The Court that Bleeds Gold

A Dark Fantasy Romance (The Gold Weaver, Book 1)

By: Zara Storm

Narrated by: Ash Kingsley

A dark fantasy romance perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy, Krista Street, and Sarah J. Maas.

Desperate to escape marrying a brutal king, I make a deal with a Fae Prince...

I can spin gold, I lie.

With my life at stake, I have no other choice.

I get one chance to turn my lie into truth, and I'm shocked when I succeed.

But now the cruel human king demands I become his wifepassing between his bed and being locked away in a tower, spinning gold until my last breath.

My only way out is to summon him.

A brutal Fae prince.

The deal we strike is sickening, but it's the only way I'll live after I'm caught escaping.

My new captor drags me back to his realm.

A place of profound beauty and savage cruelties.

As wicked fairies play sadistic games, the prince is my sole protector.

He's not just protecting me, though. He's guarding his own secrets.

I should hate him. But our pact shows me a side his court never sees.

There is more behind his monstrous mask.

I can't stop myself from looking.

Especially when I learn what he really wants with me.

The Court that Bleeds Gold is the first book in a dark fantasy romance trilogy. This enemies to lovers series has shades of Rumpelstiltskin and Beauty and the Beast, with a dark hero who will absolutely burn this damned world to the ground for our sharp-tongued heroine. Expect steam, violence and plenty of barbed exchanges.

©2024 Relay Publishing (P)2024 Relay Publishing

Oh Ruskin, you devil ❤️

This fantasy romance stole my heart. That’s it. I’m still speechless. The story was so good, I couldn’t put the book down and listened to it in one sitting (yes, it’s really that good) and the narrator did an amazing job portraying the characters, including my new book boyfriend Ruskin. I cannot wait for the next book, because that ending?? I need more!

Fantastic Twist on a Blended Fairytale

This book takes a fantastic twist on the romantasy plot by adding in a loose blended retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and Beauty and the Beast. I had already read the series, so I knew what I was getting into in terms of plot, but what I wasn’t expecting was to fall I love with the book all over again. As this book is told from a single point of view, having a single narrator made sense. And Ash Kingsley does a spectacular job breathing life into the characters. Listening to this book was addicting, it was a constant battle of I’ll just listen one more chapter. Cannot wait for the next two books.

Ruskin :)

The Court that Bleeds Gold hooked me right from the beginning. If you’re into dark fantasy romance with fae princes, dangerous deals, and a heroine who finds herself caught in a web of power and deception, this book is gonna be your jam! The story pulled me in from the start with its intriguing premise—a human girl who lies about her ability to spin gold and gets trapped in a deadly game between a cruel human king and a mysterious fae prince. It’s packed with tension, magic, and that delicious slow-burn romance we all crave in this genre. Plus, Ruskin, the broody fae prince, is definitely giving “new book boyfriend” energy.

Would I Recommend This?
Yes! If you love high-stakes romance with morally gray fae and heroines forced into impossible situations, you’re in for a treat. The pacing is solid, and while there are some moments where the heroine's internal struggle frustrated me (more on that below), the overall story is addicting. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of dark, twisty fairytale retellings or romantasy.

While there were a few parts where I found the heroine’s complaints about her situation a bit grating (like girl, you know fae deals are tricky!), it wasn’t a dealbreaker for me. It’s more of a personal gripe about characters who get caught in their own traps, but that’s just me. Despite that, the story as a whole worked really well, and the twists kept me engaged. The world-building is lush, the fae court is both beautiful and brutal, and there’s plenty to love if you're into fae/human tension with a dash of danger.

Ash Kingsley did a great job bringing this story to life. Her performance added a lot of depth to the characters, especially with Ruskin’s brooding intensity and the heroine’s mix of strength and vulnerability. She captured the emotional highs and lows well, making the story more immersive and enjoyable. While there were a few moments where the pacing or tone felt a bit off, overall, Kingsley’s narration really enhanced the experience and kept me engaged. She definitely made the book more enjoyable, and I’d gladly listen to her again.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Gold Weaver

The girl Weaver get on my last nerves, she got herself into predicament that she shouldn't have, if she would've thought about it she would've been fine, I also was surprised at the end, this was a good book

Well produced audiobook of an amazing book!

4.5 ⭐️ 2🌶️

I read this book when it first came out and really enjoyed it so when I saw an audiobook version had been released I was excited and it did not disappoint. The narrator did a perfect job of bringing the story to life and as a reread I was able to pick up on interpretational differences between how I viewed the characters and how the narrator portrayed them, as well as elements I missed on my first read. Highly recommend!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Alchemy

"The Court that Bleeds Gold" is book 1 in the Gold Weaver series. The synopsis looked promising. The book started off strong. I felt parts of the book were slow and dragged a bit. Other parts were at a good pace, and I looked forward to what could happen next. World building and character development were ok, but could have benefited from a deeper exploration. I enjoyed the story well enough, but was not sucked into it. It ends on cliff hanger, I assume to encourage you to read the next book in the series. I received a free copy of this audiobook, and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Good book, but not for me 🤷‍♀️

I find it kinda hard to review this book. I think the concept and the plot was good, but overall, it’s just not for me. Something I’ve realized I can’t stand in books is when one character is upset about circumstances that have very clear rules. For instance, her complaining about how mean he is and how she needs to get away, when she made a deal (and knew how tricky the fae can be), it just really bothers me, but I also recognize that is something that is very much a me thing; I’m just too autistic for this kind of character.
I don’t think this is a bad book in any way, and I think it would be great for someone else, but if you’re someone who sees things in a more black and white way: you may want to pass on this one. However, if you’re someone who wants a world that feels reminiscent of the Cruel Prince, with characters that kinda give more ACOTAR vibes, you should definitely check this out.

Somethings just didn't flow

It was hard at time for me to become fully engrossed in this book because some of the MC interactions felt off or didn't flow. As some other reviews mentioned, it just doesn't make sense how the MFC complains all the time how she is "trapped" and there against her will when SHE made the deal. The first few chapters go on about how tricky the fae are and how dangerous making a deal is....and yet she still chose to make the deal. Also the MFC constantly complains about how hot and cold the MMC is but she is constantly swinging back and forth between lusting after him and berating him for his actions. This is also strange to me because some of the things she gets upset about aren't even HIS actions. They are actions of others in HIS court and so she goes off because he is "letting" these things happen. It just doesn't flow for me. It feels like forced conflict or over exaggerated perceived injustices. I really liked the plot and the concept of the story, world building and lead- up to MC meeting could have been better.

Heart-Pounding Drama with Romance

Absolutely thrilling and highly entertaining! This story had it all—mystery, intrigue, romance, betrayal... and even more betrayal! I was hooked from start to finish and can’t wait to dive into book two. The character development was spot-on, and the narration, with its distinct voices, was perfection. Five shining stars all around! What a fantastic start to the series!

Good

I enjoyed this story. I've always loved Rumpelstiltskin, so I was excited for that aspect of this story. Good world building. The storyline was interesting and held my attention. I liked Ruskin and Eleanor (most of the time; she was sometimes very immature). Ash Kingsley did a good job narrating this story. She gave great emotion to Eleanor. The male characters were okay, but then I know it's hard for a female narrator to do a good convincing male voice (at least to my ears).

This is both my first book by this author and my first time listening to this narrator.

Overall: 4 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 4 stars