Being Bookish

This week, I'm venturing into the chaotic and sometimes hilarious world of the LitRPG phenomenon that's taken the book world by storm. I'm talking about Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, the first book in a (currently) 7-book series that's grown from a self-published cult favourite into a global bestseller. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then this episode is a great place to...

Join me this week for the third in my 2026 author interviews. This time I'm talking with Venetia Constantine about her captivating debut fantasy novel, The Last Starborn Seer. Released by Aria on the 5th of March, it is a sweeping, high-stakes journey through a world of ancient prophecies and celestial magic. It follows Leilani, a young woman whose volatile magic grants her visions of the future...

This week, I had the pleasure of talking with author and Guardian Columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett about her latest brilliant novel, Female, Nude. Released on the 12th of February by Tinder Press, it is an exploration of the female gaze, set against a stunning Grecian backdrop. Sophie, an artist, is contemplating her life when she spends time with university friends in the run-up to a wedding. In...

This week is the first of my author interviews for 2026, and I am chatting with Hannah Brohm about her debut STEM romance, Love and Other Brain Experiments.Released by Head of Zeus on the 12th February, this novel is the ideal read if you love Ali Hazelwood. The story is one of fake dating, forced proximity, a great deal of chemistry and academic enmity!We talked about everything from...

In this episode of Being Bookish, I am heading to the tranquil banks of the Thames to visit with Judith, Becks and Suzie as they investigate two unfortunate deaths in Marlow while dealing with personal issues in The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood. As the creator of the hit TV show Death in Paradise, Thorogood knows exactly how to craft a brilliant mystery. This latest...

In the first episode of 2026, I'm visiting the dark romantasy world of Solanis, where the stars have been pulled from the sky, and humans battle for survival against a ruthless king and vampire armies in The Stars are Dying by Chloe C. Penaranda.As always, I'll be sharing my personal thoughts as well as looking to other reviews to provide a balanced perspective - because we can't all like...

In the final episode of the year, I'm reflecting on my reading (in general), sharing my top 10 favourite reads of 2025, as well as five books that didn't quite work for me. None of these are ranked in any particular order as I talk through them, until we reach the read I loved the most, a novel I feel has been ignored by many and is massively underrated. It's been a year of highs and lows, with...

In my last book review of 2025, I'm taking a look at one of the newer Romantasy releases of the year, The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman. It's an exciting blend of highland romance and dangerous fantasy. Dangerous court politics, rival kingdoms, and a princess caught in the middle of it all. A story full of intrigue, heat, and all the popular fantasy tropes that keep people reading! As always, I...

This week, I’m joined by author Victoria Prince to talk about her gloriously escapist debut novel, The Chalet Girl, which is released on 4th December 2025 by Penguin. It's a sparkling, sexy, snow-dusted romp that channels the glamour, drama, and irresistible excess of classic 80s bonkbusters. Set in a luxury Alpine resort where secrets simmer beneath the snow, and desire is as dangerous as a...

This week, I am joined by regular visitor Lorraine, and we tend to do, we're talking horror. This time it's the tension and fear induced by Stephen King’s 1980 novella The Mist, a claustrophobic tale of survival, fear, and the monsters both outside and within. When a strange storm rolls into a small Maine town and an otherworldly mist swallows everything in sight, a supermarket becomes ground...