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Hello from The Bookbag<metadesc>Expert, a full book review site, featuring books reviews from all the many most walks of literary life ; fiction, non- [[:Category:Fiction|fiction]], [[:Category:Biography|biography]], [[:Category:Crime|crime]], [[:Category:Cookery|cookery]] and anything else that takes our fancy. At Bookbag Towers the bookbag sits at the side of the desk. Itchildren's the bag we take to the library and the bookshop. Sometimes it holds the latest releases, but at other times there'll be old favourites, books for the children, books for the home. They're sometimes our own books or books from the local library. They're often & self-published books sent to us by publishers and we promise to tell you exactly what we think about them. You might not want to read through a full review, so we'll give you a quick review which summarises what we felt about the book and tells you whether or not we think you should buy or borrow it. There are also lots of plus author [[:Category:Interviews|interviews]], and all sorts of [[:Category:Lists|& top tens]] - all of which you can find on our [[Features]] page.</metadesc>
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{{newreview|author=Loose Women|title=Here Come the Girls|ratingThe Best New Books=4|genre=Home and Family|summary=This is the second volume by the panelists from that nice ITV series, ''Loose Women''. Just as promised on the cover, this book is an entertaining night with the girls. It turns out that they're just like us. The faces are already familiar and even if you don't know them yet, with nine contributors, you'll soon find a like-minded woman behind one of the celebrity faces. The women are universally warm-hearted and supportive: there will be many a lonely woman who reads this book and feels as if she sat down with a group of friends for the evening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444700154</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Jean Ure|title=Fortune Cookie|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Fudge Cassidy and the Cupcake kid are best friends. If the names remind you of a certain film then you'd be spot on as that's where Fudge's father got the idea fromRead [[:Category:New Reviews|new reviews by category]]. They're actually chalk and cheese – Fudge is loud mouthed and opinionated and Cupcake is quiet and thoughtful – but the combination works. They've just started at secondary school and Cupcake has rather a lot on her plate. Her brother Joey has muscular dystrophy and his problems are becoming more obvious. Add to this that her father couldn't cope with the problems and he now has another family. It's just Cupcake, Joey and her mother – and not a lot of money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007224621</amazonukbr>}}
{{newreview|author=Jenifer Roberts|title=The Madness of Queen Maria'''Read [[:Category: The Remarkable Life of Maria I of PortugalFeatures|rating=4.5|genre=Biography|summary=Born in 1734 in Lisbon, at that time the richest and most opulent city in Europe, Maria was destined to become the first female monarch in Portuguese historylatest features]]. Married to her uncle Infante Pedro, seventeen years her senior, she had six children (outliving all but one of them), and became Queen in 1777. A conscientious woman, she had the misfortune to be born in during the 'age of reason', when church and state were vying for supremacy. Instinctively a supporter of the old religion, with a humanitarian approach to state affairs, she was no Queen Elizabeth, no Catherine the Great, and wore her crown rather reluctantly.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>095455891X</amazonuk>}}'
'''Read [[Forthcoming Publications|reviews of books about to be published]].{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David HughesTom Percival|title=Thomas Wogan is DeadThe Wrong Shoes|rating=4.5|genre=Graphic NovelsConfident Readers|summary=WellWill's life is difficult, with in a title like that, need I bother with a plot summary? multitude of ways. A man He is bullied because he has a day out in Morecambe'the wrong shoes', then he has the next thing he knows hewrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn's in t have enough money for even the ultimate waiting roommost basic of things like food, with a strange array of animals (a batand his dad can't work because he lost his job at the college, was working a toad, cash-in-hand job on a sea urchinbuilding site and had an accident...) Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, all waiting forand Will's life seems bleak in every direction... well And yet, somethinghe still has a tiny amount of hope. YupHe is good at art, and clings to the moments of joy when he is drawing, as you didn't need tellingthat feel like a light at the end of a long, he's deaddark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>095580888X</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dave EggersSylvie Cathrall|title=The Wild ThingsA Letter to the Luminous Deep|rating=45|genre=General Science Fiction|summary=Meet Max. When I say he sometimes gets the wrong end of the stick about adults, or dislikes his mother's new boyfriend, or gets There are few greater joys than a book which lives up to a bit feisty when he feels the need for revenge, I am certainly understating the factscompelling premise. He And this is a bit of a rascal to say the least. But all that might change when he finds himself travelling to a strange land one of roisterous animals, and ends up installed as their kingthem.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241144221</amazonuk>0356522776
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jeremy Strong0008517061|title=Christmas Chaos for the Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog Death in a Lonely Place|author=Stig Abell
|rating=4
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Trevor's troublesome dogFormer Metropolitan Police detective, StreakerJake Johnson, has had three puppiessettled into his rustic life at Little Sky. They were fathered, according to local bully Charlie Smugg, by one There’s perhaps a little uncertainty about the future of his Alsatians. Trevor would ideally like to keep themlife with his vet girlfriend, at least until ChristmasLivia and her daughter Diana, but as moving in together would mean a lot of compromise: does Jake give up his parents have other ideas off-grid and put them up relaxing life to move in with Livia or does Livia move to Little Sky despite her reservations about whether or not this is the future she wants for sale. herself and her daughter? Charlie Smugg declares that he's entitled to half of For the money from moment they’re enjoying life in the sale of present and putting the puppies, but before they can be sold future on the three puppies go missing in the park and it's up to Trevor and his best friend Tina to try and track them down before Charlie demands his cash!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141327243</amazonuk>back burner.
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sarah Beth Durst1786482126|title=IceThe Janus Stone (Dr Ruth Galloway)|author=Elly Griffiths|rating=34.5|genre=TeensCrime|summary=Cassie lives on Builders were demolishing an Arctic research station old house in Alaska. She loves Norwich - the ice and site was going to hold seventy-five 'luxury' apartments - when they discovered the wilderness bones of her remote home and she'd definitely prefer to spend her time on tracking polar bears and fending off frostbite rather than on mixing with her peers and enjoying college and home comforts back in Fairbanksa child beneath a doorway. There was no skull. However Was this a ritual killing or murder? Inevitably, things aren't all rosyDr Ruth Galloway finds herself working with DCI Harry Nelson. Cassie It's mother died when she was just a baby and she candifficult as Ruth knows, but Nelson doesn't help feeling , that she is pregnant with his child as a huge hole in her heartresult of the one night they spent together some three months ago. Her scientist father condition will be obvious before long, not least because Ruth is remote and unloving and her grandmother left the station after an argument with him when Cassie was still very youngprone to sudden bouts of sickness. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847386571</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Iain Smyth and Michael Terry0008551324|title=The Wide-Mouthed FrogDevil You Know (D S Max Craigie)|author=Neil Lancaster
|rating=4.5
|genre=For SharingCrime|summary=Do you know It's unusual for anyone from the joke about Hardie family to approach the wide-mouthed frog? You must have heard itpolice. It's a classic Neither side likes or has any respect for the other. ItBut Davie Hardie is struggling in prison and he's one that you really need prepared to tell in person, with your fingers pulling your mouth wide open, but to hopefully spark your memory, the wide-mouthed frog introduces himself to a number police where the body of animals until he finally comes across a crocodile missing person is buried and who eats wide-mouthed frogswas responsible for her death. This person, he promises, is someone big and it will be worth the frog does his best to disguise who police doing what he wants. And what he wants is whilst saying ''Ooh, you don't see many to be transferred to an open prison to serve the remainder of those round herehis sentence and to get an early parole date. Not much to ask, do youis it? The new Deputy Police Constable doesn'' I'm hardly doing it justice, but itt think so and she's very cheesy even prepared to do the other thing that Hardie demanded - make certain that DS Max Craigie and funny. Anyway, this anyone who works with him is a book of that jokekept well away from what's happening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408804964</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dr Aaron Carroll and Dr Rachel Vreeman0008405026|title=Don't Swallow Your GumA Stranger in the Family (Maeve Kerrigan 11)|author=Jane Casey
|rating=5
|genre=LifestyleCrime|summary=It'''BANG'''s sixteen years since nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall disappeared from her bed one summer night. That's She was never found and the sound of copious urban myths being shot downinvestigation ground to a halt. '''BANG'''Now, her mother, Helena, and her father are dead in their bed. ThatInitially, it looks like a straightforward murder/suicide but there's something about the sound positioning of the old wives slamming the door, as their tales get revealed as baselessbodies that makes DS Maeve Kerrigan and her boss DI Josh Derwent suspicious. '''CLICK'''What looked as though it was going to be an open-and-shut case is now a complex double murder. ThatKerrigan is convinced that the explanation lies in Rosalie's the noise lots of ill-informed websites make disappearance: others (such as they get closed downDerwent's boss, Una Burt) are less convinced. All noises come due to this brilliant book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141043369</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Annie Taylor0571379877|title=VioletThe Kellerby Code|author=Jonny Sweet|rating=43.5|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Violet Edward Jevons is a very special hippoworking-class young man, obsessed with his upper-class friends, Robert and Stanza. Robert's a theatre director. She is extremely small but that does not make her adoptive parents Albert He's also self-obsessed, demanding, handsome and entitled and Mavis uses Edward to run errands for him. Edward has been in love her any the lesswith Stanza since their university days - and he's drunkenly confided how he feels to Robert. However, they are slightly worried Most men in Robert's position would stay away from Stanza or tell Edward that Violet has a very unusual habit relationship had begun between them but he's not like most men: Edward is left to stumble upon the two of turning pink without warning and for no explicable reasonthem kissing in a dark passageway.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906847371</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Hilary DixonJo Callaghan|title=When Rooks Speak of LoveLeave No Trace
|rating=4
|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=Arthur Transcombe When a man is found crucified on the top of a middle-agedhill in Nuneaton, grey-hairedDCS Kat Frank finds herself assigned to the case alongside her sidekick, self-effacing poet. Unremarkable really - on the outsideAI detective Lock. He hasIt's their first live case together, however, managed to achieve some success having previously been very successful with his poemsseveral cold cases. (Being But when there is a guest speaker at the Cheltenham Literary Festival second body found crucified a few days later, Kat is no mean feat)suddenly struggling with a potential serial killer and a very high profile case that draws a lot of unwanted attention to their AI Future Policing project. He is also Will they be able to solve the case in time, or will Kat find herself taken off the case and, potentially, out of a babe magnet!career?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1904529429</amazonuk>139851120X
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=A J Healy1399613073|title=Tommy Storm and the Galactic KnightsMoral Injuries|author=Christie Watson|rating=34.5|genre=Confident ReadersThrillers|summary=Meet Tommy StormOlivia, Laura and Anjali met on the first day of medical school and their friendship would keep them inseparable for a quarter of a century. He's one of five teenagers snapped up from around the universe Olivia is ruthlessly ambitious, which is a bonus when you aim to be a gang of heroic detectives charged with rescuing EVERYTHING from destructioncardiothoracic surgeon. Laura is a perfectionist and a trauma doctor. Not just Anjali is the planet, or free spirit of the solar system, or even the galaxy, but EVERYTHINGgroup and she becomes a GP. Nobody seems to know whatWhen we first meet them they're at a drug and alcohol-fuelled party and it's going to cause this destruction, end in tragedy. We don't know who suffered the tragedy or when, but he and his friends and their ship seem to the consequences. Twenty-five years later there will be an eerily similar event that will impact the only people proactively going about saving the daythree friends. So This time, it's a pity that they start this book strung up by a nasty loony their teenage children who's about to kill themare involved.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847247555</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Graham McCann0241636604|title=Bounder!The Trading Game: The Biography of Terry-ThomasA Confession|author=Gary Stevenson
|rating=4.5
|genre=BiographyAutobiography|summary=When I was If you were to bring up an image of a city banker in my early teensyour mind, it sometimes seemed as if Terry-Thomas was one you're unlikely to think of someone like Gary Stevenson. A hoodie and jeans replaces the stars of almost every other fivepin-star British comedy film aroundstripe suit and his background is the East End, where he was familiar with violence, poverty and injustice. He There was certainly one of no posh public school on his CV - but he had been to the most recognizable characters London School of all with his gapEconomics. Stevenson is bright -toothed grin, cigarette holder and inimitable 'Helextremely bright -lo!', 'Hard cheese!', and best he has a facility with numbers which most of allus can only envy. He also realised that most rich people expect poor people to be stupid. It was his ability at what was, the angryessentially, 'You're a card game which got him an absolute shower!'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845134419</amazonuk>internship with Citibank. Eventually, this turned into permanent employment as a trader.
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richard Jay Parker1035021803|title=Stop MeThe Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder|author=C L Miller
|rating=3.5
|genre=Crime
|summary=Spam E-Mails can be incredibly annoyingIt's twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to the English country village where she grew up. She's back now because of a request for help from her beloved aunt, but most of us will have had to deal with themCarole. FortunatelyFreya's former mentor and Carole's close friend, we can hit Arthur Crockleford, is dead and the circumstances seem suspicious, to say the delete button and forget about them as quickly as they cameleast. I certainly prefer Arthur was the reason why Freya had not been back to torture my friends by sending such rubbish onthe village: Arthur, she feels, let her down badly. Even though they were in business together as antique hunters, no matter how bad my luck is supposed she has not felt able to become if I don'tbe near the man or pursue the profession she loved. But I wonder how many of us would react if After the split, she worked in a spam E-Mail actually was a matter cafe, met and married James (on the rebound from the love of her life , who was murdered) and Freya and death, rather than just claiming to be?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749007079</amazonuk>James have now divorced.
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=AllTomorrowsFutureCover
|title=All Tomorrow's Futures: Fictions that Disrupt
|author=Benjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)
|rating=5
|genre=Science Fiction
|summary=''Opening up new ways of thinking about the shape of things to come.''
{{newreview|author=Jeanette Winterson|title=The Battle I've heard it said that 'technology' is what happens after you're eighteen. Well, I must confess that there have been more than a few decades of the Sun|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=London 1601technology in my lifetime. Elizabeth I is 've kept up reasonably well with what's advantageous to me but I'm left with the feeling that it's all getting on in yearsaway from me. Her capital city Some of it is a busy- frankly - quite frightening. Of course, bustling place. Boats fill I could research the river possibilities and people fill the streets. Jack is happy because it's his birthday probabilities and his present is his heartend up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I's desire: an excitable black puppy named Max, m reading someone whoknows what they's a ''licking re talking about or the latest conspiracy theorist. I needed people I knew I could trust and a running and a leaping and a jumping and a tummy who could deliver information in the air and a tail wagging and a barking, racing, braking, spinning energy dog of delight''way I could understand. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>140880042X</amazonuk>
}}
  {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean UreSunny Singh|title=Love and KissesHotel Arcadia|rating=43.5|genre=Confident ReadersThrillers |summary=Tamsin and Katie were just thirteen and worried The Hotel Arcadia is a luxury hotel in an unnamed city that they were boringhas suddenly been violently taken over by a terrorist group. They'd been best friends since forever and were Hiding from the good girls. Neither missed schoolterrorists who are rampaging through, skipped her homework nor had boyfriends. Wellkilling everyone on site, that there isSam, a wartime photographer and Abhi, not so farthe hotel manager. Up until then Tamsin had been As Abhi continues to try to care remotely for the residents who are still alive in the boffin head – consistently strong academically hotel, he forms a bond with Sam who refuses to be cowed by events, and looking forward to going keeps on venturing out of her room to university. All that seemed try to change when she met Alexcapture what's happened through her photography. WellAlthough they only ever talk over the phone, when I say 'met' I should perhaps clarify their friendship grows as Abhi tries to help her keep safe and say that Alex pushed his wheelbarrow into her, from they both wait to see if they will be rescued before they are discovered by the building site where he workedterrorists. Oh, and did I mention that he was seventeen, Polish and spoke very little English?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007281722</amazonuk>086154742X
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Henry Mintzberg1529153298|title=ManagingThe List of Suspicious Things|author=Jennie Godfrey
|rating=5
|genre=Business and FinanceGeneral Fiction|summary=It's 1979 and Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister. (A woman? I mean, honestly...) She'Study after study has shown that managers work at an unrelenting paces not what's worrying Miv' How trues family, though it always makes me wonder why. Women have been disappearing. Well, as a resultthey've been murdered, therebut to have 'disappeared' doesn't sound quite so frightening. Miv's such a market for bulky management and leadership and general business books like this one. How does anyone who needs or upset because she's overheard that her father wants to read one ever find move the time to do so? This title actually has an answer to this, by providing two books in onefamily 'Down South'. When you're from Yorkshire, and it Down South is such a simple yet effective solution that I have to start there. You can read this book in one of two ways. Option one is to read every wordfrightening, chapter by chapterforeign place, cover to coverbest avoided. If you have For Miv, the time I move would recommend this approach because the book is very readablemean leaving her best friend, not too repetitiveSharon, and quite thoughtshe'll do anything to prevent that. She's not worried about the dangers or that her Mum's stopped talking -provokingto anyone.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0273709305</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Kathryn Fox1398524085|title=Blood BornHas Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?|author=Nicci French|rating=45
|genre=Crime
|summary=To give support to a vulnerable gang-rape victimCharlotte Salter was expected at her husband's fiftieth birthday party but never turned up. Her children, sons Niall, forensic pathologist Anya Crichton offers to drive Giverny Hart to the courthouse on the day she is due to testify against the notorious Harbourn brothers. But when Anya arrives at the house she finds Giverny close to death Paul and Ollie and faces a battle against time to save herdaughter, Etty. In the panicare all worried but - strangely - her husband, Alec, Anya fails to take note of an important clue which might help tell whether it really was suicide or a cleverly staged murderis not. Worse still Shortly afterwards, in trying to save Etty and Greg, find the girlbody of Greg's lifefather, Anya has interfered with a crime scene and Duncan Ackerley, in the case falls apartriver. She blames herself It was an easy assumption for the Harbourn brothers being allowed police to walk free make that Duncan had murdered Charlie and only hours later then committed suicide when he couldn't stand the guilt. The Salter children are not convinced but there is news of another attack. A pair of sisters have been stabbed 's little else they can do but get on with their lives and raped resulting in the death of one, while the other clings to lifewonder about what really happened.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340933097</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Leah Fleming1035906708|title=Remembrance DayDiva|author=Daisy Goodwin|rating=4.5|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=In the year 2000 an old lady in a wheelchair watches the unveiling We tend to think of the new war memorial Maria Callas as Greek, but she was born to Greek parents in the village square. There's pride in what has been achievedManhattan, New York, in the family who are gathered around her December 1923 and there are memories tooonly moved to Athens when she was thirteen. Some are good Her original surname was Kalogeropoulos but many are not.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561039</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Neal Layton|title=Surfher father changed it to 'Callas's Up (Mammoth Academy)|rating=3to make it more manageable in the States.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Having successfully seen off the rather unpleasant humans When she was back in earlier volumes, our favourite junior mammoths Oscar and Arabella have nothing much else to do apart from return to Mammoth Academy Athens - supposedly so that she could get appropriate training for lots more double periods of Difficult Sums. They're supposed to be making presentations about what they did during her voice - she was raised under the holidays too, but Oscar hasn't done any preparation Nazi occupation by a mother who mercilessly exploited her andmade no secret of her preference for her elder sister, frankly, he can't really remember what he actually did do with all that free time other than no Difficult SumsJackie. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>034098967X</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ursula Jones and Sarah GibbChristopher Edge|title=The Princess Who Had No KingdomBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The princess who has no kingdom wanders around Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a cart pulled by her horse Prettyplace that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. She All big movie fans, they's very politere looking forward to lots of exciting films, and many, friendlymany snacks! However, and kind-heartedas the movie starts, but she feels like they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is lacking because she doesnvery different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't have a kingdom of her owneven imagine. The other royals she meets treat her nicely enough But as they lurch from one film genre to the next, but there's always a feeling that she's not quite as good as them because she isn't can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the princess of anywhere.cinema, and to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846160421</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Rachel Greenlaw
|title=Compass and Blade
|rating=3.5
|genre=Teens
|summary=''I can hear the song of the sea. The call of the deep, the answering beat in my heart.''
{{newreview|author=Mij Kelly Rosevear, a remote and Louise Nisbet|title=The Happiest Man in partially forgotten island, survives on luring ships into the World or rocks and plundering the Mouse Who Made Christmas|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=Mouse doesn't wrecks. Mira, like anyone and keeps herself to herself. Her things are her things and she mother before her, is too selfish one of the seven who swim out to share them with anyone elsesurvey the ruins – rescuing any survivors and any treasure that lies within. One dayBut when the Council Watch lays a trap to end the wrecking, an old man moves in to Mousethey capture the island's leader and Mira's housefather. He used Desperate to save him from death, Mira makes a bargain with a wreck survivor who is as charming as he is secretive and with only coordinates to be the happiest man guide her, she sets off in search of a family secret that lies buried deep in the worldsea. With only nine days to unearth what might save her father, but now heas her journey takes her from the watched streets of foreign islands to the heart of the smuggler's sad. He's fed up territory, Mira must be determined to stop at nothing to save the future of having given, given, given all his life her home and never got anything back. He just sits quietly and mopes. This makes Mouse miserable, so one day the ones she decides to cheer him up by giving him a clementine..holds most dear.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340931558</amazonuk>0008664730
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Nick BlandJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Very Cranky BearPlanet Storyland|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=Moose, Lion, Zebra and Sheep head into Things have been a cave to get out of bit sticky for the rainEarthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, but little often replacing jobs they're paid to do they know and other tasks that Bear is fast asleep in theretook time to accomplish. When Just as they wake him upwere beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of other, he roars at them, chasing them outsidenew ways to spend time, so they decide to cheer him up somehowalong came an awful pandemic. Zebra paints stripes on him, Moose fashions antlers for him Life was pretty much shut down and Lion sticks a mane of straw on him. Unsurprisingly, this makes Bear even crankieralong with it, all the many daily social interactions on which they depend so it's down to Sheep to save the day..heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340989424</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kes Gray and Lee WildishMatthew Tree|title=Mum and Dad GlueWe'll Never Know|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=A young boy's parents are splitting up. He's going through the usual emotions that children of divorce go through: worry, feeling unsure, blaming himself, anger, denial, and then trying to get them to stay together. His method for this isn't the usual response though: he looks for glue to stick his mum and dad together. Thankfully, he finds some wise and kindly advice in the process.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340957107</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Clara Vulliamy|title=The Bear With Sticky Paws Won't Go To Bed|rating=45|genre=For SharingLiterary Fiction|summary=It's Pearl's bedtime, but she says she's really busy and isn't going to sleep. She just Timothy Wyndham wants nothing more than to play and play and play. When the bear with sticky paws rings the doorbellbe different from his father, he whisks her away on an amazing adventure - although as you might expect, the bear has a little more energy than Pearl drunk and eventually she does get a little sleepy.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408300648</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Stephen Mackey|title=Miki|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=It's cold, dark chronic underachiever whose dreams of being exceptional at any of his artistic passions all failed miserably and icy, and Miki and Penguin are trudging through the snowwho had endless crises of self confidence. But it's Midwinter Eve, when wishes come true. They wish for a tree, lights, someone strong So Tim applied himself to power the lightshis studies, cultivated his abilities rather than his daydreams and finally a star that will shine brightly forever. Miki is taken deep below the ice to find the star, whilst up top Penguin and new friend Polar Bear start to worry about herset himself high but achievable ambitions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>034095065X</amazonuk>B0CVFXPGP8
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kristin CashoreA G Slatter|title=FireThe Briar Book of the Dead
|rating=5
|genre=Fantasy
|summary=Possessed '' There's a part of great beauty, the kind me that drives men mad, Fire is used wants to people trying keep this just to kill hermyself for however long I can. This secret magic of my own, all mine, at last. She isn't used I just want to them doing enjoy it by accident. When for a poacher in the woods outside her home accidentally shoots her, Fire is hard pressed to keep the temperamental Lord Archer from killing himwhile. But as sure as Fire is the man did not mean to cause her harm, she is made unsure by the strange fog that exists in the man's mind.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1905200129</amazonuk>}}'
{{newreview|author=Justin Scroggie|title=Eye Spy: Uncovering Within a remote mountain pass, far away from the world, lies Silverton; a town under the Secrets protection of the World Around You|rating=4|genre=Trivia|summary=Signs are everywhere. I wasnBriar't really one s, a family of those witches who thought our roads were littered with too many traffic signs until protect the town and the wider world from the Darklands. Though she has always wished for magic, Ellie Briar is the day I first non-witch to be born into her family for generations and as such since she was driven past young, her training as a pair of speed regulation signssteward revolved around letters and administration rather than spells and potions. When her grandmother suddenly dies, Ellie's cousin Audra becomes the Briar Witch, the town's leader, and Ellie takes her place beside her. As challenges come her way left, right and centre, Ellie uncovers the rare ability to communicate with the dead, positioned putting her at the exit end heart of a maelstrom of chaos. Reeling from one-way street but facing the illegal way up it. Not all signsfamily secret to another, of course, are quite Ellie must decide who to trust and determine what to do as unnecessarythe Briar witches' legacy, or indeed as blatantly visibleeverything they have sacrificed to survive, which is where this pictorial guide to countless coded messages, signifiers and other similar factoids comes inunder threat.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340994487</amazonuk>1803364548
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jose Saramago 1529900360|title=Small MemoriesThe Ghost Orchid|author=Jonathan Kellerman
|rating=4
|genre=AutobiographyCrime|summary=Having It hadn't been born in 1922 and lived through so much of the twentieth century, with an authorLt Milo Sturgis's view of change fault that Alex Delaware had been badly injured but he felt responsible and peopleeven after Alex recovered, Jose Saramago has certainly experienced a lotSturgis was reluctant to ask for his help on difficult cases. Civil Wars in the neighbouring Spain; His assertions that there were only open-and-shut cases which didn't need the growth help of his country - which still left a psychologist only worked for a while. Finally, it as western Europewas Robin, Delaware's poorestpartner, who nudged Milo into asking for help again. Here he allows us witness to his mind drifting through his childhoodShe knew that the involvement was something that the man she loved needed. The next case did look simple, though. Two lovers were murdered in the country and swimming pool of a remote property in Lisbon, Bel Air. He was the heir to an Italian shoe empire and provides a subtle she is married to an extremely rich man and gentle memoirit's not the Italian.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184655148X</amazonuk> But which of them was the primary target?
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Eoin Colfer1529395224|title=And Another Thing ... Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to Letting the Cat Out of the GalaxyBag: Part Six The Secret Life of Three (Hitchhikers Guide 6) a Vet|author=Sion Rowlands
|rating=3.5
|genre=Science FictionAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Of all the big books announced for this year, this one must have raised more eyebrows than manySiôn Rowlands fell into veterinary science accidentally. Why try His father was a GP and write a new HitchhikerRowlands didn's Guide t want to the Galaxy bookfollow in his footsteps, particularly when way before he considered the strain that being on-call put on his father's life. When he was seventeen he took the opportunity of doing work experience with a family friend who was a vet and was convinced this was the endjob for him. Before long, its creator Douglas Adams he was proving quite hopeless at such Liverpool University. It hadn't - as with so many students - been his dream since he was a task? child. And why approach If anything, he'd wanted to be a professional footballer.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=0861541774|title=A Nye of Pheasants|author=Steve Burrows|rating=4|genre=Crime|summary=DCI Domenic Jejeune's close friend and former colleague, Danny Maik, has taken a short holiday in Singapore to meet up with an Irishmanold ally, Eoin Colfer, when the originals Guy Trueman. Maik was involved in a street brawl - tempered he would later maintain that he was facing a man armed with their humour which could only be described as Monty Python doing a sciknife -fi Terry Pratchettand he killed a Ghurka. Initially, and with their cups he faced a charge of tea and dressing gowns, manslaughter but evidence came to light that suggested that he might have planned to murder the man. Now he could only be described as very English? facing the death penalty. Well the answer is most evident - Colfer is a world-beater when it comes Domenic Jejeune can do nothing to knocking up help as any interference from another police force could provoke a storydiplomatic incident and wouldn't help Danny at all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718155149</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Harlan CobenAlexander McCall Smith|title=Tell No OneThe Perfect Passion Company|rating=4.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=I've been meaning The Perfect Passion Company is a dating agency in Edinburgh, run by Ness and operating as an alternative to get around to reading some or all of Harlan Coben's workthe online apps in providing a more personal, because tailored service. Ness has asked her younger cousin Katie if the reviews are to be believed she could come and you are a fan of look after the 'Bloody Knife /Blunt Instrument' thrillerbusiness, the man as Ness is quite simply not capable of turning out planning to take a trip to Canada to get away for a duff novelwhile. But you know how it Katie iscoming out of a break up with a bad boyfriend, what with one thing and another and a bulging pile of books so jumps at the chance to come home to Edinburgh. And so begins this new story from Alexander McCall Smith, bringing us to an Edinburgh we already love, thanks to be read 44 Scotland Street and reviewedthe Isabel Dalhousie novels, I just somehow hadn't managed but with some new characters who quickly begin to give him my full attentioncharm. Until now.Katie has no experience in running a business, or in match-making, but Ness has full confidence in her abilities, and there's always her very helpful (and rather handsome) neighbour, William, to lend a hand…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409117022</amazonuk>1846976596
}}
{{Frontpage|isbn=0811771741|title=InstaKnits for Baby|author=Melissa Leapman|rating=4|genre=Crafts|summary=Melissa Leapman's ''InstaKnits for Baby'' gives us a collection of knits from toys to blankets. Some will be quick knits - others are of the 'long, cosy afternoons in front of the fire' variety. The projects are divided by the time they'll take to complete - less than five hours, five to ten hours, ten to twenty hours and more than twenty hours. All the projects are attractive, modern and useable. I perhaps show my age when I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects' but that's me being picky.}}{{newreviewFrontpage|author=John Peel and Sheila RavenscroftDean Koontz|title=Margrave of the MarshesThe Bad Weather Friend
|rating=4.5
|genre=EntertainmentParanormal|summary=John Peel was without doubt one of the most important disc jockeys of all timeBenny is having a terrifically bad day. Born in Merseyside in 1939He loses his job, he began loses his career in mid-60s America before returning home to join Radio London fiancee, and then become one of the original Radio 1 team, where he stayed until his death 37 years laterhouse gets trashed. I admired the man for his passion for playing the music nobody else would give the time of day (even if I didn't always enjoy it myself) Oh, and someone has delivered a really weird, disturbing coffin-sized object to his readiness to say exactly what he thoughthome, even if and it 's possible that whoever or whatever was not what inside is the thing that has trashed his employers at house! The thing is, Benny is the BBC wanted very last person to heardeserve all this bad luck. He is a nice person. A really nice person. So fortunately for Benny it turns out that the delivery to his house is a new friend, a bad weather friend called Spike, and I always enjoyed reading his columns in the music weeklies and later Radio Timeswho has been sent to help him since Benny is clearly under attack from nefarious forces for being a good person. Nevertheless I found much Spike is going to take care of his show unlistenable towards the endBenny, recall some and will certainly take care of his rather curmudgeonly remarks on air (guest slots on Radio 1Benny's Round Table review programme come to mind)enemies, if he, Benny, and thought his build-Harper (a waitress slash Private Investigator who finds herself roped into Benny'em-up, knock-'em-down stance rather irritating after a while. So I approached this book with an open mind as a fan, but not an uncritical ones wild adventure) can figure out who exactly they are.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552551198</amazonuk>1662500491
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez Adam Stower|title=Perfumes: The A - Z GuideMurray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=LifestyleConfident Readers |summary=WonderfulMurray is supposed to be a humble, wonderfultidy and friendly cat, wonderful. The only thing that could be conceivably better than reading ''Perfumes'' would be one who is able to read it while sampling the scents it reviewssleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, but even without whatever takes his fancy next of the olfactory component, two. But he's a bad magician'Perfumes'' is s cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a delight: Turin (a lyrical scientist) hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and Sanchez (an analytically enthusiastic collector) the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not only treat perfume creation as high artinto the regular back garden, but turn perfume criticism into an art form (or at least a sophisticated genre world of writing) toofrightening adventure and whiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846681278</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Malouf B0C47LV1PC|title=RansomFragility|author=Mosby Woods|rating=54
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=Taking his theme from Can you make a small part of Homer's Iliad, Malouf tells the story of the king of Troy, Priam's grief-stricken voyage into the Greek camp to ransom TroyYo birthing person''s wealth for the body of his fallen sonjoke? And if you could, Hector, killed by is the equally grief-stricken Achilles whose great friend Hector had killed in battle before Achilles took his cruel revenge. Malouf tells question should you make it? Or is the story in sparsequestion if you did, yet lyrical and poetic fashion suggesting would it land? The catch is that the personal stories behind the epic themes that Homer related. It is an exquisitely written piece managing to be answer for both deeply moving as could well as a great piece of story tellingbe.... no.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0701184159</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Steven M Gillon|title=The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After|rating=4.5|genre=History|summary=The assassination of President Kennedy came at a pivotal moment in my life and for more than forty years I've read most of what has been written about the event. It's been of variable quality, but the books fed the curiosity of people entranced by the charismatic young President who died so publicly. IFragility''d come to is set as the point city of wondering if there was anything new Portland, Oregon, cautiously begins to be said, but Stephen Gillom has looked at what happened emerge from an unusual and largely overlooked angle – the first twenty four hours of Lyndon Johnson's Presidency.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>046501870X</amazonuk>restrictions imposed during the covid pandemic
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=1529431735
|title=The Winter Visitor
|author=James Henry
|rating=4
|genre=Crime
|summary=It's February 1991 and Essex is bitingly cold, which made Bruce Hopkins' return all the more surprising. He'd been exiled on the Costa del Sol as a wanted drug smuggler for a decade. The return has come about because he's had a letter from his ex-wife, saying that she's ill and hasn't long to live. It's hard to feel any sympathy when Hopkins is abducted, stripped to his underwear and sent to a watery grave in the boot of a stolen Ford Sierra. Is it a warning from a Spanish gang or a problem closer to home?