| Writer and dreamer | |
| Website: | https://aphilton.com |
It's almost impossible to choose a favourite for World Book Day 2026 but Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic read that stays with you forever.
What's your favourite?
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I enjoyed reading David Koepp's Cold Storage debut novel during covid lockdown so I was fired up to finally watch the film adaptation last night.
Cue zombies, killer rats, biker gangs and deranged deer.
The low budget comedy horror is faithful to the book and hits that sweet spot between Contagion and Shaun Of The Dead.
Watch it in cinemas now or read the book. Just avoid the fungus.
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What's On Your Reading List For 2026?
I'm back on the train to readersville.
Next stop Murakami.
You can never have enough books and I'm bound to acquire more books as the year goes on, or even in the next five minutes...
But just for now here's my reading list for 2026.
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Sometimes stealing your son's books makes you realise everything you read in 2025 was just too damn serious.
I borrowed the latest in Jeff Kinney's bestselling Diary Of A Wimpy Kid series, Partypooper, and its a hilarious! When Gregg Heffley's parents forget his birthday they try to make it up to him with disastrous results.
So raid your child's bookshelf in 2026 and party like there's no tomorrow.
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#books #reading
I enjoyed reading Atlas Six, Olivie Blake's novel about dark academia where six gifted people are invited to join the magical Alexandria Society.
But the narrative never evolved beyond it's premise.
I was expecting thrilling magical trials. Instead we were presented with six students who quietly plotted against one another. At times I felt I was in an Agatha Christie thriller, stuck in a library without a murder to solve or propel the story.
This could have been magic.
The Course Of The Heart by M. John Harrison is a cult novel about magic and lost lives.
It is a strange and compelling read, a gothic horror kitchen sink drama where people attempt to comprehend the disillusionment of their adult lives after conducting a strange ritual.
Ultimately this is a novel without obvious answers that will linger in your mind long after you have finished reading. It will make you believe in magic again.
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At first glance Babel could be easily dismissed as Harry Potter goes to University and develops a political consciousness.
Despite similarities, it's R.F. Kuang's characterisation and righteous anger that shines when a group of misfits are indoctrinated into dark academia, and ultimately makes their journey believable.
And once you've read the earth shattering finale, pay attention to its alternative title "The Necessity Of Violence" and you'll understand what a firebrand Kuang really is.
It's satisfying when a book lives up to your expectations after spending years on your reading list. Circe by Madeline Miller was everything I wanted it to be.
Miller's prose is much like her protagonist's plight, enchanting and goddess-like as she takes us on a thrilling exploration of myth and monsters. But this is the story of one woman's journey in the defiance of gods and men, and proves not all fates are predetermined.
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Beth Gibbons Live At The Roundhouse
I was lucky enough to see Beth Gibbons's sold out show at the Roundhouse the night before her Glastonbury 2025 performance.
It was a stunning and emotional show with eight band members playing multiple instruments on stage. Her voice was incredible and the finale of two classic Portishead songs - Roads and Glory Box - sent the crowd into a frenzy. Check out the set list.
Watch the full Glastonbury 2025 performance here:
Had a great afternoon exploring the annual Exeter City of Literature's Book Market on Exeter Cathedral Green today. I sadly had to reign in my purchases because my reading list is getting out of control. But I still couldn't resist buying my daughter the lastest book in the Adventuremice series, signed by local Devon authors!
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