{"product_id":"these-shattered-spires-by-cassidy-ellis-salter-9781526682970","title":"These Shattered Spires","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eAmbitious, gruesome and appallingly fascinating\u003c\/i\u003e – The Guardian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a rotten and bloody world, four magical rivals are forced to work together to avoid certain death in a deadly competition. Gothic, visceral and utterly compelling, \u003ci\u003eThese Shattered Spires\u003c\/i\u003e is the first book in the Wyrdos trilogy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeneath a tooth-filled sky, the world rots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the decaying world is Fourspires Castle, home to arcanists from across the four magical disciplines: \u003cstrong\u003ebone, blood, botany\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003estone\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the king is assassinated, chaos erupts. To seize the crown, arcanists and their human familiars are dragged into \u003cstrong\u003ethe Slaughter\u003c\/strong\u003e – a deadly competition, where survival means killing and death is the only escape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmidst the bloodshed, four rival familiars must work together… \u003cstrong\u003eTaro\u003c\/strong\u003e, a bone witch still obsessed with her ex. \u003cstrong\u003eNixie\u003c\/strong\u003e, a botanical familiar with a ghost living in her bedroom. \u003cstrong\u003eElliot\u003c\/strong\u003e, a cursed and vengeful blood familiar and \u003cstrong\u003eAlix\u003c\/strong\u003e, banished from the stone arcania tower and shrouded in secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, the four Wyrdos are not just fighting to survive but to lift the curse upon their world. There must be more to the sky than a dome of teeth and spittle; there must be something beyond the decay of Fourspires…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThese Shattered Spires\u003c\/i\u003e is 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 without a moment’s notice, this is such a unique, compelling book that kept me glued to the edge of my seat. Grotesque, disturbing and frankly unsanitary. I've never had so much fun. – \u003cstrong\u003eBea Fitzgerald, author of \u003ci\u003eGirl, Goddess, Queen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUtterly 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. – \u003cstrong\u003eElise Kova, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestselling Author of \u003ci\u003eArcana Academy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGruesome, gothic, gay and glorious. I ate this up from cover to cover. Addictively weird, heartfelt and a bloody good time! – \u003cstrong\u003eKat Dunn, author of \u003ci\u003eBitterthorn\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThese Shattered Spires\u003c\/i\u003e is 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. This story follows four morally complicated people tangled by love and hatred but forced to work together to survive. You will keep wondering what will happen next to the very end! – \u003cstrong\u003eKaty Nyquist, author of \u003ci\u003eA Holy Maiden's Guide to Getting Kidnapped\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAbsolutely perfect for fans of \u003ci\u003eGideon the Ninth\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThese Shattered Spires\u003c\/i\u003e 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 humour makes this gothic YA fantasy both upbeat and chill-inducing. I fear I’ll never look at nuns the same way again! – \u003cstrong\u003eCatelyn Wilson, author of \u003ci\u003eAll the Devils with Penguin\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThese Shattered Spires\u003c\/i\u003e is the weirdest book I've read this year, which is the highest praise I can give. It is delightfully grotesque, exquisitely macabre and viscerally strange. – \u003cstrong\u003eAlwyn Hamilton, author of \u003ci\u003eRebel in the Sands\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47773178462444,"sku":"9781526682970","price":44.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/these-shattered-spires-by-cassidy-ellis-salter-9781526682970","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}