Lots to like in this book; though it's told from two POV, I found Will to be more of a secondary characters. And to be fair, the secondary characters felt more alive and relatable than the main one, Sophie. The magic system and Art, was a bit confusing and I wish the author had spent less time repeating about the disappearance of Sophia's mother and the distance of her father bc there was SO much more to explore in the novel. Maybe if theres a follow up they can focus a bit more on that and what it really means to live at the library. In fact, I do hope there is one even if the conflict here is resolved there's still a lot to unpack.

Following the death of her father and the end of her relationship, Sophie accepts a job offer to work at the Ayredale Library, which is very prestigious with its large collection of rare books, and somewhat mysterious. Sophie’s mother used to work at the library too, until she went missing when Sophie was just a child. She hopes that she may find some answers about her mother’s disappearance during her time at Ayredale. Will Rhys was Sophie’s childhood friend and love interest, and she discovers she is still drawn to him upon her return. As Sophie settles in at Aryedale, she soon learns things may not be exactly as they appear.

This was a magical tale to read. I loved the writing style—it was beautiful and fanciful. In ways, it reminded me of the feeling I had when reading The Night Circus, one of my favorite books. Magical Realism is one of my favorite genres, and this book lived up to my expectations! It’s a fun, unique read—I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me this ARC to read and review!

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I really enjoyed The Bookbinder's Daughter!
I was entertained the whole time I was reading it and I couldn't put the book down.
I highly recommend people read this book!

I was absolutely enthralled by The Book Binder's Daughter. It contains so many elements of mythology, magic, and adds in the interpersonal relationships of all the characters. The journey of discovering one's own past and the how and why things are the way they are now. This book puts into perspective the reasoning for the world's great ideas and innovations through a very philosophical theory. I truly enjoyed the character development and the world building within "the library." I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in mythology, fantasy, science, philosophy, and especially BOOKS!

Thanks to netgalley for this one. I had a lot of fun reading this! Magic, libraries, romance, demons, mystery- so many of my favorite tropes and topics. Sophie in this book is relatable for anyone who has ever had to find themselves especially after a toxic relationship- anyone? yeah, thought so. Will is my new book beau, and their romance while a part of the book does not overwhelm the plot. There is a plot, there is mystery, and it is wrapped up nicely with no plot holes. The ONLY issue I had was that I sort of wished this book was maybe another 20 pages long- the last chapter or so was sort of abrupt. Also, for some reason, I feel like I had a hard time remembering the book took place in modern times- cell phones, internet, texting, google searches. I'm not sure what it was exactly but it had the feel of maybe a historical element? Not sure. But, nevertheless I adored this book and I recommend it to all my bookworm friends, especially those who love a good Library/Librarian plot.

This book covered all of my emotions. I was enchanted, irritated, surprised, angry, nervous, relieved and then content. If you are looking for a book that will take you on one heck of a roller coaster ride, this is it. If anybody needs me I will be staring out my window still digesting this fantastic book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Jessica Thorne for this ARC in return for my honest. Having previously enjoyed The Lost Girls of Foxfield Hall, I was eager to read this one. A captivating read that drew me in from the first pages. I spent a rainy Saturday reading this book as I genuinely couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend it.

This is one of those books that you get completely lost in. It’s a spellbinding story about family, secrets, love and the magic of books. I was hooked from the first page and would recommend this book to everyone who sometimes needs a little escape from reality.

Magic! This isn’t a book about witches casting spells. This book is so much more than that. It’s a book about binding spells since the time of creation, libraries that contain special collections, and the people that keep that magic from escaping. It’s suspenseful and thrilling and wondrous.. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The whole plot of this book is so intriguing. As a book lover, the thought of a magical library drew me in. However, it wasn’t as magical as I thought it would be. To be honest, I couldn’t get completely through it because of the writing. The writing style just wasn’t for me. I could already see a potential romance within the first 20 percent and I didn’t know there would be any romance. It’s a personal preference, but I’m not a romance reader. Everything seemed a little too convenient for the main character. The friendships didn’t seem believable to me and weren’t developed enough. She just so happened to have plenty of money saved from working at a library and just so happened to be offered her dream job. (Which apparently everyone wanted) She is constantly doubting herself and her decisions, which I understand. However, it got repetitive for me.

First of all - it's a book about a magic library. How could you resist that!

Sophie is in a very controlling relationship with a scumbag, when she's offered a job at the mysterious Ayredale library ... where her parents both worked ... until her mum disappeared. She leaves the scumbag and goes to the library, which feels like something more than just a place where old books are kept and repaired. Plus, everyone is acting so weird that she can't trust ANYBODY. Possibly not even her childhood friend and very attractive bloke, Will.
There is a thread of mystery that winds its way through the story. I found reading this book completely immersive, which is something that hasn't happened in a long time (Yay! Magic Library!). This is a story about magic and primordial inspiration. The love of books, especially old books, is threaded through the entire story. I loved that. There's quite a lot about looking after books and working in libraries, which I enjoyed.

This is a lovely, magical read. I recommend it. Especially if you like old books and brooding, slight Gothic, libraries.

The bookbinders daughter by Jessica Thorne was very confusing to me. A lot of it was guessing work when it came to where and when. Well anyway it starts out in a library with a trained or training bookbinder named sophie where her mom is disappeared and her dad is dead. Sophie is an expert bookbinder with weird dreams of the past and a billion questions. She plays it off as trauma of her mom vanishing. Her uncle shows up out of nowhere with an invitation to work at ayredale library as part of the collections. Where no-one refuses that library its prestigious. It takes place in London, 21rst century. I'm confused at a lot of things and wished I knew more about the characters. I really loved the title and the chance to read this book for I felt it would be really descriptive...

This Arc was given to me by netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Most of the time I only need a chapter or two to decide whether ot I nor I like a book. I unfortunately did not like this one. I loved the premise because I love books and books about libraries are a dream come true so I was so very excited to get into Sophie’s story. As I started the book I caught myself wondering about anything else but the story. I couldn’t relate to Sophie and her wonderings about whether Will still likes even though she hardly remembers him was just confusing and not understandable,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

This book is a perfect example of an intriguing and eye-catching premise gone wrong with the execution.

The Bookbinder's Daughter is my first book by Jessica Thorne. From the synopsis, I had expected a story filled with magic, unspoken family secrets, a library to get lost in, among others. The mention of a magical library attracted me to request this book in the first place, but That was also the aspect of the story that let me down. I wanted more of the aesthetic and aura of the library to feed my fantasies.

I never felt like sympathizing with Sophie in the first place. Her character rubbed me off the wrong way. Sure, she was always the submissive one in her relationship with Victor; and one would always find her justifying his actions. Sophie would always put Victor before her in her personal as well as professional life, and I was relieved when she finally decided to go to Ayredale; however, the circumstances under which this happened looked very rushed to me. The unnecessary repetition of Sophie's circumstances did not help, and her soliloquies are the same in all instances.

Coming to Sophie and Will Rhys, I get that Will is handsome but I don't want to read how lost Sophie feels in his eyes on every other page. Where is my magic library?

I hadn’t read any of Jessica’s previous books, but other reviewers let me know I was in for a real treat.

I love libraries, especially really old ones, so I thought the descriptions were breathtakingly beautiful and I wish I could see inside this particular one.

There’s a lot of backstory and explanation which took a little while to sink in, but as long as you clear your mind and accept the book’s world for what it is, then you soon get to grips with it and can fully submerge yourself into it. The art of bookbinding is such a beautiful but forgotten practice, and it’s given the highest honour in this book.

It’s so eerie and mysterious, and it leaves you, always wanting to know more. There are all sorts of characters; sweet, caring, loving, smart, evil, manipulative, and some who aren’t what they appear, and they are all perfectly individually written. It is slow and explorative, it doesn’t rush the reader, waiting for you to understand what’s happening before moving on.

I do hope this is the start of a new multi-book series, and hopefully a film deal. I can totally see a fantasy movie with hints of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Chronicles of Narnia, all perfectly packaged together in a rollercoaster of a story.

Mystical, mysterious and mesmerising, this book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Sophie faces so many challenges, but the daunting task of remembering her past and trying to discover what happened to her mother takes her to the brink of disaster. The concept of the library and the Tree is intriguing as are all the characters we meet.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

I absolutely love stories like this. I’ll what it’s called, I’m not good with words. Lyrical.? Atmospheric.? Whatever it is, I was hooked. The setting was beautiful. The pacing was agonizingly perfect. I wanted to rush through to find out what happened, but I wanted to go slow to savor it all. The characters were well written and developed. I can’t think of a single complaint at this time. I’m preordering myself a copy immediately.

On how I loved this story!!. A magical library with beautiful old books that Sophie restores. The handsome Will, an old flame who may still have her heart. Plus the evil Victor who has run her down and.made her feel inferior and has cut her off from family and friends so she feels she can only interact and socialise with him.
..I was drawn by the magic aspect but boy was there a lot more to this story!!. It picks you up and pulls you in!. I was totally absorbed into the story!. I hope there is more to this book and it becomes a series......
Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.

Jessica Thorne has created a magical masterpiece in The Book Binder's Daughter. The reader is introduced to a magical library that holds all the secrets and mysteries the world holds since the beginning of time. This novel is a magical escape for those of us that whole-heartedly agree with Jessica Thorne that libraries are one of the most magical places on Earth.

Sophie Lawrence is The Book Binder's Daughter. Sophie was raised in a mystical library that housed sacred text from all over the world. Her mother, Elizabeth, and father, Phillip, both worked inside the library as book binders and restorers of historical text. Sophie's mother dies tragically at the beginning of the novel leaving her and her father unexpectedly. Her father is so distraught that he leaves the library all together and refuses to talk with Sophie about the library or the reason for her mother's death. The whole beginning portion of Sophie's life becomes shrouded in mystery as her mind blocks out everything about her past at the library. After seeing therapist, it is suggested that she possibly suffers from PTSD from losing her mother so abruptly. Her father refuses to acknowledge any of her past and does not allow her to seek any information relating to their history with the library.

As an adult Sophie is a shell of the once vibrant child she used to be. She is quiet and reclusive. She works within a library in London as one of its top book restorers and preservationist. Her Uncle Edward comes to her one day and offers Sophie her mother’s position at the infamous library of her youth and she cannot refuse. Sophie hopes that returning to the library of her past she can start putting the pieces of her life back together and find out what happened to her mother, at last. Upon returning she is reunited with her first love, Will. He observes how fragile and quiet Sophie is, she is no longer the fearless girl he remembered, but is now a quiet mouse of a woman.

"Breakdowns were a bit more serious than a cold or flu and sometimes when you were put back together, all the bits didn't fit properly."

Coming back to the library sparks Sophie’s memory and she begins to start remembering bits and pieces of what happened the day she lost her mother. She begins to remember that this library is not just an average library but a powerhouse for the world's history and creativity, and the staff are not just librarians but keepers and guardians of all the world’s knowledge and treasures.

I found The Book Binder's Daughter incredibly interesting. The way Jessica Thorne relates the destruction of all the world's greatest libraries to the Axis Mundi/Tree of Knowledge, I thought was very clever. Jessica explains and relates all those libraries' demise to the "uprooting" of this critical tree of knowledge and creativity, and how without organization within a library no one would ever be able to find the information they need on subjects, resulting in chaos and a loss of knowledge.

Coming away from reading this novel I have a greater appreciation for libraries and their staff. The hard work and dedication they put in to keep all those incredible tomes of creativity and knowledge in order. Librarians (keepers) take the chaos (Axis Mundi) of all those books (knowledge/creativity) and assemble them all together on shelves (archivist) and use the card catalog (guardian) to keep all the subjects together and in order so you and I can easily walk into any local library and find whatever our hearts' desire. Jessica Thorne is absolutely brilliant in her description of the magic of librarians!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy for an honest review.

**I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I really wanted to like this book, but it sort of fell a bit flat for me. This isn't my usual go-to genre so that could be it.

After her father's death, Sophie is offered a job at the Ayredale Library by her uncle (and in the process leaves her abusive boyfriend in London). The library is a private collection of some of the rarest books in the world and has an eerie/unusual vibe to it. Sophie actually grew up in the library, but left as a teenager after her mother's tragic death and has since lost most of her memories of growing up there (supposedly trauma-based memory loss). She gets to reconnect with her childhood friend-to-lover, and do what she loves - bookbinding- in the prestigious library. Gradually, Sophie learns the mysteries of the library and has to learn to manage the forces of the library and the people who want to capture it's power.

The first 50% was a lot of build up with not enough reveal. It almost felt like if J.K Rowling had delayed the "you're a wizard Harry" bit until half way through the school year. I'm all for a bit of suspense, but I found it hard to get into the book in this case. I feel like the characters had a lot of potential but I didn't develop any strong attachments to any of them. I'm a romance junkie at heart, and the dynamic between Sophie and Will was great. I loved how they got a second chance and there was definitely a "fated partners" vibe. The whole book was a love-letter to book preservation, book-binding and libraries (which I did love).

If YA-ish vibe, magical/fantasy novels are your jam, this book might be the one for you.