City of Shadows — Mia Marchenko

Once, this city was home to golden-eyed wizards. Then came the conquerors who banned magic, and the city’s inhabitants became shadows living in darkness and cold. Twelve-year-old Marta, newly arrived and still grieving her mother’s death, holds in her hand the only treasure from her past. But when that trinket begins to change, she senses something is very wrong. The shadows around her move strangely; there is a hidden secret to the city’s fall. Marta must decide whether to confront the unseen, reclaim what was lost, and bring light back to a world that’s forgotten how to believe in miracles. City of Shadows is an adventure story not only for children — about magic, loss, hope, and the courage to spark change.