I've tried to read this at least 3 times. Each time I get to the same percentage but end up putting it down. As a librarian, I think I might just be a little tired of magic libraries. I really enjoyed the writing and I'll definitely read from her again. It had a really nice cozy vibe (the first 20ish percent anyway) despite it not really being a cozy fantasy.

I can’t wait to read more from Emma Törzs! As a librarian, I already believe that all books are magical. In Ink Blood Sister Scribe, books in the Library hold magical powers, written by scribes in blood. Fantasy, mystery, thriller and dark academia are all magically combined. Exploring family, power and the implications of secrets, it’s a spellbinding story about forgiveness, sisters and magical books. Ink Blood Sister Scribe took me to a world where magic is real and books truly do hold power, and I wasn’t ready for it to end.

This is a multiple POV story about the toll magic and it's secrets take on a family as it tries to keep the next generation safe.

The magic as presented here has a lot of rules, which has all been very well planned and thought out by the author. I really enjoyed the world-building and that the protagonists were older than the typical YA/NA range.

I have picked up and put down this book about half a dozen times. It sounds like it would be exactly the book for me, but something about it just doesn't work for me. Which is a shame, because I've heard some truly excellent things about it. I love books about books. And when magic is involved somehow, I'm all in. Usually. For some reason, this book is the exception to that rule. Maybe I'll pick it up again some day, but this is not the book for me at this moment in time.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe follows two estranged half-sisters who work together to guard their family's library of enchanted books. Joanna has the ability to sense magic in books and tends to her late father's library while Esther is immune to magic but heeds her father's warning and moves around every year to avoid being hunted down and killed like her mother. Across the world, a sheltered young scribe writes enchanted books at his uncle's bidding. Eventually, these threads intertwine to reveal family secrets, betrayal, and danger. A captivating story of mystery, suspense, romance, and magic that you won't be able to put down.

THIS BOOK DESTROYED ME AND MADE ME LOSE FEELING IN MY HANDS WITH HOW ANXIOUS IT MADE ME FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS BEST 2023 RELEASE BY A THOUSAND MILES

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I really loved the characters and I thought the story was so original. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

A woman who finds her dad dead with a spell book in his hand. Her sister who decides to stay another year in Antarctica, instead of running like she’s been told to do her whole life, and a boy whose magic is coveted by the world.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe is an adult fantasy following all three of these characters, with spells, blood, hidden libraries, secret magic and so much more within these pages. The plot is a unique, albeit predictable at times, and the characters had depth to them and I was eager to see them develop throughout the story.

This book for sure has a slow start, I didn’t get fully invested into this book until about the sixth chapter, but after that I flew through this one. A bit of a mystery element to this I thought the revealed were done exceptionally well and this book with its slow burn plot definitely wrapped things up great for a standalone.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a light fantasy, with a bit of mystery and of course anyone who loves hidden libraries.

I LOVED this book. It was interesting right from the beginning. I didn't understand the connection between the viewpoint characters right away, but once it was revealed I was invested. Nicholas is so funny and clever despite his situation. I can feel Joanna's paranoia in the pages. And Esther was the star of the book. She's trying so hard to protect her family and the people she cares about, even without knowing why. When she met Nicholas and learned she's a Scribe, it was like puzzle pieces clicking together. Everything started to make sense and the plot unraveled with such intricate detail. Incredible world building, and the magic system was so well thought out.

I wanted to love this. I really did, but I don't think I read it at the right time for me. Hopefully the next time I pick up IBSC I will love it as much as others.

This is one of my best reads of the year.

I adored this book: it’s a slow burn about magic, books and the lengths we’ll go for family. This is the perfect book for fans of Erin Morgenstern, V. E. Schwab and Marisha Pessl. It’s a slow and dreamy book that builds to an adventurous climax. This is a book that I savoured and slowly nibbled at crumbs. As much as I wanted to gulp it down I really enjoyed reading it slowly and picking up all the breadcrumbs in the book as I was absorbed into this magical world.

The book flips between three points of view: Joanna, her sister Esther and the mysterious NIcholas. We soar between Vermont, Mexico, Antarctica and England. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the multiple POVs but it really works in this book. All three helped build different elements of the story, and kept the reader on their toes figuring out who knew what and how magic was happening. This is a blood magic system based on the blood of scribes (which are very rare for REASONS readers will discover) who write in books. There’s people who act as guardians of the books, and they can be found throughout the world.

Joanna and Esther don’t know everything about their magic, they just know what their father has told them. He died and they are still living their lives according to what he told them. They both are miserable and trapped in their own cages. Nicholas is also trapped in a cage - this one a magnificent lap of luxury that his uncle has created to keep him safe. He’s the only known living scribe, and his uncle wants to keep him healthy so he can keep creating spells for wealthy people around the world. Eventually the three POV’s combine into one in the second half of the book, and there’s a strong action element that will keep you guessing what’s going to happen, and who you can trust.

This is also a story about isolation, whether chosen or forced, and the need for humans to connect with each other. Each character has their reasons for isolation, whether it’s to protect magic, or their family, but throughout the book each learns how much stronger they are together with others.

This is an absolute love letter to books, and the importance for us to write our own futures.

Thank you, William Morrow ,for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book! The premise is intriguing and I always love a book about books haha. The writing is good, descriptive, easy to follow and created a nice atmosphere but I wasn't blown away like I have been with other magical realism books. It also took a little while to immerse myself in this one - the pacing at the beginning is quite slow and I found my mind wandering. I eventually switched between the ebook and audiobook and that helped some. The pace picks up in the second half; there's more action and the plot was more engaging. I really liked the magic system introduced in this book, the ''vampire'' books are especially intriguing to me but at the same time, I don't feel like we get a ton of detail about the world or the magic in it. The characters were interesting, though again there isn't much development going on. Nicholas was my fave, which makes me chuckle because he isn't even mentioned in the synopsis and he is one of the 3 POVs throughout the book. There are some twists in this one though I didn't find them particularly surprising but I did like how small details clicked into place for the ending!

Content warnings: blood, death/death of a parent, kidnapping, injury/injury detail.

A big thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe was fun with a great twist on the typically magical system - wonderful characters and complicated topics handled with ease. There's so much adventure and it's a book about books - so what is not to love?

In this dark fantasy debut, secrets can suck the life out of you. In the opening sequence, that is exactly what happens to Joanna's beloved father, Abe. Thus, Joanna is held down by the responsibilities left to her by Abe. Tasked with keeping the family library of magical books protected by spells that hide them and herself from the world, she has little contact with anyone but her mother, Cecily, who no longer lives in the family home. Cecily frustrates Joanna with what she sees as Cecily's betrayal of responsibility to family and its magic books. Joanna does receive postcards from her sister Esther, who bolted from the house, the library, the family, and dear Joanna upon Esther's eighteenth birthday. Joanna feels trapped and abandoned in her life, while Esther feels trapped in a life of constant uprootedness. Esther does not have the same gift of sensing magic as Abe and Joanna, so Abe had insisted she must move every year to a new place or she will expose the family, their home and books to prying eyes with murderous intent. But when Esther finds love and attempts to break the rules by staying beyond the deadline, both sisters' worlds begin to change. This is a book about books -- magical books, written with the blood and bodies of Scribes. But it's also about power and betrayal and loyalty to family. I was immediately drawn in by the suspense, the straightforward magical system, and the characters' plights. This debut novel is for those who love books about books, library settings, magical adventure, the power of truth and connection, and lyrical prose that binds it together.

[Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

I am typically not a fantasy reader, but this year there have been some truly outstanding fantasy releases. I really enjoyed this—it is feminist, well written and propulsive. The characters felt real, and relatable, and I think this would be a GREAT choice for non fantasy readers looking for a break from their typical genres. I really enjoyed it, and will recommend.

“And power is always a reflection of the world that has created it, regardless of intention.”

This was a cozy and evocative read. I found myself falling into the pages, compelled the magic system that I’ll admit, was a bit confusing for quite a bit, but nonetheless kept my curiosity going. I loved the concept of magical book writers and readers, of book being spelled by blood and intention. It’s not wholly new but it is different from most magic systems I’ve read recently, so this felt really fresh.

“All these stories, what did they add up to? A life?”

There’s a sharp sense of melancholy, loss, and sadness that permeates the story and its characters. Through the rotating POVs we see how each character is trapped in their own prison, not of their making, but one in which they’ve been made to believe is truly home. The notion of wanting to break free but feeling beholden to family secrets and strong pulling was intriguing and made me invested in seeing how each character would break free.

There are prisons fed on a steady diet of guilt, fear, ignorance, and secrecy that gradually brings each POV character closer and closer together, their stories weaving together in a slow and unfurling manner.

“Her motherlessness was intrinsic to her sense of self, and her sense of self was all she’d had these many years alone.”

The theme of motherhood is an undercurrent throughout which impacts each character differently. What I loved is that there are multiple facets of motherhood provided, with no one character representing a perfectly ‘good’ or honest mother.

All of them have made deals and held secrets born out of seemingly pure intentions or pursuits and yet they have all cause rot and grief in the lives of their loved ones. Seeing how love of family can turn into shackles and a choker, stifling roots from taking place was fascinating to see and made for a thought provoking read.

“Cold was easier to bear when you’d never been warm.”

I know that the slow pace might bit work for some but I found myself enjoying it. Knowing this is a stand-alone made me want to appreciate each page as we got to know each character and their motivations.

That said, I did feel that some of the POVs were unbalanced and not quite fleshed out as they should have been, especially the relationships between the sisters. The side romance plot was unnecessary and didn’t quite make sense, it felt more like the author felt this had to have SOME romance because it’s become prescriptive and part of the formula in fantasy of late, rather than because it added anything to the characters’ arc on its own.

Overall, I thought this was sharp and compelling, somber but exciting, and definitely a perfect cozy fall read.

This book was so enchanting and unique for me. It was just so different than what I typically read and I really enjoyed it. Alright folks, get ready because this review is about to be chaotic because that’s just who I am. Disclaimer: I am no expert in books or a professional reviewer so bear with me. This is all based on how I felt reading the book.

Now to my thoughts:

I think I am in my magic and enchantments era. I am here for all the cozy cottage core vibes mixed with contemporary vibes + dark academia. The book is about magical mirrors, curses/enchantments, family conflict, loyalty, power, and best of all it is a book about books.The writing was so beautiful and impactful.The best part of it is that I never felt lost throughout the story. This is a big thing for me when it comes to fantasy! In all honesty, I struggled a bit at the beginning because I am the kind of reader that needs some action, but the author was able to captivate my attention little by little throughout the story and towards the end I was devouring the book. I also really enjoyed watching the characters evolve. Overall, the book was very enjoyable and had me wanting to learn more about the characters. What a lovely debut.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my eGalley!

Slow build for me but worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would certainly read books by this author in the future. What unique library magic!

Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a magical YA novel shifting between three perspectives.
The Kalotay family guards a collection of rare and magical books. These spells are written in blood and can only be written by one in a generation. Half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere these books with their lives. But the sisters have been separated for years. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica after her father warns her that she could suffer the same death as her mother, and Joanna's isolated herself with her father in their family home in Vermont. After her father’s sudden death after reading a dangerous book, the sisters must come together to protect not just their magical books but their own lives.
It took me several chapters to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked. Emma Torzs’s s mythology of magic is intriguing and inherently dangerous. This adds an almost horror layer to this thriller. A third perspective not mentioned in the summary is a surprise but adds even more depth and richness to the tale. As the sisters interact with this character, the true mystery of the sister’s origins comes to light and their lives are all in jeopardy. This gives more buy-in than just the future of the magical books. Twists and turns make you doubt what you know about the characters. Who is on the sisters’ side?
There are squeamish elements in the book. Those that are sensitive to eyeballs or human/animal malformations and maiming should consider skipping this book. Of course, anyone who has issues with blood will have a hard time with this book as blood is a key component to the magic.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe is an instant classic in the Young Adult Fantasy genre, and I encourage readers of all ages to turn its pages.

This book beautifully brings together so many different genres in a magical way. The character development of Joanna, Esther, and Nicholas is done so well. 5 out of 5.