Recommendations based on "Vanya and the Shifting Spire"

'I was totally gripped by this sharp, layered novel' Douglas Stuart, author of Shuggie Bain 'A brilliant, riveting fox-trap - an epic mystery' Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace 'A rare gem, an immersive and enthralling literary thriller' Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train ----------------------------------------------------- From the author of LONG BRIGHT RIVER, a Barack Obama Pick and a New York Times bestseller, comes a once-in-a-generation story; a novel you'll never forget. Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars. Some said the Van Laars deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son. Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy. Now, fifteen years later, the daughter the family had in their grief has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren't connected. Some say they are.

Ours is a land of many gods, and we are a people with the ability to pick the worst of them. Cahan du Nahare is known as the forester - a humble man who can nonetheless navigate the dangerous Deepforest like no-one else. But once he was more. Once he was a warrior. Udinny serves the goddess of the lost, a goddess of the small and helpless. When she ventures into the Deepforest to find a missing child, Cahan will be her guide. But in a land at war, in a forest full of monsters - Cahan will need to choose between his past life and the one he leads now - and his choice will have consequences for his entire world.

A wonderfully written fantasy set in the west of Ireland which tells of the coming of the Great Queen, the Morrigan, who is bent on bringing destruction to the world. Only Pidge and Bridget can stop her and their task seems impossible as they're constantly trailed by the queen's hounds. But they're aided in their quest by a host of willing helpers - a glorious array of unforgettable characters. The Hounds of the Morrigan is a remarkable book which was ten years in the writing and has resulted in something quite unlike anything written for children before.

Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series is a global phenomenon with over thirty million copies sold and translated into over forty languages worldwide. Crossroads of Ravens is a new standalone novel following fantasy's most beloved monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia, on his first steps towards becoming a legend. "A gift for series fans." - Publishers Weekly Witchers are not born. They are made. Before he was the White Wolf or the Butcher of Blaviken, Geralt of Rivia was simply a fresh graduate of Kaer Morhen, stepping into a world that neither understands nor welcomes his kind. And when an act of naïve heroism goes gravely wrong, Geralt is only saved from the noose by Preston Holt, a grizzled witcher with a buried past and an agenda of his own. Under Holt's guiding hand, Geralt begins to learn what it truly means to walk the Path - to protect a world that fears him, and to survive in it on his own terms. But as the line between right and wrong begins to blur, Geralt must decide to become the monster everyone expects, or something else entirely. This is the story of how legends are made - and what they cost. "Geralt is one of the great characters in all of fantasy. Whether you're coming from the games, TV show, or are simply new to the Witcher universe - these books are absolutely worth the read." - James Islington, author of The Will of the Many Witcher Story Collections The Last Wish Sword of Destiny The Witcher Saga Blood of Elves The Time of Contempt Baptism of Fire The Tower of Swallows Lady of the Lake Standalone Witcher Novels Season of Storms Crossroads of Ravens The Hussite Trilogy The Tower of Fools Warriors of God Light Perpetual Translated from original Polish by David French

NAMED A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR & ONE OF THE BEST FANTASY NOVELS OF THE YEAR "Astonishing and pristine, the kind of debut I love to be devastated by, already so assured and sophisticated that it's difficult to imagine where the author can go from here. . . . It's simply a delight from start to finish." - AMAL EL-MOHTAR, New York Times Book Review "Follow where this novel leads and you will be lost in a bewitching spell, a book of magic about books of magic . . . extraordinary." - MARLON JAMES In this spellbinding debut novel, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family's library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection--a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal, and the pursuit of magic and power. For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements--books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect. All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna's isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they'll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . . In the great tradition of Ninth House, The Magicians, and Practical Magic, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric novel that draws readers into a vast world filled with mystery and magic, romance, and intrigue--and marks the debut of an extraordinary new voice in speculative fiction. "Ink Blood Sister Scribe is so many things at once: an adventure, a puzzle, a twisty thriller, and a tender romance. . . . I adored it." - ALIX E. HARROW "If, like me, you're a fan of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo, pick up this book at once." -- KELLY LINK

The ordinary becomes extraordinary in this sparkling first book in the Starfell series, a modern classic perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The Land of Stories. Willow Moss's small magic has always seemed unremarkable. But when the most feared witch in the land of Starfell appears on the Moss family's doorstep looking for help, it's not Willow's talented sisters she seeks, it's Willow. Because Willow is a finder of lost things--and Moreg Vaine says that last Tuesday has gone missing. Willow and Moreg set out on a perilous journey across the wilds of Starfell, looking for what they've lost. If they don't discover what happened to the missing day, the repercussions could be devastating for the entire kingdom. Can Willow find the day, to save the day?

From award-winning author Sarah Prineas comes an all-new short story! This original thirty-page fantasy-adventure short story serves as a prequel to Winterling. Finn loves being a puck. He loves causing trouble, hanging out with his puck-brothers, and shifting from boy to dog to horse. There's nothing more fun! However, when Finn learns of the Mór's treacherous plan to get rid of the Lady of the Summerlands, will anyone believe him? And how far will he go to make sure it doesn't happen? Sarah Prineas is the author of the Magic Thief series and the Winterling trilogy (also composed of Summerkin and Moonkind).

Drawing on Arthurian legend, Joy Nash creates an intricate romantic adventure around the identity of the mysterious Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, and the birth of the Once and Future King. The novel is a compelling mix of romance, myth, history and sensuality.

Ruthless, ancient forces of fire and ice engage in a titanic struggle with the oldest Nargun and his people.

The most magical children's book debut of 2020, shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and illustrated by award-winning Chris Riddell Imogen should be nice to her little sister Marie. She should be nice to her mum's boyfriend too. And she certainly shouldn't follow a strange silver moth through a door in a tree. But then . . . who does what they're told? Followed by Marie, Imogen finds herself falling into a magical kingdom where the two sisters are swept up in a thrilling race against time - helped by the spoiled prince of the kingdom, a dancing bear, a very grumpy hunter . . . and even the stars above them. Thrilling, sharply funny, and with characters you will fall in love with, A Clock of Stars is a timeless fantasy from an astonishing new voice - and the beginning of an unforgettable journey . . .