Joined in 2023 
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Because of myself and my audience, I have to mention the biggest surprise of this book: its Jewishness. In fact, I had no idea it had any Jewish characters, and was so pleasantly surprised to see the casual representation for most of the story, but even more so to see the characters' connection to Judaism emotionally move the story in a moment of need. It meant a whole lot to me. In general, I was really a fan of this book's diversity. Two of the three main characters were queer (likely bisexual), one of the characters was half-Mexican, and another was disabled, using a prosthetic eye. I loved the book based magic system and I really appreciate how the author explored the topics of conservation, power, and control through the library and the books. I always appreciate when a magic system has very strict and clear rules. Each character in this book had their own advantages and limitations within the magic system. This helped build the “found (or reunited?) family” vibes.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe - Goodreads Shelby’s review of Ink Blood Sister Scribe - Goodreads
Scott Shane's outstanding work Flee North tells the little-known tale of an unlikely partnership ... The ending was too soon for me. I finally had a grasp on the characters and was excited to see where they were going, only for it to end. I never think standalone novels should be a series, but this book is the exception. While the plot concluded nicely, the characters had finally found their stride, and I was really enjoying the relationships starting to flourish. Fingers crossed that there will be another book! The writing is luscious and enchanting, as magical as the story it’s telling. The book takes you from rich, endorsed, sprawling mansions to cozy, comforting cottages hidden near the woods. The writing was touching. Intimate and soft, it was beautiful to read. Esther slipped a hand beneath the hem of Pearl’s sweater, fingers finding the smooth dip of her waist as Pearl nudged one of her long legs between Esther’s thighs. But even as she moved her hips in friction-seeking instinct, her father’s long-ago words began to echo unbidden in her head—a cold glass of water thrown in the face of her subconscious.
Beyond the Book
An adventure, a puzzle, a twisty thriller, and a tender romance.' Alix E Harrow, The Once And Future Witches This is a tale that’s so multilayered, so richly woven together that the narrative entertainingly meanders through puzzle solving, uncovering long hidden family secrets and self discovery. Throughout Törzs deliciously blends together contemporary with classic fairytale staples such as various enchantments, magic mirrors, forest animals, a quest, absent parents and even a stepmother. Like any dark fairytale, it is also drenched in blood. There is a fascinating twist on witches and mages as instead of spells just being read aloud and cast, blood is the key to activating the magic or for creating it. There are those who can feel and even hear magic but cannot create it, and there are those who can create it but never feel or hear it. Then there are some spells that are ongoing, that are a work in progress, that hold the power to drain the user’s blood dry. Chilling and charming ... Törz's debut is a love letter to stories everywhere.' Roshani Chokshi, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride First things first: I wanted to love this. I love the purple US cover and would've been so happy to slot this into my shelves, but I just don't think it's for me. (sorry, kerry!) Emma Törzs's debut novel, Ink Blood Sister Scribe, is the kind of book that reminds me why I love the fantasy genre. I was especially drawn to the family at the center of the story: half-sisters Esther and Joanna, their late father Abe, and Joanna's mother (and Esther's stepmother) Cecily. While their forays into a world of magical books are fascinating and form the overall structure of the story, I was just as enthralled by their interpersonal relationships, particularly in terms of how the sisters reflect on their childhood and the ways in which the isolation that comes with magic has shaped them. Ink Blood Sister Scribe offers both the stomach-dropping roller coaster feeling of a thriller with the nostalgia of a domestic novel. It is, in short, a must-read for anyone who loves stories about magic — and for everyone who knows that stories are magic.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Good Morning America Book Club Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Good Morning America Book Club
Esther: Joanna's older sister who has been on the run for 10 years, after her father commanded her to move to a new location every November. Estranged from her family, and in a constant state of motion, she has no ties. But after spending the past year in Antarctica, she's decided to stay another season. For the first time she has a reason to stay: a girlfriend she's really starting to feel something for. And besides, what could possibly go wrong? This is probably the part that I like the most, though I feel like it's not explored enough. Most of the magic is just around wards, spying, and then finding/possessing/hoarding/hiding these sources of power. It seems like the magic that can be done is nearly infinite, but the tiny sliver that we see is just a series of very basic magics that have been done time and time again. Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe, is a magical book that reminded me of why I loved reading in the first place. I fell in love with Torzs's writing style and how she made this magical book come to life. I am eager to read what else she has in store! I also found Nicholas’ upbringing quite fascinating and really enjoyed the juxtaposition between his own sheltered upbringing and that of Esther and Joanne’s, which, despite the similarities highlights just how severely lonely and starved of affection he is. Seeing how easily Nicholas risks his own well being to gain approval was genuinely quite heartbreaking—and his earnest attempts at friendship, with both his surly bodyguard and Esther made me want to give him a big hug.
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Pearl grinned. She had unusually sharp canine teeth in an otherwise soft mouth, an incongruity that did funny things to Esther’s blood flow. “Can you imagine the variables?” Her stories have been published in journals such as Ploughshares, Uncanny Magazine, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and American Short Fiction. She received her MFA from the University of Montana, Missoula, and is an enthusiastic member of the Clarion West class of 2017. She teaches currently at Macalester College. But when she finds spots of blood on the mirrors in the research base, she knows someone is coming for her, and that Joanna and her collection are in danger. As for the plot itself, I did find some of the assumptions the characters made rather *convenient*, and there were a couple inconsistencies, but overall my reading experience was great—it was well-written, I flew through it, and if the "big bad villain" identity was predictable, I enjoyed his demise very much 👀
Ink Blood Sister Scribe - Penguin Books UK
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. Törzs's debut novel features a wonderfully realized and atmospheric world and a plot filled with unexpected twists...Törzs does a fantastic job creating a gripping and suspenseful story that keeps readers on their toes and wanting more. Fans of The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern will love this magic- and suspense-filled novel. No,” said Pearl without hesitation. She herself worked with the carpenters. “Nerds are always absolute party freaks. I used to go to these kink nights in Sydney and it was all surgeons, engineers, orthodontists. Did you know that people who’re into BDSM have notably higher IQs than their vanilla counterparts?”
Emma Törzs
Considering it's a standalone novel, the plot was rather contained and I personally enjoyed that: I read so many Fantasy series that it made for a good change. I do think that expectations matter: if you go into it expecting a Fantasy novel with complex world-building and in-depth characterization, you might be disappointed. First, it feels more like a literary/mystery novel with magical elements than a Fantasy book. Secondly, I'm not saying that the characters are one-dimensional, because they aren't, and I did care about them, but they're still sketched in rather broad lines, and some of the relationships shifts were SO abrupt that they didn't make sense to me (*cough* what the second romance even was? Is that insta-lust or whatever? I'm too demi for that haha)(also I had another romance in mind for this specific character, ngl). I’m glad, too,” Esther said. She had practice around Pearl now and could trust her own face not to betray any of her sudden, melancholy mood, and she watched Pearl relax beneath her smile. “Come get me when you’re dressed,” she added. “We can fortify with a shot.” These two families are going to come together in unexpected ways to solve a thrilling mystery - why does Esther have to keep running? Who is killing Scribes? Twisty, dark and exciting, I loved it! 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' Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a smashing new debut from Emma Torzs in the dark academia genre. Magic is real and spells are cast from books, spells that are written with the blood and life of Scribes. But the magic is getting rarer, books are limited and valuable and this story follows two different families who have libraries to care for. Joanna cares for a small library of books, alone and isolated, following her father's wishes, whilst her sister Esther mysteriously cannot come home, and is forced to move every 12 months or something bad will happen.
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