Into the Crooked Place

Into the Crooked Place begins a gritty two-book YA fantasy series from Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom.

The streets of Creije are for the deadly and the dreamers, and four crooks in particular know just how much magic they need up their sleeve to survive.

Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.

Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.

Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.

And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.

Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.

"With its gangland details, creative magical caste system and surprisingly brutal characters, Into the Crooked Place is very much its own thing. And that thing will likely be a story you can’t put down." —Culturess

"Christo offers the reader creative and thoughtful backstories for each protagonist, along with fully realized worlds rife with magic...Everywhere are people of color and acknowledgment of LGBTQ characters—nice touches not always seen in fantasy." -Booklist

"Christo has done an amazing amount of worldbuilding with this book, creating magic and lore I have never heard of before. The way her characters use magic, the mythology of each of her characters within their backstories, and the timing with which these backstories are revealed – pure magic, pun intended!" —MuggleNet


" If you’re looking for a story of angsty teens with the world’s biggest chips on their shoulders, look no further! ... It’s a gangster heist story dealing with a lot of heavy themes, but I think everyone will find something to love in this story.... It's a wonderful read with awesome characters."—
The Nerd Daily