Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson

Available now

I had the pleasure of reading this hauntingly beautiful novel months ago, and have since thought about it at least once a week. It begins so innocently. A young woman, Rosemary Dutton, desperate to seek out everyday magic and a more exciting life, ventures to the local farmer’s market in search of something special. What she discovers, is another young woman named Ash, who sells the most delicious cupcakes that Ro has ever tasted.

Ro, a master of words, is struck speechless by Ash and is instantly captivated. Immediately, she wants to be Ash-and have her all to herself. As the two begin a flirtation over beeswax candles and cupcakes, obsession quickly takes over, leading to a dark and twisted revelation.

I cannot emphasize how gorgeous and precise the word choice in this novel truly is. I knew going in that it held the promise of a dark tale, but I couldn’t understand how such a beautifully written novel could become dark and terrifying. But, Dawson is one of the most gifted authors I have ever read and in just a few pages, she can take characters from incredibly interesting to incredibly horrifying. There are entire scenes that are burned into my brain, made all the more frightening by the pretty, lyrical words used to describe them. Bloom is a masterpiece. I cannot recommend it highly enough and I’m equal parts thrilled and terrified to see what Dawson comes up with next.

If you’d like to have nightmares for weeks, like me, you can click on the cover above or here for ordering information.

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you to Edelweiss and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.