By now most people will have seen the incredible movie adaptation of this transformative novel by Andy Weir, and although the big-screen adaptation was a brilliant recreation, nothing can truly stand to the power of this survival novel set on Mars. Written in a series of log entries and narrative chapters this novel intelligently captures the readers imagination, swiftly carrying us away from a sense of fiction and creating a novel which reads like a true account. From the blurb; 'I'm stranded on Mars. 'I have no way to communicate with Earth. 'If the Oxygenator breaks down, I'll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I'll die of thirst. 'If the Habitat breaches, I'll just kind of explode. 'If none of those things happen, I'll eventually run out of food and starve to death. 'I'm screwed.' Incredibly well researched and laced with Weir's unique humor The Maritain provides a brilliant twist on the classic survival novel. This space based adventure gives us an insight into the unique challenges that exist when considering a planetary mission to Mars and then runs with the worst case scenarios in every instance, creating a breathtaking, edge-of-the-seat, novel that no reader will be able to put down and which lives long after reading in our minds. If you haven't had a chance to read The Martian yet, take the opportunity and dive into this incredible book. We Give The Martian Five Stars ISBN - 978-1-785031-13-7 Cover Price - £7.99 First published by Del Rey in the UK 2014

Delight in the return to the Graceling Realm as Kristin Cashore paints a new view of the spellbinding world we've fallen in love with. From the blurb; 'Seasparrow is told from the point of view of Hava, Bitterblue's personal spy and secret half-sister. 'Hava sails across the sea towards Monsea with her sister. Queen Bitterblue, the royal entourage, and the world's only copies of the formulas for the zilfium weapon she saved at the end of Winterkeep. 'During the crossing, Hava makes an unexpected discovery, about one of the ship's crew, but before she can unravel the mystery, storms drive their ship off course, wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. 'The survivors must endure a harrowing trek across the ice to make it back to Monsea. And while Queen Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon that will change the world, Hava has a few more mysterious to solve, and a decision to make about who she wants to be in the new world Bitterblue will build. 'What will Bitterblue's spy do in a world where Gracelings are no longer the ultimate power and kingdoms now have weapons of mass destruction.' Seasparrow picks up exactly from where Winterkeep left off, with our hero's setting sail across a treacherous winter sea, while battling with the weight of the earth altering discoveries. It is obvious that Cashore put a lot of work into learning the in's and outs of sailing and survival in the Northern cold, and that research pays off in an all embracing story filled with life or death realism which will absorb any and every reader. Reading from the perspective of Hava, Bitterblue's secretive sister graced with hiding, gives us an insight into the childhood Bitterblue endured and a view of the other characters at play that only a spy could offer. While this novel is filled with the fantasy elements we have grown to adore from Cashore's Graceling series it is also an action packed survival adventure story which offers devious plots, sudden twists, and cut-throat survival on a icy plain. All the while carrying the weight of the future as Cashore asks what technology will bring to a world of magic. As our characters fight to maintain hope in their dire situation we are carried with them, enjoying every mention of characters previously loved, any nod towards the world which we initially fell in love with. Most importantly enjoying the tension of a budding, beautiful, love story while an older love takes bloom. We Give Seasparrow Five Stars ISBN - 978-1-3996-0080-4 Hard Back Cover Price - £20.00 Published by Gollancz, an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group Ltd 2022

If you thought the fist book, The Midnight Lie, was impossible to put down you'll be enthralled by The Hollow Heart. Marie Rutkoski paints a world in which we cannot escape, it's passions, love story, and magic beautifully crafted to create a spellbinding story which will steal your breath and live on long after reading. From the blurb; 'Nirrim's heart is lost, traded to the god of thieves in order to restore her people's memories. Meanwhile, Sid, the person she once loved most, has returned to Herran to take up her duty to the crown. 'But frightening rumors are growing in the Herrani court: of a new threat rising across the sea, of magic unleashed upon the world, and of a cruel, black-haired queen who can make you believe your dearest friends to be your enemies. 'Sid doesn't know that this queen is Nirrim, seeking revenge against a world that has wronged her. Can Sid save Nirrim from herself? And does Nirrim even want to be saved? 'As blood is shed and war begins, Sid and Nirrim find that it might not matter what they want... for the gods have their own plans.' Though there is no need to have read Marie Rutkoski's previous works to enjoy The Hollow Heart, having read The Winner's Trilogy, will heighten any readers enjoyment of this explosive second novel. As Rutkoski reveals Sid's true history we are delighted as readers to find a connection into her previous trilogy, and through that connection some insight into the futures of the characters we fell in love with throughout the course of that series. Explained enough to ensure that readers do not have to have read to previous Winners Trilogy to enjoy the revelations of The Hollow Heart Rutkoski creates a timeless book which will sit proudly on the bookshelves of both long term fans and new readers. As Sid deals with her own challenges across the sea with her royal family, Nirrim fights her own battles. With her compassion lost Nirrim turns into the dark god we always knew she could be. Seeing a character we fell in love with for her kindness shaped into a villain beyond cruel is a wicked delight many readers will enjoy. As Rutkoski explores these two story-lines she also delves into a past as yet unknown, revealing the secrets of the gods who shaped this world so long ago. This novel craves a reader as much as the reader craves the novel. The two devour one another completely and will leave the novel softened while the reader is left captivated, living in a world which has long since closed. Leaving us excited for what Rutkoski will do next. We Give The Hollow Heart Five Stars ISBN - 978-1-529-35754-7 Cover Price - £8.99 Published by Hodder & Stoughton 2021

Marie Rutkoski throws us into the depths of a brilliant and incredible world from the very first page of this spellbinding and enchanting novel. From the blurb; 'In the Ward, life is grim and punishing. Crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society's pleasures are forbidden. Nirrim keeps her head down, and a dangerous secret close to her chest. 'But then she meets Sid, a rakish traveler from far away, who whispers rumors of magic. Magic would grant Nirrim a better life, but to seek it she will have to surrender everything she's ever known, and place her trust in a shy stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.' The Midnight Lie is the best LGBTQ+ story we've read in awhile. This intelligent love story carry's the reader through the passions and pitfalls of early blooming love with deliberate care taken over the characters. In this world we soon learn that not all is as it seems. Though trapped by the unfair rules of a society which refuses to explain itself Nirrim strives to be better, and to hope for better, for those around her. As we follow Nirrim along the tight-rope she walks between the rules and freedom we learn that her life has been harder than most. It doesn't take much for Rutkoski to make us fall in love with Nirrim, and then shortly after to fall head-over-heels with Sid, allowing the reader to concentrate on the mysteries of the world in which they live. The Midnight Lie creates and nods towards countless mysteries. Questions which beg to be answered shape each and every action taken throughout the novel. As we delve deeper into this mysterious world those questions bloom into a riot which will leave any reader jumping for the second novel. We Give The Midnight Lie Five Stars ISBN - 978-1-529-35749-3 Cover Price - £8.99 Published by Hodder & Stoughton 2020

If you've read Warcross there will be nothing capable of stopping you from grabbing the first copy of Wildcard you come across and devouring it's pages. If you didn't think Marie Lu could do better than she did in the first novel you'll be pleased to hear she'll prove you wrong with this second, spellbinding, sequel. There's nothing quite so exhilarating as a game. While here in the real world we're only just begging to explore the possibilities of virtual reality gaming Lu's world in Wildcard has fully realized it's potential and built a society around the complex, interlinked, online system, slotting perfectly over reality and bringing everything to enhanced life. Having already set up the world, and the games, in her first captivating novel, Warcross, Lu wastes no time to throw us into the deep end with Wildcard, and you better hope you can keep up as she explodes the story into action. From the blurb; 'All bets are off. This time the gamble is survival. 'Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, the one person she thought was on her side - Hideo Tanaka. 'His plan: to wipe out all crime on earth by ending the free will of it's citizens. 'Emika is determined to put a stop to him, but she soon finds a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on her head, and her sole chance of survival lies with the ruthless Zero. 'But his protection comes at a price. 'Caught in a web of betrayal, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves.' Emika is at a loss. The world she knew has been turned on it's head, and her only hope for survival is to solve a mystery decades old and long gone cold. If Emika can put her heart to the sidelines she might be able to save her life, but if she lets love rule she'll surely fail. While Warcross was exhilarating Wildcard will leave readers breathless, at the edge of their seats, and completely unprepared for all of the twists and turns that are about to unfold. Lu's creative talent, literary prowess and pure imagination are fully on display in this incredible novel. Grasping the reader and throwing them into her world, caught up in the beauty, majesty, excitement and danger that Lu weaves across the pages. There is no need for virtual reality when you have writing this absorbing. Cheer for Emika as she risks it all to save not just the world, not just herself, but the broken man she has fallen in love with. We give Wildcard Five Stars. ISBN - 978-0-241-34242-8 Hardback Cover Price - £12.99 First published in the UK by Penguin Books, 2018

The immensely talented Marie Lu brings her imaginative A-game in this exciting, gamer led, story that will captivate any reader. Warcross is based in the future. A future where virtual reality and reality live over the top of one another. You can make your life in the virtual realm, be who you want to be, and if you're very good, you can even compete in the international virtual reality games and secure your future forever. Lu puts a lot of passion into this brilliant novel, bringing us characters so strongly imagined we can practically feel them sitting beside us, telling us the events that took place and leading us through the complex maze of their world. From the blurb; 'For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game, it's a way of life. 'The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcorss players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships, only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. 'Convinced she'd going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game's creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year's tournament in order to uncover a security problem... and he wants Emika for the job. 'With no time to lose, Emika's whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she's only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross Empire.' It takes just two chapters to make us fall in love with Emika Chen, and only a couple more after that to have us addicted to the world which she inhabits, mere pages after we're hooked to the character and place the story takes hold and whisks us away on an unforgettable adventure made for gamers and delivered for readers. Warcross is the kind of book you read in a day and that leaves you desperate for more. Happily read until dog eared Warcross shows of Lu's impressive talents, introducing characters we want to embrace, a system that is as well studied as it is portrayed and, most importantly, a lot of excitement. We give Warcross Five Stars ISBN - 978-0-399-54796-6 Hardback Cover Price - $18.99USA Published 2017

Cecelia Ahern's debut into the world of Young Adult fiction has also brought us her first book series with this second exciting novel into the world of Flawed. After our main character Celestine North realized no one was going to save her and no one was going to see her as perfect again, her world view began to shift, and now, armed with the knowledge of everything perfect that made up her society, she's finally willing to fight for the change that has to come. It is in this second book that we can finally begin to like Celestine, as she grows as a real person, throwing off the high status view she's maintained her whole life and accepting not just herself but the people around her for their honorable actions rather than their fit in the perfect mold. From the blurb; 'Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed, Celestine's life has fractured completely, all her freedoms gone. 'Since Judge Crevan declared her the number-one threat to the public, she has been on the run with the complicated, powerfully attractive Carrick, the only person she can trust. But Celestine has a secret, one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. 'Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, she must make a choice: save only herself, or risk her life to save all the flawed.' As we race against the clock alongside Celestine and Carrick in this second novel we get to see a greater amount of the world the broken flawed system has created, and the injustice that rules freely in it. We quickly fall in love with the courageous Carrick, and while Celestine still grates on occasion, her development as a character comes swiftly and with great appreciation to most readers. Perfect leaves us hoping Ahern will explore the landscape of YA fiction again in the future. We give Perfect Three Stars ISBN - 978-0-00-812513-4 Hardback Cover Price - £14.99 First published in the UK by HarperCollins Children's Books, 2017

Cecelia Ahern's first exploration of Young Adult writing will certainly not disappoint as it brings readers all of her expert writing talent, her breath taking imagination and her incredible ability to bring characters to life. While Ahern is best known for her romantic adult literature and the many films which have come from her best selling books, this dive into a more imaginative YA world proves her creative talents are capable of delving out of the romantic realms. Flawed is a story about oppression, about having to stick to the rules or face the judgement of society, it is a story that we can all recognize and feel. Tapping into these emotions and frustrations Ahern brings her dystopian world to life, and tells us a powerful story about self-discovery, growth and, of course, throwing out the patriarchy. From the blurb; 'Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan. 'But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed. ' What happens when the rules are wrong if no one is willing to stand up and point out the mistake? Celestine realizes that the rules which make her life perfect only work for a the few and not the many when she makes her first mistake. Ahern throws us into this convoluted system and world as quickly as she can, making us fall in love with Celestine before punishing her on the grounds of an obviously broken system. Speaking to every angry youth inside us we want to roar at Celestine to fight back, but Celestine remains convinced it is all a mistake that the system will correct, until it doesn't. Can Celestine survive the way her life is about to change forever? Will it make her stronger? Will the people rise up in her defense? If you want to change a society you have to do it with a bang. We give Flawed Three Stars ISBN - 978-0-00-812509-7 Hardback Cover Price - £14.99 First published in hardback in the UK by HarperCollins Childrens' Books, 2016

The third and final installment in the Heart of Dread series will see our heroes fighting to save the blue and magic in this explosive final confrontation. It took us one book to fall in love with Natasha Kestal and a second book to explain her story to us. Now in this third triumph we'll finally see everything that Natasha has been fighting for come to a head. For the readers this means an explosive book, filled with fighting, magic and plot, everything we've been addicted too throughout the heart of dread books so far. For our characters it means making some of the biggest choices they've had to face yet. From the blurb; 'The rift is open. 'Natasha Kestal is a drakonrydder. Savior of the Blue. Protector of the Flame. 'She has won her latest battle, but a greater war lies ahead. Her beloved Wes is dying, and the source of all magic may die with him. 'To save Wes's life, and their world, Nat must make the ultimate sacrifice. But how will she choose between her duty and her kin?' Golden has all the high impact magic dystopia fantasy elements you could wish for in this short but powerful finale. As Natasha fly's through the polluted frost bitten air of the mortal world, fighting off the military who seek to control and ultimately destroy the peaceful haven of the Blue she calls home, the reader is also swept along. The first two books have both been building to this moment, on the sea, far from home and desperate. Natasha is forced to make the decision that will decide the future of everything and everyone in both realms. The authors of this novel hold no punches as they launch their readers into this ultimate final confrontation, the majesty and intricacy of all the small details they have laced throughout the first two books coming to a beautiful conclusion that any reader will be satisfied with. We give Golden Three Stars ISBN - 978-1-40833-444-7 Cover Price - £6.99 Available as an eBook First published in the UK by The Watts Publishing Group, 2016

The heart wrenching, fast paced, explosive conclusion to the gripping Zeros series will leave readers gasping for breath. By this point in the series we know our characters and their powers well and are ready for another daring adventure at their side. These authors however are not willing to let things end on a small bang, they're going for the earth shaking, tear jerking, power hungry explosion that will leave readers shocked, amazed and in a general state of stunned muteness for at least one hour after closing. From the blurb; 'The Zeroes are in disarray. One has vanished, one is in prison, and the rest are on the most-wanted list. 'After a daring breakout to free Bellwether, the group is drawn to New Orleans, where celebrating Mardi Gras crowds promise enormous power to anyone who can channel it. There, an army is gathering around a charismatic leader - whose plans are nothing short of cataclysmic. 'Time is running out for the Zeroes, but they must learn to trust one another again to avert the looming disaster.' No reader is prepared for what Nexus throws at them. This gripping, transformative, novel takes everything we thought we knew about this world, and the characters we've grown to care for within it, and turns it on it's head. No longer the hidden powers dancing behind the scenes, our characters now must dodge those who are after them and try to find a way to come back into the good books of society while facing off devious plots and doing their best to hold together as a disorganized, angry, team. If you liked the way things ended in the second novel, Swarm, then do not read Nexus. For while brilliant this read will leave many heart broken. We give Nexus Four Stars ISBN - 978-7-4711-2493-8 Cover Price - £7.99 Available as an eBook First published in the UK by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2018

A character driven read with a full cast. In Zeroes we smoothly transition from character to character through each chapter, and through their individual takes, are transported into a world full of power. Gifted with powers these young people are living double lives, and our authors are ready to delve into what that means for each of them. While they may be the same age each of our six characters in this exciting novel has a very different personality, and with it a very different gift. Or curse, depending on how you look at it. Where their powers come from is anyone's guess, whether they're the only ones in the world with such abilities is an absolute unknown, can they cause chaos? A definite yes. Form the blurb; 'They might call themselves Zeroes, but these six former-friends have powers that set them apart from the ordinary. 'Take Ethan, a.k.a. Scam. He's got a voice inside him that'll say whatever you want to hear, whether it's true or not. Which is handy, except when it isn't - like when the voice starts talking in the middle of a bank robbery and gets you into a whole heap of trouble. 'Only the other Zeroes can help... if they agree to come back together to save Scam. But what if there was someone else that could help too? Perhaps there's a new Zero on the block?' The very nature of this novels conception, written by three authors, allows the mix of characters to feel uniquely and unequivocally individual, allowing for the true power of the story to shine through as these six very different people must re-learn what it means to be a team and discover new ways to change their fates in a world set against them. Setting the stage for a thrilling series Zeroes is a story of power, unity and hardship told through six voices, coming together to make a whole. We give Zeroes Five Stars ISBN - 978-1-4711-2489-1 Cover Price - £7.99 Avaliable as an eBook First published in the UK by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2015

Wishing all our Readers Guide readers an incredibly happy, relaxing and greatly deserved winter break. May you get all the books you desire. Thank you for coming to see us, Much love, The Readers Guide x