I am a sucker for stories about books and libraries–particularly magical books and libraries! Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a fantastic debut written by Emma Tőrzs.

Joanna cares for and guards a library of magical books, just as her father did before he was killed by one of the books. Her sister, Esther, wasn’t gifted with their magical abilities; in fact, she was immune to magic. A danger to her family and the magical library, Esther can’t stay in one place for more than a year. When she decides not to run, mirror magic connects her to Nicholas, who lives a solitary life as a Scribe, protected by his Uncle Richard. As the only known Scribe, Nicholas writes the magical books–with his own blood.

Nicholas and his bodyguard Collins are intrigued by what they saw in the mirror and travel to find Esther, and thus, Joanna. The four of them form an uneasy alliance and must discover who wants them to uncover the library’s secrets and why.

This fast-paced story is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Holly Black, and Olivie Blake.

"In this spellbinding debut novel, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family's library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection - a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal, and the pursuit of magic and power.

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements - books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna's isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they'll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries...

In the great tradition of Ninth House, The Magicians, and Practical Magic, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric novel that draws readers into a vast world filled with mystery and magic, romance, and intrigue - and marks the debut of an extraordinary new voice in speculative fiction."

Family library of magical books? Sold!

This novel's prose lacks depth. The small cast of characters should have made for better development. It did not commit to the lore of imagination and world-building that is done exceptionally in this genre. I thought Part Two would clean up the messes of Part One. However, it did not.

This lush, literary fantasy traverses the globe, from an isolated Antarctic research station, to a cozy Vermont farmhouse lost to maps and memories, to an ancient British library hiding a sinister secret. The story shifts between three perspectives: Esther and Joanna, two estranged sisters who have had vastly different reactions to their upbringing as caretakers of a collection of magical books, and Nicholas, a pampered prisoner of his own wealth and status with the unique ability to write the magic books the sisters at once fear and revere.

I love stories that transcend genre, and Törzes' debut expertly walks the line between magical realism, dark academiA thriller, and family epic. Despite the compelling plot and the dark, glittering allure of the magic, the heart of the story is the beautiful relationship between Esther and Joanna, and the complex web of secrets that binds them, their mother, and their late father into painful tapestry of love and grief. It is rare that I come across a sibling dynamic that feels as tangible as theirs: rich with silly childhood details and petty resentments and deep, enduring love. Törzes is a master of character-building, and slips in clever details that go a long way towards making the siblings feel like three-dimensional people I could easily meet in class or chat with at an airport. Nicholas was a strong character in his own right, but his narrative felt slightly overpowered by that of the sisters'. Even so, I liked following his journey towards freedom and independence, and found him a sympathetic link to the villainous machinations of the Library. it was highly gratifying when everyone's stories finally converged - I read late into the night to finish the last few chapters, because I didn't want to let the characters and the world go. Even the minor characters were full of life - Nicholas' gruff, Bostonian bodyguard Collins, Joanna and Ester's doting mother Cecily, and Ester's glamorous scientists lover Pearl.

The magic system was mesmerizing, with whimsical spells and fascinating rituals offset by the violent, brutal realities of writing books in blood. It leans into the idea of this story as a fairytale through a funhouse mirror: sisters and stepmothers and mirror magic and animal familiars carefully translated into a modern context, such that I didn't realize half the tropes were present until I reflected at the end. Something integral to a good literary fantasy is subtlety: there is certainly magic explicit to the plot but the true artistry of Törzes' work is the way that the fairy tale feels real, and honest to the state of world in the way that many classic tales were in their time.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Here it goes!

By bestowing upon this novel a 4 star rating, I can now no longer claim that I dislike all urban fantasy. Well, maybe I never really claimed that, but in my head it has remained so.

SPOILERS!!!

Half-sisters Joanna and Esther have grown up in a house containing magical books. While Joanna can hear and feel the magic the books project, Esther senses nothing. While Joanna can read the books and cast spells, Esther’s words fall flat. While Joanna and the rest of her family can have magic cast upon them, the craft cannot touch Esther, not even protection spells. It is for this magic-repelling reason that Esther is sent away after she turns18. Her father tells her to run, to move and keep moving every year, November 2, on the dot. If she does not, she will be found. Who she is supposedly being hunted by, Esther does not know.

Nicholas has lived his life in a beautiful cage. The massive museum that he calls home has been his safe place, but he longs to be able to leave it for more than his uncle’s schemes. His Uncle, the head of The Library, has told him that he must remain within the safety of his home’s walls. If people knew what Nicholas could do, his uncle says, he could be killed. Wherever Nicholas goes, his new bodyguard Collins trails him. He is special. He cannot be affected by magic, but he can write it. Always being forced to write new spell books with his blood, Nicholas suffers from anemia and is incredibly weak. Seemingly out of the blue, one of The Library employees tells him to run away, and that someone close is not what they seem.

I enjoyed the story, especially once Nicholas, Collins, Esther, and Joanna’s lives finally intertwined. It was an interesting concept all around, the idea of Scribes (capital “S” thank you very much) as the real magic bearers, even though magic is totally untouchable to them. It’s a concept that should not make sense but that Emma Torzs executes nicely anyway. What was also interesting is the born ability to recognize magic… These people can wield the magic that the Scribes author, but cannot create spells on their own. Where does that leave the rest of humanity? The book did not make that clear. Overall, I think this was a unique take on magic!

This book had a huge appeal to me as it will to any book collector. Evocative styled writing with twists and turns, starting as a slow burn but working its way to unputdownable at about 40%. I enjoyed the wide range of geographical areas (Antarctic to English countryside). This didn’t feel like a debut novel, it felt like a novel from a well seasoned author. Excellent blend of mystery, magical realism and thriller all weaved in family secrecy. A solid four out of five stars for a wonderful read!

I wish I could be among the early readers who have loved this book. Unfortunately, it’s a DNF for me.

The writing is engaging and atmospheric, but the story execution lost me. Pacing crept along at a snail’s pace. Rather than a sense of suspense or foreboding, I was left irritated with the disconnected pieces. I was bored, finding excuses not to pick up my Kindle, and so I gave up at around the 30% point.

I noticed several reviewers said the second half picked up and got much better. I don’t have the patience, but ignore me and give this book a try if it appeals to you.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a captivating debut novel by Emma Törzs. The story follows two half-sisters, Joanna and Esther, who have been tasked with protecting their family's collection of magical books. However, their lives have taken drastically different paths, with Esther fleeing to a remote base in Antarctica and Joanna isolating herself in their family home in Vermont to study the magical volumes.

The story takes a thrilling turn when their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before. The sisters must come together to unravel the deadly secret that lies at the heart of their collection. As they dig deeper, they uncover a dangerous world of magic that goes beyond what they ever imagined.

The writing is enchanting, and Törzs skillfully weaves together elements of magic, family loyalty, and betrayal into a compelling narrative. The characters are well-developed, and their complex relationships add depth to the story.

The novel also explores the concept of the price of magic and the sacrifices that come with it. As the sisters delve deeper into the magical world, they begin to realize the true cost of their family legacy and the secrets that their parents had kept hidden.

Overall, Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a must-read for fans of magical realism and fantasy. It is a unique and captivating story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Emma Törzs has truly crafted a remarkable debut novel that is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers.

Definitely a slow-burn, but worth it. Once I made it past the first third of the book I went from thinking about not finishing it to not wanting to put it down. I enjoyed the unique take on how magic works, and appreciated how the storylines came together with a nice twist.

A terrific setup, albeit one that ended up a little under-baked. Absolutely a read for fans of Alix Harrow and people who liked THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR but wanted it to be less gonzo-weird. The book-magic is delightful and inventive, and I like the hints of the wider world at play... but the book's balance felt off and I knew where it was going for each 'reveal' throughout in a way that left me deflated instead of ebullient. Still, worth the candle for sure.

It has a slow start, but begins to pick up around a quarter way through. I love the magical structure. Big bad was a little predictable, but I really loved how everything came together in the end.

It's a story of adventure and healing that feeds the broken little Sagittarius in me.

Book magic for the book lover.

This book was incredibly unique in concept. The characters were well written and easy to like and root for. This easily could have been a series but I appreciate the stand alone.

Loved this. It gave me everything I wanted from Leigh Bardugo's or Holly Black's adult fantasy but found missing. More specifically, I found this to be complex and dark without being gratuitously violent (despite the blood magic). Torzs does an excellent job of providing the reader with just enough information to be tantalizing, and I found it immensely satisfying (and frustrating in a good way) when I was able to put together information from the various narrative threads before the characters had a chance to find the answers. Overall, a compelling, fast-paced read.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a mysterious blend of magical realism + thriller with a sprinkle of dark academia vibes whose story revolves around two sisters whose family is responsible for maintaining their collection of magical books, some innocuous and some sinister but all written in blood, and the ties those books have to a nefarious and powerful library on the other side of the world. Joanna, the younger of the two sisters, is charged with keeping the books safe which means setting the wards that keep her and their collection hidden from the outside world every night while Ester, the eldest, travels around the world, moving every year prior to November 2nd, at the insistence of her father, until this year when she falls in love with an Australian woman and decides to forgo her father’s last request. Meanwhile, Nicholas, the last known scribe who can write these magical books, begins to question the safety and integrity of the library institution for which he works for and subsequently lives a very isolated existence.

The story starts off a little slow and spends a bit too much time building the setting but do not let that deter you from the book as when it picks up, it REALLY picks up! I personally found it to be more thriller with magical elements than fantasy with mystery elements but it absolutely worked for the narrative. There are so many things I enjoyed about this story…. The unique magic system, the portals to other places, the sapphic relationship/representation, the witty banter between characters (specifically Collins and Nicholas), characters of ambiguous morality, and the simple fact that it is a book about books (what is better than that, honestly?) The character arcs were well developed and Törzs expertly weaved in themes related to grief and complicated family dynamics bringing a heartfelt and humanistic touch to the story. I found the ending to be a great resolution to the plot and to each character’s individual story arc.

I was a bit surprised by the 3rd POV, Nicholas, since he was not referenced in any synopsis that I had read, despite being a significant character in the story. His introduction to the narrative is where the story really started to pick up as his arc got off the ground much quicker than Joanna and Esther’s.

The synopsis likens the book to Ninth House, The Magicians, and Practical Magic, but as a consumer of all of these stories, I disagree. I think Blood Ink Sister Scribe stands entirely on its own as something uniquely different and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible! I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a magic-infused mystery and I honestly look forward to what Emma Törzs is going to bring us in the future!

Imagine opening a book that seems normal on the outside, only to find that it is something remarkable within. Imagine hearing the hum of magic as you read. This novel sounded like an interesting read, but I hadn't expected it to draw me in to its world like it did.

Magic centers on books written in blood. For Joanna, taking care of a centuries-old library hidden in her basement, it must be hidden at all costs. Her sister Esther has cut ties with the magical world, though she still fears that it will follow her. Across the ocean, Nicholas chafes in his role as the only living person who can write new magical books. For all of them, magic is ancestral and stifling, until it becomes dangerously, personally real. The system of magic is easy to understand but also deep.

If this novel isn't magic, it’s close. It’s rare to find such rich characters who struggle with themselves, a riveting plot, adventure and action and twists, basically everything you could ask for in a novel. If you’re at all a fan of books, I see no reason why you wouldn’t like this one.

This was a combination of a mystery, thriller that kept me on my toes, and an adventure I won't soon forget. This was a great fantasy that I can not wait to own in print. I loved the magic and the character and just wow!! I think fans of Holly Black's adult series will enjoy this one.

This book I picked for the title I think - it just grabbed me and I thought it would be interesting. Here's the description:
"For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements--books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna's isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they'll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . ."

The first half of the story was kind of slow, and somewhat confusing. I have to admit to getting lost a little. I found the characters interesting and felt sorry for Nicholas. I found the second half of the book much more interesting as things started moving along at a better pace. I liked both Esther and Joanna. I loved Joanna's interaction with the cat and trying to win it over. The 'mirror magic' was good.

Thanks to William Morrow through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on May 30, 2023.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe has an intriguing premise: two half-sisters, Esther and Joanna, must reunite to save their family's legacy, a magical books collection. However, the blurb doesn't quite match the book. Yes, Esther and Joanna reunite to uncover the truth behind their family's legacy and the secrets kept from them, but the blurb fails to prepare you for Nicholas and the Library and their importance to the story.

The story is still compelling, although it takes a good bit to really get going. The use of multiple POVs is partially to blame for this, but, eventually, you reach a point where you don't want to put the book down. The author manages some great reveals that will surprise you, and the magic system is delightful.

Despite its flaws, Ink Blood Sister Scribe is still worth a read. Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc.

Books are magic. Literally. When read, they can create wonders, from opening portals through mirrors to turning bullets into bees. Joanna is the keeper of her family’s private collection of books in Vermont, unable and unwilling to leave the wards that surround the crumbling Victorian home. Her older sister Esther has vanished to the wind and now wanders around the world, never staying in one place for very long. Across the pond in England, Nicholas writes books with his blood for the mysterious Library, locked away in a grand manor estate. Yet their fates are intertwined, and the magic of the future is in peril unless they can unravel the treachery of their families.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe could have been an amazing fantasy. The atmosphere was there, and the writing was excellent. The author mastered hiding small details that caused the story to click into place at the end, and there was certainly an “Aha!” movement. I’ve always loved books about books, so reading a story that quietly literally surrounded the magic of books sounded perfect. But the novel failed in a crucial way: pacing. The plot didn’t get started until over halfway through, and there were times when I seriously considered DNFing. So much of the story was consumed with setting up the story that the narrative wasn’t engaging, and it was easy to zone out while reading. The first hundred pages were almost exclusively unnecessary exposition that could’ve been covered in half that space, and until the plotlines intersect 75% of the way into the story, it’s unclear as to why the reader should care about any of the characters.

That being said, the writer did an excellent job setting up distinct characters. Esther and Joanna were very different, and when I flipped to a random page, I could tell whose perspective I was reading from the sentence structure alone.Their relationship was interesting but didn’t receive the space it needed to expand into something more. Nicholas (who wasn’t mentioned at all in the synopsis) was arguably the most interesting character, and I would have rather read the book entirely from his perspective. The narrative didn’t gain much by having three points of view.

After the 200-page mark, Ink Blood Sister Scribe got interesting. I loved the second half of the story; the pacing issues were resolved and all the monotonous set-up vanished in favor of actual action. I’m the first to admit that I don’t gravitate toward books that try to be literary, but I think Ink Blood Sister Scribe did a decent job of toeing the line between eloquent and pretentious. The first half of the novel deserved two stars but the second earned four, so I’ve settled on three. I would read the author’s future novels, assuming, of course, that she works out the pacing issue.

3.5/5

When this book started out, I wasn't quite sure it was going to be my vibe but I decided to stick it out for a couple of chapters and see if it would change my mind. And I'm not mad that I did.
The plot takes a while to come together - there's some world-building, setting things up in different POVs & the reader having to try and piece together a larger plot for themselves in the first half - which I don't necessarily mind but it can get tedious if you're not in the right mood for it is all. I did realize as I was reading that the book is split into parts which was kind of helpful, though the placement could've been a bit better??

Once it really kicked off (about 1/3, 1/2 of the way through) it got much more intriguing, and the pace picked up considerably. The story incorporated lush, descriptive language throughout, which was beautifully done & though some of the physical gore-leaning imagery was a bit much for my taste, it made sense in its placement and wasn't so bad that it detracted from the story overall.
The way the magic system was set up in this world was also pretty cool, not super typical which freshened things up a bit; and there was sort of an underlying exploration of the impact of power on varying types of relationships which I found really interesting.
I also found that while the characters were a bit grating on their own, they really shone as they coalesced into a strangely adorable crew :)

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC!