Being Bookish

Where You Go, I Will Go by Christina Fonthes is a gripping and poetic exploration of identity, migration, and finding where you feel you belong. Told across two timelines, blending events in the Congo and the UK, this powerful novel captures the ache of displacement and the quiet resilience of queer Black womanhood. This week I talk with Christina about her book, the books and experiences that...

This week, I’m heading back to San Francisco’s Chinatown for another delightfully chaotic mystery with our favourite sixty-something sleuth, Vera Wong. In Jesse Sutanto’s latest novel, Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man, the tea shop is still bustling, but what Vera's craving is just a little more excitement in her now much fuller life. When she encounters a young girl outside the police...

This week I am taking a look at a book so different than most that I tend to review I honestly am not sure how to define it. Part science fiction, part literary fiction, the story is certainly genre-bending. Death of the Author, by Nnedi Okorafor is the story of Nigerian American writer Zelu, whose first novel is a breakout success that catapults her, unprepared, into the spotlight. As she...

Have you ever found yourself staring at your bookshelf, wanting to read but just… not feeling it? I’ve been there too, in fact, I am there right now...hence no specific book to talk about (sadly). This week I'm opening up and going into my own personal experience of the dreaded reading slump. I am not sure what triggers them, but there are multiple options on the very long list! I am also going...

In today’s episode, I’m talking about the darkly comedic That’ll Teach Her by Maz Evans, a murder mystery set in a primary school. The story kicks off with the sudden death of the headmistress, Claudia Stitchwell, with the official reason given being an allergic reaction to nuts in a chocolate cake... But some of the parents aren’t buying it, so they turn to their school WhatsApp group to start...

The Stolen Child is a brand new release from author Carmel Harrington. An emotional thriller, it looks at every parent's worst nightmare. We talk about the inspiration behind the writing of the book, the shocking views some people seem to have of step-parents, and also the relationships in the book that make it oh-so relatable and realistic for some people. It's every parent's worst nightmare....

Quicksilver by Callie Hart was the quiet BookTok hit of 2024. Initially released by the author via independent publisher, it was won, in a 10-way bid by Hodder & Stoughton for their Fantasy imprint, Hodderscape, and was released on the 3rd December 2024. As with all fantasy novels, there are as many detractors as there are those praising it. So what did I think of this latest addition to the...

Six Poppies is released on the 30th of January and is the heartbreaking tale of Sarah and Carl who meet at Camp Bastian in Afghanistan. She's a nurse, he's a soldier and what they experience while there haunts everyone involved. Upon returning to England they try to get on with their lives. Sarah's fiancee Danny served with Carl and he's been irrevocably changed by what he saw. When circumstance...

In the first episode of a brand new season AND a brand new year, I bring you the first of two interviews with an author. This week I am talking with author Elba Luz about her debut novel with Simon and Schuster, Build a Girlfriend. Everything from the book's stunning cover, to the story within is an enjoyable ride and I heartily recommend you get yourself a copy if you love coming-of-age and...

In this, the final episode of 2024 I am taking a look at all the episodes from this year and picking out not only the favourite books I reviewed but also the episodes I truly enjoyed above all others. It's tough picking a favourite when you've created them all, but sometimes a single piece of work shines brighter than the others, and that's what I tried to look for. Did you enjoy any of my...