Cinders and Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann ISBN 9780062289957, 0062289950 instant download

Cinders and Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann ISBN 9780062289957, 0062289950 instant download

* A Bank Street Best Book of the Year * A Vermont Golden Dome Award Finalist

"Spellbinding . . . Readers won't be able to turn the pages fast enough."—Soman Chainani, New York * Times *-bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series

"Delightful . . . 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.

When a scarecrow climbs over the garden wall, delivering twelve-year-old orphan Zita Brydgeborn a letter saying she has inherited a distant castle, she jumps at the chance of adventure. But little does she know that she is about to be thrust into a centuries-old battle between good and evil. Blackbird Castle was once home to a powerful dynasty of witches, all of them now dead under mysterious circumstances. Zita is the last of their line. And Zita, unfortunately, doesn't know the first thing about being a witch.

As she begins her lessons in charms and spells with her guardian, Mrs. Cantanker, Zita makes new allies—a crow, a talking marble head, two castle servants just her age named Bram and Minnifer, and the silent ghost of a green-eyed girl. But who is friend and who is foe? Zita must race to untangle her past and find the magic to save the home she's always hoped for. Because whatever claimed the souls of her family is now after her.

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.

★ "Bachmann's worldbuilding is delightful. The castle is rich with enough ghosts and enchanted staircases to satisfy any fantasy lover, and the cast of characters . . . is well developed and engaging, especially intrepid narrator Zita. A suspenseful romp through an entertainingly witchy world." --Kirkus (starred review)

"A spellbinding coming-of-age story. The halls of Blackbird Castle may be dark and haunted, but the characters that frequent it are warm and lively. Readers will fly through the pages." --Soman Chainani, New York Times-bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series

"Bachmann incorporates magic and atmosphere in this appealing tale of persistence, from the shifting staircases and passageways of Blackbird Castle, to the irresistable feasts Zita devours with Bram and Minnifer. The author also engineers a particularly deft reversal mid-plot that will leave readers at first bewildered and then delighted." --Horn Book Magazine

"Through enticing details, Bachmann creates a singular, gothic world in which a long-declining class of psychopompic witches defend against the restless dead . . . intricately laid (and mislaid) trails, dreadful creatures, an absorbing atmosphere of escalating tension and paranoia, and moments of delightful magic all make for a memorable adventure." --Publishers Weekly

"A significant and foreboding mystery . . . Bachmann balances horror, magic, and a coming of age story with aplomb." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A fun and fast-paced story with plenty of interesting twists and turns. Classic haunted house elements are used in clever ways and sinister characters lurk in every shadow. Cinders and Sparrows is an ideal introduction to . . . classic gothic stories." -- Geekmom

"Cinders & Sparrows is so perfectly atmospheric and spooky! I loved rooting for Zita as she came into her powers and herself-confidence, all while unpuzzling the many mysteries of her newhome." --The Southern Bookseller Review
"A wondrous enchantment . . . beautifully written, suspenseful . . . Bachmann is a master of fantasy." --Buffalo News

"Suspenseful and magical, with a vibrant and witchy world, this compelling novel is perfect for fans of Katherine Arden's Small Spaces and Diana Wynne Jones's Howl's Moving Castle." -- A Mighty Girl

Stefan Bachmann is the bestselling author of several books for young readers, including The Peculiar , his debut, which was published to international acclaim when he was nineteen years old. He was born in the United States, spent most of his childhood in Switzerland, and graduated from the Zürich University of Arts with degrees in music composition and theory. He's lived in Tokyo, Prague, Novi Sad, and Berlin, and now divides his time between Zürich and a small town on the Dutch border.