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 and Michael J Fox on my wall, I went to see New Kids on the Block in concert, and when I read about The Brat Pack in newspapers and magazines (social media was not a thing), I wanted to be a member of that group. From media released long after that time, it appears that while fans wanted to be part of the gang, the gang itself was not overly happy w...
Jul 07, 2025•43 min•Season 6Ep. 14
This week, I’m diving into The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen, a mythology-inspired fantasy romance filled with deadly challenges, divine politics, and a reluctant heroine caught in the middle of it all. With a premise rooted in ancient rivalries and a high-stakes tournament hosted by the gods themselves, it’s a story that promises danger, drama, and a healthy dose of romantic tension. As always, these are just my personal thoughts. I’ll be talking about the world-building, the main characters,...
Jun 23, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 13
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, it is set in a high-stakes world, with slow-burning tension, and a heroine hiding more than just her powers. Silver Elite is a release that has caught the attention of a lot of readers across socials, and I was so curious that I just had to pick it up.. As usual, all opinions are completely mine, and I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts on everything f...
Jun 09, 2025•28 min•Season 6Ep. 12
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 who sit and knit while adoring their grandchildren, or because you are no longer seen as anything but the extension of the family unit. Aged to Perfection , the debut novel by author Niloufar Lamakan, is one of a recent batch of romantic comedy novels that turns this preconception on its head. With a leading lady in her early 60s who wants to go o...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 6Ep. 11
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, betrayal, and the high personal cost of espionage. The book is released on Thursday, the 15th of May and published by Head of Zeus. Set against the tense backdrop of 1960s Britain at the height of the Cold War,we follow widowed single mother, Maggie Flynn, who, following the unfortunate and sudden passing of her husband, works for MI5. Maggie’s world i...
May 13, 2025•44 min•Season 6Ep. 10
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 inspired its creation and touch on the sensitive subjects contained within the pages. There's also talk...
May 04, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Season 6Ep. 9
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 precinct, Vera senses a mystery in need of an answer, and she's back on the case! A locked briefcas...
Apr 20, 2025•25 min•Season 6Ep. 8
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 navigates fame, family tension, and the boundaries between identity and creativity, the novel explores wha...
Apr 06, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 7
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 to look into what I see as the many benefits of reading, why it's important to me and a few recommenda...
Mar 23, 2025•33 min•Season 6Ep. 6
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 putting the pieces together and figure out what really happened, uncovering a lot of secrets that woul...
Mar 09, 2025•32 min•Season 6Ep. 5
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. But there's no waking up from this... On board a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, Kimberley wakes to d...
Feb 23, 2025•1 hr•Season 6Ep. 4
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 romantasy and fantasy world? Did it light my mental fire, or did it extinguish as quickly as a match ...
Feb 09, 2025•37 min•Season 6Ep. 3
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 throws Carl and Sarah back together, it's obvious that what they went through has left them broken, b...
Jan 26, 2025•1 hr•Season 6Ep. 2
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 self-discovery tales. Watch the Video of this interview on my YouTube channel. A teen deep-dives into he...
Jan 12, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 6Ep. 1
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 episodes more than others you listened to? Do you have a favourite book of 2024? Did any of my recommendati...
Dec 29, 2024•23 min•Season 5Ep. 30
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 2024 I kept on skipping over it as it appeared to be rather intimidating. However, once I sank into the world Lawrence created I was presented with a lot of thoughts. So, did this 2023 novel live up to the hype I was bombarded with last year? Was it worth the admiration? Was the stunning exterior (provided by a special edition courtesy of Locked Libra...
Dec 15, 2024•31 min•Season 5Ep. 29
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 Balfour and Hawke Flynn - no, it's not a grown-up spin-off of Tangled (though you could be forgiven for thinking so with those names). Poppy, is bound to her close-knit but secretive community by her role as the Maiden, a sacred figure who is forbidden from experiencing anything that others around her can; including freedom. However, she has been trai...
Dec 01, 2024•43 min•Season 5Ep. 28
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 of paper in Declan O'Hara's fire! This week I am talking about Polo, the third book in the Rutshire Chronicles by Jilly Cooper, and probably the one which introduces my favourite characters of the entire series. I know, I know, I keep on saying how much I adore Rupert Campbell-Black (and I do) but for some reason, Perdita MacLeod takes the prize and...
Nov 17, 2024•56 min•Season 5Ep. 27
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 Michael Joseph on the 7th of November. Six friends gather at a country house for a birthday weekend. They decide to play a game. All six names go in a hat. Choose two, and imagine one murdering the other. Write it down. Type it up. Read it out. Points are given for making the murders sound convincing. Of course, when given such a task, it’s only natu...
Nov 03, 2024•59 min•Season 5Ep. 26
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 that my content belonged to someone else...so today I am going to be gifting you with my January 2023 episode all about one of the greatest detectives ever created, Hercule Poirot, in Agatha Christie's 1941 novel, Evil Under the Sun. The 1981 film version of this book is a regular rewatch for me, so revisiting the episode seemed natural, especially as...
Oct 20, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 25
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 overlooked middle sister, Mary. The story continues after the death of Mr Bennet, with Mary discovering that being the only unmarried sister leaves you in a vulnerable position. Throughout the book, Mary emerges from the shadows of her more outgoing sisters to find her own path in a world that values beauty and charm. I’ll discuss her journey toward self-...
Oct 06, 2024•58 min•Season 5Ep. 24
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? This week I take a look at the latest addition (released in January 2024) and figure out whether I actually liked it, or not. As with every episode, while I will talk about the suspects and the murder, I never reveal whodunnit, because to do that would ruin the enjoyment for you if you pick the book up for yourself (which is what I always try and ...
Sep 22, 2024•29 min•Season 5Ep. 23
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 September in the UK. A story full of complex characters, growth, love and heartbreak set across four decades in post-war Berlin. Berlin, 1926. After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other. Dreaming of better days, but desperate, Leni finds work at the notorious Babylon Circus. From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, ...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 22
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 different to any of the novels which came before it. Set in the years immediately following the Second World War, it centres around the behaviour of a family who has grown accustomed to depending upon a single wealthy relative...asking and answering the question 'What happens when the golden goose dies and leaves you nothing?'. An interesting novel, m...
Aug 25, 2024•37 min•Season 5Ep. 21
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 if that's because it's good or not I am not going to reveal here...you'll have to listen to find out. Following in the footsteps of authors like Sarah J Maas and Kalynn Baylon comes Lilly Inkwood, to provide us with an unusual reimagining of a lesser-known fairytale, that of Puss in Boots (did you know the story, because I didn't). In The Kingdom is a ...
Aug 11, 2024•33 min•Season 5Ep. 20
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 high school history? How about the first real celebrity (I'm talking Byron here, people!)? If this sounds like something you'd be really into (and even if it doesn't, because minds can be changed!!!) join me for my interview with author Katy Moran as we talk about her new novel, My Lady's Secrets , which is based during the Napoleonic war, and follo...
Jul 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 19
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 that this is what happens when a group of pregnant women get together after they witness a murder, but I could be very wrong (let me know). The first in a new series called The Mothers' Murder Club, does this debut set the scene for the next book? Find out what I thought of the book in this completely spoiler-free review... Featured episodes Babylonia Vera Wong...
Jul 21, 2024•33 min•Season 5Ep. 18
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, but, as you can tell, I failed... But did this book fail? You can probably already guess what I thought, but give this episode a listen and if you haven't already picked it up, see if this encourages you to do so. Links Clytemnestra Raye's Reading on YouTube...
Jul 07, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 17
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 romances - represented purely because of my love for Johanna Lindsey). So, what is it about the genre that I enjoy so much? Why am I always on the lookout for more, and where did my love of them come from? Was it the David Suchet show when I was in my 20s, or did my love stem from something much further back in my past? This week I am going to take a l...
Jun 23, 2024•36 min•Season 5Ep. 16
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 have been incredible, others have not been quite so impressive. I am also taking a look at the upcoming releases that are on my 'most anticipated' list, between now and the end of September, and there are some really great books on that list (let me tell you). Clytemnestra Silver in the Bone Ruthless Vows | Divine Rivals Argylle DONATE TO LIVESTREAM F...
Jun 09, 2024•22 min•Season 5Ep. 15
