This year, Blue Monday arrives with a silver lining: 2026 is the UK’s National Year of Reading, a nationwide campaign led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to reconnect people of all ages with the joy and benefits of reading.
Karin Rehacek, immediate past chair of the NLC, described the talk as “superb” and “a memorable exploration of the book,” adding that she eagerly looks forward to reading Harper’s work in full.
While perfect for spooky season enthusiasts, this isn’t a book that should be shelved after October. The Trout family’s adventures offer year-round entertainment for anyone seeking a fresh take on fantasy fiction with plenty of laughs.
Harper’s work stands as both memorial and manifesto, a reminder that peace is never permanent, that civilisation is always fragile, and that the cost of hatred is measured in broken lives and silenced voices.
Steve James Briggs’s journey began in Blackpool in 1966, within the structured confines of a military family. Yet beneath the surface of this ordinary beginning lay the seeds of extraordinary trauma. As a child, Briggs endured systematic abuse from his schoolteacher and Peter Righton, the founder of the notorious Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE). The scars of this betrayal will follow him for decades, shaping a story that is as much about the long road to justice as it is about personal survival.
Reparative Justice, Diaspora and Responsibility – Black Women’s Narratives in Higher Education
📅 Tuesday 24 June 2025, 10:00-16:30 📍 Birkbeck University, Malet Street, London
Featuring keynote speaker Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP and author Hillery Baptiste (A Name in History), this conference centres Black women’s voices in the struggle for reparative justice.
Join scholars, activists & educators exploring: ✨ Womanist solidarity across diaspora ✨ Structural inequalities in higher education.
✨ Art & storytelling for healing ✨ Community collaboration approaches
Registration closes 17 June! Book now: [link]
Perfect for Book Clubs and Discussion Groups
Warriors raise compelling questions about duty, sacrifice, and what it means to be human when faced with the impossible. Discussion guides are available for educators, book clubs, and reading groups who want to explore the novel’s deeper themes.
MORE THAN A STORY—A MOVEMENT
The Warrior Saga transcends traditional storytelling, offering a fresh mythology that resonates across generations and genres. What began as a literary phenomenon now leaps from the page in this visually stunning adaptation.
A Cosmic Battle with Earth at Stake.
When fourteen-year-old science prodigy Aaron Hunter finally meets his disgraced scientific hero, Eric Woods, he never expects to be violently thrust into an ancient cosmic war that Earth never knew existed. Now, wielding mysterious powers and fighting alongside unlikely allies, Aaron must confront an unknown and brutal being who holds the key to Earth’s extinction.
Experience the award-winning suspense that critics and readers can’t stop talking about. Order your copy of “Bitterblue” today and discover why Sam Martin is rapidly becoming the new master of psychological thrillers.
ARROW GATE PUBLISHING 