First published 2001
Ellen wakes to find a strange crown resting on her pillow. The silver band gleams with embedded blue stones, and she knows instinctively that it belongs to her. She has no time to understand its magic. Her house burns down. Her family vanishes without a trace. A man dressed in a dark uniform begins following her every move. Ellen must flee with only the mysterious crown as her protection. The forces of darkness have awakened, and somehow the balance between good and evil depends on her actions. She faces an impossible choice: use the crown's unknown powers to fight back, or lose everything she loves forever. Deep in the woods stands a castle that holds terrible secrets. Ellen must find the courage to enter its walls if she hopes to rescue her family and restore the world's balance. The crown chose her for this battle, but she must discover why.
Genres: fiction, adventure, fantasy, young-adult
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Castle, Woods
272 pages · Paperback · Aladdin