Caroline Hooton
@carolinehooton.bsky.social
Writes a little, reads a lot.
BROTHERS IN BLOOD by Amer Anwar won the CWA Debut Dagger Award and offers a fresh take on the crime thriller format through its setting within the British Asian community and its ex-con main character who is forced to turn detective - bit.ly/3Kk9w1j #bookreview #crimefiction #crimethriller
December 6, 2025 at 10:00 PM
BROTHERS IN BLOOD by Amer Anwar won the CWA Debut Dagger Award and offers a fresh take on the crime thriller format through its setting within the British Asian community and its ex-con main character who is forced to turn detective - bit.ly/3Kk9w1j #bookreview #crimefiction #crimethriller
Great view from the office Christmas party this evening.
December 4, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Great view from the office Christmas party this evening.
CHECKMATE IN BERLIN by Giles Milton is a very readable and informative book about Berlin between 1945 and 1950 that sets out how the agreement between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at the Yalta Conference set the seeds for the Berlin Blockade and the Cold War - bit.ly/3LV9YDw #bookreview #history
November 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM
CHECKMATE IN BERLIN by Giles Milton is a very readable and informative book about Berlin between 1945 and 1950 that sets out how the agreement between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at the Yalta Conference set the seeds for the Berlin Blockade and the Cold War - bit.ly/3LV9YDw #bookreview #history
MISSING PERSON by Sarah Lotz makes the most of its original hook by revealing the killer is from very early on so the main story couples other characters discovering the truth with the slow reveal of family secrets and themes of identity and trust - bit.ly/3LWpLBY #bookreview #thriller #crimebooks
November 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
MISSING PERSON by Sarah Lotz makes the most of its original hook by revealing the killer is from very early on so the main story couples other characters discovering the truth with the slow reveal of family secrets and themes of identity and trust - bit.ly/3LWpLBY #bookreview #thriller #crimebooks
The Astonishing Colour Of After by Emily X. R. Pan is a powerful and moving debut YA novel that looks at what it means to live with a parent with depression that incorporates Chinese spiritual beliefs with a magical realist twist bit.ly/47S0gsW - #bookreview #yafiction #youngadultfiction #grief
November 11, 2025 at 9:49 AM
The Astonishing Colour Of After by Emily X. R. Pan is a powerful and moving debut YA novel that looks at what it means to live with a parent with depression that incorporates Chinese spiritual beliefs with a magical realist twist bit.ly/47S0gsW - #bookreview #yafiction #youngadultfiction #grief
Did somebody say “tank”?
November 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Did somebody say “tank”?
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
October 26, 2025 at 8:35 PM
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
NUCLEAR FOLLY: A NEW HISTORY OF THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS by Serhii Plokhy is a gripping account of the Cuban Missile Crisis that draws on book draws on KGB files to add insight to the Russian position and response - bit.ly/3KSIcqV #bookreview #serhiiplokhy #cubanmissilecrisis #historybooks
October 20, 2025 at 10:31 PM
NUCLEAR FOLLY: A NEW HISTORY OF THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS by Serhii Plokhy is a gripping account of the Cuban Missile Crisis that draws on book draws on KGB files to add insight to the Russian position and response - bit.ly/3KSIcqV #bookreview #serhiiplokhy #cubanmissilecrisis #historybooks
ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbìké-Íyímídé is a high concept YA thriller billed as GET OUT meets GOSSIP GIRL where racism meets conspiracy to create an intense choking claustrophobia - bit.ly/4nwwxMG #bookreview #youngadultbooks #yabooks #yathrillers #race #racism #bookreviews
October 6, 2025 at 9:57 PM
ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbìké-Íyímídé is a high concept YA thriller billed as GET OUT meets GOSSIP GIRL where racism meets conspiracy to create an intense choking claustrophobia - bit.ly/4nwwxMG #bookreview #youngadultbooks #yabooks #yathrillers #race #racism #bookreviews
My copy of the new Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club novel arrived today from @bertsbooks.bsky.social but it is so beautifully wrapped I can’t bring myself to read it. I mean, look at it! It has a bow that matched the cover and everything!
September 26, 2025 at 4:28 PM
My copy of the new Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club novel arrived today from @bertsbooks.bsky.social but it is so beautifully wrapped I can’t bring myself to read it. I mean, look at it! It has a bow that matched the cover and everything!
CLOWN TOWN by Mick Herron is the game changing 9th book in this spy thriller series which sees the slow horses take casualties (including a fatality) and settle scores with a truly open ending that means anything could happen next - bit.ly/46PkPqv #bookreview #sloughhouse #slowhorses #jacksonlamb
September 22, 2025 at 9:48 PM
CLOWN TOWN by Mick Herron is the game changing 9th book in this spy thriller series which sees the slow horses take casualties (including a fatality) and settle scores with a truly open ending that means anything could happen next - bit.ly/46PkPqv #bookreview #sloughhouse #slowhorses #jacksonlamb
With thanks to @biggreenbooks.bsky.social this little devil arrived on my doorstep this morning. It makes up for the fact that the Tube strike means I can’t attend the Mick Herron even this evening. Although I have a horrible feeling I am going to be very upset by what happens to the Slow Horses.
September 11, 2025 at 11:02 AM
With thanks to @biggreenbooks.bsky.social this little devil arrived on my doorstep this morning. It makes up for the fact that the Tube strike means I can’t attend the Mick Herron even this evening. Although I have a horrible feeling I am going to be very upset by what happens to the Slow Horses.
PERFECT PEDRO by Simon Philip and Ella Okstad is a lovely picture book about not putting pressure on yourself by trying to be perfect all the time and instead just focus on enjoying yourself - bit.ly/4mRMNra #bookreview #bookreviews #picturebooks
September 7, 2025 at 7:31 PM
PERFECT PEDRO by Simon Philip and Ella Okstad is a lovely picture book about not putting pressure on yourself by trying to be perfect all the time and instead just focus on enjoying yourself - bit.ly/4mRMNra #bookreview #bookreviews #picturebooks
FRANK IS A BUTTERFLY by Alex Latimer is a charming self-illustrated picture book that’s all about how to be happy with who you are and what you have rather than focusing on your appearance and how you compare with others - bit.ly/45X2Myt #bookreview #bookreviews #picturebook #picturebooks
September 3, 2025 at 6:11 PM
FRANK IS A BUTTERFLY by Alex Latimer is a charming self-illustrated picture book that’s all about how to be happy with who you are and what you have rather than focusing on your appearance and how you compare with others - bit.ly/45X2Myt #bookreview #bookreviews #picturebook #picturebooks
PHOENIX BROTHERS by Sita Brahmachari is a sensitive and empathic novella for readers with dyslexia and those lacking confidence aged 11+ that's about friendship and what it means to be a refugee - bit.ly/4mR6uzi #bookreview #childrensfiction #childrensbooks #refugees #bookreviews
August 30, 2025 at 10:48 PM
PHOENIX BROTHERS by Sita Brahmachari is a sensitive and empathic novella for readers with dyslexia and those lacking confidence aged 11+ that's about friendship and what it means to be a refugee - bit.ly/4mR6uzi #bookreview #childrensfiction #childrensbooks #refugees #bookreviews
THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PANIC: HOW WOMEN TRADE FREEDOM FOR SAFETY by Fiona Vera-Gray is a highly readable and unfortunately highly relatable book looks at the steps that women take to avoid sexual violence in their day-to-day lives - bit.ly/4mBxd2U #bookreviews #feminism #metoo #sexualviolence #gender
August 24, 2025 at 10:25 PM
THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PANIC: HOW WOMEN TRADE FREEDOM FOR SAFETY by Fiona Vera-Gray is a highly readable and unfortunately highly relatable book looks at the steps that women take to avoid sexual violence in their day-to-day lives - bit.ly/4mBxd2U #bookreviews #feminism #metoo #sexualviolence #gender
ISTA FLIT AND THE IMPOSSIBLE KEY by Clare Harlow is the clever and gripping second book in this fantasy trilogy for readers aged 9+ featuring Kristina Kister’s evocative illustrations and set against the sinister Marsh Queen’s court - bit.ly/45dLQmV #bookreview #childrensbooks #childrensfantasy
August 10, 2025 at 10:55 PM
ISTA FLIT AND THE IMPOSSIBLE KEY by Clare Harlow is the clever and gripping second book in this fantasy trilogy for readers aged 9+ featuring Kristina Kister’s evocative illustrations and set against the sinister Marsh Queen’s court - bit.ly/45dLQmV #bookreview #childrensbooks #childrensfantasy
OPEN THE CAGE, MURPHY by Paul O’Grady tracks his career transition from drag queen host of the Vauxhall Tavern to TV presenter and national treasure set against a back drop of personal tragedy as the AIDS crisis strikes close to home - bit.ly/40R8Zc5 #bookreview #autobiography #paulogrady
August 3, 2025 at 10:07 PM
OPEN THE CAGE, MURPHY by Paul O’Grady tracks his career transition from drag queen host of the Vauxhall Tavern to TV presenter and national treasure set against a back drop of personal tragedy as the AIDS crisis strikes close to home - bit.ly/40R8Zc5 #bookreview #autobiography #paulogrady
THE WILDERNESS OF GIRLS by Madeline Claire Franklin is an exceptionally strong debut YA novel that maintains a satisfying ambiguity between its contemporary and fantasy elements in a way that’s mature without feeling like a cop out - bit.ly/410v6Nx #bookreviews #youngadultfiction #yafiction
July 27, 2025 at 10:45 PM
THE WILDERNESS OF GIRLS by Madeline Claire Franklin is an exceptionally strong debut YA novel that maintains a satisfying ambiguity between its contemporary and fantasy elements in a way that’s mature without feeling like a cop out - bit.ly/410v6Nx #bookreviews #youngadultfiction #yafiction
THE ITALIAN WAY is a handy broad introduction to Italy's history, geography, food, social life, design and culture and perfect if you're planning a holiday there and want to get in the mood early - bit.ly/4nYNuA4 #bookreviews #travelbooks #italy
July 19, 2025 at 11:38 PM
THE ITALIAN WAY is a handy broad introduction to Italy's history, geography, food, social life, design and culture and perfect if you're planning a holiday there and want to get in the mood early - bit.ly/4nYNuA4 #bookreviews #travelbooks #italy
There is a deer in my back garden. Genuinely shocked and thrilled.
July 18, 2025 at 12:20 PM
There is a deer in my back garden. Genuinely shocked and thrilled.
DRAGON TOWERS: THE GHOSTLY SURPRISE by Pip Bird is the amusing second book in a comic fantasy series for readers aged 6+ with a lot of bum and fat jokes with David O’Connell’s illustrations adding to the humour - bit.ly/40fDBnm #bookreview #dragons #childrensbooks #illustratedbooks
July 13, 2025 at 11:15 PM
DRAGON TOWERS: THE GHOSTLY SURPRISE by Pip Bird is the amusing second book in a comic fantasy series for readers aged 6+ with a lot of bum and fat jokes with David O’Connell’s illustrations adding to the humour - bit.ly/40fDBnm #bookreview #dragons #childrensbooks #illustratedbooks
IBRAHEEM’S PERFECT EID by Farhana Islam and Nabila Adani is a colourful, joyous picture book exploration of the social, family and spiritual meaning of Eid and how it is about more than presents - bit.ly/3I6tBXa #bookreview #picturebooks #eid
June 21, 2025 at 11:40 PM
IBRAHEEM’S PERFECT EID by Farhana Islam and Nabila Adani is a colourful, joyous picture book exploration of the social, family and spiritual meaning of Eid and how it is about more than presents - bit.ly/3I6tBXa #bookreview #picturebooks #eid
WHAT’S NEW HARPER DREW? by Kathy Weeks is the first in a humorous trilogy for readers aged 9+ that has a good narrative voice and builds its funny scenes well with energetic illustrations by Aleksei Bitskoff - bit.ly/3HJhwr2 #bookreview #childrensbooks #funnybooks #illustratedbooks
June 15, 2025 at 10:44 PM
WHAT’S NEW HARPER DREW? by Kathy Weeks is the first in a humorous trilogy for readers aged 9+ that has a good narrative voice and builds its funny scenes well with energetic illustrations by Aleksei Bitskoff - bit.ly/3HJhwr2 #bookreview #childrensbooks #funnybooks #illustratedbooks
THE INTERNATIONALISTS AND THEIR PLAN TO OUTLAW WAR by Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro is a thorough and engaging look at the legal framework underpinning war as a means of dispute resolution and how the “might is right” was overturned with the 1928 Paris Peace Pact - bit.ly/3FzPxcD #bookreview #war
June 11, 2025 at 9:40 PM
THE INTERNATIONALISTS AND THEIR PLAN TO OUTLAW WAR by Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro is a thorough and engaging look at the legal framework underpinning war as a means of dispute resolution and how the “might is right” was overturned with the 1928 Paris Peace Pact - bit.ly/3FzPxcD #bookreview #war