Reading has always been one of my favourite hobbies, and it's something I love to do every day, but it's been a while since I last posted a book review to the blog. I often post what I'm reading and write mini reviews on my Insta stories, but I want to start sharing more of them here with you, too, so here I am.
I recently read a brilliant debut fantasy and new release called Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, so let's start with that one.
Book: Ink Blood Sister Scribe.
Author: Emma Törzs.
Genres: Fantasy, mystery, thriller, adventure, romance (f/f and f/m)
Edition: Waterstones Exclusive Signed Hardback.
Synopsis:
Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a unique and immersive dark fantasy about magic books that have the power to kill, and a secret organisation that will stop at nothing to find those who guard them- not even murder.
It follows two estranged sisters- loner Joanna, who's dedicated her life to protecting her rare book collection, and Esther, who is hiding out on a research base in Antarctica, and must move every year on the same date to avoid being found. Except this year, she stays put for love, and just as she thinks she's safe, she discovers spots of blood on all the mirrors. It can only mean one thing: sinister magic is in use on the base. Her life is in danger and she doesn't know who she can trust, but when a note offering help is passed through a mirror, will she accept or listen to her instincts and run? And what will she send back?
Meanwhile, wealthy, sheltered Nicholas, a scribe who writes spell books with his own blood for his family's elite library, discovers shocking truths that will lead him and his bodyguard, Collins, to flee. The four must travel across continents to find one another and stay alive, learn the sinister secrets of the Library, and put a stop to the organisation once and for all- but can they do it before it's too late?
Thoughts:
The unusual storyline of this book pulled me in from the start, and the magic, humour, and beautiful descriptive writing kept me reading. I was a little uninterested in Nicholas' POV to begin with, as he came across as spoilt and entitled, and his guardians were so unlikable, but the more I read, the more I found myself enjoying his story- and each of the three POVs. Esther's was full of action, suspense, and delightful dark magic, and her rocky relationship with Pearl was far from boring; Joanna was intriguing as a lonely, awkward introvert shackled to her house by her books and wards, while struggling to trust her mother and befriend a cat; and Nicholas' was sad as his desires for freedom and friends ate away at him while he was coddled by his Uncle, and conditioned to write books and stay hidden away at the cost of his own declining health. Collins' character development from stoic bodyguard to mysterious-guy-who-can-hear-magic was also really interesting, and I loved the relationships he forged with Nicholas and Joanna. Also, there's a Pomeranian sidekick called Sir Kiwi. Who's female. The twists and turns were surprising and full of tension, and overall, it was such a fun, interesting read that kept me guessing until the end. It left me hoping that it might continue as a series, but I think it's just a stand-alone. Either way, it's the perfect cosy, atmospheric read for autumn for anyone who enjoys dark magic, mystery, and adventure, with a little found-family and forced proximity thrown in for good measure.
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
Favourite Quotes:
♥ The other books hummed like summer bees. This book throbbed like unspent thunder and when she opened the cover the handwritten words swam in front of her eyes, rearranging themselves every time a letter nearly became clear. In progress; unreadable.
♥ If she left- when she left- Antarctica would be a memory, than a memory of memory, and eventually it would be just a story. Pearl would be just a story, a swirl of remembered feelings, someone she'd talk about at bars to strangers who would become friends and then strangers again.
♥ 'If magic really does exist, and you really can erase my memory, and I let you do it- you have to promise to come find me again once you're safe. You have to promise to tell me everything that happened, and tell me again about your parents, and the books. Fill in all the blanks. I don't want to forget forever. I want to know.' She took a shuddering breath. 'But I don't think I can handle knowing right now. Alone.'
♥ A year felt so long unless it was all you had.
♥ ...when the physical and emotional boundaries of one's life were small, when one had walked every inch of one's allotted space many times over, it was easy to forget ignorance and feel a sort of mastery, instead. This house, that path, those books, that mountain; Joanna was used to being the expert and used to the safety that came with expertise.
The beautiful edition shown in my photos is the Waterstones exclusive signed edition, and I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but it was actually the design which drew me in and made me want to investigate what the book was about. It has tangerine sprayed edges with bees, feathers, and stars stencilled on the side in black ink, and it's so pretty and autumnal. It, sadly, doesn't have a hidden cover, but it has marbled-burgundy-red end papers, gold foil on the dust jacket, and it's signed by the author inside. I love it! It sold out online before release day, so I'm glad I preordered it this spring, but if you can find it in store, it's well worth the purchase if you love pretty books.
What are you waiting for? Go read it!
Have you read Ink Blood Sister Scribe yet?
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