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Caroline Hooton

@carolinehooton.bsky.social

460 followers 190 following 3.6K posts

Writes a little, reads a lot.

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · Mar 3

This is a thread of the books I've read and enjoyed in 2025. Reviews of every book I've reviewed in 2025 can be found on my blog, I Read, Therefore I Blog here: ireadthereforeiblog.com

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

iucounu @iucounu.bsky.social · 2h

thinking about my favourite horror shorts since that nice Guardian piece the other day, and here's I think the best vampire story I know, by Nathan Ballingrud. It hits all the right notes for what I think is scary about vampires while also being, as often with NB, a sketch of a life of desperation

Sunbleached - Nightmare Magazine

“We’re God’s beautiful creatures,” the vampire said, something like joy leaking into its voice for the first time since it had crawled under this house four days ago. “We’re the pinnacle of his art. I...

www.nightmare-magazine.com

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 3h

THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTUNE by Richard Osman is a welcome return for Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim that develops both Ron's character and relationship with his children and also Joyce’s uneasy relationship with Joanna - bit.ly/3Jps3IP #bookreview #thursdaymurderclub #crimefiction #murdermystery

The book cover for The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman has the author's name at the top in black font underneath the words "The record-breaking No. 1 bestseller" and the title underneath an illustration of a fox. The edge of book is in orange.

Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 7h

Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Reposted by Caroline Hooton

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 8h

My cartoon for this week’s @newscientist.com

A hi tech laboratory. Technicians work at computer work stations. A glass cylinder contains an unhappy bespectacled figure in a striped top and hat. A scientist explains to two colleagues:
"The subject will be returned to his natural habitat. But now, thanks to our implanted tracking device, we can answer the question 'Where's Wally?' in microseconds rather than hours. "

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 8h

Had to order some currency for a trip in a few weeks. The lady at the exchange retailer asked me very standard AML questions, which was fine but she kept apologising because apparently so many people get aggressive about it. I reassured her I had no issue with it but really, some people suck.

Reposted by Caroline Hooton

Stephen Collins @stephencollins.bsky.social · 11h

Cartoon by Stephen Collins for the Guardian.

[Scene is BBC BREAKFAST with two presenters and a guest on the sofa].

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PRESENTER:
Now - some disturbing new research has shown

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PRESENTER:
that as many as 10 non-Reform political parties may currently operating ‘under the radar’ across the UK.

[Show on screen logos for Greens, Lib Dems, Conservatives

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PRESENTER:
In the studio to discuss this, Nigel Farage

[We see the guest on the sofa is indeed Nigel Farage]

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PRESENTER:
Nigel, what’s your view?

FARAGE:
Well I think this very worrying.

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FARAGE:
And just another reason why we should ban all immigration.

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PRESENTER:
I won’t push back on that

FARAGE:
Absolutely!

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PRESENTER:
Funnily enough, this is what your new show’s about, isn’t it?

FARAGE:
Oop - plug time!

PRESENTER:
Ha ha

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FARAGE:
Yes it’s a 12-part BBC documentary called ‘In Search Of The Political Parties That Aren’t My One’.

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[Show on the TV screen Farage presenting a documentary series titled In Search Of The Political Parties That Aren’t My One. He is wearing his farmer's getup and looking dreamily at the UK from hillsides, visiting pubs and chatting with the locals, etc]

FARAGE:
It’s a really emotional journey

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FARAGE:
with lots of dreamy footage of me looking relatable...

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FARAGE:
as I answer the question:

*Am I the only option for Britain?*

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[Cut back to studio]

PRESENTER:
I won’t push back on that

FARAGE:
Absolutely!

[ends]

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

'i will strangle a horse' on itch.io @brainmage.bsky.social · 10h

Sadako crawling out of your tv, turning motion smoothing off, then crawling back in

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 10h

She heard Bradley call you the Dark Destroyer and The Sinnerman respectively and took it literally.

Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 10h

Every time the clocks change there is one clock I forget to do.

I really thought I had cracked it yesterday. Went in every room. Changed every clock. Even remembered to change the thermostat and the car. Felt very snug when I went to bed.

Anyway it was my watch. I forgot to change my watch.

Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 1d

M&S are doing a party sausage roll garland that they say serves 16 but I am pretty sure I could eat all of it by myself.

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 1d

Spent a very pleasant afternoon with @uninvitedcat.bsky.social and special shout out to the lady at the John Lewis High Wycombe perfume department who was very helpful. I am now resting up with a coffee before I tackle the ironing.

Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 2d

So excited that the clocks go back this weekend. An extra hour in bed. Hell yes.

Reposted by Caroline Hooton

THE FAR SIDE DAILY @bot.cowtools.org · 2d

“Now go to sleep, Kevin—or once again I’ll have to knock three times and summon the Floating Head of Death.”

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 2d

Ran some errands today as I was WFH. Picked up my prescription from the local pharmacy and had a chat with the pharmacist who had discovered my high blood pressure 3 years ago and made me go to hospital. He asked how it was going and I said it is all under control now. Really nice to be remembered!

Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 2d

Oh shit. Tade loaded his fists. An ass kicking will now follow. Everyone run. Women who are lawyers first. 🙂

a bunch of penguins are running in the snow with the words run away behind them

ALT: a bunch of penguins are running in the snow with the words run away behind them

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Caroline Hooton

David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 2d

A good summary thread. Here’s the thing: if he’s nominated, Susan Collins is going to say she’s running against a Nazi tattoo guy. And then she’s going to win.

It couldn’t be easier for her, because any swing voter, people who are used to voting for her, wants to think of themselves as not Nazi.

The Editorial Board @editorialboard.bsky.social · 2d

1. Graham Platner is an oyster farmer and Marine Corps veteran who’s running for the United States Senate in Maine. He’s trying to knock off Susan Collins. He’s presented himself as a common-man candidate who stands against oligarchy, genocide and the oppression of the little guy.

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 2d

A cartoon about autumn....

Title: The leaves

Image 1:
Two leaves hang from branches.
"Would you like to hear my new poem?" Says one
"Is it another one about the inevitability of death?" replies a smaller leaf.

Image 2:
"It's autumn! What else am i going to write about?" says the poet leaf.
"Well, we've all turned this lovely reddish colour." says the small leaf.

Image 3:
"Actually, that could make a very nice poem. Thanks!" says the poet.

Image 4.
The small leaf begins to reply but is blown away by a gust of wind.

Image 5:
Later. The solitary poet leaf recites a poem:
"The year dies. I cling hopelessly. In the end all things fall."

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

Imani Gandy Corn 🎃 @angryblacklady.blacksky.app · 4d

Phew managed to make it another day without getting a nazi tattoo. It’s hard out here. Just nazi tattoos roaming the streets attaching themselves to people. Stay woke

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 2d

It's genuinely crackers that in the UK, a social media company can *take advertising money from a fraudster*, the bank has to repay the victim out of its pocket, and the social media company doesn't even have to give the advertising cash to the bank! They make money on the transaction!

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 2d

EXCLUSIVE: The British government is preparing to roll back on its pledge to make Big Tech companies pay for scams in its upcoming fraud strategy.

Banks furious as UK shies away from making Big Tech pay for fraud

Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged before the election to put tech giants on the hook for fraud.

www.politico.eu

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

The Volatile Mermaid @ohnoshetwitnt.bsky.social · 2d

I hear the Epstein Ballroom will be illuminated solely by gaslighting.

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 2d

Excellent news! Very pleased you do not have anything scary during scary season.

Reposted by Caroline Hooton

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 2d

Kemi Badenoch’s ability to plant political time bombs that blow up in the face of the party she leads is truly unparalleled.

What’s particularly impressive here is she could have found this out herself before raising the profile of this issue at PMQs.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Key China spy case witness removed 'enemy' from evidence under Tories

Security adviser Matthew Collins says the term

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

ianVisits @ianvisits.co.uk · 2d

The company that makes the ladders used in the Louvre heist has a new ad campaign.

"When you need to move fast," reads a banner under the image. "The Böcker Agilo transports your treasures weighing up to 400kg at 42m/min - quiet as a whisper."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Reposted by Caroline Hooton

Kit Whitfield - fantasy writer @kitwhitfield.bsky.social · 2d

Another AUSTEN TAKE, babies! This time: why 'Mary Crawford is more fun than Fanny Price' isn't a good take.

Because Mary isn't a rebel. She's a status-quo enforcer.

How do we balance disagreeing with Austen's sexual morals without missing her point? 1/

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Caroline Hooton @carolinehooton.bsky.social · 3d

Wow! Did you get her licence plate?