About the Book

Book Synopsis

In this YA high fantasy, four magical rivals must work together to survive a deadly competition. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Gideon the Ninth.

Entombed beneath a tooth-filled sky, the world rots. At the heart of the decaying world is Fourspires Castle, home to arcanists from the four disciplines--bone, blood, botany, and stone.

The castle is thrown into chaos when the ruler of Fourspires is assassinated. To crown a new ruler, the arcanists and their human familiars must kill or be killed in a bloody fight to the top of the Fifth Tower. For the familiars, who are the arcanists' servants and sources of power, this will mean certain death.

Amid the bloodshed, four rival familiars must work together . . . Taro, a bone witch still obsessed with her ex. Nixie, a botanical familiar determined to do anything for her freedom. Elliot, a cursed and vengeful blood familiar. And Alix, a banished stone familiar shrouded in secrets.

It's a dangerous and deeply illegal quest, but if they want to survive, the four must ally long enough to battle reanimated skeletons, possessed plants, and undead nuns . . . if they don't kill each other first.

Review Quotes

"A grotesque extravaganza of a book, with a labyrinthine quest and complex, morally grey characters you can't help but root for--no matter how many times they make clear you shouldn't. With utterly unique world-building, a brilliant magic system, and writing that flips from fun and entertaining to heart-wrenching . . . I've never had so much fun." --Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN

"Absolutely perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth, These Shattered Spires pulses with the weird and wonderful macabre. Salter weaves a ragtag crew of lovable misfits with uniquely grim world-building that is impossible to forget. Witty, diverse characters and tongue-in-cheek humor make this gothic YA fantasy both upbeat and chill inducing." --Catelyn Wilson, author of ALL THE DEVILS

"Utterly fabulous and darkly imaginative. Complicated, flawed characters shine in a world of grit and bloodshed, all brought to life through effortlessly evocative prose. I devoured every page." --Elise Kova, New York Times bestselling author of ARCANA ACADEMY

"Part fantastical court intrigue, part murder mystery, part lush queer romance, and part dysfunctional found family. At times, the writing is humorous, at others it bites like a scorpion's sting." --Katy Nyquist, author of A HOLY MAIDEN'S GUIDE TO GETTING KIDNAPPED

"In this heartrending trilogy opener. . . . Salter deftly balances the intersectionally diverse characters' grim existence with gleefully gruesome worldbuilding, snarky banter, and fraught queer romance." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Cassidy Ellis Salter is a fantasy author who lives in London with a pile of bones and historical oddities they've rescued from the Thames. They hold a bachelor's degree and MA in Writing from the Warwick Writing Programme. They live and work in London, England.

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