getting into, as long as you like dark themes and don't expect this to be a nice fairy tale-ish story.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

It's a dark tale, centered around Indigo, her stories told by Azure, her childhood friend, and Indigo's nameless husband. It has magical themes and explores fairy tales, with Indigo and Azure increasingly obsessed with finding a path to the Otherworld. But Indigo is holding secrets, and it's her husband's inability not to pry that brings the story to it's shocking conclusion. 

It starts off slowly and I wasn't sure what to make of it at first but I'm glad I stuck with it because it's brilliant. It's gothic but not spooky, more chilling and mysterious.

The House of Dreams, Indigo's childhood home, is a central part of the story. It feels alive through Roshani's prose and it makes me want to visit. The split between Azure and the husband as storytellers works well too, the different voices giving the reader a full background into Indigo's life. I don't want to say too much as I'd like to keep it spoiler free, but if you like magical and gothic vibes, then this is one for you. 

Thanks to @netgalley @hodderbooks and @roshanichokshi for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The smartest fever dream I've ever read...

...or why @roshanichokshi is beyond brilliant, but a little scary sometimes 🖤

This might have been my favourite book of the year- and definitely the one I was proud to catch the plot twist before the big reveal! This story is enchanting, immersive, magical, haunting, and a tad disturbing here and there. Or in short- perfect!

I'm in awe of Roshani Chokshi since reading the Gilded Wolves trilogy, but in case you haven't- The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is blurbed by V.E. Schwab, Alix E. Harrow and Holly Black. Just so you can appreciate why getting an ARC was an absolute dream! (Thanks @NetGalley !)