Hello everyone!! I just wanted to come on here and say that I won't be active on this blog for the duration of my temporary role at Bloomsbury. I really just want to put everything I've got into this opportunity. It feels like the biggest and most pivotal step in my career so far, and I want to give it my absolute all. This blog was there through what felt like a never-ending period of job hunting. It gave me something to focus on when I had nowhere else to put my energy, and honestly, I think it kept me sane. Every review, every news roundup, every article I wrote gave me purpose and kept me connected to publishing, even when I wasn't actually working in it. And now, somehow, I've finally made it. So, for now, it feels right to let this site rest. What happens after my experience, I genuinely don't know. Everything has felt so up in the air for so long that I've stopped trying to predict what's next. Maybe I'll end up back here writing again, maybe I won't. I honestly have no idea. But if this is goodbye, or even just goodbye for now, thank you. Thank you for reading my reviews, my articles, and all my ramblings over the last year. It really has meant a lot. I owe so much to this website. It gave me experience, confidence, something to keep building, and somewhere to put all the passion I had for books when I was struggling to find my place in the industry. Now, hopefully, all of that hard work can go into this new role instead. So, for now, goodbye, and thank you for coming along with me. And to all my lost bookworms, Stay Steadfast x

I feel a little mixed about this one. Overall, I did enjoy it and was always interested in picking it back up, but on reflection, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t completely fully formed. There were so many fascinating ideas and themes that I wanted explored further, and I felt there was potential for it to go deeper. That being said for a debut, I was impressed. I found the discussions around Natalie’s character particularly interesting. A lot of criticism focuses on how she is the villain, but I think that misses the point of what the book is exploring: the different standards women are held to and the imbalance of blame placed on them compared to men. I actually think Caleb’s lack of consequences made sense, because it reflects the very imbalance the book is exploring. It mirrors a world where fault is not always applied equally. My biggest criticism is that the book sometimes felt too obvious in its messaging. There were so many rich areas, especially around religion, community, and the tradwife movement, that could have been explored with more nuance. Despite that, I think the book has something valuable to say. It’s sharp and an interesting exploration of a complicated modern conversation. I just wish it had pushed its ideas even further.

10/10. No notes. Actually, I should probably take a star off purely because this book came out 15 years ago and we’re still waiting for the third and final instalment. That is honestly why it took me so long to pick up this one, because after this… who knows when we’ll get more? Rothfuss remains one of the best fantasy authors I’ve ever read. This book is packed with lore, history, and incredibly detailed world-building, but somehow it never feels overwhelming or boring. Even the slower sections are so beautifully written that I was completely invested. Kvothe continues to be such a brilliantly crafted protagonist. I’m usually more interested in side characters, but it’s impossible not to be captivated by him. He's so realistic and perfectly flawed The first half of the book might actually be my favourite part of the series so far. I also take back some of my criticism from the first book regarding the female characters, while Rothfuss still isn’t perfect, there is a clear improvement, and they have far more presence and importance here. I absolutely loved this… but it’s hard not to feel bittersweet when the final thought is: WHERE IS THE THIRD BOOK?!

I really struggled with this one. I went in hoping for an entertaining, escapist romance, but unfortunately this book just did not work for me. Now when I tell you I hated the MMC, I mean I hated that man. He is exactly the type of character the manosphere would eat up. He and this entire book was extremely misogynistic. His attitude towards women, relationships, and intimacy was incredibly difficult to overlook, and I found it hard to understand why anyone (let alone the FMC) would be drawn to him. The book framed certain behaviours as attractive that, to me, should never be romanticised. Beyond that, the writing itself felt very flat. The plot was thin, the characters lacked depth, and the romance had very little build-up, tension, or emotional connection. Even the intimate scenes, which are clearly a huge part of the book’s appeal were awful. Aggressive and brash. Contrary to how this might come across, I don’t mind easy, escapist romance. I actually enjoy it when it’s done well. But there was nothing easy or enjoyable about this, it was genuinely unpleasant.

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world. I) Rebecca Yarros’ Big Announcement… Wasn’t Book Four Back in March, Rebecca Yarros announced that she was writing a fourth book in her Empyrean series, and everyone has been waiting patiently for the announcement, the announcement that was finally released this week. And, well… it’s a little bit disappointing. Because it is, in fact, not book four. Instead, it is a prequel set on Threshing Day, containing thirteen stories about some of the characters from the series and their dragons. This feels like it’s supposed to hold fans over until book four arrives. Honestly, there is nothing I hate more (there probably is, but exaggerating is far more fun) than waiting for an author to give you the next book you want, only to be offered a prequel that nobody asked for. Prequels are fine, once the mayhem has settled down and there are no more books left to come out, or you haven’t been teasing the final book. Then yeah, it’s fine. But if you’ve done those other things… well, then it just sucks, quite frankly. But yeah, it is still big news. Not so much for me, though. I gave up after Iron Flame, I just couldn’t bring myself to stomach the galling Violet or the insufferable Xaden. Happy for everyone else, though! II) Penguin Wants More Readers Publishing is so important, spotting talented pieces of work and getting them out into the world, but what is the point if people aren’t reading them? If there is no audience, there is no publisher, not really. Now, it isn’t quite that dire, but it is still something worth thinking about. Penguin Random House recognises this and wants to get stuck in and do the work needed to improve the audience side of things. It is partnering with the National Year of Reading, with Penguin staff taking part in a company-wide volunteering initiative to support the campaign. They are getting involved in things such as: Reading with children in schools Supporting libraries and community reading groups by helping to run events and activities Working with literacy charities that encourage both children and adults to read for pleasure Helping to organise and deliver reading events as part of the National Year of Reading campaign Sharing book recommendations and encouraging reading through community outreach III) Publishers Take on Google Over AI Training Hachette Book Group, Cengage Learning, Elsevier and author Scott Turow are suing Google, claiming that it illegally copied millions of copyrighted books to train its Gemini AI models without permission or payment. They are seeking to stop Google from continuing to use copyrighted books without authorisation, secure damages for affected authors and publishers, and require Google to compensate copyright holders. IV) Big Year So Far For Bloomsbury From Bloomsbury’s annual meeting, they announced that, following a strong first four months of 2027, the company is on track to post record profits. Revenue is expected to reach £354.2 million, while adjusted profit (the money left after costs are taken into account) is expected to remain at £49.9 million, the same as last year. A lot of this growth is thanks to the consumer division, with major authors playing a huge role in boosting sales. Sarah J. Maas is a key example, with fans eagerly awaiting the next instalments in the ACOTAR series, while the Harry Potter series continues to bring in sales and introduce a new generation of readers before they watch the upcoming adaptation. V) 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize Winner Announced Rebecca Perry, an author and poet, has won the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize with her book May We Feed the King. It was chosen from a shortlist of six novels. The novel is a dual narrative about a curator designing immersive historical rooms who becomes so fixated on a little-known medieval king that his story begins to blur with her own life, linking her present-day emotional escape with his troubled and uncertain reign. Perry will receive £5,000, along with a “promise of ongoing commitment” to her writing career. Congratulations, Perry!

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world. I) TikTok Joins the National Year of Reading TikTok is now an official partner of the National Year of Reading. This is both surprising and… not surprising. While you could argue that social media is one of the biggest contenders for taking up children’s attention and time away from reading, it is probably also one of the only ways to reach them now. To celebrate the partnership, TikTok hosted an event at the British Library as part of its BookTok celebrations, featuring live discussions, creator panels, book recommendations and more. The event forms part of TikTok’s wider “World’s Biggest Book Club” initiative, which includes in-app content, live events and community activities designed to encourage reading throughout 2026. There is no denying that TikTok has had a huge impact on the book world. BookTok has helped drive book sales and even brought attention back to books that had long been forgotten, overlooked, or were previously flying under the radar. II) BookTok’s Latest Obsession: Yesteryear If you haven’t heard of Yesteryear… who am I kidding, of course you have. But, for a little reminder for those who need it, it follows a “tradwife” influencer who suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855. It is Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel. I am currently reading it right now, actually! It has taken the number one spot on June’s BookTok chart and has certainly been sparking lots of conversation. It has also reignited thoughts I had that had sort of moved on from back in 2024, from the likes of Ballerina Farm or Nara Smith, who both emulate the tradwife lifestyle that our character does here. I’m really enjoying it at the moment. I do have some qualms with it, especially when it comes to the main character and how aware she is of the situation she finds herself in as a modern tradwife. I think the biggest thing is that, as a tradwife influencer, you probably don’t see your own life as being as undesirable as others might view it, even in your own head. It’s almost a form of brainwashing, which is why I find it interesting that she is so self-aware at times, yet still contradicts herself when recognising the misogyny and hypocrisies around her. Anyway, I don’t want to spoil anything because I still really enjoy it. I’m getting through it quickly and want to see what happens in the end and how we round up this story! III) Fern Press Closes to New Publishing Fern Press, which was launched only a few years ago as a boutique literary imprint focused on distinctive fiction and non-fiction, has now closed to new publishing and will no longer be acquiring new books. This is part of PRH’s Vintage division, which said the decision was prompted by the departure of a key member of the imprint rather than poor performance or cost-cutting. Although books already under contract will still be published, Fern Press authors will be transferred to other imprints within Vintage. No titles are being cancelled. IV) Hachette Employees Vote to Unionise A couple of months back, I wrote about how 600 Hachette Book Group employees across the U.S. and Canada launched the Hachette Workers Coalition (HWC). Hachette declined to recognise the HWC, leading employees to push for a formal vote where they could privately decide whether the union would receive official recognition. The majority has now voted in favour of unionising, with 388 employees voting yes and 130 voting no to join the Washington-Baltimore News Guild. Hachette will now be legally required to negotiate with the union. This is a great and impressive step for Hachette employees, especially considering management sent out flyers arguing against unionisation in an attempt to sway employees away from voting yes, with phrases such as “Why We Believe Hachette is Stronger Without a Union” and “What You Could Lose With Union Negotiation.” HBG now joins HarperCollins among the Big Five publishers with a recognised union. V) When AI Writes the Wrong Story AI has made its way back into the LL, only a matter of time, though. Amazon has removed several books about Scottish politicians, including John Swinney, Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, after they appeared to have been generated using AI. The books contained many false claims, with one of the more bizarre and far-fetched examples being that First Minister John Swinney was born in Ohio to a Polish mother and had worked as a teacher, none of which is true. This is a dreadful spread of misinformation, and what is worrying is that people trust books, or at least they used to, in the sense that you believed what you were reading came from someone who was an expert, or had at least done their research. With AI, who is there to hold it accountable when it’s a machine?

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world. I) Behind the Book Market During The Bookseller’s Marketing and Publicity Conference on 29th June, we were informed that the UK consumer book market is set to grow modestly in value this year, despite a decline in print sales volumes. This is largely due to inflation; although people may be buying fewer books, the books they are purchasing are often more expensive, meaning the overall market value is not seeing the same decline. The conference also highlighted that Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune was the runaway bestseller, selling almost 700,000 copies, followed by Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid and Charlie Mackesy’s Always Remember. One particularly interesting fact from the conference was the importance of not judging a book by its cover! Consumers spent almost £325 million last year on books where an eye-catching front cover influenced their decision to purchase. II) Sarah Wynn-Williams Fight to Be Heard We have spoken a few times about Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Careless People, and I’m sure that if you’ve been following the publishing world, you may have already come across this news. This week at The Bookseller’s Marketing and Publicity Conference it was discussed how the audiobook release of Careless People became a “critical priority” for Pan Macmillan after a gag order was imposed on Wynn-Williams by Meta. The audiobook became symbolic of the importance of being able to hear her story, especially as she has faced so many attempts to be silenced and censored across different platforms, formats and spaces. III) Books Caught in the Brexit Crossfire It has been six years since the UK left the EU and it still feels like to this day, we are paying for it in new and creative ways! Still waiting for that £350 million to the NHS, Boris! Anyway, moving onto something more book-related, a group of leading book trade bodies is calling on the UK government to work with the EU to exempt books, journals, magazines and other print media from new customs duty rules for small packages, which came into effect on 1st July 2026. Under the new rules, all goods imported into the EU will be subject to a €3 customs duty. Previously, parcels worth under €150 could enter the EU without paying customs charges, thanks to something called the de minimis exemption. This exemption was removed largely because of the huge number of low-cost goods being imported from China. Think of Temu, Shein and AliExpress, which were often much cheaper than products sold by European businesses and were seen as creating an unfair advantage for overseas sellers. However, the publishing industry argues that books and print media should be treated differently from these types of goods. As a result, publishing trade bodies have called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to request an exemption. IV) TGJones: Another High Street Casualty Once again, we are talking about TGJones, with up to 150 stores (the former WHSmith stores) likely to close due to the company’s financial difficulties. We previously spoke about how the company appealed to the High Court back in May, and it has now been allowed to proceed with its restructuring plan. It is a real shame to see more bookshops at risk of disappearing. I will always miss places that sell books, especially when they offer some great deals that you don’t always find in the higher-end retailers. Soon, all that may be left is The Works, and even then, the range of genres is less than satisfactory. V) A New Era at HarperCollins HarperCollins UK held its annual author party at the very swanky Victoria and Albert Museum in London, celebrating the company’s authors and wider publishing community. The most significant part of the evening was that it marked Kate Elton’s first author party since becoming CEO in October 2025, following the departure of Charlie Redmayne. She also delivered her first major public speech, setting the tone for her leadership, reassuring authors and staff, and outlining the values and direction she hopes to bring to the company.

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world. I) Sense and Sensibility Trailer Release Nobody panic, but the Sense and Sensibility trailer has just dropped. I will always and forever appreciate period drama adaptations (unless it’s the Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, in that case, we shan’t speak of it). The film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood, Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood, and George MacKay as Edward Ferrars. And the best part? Not a single iPhone face between them. If you’re confused about what I mean by “iPhone face,” once I explain it, you won’t be able to unsee it. It’s a face that feels too modern for period pieces, someone who clearly knows what an iPhone is, and it pulls you out of the story. This can come from a myriad of reasons: lip filler, Botox, dyed hair with visible roots, overly perfect modern makeup, veneers, inaccurate costuming, the list goes on. Anyway, I saw the trailer and it looks very… organic, if I can put it into words. I’m very excited for this adaptation because I’ve studied the book and really loved it, especially the relationship between the sisters, which, funnily enough, despite it being a romance, feels like the focal point of the story. It reminds me of the naturalness of the Pride and Prejudice (2005) adaptation, and that is a huge compliment because nothing can really compare to that. But we’ll see once the film is out before making any final judgments. II) Sarah Wynn-Williams, Previously Silenced, Now Sues Meta Back in late June/early July, I wrote about this story. To summarise: at the Hay Festival, Sarah Wynn-Williams was prevented from speaking at a talk she was due to attend and was also at risk of being fined $50,000 (£37,100) following legal action from Meta linked to her book Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism. The book is a memoir and insider account of her time at Meta, in which she alleges she was terminated after reporting that her boss had sexually harassed her. Wynn-Williams is now suing Meta, claiming the company attempted to silence her. According to Ravi Naik, legal director of AWO Legal and her UK lawyer, the lawsuit marked “the first time Sarah has been able to explain to the world what has happened to her.” III) Commonwealth Foundation Gives Final Say on AI Allegations in Short Story Prize Entry This is another story previously mentioned in L.L. Back in May, there was a controversy surrounding the 2026 Commonwealth Foundation regional category entry The Serpent in the Grove, which was accused of being partially or fully generated using AI. Since then, a formal review has been conducted by the Foundation. They examined the issue as thoroughly as possible, including discussions with the author, a review of drafts and notes, an assessment of the writing process, and conversations with the judges. After this, they concluded that they found no evidence of AI use and stood by the results. That said, authorship is becoming increasingly difficult to verify in a reliable way. It raises a wider concern for literature: in the future, some writers may be wrongly accused of using AI, while others who do may slip through unnoticed. It’s a problem that still feels unresolved, and one we’ll likely continue to see debated. IV) Teenage Boys Lag Behind in Reading Variety An interesting article I came across today suggests that teenage boys are increasingly falling behind girls when it comes to the variety of genres they read. The survey looked at ages 11–14 and found that eight out of the top ten books read by boys were from Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. By contrast, girls’ reading choices showed a much wider range of genres, including Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. The findings come from a large-scale report analysing more than 23 million reading quizzes completed by almost 1.1 million children across the UK and Ireland during the 2024–25 academic year. V) Simon & Schuster Partners with The Black List to Expand Adaptation Pipeline Simon & Schuster has collaborated with the Black List, a multifunctional web platform focused on screenplay development and a way to discover new writers and producers. Think of it as a platform to discover new talent in things like plays, screenplays, manuscripts, and in 2024 books made that list. SS are to add more than 6,000 titles from the publisher's backlist to the platform's searchable online database. This is to help film and television professionals find new projects for potential film adaptation. It's nice to hear of a publishing house that is collaborating with a company other than AI for once.

Hello! This is my bi-weekly update on publishing. I hope you haven’t missed me too much, but here I am again with another catch-up for all you wonderful people who are dying to get into the industry just as much as I am. So, without further ado, here’s another segment of the blind leading the blind! I genuinely cannot believe I am typing this... I feel incredibly emotional having to come back to this realisation over and over again every time I think about it, but this week I have to tell you that I got offered a job. And not just any job, but a job in publishing. As a Marketing Assistant. For Bloomsbury. For Sarah J. Maas’ ACOTAR campaign. I think I’m going to be sick (well, I felt like I was when I got the call). I’m sure this seems like it’s come out of nowhere and, in a way, it has, it all happened within a matter of days and all at once, so let me give you some context and a bit of insider information. The real hero in my story is my mentor from SYP, who knew about Bloomsbury looking to hire for a temporary Marketing Assistant role and encouraged me to go through the publishing recruitment company Inspired Selection, where multiple candidates are put through the process. I sent off my cover letter (which I obsessed over until my eyes blurred) and CV, and waited to hear whether I’d landed an interview. A few days later, I got the news, and with only four days to prepare, I had an online interview. Honestly, I think I blacked out. All I can confidently say is that I don’t think I’ve ever wanted something more in my entire life. My interviewers were so lovely, and the conversation really convinced me how perfect the role would be for me, not just in terms of what I could offer, but also how much I could learn from those I would be surrounded by. I can hardly think straight about this. I am so excited and overwhelmed, this is everything. When something like this happens so suddenly, it’s a feeling unlike any other. I’ve been working towards this for so long, and if you’ve followed my journey, you’ll know that. I also know I wouldn’t have been able to get here without my supporters, my mentor, those at Inspired, everyone who gave me volunteer and work experience opportunities or even a bit of advice and insight and of course my unwavering family and friends. Every small and big act has led me here, and I can’t even fully wrap my head around it. I think these are the kinds of experiences that don’t quite fit into words, which is why I’m struggling a little here, but just know I’m feeling everything and more. This is just so wonderful. I think I’ll be able to express it more clearly later on, but right now I need to sit with this euphoric shock a little longer. After all, it’s been so long since I’ve felt relief like this. And to all my lost bookworms, Stay Steadfast x

Hello! This is my bi-weekly update on publishing. I hope you haven’t missed me too much, but here I am again with another catch-up for all you wonderful people who are dying to get into the industry just as much as I am. So, without further ado, here’s another segment of the blind leading the blind! Big news, the biggest news: I’ve had an interview! Well, actually three, to be exact (it was a three-stage process) for a creative agency. The role was for a Marketing Account Executive, and as nervous as I was, the experience was actually a really positive one. They didn’t want to catch you out or make you any more nervous than you already were, and I genuinely felt like they were rooting for me. The only intimidating part was the three stages. Having to continuously give your best while meeting new people each time can be quite draining, and then there’s the hope aspect. The closer you get, the harder it is if it doesn’t work out. When you're that close to something, it cuts that much deeper knowing there was a real chance it could have been yours. But the interview process really made me look at interviews differently. It showed me that they can be positive, rewarding experiences and such a huge learning curve. You start to recognise your strengths in these situations and can carry that confidence and experience into future interviews. The team and company in general were what really sold me. They were so sociable, supportive, and passionate about what they do, and that passion and heart were something I could relate to so strongly. I could genuinely see myself fitting in there, and I think they sensed that too. Marketing is also an industry that I can feel myself thriving in. I'm a very creative person who has become increasingly invested in audience engagement through the various roles and work experiences I've had over the years. The brands they worked with were exciting too, and their campaigns were incredibly fun and inventive. There was such an energetic buzz around everything they did, and you could tell they genuinely loved their work and were exceptionally good at it. It felt like the kind of environment where I could really see myself growing. I've also been volunteering for a while now at the Hunterian Museum, and I don't think I've ever met such an inviting and warm group of people. I think the most surprising part is that there are all kinds of people there, from different backgrounds and with different reasons for volunteering, and it makes the experience so much richer. I think some form of volunteering is always worth considering when you're unemployed, especially after finishing a degree and struggling to find work. Not only does it mean your CV won't have a huge gap, but it also gives you plenty of skills and experiences to talk about in applications and interviews. For me, because I'd already volunteered in other ways, whether as an editorial assistant for a newsletter, at a book fair, or elsewhere, it felt like another valuable experience to add under my belt. Now, I know volunteering can be a privilege because you're not getting paid. However, at the Museum they cover travel and food expenses, which is wonderful. Without that support, I wouldn't have been able to do it myself. It's definitely something worth looking into, and it doesn't matter whether your interests are in english literature, history, science, or something completely different, they welcome people from a wide range of backgrounds, so don't be put off. Everyone I've met has been absolutely lovely, and the supervisors have been incredibly supportive, so it's hard to see any downsides. Job hunting can be so monotonous and, at times, quite lonely, so those interactions have felt genuinely fulfilling and productive. On top of volunteering, there are opportunities to join museum tours, speak with former surgeons, and learn more about the collections and history of the museum itself. I love museums anyway, so it couldn't be much more perfect. Well... almost. I can be a little squeamish, and a museum dedicated to the history of surgery can definitely test that. But so far, exposure therapy seems to be working wonders. Anyway, honestly, it’s really positive news, it feels like a nice change. I think my new approach has definitely been working, or maybe things just happened at the right time, but either way it’s good. I’m excited, and very nervous (obviously). And to all my lost bookworms, Stay Steadfast x

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world. I) Your Fault: London Released Your Fault: London (the second film in the My Fault series) was released this week and I did indeed get to watch it. Now, is the premise a bit strange? A young woman, Noah, moves from America to London with her mother and wealthy stepfather, where she meets her stepbrother and falls in love with him. Yes. Did I have to work quite hard to ignore the fact they are step-siblings? Also yes. But once you push that to the side, it’s actually a really enjoyable film (I’m aware how ridiculous that sounds). The film is based on the bestselling novels by Spanish author Mercedes Ron, which already had a Spanish adaptation called Culpa Mía, also on Prime Video. Although I much preferred the London version. They made a few tweaks here and there that made it more palatable, such as not constantly referring to each other as “step-brother” and “step-sister” (a creative choice that truly ruined the experience). The male lead also has anger issues in both versions, but in the Spanish film his behaviour is far more controlling and aggressive, directed at the female lead in a way I couldn’t abide by. The London version softens that dynamic slightly. That’s not to say the relationship in Your Fault is healthy, because it really isn’t, but both characters are flawed and messy, rather than it feeling like one person is mistreated the whole time. That, to me, is at least a small improvement. Overall, I think the casting works really well. It’s fun, easy to watch, and a definite improvement on the Spanish version. II) The King’s Birthday Honours List: Notable Authors Make the Cut The King’s Birthday Honours List, awarded annually on the monarch’s official birthday in June, recognises individuals for their contributions to public life. It celebrates well-known figures, civil servants, and everyday people who have made a meaningful impact in their communities. Recommendations are made by the Prime Minister and senior government ministers, although members of the public can also nominate individuals for consideration. Two recognisable authors who appeared on the list this year (and are now dames) are Julia Donaldson, best known for her children’s book The Gruffalo (and recently announced new title Gruffalo Granny, due for release in September 2026), and Malorie Blackman, known for her YA series Noughts & Crosses, which tackles racism and social injustice in an alternative 22nd-century Britain. III) Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2026 Shortlist Waterstones has announced its six novels shortlisted for the 2026 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, voted by Waterstones booksellers. The shortlisted books are: Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash – A story about a dysfunctional family, an open marriage, and three chaotic, unusual children, whose lives are pulled into a criminal conspiracy when they become entangled with Paul Alabaster, a billionaire shipping magnate. Honey in the Wound by Jiyoung Han - Spanning generations of a Korean family marked by magical gifts, we follow a gifted young woman who joins a resistance movement against Japanese imperialism and, decades later, confronts her family's buried past with her granddaughter. Under Water by Tara Menon - After losing her mother and then her closest childhood friend during a formative childhood in Thailand, Marissa returns to New York years later and is forced to face the memories that have shaped her life as another disaster looms. May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry - A curator designing immersive historical rooms becomes so fixated on a little-known medieval king that his story starts to blur into her own life, linking her present-day emotional escape with his troubled, uncertain reign. A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia - Set between postwar Rome and London and later decades in the present, the story follows a newly ordained priest and a woman drawn toward the Church and forbidden love, whose choices ripple forward into a family history only fully understood generations later. The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski - At Thornwalk, a fading English manor awaiting conversion into a luxury hotel, an observer guides us through the crumbling history of the Gilbert siblings, revealing how their family story, spanning wartime upheaval to modern decline, unfolds alongside the house’s slow transformation and loss. IV) Major Publishers Sue WeLib Over Alleged Piracy Publishers such as Hachette, HarperCollins, and Macmillan (among many others) have brought a lawsuit against pirate site WeLib, a digital library made up of two platforms: an educational school library system and a public file-sharing site for e-books and academic articles. The publishers are accusing it of large-scale piracy, claiming it distributes copyrighted books without permission. It’s what’s often referred to as a “shadow library”, where both new releases and older backlist titles are made available for free. Like most piracy sites, it’s being targeted because of the obvious harm it causes to authors and rights holders. But enforcement is notoriously difficult, similar to streaming piracy, because these platforms tend to shift domains or operate across multiple countries, making it hard to actually shut them down completely. So how successful this lawsuit will be is anyones guess. V) The Correspondent Sales Jump After Virginia Evans’ Women’s Prize Victory After Virginia Evans won the Women’s Prize for Fiction on 11 June 2026, there’s been a noticeable surge in sales, as you’d expect. These kinds of awards tend to boost visibility significantly. The Correspondent follows a lifelong correspondent who has made sense of her world through writing letters, but is forced to revisit a painful chapter from her past when an unexpected message arrives.

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world. I) Hot Girls Read… and Trademark Popular Slogans?” BookTok creator and small business owner, Allie Mitrovich (known online as @allieroseco), recently found herself at the centre of a scandal after making the ill-advised decision to trademark the phrase “Hot Girls Read.” Why is this such an issue, you ask? Well, anyone with even a passing interest in the book community has likely come across this slogan many times. It’s not something most people would ever assume could be trademarked, until Mitrovich attempted it, and the response has not been positive. BookTok is often a space of debate and disagreement, but this is one topic that seems to have united the community. Below is the Instagram caption that sparked it all (since deleted). "Hot Girls Read™ is officially ours 🤩3ish years ago after I started reading more consistently and finally started to love to read, I put HGR on some bookmarks and crews and the rest is freaking history!!!” I also think it’s somewhat ironic, and a significant misjudgement, to trademark a term enjoyed by so many, especially when she has only been reading for around three years. In contrast, many people in the community have had a close bond with literature since childhood. That’s not to say anyone’s reading is “more valid” depending on how long they’ve been reading, but it doesn’t necessarily reflect well, and it suggests there is still a need to step back and better understand what matters most in the book community. It also risks harming or limiting other small book businesses who may already use this very common phrase. When she later posted on an Instagram story: ‘I want to (very gently with peace and love!!!!) say that I officially have the trademark for hot girls read in the following categories: bookmarks stickers notebook covers/book covers notepads sweatshirts t-shirts hooded sweatshirts I've seen HGR on lots of items from other business’ that follow me so if that is you please remove those listings from ur site as soon as possible 💛 with love!!!!’ That, to me, speaks for itself. You can’t drop a decision like that on small businesses who rely on their own products featuring the phrase HGR, then soften it with “with love” and expect it to be fine. The lack of awareness is concerning. It would only take a moment to consider the reverse scenario: what if someone had done the same thing before her? Her own business would likely be significantly impacted. That is not what literature or the book community stands for, and it’s not something the community would typically encourage. Three years of reading experience simply doesn’t seem to have been enough to fully understand that. Following the backlash, on 8 June Mitrovich announced that the trademark had been surrendered and that the paperwork was in the process of being filed. She apologised, saying: “I’m so sorry to every small business that I harmed in doing this.” She also addressed the existing “Hot Girls Read” apparel still listed on her site, stating that all profits would be donated to two charities: Room to Read and Read and Feed. It’s good to see accountability and awareness, although it would be hard to ignore the situation entirely, especially given how much it may have impacted her business image in the first place. Addressing it was really the only option. That said, we’ve also seen plenty of people double down in similar online controversies, so the way this situation was handled shouldn’t be snubbed. And really, it highlights just how powerful (and at times intimidating) a force BookTok can be. While it can sometimes feel overly reactive or quick to take offence, this is one instance where the community’s response feels justified. II) The Love Hypothesis Release Date Prime has finally announced that the film The Love Hypothesis is set to be released on 23 September 2026. The movie is an adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s very popular book, an author who definitely blew up in popularity (thanks to BookTok, of course) in 2021 after this book came out, and has maintained steady interest in her work since. Fans are especially excited for this one as it stars Lili Reinhart (As Olive) and Tom Bateman (As Adam). Fun fact, if you’ve been living under a rock, The Love Hypothesis actually began as a Star Wars “Reylo” (Rey and Kylo Ren) fanfiction titled Head Over Feet, posted on Archive of Our Own (AO3). I’ve read The Love Hypothesis and I’m very excited for the movie, I have faith in it. Who doesn’t love a cheesy romance? III) Everyone Deserves to Read: Macmillan’s Inclusive Book Release Macmillan Children’s Books (MCB) will distribute 140,000 books across the UK as part of a nationwide literacy campaign linked to the release of Gruffalo Granny (announced back in February). Around 75,000 copies of Gruffalo Granny will be given away, alongside family reading programmes and community events designed to encourage early-years literacy. Macmillan is also partnering with nine literacy and disability charities, including (unsurprisingly) the National Literacy Trust. Accessible editions, including Braille, audio-tactile formats, and British Sign Language versions, will be released at the same time as the standard edition so that children with different needs can access the story from launch day, in whatever way works best for them. This is a brilliant example of accessibility and inclusion in publishing, everyone deserves the chance to read. IV) WHSmith Share Sale Explained WH Smith sold 25.8 million new shares in the company to investors, raising approximately £102 million to reinvest into the business. This is relevant because WHSmith is now primarily a travel-focused retailer, operating mainly in airports, railway stations, hospitals, and other transport hubs. Its high-street stores were sold off to Modella Capital in 2025 and have since been rebranded as TGJones. WHSmith did not sell its brand name, which is why it continues to operate under the same name in its travel locations. These changes are intended to strengthen the company’s finances and support future growth, particularly following expectations of reduced profits due to weaker sales. V) Reading Inequality in Children Amazing news! More children are enjoying reading again for the first time in about five years. Not so amazing news… the gap between children is widening depending on their background. This divide is not surprising, but it is still disappointing. Children with greater access to education, resources, time, and reading support, often from more privileged backgrounds, are benefiting more from this renewed interest in reading. As a result, these children are improving faster, while those from more disadvantaged backgrounds are not catching up at the same rate, and in some cases are falling further behind. There are many reasons for this, and it is a difficult issue to tackle, especially when you consider pressures like the cost of living. For many families, whether their children read or not is understandably low on the list of priorities when they are simply trying to get by and survive. If parents are working long hours or multiple jobs to support their families, there is naturally less time for shared reading at home. On top of that, schools in different settings can have very different levels of resources, with state schools often operating under tighter constraints than private or grammar schools. There are so many contributing factors. It is great to see more children reading again, that is exactly what campaigns like the National Year of Reading aim to encourage. However, we cannot ignore it when those gains are not evenly distributed, or when they fail to reflect children from different backgrounds. Every child deserves access to reading, yet it is difficult to ignore how early economic and social disadvantages can already shape their opportunities. These barriers appear so young, and they can have a lasting impact on development. Reading is one of the key ways children can build skills and confidence, but that becomes far harder if access is not equal.