A mysterious library with an ancient magical secret to protect. Sophie barely remembers growing up in the library, or the day her mother disappeared from it. When her uncle brings her back, fifteen years later, to work as a book-binder, she begins to uncover its long-buried secrets and remember the fated love she left behind.

This book checked all the boxes for me. Add this to a long list of "magical library-themed" books I'd love to see as a movie. It's definitely not short on the drama. "Ere'body in this library got DRAMA!" Mama-Drama, Daddy-Drama, Brother-Drama, Lover-Drama, Ancient Spell Drama, it's got 'em all, but I was in it for the romance.

Will was my favorite character, the library guardian with a lot of secrets and an undying love for Sophie. What a swoon-worthy hero! I love that it's told from both Sophie and Will's points of view and you get to see how he really feels about her and root them on.

An array of mysterious supporting characters and nefarious subplots add the spice to this twisty, addictive read. I really wanted Victor to die painfully. He is the kind of villain you wish you could reach through the pages and kick in the nuts. I also wish Sophie had been stronger-willed and less of a pushover/so easily manipulated. I wanted her to find her power (and not the magical kind) much sooner.

The narrator, Charlie Norfolk, is superb. Loved all her accents and voices. I listened at 1.4 speed for the best pace.

I have a serious weakness for stories with magical librariesand this one is definitely one to recommend. The story had me spell-bound within 20 minutes of listening to the audiobook.
The characters were likeable and the story exciting, the narrator was pleasent to listen to. I honestly don't have anything negative to say!

I was really looking forward to this book but I found it to be disappointing. The story moved extremely slow, especially in the beginning. I never connected to the characters. I wanted more and felt everything was shrouded in secrecy.

This was a fun book with a wonderful world of magic! I enjoyed the characters, and found myself completely fascinated by the story! I would recommend this for readers that enjoy magical elements and exciting moments!

The Bookbinder’s Daughter
Jessica Thorne
Sophie was in an abusive relationship and knew she needed to escape Victor. She hadn’t seen her Uncle Edward in years when he offers her a job as a bookbinder and a home at Ayredale Library, a rather unique library. She grew up at the library until her mother disappeared and her father took her away. She doesn’t remember much of her time growing up at the library. She is reunited with Will, her teenage heart throb. At first Sophie doesn’t recognize Will but she is comfortable around him and knows she can trust him. She has many unanswered questions surrounding her mother and this is her opportunity to probe for the answers. Sophie is dyslexic and has always struggled to read. When Sophie opens the oldest books on display in the library, she can read the spells although no one else can. The library seems to be calling and singing to her. The song is drawing her to the sweeping staircase; she discovers a door with a symbol she recognizes. The mere touch of her hand and the door opens, inside is a massive tree taller than the library. The leaves are falling off the tree and they bear a resemblance to pages from a book. Sophie hears a faint voice, it is recognizable. There is an archaic and mysterious power requiring surrender and control. Slowly Sophie’s memory returns.
I enjoyed “The Bookbinder’s Daughter.” The library seems to have a life of its own; it has mysteries and enchantment and power. Many of the books have enchanted mysteries and others want the power that they can bring. There are several interesting secondary characters. Tia is very interesting. Victor is definitely a villain, and he pops up at the library up to no good. Uncle Edward, Will and Sophie struggle to keep the library alive. I must address Sophie; she allows others to manipulate and abuse her. Eventually she stands up for herself. This is a lovely read filled with remembrances, affection, mystery and understanding. This book has ambience, a bit spooky and more than a little magical. Kudos to author Jessica Horne for creating an eerie tale.

I spend most of my time reading mysteries and thrillers and it's nice to find a good book for a change of pace. I'm always a sucker for a book about a library and especially one with a little bit of magic. I liked the characters and the plot and was engaged to know what happened next. Charlie Norfolk was a good narrator. Of course I am always a sucker for an accent.

This book was amazing! The narrator did a fabulous job and I was cranky any time I got interrupted. Yeah, it was that good. I did get a little confused about the timeline and as it closed, I was a little unsure about a couple of things. I am definitely going to read it again because there is so much depth to this story. The characters, world-building, struggles endured, and a bit of mystery thrown in left me with a satisfaction I haven’t had in a long while. Talk about a book hangover!

Thank you so much to Jessica Thorne, NetGalley, and Bookouture Audio for giving me the chance to listen to this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

Ooooh I absolutely loved this.
Such a magical book. I was pulled in from the very beginning and unable to leave until the very end.
Brilliant,
I was sad it had to finished.
The characters were so varied and diverse too.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

In The Book Binder’s Daughter, we are introduced to the mysterious Ayredale Library. Our main character, Sofia, grew up in this library, but hasn’t been back since her mother vanished. She receives a job offer to work at the Ayredale Library and decides this is her chance to figure out what happened years ago.Review✨The cover and the premise of the book is what originally enticed me to read this. The writer does an amazing job with the imagery of the story. I loved the ambiance. A mysterious library with some fantasy elements thrown in like how could you not fall in love with the setting? What I did not live was the pacing and the repetition of the story. I felt like I was hearing the same lines over and over again. The villain seemed a little 2D. Even though he had this relationship with Sofia, even when he was lying to her he never seemed like an ok guy. I don’t see what Sofia would have seen in him because she even reminiscences on their past but it was always him being rude and emotionally manipulating her?? Although he annoyed me, I felt nothing for any of the characters and couldn’t connect to them. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing book, cleverly plotted with fabulously descriptive setting. I could imagine every tiny detail of this wonderful library and its 'special collection'.

The story starts by raising so many questions which seem inexplicable. There are so many intricate plot details that are not obvious for so long that I could not stop listening. The narrator had a melodic voice which hooked me straight into this magical story.

Sophie was born to be a book binder: it is literally in her blood in more ways than she realises! She is called back to her 'home' at just the right moment. Her relationship with Victor was unnervingly controlling and I was glad to see her courage is leaving him for an opportunity that money cannot buy. But Sophie's 'return' is shrouded by mystery and dark secrets which are delicately revealed so that as a reader you gradually get to fully appreciate the difficult situations that Sophie has had to deal with as she has grown up.

For quite a long time it is hard to know who to trust and who is on Sophie's side. Her growing relationship with Will seeming genuine, yet convenient and all too easy, but he is vital to her recovery.

Read this book! Read it for the library which is a masterpiece of writing in itself. The revelation of the metaphysical tree absolutely blew my mind. I want to visit: I want this place to exist. This is a heartbreakingly magical read that I enjoyed so much I will reread it many times and know I will always find a new wonder.

First of all: Reviews are always a very personal opinion! I do listen to a lot of audiobooks, 75% of them in English (as a German nativ). The audio book was made available to me free of charge by Bookouture Audio for an honest opinion, but this does not affect my opinion in any way.
The cover of ‘The Bookbinder’s Daughter’ directly got me. I think it is designed really nice, and it also goes very well with the book in terms of the elements used and the color scheme.
Sophie, who lives in London, works as a bookbinder, and recently lost her father, is faced with the ruins of her life when she also catches her long-time boyfriend cheating. Her uncle's job offer in the renowned Ayredale library is just the right thing; the library that her father turned her back on after her mother disappeared there when Sophie was 15. Although she spent her entire childhood there, Sophie has little memories of Ayredale, but wants to find out the truth about her mother's disappearance.
Sophie finds a home in the strange library, on the run from her manipulative ex, after teething problems, and with the help of her childhood friend Will. Her memories are slowly returning, and she gradually fills the big blanks, especially with the help of the other people in Ayredale. In addition, the ancient books lure her with a magical song to a mysterious place, a place of no return. Will she be strong enough?
I liked the story from the start, I was directly captivated, and I was able to empathize with the protagonist and the other characters without any problems. For me, the romance could have been embellished a lot more, and there is also a lack of background information on ‘the magic’.
The book is classified as Romantic Fantasy, but from my point of view the magical component could be expanded a lot more.
For me these are only small points of criticism, because all in all I really liked the book, I couldn't stop listening to it, I really wanted to know how it would go on.
Charlie Norfolk did a wonderful job as a narrator. Since the story is set in England, I particularly liked the fact that a narrator with a British accent was chosen and that the narrator is easy to understand even for me as a non-native speaker. I can absolutely recommend this book, and I will definitely read more from Jessica Thorne!

A story filled with loss, friendship and love. Coming back to the library was a coming home for Sophie. She feels safe for the first time in a long time until what she is running away from followers her to her haven. Can she resist the ease of going back and continue on her forward path? Loved the narrator's accent.

Sophie has a job she likes and a relationship to come home to. She is a bookbinder, a very good one indeed and she was taught by her father. Times are not easy for her these days, as she had lost her mother years ago and only recently she lost her father too. She is glad to have someone like Victor to take care of her. Until one day, her uncle Edward arrives and offers her a dream job. A job at Ayredale Library. The Special Collection is a library that consists of the rarest books in the world and it is also the last place her bookbinder mother was seen alive. This strikes to Sophie as the perfect opportunity to work at a dream place while at the same time she has a chance to discover what actually happened to her mother.

Sophie used to live at Ayredale with her parents when she was little. They only left, after what happened to her mother. Which is something Sophie cannot really recall. So, when she returns, the Library seems to welcome her. Bit by bit, her memory of the place comes back to her as she meets with people she used to know from when she lived there, but also the Library itself. The strange thing is that the sense of being at home is very strong, to the point that Sophie believes the library sings to her. It’s as if it drags her to the depths of its mysteries, until she comes upon a carved door that resembles the pendant her mother left her. The pendant that seems to come to life when it is close to that very door.

I love the secrets of the past and the magical aspect of the book. Being a book lover, I couldn’t not appreciate the fact that the story evolves around a Library with magical aspects, one that holds the secrets of this world, one that offers the knowledge humanity now seems to possess. There was a mystery around the Library itself, how it was created, what secrets did it keep, what kind of languages the books are written in and who can actually read them. But there was also a mystery around the people living and working in the Library, that made it all the more interested.

I really liked the memory loss theme. It was not caused only as a post traumatic reaction, but it had its own root in the Library as well. Another theme that I liked was the overly controlling long time boyfriend, who was nothing more than a manipulator. In the beginning, Sophie only left Victor because of what she saw with her very own eyes and because she had somewhere to go. But as the story progresses, the shy and introvert protagonist, finds herself and the strength to keep toxic people out of her life.

The narration was a big plus for this story. Charlie Norfolk did a wonderful job bringing every character to life. It was very easy to understand the characters speaking every time, as they sounded so very different. Her reading added to the atmosphere that the book already created, making the audiobook even more appealing. I highly recommend the audiobook, if you like having someone else read a book for you.

The Bookbinder’s Daughter comes out in September 20, so go grab your copy now!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

I thought that the bookbinders daughter was a lovely read. While a bit wordy the overall story kept me captivated from beginning to end. I loved the character of Sophie and how she grew over the course of the story!

The fact that everything is so centered around a library kept my book loving heart wanting more the whole time!

Sophie is trapped in her life by the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, the strained relationship she had with her late father and now by her controlling and patronising boyfriend Victor. Then a mysterious letter arrives from her Uncle Edward, inviting her to work alongside him at the Ayreshire library - library of rare and unusual books. Suddenly Sophie finds herself heading back to the place where her mother disappeared, a place that is a black hole in her memory. Can she find out what happened all those years ago?

On paper, this should be my perfect book… it’s a book about books after all with elements of mystery, secrets, a magical library, a budding romance and an enchanted tree.

It’s certainly an atmospheric read but for some reason I never became fully engaged with the plot of the characters. I kept waiting for the book to get under my skin but even at 60% through, I was struggling and it didn’t hold my interest.
I kept reading, only to find the ending unbelievable and rushed with very little character development for Sophie. As much as I wanted to love this book I was just disappointed with it.

The problem for me was with the plot and not the narrator who did a great job. I would definitely listen to an audiobook narrated by her again

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest opinion.

I enjoyed this story though I was expecting it to be more spooky than it was. It was more romance based than I was expecting and less Dark Academia. Still I really loved the library setting and how she dealt with rare books. Those aspects were my favourite.

So when I found this on net galley it sounded super interesting.

Alas it was boring, I don’t know it just never pulled me in.


I even double checked, to make sure this wasn’t like the third book in a series or something because it felt like I stumbled in the middle of a series. I didn’t.

For me it just felt very lackluster and slow.

This would actually be a great adult novel for somebody in middle school or high school to read.
It’s not middle grade not that there’s anything wrong with middle grade books

It’s just very accessible adult fiction and that’s fantastic.

It just felt generic fantasy magical library.

Didn’t pull me in I didn’t feel compelled by the story in depth.

There’s nothing wrong with it and the audiobook is very good.

It’s just not for me.

If you’re looking for light urban fantasy this is great.

4 stars solidly
The writing is good the pacing is good. It just isn’t from me you know like there’s nothing wrong with it just not my personal taste.

Like my 15-year-old cousin I would give us spoke to you in a heartbeat I think she would love it.

But for me a little bit more action in my fantasy just not my cup of tea.

The world building is interesting, it’s a slightly different take on urban fantasy that I was in for.
But still being very familiar in formulaic well done.

Sophie is an accomplished bookbinder, taught by her father, also a bookbinder. It happens that her mother was also one too. Once upon a time, they lived at Ayredale and life was good. But then, some trauma occurred where Sophie's mother disappears and Sophie forgets most of the details of her life before the trauma. Since then, Sophie has never been back to Ayredale, mostly due to her father's wishes. But after her father dies, Sophie is contacted by her uncle Edward, brother to her mother, and offered a job at what is called the Special Collection.

There are a few aspects of this book that follow some common tropes. There's the memory loss after trauma. There's the special power. There's the dirty scoundrel of a boyfriend that is finally realised. The last is the one I found most interesting here because it's from this understanding that Sophie finally starts to live her life on her own terms. The other stuff may be what drives her to stick to her plan, but she has definitely tired of being manipulated by her long-term boyfriend.

Of course, there is magic involved in the story which I enjoyed for the most part. What didn't quite work for me was the Arthur/Victor arc that comes out towards the end. Those characters on their own were both some ugly pieces of work in their own ways and I could totally buy those stories. But the connection that comes out at the end, seems a bit far-reaching. I'm also a bit uncertain what I think of some of the secrets of Will Rhys. I just didn't feel some of the revelations seemed right in this universe.

Sophie's past trauma is an interesting part of the story along with the reawakening of her role in the library. She does prove to be a good heroine and is quite determined to follow the path that is right for her. The relationship with WIll is also quite nicely done and mixed with the roles they each play, I found they worked pretty well together. They definitely have a long-standing chemistry and it's obvious they are meant for each other.

The narration on the book was quite enjoyable. Charlie Norfolk does a lovely job of capturing the characters along the way and her voice was quite soothing.

Overall, this was an entertaining and pleasing read and I give this 3.5 stars.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Bookouture Audio! This book was perfection in every way.

I was approved for the electronic and audio versions of this book and will review them both separately below. However, spoiler alert, THEY ARE BOTH FIVE STARS allllll the way!

The Book—excuse me while I swoon over the absolutely brilliant writing of this story. The imagery was spot on and the characters were so dynamic I even loved the ones I hated! I could visualize the Ayredale Library so vividly that I thought I was standing among the books myself; able to smell the old leather covers and ancient papers bound between them.

Their was just enough of a “love” story to keep me interested, as I am an unapologetically hopeless romantic. Yet, there was so much more to this fantasy. I think this book would be perfect for those who love fanciful book that keep you on your toes and for those who like something a bit more general fiction. It totes the line but is not overly supernatural as to turn anyone off. (But I am a fantasy reader, so what do I know?)

The Audiobook—keep everything you read above then add the most fantastic narrator I have heard since Jim Dale into the mix. Mind blowing is what you get.

I have a long drive to and from work every day and love having audio books to whisk my mind away from the mundane drive. However, I am soooooo picky when it comes to audiobooks. I almost always hate them. Books I would have normally liked get ruined and characters become grating. But, not this time. I loved Charlie Norfolk’s reading so much I am going back just to listen to other books she has read.

Overall, there is so much to love. Read it, listen to it, or both. But make sure you get it! I can’t wait to order my physical copy just to have it on my bookshelf. I loved it that much!!!

Thank to bookouture and netgalley for giving me a eARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book was exactly what I needed after my book hangover from a discovery of witches. Nice and essay read. interesting story line. This book is not like my normal reads. It is a nice and quick read. It was exactly what wanted to read. A shorter story that kept me guessing throughout most of the book.