Netflix appears to have found a hit with it's latest Regency romance, Bridgerton, which premiered on Christmas Day. Produced by Shondaland, it is the first project to be released from the lucrative deal with Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder. The series follows the Bridgerton family as they are wrapped up in the marriage season of London high society, with each eligible debutante presented to Queen Charlotte. In true Gossip Girl fashion, a certain Lady Whistledown is on the case to inform on any scandal that befalls any of the members of the ton. Narrate ..read more

When the Cruel Prince first published in 2018, audiences became enchanted with Holly Blacks' mesmerising world of Faerie. Jude Duarte and Cardan Greenbriar became household names in the Young Adult genre and the morally ambiguous characters provided a fresh outlook on what heroes of a story can be. To celebrate the release of the next book in the series, How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate stories (an illustrated story from Cardan's point of view), The Hot Key Books ambassadors have organised a read-along of the original trilogy. It is open to fans who wish to refresh their memory or new r ..read more

  Mystery novels are fascinating because you can never truly trust any of the characters. They make for an uncertain reading experience, often resulting in the throwing of books against a wall or staring into the abyss as you contemplate the plot twists.   Sherlock Holmes is often the most recognised name within the genre and Netflix certainly saw the continued interest in the enigmatic detective by adapting Nancy Springer’s novel Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess. Having just watched the film, I am in dire need of more mysteries and books fe ..read more

I'd like to welcome author Lauren James to my blog to talk about her favourite anti-heroic characters!  In my new novel The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker, I did something I've wanted to do for years - write about a girl who is unapologetically, completely evil. I'd never seen a villainous female character - like Loki - who I really sympathised with and rooted for. When Harriet dies in an abandoned building, she discovers a society of ghosts, with an intricate social hierarchy. She decides to become the most powerful ghost, whatever the cost to her reputation or friendships. Natur ..read more

If you're a fan of the Outlander TV series, stay tuned because two of the stars have teamed up to create the perfect companion book all about Scotland. Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish, who play Jamie Frasier and Dougal Mackenzie respectively, are set to release Clandlands on November 3rd. It is a documentation of their road trip as they pass Glencoe, Inverness and Culloden battlefield, all pivotal locations for their characters on the show. With the publications day imminent, the authors have released the official covers for the US and UK markets.  With a foreword written by Dian ..read more

Charm and excitement can often be found in mysteries skewed toward a younger audience. While the dark themes do still occur, the characters show a certain hopeful attitude and stubbornness to be included in what usually is an adults world. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the latest author to tackle the evergrowing genre but she takes it one step further by adding the epic component of puzzles to her latest book The Inheritcane Games. The novel follows Avery who is an ordinary teenager living with her sister, whose presence is suddenly requested at the will reading of a prominent businessman. To he ..read more

Jennifer L. Armentrout has always been the queen of paranormal romance. The Obsidian series remains as one of the wittiest and additive series in existence and with the From Blood and Ash series, the author continues to prove that you don’t need to sacrifice an intricate plot and worldbuilding for the romance to also take centre stage. The latest series from Armentrout is the new adult fantasy pitched as 'Game of Thrones with vampires', set in a fictional world where Poppy is awaiting her Ascension to be deemed worthy by the gods. For most of her life, she has been the Maiden with a duty ..read more

Author M.A Bennett has become a standout name on the UKYA scene, her acclaimed S.T.A.G.S series has accumulated many readers infatuated with the British boarding school setting. Her novels are the perfect escape, with each instalment proving a fresh tale within the familiar backdrop and relatable characters. F.O.X.E.S is the third in the series, which published today and I am pleased to host Chapter One on ThatFictionLife. The book follows Greer who has just recovered from her terrifying experience during the STAGS play. Was she really put on trial by the sinister Dark Order of the Grand Stag ..read more

Three years have passed since the last Bone Season book published and with a new instalment on track to release in 2021, fans are eager to learn more about the menacing futuristic world of Scion. Samantha Shannon has thus announced a brand new novella, The Dawn Chorus, to pave the way between The Song Rising and the highly anticipated The Mask Falling, which is to be the fourth book in the bestselling series.  The series initially began as a tale following Paige Mahoney who worked for the criminal underworld as an informant and broke into people's minds to gather information for Jaxon ..read more

Enemies to lovers. The trope that has been written to absolute death, every scenario played out with the same expected outcome. Enter Roseanne A. Brown with her fantasy story, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, which revolts against all predictability. Inspired by West African folklore, we follow two protagonists who are both plotting to murder the other, Malik, a refugee who makes a deal with a vengeful spirit and Princess Karina who needs a human heart after she becomes wrapped up in necromancy. All this is occurring on the backdrop of the Solstasia festival, which occurs every 50 years to deter ..read more