"Where Ebon Sounds Like Ivory" by Nicky Hjort

Norse legend has it that the arms of the Yggdrasil tree—a sacred instrument of Odin—are ever-reaching, and its survival is necessary for life itself to continue. During Winter’s Solstice, when the search for her mortal mother begins, Za will have to cross over the Ebon Branch of the Dead—a feat that has supposedly never been survived intact. But if she does make it across and back home, she just might discover why she and the other three Norn Sisters of Fate came to be. A fairytale at heart, this is the second chapter in the epic saga of the youngest and most fickle of the four Norn Sisters. The same feisty immortal creature who must discover her true origins to understand her inherent inner darkness. Only this way can she learn the meaning of unconditional sacrifice in the name of impenetrable love…when, as her destiny would have it, all the branches of such a powerful tree tremble treacherously in her tiny little hands. A veritable unraveling of Snow White, the narrative of Where Ebon Sounds Like Ivory journeys through the most horrible of realms where shocking truths emerge. Here where death mimics life, obsession masquerades as devotion, and the most unexpected endings become the most surprising beginnings of a classic tale. One…you thought you knew so well. Welcome to a place where the darkest of melodies births a miraculous tune of surrenderance. Here Where Ebon Sounds Like Ivory and Christmas, as we know it, begins.

REVIEW: A dark take on Snow White, ending up with a fairy tale with a super-interesting twist in its flavour, is what this Norn instalment was all about. I loved the characterisation of Za with all her flaws and fickleness, which somehow made her endearing rather than repulsive. The narration is brilliant and colourful. This was my first read in the series, and I totally loved it. Thanks to Mandie @bookalicious_babes and the publishers Lavish Publishing @lavishpublishing for gifting me a copy of the book for an honest review.

 

About A. Nicky Hjort

A. Nicky Hjort is originally from Arlington, Texas- the second of five siblings, all of whom have strong creative talents. She currently lives in coastal central California where she practices medicine as an Ob/GYN. In between being a lovingly devoted mother and delivering babies, she writes stories that cross multiple genre lines- from Sci Fi to high fantasy, but all of her stories have thriller and strong romantic components. And for her clever reader, all of her manuscripts are subtly connected to each other, with their purpose to explore all facets of Love and Light. She likes to say that her stories write themselves, and in the process, often write her, or at least the next version of her hoping to emerge. A lover of all the arts, A. Nicky Hjort hopes her stories might inspire you to find your inner creative genius. As for her heroes- they are as varied and eclectic as her choice of narrative genres, but when pushed to list her favorite influences, she would say James Patterson, Barbara Kingsolver, Patricia Cornwell, Dean Koontz, Gene Roddenberry, Shel Silverstein, Suzanne Collins, and Walt Disney. Connect with her on FB at https://facebook.com/Author.A.N.Hjort, Twitter at @A_NickyHjort, or Goodreads under A.Nicky Hjort Her website is www.ANickyHjortBooks.com