Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs is an adult fantasy that would be the perfect gift for any book lover. The story revolves around Joanna, whose family has been tasked with protecting a library of magical books. The books are being hunted down by a secret organization, and they'll do anything to get them. Can Joanna uncover the secrets of her family and protect herself and her sister Esther from the secret organization that is after them?

Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 1:

"Esther couldn’t get over the blue of the sunlit sky.
It was a variated blue, almost white where it met the snowy horizon but deepening as Esther’s eye followed it upward: from robin’s egg to cerulean to a calm, luminous azure. Beneath it the Antarctic ice was blindingly bright, and the scattered outbuildings Esther could see from her narrow dorm window drew stripes of indigo shadow on the white ruts of the road. Everything gleamed. It was eight o’clock in the evening and not discernibly darker than it had been at eight o’clock that morning.
“Excuse me,” Pearl said, and hip-checked Esther to one side so she could fit a piece of custom-cut cardboard in the window frame. Esther fell backward onto her unmade bed and propped herself on her elbows, watching Pearl lean over the tiny, cluttered desk to reach the glass."

Overall, Ink Blood Sister Scribe is an intriguing adult fantasy that will appeal to fans of Book Eaters. One highlight of this book is the interesting premise. I loved the idea of secret societies. I did take off 1 star because there were several character who I didn't really connect with. Also, I felt that the plot sometimes lacked urgency. I wouldn't classify this as a thriller, but more as a fantasy with some action sequences. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of fantasy books in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in July!

I really enjoyed this fantasy/thriller - it had me gripped until the end and merited 5 stars!

Books have magical properties and are written by Scribes who are immune to magic. Anyone reading their books out loud can perform magic.

The story revolves around Esther and Joanna whose father, Abe, collected magical books and was murdered by a vampire book and Nicholas, a Scribe who is protected by his uncle, Richard and the Library.

The story is slow to start but once the three meet the pace increases coming to a very satisfying finale.

twisty, exciting, dark and full of adventure.

One to be recommended.

I do not normally give up reading a book I have started, but I am afraid that I did with this one. I found the magic uninteresting, and the characters unbelievable. I can see that it would appeal to some people, but unfortunately not to me.

Don't be put off by the frankly annoying title or the slow start because once this gets going it's a great fantasy read.
Books are magic (which as bookworms we already know, right?) but some are more magic than others. Written in the literal blood of scribes, rare and resistant to magic, anyone can cast a spell by a drop of their book and reading the spell aloud. Maybe they are turning water not just into wine but a specific long dead vintage, maybe they have enchanted a rug to be an actual flying carpet, or maybe it's something a lot more sinister.
Esther and Joanna know all about the books. Their father was a great collector and Esther's mother was killed by people who wanted to get their hands on that collection. Now he too is dead and Joanna lives alone, dutifully guarding his library, setting wards every night to protect the books, lonely in the empty house. Meanwhile Esther left home at eighteen told by her father that she always had to move on the same day of the year, never able to settle or put dpwn roots. Never able to come home. But this year she doesn't want to move. She's happy in her relationship, happy in her work in Antartica. What really will happen if she stays this year? And on the other side of the world Nick is weak from bloodloss at the last surviving scribe, always watched by his uncle or bodyguard, the protections that keep him safe a prison.
The start is slow. The author states at the end that she received a grant enabling her to go to Antarctica to research setting a book there and who can blame her? But actually, great as the setting is, we spend too much time there, and too much time with Joanna and her dull daily life. It's with the advent of Nick a fifth of the way through the book that the story really comes alive. Twisty, exciting, dark and full of adventure, this was fabulous fun. Recommended.

In Vermont Joanna is the custodian of a collection of magic books which are powerful and deadly. Her sister, Esther has to move every year to stay safe but is currently in Antarctica on a research station and has found love. During a party Esther finds blood on the mirrors and knows she and Joanna are in danger. They must work together to decipher the secrets their parents kept from them to survive. Meanwhile in England is the largest library of magic books protected by a powerful man with a dangerous obsession.

This is a fantasy thriller adventure story that is action packed with twists and turns. The characters are so well written and the magic systems are wonderful and make so much sense. This is a story of the power of mystical books and the consequences of using them, it’s the bond of blood, the search for connection, the ties of sisterhood, family secrets that could kill, the danger of unlimited power and the wonder of books.

I loved this story, I adored the characters even the bad guys were interesting, and the descriptions of the library were wondrous.

This was a free ebook ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion. I will be buying this book when it is released on 6th July 2023.

The title is a good summary of the story, interweaving magic, full-bodied characters, danger, intrigue and humour. It reminded me of Garth Nix’s Lirael series although this story is clearly set here on earth. So many mysteries to unravel in Jo, Esther and Nicholas’ lives and they are fully concluded. I am hoping for a sequel because it was so enjoyable. . I can see a film coming from this…

This book lived up to the positive comments on the page inviting requests.
I found the first few chapters difficult to get into as their future connections are unclear at that stage. As the story develops the characters connect and the action increases.
I found it easy to engage with the characters and enjoyed the unravelling of the mystery. The second half of the book is exciting with action packed chapters revealing long held secrets.
I recommend it thoroughly

Slow to start but hang in there. A super intriguing book. Thank you so much for letting me read it - I really enjoyed your book.

I originally thought this book may be a little out of my usual picks, but it proved me quite wrong. It is a wonderful book full of diverse and interestingly flawed characters. With an interesting take on a "magic spell book" and those who can read and write them, a series of these books could go a long way. I will wait to see if a sequel will be coming.

I really liked the concept of this book - the shaping and writing of spells, and how they work. Although I found it slightly slow to start, the pace picked up nicely, and when the connections were made between a couple of the characters, it became more interesting. This is a really good thriller, with a touch of romance, family dynamics and, obviously, magic. I can’t wait to read the next in what must be a series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

a wonderful book! I was rapt all the way through: sometimes I guessed what would happen next, but often I wouldn't and the swings and swirls of the story kept me guessing.
The magic was so plausible, and the way that the magic works so utterly logical. The people were beautifully drawn, and I loved, loved, loved it.
recommended in spades.

A superb debut novel, a tale of family and choices.

"Ink Blood Sister Scribe" opens with the death of a man - apparently murdered by a book. We then meet two sisters - one living a sheltered, even hidden existence in north America, and her sister, always on the move, and currently on a station in Antarctica. If that doesn't grab, you, nothing will.

As the story progresses, we learn about the sisters, their family, and the great responsibility they have been placed under, and the forces they face in the battle to protect magic. It's a fine tale, well-written and with characters whose motives and responsibilities are laid bare, and whose fates we really do care about. One sister, carrying on the family business, the other constantly moving in order to protect herself and her sister, and neither living the life they'd have chosen.

Then there's a nice mystery in the young man destined to meet the sisters, one who thought he was one of a kind. I found him a strange character to like, but definitely one to sympathise with.

And that sums up the book nicely- full of characters drawn well enough for us to love or hate them in turn, and to sympathise with their fates. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to fans of fantasy books.

This book is an edge of your seat fantasy thriller , one that keeps the reader fully invested in the outcomes .......

Two estranged sisters whose family legacy is the protection of rare magical books must come back together and unravel the secrets of their past .......... a past that could cost their lives .
Esther knows that her father's warning - that come what may she needs to move from wherever she might be before the 2nd November in any year is the best way to keep herself safe BUT she has found love in the Antarctic station and has let the deadline pass her by ......... she soon realises her mistake when blood is found on the edges of the station mirrors - has someone already found her
Johanna has been left behind in the family home to keep safe the books ........... a home that bars entry to anyone not of the family bloodline , even her mother . Her only contact with her sister is the infrequent postcard that shows she is still alive
But now it appears that the sisters 'lives are in danger for someone will do anything to find the books even kill for them .

This is a book told from differing POVs but comes together as a whole - an intriguing read

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

What joy to finally discover a new writer/ fantasy world this authentic, beguiling and brilliantly executed. Torzs created a magical discipline - based around the crafting and executing of spells - which is entirely convincing and nuanced. Her characters are fun, layered and engaging. The story cracks along with many twists, questions and answers and - assuming this will be a series - I am very much looking forwards to the next instalment. Realistically a 4.5 - it was a little slow in moments, and quite narrow in scope - but rounded to up because I enjoyed it so much and think the world will only improve in time

A magical fantasy in which the characters are well drawn. This is both a thriller and a romance. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.