Books

Sophie McCartney
15 March 2022

Sophie McCartney: 'I use my Instagram to reassure my followers that parenting isn’t always perfect'
Best known for her wickedly accurate insights into modern parenthood, award-winning comedian Sophie McCartney AKA ‘Tired and Tested’ has released her debut book which has gone straight in at Number ONE in the ...

Louisa Herridge by Natasha Cadman
15 March 2022

How can I get my spark back as a mum? by Louisa Herridge author of Stop Ironing, Start Living
Written by Louisa Herridge, 42 from Cheshire is a Mindset and Positive Psychology Empowerment Coach, Founder of the global movement Mamas Ignited https://mamasignited.co.uk/ and best-selling author. Her recent inspirational book ...

Rabbits by Terry Miles / Image credit: Pan Macmillan
14 March 2022

Rabbits review: Terry Miles has us eager to play “the game” in his ARG thriller
What would you do if the fate of the world depended on winning an ancient alternate reality game? Would you play even as your fellow players disappeared or turned up ...

Jo Lovett writes an exclusive piece for Female First
14 March 2022

Seven things I'd like my readers to know about the setting of my new book, Antiparos, by Jo Lovett
My new book, Just Friends, is set on the small Greek island of Antiparos, in the Cyclades. I was lucky enough to visit the island a few years ago, and ...

Megan Edwards
14 March 2022

The Ides of March by Megan Edwards, author of A Coin for the Ferryman
To be sure, Shakespeare’s version of this saying is far more famous. “Beware the Ides of March” has cast an ominous pall over the infamous date ever since the Bard ...

Women's Prize for Fiction 2022
11 March 2022

Women’s Prize for Fiction: The Sentence and Salt Lick among most haunting titles on 2022’s longlist
This week saw the unveiling of the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022 longlist, featuring five stunning debuts and eleven other incredible new additions to established authors’ bibliography. All of ...

Where Blood Runs Cold is available now
10 March 2022

Where Blood Runs Cold review: A chilling thriller set in the unforgiving Norwegian mountains
What would you do if you witnessed a cold-blooded murder whilst your young daughter slept peacefully just a few steps away from where the crime took place? Would you freeze ...

Tripping Arcadia by Kay Mayquist / Image credit: Dutton
10 March 2022

Tripping Arcadia review: Kit Mayquist leads us on a vengeful quest full of secrets and lies
When the premise of a Great Gatsby-esque gothic novel with LGBTQ+ romance and poisonous revenge is presented to you, you don’t turn away. You allow yourself to be sucked into ...

Charms & Symbols by Alison Davies / Image credit: Pyramid
9 March 2022

Charms & Symbols review: Alison Davies walks us through a world of ancient and powerful signs
The world is full of meaningful symbols. From the humble triangle to the sacred Om glyph, we work with symbols everyday whether it’s in our spiritual practices or mundane tasks ...

Natalie Brown
8 March 2022

What I'd like my readers to know about me by Confessions of a Crummy Mummy author Natalie Brown
Mum of four Natalie Brown takes part in Female First's 'seven things' series following the release of her telling-it-how-it-is parenting memoir Confessions of a Crummy Mummy - The Baby Years. ...

Image credit: Unsplash
8 March 2022

From Vivianne Crowley to Mat Auryn: Five upcoming books we have on our 2022 witchy wish list
With so many incredible books on witchcraft and Paganism being released at the moment, it’s no wonder that our days are spent with our finger hovering over the “pre-order” button. ...

Geoffrey Paris
8 March 2022

How to be a more considerate customer or guest by Geoffrey Paris, author of More Sauce Madam?
We’ve all been embarrassed in a restaurant or hotel when one of the other customers or guests is rude or downright abusive towards the hard-working staff who are only trying ...

Image credit: Unsplash
8 March 2022

International Women’s Day: Black feminist literature you need on your to-read list
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #BreakTheBias - a concept that encourages diversity and intersectionality, while shunning stereotypes that harm feminism. Thus, we’ve decided to shine a spotlight ...

Seni Glaister is the CEO of new reading platform Litalist
4 March 2022

Seni Glaister Interview: Meet the businesswoman supporting local bookshops with a new way of selling
With International Women’s Day quickly approaching, we caught up with book-lover and businesswoman (and former CEO of The Book People) Seni Glaister to discuss her new, ethical project that allows ...

Image credit: Pixabay
3 March 2022

Are Redwall and Edge Chronicles among the most underrated children's fantasy series of all time?
Another World Book Day is nearly over and seeing endless streams of photographs of our friends’ kids dressed as their favourite book characters on social media has inspired us to ...

Claire Frost opens up in an exclusive piece for Female First
3 March 2022

Seven things I'd like my readers to know about me, by Claire Frost
Claire Frost is the author of Living My Best Life and Married At First Swipe – and her third book, The One, is published today (March 3). Lottie Brown has ...

Lizzie Pook by Magdalena Smolarska
3 March 2022

Seven things I’d like my readers to know about me, by Lizzie Pook
Growing up, I never thought writing books could be a job. I loved reading though and my dad would take me and my sister to the library every weekend where ...

Beat Stress at Work by Lucy Streule
3 March 2022

The relationship between stress & creativity by Mark Simmonds, author of Beat Stress at Work
The modern day workplace is not really cut out for creativity. It’s too stressful! But guess what. Ironically, creativity can have a positive impact on your overall stress levels! Just ...

Lizzie O'Hagan by Juliet Trickery
3 March 2022

Author of The Visa, Lizzie O'Hagan writes about growing in love and a new kind of romcom
‘You can’t marry a man you’ve just met.’ If, like me, you spend an inordinate amount of time falling into social-media-cyclones, you’ve probably seen this meme: a sassy still of ...

Helen Fields
3 March 2022

Why I found my voice in Scotland by Helen Fields, author of One for Sorrow
My father, a Hampshire boy born and bred, loved Scotland, and I remember being fascinated by the way he talked about it. He was a fiercely practical man who was ...

Zoe Somerville by Beata Cosgrove
3 March 2022

Seven things I'd like my readers to know about me by Zoe Somerville, author of The Marsh House
I grew up in Norfolk, the setting of both of my novels and most of my family are still there, in or around Norwich. One of my favourite books as ...

Morgan Owen
3 March 2022

Five reasons why adults should read YA by Morgan Owen, author of The Girl With No Soul
When people ask me what my book is about, I don’t tell them that it’s YA at first. I tell them that it’s set in a world in which the ...

Surviving Solo Motherhood
3 March 2022

Reasons for guilt in single motherhood and how to overcome this emotional state
Guilt is a powerful, uncomfortable emotion which can often show up during the experience of single motherhood. Guilt can spill out in so many ways, for example: - Guilt about ...

Mark Simmonds
3 March 2022

The relationship between stress and creativity by Mark Simmonds, author of Beat Stress at Work
The modern day workplace is not really cut out for creativity. It’s too stressful! But guess what. Ironically, creativity can have a positive impact on your overall stress levels! Just ...