Susie Steiner, English Author of Acclaimed Crime Novels, Dies at 51

On July 2, acclaimed English author Susie Steiner died at age 51. She was best known for her crime/detective novel series, Missing, Presumed (2016), Persons Unknown (2017), and most recently, Remain Silent (2020). Her series of novels popularly featured quirky detective Manon Bradshaw.

Steiner had to contend with the loss of eyesight and was later diagnosed with a brain tumor three years ago.

Steiner’s Early Life

Susie Steiner grew up in North London and studied at Henrietta Barnet School. At an early age, she developed an interest in creative writing. Her favorite authors included Brontes, Austen, George Elliot, and Thomas Hardy.

Susie Steiner’s Career

Susie began her journalism career as a reporter for the Guardian for 11 years but later left to pursue writing fiction full-time. “Homecoming” was her first book published in 2013 in the UK. After Steiner was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma in 2019, she admitted that reading was the most valuable pass time in hospital and during chemotherapy.

In an article she wrote in the Independent in 2016, Steiner notes that her loss of eyesight increased her creative output as a novelist. Her appreciation of and remarkable insight into the undercurrents of human nature made her a witty character full of life and a critically acclaimed and bestselling author.

Fictitious Character Detective Manon Bradshaw

A fan once asked Susie Steiner how similar she was to her fictitious character, sergeant Manon, and she said the detective was 98.34% like her, while the rest was pure invention.

Although she was joking, her character represented her understanding of the dynamics between different people and her commitment to exploring questions of equality and justice. As a prolific writer, she was alive to the complexities of people’s desires and their frailties, and this helped her to animate her protagonist, Detective Manon.

The three Outings of Detective Manon

Detective Manon had three outings, as animated by English author Susie Steiner. First was Missing, Presumed, which featured the abduction of a young woman; her well-to-do parents were close friends with the home secretary, a situation that placed the investigating team under intense pressure to solve the case.

The second book, Persons Unknown, shows Manon Bradshaw’s adopted black son placed under arrest as a murder suspect; a real case inspired it. The Third book, Remain Silent, explores a gruesome death among the Lithuanian migrant worker community; at the same time, Bradshaw has to contend with her partner’s cancer diagnosis.

Author Tributes to Acclaimed Writer Susie Steiner

Fans and authors alike feel deeply saddened by the loss of such a talented writer. Susie was a funny and attentive friend with fans all across the world. And the author community feels a profound loss for the absence of the work she had planned to write. But at the same time, they are grateful that she leaves her voice in her four exceptional novels.

Her family will especially miss her, as she was a loving mother of two boys she raised with her husband, Tom. These three were always the center of her world, even as she battled cancer.

In a tribute by her UK publisher, Suzie Dooré, Steiner was a wonderful person with an exceptional personality. As a friend, she had quick wits and brutal honesty, the two traits she quickly passed on to her fictitious series character, Detective Manon Bradshaw.

Top 10 Ways to Help You Get Out of a Reading Slump

It can be distressing to find yourself in a reading slump when you can’t seem to find a book that holds your attention despite the millions of books available on the market.

Are you trying to get out of a reading slump and don’t know how to? Try out these ten easy tips to help you get back to a reading culture once more.

1. Reread an old favorite novel

It’s easy to start reading a new book to pass the time, but after the first few pages, it can be just as easy to toss it aside after quickly losing attention. Sounds familiar? How about re-immersing yourself in an old favorite that you once liked?

Reading something great, such as a J.K Rowling adventure novel, will make you look forward to reading a new book and will effectively spark your curiosity once more.

2. Change Formats

While you are not physically reading per se, audiobooks are still books! Besides, if you’re not ready to read as much as you’d like, let someone else do the reading for you. Once hooked on a new audiobook, you can gradually develop excitement and transfer that excitement into reading a physical book from the same series.

3. Read a Book that you think you wouldn’t like

There’s freedom in perusing through a novel you think you won’t like; you will have no expectations as you read through, and you will not feel guilty if you stop. It’s simply a great and effective way to grow your reading potential.

4. Pick up a New Book Series

Whenever you finish reading a favorite series, it often leaves a void that could cause a potential upturn in your reading routine. Trying out a new series soon after you finish reading your current book allows you to enter a new world and give you something new to look forward to as you explore the book.

5. Peek through the first 5 to 10 pages of Multiple Books

This approach gives you an “out” if the book is not catchy or interesting enough. But it also increases your chances of an unexpected book that grabs your attention long enough to get you hooked to the last page.

6. Read a Series that inspired any of Your Favorite Authors.

Reading a book that once inspired your favorite authors will allow you to branch out while still staying within your comfortable territory. Chances are, if the book inspired your favorite author, it might inspire you too.

7. Join a book club near you

A book club will make you obligated to kick start your brain and get back into a consistent reading culture. And being able to talk about your favorite characters with your peers will effectively expand your desire to read. Your book club will also help you to look at a book differently as you listen to different opinions.

8. Take a Reading Vacation

If you can’t seem to focus on a whole chapter of your favorite book, don’t beat yourself up over it. Take a week-long break from reading to refresh your mind, and get back to reading once you’re ready. Think of it as taking a break from work or school.

9. Browse through the Children’s Book Shelf

Children’s books have simpler prose than novels, and they have bright colors and visual graphics, and text stories. But most importantly, they bring a sense of wonder and easily spark the interest to read on.

10. Read a Short Book

There are no rules that say you have to read a long novel. Pick a short story or novella and see if it ignites a spark within you.

Hopefully, a combination of these tips can help you get back to your reading culture with a bit of luck and patience.

THE RIVERS OF LONDON NOVELS BY BEN AARONOVITCH WILL BE TRANSLATED TO TV

Rivers of London, a bestselling fantasy series by Ben Aaronovitch, will be televised. All nine of the novels, together with the companion short tales, novellas, and graphic novels, will be adapted for the screen by a new partnership. Rivers of London is a police procedural and urban fantasy that centers on detective constable Peter Grant. He is a recently graduated London police officer who is hired by wizard and inspector Thomas Nightingale to the Folly, a police squad that investigates crimes involving ghosts, in the first novel.


Pure Fiction Television, See-Saw Films, and Aaronovitch’s own production firm Unnecessary Logo will co-produce the television adaptation. This is not the first time the series has been adapted; in 2019, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Stolen Picture revealed plans to make a TV version. The most recent two novels—Amongst Our Weapons in 2022 and False Value in 2020—went directly to No. 1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list. The books have continuously been on bestseller lists.


Aaronovitch, who would serve as executive producer, expressed confidence that the team’s ability to create absurdly wonderful television would be realized. The Rivers of London series’ eponymous first novel was released in 2011. According to Lisa Tuttle’s review of Amongst Our Weapons in the Guardian, “Aaronovitch has no rivals when it comes to skillfully mixing the attraction of a grounded police procedural with outright fantasy.”


Ben Aaronovitch Life’s Highlights
Tuttle lauded the author’s ability to depict “actual places, genuine history, and real problems confounded by the reality of magic, old spirits, fairies, ghosts, and talking foxes, all coexisting alongside regular, naive humans.” The continuing characters in the ninth book of a series that started in 2011 still keep their charm, she continued, adding that his planning is “still satisfyingly imaginative.”


Aaronovitch, who began his writing career as a scriptwriter on Doctor Who (Remembrance of the Daleks), has also penned a number of graphic novels and novellas in the Peter Grant series in addition to the Peter Grant books.


The novella The October Man relocates the action to Germany and introduces Tobias Winter, an investigator for the German Federal Criminal Police’s Abteilung KDA, which deals with paranormal cases. Ben Aaronovitch discussed “What if Gandalf joined The Sweeney?” on the Rivers of London podcast about books. The novella What Abigail Did That Summer centers on Abigail Kamara, Peter Grant’s cousin who first appeared in the main book.


Aaronovitch said on the Guardian Books podcast in 2020 that his inspiration for Rivers of London came from a show called Magic Cops. He created the character of Peter Grant, tried writing it as prose for five pages, and then realized he “got something hot.
“However, Aaronovitch admitted in the podcast that he “didn’t know it was going to be so successful.” “I anticipated it would be a decent, solid, mid-list fantasy book,” the author said. In addition to having its own wiki, Follypedia, Aaronovitch’s work has been translated into 14 languages and sold more than five million copies worldwide.


Conclusion
Ben Aaronovitch work has left a mark that will be around for ages. His prowess’s and skills helped him perfect his art to greater heights and become one of the greatest in his field of work.

Can Films be turned into NFTs?


NFTs are all the rage right now. Everyone wants to buy one and profit from reselling it at a higher price sometime later. Before investors put down good money investing in NFTS, they should get more information on the subject and industry. Initially, NFTs could only be certain data size because of blockchains’ storage limits.
It was virtually impossible to release video clips or full films as NFTs because they would simply not get encrypted. However, in October 2021, a company joined the market and became an instant game-changer. The Hollywood feature film was released in Vuele.io versions. Vuele.io is the studio’s patent blockchain network designed to cater to the needs of the film industry. The studio used the blockchain network to distribute the movie and related merchandise.
In a few days, the system supplier (CurrencyWorks) reported making a total of $85,000 worth of film NFTs. While using the network to sell, CurrencyWorks has the means to claim royalty which would otherwise be close to impossible. While the returns are not what you would expect to hear in NFT talks, they are still a considerable amount.
Kelvin Smith released his picture Kilroy Was Here and started the sale off to a good start. Although it was not originally sold as an NFT, he pledged the rights to display, sell and live stream the picture to the buyer, and bidding started on the picture. There was no report on the likely amount the picture collected, but NFT experts believe it’s a substantial amount.


Funding Film Production Using NFTS


Finding the money to produce new films is not always easy. Now more production teams are selling NFTs to raise money for production. This practice has become common in executives who just want the money while others seek ways to revolutionize funding approaches. A good example is the Forest Road Company, which has launched a twenty million NFT fund to aid indie filmmakers in monetizing their materials.
Niels Juul is making the first feature film intended to be funded by minting NFT tokens. The Irishman will be the first of its kind, having launched NFT studios. In the past, Julie Pacino, Al Pacino’s child, generated one hundred thousand dollars by selling no-fee prints. The sale aimed to fund her feature film titled I Live Here Now.
Filmmakers are sharpening their fund sourcing skills and acquiring crypto assets on NFT sites unique to the film sector. These crypto assets on new NFT platforms include First Flights.
So far, the most common source of financing for new film premieres is through the sale of NFT products. The first Tarantino’s NFT sold for 1.1 million dollars. However, the sale was quickly shadowed by a lawsuit from Miramax citing IP infringement and seeking to halt the sale of the NFT. This could be the beginning of legal battles between creative and corporations over who owns the rights to their highly valued NFTs. While the legal grounds for the sale and purchase of NFTs remain murky, most sales have gone off without a hitch, funding numerous feature films for the end consumer’s benefit.
Large studios like Warner Bros unveiled a set of NFTs last year before the launch of The Matrix. This shows that the NFT industry is fair game for the film industry to venture into.

The Unusual Bookshop in Toronto 

Ever heard of an unusual bookshop? The Monkey’s Paw bookshop in Toronto is one rare bookshop selling some of the rarest and most absurd books globally. Some of the books and pieces of work present here are not the type anyone would stumble upon even once or twice in their life.

Moreover, by just stepping into this picturesque store, one will get the 18th-Century Victorian Bookshop vibe and get a chance to escape the reality of simply entering the Bloor street west shop located in downtown Toronto.

Interior of the Monkey’s Paw Bookstore

The interior design of this magnificent bookshop consists of;

• Checkered floors covered with red Turkish carpets,

• Shelves are seemingly decorated and lined with the most colorful aging books, beautiful, macabre, arcane, and absurd.

The only books one can find in this lovely bookshop are those published Before the 1980s. Moreover, most of the books explore topics on psychology, sexuality, and fashion during the olden days.

The Monkey’s Paw allows one to experience a mixture of weird and unique at the same time. Just perusing through the books gives one a different feel of the world’s evolution in writing, thoughts, and experiences.

Some Books from the Store

• Where Did We Come From, Mother Dear

• A Study of Bird Song

• Roller Disco Dancing

• Airline Safety is a Myth

• How to Photograph Women

• Ghosts in Photograph

Thus, even from the title of these books, one can already get what absurd, unusual, and rare means.

In addition, The Monkey Paw’s bookshop offers an ancient feel to eras when thoughts about specific subjects were different from the recent time. Also, the titles suggest that some of the topics were being explored for the first time as they came at the height of new inventions.

Furthermore, most of the books found in this store are not available on any online website or other ordinary bookstores. Thus, if you miss a specific book, the chances are that you might never come across it again.

It even gets better at the very back of the bookstore, where there is a turquoise-colored huge contraption. Fowler, the store owner, calls it the world’s first random book vending machine or otherwise known as The Biblio-Mat. This book vending machine spurts out any randomly selected old book with just a token of $4. Besides, when CTV News Toronto visited The Monkey Paw’s bookshop and used the Biblio-Mat, it popped out a copy of the book titled “A Party of Baccarat” by Donn Byrne, published in the year 1930.

Hearing the machine fumble and clumsily spurt while ejecting a book into your hands brings happiness to its users. Fowler calls this machine a Labour of love as it was made for him by a friend.

Fowler does not sell the $4 books out of a vending machine to get rich, but he uses the machine to keep his customers and book lovers excited. He strives extra hard to ensure all books in the vending machine are those no one has ever heard of or seen before. Fowler adds that the books in his machine can be anything apart from those you recognize.

Nonetheless, Toronto is home to several rare and hidden treasures. Thanks to business owners like Fowler, the world can see and experience such unique treasures. During his 30 years in the book business, Fowler says he finds terrific and, at the same time, weird stuff every single day, yet each time he sees books he has never set his eyes on before. How cool is that!

Books to Prison: Giving the Incarcerated the Gift of Knowledge

Getting books to the incarcerated has long suffered many problems, and things got even more challenging during the pandemic. There are dozens of programs in the United States that work to establish prison libraries to ensure the incarcerated population gets access to books. Most of these programs are supported by donors and volunteers. Carrying out the program is not an easy task since prison systems have varying and ever-changing rules.

Why are the Books to Prison Initiatives so Important

The program’s goal is to transform the role of libraries in the lives of the incarcerated. Many people in prisons will go back to the community, and they need to be able to thrive. Getting these books and education is a vital step to reentering society.

Also, like other people, anyone in prison has a right to education and entertainment. Many activists are fighting to improve the prisons’ conditions, and getting books into the prison is a crucial step. Libraries lower the recidivism rates. According to the Department of Corrections, even basic education may decrease recidivism.

Prison libraries also reduce idleness. Inmates spend quality time reading books. In most cases, idleness leads to involvement in destructive behaviors and violence, and it is most rampant in prisons. Hence, the books to prison initiative help inmates utilize their time studying and reading.

Inmates also get a chance to understand state and federal law through law books and other legal publications. The knowledge they get from the law books helps them receive fair and just judgment or treatment. Some inmates have used the knowledge to overturn their convictions which could not have been possible without prison libraries.

Giving Incarcerated Population the Gift of Reading

A new law school library’s initiative is giving the inmates the pleasure of reading books. The Yale Law School Library program is one of the initiatives that is affording this privilege to inmates. The program that started in 2020 was halted by the COVID-19 but resumed in late February 2022.

The Yale Law Library program led by Julian Aiken, assistant director for Law Library’s access and faculty services, has donated more than 1,300 books to various prisons and correctional centers. Aiken started the books to prison initiative after inspiration from (at that time) a law Ph.D. candidate, Dwayne Betts. Betts was a former prison inmate who understood better a sense of freedom after reading poems while in prison.

Aiken’s first book donation was to the Cheshire Correctional Institute, where 700 books were given. According to Aiken, the initiative delivered recent casebooks to help inmates with appeals and other legal questions. With the help of the senior administrative assistant at Yale Law School, Miriam Benson, the initiative continues to grow. The program has expanded to other local jails, including women’s shelters and homeless service providers in New Haven. Apart from prisons, shelters for domestic violence victims in Ansonia, CT, have benefited from the book’s initiative.

According to the Law Librarian and law professor Femi Cadmus, the books to prison initiative is just one way of breaking the barriers to literacy and access to information, even for inmates. Since they are intended to be temporary living spaces, many prisons have no books for the inmates. People in prisons also have no resources to buy books. That’s why prison libraries are the only way they have to access knowledge and entertainment.

Most Challenged Books of 2021 

The American Library Association recently released its annual State of America’s Libraries Report, detailing the top 10 most challenged books in 2021. Below are the books and the reasons for their bans:

1. Gender Queer: Maia Kobabe

Maia Kobabe writes a memoir about eir journey of self-discovery and life experiences. This story is told in a graphic and detailed manner. It was banned for the graphic sexual content found in the book, with the inclusion of personal sexual experiences.

2. Lawn Boy: Jonathan Evison

Written as a semi-autobiography, Jonathan Evision details the life experiences of Mike Munoz, a young Mexican American who goes through a journey of self-discovery, dealing gender-identity that are coupled with the existing challenge of adolescence and self-identity. The novel also touches on racial prejudices that a brown person experiences in America. This novel was banned by many schools and challenged by parents due to the amount of obscenities and sexual content found.

3. All Boys Aren’t Blue: George M Johnson

Written by journalist Geore M Johnson, All Boys Aren’t Blue is a personal memoir about the challenges that a black queer boy experiences in the society of America. George M Johnson’s story related to many young queer adults who are going through a similar experience. It was banned due to its LGBTQI+ content and explicit content and language.

4. Out of Darkness: Ashley Hope Perez

This novel is one of historical nature in which the author focuses on the romantic relationship between a teenage Mexican American girl and a teenage African American boy in the early 1900s. Challenges from parents and bans from school came because of the sexual content and physical abuse illustrated in the book.

5. The Hate U Give: Angie Thomson

Angie Thomson tells the story a 16-year-old African American girl who witnesses a police officer kill her childhood friend. It’s major themes are police brutality and the racial prejudices in America. It was banned as educational bodies believed that it promoted a certain social and slightly political agenda.

6. The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian: Sherman Alexie

A 1st person perspective of Native American teenager, detailing his childhood. The author touches on bullying, racism and violence. It has been consistently challenged over the last decade due to the presence of homophobic slurs and the amount of violence present in the book.

7. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: Jesse Andrews

A book that received a film adaptation, this novel focuses on the relationship between three high school seniors and the tribulations that they face. The novel faced much criticism due to its misogynistic nature and sexual content.

8. The Bluest Eye: Toni Morrison

A fictional tale of an 11-year-old African American girl, the bluest eye gives an eye-opening perspective of life from a girl who experiences abuse in its different forms. Parents and educational bodies have found the book to be inappropriate due to its sexual content.

9. This Book is Gay: Juno Dawson

As an informative guide, this book aims to educate young people about the LGBTQ community as well as sexual identity. It was banned and challenged for those particular reasons.

10. Beyond Magenta: Susan Kuklin

Susan Kuklin interviews six people that identify as transgender and gender-neutral. These interviews give insight on the experiences of people of the LGBTQI+ community. Parents called for the book to be banned due to the LGBTQI+ content and nature.

ALA will continue to advocate for free speech by launching an “Unite Against Book Bans” campaign.

5 Books to Make You Smarter

People read books for reasons including passing time by keeping them occupied. Some readers have favorite books. However, the choice of a book depends on the taste of the individual. Despite the choice of books, studies show that people who read widely are smarter. This is because reading helps people grow their vocabulary, knowledge of the world and opens up their levels of thinking.

Are lost on the books to read? Here are certain books that will definitely make you smarter:

Einstein’s Fridge: How the Difference Between Hot and Cold Explains the Universe by Paul Sen

This book is not only entertaining but also quite informative. It tells the story of scientists behind the theory of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is a branch of physics dealing with energy and entropy. The theory explains every aspect of the world for both living and non-living things. Some of the areas covered in the theory include the behavior of cells, the limitation of computing and how the end of the universe. The book gives an account of different scientists in all branches of science including cosmologists, mathematics, engineers, chemists, biologists and physicists. These big names include: French military engineer and physicist Sadi Carnot, Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing, Emmy Noether, Albert Einstein, Lord Kelvin and James Joule.

Wiser: The Scientific Roots of Wisdom, Compassion and What Makes us Good by Dilip Jeste and Scott Lafee

This book gives research based findings by UC San Diego neuropsychiatrist Dilip Jeste on how you can be wiser. As it turns out from his findings, wisdom is not a gift for the few but anyone can be wiser. The book explores the psychology and neurobiology of wisdom by analyzing both the biological and cognitive aspect. From his multicultural studies, the Doctor unveils the qualities of wise people. Some of these qualities as explained in his book include empathy and compassion among others. The authors also explain how we can use wisdom to overcome the present day challenges such as suicides, different addictions and loneliness. By reading this book you, will learn how you can grow in wisdom and use it to overcome the problems you encounter everyday to achieve your utmost potential.

The code breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson

The writer of the book, Walter Isaacson is also the best selling author of the Steve Jobs and Leonardo Da Vinci. The code breaker gives an account of the events behind the works of the Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues. It highlights how they worked towards a revolutionary innovation for curing diseases and fending off viruses.

Seven and Half Lessons About the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett

The author of this book, Lisa Feldman Barrett is a Renowned neuroscientist. By reading her book, you get to understand where brains originate, and their structure. Also covered in this book is how the different brains work together to bring about feelings and sensation.

Hidden Habits of Genius: Beyond Talent IQ and Grit Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness by Craig Wright

The author of this book, professor Craig Wright is also the creator the Genius Course at Yale University. In his book, the professor digs deeper into the 14 traits of geniuses, some of which include maladjustment to obsession and curiosity. From reading the book, you get to understand how you can learn from the brilliant minds that revolutionized the world.

To wrap up, there are so many good books and we just selected a few that would be a major source of knowledge. If you are looking to increase your levels of knowledge on major areas of life, why not try out some of these amazing books?

10 of the Best Books You Read Last Summer

Are you on a vacation this summer and looking for some fresh books to keep you both entertained and occupied? Here are the top 10 new books that might do the trick for you.

This is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan

The informative book digs into three plant-based drugs including caffeine, mescaline and opium, and how they affect taboos, customs, laws and cultures surrounding them.

False Witness by Karin Slaughter

This is yet another mystery thriller by the renowned author of ‘Pieces of Her’ and ‘The Silent Wife’. It is based on the story of a recently separated defense attorney, Leigh Collier whose teenage daughter is haunted by a painful past.

The comfort Book by Matt Haig

The author, Matt Haig is also the bestselling author of the ‘Midnight Library’. The ‘Comfort Book’ is a collection of short stories, lists and notes that inspire hope during the darkest moments in life. If you are going through some challenging times, then this book might be what you need to keep moving forward.

Falling by T.J. Newman

This fiction thriller will keep you entertained through the summer. It gives an account of how an airline pilot finds out about the kidnapping of his family just when he was about to fly from New York to Los Angeles. The pilot receives the threat that unless he crashes the plane, he stands to lose his family. Read the book and find out how he manages to keep both the passengers and his family alive.

Everyone in this Room will Someday be Dead by Emily Austin

This book will offer you some dark humor and keep you entertained this summer. It is the story of a lesbian atheist, Gilda, who accidentally lands a job as a Catholic receptionist. The story develops around her obsession with her dead predecessor, Grace. She goes to the extent of impersonating her through emails to her until the police discovery moves her to letting out her true identity.

Dear Miss Metropolitan by Carolyn Farrell

The book unveils the abduction of three girls imprisoned in a house in Queens. Miss Metropolitan is a weekly advice columnist and neighbor. Despite her role in the news, she somehow missed out on the events taking place right under her nose. However, she is determined to give voice to the three girls. Read the book and find out why one girl is still missing and the mystery behind their disappearance.

Carry On: Reflections of a New Generation by John Lewis

The book contains a range of writings by congressman and civil rights leader, John Lewis who passed away in 2020. Among the topics covered in the book include justice, forgiveness, protests, policy, faith and the pandemic. Reading the book will inspire you with power through hope and courage.

The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam

The book tells the story of a feminist Coder Asha and Cyrus, her new husband. It revolves around issues of love, fame and tech. The couple creates a new social media to replace religious rituals with ones of their own which is a huge success. However, like most marriages will theirs survive the pressure?

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

If you enjoy a good thrill then this could make a perfect reading choice this summer. The book tells the story of the ‘final girl’ who survives a bloody massacre. She becomes survivor’s support group, and when one of their members goes missing. The group gets to fight for their lives once more.

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory

You might also enjoy this new book by the bestselling author of Royal Holiday. It is the story of an ad executive Ben Stephens who has a lot on his plate including casual affairs and family drama. He gets to work alongside Ann, a beautiful Oscar-nominated movie star. But will their Hollywood affair survive?

The Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of the Year (So Far)

Book Recommendation: The Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books in 2021

The year 2021 has come with new exciting and mind-blowing sci-fi and fantasy books. Readers who love to escape into the world of fantasy are in for a real treat this year. Renowned and upcoming authors have launched amazing books that promise to ensure their avid readers are transported to the wild world of imagination. Readers won’t miss something that suits their fancy, from stories of strange cults, interstellar adventures, fantastical robots, fantasy wonderlands, and much more.

Here are some of the best and most recommended Sci-Fi and Fantasy books this year:

1. Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

The story is about a young pregnant woman named Vern. She makes a desperate attempt to flee the Blessed Acres of Cain, the cult that she has lived in all her life. She retreats deep into a forest and soon has twins. She spends the next four years raising them away from the outside world. But there’s something in the forest that still hunts them… Find out more by buying the book on Amazon or read the excerpt here.

2. The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This happens to be a standalone adventure set in the world of MI5 investigations and in the depths of Bodmin Moor. Following an attack on a government physicist, rumors of monsters, and missing people, the British security forces investigate. When they discover cracks between our world and countless others, it shatters everything they previously thought about the universe. This amazing book is available for your reading pleasure, buy it on Amazon and enjoy!

3. The House of Always by Jenn Lyons

The author had done yet another great job in building a fantasy world. As the novel starts, the Eight Immortals have completely failed to stop Kihrin’s enemies, who are moving forward with their plans to free Vol Karoth, the King of Demons. Kirin has his own ideas about how to fight back, but even if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for victory, the cost may prove too high for his allies. They are faced with choices; to save the world and Kihrin or watch him as he becomes the exact evil they had sworn to destroy. Get the full story when you buy the book on Amazon.

4. Hard Reboot by Django Wexler

For readers who love the sound of giant robots smashing one another, this is it! Zychtykas is conned by Zhi Zero (a robot pilot) of her research budget while on a fact-finding mission to old Earth. To recover her money, she uses her knowledge of ancient Earth technology to rebuild an old battle robot to help Zhi fight hated competitors in the next battle. Buy this book on Amazon.

5. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

The author took us to China in 1345. At the time, the country is ruled by Mongols. In the Central Plains, under those tough conditions, a boy named Zhu Chongba has been preordained for greatness. His unnamed sister pushed off to the side. When their father is killed, and Zhu dies of despair, she takes up his identity. She builds her own path and plans to fulfill her brother’s lost potential. Buy this book on Amazon and enjoy her fantastic story.