This is a fantasy thriller, focusing on 3 main characters - two sisters, on of whom lives a very isolated life in the woods protecting a rare collection of magical books and one who is currently in Antarctica but she moves every year to try and escape the curse that killed her mother. And then we have our male main character who is the heir to a massive magical library and has the ability to create these books.

The three of them are going to have to come together to work out what secrets are bing hidden because the consequences of those are putting their lives at risk.

I really enjoyed this, and not just because I have a soft spot for books featuring books. The characters and their various relationships are interesting and the mystery is very engaging, I didn't want to put this down.

I do think it helps too when the characters are fishing out more about their world along with the reader, so awkward exposition is avoided!

And it managed to do everything in a 400 page standalone.

4.5 stars

This book was a bit too slow for me, but I’m glad I stuck with it. The concept of magic, especially books with magical properties and their mysterious creators, was fascinating and easily my favorite part—I just wish there had been more of it. While the slow pace allowed for detailed character and world-building, it wasn’t quite enough to keep me fully engaged. That said, the story of magic, loyalty, and family had its moments, and I enjoyed the way it all came together in the end.

Joanne lives alone in the woods, in an attempt to protect the books that allow people to complete 'impossible' feats

Her sister, Esther, is a bit of a nomad and moves each year to the day to avoid the deadly magic that she lost her mother too. But she stays past her year deadline and ominous signs appear, she knows her time running is out to escape what her father warned her about

Interesting journey and dynamic between the two sisters are the other cast of characters, all which have had magic effect their lives in one way or another.

Found myself drifting off a bit at points but all in all, was a good wee stand alone read. Who doesn't love a book about (especially magical) books!

'Ink Blood Sister Scribe,' is a captivating tale that weaves together the elements of fantasy, magical realism, and dark academia. The story revolves around two estranged half-sisters, Joanna and Esther, who are bound by their duty to guard their family's library of magical books. These are no ordinary books; they hold the power to manipulate the elements and even allow a person to walk through walls. But with great power comes great responsibility—and danger.

The sisters' journey is one of self-discovery, as they must confront the secrets of their family's past and the true extent of the library's magic. The narrative takes the reader on a thrilling ride through centuries and continents, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the pursuit of power.

It's a story that reminds us of the magic that can be found within the pages of a good book—and the darkness that sometimes lurks there too."

Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe was on my pile for a while before I had the chance to read it. Part of the delay was because there was a lot of talk about it: the more a book is hyped up, the more dubious I am about it.

I admit, though, it was a solid read. The magic being specifically related to books will always appeal to an avid reader and the idea that only the blood from a select few has the power to create that magic was intriguing.

Before discussing the four main characters, the pacing will help with the context of what I’m about to say. I found the first half incredibly slow. The characters are spread across the globe. There felt a lot of scene setting and, quite frankly, all the characters seemed selfish. It was needed: if they weren’t putting themselves first, the story couldn’t happen. But I wasn’t enamoured by any of them.

However, that changed in the second half. As the storylines come together and the protagonists end up in the same place, it was a lot easier to engage. Both old and new relationships allow us to see the softening of these characters, get to know them and what drives them, and see the way they change around the others.

It also helps the tension. There’s suddenly a race against time, forcing each of the four to confront the truth about what is happening and see how far they are willing to go. Put under that sort of pressure is a great way to make or break a character.

Joanna and Esther are estranged sisters after Esther left for ten years and never came back. While one lives her life on the run, the other can never leave home or risk everything their recently deceased father worked for. The growth in both sisters throughout is satisfying: they both start to live and fight for themselves, rather than what absent parents have dictated.

Nicholas and Collins are the girls’ balancing pair. Believing he is the only scribe left, Nicholas has lived a life of luxury, albeit at the cost of his health and, ultimately, freedom. His bodyguard, Collins, knows more than he’s saying – but is restricted from doing so by the very magic Nicholas writes.

As their worlds collide, everything they all took for certain comes under threat. The magic has given and taken from each of them so much more than they realised. Now, it’s their turn to decide how things will end.

I enjoyed Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe. I wasn’t sure on the first half, but once the pacing picks up, it feels less like a lot of exposition and more as if the plot is moving forward. As we get to know the characters, they become likeable – even if I wasn’t sure there was anything to them to start with.
This is an interesting read for fantasy fans if you can stick with it through the first half of the book.

I really enjoyed this book, finding myself curled on the sofa for hours at a time. I really liked the magic system - some people have a bloodline that lets them either write magic, or feel magic.

This is written from the POV of 3 separate characters - Joanna, who feels magic and is in charge of her family’s inheritance of a small collection of spell books; Esther, her sister who believes she has no magical capability and has abandoned the family to protect them; and Nicholas, who is born into a privileged family, both in magic and money, who can write spells. Joanna is the least interesting character, although I feel her very contained life probably has something to do with this. Because of this, she didn’t feel as well-rounded as the other two.

No shocking plot twists, but it is a well-written and engaging novel. This is well worth a read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for supplying me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a debut novel that weaves a captivating tale of magic, family, and secrets. The story revolves around half-sisters Joanna and Esther, who are tasked with guarding their family’s collection of magical books. These aren’t just any books—they have the power to manipulate elements, walk through walls, and more. Sounds pretty intriguing, right?

Joanna and Esther have been estranged for years. Esther is hiding out in Antarctica, trying to escape a tragic family curse, while Joanna remains in Vermont, deeply immersed in the study of their magical heritage. When their father dies unexpectedly with a mysterious book in his possession, the sisters must put their differences aside and come together to unravel the dark secrets of their family's legacy.

The book has a fantastic premise, and the magical elements are genuinely enchanting. The idea of a hidden world of powerful books and the secrets they hold is compelling. However, the pacing felt a bit sluggish at times, which made the story drag in places. The buildup to the big reveals was a bit slow, and it took me a while to fully get invested.

That said, I did enjoy the story overall. The dynamic between the estranged sisters and the exploration of their family's magical history was engaging. It’s a solid read if you’re into stories about magic, family intrigue, and secrets, even if it takes a bit longer to get to the heart of the action.

If you’re up for a magical mystery with a slow-burn pace, give Ink Blood Sister Scribe a try. It’s got its flaws, but it’s definitely got some enchanting moments too!

I thought this was a really interesting, fast paced book with a really easily understood magical system. The plot reminded me a little bit like Book of Doors which is one of my favourites so I also really enjoyed that aspect of the book

I would definitely read more from this author

What a spookily special book. Two strong minded characters pull together to try and save what they believe in. Magic at its finest.

This is and exciting read,I really enjoyed that the books had magical properties and who they were written by.

This is a slow burner, which enables character and scene setting, which finally peaks as the characters meet.

Whilst this one took me a little while to get into I'm glad I persevered. Filled with magic, loyalty, power and family the bond between Joanna and Esther is tested greatly. The magic element was my favourite and I would have loved more if it in the story.

This is a well-written, nicely paced story with a solid, well thought out premise. The start is a little wobbly but once it hits its stride, there is no stopping this thing! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has a great blend of magic, danger, fantasy, suspense and adventure as well as an engaging ensemble of MCs, and all that makes for a read that is exciting, compelling and fun. Törzs has created a magic system that is easy to understand and believe in and, in the magical books and the libraries that hold them, a world that could produce a sequel or two.

Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinukbooks for a copy of Emma Torzs new book Ink Blood Sister Scribe. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, the settings. I literally had no idea how the three different scenarios were going to weave themselves together and then suddenly it all came together like a magic spell and wove into one narrative. If you like a little bit of magic in your stories then this is definitely one you should add to your collection.

Not at all what I expected, in the very best way. This is a gripping contemporary fantasy woven with accessible, fascinating magic. Each character is well-drawn and unique, and the plot is full of twists that will keep you turning the pages long after lights out. I adored it!

This book was very slow to get going and initially I was want sure I would get through it but I am so glad I pushed through the start as by the end I absolutely loved it. I loved the magic system and was invested in the story and characters throughout even with the slow start. Would definitely recommend if you like a magic system that's a bit different.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and Emma Torzs for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was an intriguing book weaving a story around family, loyalty, power and betrayal. Dark academia meets the magic of books and family.

Unfortunately, I did DNF this book. I found the pacing to be very slow, the characters and plot confusing. I tried to stick with it but unfortunately this book was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an review this book.

I am a newcomer to fantasy or magic books and loved everything about this. The relationship between the characters was as magical as the story itself. I will definitely be reading more books of this genre that’s to the author.

Here's a 3-star review for "Ink Blood Sister Scribe":

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I had high hopes for *Ink Blood Sister Scribe* due to its intriguing concept, but unfortunately, it didn't grip me as I had hoped. Despite my initial excitement, I found myself reading it in-between other books, which prolonged the experience. The storyline had potential, but it lacked the engagement factor that keeps you turning pages. While I appreciated the unique premise, something about the execution didn't quite resonate with me. It's a decent read, but it didn't leave a lasting impression.

It took me a while to read Emma Törzs’ Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe, and I couldn’t quite tell you why. Enchanted books, magic, sisterly love — on paper it’s all pretty compelling. I was definitely intrigued by the magic of the books, and by Nicholas’ abilities, but I think in the end it just felt a bit slow. It feels like it takes forever to assemble the main cast, and some of the big reveals were wholly unsurprising by the time they came. Maybe a bit more pace would’ve made them feel a bit more momentous.

It doesn’t help that Nicholas and Johanna are fairly static characters, to whom things just happen — and even Esther, who at least goes places and does things, didn’t really leave me with a sense of urgency about what was happening. Not that everything has to have a sense of urgency, but the slowness kind of detracts from the deadly peril.

It felt a bit like “compulsory heterosexuality” when Johanna and Collins started up a romance, as well. The book didn’t need that.

That said, there are things that felt really well done: Nicholas’ complicated feelings about his uncle, for example; Johanna’s love/anger all in one, directed at Esther (and at Cecily); Esther’s relationship with Pearl…

All in all, I’m not sorry I spent the time on it, but it didn’t live up to my hopes, either.