Cinders and Sparrows

Product Description A suspenseful tale of witches, family, and magic from internationally bestselling author Stefan Bachmann. When a thirteen-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.Thirteen-year-old Zita, an orphan and a housemaid, has resigned herself to a life of drudgery when 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 Peculiar, the acclaimed international bestseller. Review ★ "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 and entertaining 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 About the Author Stefan Bachmann is a writer and musician. He was born in Colorado and now lives with his family in Zurich, Switzerland, where he attends the Zurich Conservatory. He began writing The Peculiar in 2010 when he was sixteen years old.