I had heard many good things about Children of Time so had been contemplating reading it. I'm so glad you mentioned the spiders because nope. Just no. (I'm utterly unbothered by spiders in real life - I'm generally the one called upon to remove them - and conversely utterly terrified of giant/intelligent spiders. I may have read The Hobbit at an impressionable age.) They have pretty much the polar opposite effect on my anxiety from dogs.

Sleeping Giants on the other hand, does sound worth checking out so I might seek that one out instead...