by Salter, Cassidy Ellis | Interest age: from c 13 years Published 10/03/2026 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (Bloomsbury YA) in the United Kingdom as part of the Wyrdos series Hardback | 368 pages163 x 243 x 31mm | 544g‘Ambitious, gruesome and appallingly fascinating’ - The GuardianIn 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, These Shattered Spires is the first book in the Wyrdos trilogy.Beneath a tooth-filled sky, the world rots. At the heart of the decaying world is Fourspires Castle, home to arcanists from across the four magical disciplines: bone, blood, botany and stone.When the king is assassinated, chaos erupts. To seize the crown, arcanists and their human familiars are dragged into the Slaughter – a deadly competition, where survival means killing and death is the only escape.Amidst the bloodshed, four rival familiars must work together … Taro, a bone witch still obsessed with her ex. Nixie, a botanical familiar with a ghost living in her bedroom. Elliot, a cursed and vengeful blood familiar and Alix, banished from the stone arcania tower and shrouded in secrets.Together, 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 …***********************************************************************************************************‘These Shattered Spires 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.’ Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen‘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‘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‘These Shattered Spires 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!’ Katy Nyquist, author of the A Holy Maiden's Guide to Getting Kidnapped‘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 makes this gothic YA fantasy both upbeat and chill inducing. I fear I’ll never look at nuns the same way again!’ Catelyn Wilson, author of All the Devils with Penguin
