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Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Emma Törzs
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A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK!
“Astonishing and pristine, the kind of debut I love to be devastated by, already so assured and sophisticated that it’s difficult to imagine where the author can go from here. . . . It’s simply a delight from start to finish.” – AMAL EL-MOHTAR, New York Times Book Review
“Follow where this novel leads and you will be lost in a bewitching spell, a book of magic about books of magic . . . extraordinary.” – MARLON JAMES
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.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe is so many things at once: an adventure, a puzzle, a twisty thriller, and a tender romance. . . . I adored it.” – ALIX E. HARROW
"If, like me, you’re a fan of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo, pick up this book at once.” — KELLY LINK
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Posts about this title from The Inky Phoenix
The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • May 7 2024
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Feb 2 2024
Had to jump on the bandwagon …
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Posts about this book from across Bindery
Eclectic Reads\ \ Kass\ \ • Mar 9
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[February might be the shortest month of the year, but that makes my determination to find, read, and fall in love with the most books possible my main goal. I would say having three 5⭐️ reads would accomplish that goal. I also have fallen in love with non-fiction and am craving non-fiction books. To me, that alone is peak goal reaching. I read a total of 17 books and 1 novella. I had an average rating of 4.12 ⭐️ with 6,680 pages read. \ \ Here are my top 5 books from February: \ \
- The House of my Mother by Shari Franke\ \ *I do not rate memoirs*\ \ \ I had never heard about 8 Passengers (even though I lived on Youtube in my teenage years) or the downfall of Ruby Franke. There is maybe a brief recollection if I think very hard about it, but otherwise, I went into Shari Franke's memoir blind and came out a different person. I personally think that children should not be on vlogging channels and their childhood put on the Internet. This here though showed that you never know what happens behind closed doors, even when someone lives in a glass house. The trauma that Shari endured, the abuse she was subjected to time and time again, and her frame of mind that there may be some good to come out of it in the end. I was horrified to hear of what Shari and her siblings experienced. Their lives documented, their actions, thoughts, and feelings manipulated to appease Ruby and Jodi's fantasies. I was appalled, broken, and hopeful for Shari. I wish to see her thrive and grow. To have a community, friends, and family that will support her rather than drag her down. I want this to be an example for so many that vlogging a child's life might not be all sunshine and roses the cameras make it out to be. \ \
- Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs\ \ \ 4.5⭐️ \ \ Imagine a book where the magic is spell books. Anyone can use the spell book, but they must give some of their blood to activate the spell. The spell does not last forever and the spell book fades over time with each use. There are some people who have the ability to feel the spell books, differentiate between regular and magic. Now, imagine where to create the spell book, you have to be a scribe and what you need to give is your blood... and lots of it. This is the foundation of Ink Blood Sister Scribe. The very very very basic foundation, but this is the foundation you want to know. No, need to know, because the rest of the book will suck you in. Not only is this a unique magic system I have never read about before, but it is also a standalone. Now if those two things don't convince you to read it, maybe knowing that I got 20% into this book and then all of a sudden I was finished and my mind was altered. I craved a book that would sink its teeth into me. I have never read a book quite like this and unless I read another book by Emma Törzs, I don't think I ever will. \ \
- A Time of Blood by John Gwynne\ \ \ 5⭐️ \ \ Since this is a sequel, I don't want to be someone that spoils a book for you. I'll just put it this way- I finished 'A Time of Dread' and then immediately picked up 'A Time of Blood.' I finished both of these books in about 72 hours. I would have finished them sooner if I didn't have to be an adult and go to work. \ \
- A Time of Dread by John Gwynne\ \ \ 5⭐️ \ \ Going back to the Banished Lands was the equivalent of drinking a large glass of water after being parched for days. Nothing has or will ever taste as good. You have the same writing style that you fall in love with during 'The Faithful and the Fallen,' a smattering of references from 'TFATF,' and the joy of the character work John Gwynne is known for. If you loved 'TFATF' and have been sitting on this series, get off your butt, pick this up, and fall in love all over again. \ \
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson\ \ \ 5⭐️ \ \ This book made me fall in love with non-fiction, crave it, buy it, and read it. This is the first non-fiction book I have read since college and the first I have read without it being part of the syllabus. 'Just Mercy' follows Bryan Stevenson and his journey into helping the wrongly convicted on death row. It takes a deep dive into the United States justice system, the corruption littered throughout, how race, poverty, and mental health can all impact the outcome of a trial and the bias seen throughout the legal system. It was raw and heartbreaking. Each of the trials are based on true stories. The determination Bryan Stevenson has to save those on death row is hindered often by the same justice system that put them in there. I shed many tears while reading and was impacted by this book in more ways than one. I truly think this is a book that everyone should read. I am not just saying this because it's a good book, which it is, but because of the topics it covers, the important issues that take place on these pages, and the reality this book gives you.](https://eclecticreads.binderybooks.com/item/OqNSi8tyWXZGI8XG1sGE/)
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Ladybug Books\ \ Samantha\ \ • Oct 12 2025
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[Hello friends, and welcome to my first Bindery newsletter! I am hoping to post these once a week to provide a little recap of my reading week, along with some book recommendations and books on my priority TBR. If there is anything else you would like to see in these newsletters, let me know!\ \
- *\ \ Reading Updates: Audiobook | Finished: Remarkably Bright Creatures \ \ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐\ \ Thoughts: My mom has been trying to get me to read "the octopus book" for over a year at this point, and I finally got to it. It absolutely does not surprise me that my mom gave an amazing book recommendation. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a charming, heartfelt book about family, grief, community, and growing old. Marcellus' chapters were so unique and endearing. Though I love how everything came together, I found myself wishing for something to add an element of surprise to the story. The plot plays out exactly how you would expect. Though it is a very sweet story, it can feel a bit one note. Cameron's character was also quite grating at the beginning. Though I appreciate his growth.\ \ Audiobook + Ebook | Finished: The Second Death of Locke \ \ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐\ \ Thoughts: I don't think you understand how high my hopes were for The Second Death of Locke. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year—I really thought it would be a guaranteed five star read. It took me a month to read this because I just didn't care about the characters, the plot, certainly not the romance. It's not that I actively disliked this, but I just felt so indifferent towards the story to the point that I had to use the audiobook to force myself to finish. With the lady knight aesthetic, the cover, themes of devotion and betrayal, and comp to Gideon the Ninth, I was expecthing this story to pack so much more of a punch. It feels like this book played it too safe with almost everything, resulting in an underwhelming story that lacks tension. The characters are just nice. They're nice, kind, and in love to the point that they feel borderline one-dimensional. The romance lacked any tension because they were both clearly in love from the start. I was particularly disappointed in Grey as this "lady knight" character. I have a lot more thoughts in my full review on TikTok if you're interested. Long story short, I think this is my most disappointing read of the year so far.\ \ Audiobook | Currently Reading: My Friends \ \ Progress: 16%\ \ Thoughts: The first ladybugs.mom audiobook recommendation I actually picked up was My Friends by Fredrik Backman. This story is incredible. I am absolutely loving the audiobook but I know that this is one that I want to read with my eyes so that I can tab all of the amazing lines about art, life, and friendship. I'm planning on starting over with the physical copy once I finish my current physical read.\ \ Paperback (ARC) | Currently Reading: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter \ \ Progress: 60%\ \ Thoughts: The Howl's Moving Castle vibes are strong with this current read. Too strong? Undecided. Heather Fawcett delivers another delightful cozy fantasy read, this time with lots of cats. This is a very heartwarming read so far and I love the choatic whimsy of the magic and the cat shelter. I do find myself wishing for a little bit more of a plot. I think I prefer the combination of cozy, romance, and magical action featured in the Emily Wilde series. Regardless, I am really enjoying it and hope to finish soon!\ \
- *\ \ On my radar (possible next reads): \ \ I recently found out that Cinder House is actually a novella! A queer, Gothic Cinderella retelling, this will be the perfect read for a moody fall evening.\ \ \ \ The people are loving this and I could not be more excited to read it. The only other thing I have read from Marie Lu is the Skyhunter duology but that remains one of my favorite YA fantasy series. Urban fantasy with alchemy, I cannot wait to get started!\ \
- *\ \ Fantasy Standalones Perfect For Fall: \ \ I feel like I am constantly starting new, incomplete series and I can never catch up. Recently on my TikTok I recommended some completed series, but here I wanted to shout out something even rarer—fantasy standalones. I narrowed the list down to a few recommedations that I think would be perfect to read during the fall.\ \ \ \ The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez: This recent fantasy release beautifully weaves Jewish history and folklore together with a fantastical world. In order to save her mother from being accused of a crimes she didn't commit, young healer Malka journeys into the forest to find the monster that is stealing the village's young girls. In the forest, Malka stumbles across a monster, but not the one she expected. She makes a deal with this disgraced golem that gets her involved in politics, rebellion, sinister threats, and ancient magic. I highly recommend the audiobook in particular. The narrator does a fantastic job bringing Maddie's beautiful writing to life!\ \ \ \ Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier: This YA fantasy story absolutely swept me away when I read it last year. In this book we follow Lord Cassia who returns home after being held prisoner in an enemy kingdom for years. A near death experience during his captivity has left him with the unusual ability to see the dead. His emotional return home is interuppted by an assassination attempt that sets the court on the trail of a terrible secret. I absolutely love this story. Cas is such a compelling main character and I loved watching him start his journey of healing. There are great family moments in this as well as a sweet romance subplot.\ \ \ \ Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs : Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a tightly woven story of family, loyalty, and power. This book is a unique love letter to books that reminds me a lot of The Starless Sea(another great standalone). What I enjoyed the most was how everything connected together. None of the reveals were particularly shocking, but it is incredibly satisfying when an author effectively uses every single element of the story.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.\ \
- *\ \ Have you read any of these books? I would love to hear your thoughts! See you next week with more reading updates and book recommendations.\ \ Happy reading!\ \ Samantha (ladybug.books)\ \ Join for free or login](https://ladybug-books.binderybooks.com/item/rQuiLGKpWddiZmcCjAWa/)
Ladybug.books Newsletter (10/5/25 - 10/11/25)
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The Bibliothecary\ \ Samantha\ \ • Jan 29 2025
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\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/item/BQq0zZ2kLHFO3d2RW8HF/)
In which I discuss the books that almost made my favorites of 2024!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • May 7 2024
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Feb 2 2024
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Dec 13 2023
\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/UCpoIgGbKaJmqmGH4a91/)
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Mareas\ \ Marines\ \ • Dec 8 2023
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reading and reviewing the top 10 debuts of the year according to the goodreads choice awards
Join me on Bindery! http://mareas.binderybooks.com All of the books mentioned here: https://mareas.binderybooks.com/books/
Check out the other videos in this project here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp\_jeZ\_Fe1syWFPwXC\_bCyr8kzbGImsne
And our original Goodreads project here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXazYjS56sz-KeyN8jaY02iXIg1DrZkKU
0:00 - 5:37 - Introduction 5:38 - 8:51 - Top 20 Prediction 8:52 - 13:42 - Top 20 Reveal 13: 15:08 - Top 10 Reveal
15:09 - 20:44 - Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/354e652f-e9fd-470e-b81b-1ff29f9376a5/content\_warnings
20:45 - 23:16 - The Wishing Game by Meg Schaffer cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/824eccc1-ea3a-47c8-8a68-e037cd0d2ae1/content\_warnings
23:17 - 26:48 - The September House by Carissa Orlando (Spoiler Free)
26:49 - 30:07 - The September House (Spoilers) cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d8b28f2a-9fce-4e36-a3ba-e58dc845c4dd/content\_warnings
30:08 - 33:22 - Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torsz cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/e899caa9-7b79-4372-9f75-23d841616e52/content\_warnings
33:23 - 36:55 - The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a364e5c0-8428-4a20-b47f-bfa1ef84ece0/content\_warnings
36:56 - 39:49 - Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4858f7a5-b44f-41c8-8927-b00cd062fc6d/content\_warnings
39:50 - 42:29 - Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith Paul cw: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/442623d5-2c57-4215-a6d9-e05459ee0ca4/content\_warnings
42:30 - Final Thoughts
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Nov 14 2023
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Oct 23 2023
The Inky Phoenix Cocktail Library is BACK!
The Inky Phoenix Cocktail Library is BACK!
I’ve paired each of our 2023 picks with a corresponding drink (illustrated by the amazing @stephaniechinnart) and want to know what pairings you’d make!
The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jul 10 2023
Come discusss this magical novel with us this Saturday (July 15th) at 2pm EDT on Zoom! Add your email in our bio link if you’re new, otherwise the invite link will be sent to you the morning of! 🖤
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jun 28 2023
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jun 20 2023
When I told Ragnar to watch out for “Vampire books”.
Share your thoughts on our June pick INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE below!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jun 1 2023
Our June pick is here and she is EPIC! INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE by Emma Törzs. If books could kill …
Signed copies available @bluebicyclebooks
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