As a book lover, I am always a sucker for stories that are centred around books themselves, and Ink Blood Sister Scribe might have just become one of my all time favourite 'books that feature books.' Joanna Kalotay lives a life of solitude, in a house that only a handful of people could actually find, because her house holds a secret. Joanna's family are caretakers of books, but not just regular books, magical books, books that can allow you to fly, walk through walls... books that can kill people. Her older sister, Esther, moved out when she was 18 and has since lived the life of a nomad, never settling in one place for too long to ensure her safety and that of her family, until one day she finds somewhere, someone worth staying for. These two sisters both love and fear magic in their own ways, but neither can truly fathom the danger they are in and, when outside forces start looking for them and their library, they will have to search into their families past, and the past of the books themselves if they are to survive the coming war.

In Joanna and Esthers world, books aren't just magical in the traditional sense, there are actual magical books out there, books that can transport you across continents, allow you to become invisible, books that can kill you, and the sisters have spent their lives around these books, but there is one massive thing that sets them apart; while Joanna can hear, even feel the magic coming off the books and can read their spells into existence, the magic doesn't work on Esther in the slightest, she cannot be affected by it, nor can she hear/ feel or read it to life like her sister can. But there is a darker side to these books, the truly magical ones are written in blood and by people called Scribes, Scribes can write magical books into being using their own blood but can never read them to life, and readers, like Joanna, can read books but could never write one. The whole history of the book making, the danger behind it as well as the magic added this whole other dark aspect to the story, something that starts off as magical and wondrous, somehow becomes darker and creepier the more we learn about it, and Torzs does a brilliant job of showing just how wonderful magic can be, but also how dangerous it can be in the wrong hands.

The story is told from three different POV's. Joanna, Esther & Nicholas. Joanna lives an extremely isolated life, her father is dead, her mother is not allowed into the house, her sister left when she was 18 and the only contact they have is through sporadic postcards. She's the quintessential golden child, the one who has always done what she was told, and if that means locking her mother out of the house and spending the rest of her life looking after the books, then that is what she will do. She's a character that really grows throughout the book, coming to see that blind belief isn't all it's cracked up to be, and I loved seeing her open herself up to new opportunities and meeting new people.

Esther comes across as the stereotypical run-away child. Never staying in one place too long, nearly cutting off all contact with her family. But the more time we spend with her, the more we understand her reasoning, why she chose this lifestyle, and that is something that instantly drew me to her as a character. If Joanna is easy to empathise with because of her solitude, Esther is equally easy but because of her decisions, her choice to cut herself off from the people that love her to save them. She's feisty and a little more forthright than Joanna, but she's just someone desperate to find a safe place in the world, one where she can stay without their being any consequences.

Nicholas is the last living Scribe, someone who can write magical books into being using his own blood. He has lived a sheltered, if not privileged life, never wanting for anything except that which he cannot have, a normal life, with friends who haven't been paid to 'babysit' him. Nicholas is a character who can't seem to see his own predicament, but we as the readers definitely do. We see him being used and abused for his ability, and I loved seeing him come to realise this throughout the book and start to fight back against those who have kept him under lock and key his entire life.

As well as the above pov character's, Torzs treats us to a brilliant cast of side characters such as Cecily, Joanna's mother & Richard and Maram, Nicholas's Uncle and his partner. But my favourite side characters was by far Collins, Nicholas's bodyguard/reluctant friend. He's the person who starts to show Nicholas how bad he's been treated and his character definitely add's a little humour, as well as tension to the story. In fact all of the side character's add something to the story, whether it's drama, intrigue or danger. We have characters that you will love, as well as a good old antagonist whose comeuppance can't come quickly enough, but Torzs weaves them all into the plot so effortlessly, you're never quite sure who you can trust.

Her writing style is incredibly lush and almost seductive in how it slowly but surely drags you into the story. It's filled with introspection, but still manages to move at a steady pace thanks to Torzs using these parts to drip feed us not only the history of her world, but the books themselves as well as the characters. In fact, Torzs has written this book in a way that had me questioning whether these magical books actually ever existed, whether they still do. She uses the character's, their backstories and the histories of the families to weave these magical books into history so well that it's hard to imagine they didn't exist at one point. There are plot twists a plenty as well as a few well placed fight scenes that also help the story not feel too slow, but it's just one of those books that, once I started reading it, learning about the books and the types of magic they could create, I never managed to put it back down.

There are a few romantic sub plots in the story that I loved, but this book focused more on the familial style relationships than any kind of romantic ones. Joanna and Esther's relationships was so incredibly real and well written. These two sisters who love each other, and resent each other at the same time, but would do anything within their power to protect the other. And on the other side we have Nicholas and his Uncle who claims love whilst slowly stripping Nicholas of any free will, making him more servant than family member and using him for his own gain. Every single relationship was so well developed and showed the true complexities of family.

I'm gonna apologise because this was one mega review, but I just adored this book. It was magical, whilst still feeling incredibly real and Torzs manages to show the complexities of family, politics and magic in such a brilliant and effortless way. It's safe to say I will be keeping my eye out for whatever she writes next.

You'll find yourself trying to figure out what this book about books is all about. However, despite the mysteries, a lot is laid out in plain sight, which makes it easy to follow. About a quarter into the book we're introduced to everything mentioned in the title. Ink. Blood. Sister. Scribe. And the magic system is easy to understand as well: magic is bound in books and needs blood to be written, recharged or activated. There's those with magic and those untouched by magic - the latter able to become Scribes.
All this is the basis of a kind of mystery story, however it's not so much the plot I was interested in but the characters. We start with a triple POV and I have to admit that at first I only cared about Esther. But then - in very unique ways - these people slowly start coming together, and by 66% of the book I was so pleased with the team having been assembled (and yes Sir Kiwi is also part of this team!) that I just couldn't stop reading.
I would have luckily watched them inking and blooding and sistering and scribing for the rest of the book, but there's some twists and turns still in wait!
I was very satisfied by the end of the book, though I'd still love to read more of them, how they're all doing now in their own way. I'm sure there's room for plenty more!

4,5/5 stars

Thank you so much @netgalley and @centurybooksuk @delreyuk for the eARC!

#InkBloodSisterScribe #bookstagram

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

Let me preface this with some facts:
We've got Dark Academia, queer representation, disabled representation, hidden Libraries, spell books, and pints of blood.

This was such a gripping read, and I loved every second of it.
Esther was my favourite of the three main characters that we had, just because I felt for her the most- having to leave her family and move around the world every year. Not to say that I didn't enjoy Joanna, who was kick ass in a totally different way, and Nicholas, who was a gentle soul of a man, which I really liked.
I can see this becoming a fantastic tv series or movie, it was cinematic, and the writing style was so well done. I love a chapter that ends on a cliff hanger!
Trigger warnings for:
Loss of a loved one, divorce, blood, maiming, and abandonment.

Dark Academia isn’t my favourite area of fantasy but the ideas behind this one sounded so intriguing that I had to give it a try. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.
The story is told through the POV of the three main characters and while I enjoyed Esther’s chapters, I didn’t really engage with either of the other two. The pace of the book is very slow and I often found my attention wandering. However, it does pick up a bit in the second part of the book and I did become more involved with the story.
I loved the ideas behind the story but sadly, the book as a whole just didn’t hold my interest. Part of this I think was due to the complexity of the plot and it just might have been that this was the wrong book for me at this time.
I am very grateful to Net Galley and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A beautifully written debut novel, a languid stroll down an avenue of dark academia scribe magic, secret societies and the ways people can deal with grief differently.
Although the pacing was slow there were enough twists and turns in the plot as secrets were revealed to keep me interested, the characters were endearing and relatable.

If you loved a Discovery Of Witches, Bable and book eaters or just dark academia in general this book is for you.

It is a bit of a slow burn but once you get through 40/50% you will not be able to put it down.

This is such a unique look into the magic world. And it has books in it what more could you ask for. Thank you #netgalley for my eARC.

An exciting new voice in fantasy writing. A beautiful story about love, books and finding your place in the world. Loved it. (Although whoever thinks Hamlet killed his uncle in Act 3 needs a rethink!)

The premise of this book really drew me in. I love books about books and this delivers on that with books being at the forefront throughout. The magic system was super cool. I thought it was well done because the magic was rich and well explained, which gave the whole book the depth a fantasy book like this one requires.

I liked all of the characters and felt they were really fleshed out with their own goals and motives and they really stuck to their characterisation throughout rather than conveniently switching it up towards the end to save the day.

The issue I had with this book was the pacing. It felt super slow to the point where for the majority of the book it felt like nothing was happening and we were just waiting for things to pick up. The climax was also very short lived and resolved almost immediately,

Firstly thank you NetGalley for providing me an eArc for review!

I was instantly intrigued by the cover and title of Ink Blood Sister Scribe before reading anything at all in the synopsis. It drew me in, but it was the premise of the story itself that made me know I just had to read it.

Magical books? Sisters estranged by secrecy? Mysterious libraries and suspicious people running them? I'm here for that!

The first half of the book is a slow reveal. It introduces our three main characters, two sisters apart for 10 years, Joanna and Esther, and Nicholas, a young man with a gift. We get to see the lives they've lived through their current situations and also through flashes of memories. On the surface they all seem so different, but they're each, individually, living lives of such isolation and structure that they mirror each other in so many ways. Whilst a few key things did happen, it was a drawn out process and at times I struggled to fully engage.

The second half was when all the pieces of the puzzle came together, and by that point I honestly did not want to put the book down. Walls come crashing down, secrets are revealed, plots within plots begin to unfold, and you're never quite sure who you can trust or what the endgame might actually be. I came to really like each individual character and I would love to know more about certain people and how they came to be the way they did.

This is a wrapped up novel in that it definitely could be a standalone, but there are threads to be pulled and stories left to unravel so I'm really hopeful that Emma Törzs will bring us another book in this fascinating world!

What a fabulous book. The fact that this is a debut novel gives me absolute hope for further brilliant reads. Anyone who is a fan of the All Souls Trilogy, Harry Potter or any other magic based stories will love this! It is hard to write a review without spoilers and the best review I can give is to read the book as it is amazing. I am hoping for great things in the future from Emma Törzs!

Joanna Kalotay lives in Vermont. Her father Abe has recently died leaving her the only person remaining in the family home.
Ester is Joanna’s elder sister, Joanna misses Ester living with her.
A book about Blood, Magic and Spells.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Great world building … check; strong, well developed characters… check; an absorbing, well written plot … check; Books, books, books … check, check, check!

End of.

This is a gem of a book, what an achievement for a debut novelist. Thanks very much to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A truly wonderful book, very reminiscent of Babel or The Book Eaters, or in a way, like Sea of Tranquillity, in the way the pieces all line up in the end.
My only regret is that it's clear it's a pretty self-contained story, and I'm not altogether sure whether we'll get a sequel or a prequel. But don't let that stop you from enjoying this, especially in the world of amazing 1 season shows on HBO, and other excellent fantasy standalones.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs follows 3 people; Esther at a research station in the Antarctic who every year has to move to avoid people trying to capture her family through her or so she thinks. Her step sister, Joanna, still in their old home in US tasked with looking after a family collection of magical books. She can't leave the home and has to ensure the magical wards are set every night to keep people out including her stepmother. Then there is Nicholas who writes spells for the "family business" in the UK using his own blood which is literally killing him. For his own good Nicholas is virtually under house arrest by his uncle to prevent him being kidnapped or killed for this ability or to destroy this ability.

The three characters are linked by the magic and the books they hold and come together to solve the mystery of the books and the magical powers they have.

I found the start of the book slow and was not sure if it was going to grip me enough to want to go on. Once Nicholas came on the scene however for me the pace of the book and the intricacy of the story increased and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. The characters were well rounded and well described even the nasty ones.

A definite must read for those interested in magic and books.

Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy.

I was drawn to "Ink Blood Sister Scribe" by Emma Törzs as it is about books, and those who protect books. I did have to put it down a few times when the fantasy element became a bit too much for me (not my favourite genre) but as the story progressed and the various narrative threads came together, the story became really interesting. I can see that it is set up so that the story could continue and I am sure that this series will have a great following.

I absolutely loved this book, there were so many levels of interest and twists and turns. I plan to read it again, it is a delight. I would highly recommend it to all.

There was a lot to love about this book, from the interesting magic system to the fascinating and multi-layered exploration of magical colonialism and capitalism - who gets to collect the books and how. However, I did not connect with the characters as much as I wanted to.

This debut fantasy thriller has absolutely enchanted me! From the intriguing premise to the wonderful magic system, the endearing characters to the stunning writing, I adored every single thing about Ink Blood Sister Scribe. This has become one of my top three favourite books of all time – that’s how much I loved it! I can’t wait for everyone else to become bewitched by this stunning debut.

One of the best books I've read this year. Absolutely grabs you right from the start, unique and well thought through magic system, that is exactly as gory as it should be. Just so unique and beautiful all around. The characters are really well developed. And on a somewhat random note it made me really want a Pomeranian.

A fabulous debut novel with some very interesting magic, mystery and wonderful prose.

The story revolves around books. Not just any books though, for these books contain magic. I really liked the take on how these magical books worked (I won't spoil it here), and how only certain people can read or even write them. I also appreciated how it leant into 'all magic comes with a price' and the various ways in which that notion applied to each character.

The characters themselves, Joanna, Esther and Nicholas were all very different, their POV's very individual and all equally interesting. Joanna is a homebody, content to be surrounded by only her books for company, though plagued with a paranoia induced by her aloneness. Esther is the opposite, a headstrong adventurer who is always on the move. And Nicholas, kept hidden behind the walls of The Library for his own safety, rarely allowed any interaction with anyone save his tiny handful of family.

I love the atmosphere Törzs created with her writing. there was an undercurrent of danger, of threat to the characters through the whole book. It built slowly at first, and then very quickly bubbled to the surface in a way that made it very difficult to put the book down. The writing itself was excellent, and I am very impressed that this is a debut novel!