Born Into the Night

Emily Bisbach does a great job in writing a dark academia element, it had that overall feel that worked in the world. I enjoyed getting to know Evie and the rest of the characters. I thought the clue element worked and was enjoying the overall concept of this world. I thought the art element was great and enjoyed the overall feel of this world.

I really enjoyed this book, once I started reading it, it was hard to put it back down, I was so eager to find out what would happen next.

I am honestly obsessed with this book. I love it. It's such an interesting magic system and gorgeous writing style, plus the story itself and the character development! Incredible!

I struggled a little bit with the first quarter of the book or so, but I got the feeling that it would pick up. And it did, very quickly. Once it really got moving, it never stopped long.

Just overall a gorgeous story that I really enjoyed!

I absolutely loved this book. The magic system is really interesting and original, and I really enjoyed the ties with original artworks and world religions, which shows true dedication from the author.

The characters are well written, both main and side characters are quite vivid which help you get invested into the story quite early on.

I honestly cannot wait to see where this series is going.

Thank you NetGalley and Sungrazer Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Dark Academia meets fantasy and I was here for it! This was a great read, I enjoyed getting to know the characters. The magic system was pretty unique, and the two worlds were something you don't see much in today's fantasy!

There were a lot of characters, so buckle up for that. I do wish there was maybe a map, or a glossary for a lot of the magic/world that was introduced was extremely intricate and this book was under 400 pages long.

Overall I did enjoy it and can't wait to read more from Emily Bisbach!

Rating: 4/5

Summary:
A dark academia, parallel universe fantasy that will appeal to fans of A Discovery of Witches and The Da Vinci Code.

Evie remembers nothing of the fantastical world she was born into—not the whimsical beauty that inspires her art history studies, not Alicrat, the ability to manipulate threads of existence, and not her mother, who disappeared to secure Evie’s safety. But when a mysterious stranger, Charlie, returns a family heirloom—a book written in the indecipherable Alterra Lingua—Evie starts to remember.

Drawn by the hope of finding her mother and decoding the book with Charlie, she returns to her birth world. There, she navigates centuries-old clues from a legendary Renaissance artist, explores a crumbling castle archive, and meets an oracle in exile. As the danger that hunted her mother resurfaces, Evie must make a choice with implications for both worlds.

Plot & Pacing:
The plot is packed with intriguing threads, from ancient prophecies to parallel worlds, making it easy to get pulled into the story. While I found the pacing a bit uneven at times—sometimes speeding through moments that could have used more depth and slowing down where it could have picked up—the overall narrative kept me engaged. The dual-world setup added a compelling twist, and I enjoyed the mystery elements woven throughout.

The magic system was original and had a lot of potential. I would have loved to see it explored in more depth, particularly in how it was visually represented. Some of the names in the magic system weren’t quite to my taste, but that’s a minor personal quibble. I’m excited to see how the magic will develop further, as it has a lot of room to grow.

Writing Style:
The writing is beautiful, with a lyrical quality that suits the story’s dark, academic tone. However, the occasional mention of something very modern pulled me out of the fantasy setting a bit. I understand it’s part of the dual-world concept, but it felt a little jarring at times. For someone with dyslexia, the language was occasionally challenging, but the style was engaging and well-crafted.

Characters:
The characters were enjoyable, though I sometimes found their decisions puzzling. I feel there’s still a lot to learn about them, especially the main character, Evie. I wanted a bit more depth to fully connect with her on an emotional level. That said, the two brothers, Blair, and some of the side characters really stood out, and I’m hoping to see more development in the next book. There’s definite potential here for these relationships to deepen, which would add a richer layer to the story.

World-Building:
The world-building was fun, with a solid mix of prophecy, history, and dark magic that gave the setting an interesting edge. I appreciated the way the story didn’t shy away from showing the darker side of its magic. Something I also try to do in my own writing. Some real-world elements felt a bit sudden and out of place for me, but I’m curious to see how they’ll tie in as the series continues.

Cover Design:
The cover is beautiful and subtle, with an intriguing title that complements it perfectly. Together, they draw you in and set the tone for the story wonderfully.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, this was an engaging read with some really unique elements. The characters have a lot of potential, and I feel like we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface with them. I’m hopeful that future instalments will flesh out these relationships and the magic system even further.

While the writing was a bit challenging for me due to my dyslexia, it was beautifully done, and I enjoyed the overall style. I’m excited to see where the story goes next—there’s so much potential here for deeper emotional connections and an even more immersive experience.

This book is a solid start to what could be a fascinating series, and I’m eager to see how it develops!

I had the wonderful opportunity to read this book as an ARC reader through NetGalley, for which I want to express my gratitude! This review is my honest and voluntary opinion, and I am thrilled to share my thoughts.

The review is up on Goodreads on my account meltriestowriteastory
The review will also be placed on TikTok on my account meltriestowriteastory on Wednesday October 16th

Born into night is a dark academia novel, with a wonderful magic system and interesting characters.

The writing style is wonderful, but the plot is incredibly fast paced. Sometimes it feels it’s too fast. I would have also loved a glossary for characters, places, terminology of the world Emily Bisbach created.

I really enjoyed the book and am increasingly thankful to Emily, Netgally and the publisher, for a chance to read the ARC.

I am very curious to see where the rest of the story takes us as the readers.

I love the writing, I loved the story and I loved the characters, I truly say this was an incredible surprise with an amazing story that I wasn't expecting, the book mysteries and the connections.. I simply loved it.. Charlie was an amazing character and I love her development

Many thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 🥰

When this was compared to A Discovery of Witches I was immediately drawn in. And I have to say, it did not disappoint; it was very reminiscent while still being unique. This was such an enthralling read and I would absolutely give it more than 5 stars. This world that Emily has created is so massive and the magic system blew me away (you can really tell how much research was put into every tiny detail of the magic which was a little tricky to understand at first but so cool). Reading this book really sucked me in and completely immersed me in this other dimension. It is by no means a quick read; this book demands your attention and rewards you with such beautiful imagery.
The main characters Evie and Charlie balance each other out so well and Charlie’s devotion to her definitely had me swooning. There’s romance, there’s danger, and there’s mystery that is so worth unraveling page by page. This is the beginning of something big and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
arc review

I loved this! I can’t believe it’s a debut - Born into the Night follows Evie; who has forgotten her past in a magic filled world parallel to the this one we know, and the people she left behind; and Charlie, who reunites Evie with a particular mysterious family heirloom from the other world. And hence, the story begins there.

The world building was easy to follow yet intricate, Bisbach has designed a magic system wonderfully unique. Alongside this, the character development was very well done, and I even found myself attached the certain side characters who maybe said three words the whole book.

That being said, the romance could’ve used a bit more time, especially the tension in a particular love triangle - however, this did not take away from the experience at all.

I’m very grateful to have read this before release, and would recommend this book to anyone with a penchant for magic worlds, mythical creatures, and the use of real-life art pieces and religious motifs to explore many mysteries.

This novel was so unique and had such a robust magic system that took me a little time to fully comprehend, but it was really intriguing and not too quickly introduced where things would slowly be explained over time, so just have patience! I enjoyed Evie's character a lot although I didn't love the other main characters as much. I found myself losing interest when reading other POVs at times. Otherwise, I enjoyed the pacing and the unique storyline so much!

Born into the Night is Emily Bisbach’s debut novel. It’s fantasy with a parallel universe setting which is really well written. Beginning in Edinburgh, the main character finds herself on a quest to decode an ancient language in the fantasy world which has a unique and original magic system. There’s a political element to the story as the characters try to stop the dark magic cult from expanding into the other realms. I enjoyed the art history theme and how this tied in with the story.

The descriptions of the Northlands were amazing and I would love to see a map of the world - hope the hardback comes with one in it.

Thanks NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advanced copy. My review will appear on Goodreads.