In her critique/history of twentieth and twenty-first century psychiatry, @mariekebigg.bsky.social considers the social model of mental health and illness. Can mental distress be explained by biology?(no, not really). How can the mental health system ensure help over harm? #books 💙📚💡

Just home from a brilliant event with the fantastic author Ali Smith. She’s so great! I love her books, but I’d never seen her in person before (she signed a book for me 😊). She spoke about her most recent novels, Gliff and Glyph, which I strongly recommend to everyone who loves stories. 💙📚🖋️

The Brooke family, owners of 1000 acres of English countryside, gather to bury their father. I enjoyed this thoughtful, engaging and readable novel; themes of class, family relationships, suppressed emotions, and our responsibilities towards the environment, history and the future. #books 💙📚🖋️

The Climate Fiction Prize 2026 longlist is here! 🤩📚 This longlist shows the limitless scope of climate fiction, from gripping thrillers to experimental literary works, folklore and reimagined myths to science fiction and generational family saga. Full list here: climatefictionprize.co.uk

The characters in this moving and poetic novel will stay with me for a long time. From the 1860s to the present day, generations of Native Americans survive displacement and institutional oppression, at a cost, by holding on to culture and care. Heartbreaking, epic, tender, & truthful. #books 💙📚🖋️

I was expecting a well-plotted, atmospheric thriller from @sarahhilary.bsky.social, and wasn’t disappointed. But I was thrilled to encounter an actually believable, authentic, and relatable autistic character in Agnes, the young woman at the heart of this novel. Insightful and tense. #books 💙📚⚡️

A fascinating memoir originally published in 1938. The author leaves her comfortable life in Central Europe to spend a year on the arctic island of Spitsbergen with her husband. They survive in a basic hut. The writing is vivid, connecting deeply with the harsh reality of nature. #books 💙📚💡

An engaging story about love, family, & destiny, set in Nigeria. The lives of Eniiyi, her dead aunt Monife whom she resembles, and other family women are interwoven to consider fate, heartbreak, autonomy and intergenerational pain. Are they doomed to repeat past patterns? Captivating. #books 💙📚🖋️

The most striking thing about this forthcoming book by @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social is the preponderance of hope. “Ideas have power”, she reminds us, with clear-eyed analysis and encouragement to connect. “Liberation is contagious” - even in this time of monsters. Brilliant & vital. UK 26/3/26 💙📚💡

A spicy new murder mystery novel by @alessandraranelli.bsky.social set in modern-day Vienna, with a timeless, golden-age feel. Sterling is the concierge at an infamous love hotel, facilitating anonymous liaisons. When two guests are found dead, can she find the killer? UK publ. 30/4/26 #books 💙📚⚡️

Here’s a great review of Glyph, the new novel by Ali Smith which is brilliant and should be read by everyone! I’m so excited about seeing her in Bristol on 11th February. Tickets available here: www.thesmallcitybookshop.co.uk/event-detail... 💙📚🖋️

I absolutely loved this brilliant new speculative eco-fiction. People are turning into trees. They pick a spot, stand still, and gradually take root. Bren & Caelyn, leading unsatisfying late-capitalist lives in Australia, investigate the phenomenon. Sharp writing; resonant & profound. #books 💙📚🪐

The intertwining stories of three generations of gay men in modern India. Vivaan, an out and very online teenager; Mambro, his uncle, who struggles with persecution in the ‘90s/‘00s; and his grand uncle Sukumar, forced to live a life of secrecy. Vivid writing with lots of detail. #books 💙📚🖋️ 🌈📚

Really interesting and insightful reportage on the trial in Australia of Erin Patterson, who poisoned her relatives. These three accomplished writers interrogate our attitudes to women who kill and the “True Crime” genre, with mature and compassionate reflections. Enlightening. #books 💙📚💡

I couldn’t put down this debut psychological thriller by @leodora.bsky.social Natalie has a secret - but does she really know what happened to her exes? And can her new husband be trusted? Very suspenseful; unfolds across several timelines, with great characters & many twists. 12/2/26 #books 💙📚⚡️

A classic tale of forbidden love, set in 1970s Cyprus and 2010s London. Greek Kostas and Turkish Dafne know that their teenage love is risky; they meet in secret at the Happy Fig tavern. Years later their daughter Ada is curious about her background. Beautiful, moving, enchanting. #books 💙📚🖋️

Well this was delightful! In near-future San Francisco a found family of characterful robots open a noodle shop. The war between California and America is over, but the struggle to build up from the ruins can be tough - when the robophobes are messing with your star rating… #books #booksky 💙📚🪐

Well this was delightful! In near-future San Francisco a found family of characterful robots open a noodle shop. The war between California and America is over, but the struggle to build up from the ruins can be tough - when the robophobes are messing with your star rating… #books #booksky 💙📚🪐

Sometimes it’s good to read a book even if the style, approach and central thesis are not to your preference. Perhaps it is a concern that the human race might go extinct, so should get going to space. Personally, I would favour sharing resources and caring for this planet. #books 💙📚💡

I’m really pleased to see Seascraper by Benjamin Wood has won an award. It’s great! Also, I loved A Family Matter by Claire Lynch which has won Best First Novel. I just noticed that it’s out in paperback tomorrow. I highly recommend reading it. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/j... #books 📚💙

A moving love story with rich and poetic writing. Set in Italy, England and France, in the 1950s & ‘60s and the modern day. David is a Catholic priest; Margaret, a laywoman teaching in his parish. Themes of religion, sacrifice, devotion - and institutional power. UK publ. 19/2/26 #books 💙📚🖋️

There’s a lot packed into this horror novel set in Chinatown NYC during the pandemic. The terrifying apparition of hungry ghosts; a serial killer targeting East Asian women; blood, gore & the supernatural; racism; police corruption; and crime-scene cleaner Cora Zeng’s grief. Read it! #books 💙📚🩸

I liked this really interesting social history book a lot more than I had anticipated. Wide ranging and surprisingly political; from the Enclosures in C18th England to pre-war Berlin to Black communities in Washington DC, people grow gardens despite the attacks of the powerful. 19/2/26 #books 💙📚💡

#books #bristol 💙📚⚡️ www.bristol247.com/culture/book...

Readable fast-paced techno-thriller by @paulbradleycarr.bsky.social LLIAM, the AI system that humans have become reliant on for making decisions, suddenly goes offline - & sends letters confessing to the many sins it has enabled. CEO Kaitlan must race to find the back-up chip. Timely. #books 💙📚🪐

🕰To celebrate the launch of the first ever adaptation of Agatha Christie's The Seven Dials, The Small City Bookshop, Bristol, have goodie bags to give away this week. Please come and get one to be in with the chance to attend the London premiere. one of the 7 shops being highlighted by @netflixuk

This is a deeply depressing read by Rachel Hewitt and one that will feel frustratingly familiar to anyone trying to get a book published right now!! Also when she lists the big non fiction sellers - phew. open.substack.com/pub/rachelhe...

I enjoyed this subtlety subversive coming-of-age novel set in 1920s England. Orphaned 11-yr-old Anastasia is sent to live with her spinster aunt in a crumbling country house. Their smart & prickly characters clash. The queer story unfolds well. A fun & satisfying read with substance. #books 📚💙

📣 It’s a #SignedBookGiveaway! 🔔 Simply like and repost this message to enter. 🦋 🐛 🍁 🐜 🦢 🍄 🌳 🐝 🐞 🦔 🦎 🌸 🦜 🦒 🪱 🦉 🐦‍⬛ 🌿 Three winners will be randomly selected at the end of #PublicationDay on 6 Jan: 📖 ✍️ 📦 on Bluesky 📖 ✍️ 📦 on Instagram 📖 ✍️ 📦 on LinkedIn #NatureWithin @pelagic.bsky.social

Original, moving and profound speculative sci-fi. On a spaceship in the future, strange objects have been found, which are having effects on the employees both human and humanoid. Our understanding develops as we read a series of statements collected by the committee. Unforgettable. #books 💙📚🪐

This is really sad news. Stanfords Bristol is an excellent bookshop. (There is absolutely no need for another chain restaurant in this area.) What a shame 😢 www.bristol247.com/culture/book...

Well-researched and detailed history, written in a very readable style by @profaliceroberts.bsky.social Draws useful comparisons with modern-day politics & culture wars, where appropriate. Completely changed my understanding of both chi-rho and Emperor Constantine. Worthwhile. #books 💙📚💡

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for a classic Agatha Christie whodunnit. Happily, I’d never read Death on the Nile before. So that’s been my pleasure this afternoon. Very much of its time (1937), but the plot is well crafted, and I didn’t predict the outcome. Good old Hercule Poirot! #books 💙📚⚡️

I joined BlueSky one year ago. This is my first experience of social media. I’m not sure that I’ve fully got the hang of it, but on balance I think I’ll carry on. I value finding new voices, especially about books. I was happy to reconnect with an old friend. I hope people like my book posts.

In 2025 I read 201 books. Slightly fewer than in 2024. Of these, 54 were nonfiction. I skip-read 6 because I really didn’t like them (4 nonfiction, 2 novels). (I have a rule that books must be finished; I DO NOT recommend this rule to better-adjusted people. Or to anyone.) Thank you, authors.

Suspenseful thriller, set in the snowy ski mountains of the USA, by @tsierraauthor.bsky.social 12-yr-old Zach is on a father-son trip with entitled rich men. Disaster strikes! Luckily, his dead mother taught him survival skills. Engaging, fast-paced page-turner. UK publication 12/2/26 #books 💙📚⚡️

I’m so excited to read the proof of Ali Smith’s forthcoming novel! Glyph is a companion to Gliff, but can be read on its own. This is the art that we need for our time. Thoughtful, deep, and light at the same time, with warmth and playfulness. I love the sisters’ relationship. 29/1/26 #books 💙📚🖋️

Surely there’s no one who doesn’t love Richard Ayoade! Here’s a little book he’s put together, which was no doubt given and received happily this season by his many fans. With many an amusing aperçu, it’s easy to dip into whilst trapped among relatives and needing distraction. #books 💙📚

A cosy mystery by @nicolaupson.bsky.social set on Christmas Eve 1943. Elva & Anthony Pratt are the real-life couple who invented the board game Cluedo. Here, it’s imagined how they may have been inspired by deadly events at a country house hotel. Good story, readable in an afternoon. #books 💙📚⚡️

I LOVE this crime debut by @franapunk.bsky.social Set in 1970s Glasgow , the narration switches between 12-yr-old Janey, who finds a body, and her grandmother. Very well-written, with strong voices & characters I care about. Themes of grief, memory, and how women cope. Great! UK 12/2/26 #books 💙📚⚡️

Exciting news for book lovers in #Bristol : The brilliant author Ali Smith is visiting us in February, to discuss her new book Glyph. Tickets available from The Small City Bookshop: www.thesmallcitybookshop.co.uk/event-detail... #books 💙📚🖋️

An eye-opening examination of the history of yoga in the early twentieth century, by @stewarthome.bsky.social Apparently there’s nothing that some white people can’t spoil by injecting hatred and extracting profit. Pertinent lessons for the rising science-denialism and fascism now. #books 💙📚💡

I’m getting into the spirit of the season by reading the latest Christmas-themed mystery by @alexandrakbenedict.bsky.social Edie & Riga, in love and in their 80s, are off to a posh hotel on a remote Scottish island. Will they solve the elaborately-clued series of murders? Good & cosy. #books 💙📚⚡️

An insightful and original short novel set in Paris in the 1960s, 90s & 2010s. Colonialism, consumerism, and immigrant experiences are considered from the perspectives of undocumented Ivoirians working as security guards. Biting satire, but also poignant in places. Relevant. #books 💙📚🖋️

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Really interesting Marxist approach to issues around neurodiversity in the modern era, by @drrobertchapman.bsky.social Many relevant insights into alienation; how capitalism narrows standards of mental normality; how the pathology paradigm is problematic; eugenics etc. Recommend. #books 💙📚💡

Atmospheric gothic thriller set in 1920s Wiltshire. Vee, trying to outrun her past, takes a job as gardener at crumbling Harfold Manor. Will she fall under the spell of mysterious Lady Arabella, who is hiding her own secrets and fearful of the family curse? UK publication 22/1/26 #books 💙📚⏳

We’re all looking for a little magic at Christmas 💫 Stories bring joy, comfort and connection. And you can help to share the #MagicOfBooks with the children who need it most.  Donate today to make a difference this Christmas - and beyond: https://bit.ly/4hTWKCT

My first graphic novel! A kind gift from a friend in Book Club. It took me a minute to process the pictures, which is a different skill than reading text. Cassandra is a grumpy, lonely, disgraced art dealer. I enjoyed the unexpected turns of her story, and her young lodger Nicki. #books 💙📚

What a delightful pleasure it is to read a well-written children’s book - whatever your age! I thoroughly enjoyed returning to the Archipelago, and meeting brave young princess Anya, who’d much rather be in the forest than the palace. I especially love the map and the Bestiary pictures. #books 💙📚