Cinders & Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann

Thirteen year old Zita Is an orphan and a housemaid at the orphanage she's in.   She really can't remember her family.  She just remembers going into the woods and never coming back...

Greenwillow Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on October 13th.

Then the orphanage gets a letter for her.  She has inherited the mansion they lived in.  She doesn't remember it but she's not going to give it up.  She heads out to get there and finds the way long and the passage slow.  The last stage takes her to the bottom of the hill and tells she'll have to walk the rest of the way.  When she asks why he tells her there are witches and ghosts at the house and he's not going close.  Then he leaves and she takes her tired body up the big hill.

The mansion is huge.  The girl opening the door is not much older than her.  She and the boy are both friendly.  The old woman that has been living there is not happy to see her.  She crabs about everything.  It doesn't take long until Zita figures out she's trying to get rid of her.

Zita looks for information about her family.  She doesn't find much, but she learns that her mother is still alive.  Now she has two lives to fight for.

The ending is exciting and unexpected.  Any child who loves fantasy and doesn't scare too easily will love this book.  It was an entertaining read.  Karma comes into play...