Between Ink and Shadows

Written by Melissa Wright

Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

Nimona Weston has a debt to pay.

Her father’s dealings with the dark society known as the Trust cost Nim her freedom. There’s one way out of the contract on her life and that’s to bide her time and pay the tithes. But when the Trust assigns Nim to a task in the king’s own castle, her freedom is not the only thing she’ll risk.

Warrick Spenser has a secret.

As king’s seneschal, he should be the last soul in Inara to risk association with dark magic, but long-hidden ties to the Trust are harder to shed than simply cutting the threads. When the Trust sends a thief to his rooms, Warrick thinks he’s finally found a way to be rid of them for good. But Nimona Weston is hiding secrets of her own.

Magical contracts, blood-debt accountants, and a deadly game. An epic fantasy with regency flair, an improper and slightly stabby heroine with a penchant for trouble, swoony slow burn romance, and a dark and twisty plot that pits magic against kings, love against power, and a gothic underworld against a kingdom desperate to survive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melissa Wright
• Release date: Apr 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669693604

Melissa Wright

Melissa is the author of more than a dozen YA and fantasy novels including The Frey Saga and Between Ink and Shadows. When not writing she can generally be found talking with an author friend about a book, painting something from a book, or tucked between headphones listening to a book. It's kind of a theme. She loves reasonable heroines in unreasonable situations, noble--if brooding--heroes, slow burn and sweet kisses, a lot of havoc, and a little magic. Stay updated on works in progress at Instagram or contact her through the web at www.melissa-wright.com For info on contests and new releases, sign up for the newsletter here: https://www.melissa-wright.com/free-books.html

Reviews for Between Ink and Shadows

[Ana Zaldivar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Events were too fast paced. I like the narration and the characters but there could have been more time to fall in love with them. The way certain things happened was confusing and, again, too fast paced to understand. Many things were left in the "this will be kept a secret until the main character deciphers it" and no one actually tells her whats going on, which can become frustrating.

It's a good read, but it had the potential to be better.

[Joleta Jo-lee'ta Petty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very well written YA fantasy novel with intriguing world building and a female main character who manages to be both competent and realistically flawed? I'm sold.
I found the context a little difficult to grasp, but I think that's because I was listening while cleaning and shopping and the prose is a little more poetic than my usual audiobooks that I can just kind of absorb by osmosis; this requires some actual attention. Still, the characters are interesting--not too predictable but also not nonsensically random--and there is the right balance of information given and withheld that the plot kept me curious.

If you've *wanted* to love ACOTAR and Fourth Wing and their ilk but just can't get past their juvenile style (like me), then this is the book for you!

[samai · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Iti s a slow burn for sure but worth it!

[Saida Aleksandra · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This felt like a first draft. The world-building wasn’t very good in my opinion. I wish there would’ve been more detail on how the trust was formed, why magic was banned, how the society functioned - felt like the characters were in this bubble and the reader has no idea about the world they actually live in. Why does the trust punish people? Just because they can? Or just because they control the city? Why - how did this come to be.
I only started to understand how the magic aspect worked towards the end… which isn’t great really. It would’ve been so much more beneficial to the plot if we understood how the magic worked, what its limitations are, who inherits magical ability and what determines the power of their magic.
The villain was also very generic and very one dimensional. His character had no other personality traits besides evil.
The main character, Nim, was okay, but delving more into her past would’ve been greatly appreciated. It was impossible to connect with her emotionally because most of her thoughts were very surface level. She seemed bitter about her fathers fate to, and so the relationship between her and her father definitely needed more depth. Why did she feel the way she did?
The ending felt rushed as well.
The dynamic between the main character and the love interest was a bit dry because, again, we knew nothing about him, and I personally can’t root for characters I don’t really know anything about. A POV from him would’ve given this book more depth - we could’ve seen how his past affected him and why he was the way he was, and seeing him interact with people besides Nim and Wesley would’ve allowed the reader to understand him more and actually develop an emotional connection.
The only character I liked was Wesley. He was more real than anyone else in the story and his character had depth which was nice.
Overall, I thought it wasn’t great. I’ll give it to the narrater though, she was really good.

[alyse.m.morgan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story is decent, but there’s a lot about it that’s confusing. And there is also no spice.