Recommendations based on "Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird"

In the epic finale to the #1 internationally bestselling Fallen Gods trilogy that started with Godkiller, the fate of Middren hangs in the balance as mighty gods and mortal heroes clash in a final battle for supremacy.War has come. The fire god Hseth is leading an unstoppable army south, consuming everything in her path. Middren's only hope of survival is to unify allies and old foes against a common enemy.Elo navigates an uneasy alliance with Arren—his friend, his enemy, and his king. Now they each must decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to turn the tides of war.Meanwhile, Inara joins her mother on their ship, the Silverswift, to seek aid. Still grappling with her powers, Inara must reconcile who she is and where she belongs, while Skediceth has to question if their bond will be enough to keep them safe.Kissen has no allegiance to the old ways of Middren. But, as she tries to find her family, she is forced to question what, and whose, future she is fighting for.In Faithbreaker, Hannah Kaner delivers a powerful conclusion to the Fallen Gods trilogy, masterfully weaving together love and sacrifice, loyalty and betrayal, and the true meaning of faith.

'Keeps one reading long after the lights should have been out'ROBIN HOBB The fourth novel in the explosive New York Times bestselling series that began with AN EMBER IN THE ASHES.

‘Tahir spins a captivating, heart-pounding fantasy’ Us Weekly Read the explosive New York Times bestselling debut that’s captivated readers worldwide. Set to be a major motion picture, An Ember in the Ashes is the book everyone is talking about. What if you were the spark that could ignite a revolution? For years Laia has lived in fear. Fear of the Empire, fear of the Martials, fear of truly living at all. Born as a Scholar, she’s never had much of a choice. For Elias it’s the opposite. He has seen too much on his path to becoming a Mask, one of the Empire’s elite soldiers. With the Masks’ help the Empire has conquered a continent and enslaved thousands of Scholars, all in the name of power. When Laia’s brother is taken she must force herself to help the Resistance, the only people who have a chance of saving him. She must spy on the Commandant, ruthless overseer of Blackcliff Academy. Blackcliff is the training ground for Masks and the very place that Elias is planning to escape. If he succeeds, he will be named deserter. If found, the punishment will be death. But once Laia and Elias meet, they find that their destinies are intertwined and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire. In the ashes of a broken world one person can make a difference. One voice in the dark can be heard. The price of freedom is always high and this time that price might demand everything, even life itself.

Since the 1.34 a.m. wake up calls began, Elena, Matt, and Tima had all had the power to talk to animals, birds and insects like no other human could. None of them would ever trade that for a full eight hours sleep. It was too amazing. But an amazing life has its complications. Like finding a body in the dark. Like having to stop the world from ending. You can fit a lot in your day when you don't sleep.New from award-winning author, Ali Sparkes, with huge appeal for both boys and girls. Fast-paced action adventure about contemporary children with mysterious powers, told with Ali's classic humour and lightness of touch.

Phoenix and her friends vow to save Ember from all but certain doom in this final unmissable chapter in the sweeping series that New York Times bestselling author B. B. Alston called "the best kind of children's fantasy story." Following the shocking events at Icegaard, Phoenix and her friends gather with the Hunters, desperate to unite the warring clans before their enemy, the Master, launches his attack on Ember. The Cavern of Light offers hope in the form of a legendary weapon, but the friends must brave the unknown, facing down new and deadly creatures in search of the artifact that could save their world. As an epic final showdown draws near, Phoenix is determined not to lose anyone else that she loves. But the Master is more brutal and powerful than she ever imagined, and as Phoenix's past and present collide, unthinkable sacrifices will have to be made to defeat him.

Iolanthe and Titus's mission comes to its thrilling end in the third book in the Elemental Trilogy—perfect for fans of Cinda Williams Chima and Kristin Cashore—which Publishers Weekly called "a wonderfully satisfying magical saga" in a starred review and Kirkus Reviews said "bids fair to be the next big epic fantasy success."In a pursuit that spans continents, Iolanthe, Titus, and their friends have always managed to remain one step ahead of the forces of Atlantis. But now the Bane, the monstrous tyrant who bestrides the entire mage world, has issued his ultimatum: Titus must hand over Iolanthe, or watch as his entire realm is destroyed in a deadly rampage. Running out of time and options, Iolanthe and Titus decide to act now and deliver a final blow to the Bane that will end his reign of terror for good. But getting to the Bane means accomplishing the impossible: finding a way to infiltrate his crypt in the deepest recesses of the most ferociously guarded fortress in Atlantis. And everything is only made more difficult when new prophecies come to light, foretelling a doomed effort. . . .Iolanthe and Titus will put their love and their lives on the line. But will it be enough? 

In Great Sky Woman, "daringly epic in scope," (Publishers Weekly), Steven Barnes's Great Sky Woman unveiled the world of a prehistoric people in the shadow of modern-day Mount Kilimanjaro. Now, in Shadow Valley, the astounding sequel, we follow the Ibandi people's odyssey through a land where everything has changed-a land from whose ashes will grow the roots of civilization and the enduring truths of love, family, forgiveness, and faith. After the catastrophic eruption of Father Mountain, the Ibandi are divided, desperate, and afraid. Most have followed the only person in whom they still believe: young Sky Woman, who was on the great mountain when it exploded and who, along with Frog Hopping, returned to tell the tale. Nurtured by an elder whose searing visions have left her blind, Sky Woman nonetheless doubts her own visionary powers as she follows a path she can hardly discern-across savannah and parched plains-to find a valley of plenty for a people on the brink of collapse. But in fact, Sky Woman and Frog were not the only survivors of the mountain's explosion. Another man has emerged from the destruction, vengeance pulsing in his veins, to lead a separate group of Ibandi into a vicious and reckless act of war. Soon these two strands of survivors will meet, through chance, desperation, and sheer willpower. In a world in which every moment is lived on the edge between life and death, where animal and human predators can strike in an instant, where the gods themselves seem lost, and dreams entwine with reality, a people's destiny rushes toward them. The Ibandi must make a last, violent stand against complete destruction. In this hypnotic, thrilling, and beautiful novel, Steven Barnes explores relationships between friends and lovers, leaders and followers, strangers and allies. At once visceral and soaringly insightful, Shadow Valley is about who we are as human beings today as seen through the wondrous prism of our distant past.

In this Nebula Award-winning novel, the third in the Annals of the Western Shore trilogy, Ursula K. Le Guin writes of the proud cruelty of power, of how hard it is to grow up, and of how much harder still it is to find, in the world's darkness, gifts of light.Young Gav can remember the page of a book after seeing it once, and, inexplicably, he sometimes "remembers" things that are going to happen in the future.As a loyal slave, he must keep these powers secret, but when a terrible tragedy occurs, Gav, blinded by grief, flees the only world he has ever known. And in what becomes a treacherous journey for freedom, Gav's greatest test of all is facing his powers so that he can come to understand himself and finally find a true home."Powers is rich with action, with battles, escapes, strategy, and skulduggery, but it has a still, quiet place at its heart, a place of moral complexity." --Sarah Ellis, The Globe and Mail"In her facility in world-making and her interest in human nature, Le Guin stands above almost all of what's out there. Her exploration of identity and power, of social structures and the meaning of freedom, can only enrich her readers. Gav's vulnerability and his slow recognition of his real gifts make him both familiar and admirable, like any child who struggles to know one's strengths and place in the world. This is a good, long trek of a fantasy." --Deirdre Baker, Toronto Star"With compelling themes about the soul-crushing effects of slavery, and a journey plotline that showcases Le Guin's gift for creating a convincing array of cultures, this follow-up to Gifts and Voices may be the series' best installment." --Jennifer Mattson, BooklistThe Annals of the Western Shore Trilogy includes: GiftsVoicesPowers

The thrilling sequel to the bestselling middle-grade debut of autumn 2020, shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize Imogen and Marie return through the door in the tree to a whole new Yaroslav. Miro is king, but hates it. Anneshka is no longer Queen. . . and hates it. When Anneshka hears a prophecy that she will rule the Greatest Kingdom, she seizes Marie, believing her to be key to fulfilling it, and heads over the mountains. Imogen and Miro chase after them, in hot pursuit. But what they find in the lands beyond will change everything again, and see them facing dangers they could never have imagined, both human and otherwise. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Chris Riddell, exciting and funny, the Clock of Stars trilogy is a timeless fantasy from the most astonishing new voice in middle grade.

One girl sets out on a journey across the treacherous Arizona desert to rescue a young pilot stranded after a plane crash in this gripping story of survival, friendship, and rescue from a bestselling and award-winning author. ​ Twelve-year-old Jolene spends every day she can at the library watching her favorite livestream: The Desert Aviator, where twelve-year-old "Addie Earhart" shares her adventures flying an ultralight plane over the desert. While watching this daring girl fly through the sky, Jolene can dream of what it would be like to fly with her, far away from her own troubled home life where her mother struggles with a narcotic addiction. And Addie, who is grieving the loss of her father, finds solace in her online conversations with Jolene, her biggest--and only--fan. Then, one day, it all goes wrong: Addie's engine abruptly stops, and Jolene watches in helpless horror as the ultralight plummets to the ground and the video goes dark. Jolene knows that Addie won't survive long in the extreme summer desert heat. With no one to turn to for help and armed with only a hand-drawn map and a stolen cell phone, it's up to Jolene to find a way to save the Desert Aviator. Packed with adventure and heart, Across the Desert speaks to the resilience, hope, and strength within each of us. Don't miss Dusti Bowling's new novel, Dust, available for preorder now.