although i loved the magic of this book and the story was bewitching i did find at time the story dragged and my mind would wonder. i loved Sophie as a character and there was a lot if love in this story. the narrator was fantastic

This book sounded right up my street! A magical library you say? Count me in.
Sadly, this one took me AGES to get into, with me having to replay the prologue and first chapter countless times so I could get a handle on the characters and plot. Whether that's the narrator or the plot, or my own attention span, I'm not sure.
It did then hold my attention for the majority, but I don't think it had a memorable quality to it.
Having said that, it was an enjoyable book, just not what I expected and hoped for,

The synopsis had me with the magic library, bewitched books and mysterious disappearance. Reading the book didn’t disappoint me either.

I found the base of plot quite unusual and for me was a pleasant and entertaining book to listen to.

It doesn’t give much information about the magic world but that didn’t really affect the plot or my experience.

What I would have liked more is extra depth in the main character. Sophie is presented as naive and extremely pliable but I would have loved to see her grow and own herself.

Generally a nice read to keep you entertained.

An intriguing story combining modern life with ancient powers and creation. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale . The characters are well formed with some tense times for the heroine. It kept me up very late wanting to know what would happen next. I do hope there’s a follow on.

I stepped outside of my usual genre with this fantasy novel. I love books about libraries and all things book related, so I thought it would be a good place to start. I loved all the imagery created in the book. I could literally picture the magic! But as an audio, I found that sometimes I got bored. I have a hard time deciding if that was the storyline or the outsourced genre for me. Overall I enjoyed the book, but still think that fantasy is a stretch for me. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Liked the start, liked the end wasn't sure on the middle. I loved the idea of this magical library I mean as a book lover who wouldn't love a magical library?! However I've finished it and it seems such a complex magical system with magical trees, leaves and so on that it all went a bit over my head and that's when I lost interest a little. I didn't really feel any chemistry between the 2 main love interests it felt like the romance was placed in as padding rather than adding anything to the story. It was an enjoyable fantasy but didn't blow my socks off. I listened to the audio of this one and really enjoyed the narrator. She defiantly captured the feel of the story and I found her voice very easy to listen to. The story is dual perspective so I would have liked Wills parts to have been read by a male narrator but thats just my personal preference

The book is absolute perfection (please see book review) but unfortunately I found the narrator a bit grating. Story still marvellous, and great to have a new format. But just wish I’d got on with the voice more.

This book is not exactly what I would usually pick up, but I’m glad I did because I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

What I loved about this book:

• the magical library
• the writing style
• the whimsical, dreamy feeling of the story
• the vivid descriptions
• the romance (though there was space for improvement)
• the plot and surprises towards the end
• the narrator

What I didn't like:

• Sophie felt a bit unrelatable. I wanted to be excited with her about the library, but she barely had any reaction at all.
• Her relationship with her ex didn't make much sense.
• The side characters weren't bad, but they could have been much better.
• The soft magic system

If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of The Bookbinder's Daughter by Jessica Thorne in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the magical library aspect of the story and love the idea that this great tree is responsible for seeding new ideas and knowledge into the world. However, I disliked Sophie's character - her lack of backbone and general insecurity was really frustrating and her memory loss and gradual return felt drawn out. Overall it was a nice enough read, but it fell a little flat in many departments. I would have liked more of a focus on the magic and mystery but instead we got mediocre lacklustre romance, with a bit of magic and mystery thrown in on the side.

The book was very cute. I liked the mythology of the magic within the library and the purpose behind it. I felt that the pacing was a bit off and I wish the story would hav been a bit more fleshed out. Overall, a good story about a magic library.

I absolutely loved and enjoyed the audiobook for The Bookbinder’s Daughter by Jessica Thorne! Not only did the audiobook narration by Charlie Norfolk bring it to life, but the story itself was absolutely amazing! I genuinely think this book will be a lot of people’s favorite this year!

Personally, I would sell this book as a very mysterious, very magical, dark and fantastical fall read. The main character is a book binder, and the majority of the story takes place in a mysterious library, so thematically, there is a lot in the story on the physical artistry of books! As a bookworm, I absolutely, absolutely loved and enjoyed that aspect of the story!!!

I honestly only have good things to say about this book, and I cannot recommend it enough!! It was such a fun time, and the perfect fall fantasy read!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the arc in exchange for an honest review!!!

Sophie is offered a job at Ayredale Library, a library steeped in history, housing the world's finest collection of rare books. Sophie's personal history is deeply entrenched in the library, she was brought up on the estate, both of her parent's worked there and it was the last place that her mother was seen before disappearing.

The library is a magical place, filled with mystery and wonder. The staff are just as mysterious. Sophie must learn to deal with her past, her missing memories and her new job as a binder in truly wondrous surroundings.

This was my first encounter with a novel of this genre. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. As a lover of books, a book about beautiful books was always going to get a thumbs up from me.

Beautiful narration. But I don’t know that it fit so well for this particular book. Felt more like a historical fiction narrator than a magical realism fantasy. Maybe a little too monotonous for fantasy.
But I also didn’t really care for the book. I wanted to because well, beautiful cover about a magical library…what could be better?! Aside from the deconstruction of God and calling the Bible a myth (or even religion at all) at one point, and the anticlimactic, no chemistry romance, all that aside, the book was just BORING. Like I lost count how many times I fell asleep while reading or listening (I had the ebook and audio). Too many to count.
It just didn’t have a plot. And the on that it had didn’t seem to really arrive until halfway through the book. I didn’t get any magical feels until the halfway point, so it almost felt like two different books. Anyway, just wasn’t for me.

The Bookbinder's Daughter is a magical escape and I quite enjoyed escaping reality for a while within its pages. We follow our main character, Sophie. She receives a job as a bookbinder at Ayredale Library, where her uncle, Edward, also works. This is also the place where her mother disappeared 15 years before. Sophie grew up in the library, but has very little memory of her time there. Another upside to receiving the new job was that she was able to get away from her manipulative and arrogant ex. Sophie encounters her childhood friend and first love, Will, when she arrives at the library and her memories start to come back to her slowly. She realizes there were reasons why she had blocked out these memories.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the beginning. The premise was so intriguing and I liked the line of characters. The atmosphere was amazing and I loved the setting being in this strange library. The descriptions were so vivid that I felt that I was in the library with our characters. I also highly suggest the audiobook!

The Bookbinder’s Daughter is a fantastic read and anyone who loves books will enjoy this magical tale. Sophie is a bookbinder and she goes back to her childhood home to work in a mysterious library. It is the same library where her mother disappeared many years ago. The library itself is magical and filled with many secrets. Sophie gets caught up in its mystery and its danger, and what unfolds is an enchanting tale well worth the time it takes to read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of a mysterious, magical library and a dark family secret. I thought this would be the perfect cozy fantasy for early fall to transition into spooky season.

However, the characters were very one-dimensional and the pacing was uneven. The story mostly meandered slowly until it got to a point where so much happened all at once that it was overwhelming. I didn’t truly get a sense of the magic until over halfway through the book, and there was so much lore and backstory to piece together. I just didn’t fully understand how this library worked.

Even though the story wasn’t quite there for me, the atmosphere and descriptive writing were lovely and magical. I enjoyed the audiobook, but I wish it had two narrators for Sophie and Will’s POVs. This is truly a book for book lovers.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ALC.

The Bookbinder’s daughter by Jessica Thorne was an absolute joy to read, well in my case to listen to. I fell completely in love with this marvellous book and the characters. I just couldn’t stop listening to it and the narrator was excellent. A well deserved 5 stars .

Audiobook received for free through NetGalley

I absolutely adored this book. I loved the characters, storyline, descriptive words, and the narrator. This was a perfect listen. Thanks for the opportunity.

When Sophie is paid a visit by her estranged uncle Edward offering her a job at the library he works at, she is completely torn. This isn't just any library. It holds the rarest and finest collection of books around. She has just lost her father, her mother left when she was a teenager with no trace of her since, and she seems to be stuck in a terrible relationship. It may be just what she needs for a brighter future. But can she really get up the courage to leave all she knows? The answer is handed to her as she walks in on a shocking betrayal by Victor. When she reaches the library, she suddenly feels safe and at home. This isn't just any library though. She is suddenly able to start reading things quite easily, and even believes she is hearing her mother's voice calling to her. When she stumbles across a door that's engraved with the same leaf as she has on her mother's necklace that she wears, she knows there is more to this library than anyone else let on. Just what secrets will she find hidden behind that door? Will she find out what really happened to her mother?
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Jessica Thorne for the opportunity to read this amazing book. I was completely blown away by the writing style of this author. Though it's a bit different than what I typically read, I found myself wrapped up entirely in the book. This is one that I think I will be reading a second time. Complete with magic, twists, dark secrets, and romance, it just had a way of stealing me away into another world. I really enjoyed this book. I rate this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What an absolute gorgeous book!
As an avid library user since childhood, lover of books - this title just cried for my attention. I was not disappointed.
Sophie receives a letter, an offer of employment from her uncle - at the Ayredale Library, working with the world's most valuable special collections. After discovering her long term boyfriend in the arms of his assistant, Sophie accepts the job - and her destiny.
After the sudden death of her mother at the Ayredale Library, Sophie's father forces them to move and cut all ties with their friends. Spending years feeling adrift - Sophie finally feels like she is home at the library. And her memories return.
And of course Will.
Sophie inadvertently causes the death of the current Keeper - a power struggle with nefarious intentions begins.
Great plot, love the characters - though the ending was a tidy resolution, I still enjoyed.
Hoping there will be another book!