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06.03.2026 08:21
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My reading wrap-up fir January & February (excluding graphic novels - in) separate posts.
A fairly good mix but I would have liked to have got a non-fiction book in & more poetry. #books
Well, I pretty much ordered more once I finished the 12th one 😄 I have little willpower when it comes to books.
A Guest in the House by E.M Carroll - 3⭐️ Lightfall Book 1: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert - 5⭐️ Batman: Hush Vol. 1 - 4⭐️ X-men: Phoenix Rising - 3⭐️ Isola Vol. 1 - 4⭐️ Gideon Falls Vol. 2 & 3 - 4⭐️ Monstress Vol. 1 - 4⭐️ Saga Vol. 1 - 3.5⭐️ Shadow Over Innsmouth - 2.5⭐️ Basilisk Vol. 1 - 3⭐️ BZRKR Vol. 1 - 3⭐️
I've been on quite a kick of reading graphic novels of late with 12 read so far in 2026.
Most have been on my shelf a while & I thought I'd finally read them to see which ones I wanted to progress with. Also, I wanted to read the ones I had before buying more.
#graphicnovels #comics #books
The Reading Minds - Helensburgh Book Festival programme is now live.
We have a great line-up of talented authors coming along.
I'm glad to be part of the team, which organises this event and look forward to it each year. I'll be posting more over the next few weeks.
#helensburgh #ukbookfestivals
Absolutely loving my recent purchases from @rowynnellis.bsky.social
The artwork in Welsh Monsters & Mythical Beasts is absolutely stunning, as are the 2 bookmarks I purchased along with it.
I also really appreciated the gorgeous thank you note - on the back of the black & white illustration card.
Not even half way through the 1st month of 2026 & I have my 2nd 5⭐️ read - Seven Legendary Monsters by Clara Elena García.
This is a collection of insightful and impactful poems that held me gripped from start to finish. It is also an enlightening glimpse into Guaraní mythology. #poetry #books
How I'm spending my Saturday night - in bed early with a damn good cocktail & an equally damn book, The Terror by Dan Simmons. Such a wild child I am 😄
If anyone's interested in my cocktail it's Satryna Blanco Tequila with cactus liqueur over ice & topped up with orange juice. #booklover
Not even 10 days into the New Year and I already have my first 5⭐️ read of 2026 - Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert. #childrensbooks #graphicnovels #Lightfall
Black & white photograph of a small white feather stuck amongst a weed growing between paving slabs. Accompanied by the following poem: Quivering in the wind waiting to lose hold, waiting to be snatched away and thrown to the whims of the mindless gusts and heedless breezes. Shivering yet stuck fast to the earth. Its clutches refusing defeat. Refusing to release that which it falsely proffers to the air, teasing. And as one seized you and one plucks at you, you wait and you shake with no choice with no voice to your fate.
First poem of the year inspired by first photo taken in 2026:
I tried to feed the local common gulls peanuts once, they were like 'eff off with your health food, where's the chips?" 😄 The magpies & crows, however, appreciate my efforts.
Also, there's an interesting non-fiction short book I read after this called Electric Dreams: On Sex Robots and the Failed Promises of Capitalism by Heather Parry. It links to themes within Some Body Like Me, makes a good companion read.
Mine did, but it was at an author event at the Helensburgh Book Festival, so there was extra promotional like this there. And I'm a magpie for these things so I nabbed one.
I'm reading Other Minds: The Octopus & The Evolution of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith. Hoping to finish it before it's due back at the library next week.
Been trying to read more non-fiction, and this is a bit different to the historical true crime books I usually pick up. 🐙
I feel like so many underrate anthologies & short stories in general. I have read so many impactful stories that have only been a few pages long. I have been moved to tears by some short stories (which can be awkward at the park, but I can blame hayfever 🤧).
Apparently, it couldn't be bothered to even give a name to the area where I live 😄
Also, it seemed to go all out with everywhere except Northern Ireland & Ireland, where it was like nah there's just 4 places.
On another note: Why does autocorrect often change correct words but not obviously misspelt ones like 'avouds'? 🙄
If you think about it 'everyone' also avoids separating people into groups & addressing them by their differences, as well as avouds excluding people. Thus, overall, 'everyone' feels more community minded to me.
But even if it could do this, I'd still rather pay more for translated books if human translators get to keep their jobs.
A lot of translation relies on understanding context, culture, dialect, turns of phrase & many other factors. AI might be able to translate directly, but can it translate correctly & reflect the author's meaning in an understandable way?? I highly doubt it.
Bottom Row
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Activist by Judith Heumann
Mean Baby by Selma Blair
Haben: The Deaf-Blind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
Middle Row
To Exist As I Am: A Doctor's Notes on Recovery and Radical Acceptance by Grace Spence Green
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong
Top Row
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
Against All Odds by Ellie Goldstein
Books shown are: Top Row Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby Against All Odds by Ellie Goldstein Middle Row To Exist As I Am: A Doctor's Notes on Recovery and Radical Acceptance by Grace Spence Green A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong Bottom Row Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Activist by Judith Heumann Mean Baby by Selma Blair Haben: The Deaf-Blind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
July is Disability Pride Month, so here are some non-fiction books by disabled authors and/or about living with disability. #DisabilityPrideMonth
Usually, my tastes in non-fiction verge towards historical or true-crime (or the two together), but I'm glad I branched out into something a bit different. End/
It ends up being more about reflecting on humanity & human needs than the science & technology of future robotics.
It came up with many deep points about robotic companions, which had me thinking back to themes in Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska, and I'm glad I read the two close together. 2/
Electric Dreams: On Sex Robots & the Failed Promises of Capitalism by Heather Parry 4⭐️
This was a really thought-provoking read that starts with the topic of Sex Robots but delves so much deeper into issues such as sexuality, colonialism, misogyny, regressive feminism, capitalism & more. 1/ #books
Not long back from a fab @hburghbookfest.bsky.social event promoting Liam McIlvanney's new book with fellow crime writer Neil Broadfoot.
It was great to get their insight into writing crime fiction.
I picked up each of their books, The Good Father & No Quarter Given, which they both signed for me.
