Being Bookish

In this week's episode of Being Bookish, I'm digging into the layers of The Ever King, the 2023 fantasy novel by LJ Andrews that made the transition from indie favourite to traditional publication in 2025. While there's plenty of talk online about the relationships and the sea fae romance elements in this book, I'm much more interested in pulling apart the high-seas intrigue and evaluating the...

In the second episode of the Being Bookish spin-off where I am reading my way through Stephen King’s novels, joined by my friend and fellow podcaster, Lorraine, we’re taking a look at Cujo, his 1981 novel, the second to feature Castle Rock.As previously mentioned, these episodes are approximately 6 weeks apart as there is a lot to cover.Cujo is the story of a friendly St Bernard, beloved family...

In this episode of Being Bookish, I am digging into the layers of Blood of Hercules, the 2024 urban fantasy novel with hints of dark romance written by author Jasmine Mas.While there is plenty of talk online about the relationships and the reverse harem elements in this book, I am much more interested in looking at how the character dynamics and Greek mythology connections hold up, as this is...

In this episode of Being Bookish, I’m digging into the layers of Dire Bound, the atmospheric 2025 debut by Sable Sorensen.While there is plenty of talk online about the relationships in this book (and I have my thoughts on its categorisation), I’m much more interested in the high fantasy intrigue and the genuine mystery at the heart of the story. I’ll be exploring the complexities of the magic...

In this episode, I’m looking at a locked-room mystery with subtle digs at the publishing world in the debut by an author who remained a mystery for 6 months following the well-marketed announcement, The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke.If you haven’t heard about it yet, this book is a collaboration between V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke. The story follows six struggling, midlist authors who are...

This week, I've been reading a lot of fantasy, and my episode is going to lean into that as I'm reviewing a story that takes a really clever approach to the fantasy genre. I’m talking about This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, a novel with an Isekai (or portal fantasy) premise that could be an absolute disaster, or a joy!The novel follows a protagonist, Maggie, who wakes up inside the...

Described as The Day of the Triffids crossed with Little Shop of Horrors, this week, I’m looking at a story that certainly presents an unusual scenario. I’m talking about Overgrowth by Mira Grant, a book with a botanical horror premise that's hard to ignore once you've heard it. If you haven't come across this sci-fi horror novel yet, this episode’s a good place to start. It’s a bit of a...

In this brand new spin-off to my podcast, Being Bookish, I am reading my way through Stephen King's novels, specifically those where characters reside, or experience something, in Castle Rock.These episodes will be every 6 weeks, as there is a lot to cover, and I am reading them with my friend, and fellow podcaster, Lorraine.In this episode, we're looking at the novel, The Dead Zone. Released in...

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...