Anyone like to suggest some holiday books for me (probably fantasy/sci-fi or non fiction)

Lois McMaster Bujold, the Curse of Chalion

also wrote a fun space opera series but the Curse of Chalion is her best fantasy. Think it won the world fantasy award iirc

Anything byHaruki Murakami. IQ84 is amazing two book epic that has a thread of fantasy running through. Most of his books follow this theme really.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

Any of Kelley Armstrong's books would work with your brief. She also has a couple of YA series.

I second the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovotch as well as the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka.

In terms of fantasy I would also recommend:

1. The Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne - about the last surviving druid and his dog. It is primarily set in present day USA although he travels all over this world and other planes. A lot of it is set in the Celtic mythological plane of Tir Na Nog. However, it also delves into Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Native American and other mythologies and there's even an encounter with Jesus.

1. The Demon Accords series by John Conroe - about a young police officer who can exorcise ghosts, and his encounters with vampires, werewolves and other non-human entities. Also set in the USA.

1. The Shadowmagic series by John Lenahan. Another one that starts in the USA and ends in Tir Na Nog. I think this series was written for young adults but I really enjoyed it.

1. The Hellequin series by Steve McHugh - this is a lot darker and less funny than the others. It's about a sorcerer with amnesia.

1. Finally, I would recommend a book of short stories called Carniepunk. All set in fairgrounds. The stories are variable but good as a whole.

Until a couple of years ago I would have scoffed at the idea of reading fantasy fiction. Now it is pretty much all I read, although am also a fan of crime dramas. There are some great recommendations on this thread, so thank you fo starting it Takver and I hope you have a wonderful holiday

I absolutely loved Gods Inc by Sarah King. It's very light fantasy. About a high flying businessman who is killed in a car crash and wakes up in the afterlife. Long story short, he finds out his wife who is still alive, is being stalked by a serial killer and he has to save her from beyond the grave. It's a bit sci fi, a bit fantasy. In this new world where he finds himself he starts to uncover disturbing secrets such as all living people are actually watched over and controlled by the dead. It's a really gripping and fast moving read.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00K31WE78?Version=1&entries=0

How about jim butchers's Dresden Files series? I've read the first -light and amusing with a bit of dark.

Thanks macerella, I'll take a look at Rivers of London

I would recommend
The Circle by Dave Eggers
Mr Penumbra's 24 hour bookstore

Not really, no! But they seem to me to share a certain kind of (typically British?) humour, so the above post was my slightly feeble attempt at an Amazon-style "if you liked that then you might like this..."

Is Rivers of London similar to JS & Mr Norrell?

SF/fantasy isn't particularly my thing but I've read and enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and the Rivers of London series and wondered if you/your dd might enjoy Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy? They're billed as books for 9-12 year olds but I know lots of adults (including me!) who have really enjoyed them. Although they're set in a very different world from Jonathan Strange or Rivers of London, they seem to me to have a similar "feel" and sense of humour (and even have footnotes ).

Definitely read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, if you haven't already.

Brandon Sanderson finished the wheel of time series after Robert Jordan passed away. It is clear he just did not get many of the female characters. Nynaeve in particular. Which is sad but still he did an OK job. I won't rush out to buy any of his books though.

I've just read Nexus which I loved. There's a second one too whose name I can;t remember, it felt a bit more rushed but still an interesting concept.

Felix Castor is an easyish read, but not light really - plots themselves are quite dark and twisty or can be. His best friend has got a demon in him. He investigates a lot of deaths. They are 'light' in the sense that I enjoy them and find urban fantasy generally easier to read than SF or epic fantasy, but not in theme, if you know what I mean?

Have you read any Trudi Canavan? I mention her just because I always see her books in my library and the Black magician trilogy was quite cliched but readable fluff.

Didn't see your bike comments! I haven't been on a bike in 12 years though and still liked Tour de France book :)

More books I've enjoyed recently include:
The Golem and the Jinni - a Golem and a Jinni separately arrive in New York in 1899. It's about immigration and prejudice as much as supernatural beings.

The Martian - Astronaut is accidentally abandoned on Mars when crew think he's been killed. Then has to survive as long as he can until he can potentially get picked up again. But there's no food, little water, etc. First person, really quite fun.

Ancillary Justice - a soldier who used to be part of the mind of a ship seeks vengeance. V cool.

More Non-fic: Quiet the Power of Introversion (basically how introverts are supercool and awesome, so maybe give a miss if you're an extrovert).

Or Orange is the New Black? (not as exciting as the TV show)

Or For Richer, for Poorer, a love affair with poker (oldish book from Victoria Coren, good though).

Everyone in my Goodreads book groups seems to read a LOT of Brandon Sanderson. They're not for me, but could be worth a try. Mistborn was quite good. He likes his magic rules.

I like the Look Inside feature on Amazon (plus reviews from there and Goodreads) to give me an idea of whether I'll like something or not.

World War Z is very good (and I don't read zombie stuff)

Benedict Jacka's Cursed / Fated / Chosen / Taken - light urban fantasy, like Jim Butcher / Mike Carey and set in London, well written and funny

I second Patrick Rothfuss - great books for hanging about though if you miss a train / plane / lose a family member don't blame me...

"The Girl with all the Gifts" by MR Carey. Dystopian/ zombie but really well written and gripping. He's written another series that I read years ago that was excellent (about a wizard/ necromancer) that was also good and I'm thinking of re-reading!

Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

He was good friends with G R R Martin, but his books are nothing like the Game of Thrones novels. There are 15 of the books but they are set over only a two year period.

I am a bit of a fan :)