Author Buzz | Burty Burtman | Group Activity

Matthew Brown edited the blog post Brainstorming: New uses for Webmention - books, sports, debates, votes, bands, and more in the group The Fantastic (Group) of Lord Matt, Super Geek

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:31:51 +0100

Brainstorming: New uses for Webmention – books, sports, debates, votes, bands, and more Webmention is a great idea. An idea that could be used for even more things than it is used for right now. These are some wild and unfettered ideas I had […]

Matthew Brown edited the blog post Having a disability NEVER became cool, Poppy; being cruel did. in the group The Fantastic (Group) of Lord Matt, Super Geek

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 18:32:20 +0100

Having a disability NEVER became cool, Poppy; being cruel did. So, I saw a weird headline on social media today: “How having a disability became cool”. Oh dear lord, here we go again. Another author of “news” that is […]

Blog: Tom Gauld on methods for encouraging a reluctant young reader – cartoon from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 15:00:08 +0100

Blog: ‘Bold, brilliant, thrilling’: leading authors on the novels every school should teach from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:00:30 +0100

A new term, a new PM … time for a new English curriculum? We ask writers from Ben Okri to Samantha Harvey to pick books that will inspire a lifelong love of r […]

Blog: Bitter Waters, Vivian Shaw from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0100

2024 urban fantasy novells, part of a series. Dr Greta
Helsing is relaxing with her husband (Varney the Vampire) when a
newly-turned and abandoned vampire comes to […]

Matthew Brown edited the blog post That fateful dinner in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 07:20:14 +0100

That fateful dinner They met at a restaurant neither one would have chosen. Both alone after the non-appearance of their respective dates, they got to talking.

Blog: Week in Review #37 from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:46:01 +0100

This week I reviewed two books. 68. Scaredy Squirrel. Melanie Watt. 2008. Kids Can Press. 42 pages.
[Source: Bought] [5 stars, picture book, emotions and feelings, […]

Blog: The best recent poetry – review roundup from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:00:05 +0100

Fetch by Colin Bramwell; Girling by Eve Esfandiari-Denney; The Dead One, The Unconscious One, Thundering in Your Ear, Thriving Slumber by Jay Gao; Belling the […]

Blog: Kevin Powers: ‘I was ready to abandon Infinite Jest a thousand times’ from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:00:02 +0100

The American author on falling in love with The Great Gatsby, being inspired by Dylan Thomas – and the memoir of a canoe trip in Texas he comes back toMy earliest r […]

Blog: How To Steal a Galaxy, Beth Revis from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:05:00 +0100

2024 science fiction novella, second of a trilogy. Ada is back on the
job, infiltrating a museum gala in order to do… something.

Blog: The Golden Hours by Louisa Young review – this continuation of the Cazalet Chronicles is a total delight from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:02 +0100

Elizabeth Jane Howard’s niece has picked up the thread of her much-loved family saga series, taking the story into the 1960sElizabeth Jane Howard’s beloved fam […]

Blog: Gloria Steinem, groundbreaking feminist campaigner, dies aged 92 from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:42:35 +0100

Prolific author campaigned against domestic violence, female genital mutilation, pornography and the Vietnam and Gulf wars‘We badly need to raise our boys more l […]

Blog: New Cemetery by Simon Armitage audiobook review – the poet laureate’s meditations take flight from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 14:00:40 +0100

The building of a cemetery during the pandemic inspires the Huddersfield-born author to reflect on childhood memories and the changing local landscapeWhen […]

Blog: What we’re reading: Irvine Welsh, Janice Hallett and Guardian readers on the books they enjoyed in August from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:01:06 +0100

Writers and Guardian readers discuss the titles they have read over the last month. Join the conversation in the commentsI’ve been enjoying Contrapposto by Dave E […]

Blog: Thornhedge, T Kingfisher from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:04:00 +0100

2023 fantasy novella. The fairy has been guarding the wall of thorns
around the keep where the princess sleeps, and then the knight
arrives.

Blog: Ode to the Half-Broken, Suzanne Palmer from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:02:00 +0100

2026 SF. Forty years ago the world fell apart. Our narrator, who
remembers it, just wants to be left alone to study ants. But someone
has stolen its leg…

Blog: Hornblower and the Hotspur, C. S. Forester from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:02:00 +0100

1962 Napoleonic naval fiction, tenth written and third by internal
chronology. It’s 1802, and the Peace of Amiens is breaking down;
Commander Hornblower is given a […]

Blog: August Monthly Reflections from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 19:32:00 +0100

This August I read twenty-three books! Books Reviewed at Becky’s Book Reviews50. The Knife of Never Letting Go. (Chaos Walking #1) Patrick Ness. 2008. 512 pages. […]

Blog: Could this policy fix the care system and slash student debt at the same time? from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 11:00:55 +0100

Andy Burnham is in need of radical proposals. A ‘care first’ year in exchange for 50% off fees could be just what he needsThe UK’s social care sector is in crisi […]

Blog: Week in Review #36 from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 23:00:00 +0100

This week I reviewed two books.63. Thank You, Sun. Douglas Florian. 2026. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [children’s poetry, 4 stars]20. Connect: How to Grow Your […]

Blog: Twenty Year Blogoversary from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0100

Becky’s Book Reviews turns TWENTY today! Can you believe it?! In some ways, 2006 feels like yesterday, and, in other ways it feels like it’s ages ago. Well, maybe […]

Blog: Century of Viewing, August from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 20:00:09 +0100

I watched twenty-one things in August! Two were K-dramas. 5 star movies and shows:4-D ManThe Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseAgent Kim ReactivatedBack to the […]

Blog: Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:00:55 +0100

Poetry with wonder and wit; a heartwarming tale for horse lovers; a portal to the future; a brilliant YA wartime romance and moreSmall Monster, Big Monster by Allan […]

Blog: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me, Ilona Andrews from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:02:00 +0100

2026 fantasy, first in a possible series. Maggie Haley went to sleep
one night and woke up naked in a ditch in her favourite fantasy
series. She has nothing but a […]

Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post The romance of two liars in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100

The romance of two liars Both of them were lifelong con artists. They met when they were both pulling similar fake romance scams on the same rich and obnoxious family. Neither expected to fall in love.

Jason Latnar wrote a new blog post Nanna's last wish... in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Nanna's last wish…It was your great-grandmother’s wish for there to be one last family reunion before she passed. Everyone must attend. No exceptions. This was fine u […]

Blog: A Sinister Revenge, Deanna Raybourn from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:04:00 +0100

2023 historical thriller, eighth of its series. Several university
friends, mostly not in touch for years, are being murdered one by one.
One of them is Stoker’s […]

Blog: 63. Thank You, Sun from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:03:47 +0100

63. Thank You, Sun. Douglas Florian. 2026. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [children’s poetry, 4 stars]First sentence: Thank you, sun. You give us light. You shine all […]

Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post It was a perfectly ordinary day except all the cars in the world had vanished. in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Blog: Books I Read in July 2026 from A Little Blog of Books in the group Book bloggers

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 10:00:46 +0100

Departure(s) by Julian Barnes is the Booker Prize-winning author’s final novel, published earlier this year on his 80th birthday. I included it in my list of Bo […]

Blog: Week in Review #35 from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 14:15:24 +0100

This week I read seven books! 61. Old Man’s War. John Scalzi. 2005. 318 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars, military science fiction]62. In […]

Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post The romance author and the phone in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The romance author and the phone Him He was a moderately successful romance author. If asked, he claimed to enjoy being single, but the truth was he wrote about romance because […]

Blog: Darksight Dare, Lois McMaster Bujold from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:02:00 +0100

2026 fantasy novella in the World of the Five Gods (formerly known as
Chalion). A hedge-sorcerer is dying, and the Temple has a use for her
demon, if the demon […]

Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post The phone with a time code in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100

The phone with a time code You needed a replacement phone but were short of money, so you visited a nearby pawnshop. They only had one in your price range. It was old, but it […]

Matthew Brown edited the blog post Romance between immortals is tricky in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:51:14 +0100

Romance between immortals is tricky The thing about being immortal is that you live long enough to see all things end; love is no different. It doesn’t stop your heart from hoping, […]

Blog: Ukrainian publishers call for support after Russian attacks destroy 10m books from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:37:57 +0100

The country risks ‘the collapse of the entire book ecosystem’ following destruction of warehouses in July and August, say Ukrainian publishersThe Ukrainian Book Ins […]

Blog: All of Us Atoms by Holly Dawson audiobook review – an extraordinary self-portrait from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:00:52 +0100

Helena Bonham Carter narrates the playwright’s impressionistic memoir, written as she was experiencing the loss of her memoryPlaywright Holly Dawson’s memoir tel […]

Blog: The best books to read in August: new paperbacks from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Salman Rushdie and Werner Herzog from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0100

Looking for a new reading recommendation? Here are some wonderful new paperbacks, from a short story collection by a literary great to razor-sharp criticism*** Conti […]

Blog: How I’ve Tried to Change the World by Alexei Sayle review – does protest make a difference? from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:44 +0100

The comedian charts his life in demos from 1960s Liverpool to 2020s London in this fiery and addictive bookAt 74, the comedian Alexei Sayle is approaching a […]

Jason Latnar wrote a new blog post Why is it that whenever you are about to propose to her, there's a dragon attack? in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Blog: The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore review – an ominous warning of tech takeover from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:00:09 +0100

A historian charts the emergence of a democracy-crushing dystopia that is – in some ways – already with usPulitzer prize-winning US historian Jill Lepore’s new b […]

Blog: Where Are the Kings by Donal Ryan review – a timeless tale of family sorrows and joys from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:00:07 +0100

A teenage boy navigates adolescence and the traumatic loss of his mother in this poignant coming-of-age novel set in rural IrelandSomething is happening to literary […]

Blog: Philip Pullman and Maggie O’Farrell among authors urging Burnham to cut business rates on bookshops from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 17:25:12 +0100

After pubs and clubs get rates relief, authors back open letter calling for similar support for bookshops, described as the ‘beating hearts’ of high str […]

Blog: 62. In the Red from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:07:08 +0100

62. In the Red. Christopher Swiedler. 2020. [March] 288 pages. [Source: Library]First
sentence: By Friday afternoon, after a week of careful thought, Michael […]

Blog: 61. Old Man's War from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:59:34 +0100

61. Old Man’s War. John Scalzi. 2005. 318 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars, military science fiction]John Perry, our narrator, is a great […]

Matthew Brown edited the blog post The spy and the author in the group Writing prompts and inspirations

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:11:43 +0100

The spy and the author Him He’s a romance author searching for ideas for his next novel. His idea of a fun evening is a cup of hot chocolate, under a blanket with his […]

Blog: Cold Days at Castle Drax, Charlotte E. English from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100

2024 short horror-fantasy novel. Castle Drax is falling apart, and the
only way for the family to survive is to sell it, though nobody wants
to.

Blog: The Ego Trip by Kimon de Greef review – a bizarre tale of psychedelic toads and hair-raising treatments from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:49 +0100

A journalist investigates the unsettling world of a charismatic shaman and the people who trusted himWhich, in your opinion, is the worst current cultural trend: […]

Blog: Agrippa by Robert Harris review – persuasive portrait of rivalry in ancient Rome from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 06:00:46 +0100

This fictional memoir by Octavius’s right-hand man shows us bloodshed, betrayal and hectic jockeying for powerIf you’re one of those people who thinks about the Rom […]

Blog: Week in Review #34 from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:11:35 +0100

This week I read three books!58. Every Time a Bell Rings: The Legacy of It’s a Wonderful Life,
America’s Most Beloved Holiday Film. Emily St. James and Lauren […]