So great! Really strong fantasy concept, accessible for non-fantasy readers too, loved that it was a standalone and did not end on a cliffhanger.

4.5 stars

This was such a gripping read with such an interesting premise and fantastic characters. I'm a sucker for a book about books and this one did not disappoint in the slightest.

I really liked getting to know our main characters and learning more about them as the story progresses. Told in multiple POVs we really get to delve into the minds of them and unravel the mystery that is going on. Each had their own clear and distinct voice which made it easy to follow along when the chapters changed.

This was such a great read and I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't pick it up sooner! I'm excited to read whatever the author writes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Sorry it's so late!

I'm a sucker for stories about magical libraries, and this book is written in a magical way.
It was really enjoyable and lived up to its initial promise.

In Emma Törzs's Ink Blood Sister Scribe, protagonist Agnes journeys through a European landscape scarred by a Hundred Years' War, her path illuminated by the illuminating wisdom of women's writings.
Through Agnes's experience, Törzs explores a world where literature transcends boundaries, offering solace and empowerment to those navigating the complexities of a tumultuous era. Agnes's journey begins in a convent, where she is trained as a scribe, an invaluable skill in a world where written knowledge is scarce. As Agnes ventures out into the war-torn world, she encounters women from all walks of life, each with their own stories and perspectives.
Each meeting enriches Agnes's understanding of the power of the written word, and opens her eyes to new possibilities for her own life. Through Agnes's interactions with female authors, scribes, and scholars, Törzs deftly weaves together a tapestry of literary perspectives. These women challenge conventional gender roles, using their pens to document history, express their experiences, and inspire change. In so doing, they create a hidden network of knowledge and support, offering Agnes strength and guidance on her path. Agnes's journey is not without its perils.
The Europe she traverses is a dangerous place, where violence and prejudice lurk around every corner. Yet, amidst the chaos, Agnes finds hope and solace in the power of words. She learns to wield her pen as a weapon against oppression, using her writing to speak truth to power and advocate for those who have been silenced. Törzs's novel is a powerful testament to the transformative power of literature. Through Agnes's journey, we witness how reading and writing can open minds, challenge assumptions, and empower individuals to make their voices heard.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a captivating and thought-provoking work that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring legacy of women's writing.

I thought this was well written, if a little slow. It's generally quite slow in pacing, but the first 30% or so especially was slow with a lot of setup. We have three main characters, so it's understandable, but I think it could still have done with a bit more happening with all of them. It took quite a long time for everyone and everything to come together, then was resolved quite quickly. On the plus side, this does mean there's a fair amount of plot and character development.
I wanted to carry on whenever I was reading, but wasn't dying to pick it back up when I wasn't reading. I liked the writing style, detailed but not overly complicated. I realise this all sounds quite negative, but I did actually enjoy it and would recommend it to people that like magic books in their books, which I do! I feel like there could be another book written as a sequel from some of the things mentioned/noticed towards the end and I would pick it up if so.

This is a book really in two halves and it’s in the second half that this book really comes into it’s own. The story follows Joanna, a hermit who has chained herself to her family home, living alone but maintaining the wards to protect her father’s books, her sister Esther who is currently in Antarctica and lives perpetually on the run, changing her location ever 12 months so she cannot be found at risk of death, and Nicholas who is closely guarded by his bodyguard Collins in the mysterious Library where he acts as the last remaining Scribe who can write magic books. When the book is randomly assigning chapters to each characters POV and the stories are separate, I didn’t enjoy this book so much, it felt a little scattered. For example, Esther wasn’t dedicated much time and when she was, her chapter would end on a cliffhanger and then it jumped to Nicholas doing something very different and there was no relevance or connection between the 2 POVs to keep this story feeling like it was coming from the same place.

However, as with many books where there are multiple characters doing their own thing, when the characters finally interact with each other and their storylines align with each other, that’s where this really picks up it’s pace and you see the vision of the author. When these characters finally start interacting with each other and start bouncing off of each other, that’s when I really started enjoying this book. So I would say, if you are reading this and starting to struggle a little at the start, stick with it because when you hit the halfway mark, it will all make sense and it really picks up until the conclusion of the story, it just takes a while to ‘set the scene’ with the characters individually.

The magic system, the concept of spellbooks written in the blood of the gifted, the idea of selected others being able to hear magic like it’s bees, even the spells themselves, are imaginatively thought through and feel original and not overwhelmingly complex but inventive. The plot itself, while a little broken up at the start, is quite delicious when all the players are in place, when characters are running from The Library again, it’s very clever and thought through.

But what I enjoyed most about this book is the interactions between the characters, all of whom have been isolated and martyred to the cause of magic and spell-work. Nicholas has been kept near prisoner by his uncle in The Library with only an evasive body guard and a dog (Sir Kiwi!!!!!) for company – so him finding belonging not just in getting closer to Colins but in the friendships of Joanna and Esther was really endearing as he learns to be more than his uncle’s possession. Likewise there’s Joanna, estranged from the outside world and her mother who longs for closeness, feeling abandoned by her sister and living vicariously though romance novels, who not only meets the handsome Collins but has the chance to hug and learn her sister again. Then there’s Collins himself who gets to be more than a silent body guard and be a friend. And lastly there’s Esther who is so used to having to move and abandon what she knows, that she has to learn again to settle down and be loved – by her sister, by her friends and by the woman she loves.

Separately these are endearing characters, lost in their own ways, and when they’re put together it’s even better. I particularly liked Esther and Pearl’s journey and would have loved more of it. Also special shoutout to Maram who I desperately wanted more of because she was so deliciously good!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. I really loved this one :)

‘𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜.’

💛💛💛💛 / 5

🌶️ / 5

»»————-✼————-««

Review:
In the last 3 months I kept seeing this book everywhere! My local bookshops had it displayed on tables, I had it pop up on my StoryGraph recommendations and today I saw 4 posts about this book! It was fate telling me to finally read it and I’m so so glad that I did! I absolutely loved it!

It’s been a while since I read an adult fantasy, and the magic system in this one was so unbelievably cool and unique! I love that the magic was found in books and that only certain people can feel and see the magic, and only certain people can write and read them! I loved how we were kept in the dark about so much and as it was slowly spoon fed to us it all started to become clear! There were so many twists and turns, I loved not knowing who I could trust, and I was so excited every time I got to press play on my audiobook.

I wish there was a sequel as I’m not ready to put Jo, Nicholas, Collins and Esther to rest, I long to find out if their plan for the future works and if they all get the endings they deserve. But I’m happy with the outcome, it was pretty satisfying. And the audiobook production was absolutely top tier!

For lovers of:
- Fantasy
- Magic
- Secrets
- Library’s
- Estranged Sisters

This was such a good unique idea and I couldn’t wait to read it. It didn’t let me down. My only wish was that it would never end. The author crafted a unique dark academia novel with interesting characters and stunning writing. I’m so excited to read more from this author in the future!

An unusual story this one which grabbed my attention right away. It was so absorbing that I couldn't put it down and I read it quickly. I do enjoy magi7books from time to time and this o e although started off slowly it picked up pace about halfway through. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I loved the idea of this book, the blurb really appealed to me. However the first half of the book I really wasn’t sure. It felt like it took me a while to read and I was confused as to what was going on.

When I reached the second half, when some of the characters meet, the story really came alive. I raced through this half, wanting to know what was going to happen. All the questions I had were answered, and the story was pacy and action packed.

I wish there was more of the story when they were all together however it ended up being a good, original story.

This is not my typical read but I absolutely loved it. A brilliant balance of mystery and fantasy & great characters.
A very enjoyable and easy read.

A fantastic story! I loved the characters and it was so well written. I’ll be intrigued to see what the authors writes next.

Dark and magical? Sign me up. What started out as a slow paced book soon turned into a complex multiple pov delight. I loved this book and felt really connected to the characters. I’m looking forward to more from this author in the future

Magic is real, and strictly controlled by the Library. Sisters, Joanna and Esther have lived difficult lives, but have remained secret from the Library - until now.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a standalone novel, and it is split (for the most part) amongst three narrators.
Joanna has been stuck alone in her family house, ever since her older sister fled without warning ten years ago; and their father was killed by magic. She is bound by a sense of duty to protect the collection of books her father died for, and continues to magically lock herself away from the rest of the world.

Esther has been running, ever since her father told her that she'd short-circuit the spell protecting the rest of the family. For ten years, she has moved constantly, never putting roots down. Until a job in Antarctica, and falling for Pearl, makes her break her rule. Surely she's safe at the edge of the world?

Nicholas is the nephew of the man who owns the Library, and he is a Scribe - the only one in the world who can write magical books. From a young age, he's happily worked for his uncle, knowing that Richard is keeping him safe from the people who kidnapped him and ruined his eye.
After another attempt on his life, Nicholas can only trust his bodyguard Collins.

I liked the magical system that was created, it seemed like a really original take. Magic and spells all originate in books, which can only be written by Scribes, with blood. As there is currently only one scribe, new magical books are very rare, and only by the grace (and a lotta money) of the Library.
Some people, like Joanna and her father, are able to sense magical books. Many families with magical connections have amassed a collection of old magical books.

Anyone can perform the spells, offering their blood to bring it to life. Anyone, except Esther, who has grown up feeling like the magical dud in her family.

Richard and his employee/partner Maram have spent years sourcing 'lost' magical books and bringing them into the safety of the Library.
Nicholas has an eye-opening evening that makes him realise that maybe Richard isn't as caring as he makes out, and sheds a completely different light on his life up until that point.

I enjoyed the plot, for the most part. It started off somewhat slow, the first half takes time to build the background of where each of them is living, and what their lives are like. Then it slowly starts to build suspicion and tension, and you get a good understanding of why they have to flee.
In the second half, Esther, Joanne, Nicholas and Collins come together, to help save each other from the long claws of the Library, and to try and uncover why their ally has sent them on this journey.
There was a decent sense of urgency in the second half, as the pace picked up, but... nothing really happened until the end.
The Library has connections everywhere, but as soon as they hit the US, there's no further trouble... it felt a bit off. I mean, I know they made decisions that would make it easier to stay hidden, but there were no more henchmen at all.

The not-so-good.
As mentioned, the pacing was a bit off. Sometimes I felt that the story was slow-moving, with nothing interesting to keep my attention. At other times, it was fascinating and chocka, and I wondered how the author would fit everything into a single book.
The world-building and magical system that the author created was great, but I felt that it could have been explored further. There were tantalising little bits of history - like Isabel's family, or the group Collins used to be a part of. It's clear the author has a big vision of what's happened in their world, and it was disappointing we didn't get to see more.

I thought that Cecily telling Isabel's story at the end was kinda wedged in awkwardly. It was enlightening, and helped to build Isabel as something more than a two-dimensional martyr or mystery figure.

I thought that our main characters came over a little immature. Nicholas and Joanna are about twenty-four, and they have both lived very isolated lives, so I guess I can understand that.
Esther, though, is about twenty-eight years old, and has lived a very hard life where she's had to rely on herself from a relatively young age. That didn't always come across right. Also, I found it weird that Pearl, the love of her life, that got attacked by one of the Library's henchmen, is hardly mentioned in the second half.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author

I tried reading this book a few times, it took me ages to get through the first chapter. I liked the premise of the story but the first chapter was slow. It felt more of a YA fantasy than an adult, the romance took up more time than the fantasy elements and it wasn't for me. When I finally pushed through and read the second chapter and more of the fantasy elements were introduced I started to get intrigued. However I felt bogged down by details of the history and world I just wanted to get into the story. I feel like if I was shown the past instead it would've been interesting. So after slogging through two and a half chapters I decided to leave this book unfinished.
It's not for me at the moment. If I try it again in future and change my mind I'll amend the review.

I enjoyed reading Inn Blood Sister Scribe, I found it slow to begin with but it picked up pace in the second half. I love to read anything dark or magical and this book didn't disappoint. I will be looking for more books by this author.

I absolutely fell in love with this book.

The plot is dark but still fun and enjoyable to read. I loved how the magic worked and how books were incorporated into the story. The Library sounds incredible (and scary!!)

Loved the mystery element and how it all unravelled.

The characters were ALL brilliant. I didn't hate anyone

My only criticism (but even then this is a 5 star read) is that everything tied up too neatly in the end. But I still loved!!!!

Loved it.

What a complex storyline, great interesting characters and loved how it all came together. I was hooked. I really enjoy a multiple pov, I feel you get to know the characters better. Fantastic concept and really enjoyed it.
Would certainly recommend.

One of my bookish resolution of 2024 is to try and get my eProof backlog under control. I do have a lot of books and audiobooks gifted to me very kindly by publishers and authors, and I would like to try and tackle this backlog.

One of the titles that have been on my backlog radar is Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, It’s one of those titles that tickled my fancy for quite a while, but, for one reason or another, I’ve kept putting it off. But, with everything that has happened to my reading over the past few months, I decided to audiobook this from my local library and hope I will fly through it.

In this fantasy thriller debut, we follow estranged sisters Joanna and Esther. Joanna lives alone in Vermont, the sole protector of a collection of rare magical books. One of these books killed their father.

Esther moves every few months. Different country, different jobs, staying no longer than a year, desperate to avoid the magic that her father and stepmother warned her about. But she’s found love on a research base in Antarctica and she wants to stay… then she discovers blood on the mirrors and she knows someone on the base is using blood magic and they are coming after her and her sister’s collection.

Esther and Joanna are in danger. But from who and where? And how is this connected to a young man in London who’s uncle won’t let him out of his sight?

I am going to be honest. I probably shouldn’t read/audiobook this while I am in the reading funk, but if I didn’t audiobook this or one of my many audiobook TBR (both bought and gifted), I would be going down a podcast rabbit-hole and I fear for my partner’s mental health if he comes home from work and all I listened to was true crime podcasts…

But I went into this audiobook (narrated by Saskia Maarleveld) not knowing much about it or reading other people’s reaction. I am going to admit that, while I do like Saskia Maarleveld’s reading, I did fasten my listening to 1.25 speed as she does take long pauses and, after a while, it did begin to grate on me.

Now, the book. I am going to split this into two. The first half (between 25% to 50%) is slow in pacing for my taste. Now, I completely get why now that I have finished the book: it was giving us chance to sink into this dark magic world that is grounded in ours and allowed our characters time to breathe and us to get to know them. But you know me, I like my thrillers to hit that ground running.

However, once the world and characters are set up, the pacing picks up and it becomes unputdownable and became a fantasy thriller that gave me A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness vibes. It was dark and grown-up read.

Barring the slow start, this is a strong, solid debut and I can’t wait to see what this author is going to write next. I am a little annoyed that it’s taken this long to get round to this!

Firstly, a massive thank you to Random House UK and Cornerstone for kindly providing me with an early access copy.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe is an incredible debut with a perfect combination of an intriguing magic system, riveting multigenerational family secrets, gripping action, and beautifully descriptive world building. A solid recommendation to any Erin Morgenstern and Katherine Arden fans. The only gripe I had was that I don’t think it will stay with me as much as my favourite 5-star reads. I’m eager to pick up Emma Torzs’ future works.