The Last Tale of the Flower Bride

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.

Beautifully haunting tale; as always Roshani never fails to disappoint. Crafted with lyrical prose and dark gothic imagery - this book kept me hooked throughout, focusing on the unravelling of secrets in a fragile marriage. Roshani intertwines fairytales throughout the book, giving it a magical feel alongside the gothic. Please read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the 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.

First of all I want to thank the Publisher for sending me the ARC copy of this book.

The last tale of the flower bride is a very interesting novel where dreams and reality get mixed up. A man who believes in legends, fairy tales and myths meets a strange and mysterious woman: Indigo Castenada.
At the beginning he wants only to read a certain grimoire possessed by her, but the the get married.
He is totally in love with his wife even though she had tolse him not to be curious about her past.
After three years, her aunt Tati calls Indigo home, to Domus Somnia. A house he has only seen in paintings.
Domus Somnia, the House of Dreams is what its name suggests. There their wedding is at stake.
What will happen? Who is Azure?
The man starts to unravel the questions about his wife’s past and his open.

The narration is perfect. It seems to be in a fable with fairies and elves. The style of the author is intriguing and fascinating, I loved reading this novel and I couldn’t stop turning pages until the end.

What about the end! Such a plot twist, I had never ever imagined that conclusion.

I really enjoyed reading this book which I suggest to everyone that likes fables and dream atmospheres.

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 !)

this is such a phenomenal book the story was captivating and the characters were all so well written the setting was so eerie and beautiful written i felt like i was really in the story and the characters interaction with. eachother felt like real conversation and o was observing them. , figuring out the secrets and watchung then unfold was captivating i was alwasy left hingry fir more and couldn’t put it down

Oh my word. This book is beautifully written, ethereal and magical, with a solid creepy element and a storyline that slips and slides out of your grip. Highly recommended.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
The magically intricate and entrancing language of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride captures attention immediately, and leads the reader on a fascinating journey through an intriguing and engrossing landscape which skilfully combines fantasy and reality.
The characters hold a mystery which is compelling, leading us through a series of dances and developments, beautiful descriptions and vivid depictions. There is a thread of danger, desire, even doom which holds attention and tension through to the very end, if the end is truly ever reached.
A masterpiece of visual and verbal delight.
Highly recommended

Haunting, sumptuous and disturbing, this novel transports you through a twisted fairytale.
With vivid, visceral imagery akin to Mexican Gothic, Chokshi’s writing captures your attention and takes you along for the ride.

I found the first 20% of this book a little slow, but couldn’t put it down once Indigo and Azure’s friendship settled into otherworldly obsession and mystery. Finishing the story felt like a loss.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is deliciously gothic, weaving fairytales and mythology into a story about childhood obsessions and marital secrets. There’s much less actual magic than I was expecting but the storytelling manages to truly capture a dark fairytale, dreamlike quality.

The confidence of the writing is a real strong point of the book, with vivid imagery and an incredible sense of atmosphere. Some elements of the story could have been better developed, such as the relationship between husband and wife, but I actually felt this added to the mysterious and almost sinister feel of the book.

When reading this story you certainly have to be comfortable with the unknown and willing to become fully immersed in it.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

THIS.BOOK.
WOW.

“In the end a fairytale is nothing more than a sense of hope”

This book was perfect. I can’t stop thinking about it. Roshani has created the most incredible story, I just want to curl up in it and never return to the real world.

It was dark, tense and all consuming. Once I started I didn’t want to put it down. The world building, the imagery, the characters were all created flawlessly.

The story of 2 half’s becoming a whole in 2 very different but equally beautiful ways.

J'ai adoré ce livre, l'ambiance est magique, le rapport aux contes de fées est sublime ! Le twist final n'est pas trop facile à deviner.
Je recommande beaucoup ce bouquin, si vous aimez les ambiances féériques et baroque !

decadent and dark and gorgeous. the book i've known chokshi had in her since i read the star touched queen. a glorious adult debut. bravo

"Curses are made to be broken. They aren't so static as one might think."

Once upon a time, there was a man who believe in fairy tales and fell in love with a mysterious woman named Indigo who find him, she said, “If you pry, you’ll destroy our marriage.” But she lied!

"the secret to everlasting love was fear. Fear tethered love in place. Without the terror that came from imagining a life without your beloved, there was no urgency in loving them."

By the end of their third year of marriage, Tati, Indigo's aunt, was dying and they leave for her childhood home, the House of Dreams, an enchanted house, full of old, creepy and scary secrets.

And now is a time for the bridegroom to shiver at his wife's secrets, uncertain of knowing the woman he married, as someone who had his own secrets, he begins to think that all maybe is unreal, imagination!

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

House of Dreams want the bridegroom to find his wife's secrets and see a shadow, a girl from the past, Azure, Indigo's best friend, they played fairy tale in this house and were Inseparable. Azure disappeared years ago! What should he do, pry and destroy his marriage or run?!

"Once, I had let someone I loved go into the dark without me. I did not know if I could survive that again."

A mind-blowing and astonishing story, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a hunting and toxic tale with a dark atmosphere about poison's love, betrayal, loss and buried secrets that reveal and destroy!

I push hard my teeth when was reading this amazing book and couldnt stop myself. Shocking and Tempting as hell! Why there are only five stars?!

My huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for DRC, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 16 Feb 2023

Hypnotic and atmosphere - a 5 star read. I loved this winding, gothic tale, full of magic, love, obsession and grief. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

literally one of my most anticipated releases which i’ve been waiting ever since it was first announced and i’m delighted to report that the last tale of the flower bride definitely lived up my incredibly high expectations.

YA and middle grade fantasist Roshani Chokshi has once again shown her expertise to deliver a delightful blend of fairy tale and folklore that feels both whimsical and lovely. i was drawn by the book’s lush and poetic narrative which enticed me to explore the gothic atmosphere and secrets that the house of dreams hide within its wall. despite being the author’s adult debut, this book has shown to be written by a really talented writer who understands how to truly tap into one's imagination and keep them engaged with what is coming next without resorting to forced plot lines or clumsy narrative devices. the prose is exquisite without being self indulgent and you can really slip inside the skin of each of the characters, they are all feel so vibrant and alive.

without giving too much away, this novel was about obsession and complicated relationships in which each character's dependencies, possessives, and anxieties are present. we were given two narrators who offer two different points of view. both offer insights into the unreliable thoughts of someone who doesn't know who indigo maxwell-casteñada actually is and into the secrets of a woman who seems to be so much more than merely human. this is a magical, perilous thriller that takes you on a journey you won't soon forget, skillfully handled in a quietly creepy manner. i don’t read much gothic but i need this author to write more books like this. there is nothing roshani chokshi writes out that i would not put on a pedestal and worship.

<i>arc kindly provided by hodder & stoughton via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

teethering unsteadily on the fine line between whimsy and horror, the magical and the mundane, and fantasy and reality, 'the last tale of the flower bride' gorgeously written by the sensational roshani chokshi is sure to take any unsuspecting reader on a ride worth remembering.

the premise is deceptively simple — once upon a time, a man who had an unwavering faith in fairy tales, took a woman who was no less than one for his own bride. of course, as it is with every fairy tale, this union demanded a great sacrifice from the bridegroom's side — relinquishing his unending curiosity. for no matter, the bride made him vow to never pry into her past. and as it is, yet again, with every fairy tale, the bridegroom found himself in the impossible position of yearning to shatter his vow, when a trip to the bride's childhood home allows him a glance at the secrets withheld from him.

filled to the brim with roshani's quintessentially brilliant narrating style, lush, exuberant prose, and her terrific pacing climbing deliciously slowly up to the climax, this book casts a spell on the reader that refuses to break — even once you're done with the tale.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This book was enthralling to read, it was different to how i'd expect it to be, though the twists can be predictable, the author does a wonderful job in unravelling each mystery. It made me question what was reality.

The narrative is wonderfully executed to create a distinction between the past and the present; it creates an immersive experience for the readers due to the tension and the questions that arises alongside the mystery of the past that cannot be spoken about.

The story follows the bridegroom who journeys through the present to find answers to his past and to unravel the mystery of the House of Dreams whilst grasping onto reality. The other path this story follows is Azure, who narrates the past events. The weaving of both the past and present was brilliantly shown- easy to follow and process.

Overall this book was an excellent read,from start to end I was hooked. I rate it 5 stars, due to the writing and the plot. I cannot describe how good this book is, if you enjoy reading books that includes fantasy and mystery this book is definitely a good choice.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is beautifully written, full of intrigue and otherworldly nods.

The story is told in some past and present and is in two POV's. One is Indigo's husband and other is her childhood friend Azure. I loved the friendship between the two girls, there's so much love and childlike moments but its also blended with some strange obsessions and secrets. The husband meets Indigo much later in life, and they marry with the promise of him never prying into her past. I loved the chemistry between these two, the stories and myths the husband tells her are so dark and intriguing and I love how they fit into the whole story.

"If you are a figment of my imagination, some wild dream, I hope I never wake"

Of course secrets in a marriage never work out and when Indigo has to back to her child home, the Bridegroom comes to realise there's some very dark secrets hidden in Indigo's past and now he's not sure he can keep to his promise of not knowing that part of her.

The ending blew me away, I did not see that shocker coming.
I loved this start to finish, and read the whole book in one day, if your a fan of dark twisted fairy tale's this is one for you. This is dark, magical and heart breaking story that is so beautifully told. I highly recommend.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an e-arc copy of this.
*Quotes are taken from ARC and may change on publication

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a mesmerising read, thriving off a mixture of mystery and personal trauma. The beautiful writing draws on folktales while creating a world that distorts our sense of the real and the fantastic. I predicted the conclusion(s) very early, but the book was good at fostering doubt in me, and in any case an ominous sense of inevitability worked well. It did feel just a little drawn out to me - I was very ready for the emotional climax long before we actually got it, and I did find the Bridegroom's folklore ruminations a little repetitive at points - but not to the overall deficit of the book. I'm still not entirely sure what to think of what the book has to say, but almost in a good way: this is a story that will continue to haunt, as it should.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride uses the elements of gothic fairytales to produce an intriguing and engrossing tale of poisoned love and possession. The novel had me hooked from the start and could not put it down until I had finished it.

I absolutely adored this book.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a wonderful addition to the gothic genre, enriching it with fairytale and mythology so that the reader is left feeling unsettled, not quite knowing what is real and what is an illusion.

The story, told in two POVs follows the Bridegroom and Azure, both characters who begin to orbit the world of Indigo Maxwell-Castenada. The Bridegroom (in the present) falls in love with Indigo and is tempted into marriage on the condition that he never probes into her past. The reader is then swept away to the House of Dreams, Indigo's childhood home where we learn about her close childhood friendship with Azure who disappeared under strange circumstances.

It is a captivating read, with the writer skillfully weaving the story with core folklore motifs, ensuring the pace is slow enough to build up the sense of foreboding until those final pages. The prose is almost lyrical and I could see how this might not be for everyone. I found it meshed well , used to convey the atmosphere of the book and the heightened emotions experienced by the childhood friends.

My only slight quibble (very slight), is that I found the Bridegroom character lacking in depth. I was counting down the pages until Azure reappeared.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital arc to review

This book was not what I was expecting, it was more magical realism than fantasy but I loved it regardless. Right from the start this book is so beautifully written in a whimsical style that fits the book perfectly.

This story is spread through two different timelines, switching between the present (the bridegroom) and the past (Azure) POVs. The two POV’s had a very different feel to them with Azures being very fairy-tale and dreamlike while the bridegroom’s was more gothic and serious. I loved both POVs and I think it was good stylistic choice that balanced the book well. I also loved the way the author interweaved different fairy-tales/mythological stories throughout the book.

I was hooked to this book and really wanted to know how it ended; I didn’t anticipate the ending and it was a little abrupt but it was still a satisfying ending.

This is the first book I have read by this author and it just blew me away. I was captivated by everything about this book. From the story that was unfolding, to the writing, the beautiful prose and as for the characters. A true gothic romance and so much more. I loved it!!!!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

An enchanting and beautifully written story about female friendship that is filled with mystery, darkness, truth and lies. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride tangles the reader in its intoxicating web and doesn’t let go. Five stars from me!

If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I will read and love absolutely anything Roshani Chokshi writes. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride was the perfect show of Chokshi’s incredible ability to craft a story that was both atmospheric and romantic, gut-wrenching and thoughtful. In fact, I loved TLTOFFB so much that it (somewhat) eased the pain of the ending of The Bronzed Beasts.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride follows the story of the Bridegroom, his mercurial wife Indigo and a mysterious, compelling character called Azure. Told in dual POV, it a a story of secrets and lies, delving into the place of secrecy in a marriage and how much of our past we’re entitled to keep to ourselves.

Like all of Chokshi’s writing, it contained a certain element of nonsensical beauty, in the best way. I’m talking about passages where you’re not quite sure what’s going on or if it’s metaphorical or real, but it’s so gorgeous you don’t really care. I can’t explain how much I love writing that utilises that particular devise in storytelling. There were elements to the story that reminded me of Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea, which will always make me love a book more, and I think it’ll really appeal to readers who love authors like Morgenstern or Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

The story follows the Bridegroom as he meets and falls immediately in love with the beautiful and coy Indigo. Soon after meeting they marry, but under one condition. The Bridegroom must never, under any circumstance, try to delve in Indigo’s past. He agrees, and largely sticks to it, until he starts to see evidence of a woman who might have a larger hold on his wife’s life than he ever could have imagined— Azure.

Alongside the Bridegroom’s story, we’re working back in time to learn about Azure’s story as she shared an upbringing with Indigo. There were elements of the story that drew on another plot point I love in novels: obsessive, completely co-dependent relationships. And wow, did Roshani Chokshi do it well!

Overall, I absolutely adored this story. Alongside being a story about marriage and secrets, it’s also a study of obsession and identity, beauty and decay. As soon as I finished, i immediately wanted to restart. Chokshi proves herself again and again to be a masterful storyteller and I can’t wait to read what else she might write!

Roshani Chokshi enchants with her lyrical prose throughout this book; the dark gothic, fantasy, mythic and fairytale references surmount to an almost dreamlike storytelling style. Everything I could wish for in a gothic novel and an incredible adult debut for Chokshi, 4.5 stars,

4.5 stars.

Roshani Chokshi can write NOTHING that I won't love! This gothic fantasy, filled with betrayal, broken love, unfulfilled promises and magic was EVERYTHING I expect from an adult book and more.

The writing style is unique, flower-y and beautiful. It guides you through the story. It is gripping, enchanting and so very dark. It is easy to get lost in the characters and the flow of events, immersive storytelling - which reminds you a bit of how fairy tales are told. The characters are to die for! I loved everyone, especially Indigo! This story is so much deeper than just reliving old fairytales, it deals with burried trauma that lingers still, in your adulthood.

If you like books with haunting beauty, fairy-tale like elements, darkness to it, I am sure you are gonna love this one!

I am really grateful for @NetGalley, @HodderBooks and @HodderPublicity for an ARC of this book - I am in your dept forever!! I loved loved this book!

Absolutely adored this book.. the characters and storyline were spot on and exactly my cup of tea!
So we’ll written and gorgeous cover!
Will highly recommend
Easiest 5 stars I’ve given this year

AMAZING
SPECTACULAR

Everyone needs to read this book.
I’m not even surprised anymore considering no matter what this woman writes she delivers in the best perfect way

I could not put this down for one sec cause I needed to know and to finish it

And THE SETTING

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I didn't know what to expect from this read but I was not disappointed. The twists and turns of this book are great. The characterisations were fantastic. I preferred the present day storyline personally, but both were great.

I do think the book dragged towards the end, but the payoff was worth it. An abnormally normal book.

Thanks: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first time I’ve read a book by Roshani & it was fantastic. Incredibly gothic & haunting, it kept me thoroughly engrossed. HighLy recommended!

A huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the chance to read The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi in exchange for an honest review.

To begin with, this was the first book I read by Roshani Chokshi but it definetely won't be the last. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride was a huge surprise for me, in terms that I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. Even from the first couple of chapters I knew this book was going to be a five star read for me.

Even from the very beginning, Chokshi has the reader hooked on the mysterious aura that trails after Indigo and the more you read the more you start to question and can't help but wonder "how the bridegroom isn't asking these questions ?" and when -due a few chapters in -he starts digging around Indigo's past, things finally begin to unravel. The visit at the House of Dreams sets the plot in motion and the vow the bridegroom made -do not look,do not ask, do not pry -is put into question,leaving the reader with the feeling of a bad premonition about what could possibly happen as the story goes on. The dual pov and timeline alternating between the bridgroom in the present and Azure in the past makes the reader get even more immersed in the story and begin to puzzle about what has happened to Azure and if Indigo had any part in her disappearance.

The vibes of magic, mystery, old fairy tales and the haunting atmosphere set the tone for a beautifully written gothic story, that has you reading and never realising how you got so far into the story.
If that's something you want for in a book, I'd definetely say this one's for you.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a standalone heartfelt and stunning story by Roshani Chokshi. The whimsical and lyrical prose was what really sold me on this deep and emotional tale of love, acceptance and childhood. Told in multiple POV and timelines, I thoroughly loved this intricately woven story that will keep you turning pages. I just had to know how it all came together that I couldn't stop or put this one down. The story will leave you guessing and gasping. I'm 100% sold on this author based entirely on the strength of this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an ARC of this exceptional book.

If I had to pick just one word to describe this book it would be lush. It's a richly imagined gothic dream/nightmare of secrets and romance. Just like all good fairy tales there are dark elements hiding in plain sight and mysteries to uncover.

Set primarily in a crumbling mansion we meet a bride with secrets she cannot reveal, a curious bridegroom who as a professor of fairy tales really ought to know better, and an ailing guardian who reveals more than she should. This is a marriage with fundamental trust issues. As the married couple dance around each other, I feared not only whether their marriage would survive, but indeed whether they would kill each other.

Peel back the gorgeous descriptions and echos of the BlueBeard story, and this is also a story about children who try to escape to the land of the fae as a means to protect their mind against the neglect and potential abuse they suffer in the real world. It's beautiful and sad and mysterious and a remarkable piece of story telling.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A huge thank you to Netgalley Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the chance to read The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi in exchange for an honest review.

A luxurious decadadent Read. I couldn't put it down. The writing is beautiful and I was hooked from the get go. The first I have read from this author, it won't be the last

Wow.

I loved this.

Really, really loved it.

The writing was brilliant, poetic, captivating. I was intrigued from the prologue, the book grabbing me with claws and refusing to let me go until I saw this tale through to the end.

It was atmospheric, magical, enticing, haunting, tense. I couldn’t look at away, even if at times I wish I could. The book had me in its vices, and like with Azure, it told me, <I>you will see, you will see what we want you to see, when we want you to see it</I>.

This book was just crafted so well. The alternating point of views between the Bridegroom (I could go on a whole spiel about how brilliant it was to name his chapters that — so much complexity and story just within those two words) and Azure. I can’t really go in to that more without spoilers, but I repeat what I said at the beginning of this review: wow. Wow, indeed. Their perspectives worked well together, telling the story of both the past and the present…brilliant. Early on in the book I wondered why a specific perspective was missing, and again this is something I can’t go in to without spoilers (I fear I’ve already said to much) it all comes together perfectly at the end. So well done!

I did guess a lot of the plot twists in this. The truth about the brother, about Azure. The clues were sprinkled in, and I formed my theories, but I still wasn’t prepared to see it all come together. It was so good. And it really makes me want to turn right back to the front of the book, to read it again, knowing how the story goes, to see if I can discover any other clues and truths now that I’m in the knowing…

I loved how Chokshi used fairytales and myths as part of the plot structure. It was so well done, so beautifully incorporated, and added so much to the mystery, magic, and tragedy of the book. The way the fairytales mirrored the story, and how it all came back around in the end. So complex, nuanced and detailed, I loved it. Again, with the reread, I assume there is probably more to be picked upon if I were to go over this again and pay even more attention to the fairytale element of this.

I just want to heap so much praise on this book, and I wish I could write a review eloquently enough to express it. I just wouldn’t know where to start or where to end. All the stars.

This book reminded me why I love the fantasy genre so much! It was dark, moody, atmospheric, haunting, thought-provoking, engaging, and magical.

This novel has two timelines and two love stories. The first is between a husband and a wife, The Bridegroom and Indigo. The Bridegroom is a professor who preserves rare antique books and meets Indigo while hoping to view her wealthy family's old book of magic spells. They marry quickly and move to the 'House of Dreams' family estate in the Pacific Northwest, where he starts uncovering Indigo's secrets.

The second love story is between Indigo, as a teenager, and her friend Azure who spend their days at the 'House of Dreams' playing dress-up and waiting for graduation when they can escape real life, enter the Otherworld, and transform into faeries.

However, all is not how it seems in either relationship or with Indigo - that's what makes this novel so delectable! I look forward to reading another Roshani Chokshi very soon!

Thank you so much Hodder and Stoughton for this ARC!

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is written like a fairytale and captivated me since the first page. While it dragged a bit in the middle, the beginning and the end of this story kept me on the edge of my seat, I really enjoyed how dark and mysterious this book was and despite it being set in modern times, it read like a real gothic tale.

The events in this book are set in two timelines: in present, we see the marriage between Indigo and The Bridegroom and how coming to the house of Indigo’s dying aunt starts a series of events that will make old, dangerous secrets come to the light; in past, we follow Indigo and Azure, Indigo’s best friend who disappeared when they were 18. In the beginning I was a bit confused about what was happening, but I quickly got engrossed in this fascinating story. All the characters were really fleshed out and interesting and their relationships complex, which made this book so much more enjoyable. I also loved all the references to classical stories, fairytales and myths, it fit this story so well and made reading it an even more interesting experience.

I really liked The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, it was very well written and the story was compelling and unpredictable, I loved all the plot twists. Can’t wait for more books from this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing the ARC.

Oh boy. Where do I begin?

This book was absolutely magnificent, from beginning to end. It immediately made its way into my list of all time favourites, and I don't grant those titles lightly.

Roshani manages to create an atmosphere both light and rotten at the same time, incredibly alluring yet stifling.

The language is gorgeous, the characters intriguing and the ending completely unexpected.

If you want a blend of imagery from cottagecore and dark academia, this book is for you.

Oh my word this book was totally not what I was expecting but in the best of ways! I’ve adore Roshani Chokshi’ work since I picked up The Gilded Wolves back in 2020 so when I found out she was going to release and adult book I was quick to pre-order! Whilst the book definitely is a step away from fantasy it definitely doesn’t lack in its mythology and fairytale. Plus it’s modern day gothic vibes can’t be can’t be faltered.

The whole book I was sat on the edge of my seat waiting to find out more about the three central characters, totally intrigued but Chokshi’s words and references to the fae/fairytales. As the story unfolded I felt blind and unable to predict anything that was going to happen, which I totally adored!

I would highly recommend to anyone that loves a gothic mystery or to anyone that loves the feeling of a story unfolding!

This book was everything I hoped for and more.
Beautifully written, descriptive, atmospheric, captivating and utterly compelling. I cannot recommend it enough.

Not a genre I normally go for but I'm so glad I picked this up.
With the most stunning lyrical writing and characters you feel strangely compelled by, this was a phenomenal piece of storytelling

Thank you for NetGalley for providing me with this book for review. Wow this book is haunting and yet delightful, I'm going to be thinking about it for sometime. Highly recommended.

A beautiful book with gothic undertones and an air of fairytales and mythology.
Fascinating premise and Chokshi weaves fairytales into the main narrative so delicately amidst childhood dreams, broken promises and a myriad of complex themes. Highly recommended reading this unique book.

Indigo is an incredible example of being ~ that girl ~. She is terrifying, powerful, beautiful and mysterious. I found myself yearning for the stories of her and Azure in their house of dreams. Their childhood felt like it was properly a fairytale, with equal parts magic and horror as Indigo became increasingly controlling and secretive. This is also a lovely romance and the writing is absolutely stunning.

So… I was very lucky to recieve both the audio and kindle copy of this one via NetGalley. I buddy read this with the lovely @lauraslittlebooknook in 24hrs… yes! You read that right! TWENTYFREAKINGFOURHOURS! It was my favourite read of January!

I adored how it was pieced together, it was so beautifully written. I felt like I could see the book like a film, there were no ends to my imagination with this one. It wove just the right amount of something something and I just couldn’t put it down.

I did click the twist, but it in no way played out how I expected it! It was also narrated via audio well, I enjoyed the two POVs!

Thank you to @hodderscape and @netgalley for both the audiobook and the kindle copy. 🫶🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: death, abuse, mental illness, (implied) sexual abuse, blood, gore

Roshani Chokshi wrote one of my favourite YA trilogies so I was delighted to get the chance to read her adult debut, "The Last Tale of the Flower Bride". This entire book felt like a fever dream of rich, gorgeous language and beautifully dark worldbuilding. This is a story of obsession and fairytales, of wanting to believe in magic even when life shows you otherwise, and I think it's one of the best things I've read in a long time.

The story follows the Bridgegroom who goes unnamed for the entire story, and his Bride Indigo, a mysterious woman with deadly secrets that he swears to never look for. The descriptions of their marriage are exactly like an old tale, as they turn their lives into retellings of the stories he so loves. After her aunt is on her deathbed, Indigo must go back home to the House of Dreams, a place that is alive and waiting for her. The Bridegroom grows curious and breaks the rule, not realising that there's another story to be told- that of Azure, the girl who was the other half of Indigo's soul.

I'm absolutely in awe of this story and don't want to give anything away because of a brilliant twist near the end. The writing is engaging and the content is dark, tragic and gothic to the core. If I thought that the "Gilded Wolves" trilogy couldn't be topped, I was wrong. This book is a triumph.

A fabulous rich lush fever dream of a book. I was swept along with the story split between the two narrators telling the tale, past and present. I felt lost in a fairy tale. I know it is only February but I may have already found my book of the year. Never before have I immediately wanted to read a book again as soon as I have read the last page. Delicious book.

An academic who has made a career of myths and legends falls for the heiress of a glittering fortune. But there is more to their tale than happily ever after. This is a beautifully written book rooted in fairytales. Some people might find the lyrical style verging on purple prose but I felt like it perfectly fit the otherworldliness of the story itself. With shades of Dare Me and The Virgin Suicides, I couldn't put this down.

I received this book for free on netgalley in exchange for a review.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an e-arc of this title.

I've read two previous titles by Roshani Chokshi but unfortunately, they didn't really work for me. I didn't enjoy them at all and was almost willing to give up on reading more of her work.

But this book blew me away.

Since it's been a while since I read a Roshani Chokshi novel I'm uncertain if my previous issue with her work was her writing style or plot elements - but I felt that this book transcends both on all levels.

I was initially intrigued to request this arc as I have a penchant for gothic storytelling which is very different from the genres of her other works. There are very specific markers to hit when writing a gothic novel - a newlywed couple, a haunted house and a secret. I've previously read other novels that claimed to be gothic but failed to hit all the marks. This one does and with how well I felt it handled the genre - could very well become a classic.

From my recollection, this novel also has a very different writing style from Roshani Chokshi's other work. It's much more lyrical and flowery which works in favour of the genre and style of the book. It feels very akin to V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue in the writing style which can be polarising to audiences but again only adds to the gothic, mysteriousness of the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected. It is one of my more favourite genres of storytelling and I think Roshani Chokshi did a very good job with it. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a twisted tale that is dark and gritty and mysterious steeped in lore and myth and fairytale. It's gripping and gruesome and will have you guessing the whole time.

"You warned me that knowing your secret would destroy us. At first, it sat in our marriage like a blue-lipped ghost, hardly noticeable until a trick of the light drew it into focus. But you could always the days when it gnawed at my thoughts. You tired to comfort me. You stroked my face and curled my fingers to your heart.

You said: "If you pry, you'll destroy our marriage. "

But oh, love, you lied."

The Last Tale of The Flower Bride was exquisitely written. If you love fairy tales, especially those written in the style of Grimm, then you will love The Last Tale of The Flower Bride.

The Last of The Flower Bride was superbly composed, every line is a fairy tale. I loved, loved, loved it.

The book is divided is written from the perspective of both The Bridegroom and someone called Azure. The Bridegroom is a researcher of fairy tales and has contacted the heir of the Castenada fortune to look at a 13th Century grimoire. He is expecting the heir to be a man not a beautiful youung woman. He is captivated and so the romance begins.

"You're fascinated with the world we cannot see, the creatures that might have lived within them but now only exist as fairy tales. I suppose that's why I wished to meet you."

I loved all the details about fairy tales included in the book and the analysis of fairy tale themes anyone would recognise.

The Bridegroom senses something of the other about Indigo and that is what draws him to her.

"I have always been intrigued by these not-quite women, whether they were sirens or mermaids, kinnari or selkie. The world can't seem to decide whether to condemn, covet or celebrate them."

After the wedding The Bridegroom and Indigo have to go to her childhood home, The House of Dreams, to visit a dying aunt. It is in her childhood home that The Bridegroom begins to feel the strain of the promise not to pry into her past. He learns she once had a friend named Azure who was like a sister to her.

"The moment I saw the House, I knew it held magic. These dragons slumbered beneath its floorboards, that the trees of it's property grow wish-granting fruit, and that in the highest turret lived a queen and when she combed her hair, jewels clattered to the ground for the first time, I became aware of what my life looked like in comparison greasy and cheap."

This Last Tale of the Flower Bride is about the power and danger of believing in fairy tales and the pull of the forbidden. It was enchanting and I can't wait to read more from this author.

I went in not knowing anything about this book except that Roshani Chokshi wrote it and that it was adult gothic fiction. That was enough for me and I truly thought going in blind made this book even more enjoyable to me.

This was lyrical, surprising and just plain great. I didn’t expect any of it and loved every single second of it. I actually got an audio arc as well as an ebook one and I absolutely loved the narrator. I could not stop reading and actually finished it in an evening/night. Some parts were not very fun and even painful but it was still just so captivating. I was taken aback by it all and even as I was screaming at the characters, I did it with my entire heart. I honestly didn’t expect to love this as much especially after the very beginning but that took me by surprise too. Roshani Chokshi is such an incredible writer and I can’t wait to see what more she has up her sleeve.

A story of dreams and nightmares, fairytale realms and not looking behind the vale. Of secrets and the past we can't leave behind even when we most certainly should to keep the ones we love from revealing the truth behind the mask we have always seen. Azure and Indigo spent there youth in the House of Dreams desperate to be take to the fairy realm and become who they always were. But dreams can just as easily be a cleverly crafted illusion to trick us into a false sense of security and take from us or free will and all that is essential to the self, the soul that when given to freely may just be our doom. The story is told from The Husbands point of view and Azure, the best friend. The husband is desperate for all the truths behind myths, to find the brother he thinks he had who was taken, or vanished into a chest full of clothes to somewhere he cannot go. When he meets Indigo he know instantly that she is magical and dangerous, in the way magical things are, never peek behind the curtain. Their story is full of fairytales and warnings to never ask more than I am willing to tell you or you will loose me. But something way more sinister seems to be going on and it may just cost the Husband and Azure everything. An interesting story full of myths and tales of love and tragedy and darkness and despair. I could not put it down!

This is a fantastic, gorgeous Gothic fairy tale for adults. A story about a married couple, she an heiress and he a historian of myths and fairy tales. The woman had a friend when she was a girl and they were obsessed with trying to become part of a world beyond ours, a world of magic and fairies. The husband thinks he might once have had a brother, but he cannot be sure. A very dark and dreamy tale to get totally lost in.

First ya/adult book I read by this author (I love the Aru Shah series with all my heart!!!). So I was quite excited for her new book. And let me tell you, it doesn't disappoint. It is a Gothic fairytale full of magic and but horrendous secrets. It was a bit hard to follow the story so it might not be a book for everyone. Either way, i really liked this one!!

This is great. I remember reading the synopsis, adding the book to me tbr and then forgetting about it. Then, a few months ago I saw the book available here. I wanted to read it, but without really remembering what it was about... The feeling though of a great mystery was there.

I started the book and was immediately immersed to the story and the characters. A beautifully written story, a fairy tale, with interesting - flawed characters.

The dark, mysterious feeling throughout the Story was a plus!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was sent a copy of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi to read and review by NetGalley. I fell totally in love with this book and all of its characters. I found it to be really well written with very believable characters – even with the essence of magic surrounding them. I thought the house of dreams was a wonderful character in itself. This is a novel that you can really get lost in and I recommend it wholeheartedly. Read and enjoy!

5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I'll preface this by saying, I don't normally read books like this. I was intrigued by the synopsis but unsure if I would enjoy it, given it's out of my comfort reading zone. But my gosh, how I LOVED THIS.

What's great about this book?
- I love how darkly enchanting this was. The gothic atmosphere is superb, and you feel like you're deep diving into another world with this read. Chokshi has utilised fairytales to support this theme of the Otherworld, and how trauma can make you see things in another way.
- This book is told from two POVs, the Bridegroom and Azure, and you can sense their changes and opening up to other thoughts than the ones they grasp so tightly onto. It's rewarding piecing together their journeys and how it has affected them the older they get. By the end of it, watching them face their trauma, their truths hidden deep down is the icing on the cake of this read.
- The story isn't linear, but I was so impressed by how well it worked in showing the reader different angles to Indigo - the pivotal focus of both our main characters - and the House of Dreams. Keeping the story off a straight path allows it to thrive in its haunting charm and brew the obsessive natures of the situation and characters.
- The storyline itself is so compelling and supported by fantastic visual imagery and prose. I was amazed by how far Indigo went with Azure, how much they believed in this Otherworld, and how toxic and dark everything was. I could the addiction of Indigo to Azure and the Bridegroom was wrong, but it was equally investing to navigate how these two individuals coped and worked alongside such strange ideals.
- Whilst I had come to guess the final plot twist, it was still incredibly rewarding and surprising when it happened. This is a tragic story, yet I loved every moment of it, and the hope that is instilled in breaking free of the roles we can play in other people's worlds that affect our own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure of dark games and twisted relationships. I've never read anything like it and look forward to trying more books by this author in the future.

I received The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi for free by the lovely Kate at Hodderscape in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for my advanced copy!

Roshani Chokshi is one of my favourite authors and I think everyone knew that this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year (I literally would not shut up about it 😂) and WOW what a book! How can I even begin to review one of my favourite books I’ve ever read?!

I’m really glad that I went into this book not knowing much about it and I would definitely recommend that as you get the full immersive experience - but definitely check the trigger warnings first! The imagery throughout the story was absolutely fantastic and I loved the weaving in of myths as the story progressed. I wanted to savour every word and loved how dreams and reality were intertwined.

Plus, I really liked the theme of devotion in this story especially how it was geared to both fantasy and reality, and the mirroring of events that happen to different characters was so clever! It was haunting, ethereal and just absolute perfection to me! After finishing this book, I was in a moment of awe. I found it hard to accept that I would have to go back to my normal life when I just wanted to talk about this book and how amazing it was!

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a dark and seductive story that has incredible suspense and thrills with the bite of the Brothers Grimm’s tales! It was absolutely extraordinary!