Curse of the Night Witch

By Alex Aster

Book Overview

A Seventeen.com Most Anticipated Book of Summer
A Zibby Owens Summer Reading Pick on Good Morning America

"Worthy of every magical ounce"--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

A fast-paced series starter, perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and Percy Jackson, filled with adventure, mythology, and an unforgettable trio of friends.

On Emblem Island all are born knowing their fate. Their lifelines show the course of their life and an emblem dictates how they will spend it.

Twelve-year-old Tor Luna was born with a leadership emblem, just like his mother. But he hates his mark and is determined to choose a different path for himself. So, on the annual New Year's Eve celebration, where Emblemites throw their wishes into a bonfire in the hopes of having them granted, Tor wishes for a different power.

The next morning Tor wakes up to discover a new marking on his skin...the symbol of a curse that has shortened his lifeline, giving him only a week before an untimely death. There is only one way to break the curse, and it requires a trip to the notorious Night Witch.

With only his village's terrifying, ancient stories as a guide, and his two friends Engle and Melda by his side, Tor must travel across unpredictable Emblem Island, filled with wicked creatures he only knows through myths, in a race against his dwindling lifeline.

"Debut author Aster takes inspiration from Colombian folklore to craft a rousing series opener that's both fast-paced and thrilling. As her protagonists face off against a host of horrors, they learn the value of friendship and explore the possibility of changing one's fate in a world where destiny is predetermined."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1492697206
• ISBN13: 9781492697206
• Release Date: June 2020
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.7" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7