As many souls as stars A novel

Historical fiction author Siegel (Solomon's Crown) spins a tale of dark sapphic romance in her addictive fantasy debut. As a First Daughter of her family, Cybil Harding is cursed from her birth in 1576 with dark, chaotic magic that dooms the people around her. Previous generations of the Harding family left firstborn daughters in the woods for the wolves, but Cybil's father, Christopher, is convinced their family's magic is a blessing and believes he can break Cybil's curse. While he flounders trying to do so, Cybil grows up unintentionally leaving death and destruction everywhere she goes. When Christopher attempts to summon a demon to break the curse, Miriam Richter, a creation of the shadows, answers the call--only to reap Christopher's soul. Later, however, when the witchfinder catches up with Cybil, Miriam steps in and makes her a deal: Cybil will be reincarnated each time a first daughter is born and will have 23 years in each lifetime to try to break the curse before Miriam returns for her soul. Thus agreed, the pair begin a cat-and-mouse dance across centuries. Siegel's historical scene-setting stays vivid and impressive as the periods change, and the tension-filled dynamic between the leads keeps the pages turning. Fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue will be enthralled. Agent: Catherine Cho, Paper Literary. (Nov.)

A woman marked by a family curse has a chance to rewrite her fate--but not without making a bargain with darkness. Centuries ago, a being is born from the shadows, the product of a ritual, and roams in search of light from souls to feed its darkness. The being eats its first soul and takes the soul's human form, becoming Miriam Richter. Fast forward to 1576 when Cybil Harding is born "under inauspicious stars," the first daughter who, according to family lore, is cursed to be a witch and bring nothing but destruction. Cybil's father, a man of magic himself, is heavily influenced by the Reformation and believes his magic to be the spreading of miracles. Cybil, then, is a dark spot in his vision. When witchcraft becomes a death sentence in England, her father takes matters into his own hands. Using the same ritual as his forefathers, he summons a spirit of the darkness to do his bidding--Miriam. Emboldened by the brightest soul she has ever seen--Cybil's--Miriam wants her above all else. Cybil is less than willing to give up her soul to darkness when she has barely had a chance to live. Thus begins a unique game of cat and mouse: "We are light and darkness, you and I. There is no choice. Eventually, one of us must destroy the other." Cybil's realization of her supernatural potential is juxtaposed against the fury of men at her mere existence. Miriam sees her opportunity to offer Cybil a deal, a life free from the bonds of her curse. But wagering a deal with darkness comes with unimaginable consequences, and Cybil's soul is destined for a journey of lifetimes. Siegel uses her skills as a writer of historical fiction to highlight the changing form of oppression against women across centuries, while infusing a compelling supernatural arc that makes this story one to remember. Cybil's journey is one of oppression, self-discovery, violence, and love, these dichotomies most simply summed up by the struggle of light versus darkness. Cybil and Miriam's deeply complicated bond shows the human side of evil and the dark side of love. Despite her story's grand scope, Siegel has written something both ugly and beautiful in the most human of ways. This novel will bend and twist your notion of what love is, while leaving you utterly bewitched. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.