2022 - Luke’s Blog

31Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness 4 Comments

The 10 Best Books I Read in 2022 (Ranked)

It's the end of 2022! This year I have read an awful lot of books (60 to be exact) and read some absolute bangers. I've read some books that I know will be added to my top books of all time. Of the sixty books, I've picked out a handful of them that really stood out to me as the very best books I've read all year. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means if you choose to purchase any products via the links below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. Don't get me wrong, I think only one of these books actually came out in 2022, so these…

28Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson book review

Book reviews, Crime, Mystery, Thriller

A Good Girls' Guide to Murder is another of those books I'd seen a lot of on social media. And, as with a lot of my next book choices, it became available to listen to via the library-lending app, Libby and so I decided to pick it up and give it a listen. It's a book possibly aimed at a younger audience but one that I found myself very much enjoying as a man in his late 20s also! Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any products via the links provided below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the products. A Good Girl's Guide…

20Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness 1 Comment

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese book review

Book reviews, Historical Fiction, Romance

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese was kindly sent to me by the team over at Duckworth books back in August and this month I decided to finally get around to reading it and what a wonderful read it was. It's a beautifully written and wonderfully thought-out book that has left me thinking about it days after I've finished it. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any product via the links provided below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. Hester follows the story of Isobel Gamble and her struggle in the 1800s after she's abandoned by her husband in a new land. She…

17Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

Batman Unburied podcast review

Fiction, Podcast reviews

The rise of the fictional podcast drama is truly on with many great examples already having been set and new, big-budget series coming out what feels like almost every week. Batman Unburied is the first original podcast drama from DC led by their most-popular hero. It's high budget and it's filled with some big names voicing the characters. Batman Unburied intrigued me for a few reasons: firstly because I'm a big nerd and love all things superheroes, especially Batman. Secondly, it repeatedly popped up in the top list of fictional podcast dramas on Spotify, so I knew I had to listen. My final thoughts are mixed, to say the least. Batman Unburied plot - 4/5 Batman Unburied is a sweeping story that sometimes feels like the writers weren't really sure…

11Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes book review

Book reviews, Historical Fiction, Romance

The Giver of Stars is a book I had seen receive a lot of praise across my social media channels. I'd heard of JoJo Moyes first via her movie Me Before You with Emelia Clark in it which I really liked. However, I'd heard this book was very different to anything she'd written before and, if she's only really written stories about love before, I have to agree. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase products via the links below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. When Alice arrives in Kentucky from England after marrying a handsome American, she's looking for an escape…

06Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

My 5 Most-Read Blog Posts from November 2022

Monthly Round Ups

Each month I post my most successful posts from the previous month that were posted in that month. You get me? And the end of November 2022 is no different, let's see what posts did the best for me in November. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any products via the links provided below, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. This not only allows me to look back and see which articles did the best that month but it also allows any budding bloggers to see what worked for me that month. This month, there are two book reviews, two of my…

01Dec 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

The Three Books I Read in November 2022

Features, Monthly Round Ups

At the end of each month, I post a list and a short summary of every single book I've read that month. Below, you'll find the three books I managed to finish this month. Obviously each of these books I had to have finished, not just read some of. This means books I started and didn't finish (because I have put them aside for example) do not appear on this list. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any products via any of the links below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. In November I read three books, which is a fairly poor…

30Nov 2022 by Luke Harkness 2 Comments

River God by Wilbur Smith book review

Book reviews, Historical Fiction

As a kid I was a massive Ancient Egypt nerd - I even had a folder in which I'd put a load of information I'd printed off about Ancient Egypt almost as my own encyclopedia of knowledge. I even bookmarked the different sections. I'm not sure what gripped me so much about that era but I found the whole idea fascinating. Something to do with them having different Gods which don't exist today, the way they mummified their dead, the way they built the pyramids, the vast tombs and treasures they built and wielded. Ancient Egypt almost feels like a fantasy culture - that's probably why. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any products via the links provided below, I…

27Nov 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

My Primary School Teacher Girlfriend Reviews Anna Friend’s Big Little Hearts Children’s Books

Book reviews

On Twitter, author Anna Friend kindly contacted me asking me if I reviewed children's books. When I said that they weren't my specialty and I'd rather do a good job and so suggested that my partner who is a primary school teacher reads them, she said this sounded like a great opportunity. Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any products via the links below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. Friend sent me Who Will Love Me When You're Gone?, How Will It Be with Baby & Me and When Can I Go Back to School, three books she's released over the…

19Nov 2022 by Luke Harkness No Comments

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid book review

Book reviews, Historical Fiction

I thought The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of the best books I've read since I finished it last month. So when Daisy Jones and the Six came in the post, I popped it on Twitter and it received a lot of positive comments, I knew I had to give it a go. And wow - I'm so glad I did! Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase any products via the links below, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product. Daisy Jones and the Six is about... it won't surprise you... Daisy Jones and the band called The Six. It follows…

Year: 2022