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Sian

@Funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy
35 followers 3 following 246 posts

Former Midlander, Londoner, East Anglian; currently Glaswegian. Librarian, feminist, knitter, reader and Remainer / Rejoiner. Unbalanced duck fanatic. I mostly […] 🌉 bridged from ⁂ mastodon.scot/@Funktious, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact

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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 29/03/2026
Picked this up off a Waterstones display primarily for the Glasgow setting, but I kept reading for Ellen's voice, and her dilemma over choosing an intellectual life or a conventional marriage, in an era where women were rarely allowed both. If you enjoyed […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of The Camomile by Catherine Carswell
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 29/03/2026
Really enjoyed this - a warm hug in book form. The narrative voice is excellent, really funny and witty and warm, and the characters feel like real people. The dialogue can be quite clunky and stilted, but I didn't mind as the rest was so good. Like the […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán Hession
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 29/03/2026
My first deep cut Le Guin, and the first Le Guin I've struggled with, which probably isn't a coincidence. It's also the first I've read of hers set, for the most part, in 'our' world, and again I wonder if that's connected. There's elements here that I liked - […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of The Beginning Place by Ursula K Le Guin
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 29/03/2026
Tried another acclaimed collection of short stories which again didn't work for me 😭 I had the opposite problem to the Chiang with these - they were too mysterious and surreal, without enough grounding. I think I'd have enjoyed them more as standalones than […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 29/03/2026
*waves* Hello Mastodon, hope you're all well? We are having building work done, I've been going into work every day for 8 weeks and we're only halfway though 😭 hence my appalling absence, as all I'm doing is working, walking to and from work, playing shitty phone games and occasionally managing […]
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Original post on mastodon.scot
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 28/02/2026
Happy to discover that #glasgow now has its own Science Fiction and Fantasy specialist book shop! sector7books.com Looking forward to exploring.
sector7books.com
Sector 7 Books
Enter Sector 7 Books - Your gateway to all things Horror, Sci Fi, and Fantasy. Inside you will find genre classics, new releases, and rare first editions.
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 05/02/2026
I'm sad that these didn't really work for me, as I've only heard good things about them. They're very much *science* fiction and many were too cerebral for me to follow. I enjoyed the ones based on historical theories like Tower of Babylon and Seventy Two […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 01/02/2026
We have amassed a sizeable collection of empty whisky canisters that cannot be recycled as they are because they all have metal bottoms. Decided to tackle them today! Prizing the bottom off with a blunt knife ❌ Whacking the bottom out with a rolling pin ❌ Sawing the bottom off with a rusty […]
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Original post on mastodon.scot
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 28/01/2026
@bazzargh Thank you! We've been going to Hillington for kitchens, so we've seen the massive array of floor places there! I'll add Helen Street to the list. Flooring is such a boring way to waste a Saturday but it doesn't look like I'll have much other option!
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 27/01/2026
Apologies for the *terribly* boring toot, but if anyone in the UK has any opinions to share on reasonably priced brands of LVT flooring, I would love to hear them. Reddit has failed me as for every post saying X brand is great, there’s five posts saying they’re shit. Our budget doesn’t stretch […]
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Original post on mastodon.scot
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 27/01/2026
So IMHO I think this was better than Babel as a novel exploring colonialism via fantasy. The characters are excellent, the magic is cool, the world building is good and the ending felt appropriate and earned. But it still wasn't exactly subtle - if you're […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/01/2026
I loved Towles' previous books so was really looking forward to this, but sadly found it quite disappointing. The writing is wonderful - Towles writes prose that feels effortless to read, and he nails the feeling of time and place. But I struggled with the […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/01/2026
Glasgow's wildlife enjoying the sun too!
A swan glides along the canal while a fox naps in the sunshine on the bank
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/01/2026
Always nice to start the week with the sort of day that reminds you Spring is on the way 😀
The Forth and Clyde Canal under a clear blue sky
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 13/01/2026
Really enjoyed this, even if the execution wasn't quite as good as the premise. An epic story told via the obituaries of 60 people, across several centuries, past and future. It's about legacy, who and what we remember and whether words can capture a life. But […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Remember You Will Die by Eden Robins
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 10/01/2026
My new smart watch* says I have done 357 intensity minutes this week, despite all this ice, and therefore I think I have earned this. (* Last year's model, £80 off with work discount, replaceable strap. Got caught out when the strap broke on my last one which […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
A cup of tea and a behemoth of a mars brownie with caramel cornflake topping.
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 10/01/2026
Incredible narrative voice, with a really interesting setting. I really enjoyed getting to know Mrs Duzejko and seeing just how underestimated she was by everyone around her. All the Blake went over my head, but I didn't mind the astronomy. I really appreciated […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 06/01/2026
I’d rather have snow than all this ice - at least you can walk on snow! Have succumbed to my fear of falling and decided to stay home for the day, really hope the temperature rises as I have to go in tomorrow!
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 04/01/2026
Starting my 2026 book thread with a beautiful cover 😍 And the book behind it is just as beautiful. Just the sort of 'place as character' narrative that I really enjoy, this is a lively and lyrical exploration of a certain landscape and the people, animals and […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of When I Sing, Mountains Dance by Irene Solà
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 01/01/2026
The period in which Glaswegians compete to see who can dump their Christmas tree in the most egregious manner has begun. This one was literally thrown off a bridge into the river. #glasgow
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 01/01/2026
Spoilt for choice for my first 2026 read - this pile includes Christmas and birthday presents, the results of the annual book token and Waterstones points haul, and a couple of Oxfam Books finds from December also. Today shall be spent perusing and selecting […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
A pile of 15 books on a table in front of bookshelves full of other books.
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 01/01/2026
StoryGraph Wrap Ups are available, though I had to wait several hours for mine to generate. Scroll up in this thread to find further details on ALL the books I read this year 🥰 #books #bookstodon #StoryGraph #2025reads #wrapup
Graphic generated from The StoryGraph App showing stats for my 2025 reads such as longest / shortest reads, top 5 genres, top rated books etc
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 01/01/2026
Happy New Year!!! All the locals seem to have set off their fireworks 20 minutes early and run out already 🤣
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 31/12/2025
So here ends my 2025 book thread, which I'm happy I kept going all year. A few books less than I managed in 2024, largely because I didn't read for a month after Albert died in June. Very few five star reads this year, all pictured here plus Voices by Le Guin […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
A stack of five books in front of a book shelf. They are

A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
Great House by Nicole Krause
Engine Summer by John Crowley
Grief is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter
Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 31/12/2025
Finished up the year and passed my reading goal with the last three Murderbot books. Very grateful to these immensely readable books for helping me get over the line! They really are great - the characters are just so much fun and the world gets more […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
A Kobo ereader showing the cover of Network Effect by Martha Wells
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 30/12/2025
I'm off to teach a friend and her child to #knit today! And in looking up beginner resources for them, I'm annoyed at how many online tutorials teach the backwards loop cast on as a starting point - it might be easy but it's a terrible start for any project. And too many go for the knitted cast […]
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Original post on mastodon.scot
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 27/12/2025
A slow clap for the Guardian writer who thinks the best winter walk in the whoooooole of Scotland is…. *drumroll* …Edinburgh to Leith along the Water of Leith. www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/dec…
theguardian.com
11 of the UK’s best winter walks – all ending at a cosy pub
Too much turkey and Baileys? Blow away the Christmas cobwebs on one of our rambles. And if that doesn’t work, they all end at a pub for a hair of the dog
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 27/12/2025
I'm a big Novik fan and these stories didn't disappoint. My favourites all had elements of Le Guin to them - Seven (effortless world building), Seven Years From Home (felt very Hainsih / TWfWiF inspired) and The Long Way Round (pure Earthsea, from a different […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Buried Deep by Naomi Novik
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 27/12/2025
Hello Mastodon, I hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas! We're back in Glasgow after visiting my parents in the West Midlands, via Carlisle (amazing second hand bookshop!) and Lancaster (lovely yarn shop!) And now we have 9 more days of holiday, with piles of books and chocolates […]
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Original post on mastodon.scot
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/12/2025
Dear Father Christmas, I have been very good this year, please can I have any of the following for Christmas; *a good book *some luxury hot chocolate *the long awaited downfall of David Walliams Hugs to Rudolph! Sian
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 12/12/2025
Here come the round ups - while it always annoys me how early these are*, the Reactor (previously tor.com) one is always good for filling my wishlist for the next year. reactormag.com/reviewers-choice-the… (*really, isn't this what the quiet week between Christmas […]
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 03/12/2025
It's December. It's Dark. I've had enough. I need a list.
Photo of a notepad with a list headed "things what I must do before Christmas'
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 02/12/2025
A very late comer to this and I only read it because I wanted to know the story before the film. I probably should've just waited for the film. I don't love hard SF anyway and there is So Much science in this, but absolutely zero character work which always […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 30/11/2025
Binged the first four Murderbot novellas in two days - that's one way of catching up with the looming Reading Goal! Hugely enjoyable, very glad I grabbed all these on Humble Bundle a few months back, they're so easy to read and so fun. I'm enjoying the world […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 28/11/2025
I've been enjoying working my way through Lahiri's works since getting Roman Stories in a book subscription. These stories are just as readable, featuring a range of immigrant / emigrant experiences. Lahiri is so good at making you get to know and care about […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 26/11/2025
@diazona That is an excellent point, it's exactly what Murderbot would want me to do!
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 26/11/2025
Is it cheating to try and catch up with your end of year reading goal by binging Murderbot? Well I'm doing it anyway. #books #bookstodon
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/11/2025
If the fashion of my youth is truly back, then where oh where are the slouchy cross body bags that are big enough for a book and some knitting. Where?!
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/11/2025
@geomannie I've twisted my ankle quite a few times in recent years - never actually as a result of ice, but the fear of falling is well lodged in now, and ice just makes it worse! Yaktrax are phenomenal though, but I don't know what the bike tyre equivalent of them would be 🤣
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 19/11/2025
Anyone know how icy it is in #glasgow this morning? Is it yaktrax worthy?!
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 18/11/2025
I'm curious whether this will work, given that so much of the humour in Adrian Mole is in his skewed perspective of the world, and his inner voice. www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/no…
theguardian.com
David Nicholls to adapt The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ for BBC
One Day author leading writing team bringing one of the best-known literary creations of the 1980s to life
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 17/11/2025
Quick, beautiful read about Britain and magic and the Camelot stories, from a different perspective than the usual. I don't read a lot of graphic novels but I've always liked Isabel Greenberg's artwork and themes, and this was just as good as One Hundred Nights […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
Cover of Young hag by Isabel GreenbergArtwork from Young Hag showing a map of the Other WorldDouble page spread from Young Hag showing the characters dancing around a bonfire
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 17/11/2025
A still, sunny day means beautiful reflections on the canal. #glasgow
An urban canal under clear skies reflecting the scrappy late autumn trees along the bankAn urban canal reflecting a golden late autumn tree and a block of modern flats in the still water
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 16/11/2025
A few more from this beautiful #SilentSunday
A tall, red sculpture with the word WATERFRONT printed down it in white letters and the word CINEMA in embossed silver cutouts, against a bright blue skyA life ring in a red and white case on a yellow stand behind a blue metal fence next to the river - all the colours bright in the sun A derelict pier covered in birds in a wide river, with hills and houses on the distant shoreThe setting sun illuminated clouds above the river
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 16/11/2025
#silentsunday
A still, wide river under a clear blue sky. A yellow painted chain link fence on the foreground and a bright orange buoy in the water. Mountains in the distance.
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 16/11/2025
A satisfying end to this trilogy, which nicely draws together all the themes from the previous books, like using your gifts wisely, trusting the right people, the joy and responsibility of storytelling. Feels like these books contain more of what Le Guin […] [Original post on mastodon.scot]
An ereader showing the cover of Powers by Ursula K Le Guin
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 14/11/2025
One of my favourite things to spot on a cold but sunny day 😍
A fox curled up like a cat, sleeping in a sunny spot on the bank of the Forth and Clyde canal
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 14/11/2025
Reposting the #HiddenBooksGame in case anyone is in need of Friday distractions! hiddenbooks.nationalbooktokens.com I can provide hints if you need them! #books #bookstodon
hiddenbooks.nationalbooktokens.com
Play the Hidden Books Game from National Book Tokens!
Guess all 20 book titles hidden in the picture.
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 13/11/2025
@florilegia.bsky.social You are a nice lady 😘
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Sian @funktious.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 13/11/2025
@florilegia.bsky.social yo Lorna, can you help the person whose replied to this post on BlueSky? They're not bridged so I cannot reply!
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