OOF I had to DNF pretty early on because I simply couldn't stand the voice actress's odd accents and inflections. I tried to give the book a chance despite the narration, but unfortunately, I kept cringing and at 10%, I just wanted to stop reading, so I did.

There’s a lot of potential here, especially with the unique worldbuilding and some striking imagery throughout the story. The concept is intriguing, and there are moments where the tension and stakes really land.

However, the pacing felt uneven, with some sections dragging and others rushing through important plot points. Character development was a bit hit-or-miss — I wanted to feel more connected to the main cast, but they didn’t always feel fully fleshed out. Some of the twists were predictable, and the romance lacked a bit of spark for me.

It wasn’t a bad read by any means — there were elements I enjoyed — A decent choice for fans of fantasy with a dark edge, just don’t expect something deeply immersive.

this was more like quicksilver than acotar imo, but even then it is not a good comparison.

I’m sure this is really good for some people, but this was not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Zara Storm for the audiobook! I definitely enjoyed this story. It reminded of Rumpelstiltskin which I think was the point. The narrator did a good job but I think a duel narration would have helped a lot. Overall, I enjoyed listening and she had a nice calm voice that kept me captivated in the story.

I was so hooked on this book from the start. I immediately went and got the 2nd two so I could listen in succession. I am close to finishing now and I could not be happier I required this book!

Absolutely a great book.

The narrator was great and I loved her soft voice.

While this story was entertaining in the way most Romantasies tend to be, it just wasn’t great. The world-building was minimal, the characters felt flat, and the plot lacked real intrigue—I called the “twist” from a mile away. The romance was not only instant but also felt unearned, lacking the tension or development needed to make it believable. It clearly wanted to be a blend of ACOTAR and Quicksilver, but the attempt was both obvious and unsuccessful.

Ultimately, not worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc for my honest opinion. The narrator did an amazing job but I feel like this book could have benefited from duel narration. This book would be great for Quicksilver fan or Rumpelstiltskin fairytale retelling with fae.

She has figured out how to use alchemy to turn lead into gold and when her friend gets her in trouble she uses her abilities to save him. The king then decides that she shall be his bride and locks her up and forces her to make gold for him, trying to flee she gets caught and called on the dark face to save her. Her bargain goes astray when she doesn’t phrase her bargain correctly. He takes her to the fae world to then make gold for him. She slowly tries to gain his trust to get the upper hand so that she can return home.

I wouldn’t categorize this at all as a “dark” romantasy. Maybe I have a high threshold but there wasn’t much dark about the plot or characters. The spice was fine, would say it’s just regular spice though not “dark” either, I’d give it maybe 🌶️🌶️/5 but it was well written so that was nice.

I liked the world building a lot, the faerie realm was pretty close to how I’d imagine it myself. The audiobook was well done also, the narrator was great and production was great!

My main issues with this book stem from the build up of the MMC being a big bad evil fae, and the reality being a lot of insta-love-esque interactions. There wasn’t much tension built up at all, which left the spice a bit unsatisfying even though it was well written. I felt like I hadn’t been given any legitimate background or reasons to care what happened to these characters, or care about their relationship progressing. It seemed maybe one-dimensional, it felt like something was missing and the missing piece is whatever makes it possible to connect a story/characters to the emotional center in my brain.

Overall this was a cute book, it came off very YA for me but with the addition of spice, which isn’t a bad thing at all. If you’re in the mood for a low-stakes or easy-to-read romantasy that doesn’t require a lot of brain power, I’d definitely suggest this one, and I will be interested to see how the story progresses from here!

Thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Relay Publishing for the advanced review audiobook!

A Court that Bleeds Gold is a captivating blend of fae fantasy, slow-burn romance, and dark secrets, all wrapped in Zara Storm’s lush, immersive writing. The world-building is rich and intriguing, with enough twists to keep you guessing, and the heroine’s journey is equal parts fierce and emotional.

*The Court that Bleeds Gold* by Zara Storm is a spellbinding fantasy romance filled with intrigue, betrayal, and heart-stopping twists that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The story follows Eleanor, a human, and Ruskin, the prince of the Seelie Court, as they navigate a turbulent journey that blurs the lines between love and deception.

The intricate world-building and captivating characters drew me into the enchanting realm of Faerie, where danger and magic lurk around every corner. Eleanor's resilience and determination, paired with Ruskin's enigmatic allure, created a dynamic and compelling duo that I couldn't help but root for.

As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed, trust is shattered, and the intricate web of lies and motivations leaves both characters and readers questioning everything. The emotional rollercoaster of their relationship, from forbidden love to heartbreaking betrayal, kept me invested in their fates until the very last page.

The shocking cliffhanger ending left me breathless and desperate for more, eager to uncover the truth behind Ruskin's actions and Eleanor's ultimate fate. *The Court that Bleeds Gold* is a five-star read that delivers a captivating blend of fantasy, romance, and suspense that will leave readers clamoring for the next installment. Zara Storm has crafted a mesmerizing tale that lingers long after the final page is turned, making this book an absolute must-read for fans of intricate and gripping fantasy romance.

A bargaining shadow daddy fae that part Lucifer (tv show) part Rhysand who is keeping secrets that can destroy his burgeoning relationship. I am here for it and also I now need the second book immediately because I must know what happens next. If you like Romantasy this is for you.
The narrator did a fantastic job narrating and voice acting so that it felt like a multi person cast recording and I never fell out of the story. Very well done!

This is a wonderful Beauty and the Beast meets Rumpelstiltskin retelling. This one was very reminescent of Elisa Kova's "Married to Magic" series and Chanda Hahn's "Daughter's of Eville series. I enjoyed the world that Storm created, especially the supportive characters in it. I especialy loved her bodyguard, Brienne of Tarth-like in nature, who is both serious but also caring. The prince's fashionista bestie yet baddie is also delightful.

I appreciated a female lead that knows science and doesn't feel like she is less because of her lack of magic. Pairing that with her insatiable curiousity, the FMC is easy to relate to and very enjoyable to follow. The MMC is your typical brooding, dark, secretive prince. There is a bit of chemistry between the two, that I hope gets fleshed out a bit more in the next book.

Court that Bleeds Gold audiobook was absolutely fantastic, and the narrators did an amazing job. I especially loved the narrators voice that was used for Ruskin, as it smooth and almost soothing which is absolutely crazy when it applies to this story because there was never a dull moment. I devoured the story from beginning to end and the ending left me excited for the next book in this series. I couldn't get enough of Eleanor and Ruskin's characters as I enjoyed both of them, especially Eleanor. I don't want to give too much away because I think that paranormal romance readers that read this story will enjoy it immensely if they are like me when it comes to a story that keeps you captivated. I will say that there was never a dull moment in this story that is full of survival, betrayal, enemies, secrets, suspense, doubts, deals, riddles, threats, laugh out loud moments, great friendships, romance and more. I'm definitely not only looking forward to reading the next book in this series but giving other series/books from this author a try.

This was a good fantasy I can't wait to find out what happens next .. it reminds me of a fairytale but dark and was an enjoyable listen

I should have stopped at “A Court Of….”. This felt very boilerplate romantasy and I don’t think of that as a compliment. I felt this book lacked character development and the romance was disappointing for me. This book is billed as dark fantasy but this didn’t feel dark to me.

Ash Kingsley, the narrator, does a good job but doesn’t exactly set the tone for dark fantasy. I don’t blame them but if you say “dark”, choosing a narrator with a friendly/upbeat narration voice seems counterintuitive.

The blurb mentions “for fans of Sarah J. Maas” which is a high bar to set considering the fandom she has and while I do see some similarities here I’m not sure if this one lives up to that comparison.

I appreciate the effort in this novel and there is definitely an audience for it, but this one fell a bit flat for me. .

Thank you NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.