The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic could be a good read for readers who enjoy intelligent escapes into a richly imagined fantasy world. This novel offers a unique twist on the usual themes of magic and fantasy by having an appealing female protagonist and clever literary references. Readers will appreciate the cinematic storytelling and wry humor as they follow Nora Fischer on her journey to learn real magic and survive in a fairy tale gone wrong.

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• Locus Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2014)
• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy (2013)

Earning comparisons to wildly popular fantasy novels by Deborah Harkness and Lev Grossman, Emily Croy Barker’s enchanting debut offers an intelligent escape into a richly imagined world. And with an appealing female protagonist, cinematic storytelling, wry humor, and wonderfully clever literary references, The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic is sure to capture the imaginations of readers everywhere. During a miserable weekend at a friend’s wedding, eager to forget about her disastrous breakup and stalled dissertation, Nora Fischer wanders off and somehow finds herself in another realm. There, she meets glamorous Ilissa—who introduces Nora to a decadent new world—and her gorgeous son Raclin. But when the elegant veneer of this dreamland shatters, Nora finds herself in a fairy tale gone incredibly wrong. And the only way she can survive is by learning real magic herself.

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