Lauren James was born in 1992 and has a master's degree from the University of Nottingham, UK, where she studied chemistry and physics. The Loneliest Girl in the Universe was inspired by a physics calculation she was assigned at university. She lives in the West Midlands, UK, and is an Arts Council grant recipient. You can find her at www.laurenejames.co.uk.
Black Mirror-esque. A fantastic slow-build drama. Lauren James is a genius. --SFX Magazine A tense, psychological thriller that will leave you gasping for air. --The Scotsman [James] skillfully, slowly unspools suspense and dread... This slow-burn genre-blender has surprising twists and turns, and patient readers will be rewarded by the explosive ending. --ALA Booklist [A] stunning twist takes the sci-fi premise into psychological thriller territory...a blur of action in hyperspeed that will leave readers breathless by this end of this satisfying genre mash-up.--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books In James's suspenseful and clever debut, the immensely likable Romy conveys her desire for the very human contact that will leave her vulnerable. Shocking revelations pave the way to a harrowing finale. --Publishers Weekly This is a strange, witty, compulsively unpredictable read which blows most of its new YA-suspense brethren out of the water. --Entertainment Weekly This slow-burning psychological thriller has a killer twist that will make you gasp. --Bustle A story of loneliness and heartbreak blended with sci-fi thrills, it's one of the most surprising books to arrive this year. --Paste Magazine Impossible to stop turning the pages. --Irish Times As much psychological thriller as space odyssey. For fans of speculative fiction with lots of plot twists. --Kirkus Reviews A satisfying sci-fi psychological thriller with a scary twist --NZ Herald Romy is an Everygirl alone in deep space, but it's her zesty narration that drives the momentum in British author Lauren James' The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. Prepare for some rapid page-turning. --BookPage As a psychological drama, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe is a good read with several shocking twists. It's even sharper as an extended metaphor for certain risky realities of modern adolescence. --Wall Street Journal A page-turning science-fiction thriller with some terrific twists. --Philip Reeve, author of Mortal Engines This book moves at full throttle from beginning to end. Lauren James isn't just headed for the stars--she's already there. --Samantha Shannon, author of The Bone Season Whatever your expectations, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe willy defy them. Exceptionally clever storytelling from a talented, versatile writer. --Non Pratt, author of Trouble Gripping and utterly addictive. An absolutely stellar read. --Maggie Harcourt, author of Unconventional A white-knuckle ride through space, science, love, and fandom. I was completely gripped from start to finish. I can't wait to see what Lauren James dreams up next! --Sara Barnard, author of Beautiful Broken Things Loneliest Girl just blew my mind. --John Moore, Waterstones Bookseller The Loneliest Girl in the Universe is shocking and brutal and has the best twist I've ever read. The sinister realism of Romy's situation is as terrifying as it is gripping, and I was rooting for her from beginning to end. --Alice Oseman, author of Radio Silence Gripping psychological thriller with a very relatable heroine. --The Bookseller