Description: Gideon the Ninth meets Leigh Bardugo in this YA high fantasy about four magical rivals who are forced to work together to stay alive during a deadly competition.
Brief description: 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 from the Warwick Writing Program. They live and work in London, England. ceselter.com TikTok: @cesalter
Review Quotes:
"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
"Sets the stakes high immediately, and Salter never lets up on the urgency. . . . The four protagonists are deeply sympathetic, with staggering power that they have been forced to yield to others and distinct, relatable motivations to want to live, despite being imperfect in their shared core emotions--even the end of the world can't derail desire, love, and spite." --BCCB "This darkly humorous fantasy trilogy opener, which will appeal to fans of Tamsyn Muir's Locked Room trilogy, starts strong with a fast pace driven by imminent life-or-death stakes, irresistibly self-destructive characters, and absorbing worldbuilding. . . . A grim, engrossing, and captivating fantasy." --Kirkus Reviews "Salter transports readers into a world that's as deadly as it is putrid. . . . The plot is fast-paced, making it hard to put down." --Booklist "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 "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 "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 "Gruesome, gothic, gay, and glorious. I ate this up from cover to cover. Addictively weird, heartfelt, and a bloody good time!" --Kat Dunn, author of BITTERTHORN "Fans of fantasy will eat up the worldbuilding in this novel. . . . The story leaves readers waiting breathlessly for the sequel that's sure to come." --School Library Journal