Cinders and Sparrows

“Readers won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough.”—Soman Chainani, New YorkTimes–bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series

“An entertainingly witchy world.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A suspenseful tale of witches, family, and magic from internationally bestselling author Stefan Bachmann. When a twelve-year-old orphan unexpectedly becomes the mistress of a seemingly abandoned castle, she is thrust into a mysterious plot involving murderous spells, false identity, and a magical battle of wills between the living and the dead. Readers of Kate Milford’s Greenglass House, Victoria Schwab’s City of Ghosts, and Diana Wynne Jones will be riveted.

Twelve-year-old Zita, an orphan and a housemaid, has resigned herself to a life of drudgery. But one day a strange letter arrives, naming her the only living heir to the Brydgeborn fortune. Now the mistress of the castle, Zita soon realizes foul play led to the death of her family. And as she is guided through lessons in the art of witchcraft by the somewhat mysterious Mrs. Cantanker, Zita begins to wonder who is friend and who is foe.

Unforgettable and utterly enchanting, this stand-alone tale about family, belonging, and friendship will bewitch readers of Tahereh Mafi’s Whichwood, Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces, and Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle. Cinders & Sparrows is a magical page-turner by the author of the acclaimed international bestseller The Peculiar.

But Blackbird Castle holds more than just a fortune. Can Zita master her newfound magic in time to uncover its secrets?

• An Atmospheric Tale: Step into the spooky, enchanted halls of Blackbird Castle, a place of ancient magic, mischievous ghosts, and deadly secrets waiting for a new mistress.
• A Middle Grade Mystery: Zita must unravel the truth behind her family’s cursed death, but in a house where everyone is a suspect, trusting the wrong person could be fatal.
• Found Family: An orphan her whole life, Zita suddenly finds herself the heir to a family she never knew. But belonging comes with a price, and a legacy she must be strong enough to claim.
• Witchcraft and Magic: With the mysterious Mrs. Cantanker as her guide, Zita must learn the art of witchcraft fast enough to defend herself from the dark forces that haunt her ancestral home.