David
banner
bluebookballoon.bsky.social
David
@bluebookballoon.bsky.social
Oxford, UK. When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman? No pasarán. He/him. https://bluebookballoon.blogspot.com
Pinned
Joining the tour for #Catherine by @essiefox.bsky.social, out now from @orendabooks.bsky.social. Raw, emotional retelling of Wuthering Heights. Don’t miss this! Many thanks @annerandomthings.bsky.social bluebookballoon.blogspot.com/2026/02/blog... #BookSky 📚💙
Reposted by David
On the plus side barely-used RAM and harddrives are going to be fucking dirt cheap in 2027 when all this AI datacentre shit collapses.
February 18, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Reposted by David
OK, so I took a lot of photos!
#TheFlyingScotsman
February 18, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by David
I love that dog!
This local Wolfdog joined an Olympic ski event and triggered the finish-line camera. This is Nazgul. He snuck into a cross-country skiing sprint this morning and raced the homestretch with some competitors before being escorted home. 14/10 someone get him a medal
February 18, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by David
New on my blog: Four Days in Copenhagen and One Book alifeinbooks.co.uk/2026/02/four... #TravelSky
Four Days in Copenhagen and One Book - A Life in Books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.
alifeinbooks.co.uk
February 18, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by David
✨WWW WEDNESDAY✨

It's time for this week's #WWWWednesday post, where I share which books I am currently reading, what I recently finished, and what I plan to read next!📚💙

Head over to my blog to see how this week's reading has looked 👇🏼
forbookssake.home.blog/2026/02/18/w...
WWW Wednesday – 18th February 2026
Hey everyone!It is time for this week’s WWW Wednesday post. This meme is hosted by Taking on a World of Words. The Three Ws are: What are you currently reading?What did you recently finish rea…
forbookssake.home.blog
February 18, 2026 at 9:49 AM
Reposted by David
Trainbow!
Our fabulous pride-liveried @lner.co.uk Azuma 801226 "Together" says good morning and would like to remind you that it loves you.
February 18, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Reposted by David
*NEW BLOG POST*

Today on #damppebbles I am sharing this week's #WWWWednesday post. Find out what I've recently finished reading, what I'm currently reading and what I plan to read next!

Check out my post here...
➡️ buff.ly/96dKIWz
#BookSky #skybrarians #books #bookish #book
February 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Reposted by David
Today on the Good Internet:
From Penzance to Thurso (and Marazion to Hoy)… it’s finished.

After 25 years, I’m delighted to report that the New Adlestrop Railway Atlas now covers the whole of England, Scotland and Wales in one big PDF. Every* passenger line and station.

Download it here: www.systemed.net/atlas/
February 18, 2026 at 7:40 AM
Reposted by David
"Women aren't done when menopause hits," says A.G. Slatter. We interviewed her about her new novel, A FOREST, DARKLY, featuring a fifty-something witch, found family, and the monsters of the woods. #FantasyBooks

@angelaslatter.bsky.social @titanbooks.bsky.social

gnofhorror.com/a-forest-dar...
A Forest, Darkly, The Witch In The Woods Gets A Voice: A.G. Slatter On Menopause, Monsters, And A Feminist Gothic Fantasy - The Ginger Nuts Of Horror Review Website
Enter the Sourdough universe with A.G. Slatter's A Forest, Darkly. We interview the author about her fifty-something witch Mehrab, godhounds, menopause.
gnofhorror.com
February 18, 2026 at 8:09 AM
Reposted by David
Been working through the final Act of the folk horror book (eek!), which means I have of course become distracted by next planned idea: sentient hive mind space moss horrors... (this one's been half-constructed for a while, but it's clicked a bit in my mind now so I may be able to write it...😅👀🌿)
Third of the way through draft of new Scottish folk horror novel, with reluctant forced return to small town, forest shenanigans, religious horrors, strange insects, dark folklore, sleep terrors, family secrets, a charismatic minister, and something is *really off* about his congregation...👀🐝
February 17, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Reposted by David
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will launch their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour across the country this spring, kicking off at Minneapolis’ Target Center on March 31. The 20-date run will feature 19 arena shows, and a final night on May 27 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
February 17, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Reposted by David
It *will* be published in the UK by the wonderful @orbitbooks.bsky.social in June 2026. I'm very grateful to my editor @jennihill.bsky.social for her unfaltering support, and I'm looking forward to (hopefully) working with her on many more projects in the future.
January 7, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by David
Here is my review the excellent next installment in the Dresden Files- here is my review of Twelve Months by Jim Butcher
Twelve Months ( The Dresden Files #18) by Jim Butcher
One year. 365 days. Twelve months.Harry Dresden has been through a lot, and so has his city. After Harry and his allies narrowly managed to save Chicago from being razed, everything is different—and it’s not just the current lack of electricity.Harry lost people he cared about in the battle, and that’s the kind of loss that takes a toll.
seriesbooklover.wordpress.com
February 17, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by David
dumplings are a side effect of Mongols
In honor of Lunar New Year, one of my all-time favorite maps:

How dumplings spread around the world

(tl;dr: It was largely, though not exclusively, the Mongol invasions!)
February 17, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Reposted by David
something surreal about opening up my PDF of Reeve's translation of the Republic and having to click off two separate prompts suggesting to have an AI Assistant summarize it for me
February 17, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by David
L'Ukraine mène une contre-offensive inédite depuis 2023, aidée par des coupures de Starlink côté russe

Les soldats ukrainiens ont repris 201 km2 en quatre jours, un chiffre jamais vu depuis la contre-offensive de juin 2023.
www.franceinfo.fr/monde/europe...
L'Ukraine mène une contre-offensive inédite depuis 2023, aidée par des coupures de Starlink côté russe
Les soldats ukrainiens ont repris 201 km2 en quatre jours, un chiffre jamais vu depuis la contre-offensive de juin 2023.
www.franceinfo.fr
February 17, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by David
#manuscriptwishlist #mswl I want sci-fi with the same spacefarers-as-seafarers feel as the best Star Trek series. Master and Commander but in space. Drama on the bridge. Mutiny in the lower decks. Emotions (mostly) repressed because the chain of command doesn't allow for them.
a man in a red shirt is standing in a forest with the words " there must be trek somewhere in here " above him
ALT: a man in a red shirt is standing in a forest with the words " there must be trek somewhere in here " above him
media.tenor.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by David
Over on series book lover today there’s a review of Jim Butcher’s Twelve months.
February 17, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by David
This week, I've been enjoying the fantastic portal fantasy, THIS KINGDOM WILL NOT KILL ME, with a vampire mystery thriller on deck!

My reading update:
Weekly Reading Update: 02/17/2026
realmsofmymind.wordpress.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by David
*NEW BLOG POST*

Today on #damppebbles I am sharing this week's #TopTenTuesday post. The theme for this week is 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒 🛋️📚✈️

Check out my list here...
➡️ buff.ly/JtV9vkM

#BookSky #skybrarians #books #top10 #list #bookrecommendation #bookish #whattoread
February 17, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by David
Concluding that the Winter Olympics is mostly watching people sliding about on slippery surfaces, trying not to fall over.

The people who don't fall over win medals.
February 16, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by David
Put your hand up if you received the ELIZA vaccine at a young age and are now immune to chatbot spiraling
February 16, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by David
Let me just make a few little adjustments to that title…

“How a scientist with a PhD in Geology and 25 years of experience is helping lead California’s earthquake work”

Way to devalue my experience.
February 15, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by David
While sudden cliff falls at Birling Gap (near my home town of Eastbourne) are no joke, I really love how much it looks like we’ve roused a grumpy, sleepy sea-wizard.
January 27, 2026 at 9:36 PM