Ink in the Blood (Ink in the Blood Duology)

Celia and Anya have long since stopped believing in the Divine they are forced to serve. They spend their days tattooing followers with her will to guide their actions, but they know the truth: Profeta is built on lies and they want out. Their chance comes with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theatre troupe. Celia and Anya only have one chance to impress the troupe’s leader. Using their inking abilities to perform, the friends are content for the first time. Until they find out the Divine is very real, very angry, and threatening the family they’ve found.

Ink in the Blood has taken tattoo magic, religion, lies, and theatre somewhere new. Sometimes the writing is confusing and hard to follow, but otherwise well written. I absolutely love the way the troupe is portrayed, each one having two faces: the one they are and the character they play. This is especially true for some characters more than others, adding another layer to the already high pile of lies and half-truths.