Ink

by S.J. Davis

"It's a good day to die." My mother holds my arm fiercely. "But as you grieve for me, listen for the voices. Then, you must get the ink." Sparrow stumbles between two worlds, light and dark, love and hate, what is real and what is in her mind. When her mother dies on the Reservation, Sparrow's world is shadowed with anger and narrowed by pain. Voices call to her, but why? The answer is in the Ink.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Native American

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

SJ is a Virginia girl living in the Motor City. She loves Typhoo English Tea, flip flops, capris, and cardigans. When she isn't busy writing and publishing, she is busy being a band/soccer/lax/Wolverine mom. Go Blue!

Reviews

[Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find myself spent after reading this story. Not that it was overly emotional. It is the review that is getting to me. I enjoyed the fictitious tale of the “Blackfoot” people as my daughter through her father’s heritage has ties to the “Blackfoot” people.

I felt that the history and location was poorly researched. Not that I am an expert; far from it actually. However, I can recall with clarity the far away gleam in my exes’ eye when he often spoke of his people. What Davis describes seems an ocean away from any form of reality.

However, Davis does touch on survival guilt, a very real and emotionally damaging aspect of life for an adult, much less a child. My heart ached for Sparrow as she struggles through her overpowering guilt and finds love.

Davis packed so much into this short well written novella. It was almost poetic a times to read. I expect to see more of the story from Davis, as we are still left with lingering questions?

[Vanya D. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this book from the R2R event in one of the Goodreads groups where I'm a member.

What can I say? I saw lots of negative reviews for it, and thought that I'd give it a good review. But guess what - there was nothing even remotely good to base such a review on.

I'm really sorry to say this, since I know how much time and effort it takes to write a story, but this one was really not good. The whole time my eyebrows were raised at the absurdity of it all. There was absolutely no detail. We weren't introduced to 90% of the characters at all. People came and went and I had no idea who they were, what was the purpose of them being mentioned.. that sort of thing. And I'm not talking minor characters that kind of blend with the crowd. Oh, no! I'm talking major characters (like the narrator who's name I can't even remember), who have no depth, not even air to their persona.

I was going to just leave this story and apologize for not reading it till the end, but then it didn't take me more than an hour to get to the end. I also hoped that it would have some sort of good ending, which it didn't. It was a total disappointment.

So, honestly, what was the whole point of this story?

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I was given this book for free on a read-to-review basis.)
Sparrow has been through a traumatic car accident in which her mother died. Now she cuts herself in order to release her grief and anger.

Before she died Sparrow’s mother told her watch for voices, and to find istowun-eh’pata (Mateo), and get ink. (Thanks Mom)

Now Sparrow is hearing strange threatening voices, and being followed by Mateo. He wants her to get this tattoo that her mother was referring to but worries if she will be able to deal with the pain of it.

This is a short story, and to be honest, I’m sorry to say that I’m glad it was short. The story jumped around, and I found it really difficult to follow what was going on. One of the main parts of the story also revolved around a ‘reservation’ that Sparrow lived in on the UK. I’m sorry, but I live in the UK, and the only reservations we have are for wildlife and forested areas. Funnily enough we do not have reservations like those that the Native Americans live on in America, because this is not America and they are not native to this area!

It’s holes like this that ruin this story. There’s talk of a white buffalo story, and Sparrow being this white buffalo, but it is never really explained, and I’m not even sure what these beings were that were following her and threatening her – Pixies? Fairies? Spirits? Were-wolves? I really don’t know.

The end was also a bit of a non-end. She got the tattoo, The End. Bit bizarre really.

Overall, I’m confused, bored, and the author obviously hasn’t done her research.
A dismal 2 out of 10.
(Book length: 719 kindle locations)

[Dani (piggindani_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if I hated the story that was told, this would still get a high rating from me and that’s simply because of the writing. The moment I started reading I couldn’t stop. Thankfully it’s only a novella otherwise it would have been a long night lol
But seriously, the writing is stunning. It has an almost poetic flow. The descriptions bring so much life to each line/word, it makes it an easy and beautiful read.

My knowledge of Native people & their tribes is extremely limited therefore cannot comment on it’s accuracy, but I did enjoy reading a story that had Native representation.

Ink deals with a young girl’s guilt over surviving a crash in which her mother died. Suddenly feeling disconnected from the world she knew (her life on the reservation) and the new one she begins when she moves to live with her aunt.

This is a really different and interesting story and I’ll definitely be wanting to read more from S.J Davis.



Trigger warnings: Death & Self-harm.

[Carly Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi y'all Anne yet again today. Well I was given this novella to review and I'm certainly glad I had this chance. Davis has a brilliant story here I can only hope and encourage her to continue this story full force. The story is captivating and exciting, and original because I must say I can't recall any books I have read so far that have Native American cultures and legends as the main focus of the story. This is a one of a kind novella for that reason. The characters are lovely and passionate of course the love triangle is full of turmoil but neither male is fighting over her they are fighting for what is best for her. Now the leading lady here as flaws and what I mean are she has suffered emotional trauma and because of that she has some issues that a lot of girls have but are to scared to share, I think this book brings that to light wonderfully by letting girls know that even if your scarred and broken inside people will still want you and care for you. All the while poor Sparrow is being haunted by a sinister voice and in the end she must gather the courage and strength to battle this negative force if she is to take her rightful place among her people. I give Ink 5 out of 5 stars a brilliant piece of work I hope there is more to come very soon.

[Diana Stormblessed · Rating 2 out of 5]

This might actually be my shortest review yet. There’s not much to say. I don’t even know where to begin. This book is only 75 pages long. The build up was good. Sparrow’s mother dies in front of her in a car crash with the parting words of “It’s a good day to die”, so she’s left to live with her aunt. In her sadness and guilt she starts cutting herself, and becomes haunted with voices in her head.

To get to the “point” the book kind of jumps around. Its disorienting and hard to focus on the characters or the story. I couldn’t really connect to anyone, or really get into the story as a whole. You wouldn’t think that a 75 page book would have room for a love triangle, but you’d be wrong. Oh joy. Additionally, I thought the ending was very anti-climatic. It just kind of ends. I guess I kind of missed the point of the story as a whole. Its another case of it would have been better if it was a lot longer. But being what it was, the book’s redeeming quality was the fact that it was a short and easy read. Recommended if you want something fast and easy to read in short amount of time.

[Gin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an engaging and unique story that I did not want to put down, but was also very difficult for me to rate.

We follow Sparrow on her journey of self discovery as she learns about the strength of her people as well as herself. I think the author does a wonderful job of capturing the emotions of a teenager dealing with difficult issues such as PTSD and self-mutilation, all while creating a fantasy world to cope with them in. I also loved the idea behind the significance of the ink used for the tattoo.

I think ultimately all of the issues I have with this book boil down to the fact that it was too short. There just wasn't enough....I needed more. At times the story felt a little disjointed, hopping around from place to place leaving gaps in time. This was a big and beautiful story that could have used a couple hundred more pages to help fit some of the pieces together.

I hope the author decides to use this novella to base a new series. I would love to have the opportunity to become completely absorbed in Sparrow's world again.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ink is a wonderfully written short story about a young girl that has lost everything and must discover who she really is. The story is short, but it captured me right away! The descriptions in this book are absolutely amazing, especially the begining.

I really like the fact that while there is a love-triangle of sorts, the guys fight for what is best for Sparrow instead of fighting each other.

If you're looking for a short story that is unique and will capture your attention right away, try this!

I will definitely be reading more by Miss Davis! :)

[Brooke Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um.....yah. Awesome Dark. Troubling. Native American characters. There is a love triangle, which is key for me. I am thinking about exploring a triangle in the future, they are so much fun. This book features a very fractured heroine that I really fell for. I love stories that succeed in proving that there is life after you've been damaged. I loved the folklore that Ms. Davis wove into INK. Beautifully. Seamlessly. Well done, my friend. My ONLY complaint...It ended too soon. I want more. But I think that's the point of a novella, so job well done.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say short read but LONG impression!! What a great book and the story was amazing. It was definitely something I have never read but I finished it fast and loved the connection with the characters as well as my self. There was sadness, love and action and just the unknowing making it that much more page turning! A great story and a must read!

[Andrea at Reading Lark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review Posted on Reading Lark 10/1/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

Ink drew my attention because of the gorgeous cover and the mixture of paranormal and Native American mythology. There aren't a ton of books out there for Native American teens within the paranormal genre. As someone who teaches at a school with a significant Native American population I am always on the lookout for books that will appeal to my students. Who doesn't want to see characters like themselves reflected in literature?

S.J. Davis has a lot of potential as a writer and I was impressed with her ability to capture emotion in such moving ways. The opening scenes of the novella deal with the death of Sparrow's mother in a car wreck. I was blown away be the writing in this section and was disappointed to see that not everything in the novella was written in the same manner. There were so many segments that felt rushed to me. For example, the relationship between Sparrow and Layne just happened all of a sudden without much build up. I wanted more explanation and more world building.

The Native American aspects of the story and the inking process fascinated me. Those elements make this something truly special and worth the time. I did have a moment where the tattoo process made me think of Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr and the She Smells the Dead series by E.J. Stevens. Both of those stories deal with special inks for tattooing. Davis does truly take things in a direction all her own in spite of my connections to other works. The symbolism between Sparrow and the plight of Native Americans throughout history intrigued me.

This novella was really hard for me to rate. The writing was solid and I loved the creativity of the story, but I just felt like it was too short. There is so much potential lurking within these pages. I wish Davis would take this and expand it into a 300-400 page novel. The shortness of this one causes the middle and end to jump around in a way that was confusing and left so many things undeveloped. I also found myself wanting to know more about the myth of the White Buffalo. I think explaining this more to readers would have made Sparrow's journey more powerful for readers.

One Last Gripe: I don't feel like Sparrow's cutting was every fully addressed. This was such a huge aspect of the character that I would have liked to see more about why she was doing it and to feel like the issue was truly resolved for her.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The story behind the ink

First Sentence: The icy sadness of winter bled the color from my life.

Favorite Character: Sparrow

Least Favorite Character: I didn't have one this time

[Annette M Guerriero Nishimoto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Today's review is on Ink by S. J. Davis

Ink is the only book by Davis that I have read, and though I found it enjoyable I also found it to be a bit muddled and to short.

While driving her daughter to school one morning, Sparrow and her mother are the victim's of a terrible car accident. Knowing that she is about to die her mother leaves her with one last message. “It’s a good day to die." She tells Sparrow, "but as you grieve for me, listen for the voices. Then, you must get the ink.”

Guilt ridden, she begins cutting herself. She is able to keep this hidden until Layne finds out. Though they become closer as a couple, Sparrow continues to hear voices and begins to see Mateo, her spirit guide.

Not really knowing what is going on with her life, Sparrow puts her trust in Mateo and believes him when he tells her that there is someone who wants the power of the tattoo ink. The ink that Sparrow's own mother had used for her own tattoo. The ink that holds the power of the Blackfoot.

I don't feel that the story flows well. Once you start to get into each chapter it's already done and you jump to something else. I would also have liked a little more book period. The story is just to short. With the Indian aspect alone, this could have been a good 300 page book rather than an 80 page book. To be honest, I feel a bit let down. The little summary sounded so good that I guess I was expecting a bit more than what I got, and for that I have to lower my rating accordingly. Who knows, perhaps others will rave about how much they love this book, but for me it needs some work.

2 of 5 stars

[Lissette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still suffering from the effects of the car accident with her mother, Sparrow resigns herself to living with her Aunt. She feels her mother's loss more and more as each day goes by, always wondering if she'll ever come terms to with what's occurred. Her confusion grows as she tries to understand what her mother meant when she said to listen to the voices and that she needed to get the ink.

While adjusting to a new town has been somewhat difficult, it's been tolerable with the help of her new friends, Jenny, Max, and Layne. When her dreams start taking a darker turn, Sparrow starts to question just what is going on and her only means of dealing with it all are the cuts that she makes along the inside of her arms.

As the voices begin to gather inside her head, she starts seeing a girls who seems to dodge her every move. The sudden appearance of Mateo also adds to her confusion. As she does her best to overcome her survivor's guilt, she places her trust in those around her in hopes of making sense of what's going on.

With the voices getting stronger, she knows that there is little time left for her to do what's right. Getting inked is her only protection, for it holds the power of her people, The Blackfoot. A power that will help her come to terms with her own demons, while holding close her mother's memory.

I truly enjoyed this intriguing and well-written story. Based around the Native-American culture, it's both riveting and quite captivating as you learn about Sparrow's history and the troubles that have led her to where she is now. S. J. Davis is a brilliant storyteller and I look forward to more of her works in the future.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hum... where to start? First, I liked the concept of the "White Buffalo" and that itself was something fresh and new to the paranormal ya genre. Second, I loved the spirit guide. Mateo was a very good character and I really liked how he became more "alive" the more she needed him. Third, the ink. To carry all the pain and tears of your people. Just WOW! Forth, Winona I didn't see what was evolving with this character and it really took me by surprise.

Now the not so good parts for me. I didn't much care for Sparrow, maybe it was a personality thing or the inability to make up her mind about the ink, Mateo, Layne or just life, I don't know but she wasn't my favorite. Then my copy of the book was very hard to follow, sentences were cut and that made it very hard to follow in some parts. Also it's much to short I wish we had another 100 pages or so, give me more! Please! And the ending was very much a teaser, I hope there is another book in the making. I'd love to see what happens with these 3 not to mention if she ultimately decides to return to her reservation. Also I'd love to know if Layne's tattoo had any meaning, does he have anything to do with her future?

I give this book a solid 3.5 stars.

[Sapphyria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparrow is involved in a serious car accident that claims the life of her mother, leaving her alone in Texas. Right before dying, her mother’s last breath involves a cryptic message involving ink. After healing, Sparrow moves to Washington DC to live with her aunt. All the while, Sparrow hears voices and sees people in the shadows. These spirits, or spirit guides, are here to either harm her or help her and she’s unsure who is who through most of the story. I really liked the plot line and knew what was being conveyed but I didn’t like the voice in which it was told. I had the same problem with Thirst by Christopher Pike.

And, as with most novellas I read, I am usually disappointed that they are so short... “Ink” is no exception to that. The plot and characters are very interesting but due to the length of the novella, they aren’t developed as fully as I would have liked. I was able to overcome my issues with the “voice” used in the story because I liked the book and finished it without any problems. There was, in my opinion, so much that could have been expanded while still leaving it a novella but all-in-all it was a pretty nifty little story.

[W.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC for Review. What an awesome bookcover, when I first saw this mini-back, I thought, ‘How cute, it is so small.” What’s that old adage? “Dynamite comes in small packages.” In this case it does, WOW! And here we go…….

This is quite an interesting read, it looks at the aftermath of Sparrow’s mom’s death and how it has affected Sparrow’s life, the anger, the guilt and belief she was responsible for her mom’s death, and the fear of the unknown. I can relate with this this, my mom died when I was almost 13, and I carried that guilt around for years, and was pissed off at the world for it.

Sarah has created a brilliant paranormal twist on how one deals with change, when life unexpectedly throws up its ugly head and throws a major curveball at you. Do you give in to the negativity or do you stand strong and let it go? There is always a choice.

I recommend this book for YA and up. An excellent little read.

5 out of 5 Hearts
Lovetiggi's Book Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts:
This is a whole lot of book in not a lot of pages. The story is short, 80 pages, but is PACKED with powerful ideas, emotions, and images. It questions the meaning of life. I finished the story wishing it had been longer and hoping for the sequel.


The story tells of Sparrow's struggle, a struggle many people live every day. The struggle with your inner demon. That voice that tells you that you aren't quite as much as you could or should be. The expectations of life and the people in it can be overpowering and all consuming, and this small, short story addresses that in a way that leaves the reader feeling empowered and ready to take control of life.


The author addresses and validates survivor guilt. She talks about cutting as a form of pain release without judgement or scorn. She tells a story of choices and how hard it can be to make them. I enjoyed the story and can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

[Delaney Reimers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book through a read-2-review. I was very excited to read it, since it was about an Indian girl and that was a new twist for me. However, I was not expecting it to be so short and I think things were rushed and not explained well enough for the story to flow nicely. I was confused throughout the story as you went from one thing to the next with no explanation in between. Sparrow was great and I loved what she was actually fighting but I am not sure how the ink and the white buffalo was actually linked with her or overall what her Indian heritage had to do with it. Lyane's devotion was also nice but again I think the story between them just moved to fast. I was actually really disappointed in the story overall as I think it had great potential and could have been a 5 star rating if it was just pushed out and more story line filled in.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying how much I LOVED this novella!! As soon as I saw the cover I knew that I had to read it. I'm such a sucker for a pretty cover and this one is gorgeous!!

I hadn't read anything quite like this before. It was really well written and drew me in right from the start.

I don't want to give too much away because you all need to go and read this, but I really loved how the relationships between 'Sparrow', her boyfriend Layne and her guide Mateo developed as Sparrow faced and dealt with her issues. They were never fighting over her. Their concern was purely for her well being and how to help her.

The excitement level built to a really great point in the book and I'm sure you will all love it as much as I did.

[Katandra Shanel · Rating 5 out of 5]

INK has left quite the impressionable tattoo...

I am the proud barer of a lot of tattoos. 13 to be exact and although i've given deep thought to the selction of each and each does have a special meaning, i've never considered their design or location as a form of protection. The events that have unfolded in INK have me reconsidering what now seems to have been the choices of an orderlying subconcious. In short, why the phoenix, why my arm, and why during such a trying time. S.J Davis has me examining beneath the surface of skin and INK. This is an amazing debut title. The read is quick and true to its form, 'mini-back'. I'm looking forward to more works from the Author. By the way, how is Sparrow these days??

[Shari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to join the INK blog tour. INK is such a captivating short story with an original idea and intense, fascinating characters. I was quickly drawn into Sparrow's life, her pain, her visions, and the idea of a mystical tattoo. My only complaint with INK is that it was short. I know, I know it's a short story so it's very nature is that it's short. Usually I'm okay with that, but this time I really wanted so much more of these wonderful characters and the story in general. So really my complaint is a good thing. The story was so great that I just wanted more! I am already looking forward to reading more by S.J. Davis.

[Paranormal Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ink is a short story but it grabbed me from the start. With a story line that is unique and beautifully written SJ pulls you into Native American culture and legends.

Sparrow has lost everything and has to try and figure her self out and what her destiny is. Although she is broken and scarred inside she has to find the courage to fight the forces that are trying to keep from taking her rightful place among her people.

There is a love triangle but it’s not your typical kind. The two guys are fighting for what is right for Sparrow instead of each other.

I will defiantly be reading more from this truly talented writer. 5/5 stars

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting novella that deals with one's self-recrimination made physical. Sparrow is a Blackfoot teen who loses her mother in a car crash. She moves to live with her aunt and is left to deal with hearing threatening voices and the magical appearance of a young man on her own.

While she seemed likable I never got much of a feel for her or the other characters, including her best friend and boyfriend. Situations that she had been dealing with for a while would take me by surprise as they were described. While the premise was interesting, I'm not sure where the connection lay with the tattoo, or why it would have any power in her life.

[Monique James · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me start out by saying you can't even appreciate the cover unless you see it in person, it's perfect for the story and beautiful. Sparrow the main character is unique in her heritage and in the obstacles she must over come to become who she was meant to be, but at the same time, she is every girl who is coming of age. S.J. did a wonderful job pulling me into a world that I know nothing about and making me ache for the pains suffered by her heroine.

I literally read the book in about two hours and enjoyed every second of it! You have got to pick this one up!

[Bonnie Colvert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jumped right into this read to review novella head first and didn't look back. What an interesting take on the Native American spirit and how they guide this young girl Sparrow through her guilt of surviving a terrible tragedy. A special magical tattoo and great a great storyline. I wish there was more. . . .

[Rachel Tsoumbakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a fabulous walk through the angst and pain and suffering of both loss and the confusion of the teenage years. The words danced across the page in such a beautiful way that I found myself devouring this book very quickly.

Make sure you check out this book, the only fault I could find was the size, it was short and I was left wanting for more of the characters at the end.

[Jenny needham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review link http://madsheepno1.blogspot.com/2011/...

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*s
Review posted here
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...

[Maryline Morais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparrow is involved in a serious car accident that claims the life of her mother.
Right before dying, her mother’s last words involves a cryptic message involving ink, voices and someone that will help her with them.
All the while, Sparrow start to hears voices and sees people in the shadows. These spirits are here to either harm her or help her and she’s unsure who is who through most of the story. She decide to move to Washington DC to live with her aunt and start over.

I really liked the plot and loved the way how Davis work on the survival guilt, a very real and emotionally damaging aspect of life. The way Sparrow is dealing and struggling through her overpowering guilt made me keep reading this novella

The concept of the "White Buffalo" and the spirit guide was new for me in YA genre.

Mateo was a very good character and I really liked how he became more "alive" while the danger was getting closer to Sparrow!
The ink story was also a very good point and how the tattoo shop owner new the backstory of Sparrow family and the consequences if not correctly done.
Regarding Winona I didn't understood who she was until the very end..... I was in that stage that I was trying to understand the full power of the ink.

The book was way to small for me! I wanted to see how Sparrow actually ended and how Layne was fixing the gasp to not be a native and also in Mateo will stay next to Sparrow...

If another novella comes I will having it for sure!

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caught me by surprise!

I found this to be very interesting and different.
The writer has such a way that you feel drawn in from just the first few paragraphs.
It's a story about a girl who survives and how she deals with the light and the darkness.
It's edgy and deep and it made me feel raw and I could identify with the story.
I look forward to more work from SJ Davis!!