Being Bookish
Episodes
2025: A Reading Year in Review
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 did...
The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 exc...
An Interview with Author Victoria Prince
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Decembe...
The Mist by Stephen King
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Ki...
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m diving into Daughter of the Moon Goddess, a 2022 fantasy tale inspired by Chinese mythology, rich with celestial intrigue, forbidden l...
If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m diving into If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon, a sweeping tale of betrayal, reinvention, and 1980s glamour. It follows Tracy Whitney...
Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m diving into Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider, a relatively recent romantasy release set in a world divided by sea and shore, where ma...
Life changes and comfort reads
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do as a reader when things change in your life that you have no control over? You pick yourself up, of course, and head to the bookshelf f...
An Interview with Author Heidi Swain
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I am really happy to have had the opportunity to chat with author Heidi Swain who is the Queen of Seasonal Romances. Her latest novel, All W...
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m diving into the brand new romantasy Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer, a sweeping fantasy full of danger, betrayal, and une...
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m travelling to Lancashire to join a witch and her found family in the cosy fantasy A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Man...
The Halfway Mark (just a little late)
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Somehow it happened, we've passed the halfway mark for 2025 (where did the time go)! That means it's time to take a look at my reading journey so far ...
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m taking a deep look at the brand new romantasy Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. This is a rich, emotionally layered fantasy looking ...
Brat An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Now, for those of you who don't know, I'm an 80s kid. By that, I mean I turned 16 at the end of that decade. I grew up with posters of Ralph Macchio a...
The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I’m diving into The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen, a mythology-inspired fantasy romance filled with deadly challenges, divine politics,...
Silver Elite by Dani Francis
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I’m diving into Silver Elite, a dystopian romance that’s been making waves in the book community. A debut novel by author Dani Francis,...
An Interview with Author Niloufar Lamakan
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you reach a certain age, you can feel as though you're forgotten, whether that's because you've suddenly reached the age of grandmothers in books...
An Interview with Author Mandy Robotham
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I’m joined by bestselling author Mandy Robotham to talk about her latest novel, Mrs Spy, a gripping and atmospheric story of secrets, bet...
An Interview with Author Christina Fonthes
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping by Jesse Sutanto
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I’m heading back to San Francisco’s Chinatown for another delightfully chaotic mystery with our favourite sixty-something sleuth, Vera ...
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, par...
The Dreaded Slump
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 n...
That'll Teach Her by Maz Evans
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 kic...
An Interview with Author Carmel Harrington
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 abo...
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
An Interview with Author Lisa Carter
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
An Interview with Author Elba Luz
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Farewell to 2024
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this penultimate episode of Season 5 and 2024, I thought I would go all out and talk about a book that surprised me. As part of my 24 reads for 202...
From Ash and Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we head back to the fantasy realm for the first in Jennifer L Armentrout's Blood and Ash series, From Blood and Ash. The story of Poppy Balf...
Polo by Jilly Cooper
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You've seen the TV show, now listen to me talk about the book that is about a character mentioned for no more than 10 seconds as it burns on a sheet o...
An Interview with Author Alex Pavesi
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week I was lucky enough to have some time with author Alex Pavesi to talk about his second novel, Ink Ribbon Red, which is released by Penguin Mi...
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No, your eyes do not deceive you. This episode has been missing for a while, languishing in the archives after someone or other at Spotify decided tha...
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow. It starts as a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice through the eyes of the overloo...
The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Queen of Poisons is the third book in Robert Thorogood's Marlow Murder Club series, but does it hit the same spot as the previous two instalments?...
An Interview with Author Julie Owen Moylan
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week I am talking with author Julie Owen Moylan about her latest historical novel, Circus of Mirrors which is due for release on Thursday 12 Sept...
Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Released in 1948, Taken at the Flood is the 26th Poirot novel by Agatha Christie, and while it maintains his rather bombastic character, it's very dif...
The Kingdom is a Golden Cage by Lilly Inkwood
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I think that this episode is going to be a surprise, if only because every once in a while a book comes along that isn't what you expected... But ...
An Interview with Author Katy Moran
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you love historical novels? Specifically, those based during the Regency period? Do you love learning things that you may not have heard about in h...
The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back this week with a recent paperback release in the form of Kat Ailes' debut cosy mystery, The Expectant Detectives. I don't think t...
Babylonia by Costanza Casati
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you love ancient history as much as I do then chances are this book is already on your radar. I tried to resist reading it as soon as it arrived, b...
The Wonder that is Cosy Mysteries
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is something I can't help but love about cosy mysteries. The genre is probably the second best represented on my bookcase (after historical roma...
2024 So far
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're almost halfway through the year so I figured it was time for a bit of a check-in. I have read a pretty decent number of books and while some...
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever just read a truly hyped up book and wondered what you were missing? Maybe it was Fourth Wing or Twilight, or Harry Potter? The Ministry ...
The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week I am heading all over the country with Lorraine from Once Upon a Nightmare as we follow Hercule Poirot on one of his toughest early investig...
Miss Austen Investigates by Jessica Bull
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As you may know, there are few genres I enjoy more than cosy mysteries, so when this one kept on popping up on my Insta feed I knew that I had to give...
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not all monsters are what they seem...This week I am taking a look at probably one of the most famous 'monsters' in Greek Mythology, Medusa, with Nata...
The First Wives Club by Olivia Goldsmith
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Most of you will easily remember the 1996 film starring the iconic trio that is Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton. But did you know that befo...
An Interview with Author F.T. Lukens
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sit back, relax and enjoy this incredible chat with author F.T. Lukens as we talk about their new YA Fantasy novel, Otherworldly (due for release on t...
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
17 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A compelling combination of Six of Crows and Peaky Blinders is the way that book promoters have been selling the third novel by American author Hafsah...
The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This one book is not like the others...and that is certainly true where The Secret Adversary is concerned. With a career spanning more than 50 years, ...
Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Just over a year ago I reviewed a fantasy novel by a debut author, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. That book was Godkiller, and...
Devil's Delight by MC Beaton and RW Green
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I know, I know, I said that I would probably be staying away from Agatha Raisin for a while, but I was trying to find something on my bedside table an...
The Changeover by Margaret Mahy
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Changeover was first published in 1984 so while I am celebrating a milestone, it's not far behind. As I have already established while talking abo...
Death of a Gossip by MC Beaton
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every once in a while you have to try something new, but perhaps now isn't exactly the time. I guess that's why, this week, on the recommendation of a...
Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ruthless Vows is the long-awaited and greatly anticipated sequel to last year's romantasy hit, Divine Rivals. Did this book change the path of our two...
Argylle by Elly Conway
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is probably more mystery surrounding the author of this new spy thriller than there is about the book itself. In this week's episode I take a lo...
Farewell to 2023
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week I am looking at my favourite books of the year, according to the reviews I released. So while I have read much more than I have reviewed her...
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
17 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The year has been full of incredible fantasy debuts and what better way to round up the year than with another one? This time it is a book inspired by...
Death and Croissants by Ian Moore
10 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Ainsworth is a 53-year-old English man who has made his home in the fictional Val de Follet, running a quiet B&B where nothing happens, un...
Illuminae by Kaufman and Kristoff
26 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Returning to the world of science fiction with the first in The Illuminae Files trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - I found I couldn't stay awa...
Agatha Raisin Hot to Trot by MC Beaton and RW Green
19 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I couldn't stay away from Carsely, so I decided that I wouldn't. With a whole series to choose from I decided to return to the small Cotswold Village ...
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
12 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Iron Flame was released on Tuesday the 7th of November, the second in The Empyrean Series by author Rebecca Yarros. If you want to know more about the...
In the Tall Grass by Stephen King and Joe Hill
05 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I thought I would switch it up a bit for the first true Winter episode, and this week I am joined by Lorraine from Once Upon a Nightmare to talk about...
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
29 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This debut cosy crime by new author Jessa Maxwell has everything a cosy crime baking fan could want. You have a baking competition taking place in a s...
The Last Supper by Rosemary Shrager
15 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Probably better known for her stint on I'm a Celebrity (though I am going to admit right now I have never seen that show), Rosemary Shrager is a TV co...
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
08 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I am back in the world of fantasy this week with the first in a spin-off romantasy by Stephanie Garber. I am taking you to the Magnificent North where...
Agatha Raisin Dead on Target by MC Beaton and RW Green
01 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What can I say? Agatha Raisin keeps on drawing me back in and when I got approved for the latest addition to the series I wasn't sure whether it would...
Who Goes There? by John W Campbell Jr
24 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Could I have picked something a little less obscure this week? Possibly. However, if you're a fan of John Carpenter films, then the story behind this ...
The 150th episode - book highs and lows
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week I am celebrating a huge milestone, my 150th episode. After three years and a lot of changes, I am going to be taking a look at my last 9 mon...
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you love Dark Academia, or Dark Fantasy, and haven't yet managed to get a copy of Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, then what are you waiting...
Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao
03 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I am back after a week off with an episode about a half-vampire, half-Huli Jing (fox spirit) rebel with this week's fantasy debut from author A. Y. Ch...
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Sutanto
20 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You know how much I love cosy crime, so I thought that after almost 3 months I would take a trip down memory lane and remind you why this is a genre I...
Aurora Rising by Kaufman and Kristoff
13 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I am reviewing Science Fiction. Alert...you are not seeing things, for the first time in 18 months I am reading sci-fi! It's been a while since we wer...
Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
06 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's a tale as old as time and could be seen in many ways to be the origin tale for Beauty and the Beast (see what I did there?), but in this very mod...
An Interview with Author Kate Eberlen
30 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I hadn't planned on posting this treat quite so soon, but work schedules (you know how it is). I was lucky enough to get the chance to chat with the a...
An Interview with Author Veronica Henry
23 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week I had the chance to speak with author Veronica Henry about her latest release, Thirty Days in Paris. It's a story of second chances, of new ...
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
16 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Divine Rivals was released at the beginning of March and, since that point, has enjoyed a lot of success, it's proved incredibly popular on socials su...
Psycho by Robert Bloch
09 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Psycho is not my normal fare, in fact it's been decades since I viewed the 1960 Hitchcock film starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins, but there is ...
A World of Greek Myths
25 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, as we're halfway through the year, I thought I'd take a look at a few of the books I would recommend to any reader who loves, or is looking...
An Interview with Author Mari Hannah
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a fan of the crime genre then Mari Hannah is for you. Her first novel came out in 2012, about detective Kate Daniels, and since then she has...
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
11 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week I am joined by Jordanne from the fun bookish podcast Books to Last, where guests talk about the 5 books they'd take with them to a deserted ...
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
04 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a hit. With a massively positive score on sites like Goodreads, Amazon and Waterstones, if you're a fan of fantasy th...
Murder Before Evensong by Reverend Richard Coles
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You know I am always a fan of reading new cosy mysteries, so when I saw this one and then it just kept on popping up on all my social feeds I knew I h...
An Interview with Author Luna McNamara
21 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If there is one genre I will admit to loving more than any other it's mythology. This week you will truly get to hear me geek out as I talk with autho...
Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I love mythology, pretty much any culture has a wealth of colourful stories whether about creation or existence and in the UK we have tales of King Ar...
An Interview with Author Cathy Bramley
07 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cathy Bramley is the Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author of The Lemon Tree Cafe and Ivy Lane, to name but two. On the 11th of May her 16th novel,...
Mel (An 80s rockstar romance) by Liz Berry
30 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mel was first released in the UK in 1988, the story of a 17-year-old girl who hasn't had life easy and just wants to make a future for herself. Of cou...
An Interview with Author Paige Toon
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been listening to this show for any length of time you'll know that I love contemporary romance, especially the books by Paige Toon. This we...
Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Isaac and the Egg is the 2022 debut from author Bobby Palmer. A story of grief, pain and acceptance it has fantasy elements that can pull you in. This...
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto
09 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, we're back here again, with another cosy mystery, but I had to admit I couldn't stay away from the genre for too long because this sort of book h...
The Books of Johanna Lindsey
02 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Johanna Lindsey started writing historical romance in 1977 and by the time she passed away in 2019, she had released 50 novels. In this episode, I tak...
The Devil Wears Prada
19 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week Being Bookish has gone to the movies with my guest, Lorraine from Once Upon a Nightmare. I've hit a bit of a reading slump, but this is stil...
The High Mountain Court by AK Mulford
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fantasy is not a genre that I read all that often. However, having recently been reintroduced to it, I decided to delve in feet first with this novel ...
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
05 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been here for a while you'll know how much I love a good Greek Myth retelling, and here we have another one. The story of Helen of Troy's ol...
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
26 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Practical Magic - you may know the film, but did you know it's a 1995 book? This week I am talking with a guest, Lorraine from Once Upon a Nightmare a...
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
19 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you know me you'll know that I love cosy crime, and also have a huge amount of affection for the TV series Death in Paradise. When I saw The Marlow...
Weyward by Emilia Hart
12 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Weyward is a story of women, witches, power, and internal strength. A novel about three women from one family line who go against the grain, fighting ...
Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's another new book this week, Really Good, Actually by ex-Schitt's Creek writer, Monica Heisey. A study (filled with pathos and humour) of divorce ...
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
29 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are visiting the world of Middren, where the worship of gods is forbidden and a battle with the old gods all but destroyed a royal dynast...