by Kristen B.

There seems to be a trend these days that recognizes the inherent magic of books. I mean, what’s more magical than a book? A bound set of white paper pages, set with solid black type that absolutely transports you via your imagination. Maybe you’re sleuthing for clues to solve a crime? Maybe you’ve stepped through the back of a wardrobe into a snowy woods? (still waiting for this to happen, honestly) Maybe you’re falling in love with your worst enemy from high school? So many books, so little time!

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs takes the magic of books one step further, giving us spell books and the scribes who write them. It’s an entirely enthralling concept in a debut novel that reads as part family saga and part thriller, with a bit of romance thrown in to keep things fun. The three alternating POV main characters are desperately trying to figure out what’s going on in their world, and I enjoyed putting together the pieces with them.

The book opens with Esther loving her life and falling in love at the scientific station in Antarctica. She moves every year, trying to stay hidden from the people who killed her mother. Only this time, she likes the work and she has a girlfriend, and she’s literally at the far end of the earth. What could go wrong? Then, a new batch of researchers arrives and bad things start to happen, like people disappearing on the ice fields. She notices that mirror magic seems to have found its way into the dormitories. Esther knows about magic but is immune to it. She flees, terrified by an attempt on her life and anonymous notes that reach her through a mirror at the station.

Joanna, Ester’s half sister, lives a completely home-bound life in New England, as compared to Esther’s constant movement. She has an obsessive routine that protects the books her father collected throughout his life, books that led to her parents’ divorce and an almost complete estrangement with her mother. Joanna can perform the spells in their family’s magical library to maintain the protective wards on the estate. Before events get underway, Joanna found her father dead in the front yard, bleeding from one finger into one of the spell books. Her personality and life seem as opposite from Esther’s as possible, but the sisters miss each other terribly.

Nicholas is the poor, little, rich kid that no one feels terribly sorry for – until you do. He seemingly has an enchanted life of parties, limos, bodyguards, and a huge family estate in the English countryside. Nick is one of the last known living Scribes, a person who can write spells. There’s a catch, though – a scribe has to use their own blood as the ink. It turns out that Nick’s guardian and mentor is not (surprise surprise) an entirely ethical person, despite family ties. Uncle Richard has some fairly classic failings. When Nick runs away with his grumpy bodyguard Collins, they meet Esther on her way out from Antarctica. This coincidence has been carefully engineered – but I don’t want to give away more than that. Also, Collins is one of the best side characters ever, along with Nicholas’ dog Sir Kiwi.

From there on, it’s a flat out race to save the three protagonists, foil nefarious plans, and make magic accessible again. I don’t want to spoil any of many plot twists and turns, some of which are well telegraphed and others are more surprising. The interlocking story lines take a while to resolve, but I loved every word of discovering hidden libraries, teasing out the meaning of long-lost spells, and unraveling family secrets. The conclusion is satisfying, if a little rushed after the prolonged setup. I would love to read more about these characters in the future.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs is available in print, e-book, and e-audiobook.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball (but not all at the same time).