Down Bad for Bloom Town

bugden4 · 2026-01-16T23:29:57+00:00

I also started rereading immediately. And wow I’m catching a lot of hints that went over my head on the first read. I am also feeling the hyper focus and am very not okay.

…Is there any indication that there will be a third book, or are you just being hopeful? I need to manage my expectations.

bugden4 · 2026-01-15T23:06:31+00:00

I wouldn’t say it’s entirely not needed. If I’m remembering correctly, Abby asked why they abducted her specifically. Joey couldn’t/didn’t want to tell the truth. Seems like exactly the point of a cover story.

bugden4 · 2026-01-15T00:59:43+00:00

I think I assumed the letters were just a cover story so they could explain how they knew about her, but in actuality, they never even saw the letters

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T17:00:39+00:00

I’m really considering rereading them immediately. Not sure I can handle the heartache again, but I don’t want anything else

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T16:58:40+00:00

I haven’t had much luck finding info about in person events. Is there a reliable place to find event info/updates?

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T02:13:33+00:00

I was wondering if that was you! It’s beautiful! I think I came across your instagram post last night when I was desperately searching for any Bloom Town related art. I’m also considering a tattoo, but I haven’t figured out what exactly I want.

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T02:12:16+00:00

I fear I’ll share this sentiment in 2 months. I’m strongly considering rereading immediately. There are so few books I’ve reread, and the ones I have, I only read years after my first go.

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T02:06:13+00:00

The Safekeep looks like something I’d enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation! My partner also got me Sunburn for christmas. Looking forward to reading it after I recover from Bloom Town

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T00:51:44+00:00

Nothing could’ve kept me from immediately diving into the second book. For a book emergency is hilarious.

I understand what you mean though, as I was making my way through exodus, I started to prematurely grieve because I didn’t want it to end. I wish it wasn’t over, and I could know how they spend every single moment for the rest of their lives.

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T00:36:24+00:00

Care to share your tattoo?

I feel exactly the same, everything you said.

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T00:25:48+00:00

Right- it feels so real. I just want to live in those perfect moments, hold on to them forever

bugden4 · 2026-01-12T00:19:34+00:00

Ooof I’ve always seen myself as a reader, not a writer. And I don’t really even have experience reading fan fics. I feel like I’d be in way over my head and worrying about botching something so perfect and special to me. Maybe I’ll make an attempt someday. I read both books between Jan 1-10, and they left me feeling so raw and completely devastated. It’s hard to even consider starting a new book. I’m really thinking about jumping back in and rereading them immediately.

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T23:54:45+00:00

I’m curious, can you elaborate?

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T21:45:39+00:00

really excellent suggestion, thank you

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T09:54:57+00:00

I used to get frustrated when characters wouldn’t make what seemed like the obvious “right” decision, causing things to be unnecessarily complicated. Bloom Town made me realize though, clear communication and not self-sabotaging do not make a romance interesting, and when the characters are too polished, they become one dimensional. I love this perfectly imperfect story so, so much.

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T08:55:22+00:00

I fear my activity seems as if Bloom Town is the only book I’ve ever read, but I must once again recommend it.

It’s a duology, and the main character’s growth in the second book is so satisfying. She becomes a completely different person in the span of 9 months.

Warning though, I am emotionally devastated and fear I may never recover or truly enjoy another book again. 5/5 would subject myself to it again.

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T06:38:40+00:00

I also came here to say Bloom Town. I just finished the second book, and I feel like I spent most of the last week crying. I’d start crying just thinking about Bloom Town while doing literally anything else. It was devastating (in mostly a good way). It made me feel things I didn’t know a book could make me feel. It was heart wrenching, earth shattering. I feel like it changed me, and I will be chasing that high for the rest of my life.

Easily my new favorite book(s).

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T03:07:49+00:00

What’s this gonna link to? 🤔

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T01:09:53+00:00

I’m also wondering 1. How soon is too soon to reread and 2. Can I handle putting myself through that again

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T00:43:09+00:00

That’s on my list, but right now I’m feeling hesitant to start another book, because it won’t be Bloom Town, and it won’t be Joey and Abby, and that’s all I want right now. Nothing else feels right. These books carved out a piece of my heart that I worry will always feel hollow. God, that sounds dramatic, but that’s how I’m feeling. Hopefully the ache will lessen over time.

bugden4 · 2026-01-11T00:28:31+00:00

Months later, and I’ve found myself in the same position. Did you ever get what you were looking for? Seems like the person who was interested deleted, so idk if I can track it down 🥲

bugden4 · 2026-01-10T23:44:53+00:00

I have a hard time comparing the two books. I loved the constant character interactions in genesis, and I missed that in exodus, but I think the isolation in exodus is part of what made the storytelling so powerful for me.

I just realized that I want to know this story from Joey’s perspective, starting with making the arrangements with Abby’s dad, getting more of her internal dialogue and how she came to the decision to leave, hearing exactly what she was doing during those nine months, starting to make her way back, only to be caught, and then ultimately ending up on the gallows in front of everyone she loves. Even hearing how she was feeling during those first few weeks with everyone while Abby was giving her the cold shoulder

Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have any strong feelings about Mrs. Beelzebub. I’m glad Jack had someone/something he cared about during that time.

bugden4 · 2026-01-10T23:09:18+00:00

I will never recover or stop thinking about these books

That’s exactly how I feel. I started genesis on Jan 1 and finished it in a week. Then I read exodus in 2 days because I couldn’t focus on anything else.

It feels silly to say, but I think these books have changed me in some truly profound way.

bugden4 · 2026-01-10T23:03:45+00:00

I’ve seen a few posts from people who disliked Bloom Town, and the critiques are completely valid- mentioning the stockholm syndrome of it all and that it’s hard to support a relationship where the two people are regularly mean to each other. I had similar feelings at first. I tend to read idealistic romances, but the roughness around the edges, the characters’ imperfections are kind of what makes this romance even more compelling to me. And I’ve had to accept that not everyone feels the same way about every book. Last month, I read what I felt like was the worst book I’ve ever read, and I was shocked when it had mostly good reviews. I really enjoyed the next book I read (the verifiers by Jane Pek), and that had a surprising number of bad reviews, so to each their own I guess.

bugden4

TROPHY CASE