Being Bookish

Welcome back to another episode of Being Bookish. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but we're almost halfway through 2026, so it's time for a bit of an update, and I am doing it differently this year!
In this wrap-up, I am focusing a lot on expectation versus reality in my personal reading experience. I'm going to share my thoughts on the standout books I cannot stop thinking about, the ones that didn't quite hit the spot, and the upcoming releases I am looking forward to later this year.
2026 has brought a brilliant mix of genres, including my very first venture into LitRPG with Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl. I share my thoughts on diving into this massive series, the exciting news of a television adaptation, and how his darker, highly political standalone novel, Operation Bounce House, received a mixed reception from readers on Goodreads and Storygraph.
Of course, a completely honest wrap-up means talking about the disappointments too. I open up about my recent DNFs, like Claire North's Slow Gods, why I am trying to be kinder to myself when a book isn't working, and what happens when an individual read simply becomes one of the worst books I've finished all year.
On a brighter note, my mission to discover new authors has so far been something of a success (at least I think so), with seventeen new writers added to my list. I discuss the emotional highs of a beautiful contemporary romance read on my birthday—Jill Mansell's Just One Look at You—and contrast it with a highly anticipated Beth O'Leary release that unfortunately turned into a major seafaring plot disappointment. I also explore whether "sequel syndrome" has struck some of the fantasy and romantasy series I loved last year, including Lauren Palphreyman's The Night Prince.
Finally, I look ahead to the final six months of 2026. I take a look at some of my most anticipated upcoming releases, from Madeline Miller's short mythological tale Mestra and Carissa Broadbent's dark vampire romantasy The Lion and the Deathless Dark, to Victoria Aveyard's adult debut Tempest.

Featured episodes
Silver Elite
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Warrior Princess Assassin
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
Blood of Hercules
Dire Bound
The Wolf King

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 genuine mystery at the heart of the story. I'll be exploring how the character dynamics, the pirate sub-plot, and the Norse-inspired mythology connections hold up.
As all my episodes are always spoiler-free, I have taken the time to really look at the story, looking critically at how the book fits into the dark fantasy/romantasy genre. I am going so far as to ask the big question...is this really dark fantasy?
Whether you're a fan of Viking folklore retellings or you're looking to see how a character-driven story handles these specific tropes, I've got plenty of personal feelings to share on where this book might fit on your fantasy reading list.
It's a deep dive into a possibly dark world, so grab yourself a cuppa and let's get into the sea fae secrets together. I'm really looking forward to sharing my honest thoughts with you.

Episode Links
Blood of Hercules
Review of When Gracie Met the Grump by Mariana Zapata
The Stephen King Thing - Cujo Audio | Video

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 pet and best friend of Brett Camber, who, one day, is unfortunately the victim of a bat bite. What happens after that isn’t his fault; it’s the virus in his nervous system, but by the end of the story, there are a lot more victims to this madness.
Join us both as we take a tour through Stephen King's universe, and experience some of these books for the first time in decades!
If you prefer, you can watch this on YouTube.

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 truly where my personal passion lies!
Somehow, this has become another slightly longer episode, as I really started to dig into the relationships and the shifting alliances without getting overly distracted by the dark romance and dark obsession marketing. Instead, I am going to look at the urban fantasy elements, the mythology, the character development and how they work together.
Whether you're a fan of Greek mythology or you're looking to see how a character-driven mystery handles these specific tropes, I've got plenty of personal feelings to share on where this book could fit on your fantasy reading list.
It is a deep dive into a dark world, so grab yourself something refreshing, and let's get into Blood of Hercules together. I'm really looking forward to sharing my honest thoughts with you.

Featured episodes
Lore
The Games Gods Play

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 system and the shadowy politics of Nocturna that kept me hooked.
As this is a longer episode, I’ve taken the time to really analyse the power dynamics and the visceral world-building without getting distracted by the "spice". Instead, we’re looking at the dark fantasy elements, the Bonding Trials, and the looming threat of the Siphons. Whether you're a fan of intricate world-building or you're looking for a character-driven mystery that doesn't follow the usual tropes, I’ve got plenty of thoughts to share on why you should add this book to your 2026 fantasy reading list (if it's not there already!).
It’s a deep dive into a very dark world, so grab yourself a cuppa (I know I will) and let’s get into the shadow-wielding secrets together. I'm really looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you.