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sandonat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
Slow start which then made the end feel rushed. Really liked the guys relationship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Gaslighting
manaledi's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I almost put this book down when the beginning was slow but it really grew on me. I mean magic books! But also the characters and the mysteries were well done
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Confinement, Gun violence, Medical content, and Kidnapping
shubka's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A wonderful story of family, queer love, friendship,& adventure glued together with magic! A perfect book for any bibliophile!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death of parent
Moderate: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Toxic relationship
mabechel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, Grief, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment
jenvogel80's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Blood
enfinlivres's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a mystery about books, magic, estranged family and intergenerational tension.
The book has a strong start with this tensions and threats looming over one estranged sister. This book has multiple POVs but, I find Esther’s storyline to be the most compelling.
There is a romance subplot that feels a bit insta-love.
The build up to the climax was fantastic but, the resolution was rushed and felt very “tell not show”. One chapter just has a character explain all the mystery in one go. I wished there was a bit more discovery and slowly unravelling of the mystery.
The book has a strong start with this tensions and threats looming over one estranged sister. This book has multiple POVs but, I find Esther’s storyline to be the most compelling.
There is a romance subplot that feels a bit insta-love.
The build up to the climax was fantastic but, the resolution was rushed and felt very “tell not show”. One chapter just has a character explain all the mystery in one go. I wished there was a bit more discovery and slowly unravelling of the mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood
erin99's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood
wordsmithreads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Blood
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
Minor: Colonisation, Classism, Xenophobia, and Genocide
seshat59's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Trigger warning: Lots and lots of bloodletting
<u>Ink Blood Sister Scribe</u> is an excellent debut, made even better because it’s a standalone novel, which is delightful rarity these days.
The plot follows two estranged sisters. One, Joanna, has been entrusted with the care of her family’s collection of magical spell books. She can’t leave her crumbling home lest she not be able to set the protective wards each night and the people who murdered her older sister’s mother come and take their books. Said older sister, Esther, is in Antarctica and has been told that her immunity to magic would have endangered their wards and she must move every year lest she be tracked down and murdered, like her mother. Separated by time, secrets, and distance, Esther decides to stay longer at her current location, flouting the warning, to remain with her current girlfriend. And then the danger and plot begins to ultimately reunite the sisters.
There’s a third character, Nicholas, who can make these magic books and who is kept sheltered and cloistered within a vast library, whose number of magical tomes puts Joanna’s to shame. And how does one write these Books? Blood, naturally.
All three of these characters (as well as Nicholas’s body guard Collins) are ultimately brought together for reasons (spoiler free here). Nicholas is introduced a bit later than the sisters, but through his experience, we start to get some answers to the many mysteries that plague the girls.
I really enjoyed all the aspects herein. It was engaging and complex. The writing was lovely as well. The characters were complicated and dynamic. I loved what a terrible snob Nicholas was, so accurately depicted for his utter privileged entitlement but compounded by his sheltered upbringing and, well, grooming.
I also loved the themes about monopolies, the hoarding of information as power. Basically, this delivered what <u>The Atlas Six</u> promised, except with actual plot, character development, quality writing versus relying entirely on sexual tension and vibes. (There are a couple romances, but they are very minor subplots, and I liked them all the better because of it.)
I look forward to whatever comes next from this author.
<u>Ink Blood Sister Scribe</u> is an excellent debut, made even better because it’s a standalone novel, which is delightful rarity these days.
The plot follows two estranged sisters. One, Joanna, has been entrusted with the care of her family’s collection of magical spell books. She can’t leave her crumbling home lest she not be able to set the protective wards each night and the people who murdered her older sister’s mother come and take their books. Said older sister, Esther, is in Antarctica and has been told that her immunity to magic would have endangered their wards and she must move every year lest she be tracked down and murdered, like her mother. Separated by time, secrets, and distance, Esther decides to stay longer at her current location, flouting the warning, to remain with her current girlfriend. And then the danger and plot begins to ultimately reunite the sisters.
There’s a third character, Nicholas, who can make these magic books and who is kept sheltered and cloistered within a vast library, whose number of magical tomes puts Joanna’s to shame. And how does one write these Books? Blood, naturally.
All three of these characters (as well as Nicholas’s body guard Collins) are ultimately brought together for reasons (spoiler free here). Nicholas is introduced a bit later than the sisters, but through his experience, we start to get some answers to the many mysteries that plague the girls.
I really enjoyed all the aspects herein. It was engaging and complex. The writing was lovely as well. The characters were complicated and dynamic. I loved what a terrible snob Nicholas was, so accurately depicted for his utter privileged entitlement but compounded by his sheltered upbringing and, well, grooming.
I also loved the themes about monopolies, the hoarding of information as power. Basically, this delivered what <u>The Atlas Six</u> promised, except with actual plot, character development, quality writing versus relying entirely on sexual tension and vibes. (There are a couple romances, but they are very minor subplots, and I liked them all the better because of it.)
I look forward to whatever comes next from this author.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood
Blood lettingfronk10's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A fantastic magical thriller that I couldn’t put down! More twists and turns than a twisty turny thing, and it all came together so beautifully at the end. Despite all that, it’s also a cozy story about family and connection. Delightful!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, and Death of parent