Books

Readers have been voting for the best book ever over on Goodreads. Suzanne Collins' beloved book The Hunger Games, the first of the franchise, has come out on top. The book was published in late 2008 and has gone on to be one of the most successful books of all time.The Hunger Games found even more popularity when the series was adapted for film, starring Jennifer Lawrence in the leading role. A new instalment of The Hunger Games was published earlier this year, Sunrise on the Reaping, proving that this adventure world is showing no signs of slowing down. The book's synopsis reads: "16-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the annual Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death where one boy and one girl from each of Panem's twelve districts are forc...

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more 'I'm a true crime author but i love murder mysteries' (Image: Paul Donnelley)There's nothing like a gritty, strange, and thought-provoking murder mystery that really challenges and tricks the reader, but what makes a great crime novel truly unforgettable? With years of studying real-life cases, true crime author Paul Donnelley has a unique eye for fiction that feels authentic and impossible to put down.Paul began forming an interest in murder mysteries when he was in junior school in 1975, when he became interested in the Black Panther murders. This early fascination eventually led to the publication of his first true crime book, The Essex Murders, in 2007.The author then b...

TV presenter Steph McGovern has written a hard-hitting thriller which tackles themes including stalking, grooming, political corruption, terrorism and inequality. The former host of Steph’s Packed Lunch, a top TV business reporter before that, used her two decades of interviewing powerful global figures – including US President Donald Trump – as inspiration for characters in her debut novel.“A lot of it comes from my experiences of being a broadcaster – the power, corruption and lies that can happen,” she says. Deadline, which is out now, sees fictional TV business reporter Rose Steedman live on air at a secure location interviewing one of Britain’s most powerful men. With millions watching the broadcast, her earpiece is hacked and a voice says her child and her wife have been kidnapped...

Readers have voted this 1929 war novel as the best of its genre. All Quiet On The Western Front, written by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of the First World War, has been selected by Goodreads readers.The anti-war book is a semi-autobiographical account of the WW1 experience. It details Remarque's personal memories of the disillusionment that ensued during the First World War. It follows the book's main protagonist and fictional character, Paul Bäumer, in his brief time as a soldier. All Quiet On The Western Front is primarily concerned with the effect that war had on young men.The book's synopsis reads: "All Quiet on the Western Front depicts the brutal realities of trench warfare and its devastating impact on young German soldiers. The story follows Paul Baumer and his comrad...

After over a decade of speculation, frustration, and fervent fan theories, George R.R. Martin has finally delivered a long-awaited update that will thrill Game of Thrones fans worldwide. In a live-streamed interview with Penguin Random House, the legendary author confirmed that The Winds of Winter, the sixth book in his epic A Song of Ice and Fire series, is not only well underway but it’s shaping up to be the longest instalment yet.“It’s a big, big book, I’ve said that before,” Martin explained. “It’s a challenging book. It’s probably gonna be a larger book than any of the previous volumes in the series.”Martin revealed that he’s currently written around 1,200 pages, with another 400 to 500 still to go, pushing the final total close to 1,700 pages, which would make it longer than both ...

Henry V is best known today for defeating a numerically superior French army at Agincourt, a feat immortalised by William Shakespeare. But according to historian Dan Jones, it's a miracle England's greatest medieval monarch lived to fight his most famous battle, let alone win it. Twelve years prior the fight, in July 1403, while engaging a rebel army at Shrewsbury, aged just 16, an iron arrowhead from a lucky longbow shot tore into his face to the side of his nose, embedding itself deep into the back of his skull.The wooden shaft came off, leaving a one-ounce lump of metal lodged in Henry's pudding bowl hair-cutted head. Only the skill of England's finest surgeon, John Bradmore, operating over 30 days, saved the young Prince of Wales from a horrible death. Jones explained: "He was milli...

I've spent years as an avid reader, amassing my own personal library, swearing that there was something special about the physical paper trophies on my bookshelves that was more important than the ease of e-readers. However, upon finally giving them a go... I understand.My Kindle Paperwhite quickly became an indispensable item, with my main issue with it being its lack of colour, particularly noticeable when reading a book known for its vibrant cover. It doesn't necessarily ruin the experience, but there's a certain pleasure derived from admiring a stunning cover that isn't rendered in greyscale.Upon hearing about the Kobo Clara Colour, I knew without a doubt that I had to give it a whirl. For the most part, it's on par with the Paperwhite, albeit with a few notable distinctions.The fir...

I have several crime writer friends who were policemen or lawyers before they turned their experiences into fiction. But the man responsible for creating Britain’s first police force did it the other way round. Henry Fielding was one of the 18th century’s most celebrated novelists, author of Tom Jones and many other bestselling books and plays.But later in life, he became the chief magistrate of Westminster and the founder of the first incarnation of the famed Bow Street Runners – Britain’s first roving constables. Fielding is a character in my new novel, The Art of a Lie, in which he investigates the murder of a Piccadilly confectioner – the husband of my main character, Hannah Cole.And frankly, the London of Henry Fielding and Hannah Cole was a dangerous place. We might worry about cr...

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more These 10 books are perfect for taking on holiday with you (Image: Morsa Images via Getty Images)There's nothing quite like lounging in the sun on holiday, fresh from a dip in the pool, and immersing yourself in a captivating book. While any genre can make for a great beach read, some naturally fit the summer atmosphere.Cue: romance. Whether you prefer your love stories to be straightforward, uplifting escapades or tales that tug at your heartstrings, there's a wealth of options available. To assist you, we've selected 10 of the best romantic reads of this year so far, whatever your mood. For more book recommendations, reviews and news, click here to subscribe to our free we...

More than a century after its first publication, James Joyce’s Ulysses continues to divide, dazzle, and dominate the literary world. Long hailed by critics and academics alike as a towering achievement of modernist literature, the novel was first published in 1922 and takes place within one single day, June 16, 1904. It follows the life of three ordinary Dublineers, but what unfolds within its 800 pages is anything but ordinary.Through a dizzying array of literary techniques, shifting narrative styles, and deep psychological insight, Joyce transforms the mundane into the mythic, reimagining Homer’s Odyssey in a modern context. Ulysses explores the richness and complexity of everyday experience, revealing the countless ways a single day can be perceived and lived.The novel follows three ...