I received this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a rollercoaster of a book. I loved how it began, a human tricked into signing a year long contract as a school counsellor for supernaturals. Noella has spent the first four weeks being belittled, beaten and broken. Well, her body has, but her spirit never falters.
Noella is smart, sassy and kind. She has her own past trauma but isn't afraid to stand up for herself. She's a strong FMC but not pushy. Sometimes she goes a bit overboard and becomes sappy and lovey dovey but I think it's on keeping with her character because she is so empathetic. She's a counsellor so I guess she has to be. I loved her ideas and reading about her working with students and taking pride in their progress. Her determination to do her job despite the barriers she faces is admirable.
Kellen is one of the teachers who initially makes her life a living hell and while I hated him a bit, I could understand his position and reluctance. The author writes a cold and broody male extremely well and I loved it. I loved his journey.
Freya was the cutest side character and I honestly wanted more.
I knew I was going to enjoy this book when I picked it up every chance I got. The world building was well done, snippets of information dropped here and there while foreshadowing what was to come subtly.
I loved the enemies to lovers section of the book. I adored the banter, wit and snide remarks between Noella and Kellen throughout the book. The story was good too, I loved the dynamic between Kellen and his siblings, his utter devotion to them and how that part of the story evolved.
There were a few things that irritated me as I got further along in the story. Kellen's character changed from being a scary, brooding badass to a complete sap once he decided he didn't hate Noella anymore. It didn't ring true and he lost a bit of his swagger for me. The overuse of endearments pulled me out of the story. 'my love', 'sweetheart', 'baby' were words that saturated the pages and it made me cringe. I felt that the 3rd act break up was a bit weak and as sappy went, Kellen got worse. He was too poetic and didn't mesh well with the Kellen from the beginning of the book. The prophecy wasn't too difficult to work out either, although what came of it wasn't high on my prediction lists, even though looking back, it should've been.
There were a few spicy scenes and the chemistry between Kellen and Noelle are off the charts from the beginning. Their support and acceptance of each other is sweet and feel-good if you can ignore the lovey dovey, flowery language that is too over the top for me.
I did enjoy the story, there are a few storylines playing out and well spaced out so that I'd forgotten to remember small details that had flagged ideas and predictions, being so sucked into the current plot.
A solid and enjoyable book with an enticing ending.

Fantasy and romance all wrapped in one.

Bleeding Rose is based around Ella (or Noella) Rose who unbeknownst to her signed a contract to be the student counsellor at Delmarth Acadamy - a school on a different plane to earth to help the "Primordial' students... again not known to her the Primordials despise humans. Her road is rocky to begin with, the Primordials are not kind to her.. Kellen Kilic is one of those Primordials. He is a teacher at Delmarth Academy and as fate would have it be her love interest in the end.

I haven't read a fantasy book in a while, and while it was hard to wrap my head around the names etc in this book in the beginning, it was definitely a book I couldn't put down. It centered around love, family, and also had some mental health aspects to it as well.
This was a slow burn romance, and quite a long book but it was just full of so much!

I loved the character development, especially from the Kilic family characters (all of them!).

I cannot wait to read the next book by this author.

There were so many things that I loved about this book:

- It's like Zodiac Academy meets Percy Jackson but from the professor's pov
- the mental health representation and communication is incredible
- Kellen is swoony
- Ella is so fricking cute
- I love the little world
- I love the premise
- THE TWINS!?! I love them so much
- I want more of all of it

Things I didn't love:
- Kellen swung from enemy to lover too quickly for me
- the dialogue was a little clunky at times
- info dumping

However, those are just personal preferences and overall, this book is SO good. & so fun.

This book was such a refreshing and wonderful read, I absolutely loved it!

I have never read a fantasy book before that focused so much on mental health, and it was honestly such a refreshing change from the usual fantasy books. Ella, as a main female character, is absolutely amazing. She shows time and again that physical strength is not the only kind of strength that matters. She is such a strong person, and her resilience, combined with her compassion, makes her such a unique and interesting character.

I loved reading about Kellens' relationship with his siblings. This is another thing this book does that is different from the norm....usually we see the strong feared male main character only be vulnerable for the female lead. So, to see the soft vulnerable side of Kellen come out for his siblings was so beautiful. The bond that the three of them share is amazing 👏

I honestly can't say enough good things about this book. It kept me hooked the entire time, was beautifully written, and had some extremely important lessons intertwined seamlessly with the plot ! If you love the following things, then please do yourself a favor and read this book:

✨️ Mental health representation
✨️Shifters,Magic, Magical kingdom
✨️Dragons
✨️Touch her and ☠️
✨️Enemies to Lovers
✨️Found Family
✨️Fated Mates

I do feel like I have to advise to check for trigger warnings because this book does include:

-Child abuse
-Self Harm
-Depression/Suicide
-Physical Abuse

Remember that your mental health matters.


Thank you to NetGalley, Kyla Shinder, and publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fantasy with an unusual twist, actual several throughout the book. Ella is trying hard to not only prove herself in a different dimension, but trying to stay alive too. While I enjoyed the book, the dialog was at times lengthy and left me wanting to skim the pages for the real action. I did keep reading and the ending when everything is revealed was a surprise. Overall a good book for those who love romance and fantasy.

Dark academia, magic, and dragons… what more could you need in a fantasy book?
BUT if you do need more to entice you into reading this PHENOMENAL novel, it also has action, banter, heart to heart moments, ENDLESS tension, and spice so delicious your mouth will water.


🖤Noella Rose might be a human, but because she’s been THROUGH IT, it’s all made her incredibly strong. If you’re expecting a dainty FMC who needs a man to save her, she’s not the one for you. Her job as a school counselor is so beautifully handled. Kyla used her personal and professional knowledge to create Ella and if they handle situations the same, I’d say the youth of today would be LUCKY to have Kyla as their counselor.

🖤I HAVE FOUND A NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND AND HIS NAME IS KELLEN KILIC🫠
He had me wrapped around his finger the moment he said some smartass remark to Ella. And all I could hear was Nick from New Girl saying, “Stop being so mean to me or I swear to god I’m gonna fall in love with you.” This man is a lovable asshole and I’d fight Ella for him. His love for his younger siblings showed how capable he is of love and how fierce he is with it.
If he wanted to put a leash around my neck and walk me like a dog, I’d let him. If he asked me to walk over a path of legos barefoot just to get near him, bitch I’d be SPRINTING across them. I’m so feral for this fine ass dragon shifter and would let him do unspeakable things to me🤷🏼‍♀️



🖤Kyla did an incredible job creating this world and these characters. Everything is so well thought out and the characters are all fully developed, even the small, side characters.


🖤I already can’t wait for the next book. 1000/10 recommend

So this is a little bit of a mixed one for me. I’ll start with the things I loved about this book because I did really enjoy it. I absolutely loved the FMC Ella, she has so much personality and she’s really funny. I love how she doesn’t just take what everyone throws at her and she sticks up for herself. I love how she treats Kellen the MMC in the first half of the book. I did really like Kellen too, it’s a classic enemies to lovers which is my favourite trope and he does make a really good enemy. I loved the plot too, it’s something I’ve not come across before so it was very refreshing to read something new. Without giving too much away I loved the relationship between Kellen and Freya (Ella’s dog) it added a really nice touch to the story and it also made me giggle quite a bit. The reasons for me giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is during the last half of the book I found at times certain things to become repetitive, for example, there was a lot of crying from all the characters, it seems as though every time the FMC and the MMC exchanged kind words to each other they both ended up crying which I found unrealistic given the way the world works where they are is all about not showing weakness and being strong on the outside etc, I feel as though it would of been a lot more powerful if there was one big declaration of love and the tears happened then. I loved the twins so much they’re really great characters although I do feel as though it would of made more sense to make them older as they just seemed a little too mature for 12 year olds, it felt like I was reading adult characters. When the enemies became lovers I also feel like the 2 main characters lost their personalities especially Kellen, we only really see him declaring his love in the second half of the book rather than his sarcastic dry humor that is in the first half. The monologues between the characters were really well written and really poetic but at times I felt they were just a little too long to flow properly. That being said I did enjoy this book a lot and would recommend and I will be picking up the next book if there is one.

This was a well-written, exciting, slow-building romantic and action-packed read, and I'll continue to follow this author and recommend her novels.

A perfect combination of fantasy and academia!!!

When I first saw the tropes for this book I was immediately sold. An enemies to lovers with a sexy, broody professor in a fantasy setting? Yes, please 🙌🏻

I try to avoid referring to the plot in my reviews as I want them to be as spoiler free as possible. All I’m gonna say is get ready for a story about a human school counsellor who gets magically transported to a different dimension and has to find her place in an academy where magical beings hate humans (especially a certain sexy professor who wants to make her life hell 🙄).

I simply loved the FMC! She was so empathetic with a great personality who truly wanted to support the students even if the cards were stacked against her. Recently, I’ve mostly read about extremely badass FMCs (which I also love ♥️) but it was a nice change to have a main character who was a bit softer and vulnerable but still strong and fierce.

And the MMC is my favourite kind 🥵🥵🥵 broody, cold and an asshole and I swear I’ll never get tired of it 😂

Their relationships is a slow burn and I ate up every second of it!!! The tension was dripping of the pages and I love how naturally their relationship progressed.

The book is quite long, around 500 pages, so there were some slower moments but honestly I kinda love that in books. Sometimes it truly helps us get to know the characters better and truly connect with their world 🫶🏻

I definitely recommend it to all fantasy romance lovers 🌹

The tropes include:

🥀 academy setting
🥀 enemies to lovers
🥀 slow burn
🥀 shifters
🥀 found family
🥀 mental health rep

This book is the PERFECT read for any enemies to lovers fan. I mean a true true enemies to lovers story here. So much so that for me, I hated so many of the characters to ever move on. But I think that’s what makes the book so fantastic and what stands out among other reads. Shinder isn’t afraid to ruffle a little feathers and cause tension and hate early on which really sets the book up well for that redemption arc in the friendships and romance storyline.
I appreciated the huge emphasis on mental health and caring for others- something I am very passionate about myself.
The only reason this isn’t higher stars for me is because it was my personal cup of tea, particularly the first 30% where there is a lot of bullying, hate, and ostracizing. It was hard to read, but again absolutely bold move and made the rest of the story play out in such a beautiful way.
It did move a bit slower than some of my other recent reads which I actually appreciated because so often authors rely on quick plot to get through the book. This story really hooked you into the micro level day to day conversations and care of a human trapped at a school in another realm and how this plays out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Azala Press for the ARC copy of Bleeding Rose.

I absolutely loved this book. I struggled to put it down and I am so excited to read more.

I absolutely adore Noella, Kellen and the twins.

The slow burn, enemies to lovers, found family, touch her and die and the amazing characters in this novel made it such a memorable read for me.

I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book when it is released.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC copy!

This was my favorite read of the year.

Ella was such a wonderful counselor and has an even greater personality. Lose your morals, Ella! It's time for a super steamy teacher x teacher romance. I felt like it was a little slow in some places, but it was such a fast read.

Touch her and die
SHIFTERS
found family

I also absolutely loved the twins. They were so darn cute and accepting of Ella.

Hopefully there's a second book, the cliffhanger at the end killed me! I hope we get to read more from Ella and Kellen.

"Bleeding Rose" by Kyla Shinder is a hauntingly beautiful novel that weaves together elements of dark romance and intense drama. The story follows a protagonist navigating a world of emotional and physical challenges, where love and pain intertwine in unexpected ways. Shinder’s writing is evocative and lyrical, drawing readers into a compelling narrative filled with rich, multidimensional characters. The novel's exploration of love, loss, and redemption makes it a powerful and memorable read for those who appreciate deep, emotional storytelling.

So I finished this book last night after I couldn’t put it down, I loved how the writer described the world and the difference between the dimensions of the worlds! Now the enemies to lovers I loved this role in this story but you defs need to read this story you won’t be disappointed!

Wow I loved this book. Loved the setting, magic and main characters. Noelle and Kellen stole my heart. And, the ending yes! Can not wait for more.

Oh, I can't wait to see more of Ella and Kellen.

This is a wonderful concept with the plot being about a human who is tricked into being bond by her work in another dimension. There is a magic system that was relatively easy to follow. The world building was good, but I am hopefully that it will continue to be more detailed and indepth with the sequels.

I loved Ella's resilience and attitude. She was a relatable character. I enjoyed her relationships with her friend and her sister. The love relationship in this book is a sloow burn, and at times I was frustrated with them, but was a start.

I was able to predict the overall vigger plot twist but the events leading up to them were captivating. This book overall was enjoyable and entertaining.

First thank you, Azala Press and NetGalley, for giving me an advanced copy of this book.

Bleeding Rose is a unique story full of vivid imagery and beautifully written prose.

I love that there is a map and a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book. It makes imagining the academy and reading the names much easier.

Noella Rose, who goes by Ella, is a human school counselor at an academy full of fairytale creatures called Primordials. In fact, she's the only human in all of Cavale, bound by a contract created under false pretenses. Students and teachers alike treat her like she is a lesser being (because they're taught to believe she is), and Ella has come to expect almost everything that they throw at her. She is determined to help the students of Delmarth and to survive every day remaining in her contract, so she accepts their nearly unbearable treatment in order to do so. She's an inspiration and a badass throughout this story.

Kellen Kilic is an instructor at Delmarth, and Ella's number one enemy. He slings verbal insults at her in passing, and occasionally to her fave. He can't stand her, mostly because she's human. He's all fire and rage, pressing her buttons as much as he can. He's determined to get rid of her by any means necessary.

Knowing that her job is to help the students handle their emotions, he reluctantly calls on her when a student of his is having a panic attack. That student happens to be a dragon shifter who may or may not attempt to unalive Ella, and Kellen can't help but smirk at the idea.

The banter between them is sexy as hell. Every shot Kellen takes, Ella matches it with her own wit. She doesn't back down, and fights him tooth and nail to prove that she can help and that she does belong at Delmarth, at least for the next 9 months. The slow burn with them is fire. I loved every moment of it.

There are some characters that I absolutely hate, and others I adore. I don't want to go into detail about them, but both help to build this world that Ella is thrust into, and they shape her into the woman she must become, whether she likes it or not.

Tropes:

Enemies to lovers, slow burn, found family, touch her and die, spicey, forced proximity, mental health rep, grumpy/sunshine.

First of all, thank you Azala Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this amazing book Bleeding Rose by Kyla Shinder.

Fav Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- (kinda) Found Family
- Touch her you die
- Slow burn

Spice Level:
🌶️🌶️/5
- Somewhat easy to skip if you’re a spice avoider like me.

Characters:
- Obsessed with them all.
- Noella Rose (FMC) has such determination that I envy.
- Even the side characters have so much personality.

Review:
This book definitely can be a hit or miss for some readers.

The plot and concept really held my attention but there were some moments where I struggled to pick up the book. I also struggled to put the book down at some points because of some gems (specifically the witty banter between MMC & FMC).

I really enjoyed the introductory to the world. Delmarth Academy was described proficiently and characters backstories were spaced out thoroughly. However, I feel like there could’ve been more world building. I really wanted to know how their world differed from our world (what they call the Earthly Plane). Like, how does their food differ? Any intriguing weather patterns? Social standards?

I did guess the plot twist pretty quickly into the book (not that there is anything wrong with that).

My only real complaint was how long the book spanned (500 pages?). Some of the plot points could’ve been cut shorter. I feel like some of it dragged on but It didn’t bother me enough to DNF it.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and I am very grateful to have been an ARC reader. I’m looking forward to the continuation in the future

I actually don’t have words for this book! It was so amazing, it left me gobsmacked.

Ella is just the strongest most caring FMC I have ever read as, I aspired to be as patient and wise as her.

As a teacher myself, I adored reading an academy novel from the other perspective!

Kellen was just to die for. A true enemies to lovers.

The plot just didn’t stop surprising me, it left me guessing the whole time.

This is my first 5 star read in a very long time! I cannot wait for number two!

2.75.

I had mixed feelings about this book, which was engaging at times but also dragged in others. One of my main disappointments was the lack of world-building. Despite being set in a different dimension, the setting felt eerily similar to Earth, with only the addition of gods, shifters, and other supernatural elements. I was expecting a more immersive fantasy experience, but it didn't quite deliver.
The dialogue sometimes felt stilted and robotic, while some of the monologues seemed like they could have been written by an AI. The constant modern references also pulled me out of the story. However, the characters did have their moments, and I enjoyed the slow-burn romance and enemies-to-lovers trope.

The female main character (FMC) was a highlight, as she stood her ground despite being treated poorly. The male main character's (MMC) relationship with his siblings was also a beautiful and well-executed aspect of the story. However, the character-driven focus of the book felt unbalanced, and I missed the usual fantasy elements that I've come to expect from the genre.

Unfortunately, the plot's predictability was another major letdown. As the story progressed, I found myself anticipating every twist and turn, and my predictions were consistently correct. The climax, in particular, felt overly convenient and lacked any real tension or surprise. Unfortunately, the book's shortcomings outweighed its strengths for me. The pacing was slow, and the plot felt foggy at times. I usually don't abandon a series, but I'm hesitant to continue with this one. If you're a romance fan, you might enjoy this book more, but as a fantasy reader, I was left underwhelmed.