Recommendations based on "The Crone of Mystic Sparks"

Seventeen-year-old Tomasu lives in a remote mountain village, some of whose residents - including his mother - are members of the Hidden, a clandestine, peaceful religious sect. He has never met his father. One day, while Tomasu is out collecting mushrooms, a band of Tohan warriors descends upon and massacres the village. Tomasu confronts the warriors, but is rescued by the mysterious Lord Otori, who changes the boy's name to Takeo, and wants to adopt him. As Takeo learns to read, and to fight with sword and pole, on and off horseback, he does not realize that he is the center of a bloody intrigue ...until it is almost too late. ' Quite simply the best story of magic, love, sex, revenge and suspense to have come this way since Philip Pullman' - Amanda Craig, Independent on Sunday

THEY TRIED TO CAGE US. BUT A WEYWARD WOMAN BELONGS TO THE WILD. WE CANNOT BE TAMED. ________________________________________________________ 'Alive, vivid and gripping' ABIGAIL DEAN 'Humming with a sly, exhilarating magic' BRIDGET COLLINS 'Totally unique' GILLIAN MCALLISTER 'Utterly absorbing' ABI DARE 'Fierce and moving... magnificent' ROSIE ANDREWS 'A stunning debut' LUCY CLARKE Kate, 2019 Kate flees London - abandoning everything - for Cumbria and Weyward Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century. Violet, 1942 Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever. Altha, 1619 Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated. But Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed... Weaving together the stories of three women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world. UNIQUE. ORIGINAL. UNFORGETTABLE. Discover the power of being Weyward in 2023's biggest debut 'Relevant, empowering and brilliantly written... I just love it!' JOANNA CANNON 'An absolute beauty... a riveting page turner for wild women everywhere' JULIE OWEN MOYLAN, author of That Green Eyed Girl 'Beautifully written and intricate as a spider's web' SUNYI DEAN, author of The Book Eaters 'A brave and original debut - spellbinding' SARAH PENNER, author of The Lost Apothecary 'Beguiling, absorbing and exquisitely-rendered' LIZZIE POOK, author of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter

'IMAGINATIVE AND COMPELLING' Juliet Marillier, author of the Sevenwaters Series THERE IS A VERY OLD STORY, RARELY TOLD, OF A WOLF THAT RUNS INTO THE OCEAN AND BECOMES A WHALE. Born with the soul of a hunter and chosen by the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps - invoking the spirits of the land, sea and sky to protect her people. But the gods have stopped listening, the seals won't come and Omat's family is starving. Alone at the edge of the world, hope is the only thing they have left. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she meets a Viking warrior and his strange new gods, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world . . . or save it. Blending myth and magic from Norse and Inuit folklore, The Wolf in The Whale is a captivating tale of identity and survival featuring an unforgettable narrator who will do anything to protect those she loves, even confront the gods themselves. 'I honestly could not put into words how much I loved this book . . . one of my favorite books I've ever read . . . Magical, heartbreaking, and beautiful' Jes Reads Books 'An enchanting blend of myth, magic and faith . . . treat yourself and dive right in' SciFiNow 'Magical and awe inspiring . . . brings together an incredible world of ice and magic and characters that will capture your heart' Fantasy Hive

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 New York Times bestselling Witcher series has inspired the hit Netflix show and multiple blockbuster video games, and has transported millions of fans around the globe to an epic, unforgettable world of magic and adventure. Now, for the first time, enjoy the full series in stunning new hardcover editions, featuring cover art by 8 different award-winning artists!For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But that peace has now come to an end.Geralt of Rivia, the hunter known as the Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. The one who has the power to change the world for good—or for evil.As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is pursued for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt’s responsibility to protect them all. And the Witcher never accepts defeat.Join Geralt of Rivia; his beloved ward and the child of prophecy, Ciri; and his ally and love, the powerful sorceress Yennefer as they battle monsters, demons, and prejudices alike in Blood of Elves, the first novel of The Witcher Saga.Witcher story collectionsThe Last WishSword of DestinyWitcher novelsBlood of ElvesThe Time of ContemptBaptism of FireThe Tower of SwallowsLady of the LakeSeason of Storms (stand alone)Hussite TrilogyThe Tower of FoolsWarriors of GodLight PerpetualTranslated from original Polish by Danusia Stok

In Marion Zimmer Bradley's reworking of the powerful Arthurian epic, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot's court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king's rise and schemed for his fall. There is Morgaine, an intense woman gifted with the Sight, who has sworn to keep the old religion alive against the growing tide of Christianity that threatens her way of life - even if it means fighting a deadly battle against her beloved brother. And the devout Gwenhwyfar, married to Arthur out of a sense of duty, determined to bring Britain into the light of her God.From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur's kingdom, as the Knights of Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds - and old and new religions - claims its most famous victim.

Night Tales: Nightshade & Night Smoke by Nora Roberts released on Jul 26, 2005 is available now for purchase.

Tells the stories of Gaddie a Scottish farm girl of the late eighteenth century, and her foundling daughter, Elspeth

From Newbery Medal–winning author Robin McKinley, this beloved story illuminates an unlikely love story—Beauty and the Beast. This fortieth-anniversary edition features a striking new package for the award-winning novel. Publishers Weekly called Beauty “A splendid story.”Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in appearance, she can perhaps make up for in courage. When her father comes home with a tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must travel to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father insists that he will not let her go, but she responds, “Cannot a Beast be tamed?”Newbery Medalist Robin McKinley’s beloved and acclaimed novel has been delighting readers for more than forty years. ALA Booklist called Beauty “A captivating novel.” “A reader feels as though it’s all unfolding for the very first time.”—The GuardianAn ALA Notable Book for ChildrenA Best Book for Young Adults

An elemental witch and her shieldmaiden navigate a dangerous world of forgotten myth and deep magic in the second volume of New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow's sweeping Norse-inspired epic fantasy series. Solveig and her shieldmaid have finally reached the fabled Elder sanctuary of Waterstone--a city of healing, restful beauty hidden from the Enemy's gaze. Yet whispers race through the palace halls, and those they have come to tentatively trust have hidden intentions. For not only is the city a refuge for an elementalist, her protector, and a mortal prince, it also holds a great weapon, one that only Solveig's kind may wield. Yet Sol's faith in her own magic is perilously fractured. She can rely only her wits and skills of negotiation to be heard, or she will become a pawn in a dark game played by Elder and Enemy alike. The lord of the Black Land is mighty; treachery slithers amid Waterstone's many wonders, and time is growing short. Before the darkness finds a way in, Sol must decide who to trust, where to turn for aid, and if she will take up a power she cannot hope to control. Even the right choice may doom not just the home she has left behind, but the entire world... Black Land's Bane A Flame in the North