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<metadesc>Book review site, with books from most walks of literary life; fiction, biography, crime, cookery and children's books plus author interviews and top tens.</metadesc>
<h1 id="mf-title">The Bookbag</h1>
Hello from The Bookbag, a site featuring books from all the many walks of literary life - [[: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. It's the bag we take to the library , the charity shop 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 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 [[:Category:Interviews|author interviews]], and all sorts of [[:Category:Lists|top tens]] - all of which you can find on our [[features]] page. If you're stuck for something to read, check out the [[Book Recommendations|recommendations]] page.
There are currently '''{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Reviews}}''' reviews at TheBookbag.
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===[[Stone Cold Heart Deadwood Hall by Caz FrearLinda Jones]]===
[[image:4star5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:CrimeConfident Readers|CrimeConfident Readers]]
DC Cat Kinsella is back at the Met after a secondment In late December Dylan Beaumont and his sister Emily were on their way to spend the London Mayorweek before Christmas at their grandfather's Office: house. It was snowing heavily and you could sense that their parents were becoming annoyed at the bickering in the hours were good but back of the job was boringcar. She's grateful to be back Emily was rather brusque with the her nine-year-old team - her partner DS Luigi Parnell, boss DCI Kate Steele and DC Rénee Akwa. Shebrother's still not prepared to say anything about the identity of her boyfriend: the knowledge behaviour, but then that she's in your prerogative when you're a relationship with Aiden Doyle, the brother of a murder victim and moreover a murder with which her father might have had some involvement could finish her careergrown-up eleven year old. Kinsella The snow was getting heavier and Parnell are called to the discovery of journey longer when Emily opened the body car window just a couple of inches. There was a young woman: Naomi Lockhart was Australian, just twenty-two years old dreadful smell and her body was discovered by her flat mateDylan saw a horrible, Kieran Drake, an exsnake-offenderlike figure clawing at the car window. [[Stone Cold Heart Deadwood Hall by Caz FrearLinda Jones|Full Review]]
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===[[Tell Me Your Secret A Breath on Dying Embers (DCI Daley) by Dorothy KoomsonDenzil Meyrick]]===
[[image:5star4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:ThrillersCrime|ThrillersCrime]]
Despite Dorothy Koomson regularly being suggested Few government trade missions arrive by luxury liner, but the cruise ship ''Great Britain'' is berthed in Kinloch harbour and on board are high-powered international delegates. It's hard to avoid the suspicion that it's not ''entirely'' about work as the billionaires, entrepreneurs and their civil service minders tour the country, golfing and sightseeing with their entourage of security personnel. It's an author I might likeevent which DCI Daley hopes will pass quickly, ie people who like this author also like Dorothy Koomsonparticularly as his formal uniform is far too tight for comfort, I have never read her before. Having done so I can totally see why shebut it's not long before one of the bestselling author of fifteen bookscrew members and a local bird watcher go missing. [[Tell Me Your Secret A Breath on Dying Embers (DCI Daley) by Dorothy KoomsonDenzil Meyrick|Full Review]]
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===[[The Boy Who Fell (Inspector Tom Reynolds) Starlight Watchmaker by Jo SpainLauren James]]===
[[image:4.5star4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:CrimeDyslexia Friendly|Dyslexia Friendly]], [[:Category:Teens|Teens]] This is a dyslexia-friendly, science fiction novella for young adults. It tells the tale of Hugo, an unwanted and rather lonely android, who makes a living for himself mending time-travel watches. When one of his clients demands that his broken watch be mended, Hugo realises there is a mystery to be solved, and is only too ready to help. An exciting journey of discovery unfolds, which takes Hugo out of his drab attic workroom and into a scary adventure with some amazing new friends, exploring regions of the planet never before known to exist. [[The Starlight Watchmaker by Lauren James|CrimeFull Review]]
There were six friends: four men and two women. They're all about eighteen and they've known each other since they started school. Both girls - Hazel Brophy and Charlotte Burke - have been in relationships with one of the boys, but Charlotte was determined that it would not be sexual. Hazel's views were so dramatically opposite that you wondered how they could be friends. They were all partying in a derelict house when Luke Connelly was pushed to his death from a third floor window and Daniel Konaté Jones was charged with rape and murder. Daniel was loosely associated with the group but never felt himself one of them. He didn't come from a wealthy background, is of mixed race and openly gay. Targets don't come much easier than that, except for one thing. [[The Boy Who Fell (Inspector Tom Reynolds) by Jo Spain|Full Review]]<!-- Webb Stuart MacBride -->
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===[[Cold Granite (Logan McRae) by Stuart MacBride]]===
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link===Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[Disbelieved: Skin and Bone CSIs by Beth WebbCategory:Crime|Crime]]===
[[image:4DS Logan McRae is just back from a year's sick leave after he was attacked by a killer. He's just about OK and he's supposed to be easing himself back into the swing of the job in a gentle way - until three-year-old David Reid's body is discovered in a ditch. He'd been missing for some time and it came as no surprise that he was dead but he's the first of several child murders. To add to the complications the police even have a body but no child reported missing.5star A serial killer, a child killer and abuser, is on the loose in Aberdeen and the press are missing no opportunity to bay for blood.jpg|link=Category As if that wasn't bad enough there seems to be a leak from within Force Headquarters:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] a local journalist, Colin Miller, quickly finds out everything that's happening. [[:Category:TeensCold Granite (Logan McRae) by Stuart MacBride|TeensFull Review]]
Anelise - Annie - has been living with her cousin Joe and her aunt, an eminent forensic scientist, since her mum died and her naturalist father went abroad on a research trip. So she does wonder sometimes whether the minor premonitions she has - who's on the other end of the ringing phone, or at the door when there's a knock - are in her imagination. But to foresee a serious accident and then for it to actually happen? And the dreadful headaches. Something's going on. Luckily for Annie, Joe is convinced and also willing to help. So they start to investigate the accident... [[Disbelieved: Skin and Bone CSIs by Beth Webb|Full Review]] <!-- Mick Herron Angela Marsons -->
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===[[Joe Country Child's Play (Jackson Lamb 6D I Kim Stone) by Mick HerronAngela Marsons]]===
[[image:5star4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:ThrillersCrime|ThrillersCrime]]
I'd like to say that all the old crew are in Slough House but the rate of natural (or unnatural) wastage is such as to have Health and Safety worried. Roderick HoThere's there though, narcissistic as ever, a prologue and so's Louisa Guy. She's getting over the death of Min Harper to the extent we know that shewe's not ''too'' concerned when she gets a phone call from Clare Harper, Min's wifere dealing with someone who is very disturbed. River Cartwright has got death on his mind tooThe descriptions are horrifying, but in his case it's the impending demise worst of his beloved grandfather and former spook, all is the OB. Diana Taverner has taken over from Claude Whelan as First Desk at Regent Park and she's going to make changes: one coldness of the first is a shock. An argument with Emma Flyte sees the head dog departing the service. Meanwhile at Slough House, Catherine Standish is buying booze again, Jackson Lamb is offensive as ever and Shirley Dander and J K Coe do their best to remain unnoticed, the latter by saying nothingkiller. [[Joe Country Child's Play (Jackson Lamb 6D I Kim Stone) by Mick HerronAngela Marsons|Full Review]]
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===[[Vintage 1954 Exhalation by Antoine Laurain, Jane Aitken (translator) and Emily Boyce (translator)Ted Chiang]]===
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Science Fiction|General Science Fiction]], [[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]]
Vintage 1954 starts by thrusting several completely different characters upon us, before deciding to run with them and formulate a plot. So we have an American biker, just landing in Paris but unfortunately not with Over the wife who shared his dream of visiting the city togetherpast twenty-eight years Ted Chiang has published fifteen science fiction short stories. We These magnificent stories have won twenty-seven major science fiction awards so if you are a goth girl who everyone recognises from an American crime show, but actually science fiction fan it is a humble restorer likely that you have already come across some of antiques. We have a cocktail barman, infatuated with the goth girlwork by Ted Chiang. We also have a man ruling the roost over a whole suite I cannot speak highly enough of this collection of individual apartments fabricated from the Haussmann-era mansion his family once owned. Finally something conspires to get them togethershort stories, they are so wide ranging in their themes and drinking from the same bottle so beautifully written, Chiang has written an absolute masterpiece of a rare 1954 red winecollection. OnlyIf you come across Chiang's work before, one of them has a bizarre incidence in his family history that also features the same plonk – where a grandfather imbibed, and walked out the door one rainy morning, never take this opportunity to be seen againdo so now. But of course nobody Trust me; your imagination will be doing any disappearing now, though – will they? grateful. [[Vintage 1954 Exhalation by Antoine Laurain, Jane Aitken (translator) and Emily Boyce (translator)Ted Chiang|Full Review]]
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===[[The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind by Jackson Ford]]===
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] ==[[:Category:Thrillers|ThrillersRose, Interrupted by Patrice Lawrence]]===
As the title suggests, this book is all about a girl, Teagan Frost, who has psychokinesis[[image:4star. Forced to secretly work for the government along with a few unique (and shady) individuals, Teagan has to use her power for unimaginable tasks. All of this whilst under the pretence of working for a moving-company. After her latest job goes wrong and her and the team escape by the skin of their teeth, Teagan finds herself as a murder suspect when the victim is found in such a way that only she could have committed the crime. The rest of the story unfolds in a fast-paced race against time to clear Teagan's name and find out exactly what has happened. Is it possible that someone with a gift like Teagan's has managed to fly under the radar? jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind by Jackson Ford:Category:Teens|Full ReviewTeens]]
Rose and her brother Rudder have recently escaped from cult-like fundamentalist Christian sect, the Pilgrims, along with their mother. While Mum works endless hours at agency cleaning jobs trying to keep the rent paid on their tiny flat, Rose and Rudder are trying to navigate the worldly world. It's not easy when everything is new and the rigid rules you've always lived by are suddenly missing. [[Rose, Interrupted by Patrice Lawrence|Full Review]]<!-- Caro Ramsay Kate Atkinson -->
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===[[The Suffering of Strangers Started Early, Took My Dog (Jackson Brodie) by Caro RamsayKate Atkinson]]===
[[image:4star5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]]
Roberta (please call her 'Bobby') Chisholm is sleep deprived. Six-week-old Sholto doesn't ''ever'' seem to sleepI guess that most of us have made the odd impulse purchase but Tracy Waterhouse, security chief at the Merrion Centre in Leeds, so Bobbyblew most people's like a robotideas of an impulse purchase out of the water one morning. There's Seeing a known prostitute dragging a little light on toddler through the horizon, though: shopping mall whilst cursing at her husband James is up for a new job, which could mean quite a bit more money. When he rings to tell her that he's got it he's obviously over Waterhouse followed the moon woman and tells Bobby to go to bought the local shop and get a bottle of champagne so that they can celebrategirl for £3000. For once Sholto has dropped off The difficulty of a purchase like this is knowing what to sleep do next and when Bobby gets to the shop sheTracy's reluctant to disturb him: surely there won't be a problem if she dashes into the shop to get the bubbly? She can keep humdrum life is replaced with one of stress, fear and an eye on the car through the shop window, but when she comes out, the car has gone..overwhelming love for four-year-old Courtney. [[The Suffering of Strangers Started Early, Took My Dog (Jackson Brodie) by Caro RamsayKate Atkinson|Full Review]]
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| style=''"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;''"|===[[The Longest Night of Charlie Noon Fire Girl, Forest Boy by Christopher EdgeChloe Daykin]]===
[[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category: Confident Readers|Confident Readers]]
Maya has to escape. She's on the run in a country she doesn'If you go into the woods, Old Crony will get yout know and has no idea who to trust.'' SecretsRaul is escaping too - travelling back to his home where a terrible tragedy happened, spies or maybe even a monster.ready to stir up trouble.. What lies When their paths collide in the heart middle of the wood? Charliejungle, Dizzy and Johnny are determined the sparks begin to discover the truth, but when night falls without warning they find themselves trapped in a nightmarefly. Lost in As modern world corruption meets the woods, strange dangers magic and impossible puzzles lurk in the shadows. As time plays trickslegends of ancient times, can Charlie solve this mystery and Maya draw on her hidden light to find a the way out of through to the woods? But what if this night never ends...truth? [[The Longest Night of Charlie Noon Fire Girl, Forest Boy by Christopher EdgeChloe Daykin|Full Review]]
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===[[Bold Lies Child's Play (DI Kelly Porter 5D I Kim Stone) by Rachel LynchAngela Marsons]]===
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]]
It was the smell which announced the presence of the body in the wheelhouse of There's a boat prologue and identification wasnwe know that we't going to be easy as the man was stark nakedre dealing with someone who is very disturbed. There were all the signs of a brutalThe descriptions are horrifying, cold-blooded execution but gradually worst of all is the man was traced back to Allendale House, the estate coldness of the former Lord Allendale, and then to London, where two more bodies, naked, in a staged setting in a garage, were discoveredkiller. Senior Investigating Officer DI Kelly Porter had to go to London and was shocked to discover that the SIO for ''that'' case was DCI Matt Carter, her manipulative and untrustworthy ex-lover. It was going to be anything but easy to work alongside Matt the Tw... Ah, well let[[Child's not go there. [[Bold Lies Play (DI Kelly Porter 5D I Kim Stone) by Rachel LynchAngela Marsons|Full Review]]
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===[[Special Delivery by Jonathan Meres]]===
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] ==[[:Category:Dyslexia Friendly|Dyslexia Friendly]], [[:Category:Confident Readers|Confident ReadersI Hold Your Heart by Karen Gregory]]===
How do you explain to children about dementia? Injuries or illnesses are obvious, but when the problem is the brain which isn't functioning quite as it used to it isn't as easy to grasp[[image:4. Frank was a normal nine year old and like many nine year olds what he wanted was a new bike5star. He'd had his for about seventy-eight years and he didn't want to raise the seat any more. Mum pointed out that it wasn't his birthday or Christmas any time soon and bikes cost a lot of money, which didn't grow on trees. His sister Lottie had a solutionjpg|link=Category: Frank could help her with her paper round. Frank agreed despite thinking that it would take him a thousand years to save up the money for a bike AND he had to get up at six o'clock in the morning. {{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[Special Delivery by Jonathan Meres:Category:Teens|Full ReviewTeens]]
Gemma has just started her A levels at school. She's a keen student and she has a good, close set of friends. Gemma loves country music and in her spare time she enjoys writing and singing country songs. She's pretty good at it too. Home life is busy - Gemma's brother Michael has a chance at a football career and the whole family, propelled by Gemma's rather over-invested dad, is supporting him with everything they've got. Gemma hasn't had a serious boyfriend yet, so when the handsome Aaron appears and an instant attraction fizzles between them, Gemma is keen to see where romance could lead... [[I Hold Your Heart by Karen Gregory|Full Review]]<!-- Vivian French Davis -->
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===[[The Spectacular Revenge of Suzi Sims What's That in Dog Years? by Vivian FrenchBen Davis and Julia Christians]]===
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Dyslexia Friendly|Dyslexia Friendly]], [[:Category:Confident Readers|Confident Readers]]
Suzi Simms loved running George and it Gizmo have been together ever since George was her ambition to win the 100 metres race on sports day at the end of term - and that was next weekborn. We're going to read about what happened in her diaryGizmo has always been a fun, adventurous dog and a loyal friend, but just recently, although thereGeorge has noticed that he's starting to slow down a warning little. A visit to the vets leaves George worried that we really shouldn't Gizmo might not be reading itaround for very much longer, particularly as itand so he begins to write Gizmo a bucket list, of all the adventures that they can still have together in Gizmo's about Barbie Meeklast days. To say that the two girls don't get on at all well is a bit of an understatement. But are they his last days? Suzi wouldn't actually do anything about it, but Barbie And who will help George to stay calm when Gizmo is a troublemaker and she wants to win the 100 metres race too - by fair means or foul. gone? [[The Spectacular Revenge of Suzi Sims What's That in Dog Years? by Vivian FrenchBen Davis and Julia Christians|Full Review]]
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===[[The Adventures Long Flight Home by A L Hlad]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Historical Fiction|Historical Fiction]] September 1940 - as WWII rages on, bombs rain down on Britain, destroying the homes and lives of Harry Stevenson a people on the edge. In Epping Forest, Susan Shepherd and her grandfather Bertie live together raising homing pigeons with the birds proving a comfort for Susan following the loss of her parents. These pigeons are more than just birds to Susan though – in each one, and especially in Duchess, she sees a distinct personality and forms a close bond. Meanwhile, young pilot Ollie Evans leaves Maine to head to Britain and join the Royal Air Force. Working with the National Pigeon Service, he soon meets Susan and is tasked with air-dropping hundreds of homing pigeons into German-occupied France, where many will not survive. As the mission is planned, the bond between Ollie and Susan grows stronger, but when Ollie's plane is downed behind enemy lines, it may be Duchess who provides an unexpected lifeline and ensures that hope of a reunion for Susan and Ollie remains… [[The Long Flight Home by A L Hlad|Full Review]] <!-- Peter Wohlleben -->|-| style=''width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;''|[[image:1846045576.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1846045576/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style=''vertical-align: top; text-align: left;''|===[[Walks In The Wild by Ali PyePeter Wohlleben and Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp (Translator)]]===
[[image:5star4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Confident ReadersAnimals and Wildlife|Confident ReadersAnimals and Wildlife]], [[:Category:Politics and Society|Politics and Society]]
Meet Harry Stevenson. He's a typical guinea pig, except he'An instruction manual for the forest'' is how Wohlleben's perhaps a bit more ginger than normal. And more lazy than usual. And his appetite is possibly bigger than publisher described the norm. Apart from idea for this book, and that he's a regular guinea pig. But the stories in which he features are nothing like. In basically what it is – although right at the first one here, end the lad who owns and looks after him author says that it is being forced not intended to move house. It should be a simple journey for Harry, safe in his cage from all the predators that watching nature documentaries have put into his imaginationreference book, but he gets distracted and – shock horror – left behind. It takes some bravura slapstick and a charming contrivance for him to be found again. In the second, for we get two full-length stories in this volume, there's a party being held to get the lad used to his new schoolmates, and Harry used to life in a garden hutch. And one more wonderful conceit that drives high dramaan appetiser. [[Walks In The Adventures of Harry Stevenson Wild by Ali PyePeter Wohlleben and Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp (Translator)|Full Review]]
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===[[Miracle Creek A Nearly Normal Family by Angie KimM T Edvardsson and Rachel Wilson-Boyles (translator)]]===
[[image:4star4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Thrillers|Thrillers]]
The Yoo family originated in Seoul. Yoo Young and her daughter Meh-hee came on ahead of We're going to hear this story through the father viewpoints of the familythree different people: Adam Sandell, Yoo Pakhis wife, as Ulrika and his daughter Stella. Adam's a couple pastor in Baltimore offered to provide accommodation for Young the Church of Sweden and Meh-hee in exchange for assistance in their grocery store. What Young had not appreciated was that she was to work from 6 Ulrika is alawyer.m. until midnightStella is, well, seven days a weekjust difficult. For years You sense that she's always been difficult and there have even been occasions when Ulrika has let slip that she hardly saw wishes that Stella was more like her daughter except when the Kangs brought Mehbest friend, Amina Bešic -hee to see her at and no one has ever said that if they don't think that the storeother person is better. Meh-hee became Mary We first meet the family on Stella's 18th birthday and struggled we get a sense of Adam's controlling nature. Permission has to be given for a glass of wine for Stella at school: her fellow pupils were no exceptions to the rule that children can be cruel and Mary was an easy targetcelebration meal. [[Miracle Creek A Nearly Normal Family by Angie KimM T Edvardsson and Rachel Wilson-Boyles (translator)|Full Review]]
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===[[Velocity Weapon The House of Light by Megan E O'KeefeJulia Green]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science FictionConfident Readers|Confident Readers]] The last thing Sanda remembers Bonnie is growing up on a slightly strange island, living with her gunship exploding. She expected to be recovered by salvage-medics grandfather, scavenging for food, and to awaken in friendly hands, patched-rubbish that has washed up on the beach that she and ready her grandfather can use to rejoin make things. There is some sort of ban against anyone else landing on the fight. Instead she wakes up 230 years laterisland, and lots of suspicion around those who live there, on including a deserted enemy starship called The Light great fear of Berossus - or, as he prefers to call himself, 'Bero'. Bero tells Sanda the war is lost. That the entire star system is deadanyone who gets sick. But when Bonnie is that on the full story? After allbeach one day and discovers not only an intact boat, but a young boy cowering beneath, rather than turn him in to the vastness of spaceauthorities she takes him home and hides him, anything is possible . . smuggling him boiled eggs and blankets in the shed whilst she tries to figure out what to do. [[Velocity Weapon The House of Light by Megan E O'KeefeJulia Green|Full Review]]
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===[[Check Mates by Stewart Foster]]===
[[image:5star.jpg|link===Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Confident Readers|Confident Readers]], [[The Chessmaster's Secret by Mary Parker:Category:Teens|Teens]]===
[[image:4starIn many ways Felix is a typical boy in Year 7, enjoying playing games on his PS4 and hanging out with his friend Jake at the weekend. However Felix is struggling at school. He is not a problem child but he does have a problem. His ADHD makes it hard for him to concentrate, he keeps getting into trouble and his grades are slipping. When his Mum suggests that he spends more time with his grandfather Felix is horrified. Ever since Grandma died his Granddad has been grumpy and more eccentric than before. All he wants to do is sit in the dark and play chess. Felix knows that this will be extremely boring. But sometimes we learn valuable lessons where we least expect to and perhaps Granddad and Felix can help each other.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Confident ReadersCheck Mates by Stewart Foster|Confident ReadersFull Review]]
Belle and Joe travel to London in 1944, towards the end of World War II. Orphaned evacuees, they haven't had a good time of it - especially Joe, who is a sensitive child and was badly bullied. Meeting them is Uncle Griff, a kindly man, but one without much money. He is more than happy to have the children stay during the school holidays. Uncle Griff owns the ''Shop of Mechanical Marvels'' and the children love all the old things it contains. Uncle Griff hopes to restore it to profitability and bring some wonder back into London's bombed out streets. [[The Chessmaster's Secret by Mary Parker|Full Review]] <!-- Rob Walker Jane O'Connor -->
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===[[The Art of Noticing: Rediscover What Really Matters to You Needlemouse by Rob WalkerJane O'Connor]]===
[[image:4star5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:LifestyleGeneral Fiction|LifestyleGeneral Fiction]], [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Fiction]]
The curse put We first meet Sylvia Penton on reviewers her birthday and her boss, the Prof, is that we get taking her out to read through a book which lunch. This is really better dipped intoher favourite day of the year, or read gradually and thoughts allowed to be provoked. And so not because it was with ''The Art s her birthday but because of Noticing''the special time she gets to spend with the man she loves. ItHe's a simple premise: the pace of modern life told her that he and his wife are going to divorce - Martha is apparently having an affair - and rapidity of technological advances means Sylvia is convinced that we are constantly overwhelmed the Prof will then declare his love and distractedthey can be together. Rob Walker wants us She hasn't fully constructed 'together' in her own mind - she envisages it as romantic, but her imagination hasn't yet progressed to be able to steal our attention backthe sexual part of the relationship. He gives us his thoughts on various areas of our lives and then provides 131 exercises to help us recover our attentionThere's time though - she's only been the prof's PA for fifteen years. [[The Art of Noticing: Rediscover What Really Matters to You Needlemouse by Rob WalkerJane O'Connor|Full Review]]<!-- Various-->|-| style=''width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;''|[[image:1529006031.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1529006031/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 | style=''vertical-align: top; text-align: left;''|===[[Return to Wonderland by Various Authors]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Confident Readers|Confident Readers]], [[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]] In following a young girl called Alice down the rabbit hole a few years ago, when the first book she was in [[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition) by Lewis Carroll and Anthony Browne|hit 150 years of age]], I found that I didn't really find too much favour with it. The wacky-for-the-sake-of-it did not gel, and I don't remember loving it more as a child. But I would suggest I am the perfect audience for this book. I had every chance to enjoy these short stories that come at the core from a tangent, that show the benefits of the oblique glance. I've always preferred coming to an author's output through their least obvious, allegedly throw-away pieces, and it's the same with franchises – I'd more likely go for Bree Tanner's short novella than the whole Twilight saga (although that remains just a hunch, for obvious reasons). For another thing, there was every reason to expect some kind of greatness here – with Carroll much loved by millions, surely pieces written with that love in mind could only provide for success after success? [[Return to Wonderland by Various Authors|Full Review]] <!-- Lesley Thomson Elphinstone -->
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| style="''vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"''|===[[Rumblestar (The Playground Murders Unmapped Chronicles) by Lesley ThomsonAbi Elphinstone]]===
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:CrimeConfident Readers|CrimeConfident Readers]]
Rachel Cater was having an affair with her boss, Chris PhilipsRumblestar follows the haphazard adventures of the anxious 11-year-old Casper Tock who timetables his every movement, an auctioneer. It was, she told her mother, love at first sight. Her mother was more sceptical and wondered why, if it had been love at first sight, it had taken him so long makes countless to do anything about itlists and is hounded by wealthy bullies with the absurdly humorous and appropriate names of Candida Cashmere Jumps and Leopold Splattercash. StillHe stumbles across a magic portal by accident just like Lucy of Narnia fame, more than anything, she wanted meets a feisty girl troubled by her daughter to be happypast and is plunged into a perilous quest. That was what Rachel wanted too and it was why she went to In a kingdom where the dark mythological forces of Midnights threaten the Philips' family home, determined weather Marvels (equated here to have it all out in the open. Instead she was stabbed fifteen times. Her lover was convicted miracle of her murdernature) conjured by magical creatures, only unlikely heroes can battle against evil. [[Rumblestar (The Playground Murders Unmapped Chronicles]) by Lesley ThomsonAbi Elphinstone|Full Review]]
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===[[The Billion Pound Lie Evil Occupants of Easingdale Castle by Bill DareRay Filby]]===
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:ThrillersTeens|ThrillersTeens]]
Can you imagine what it would be like to win a billion pounds? The UKJason likes chess. He's biggest ever lottery winners were pretty good at it too - a couple from Ayrshirelevel eight on his computer programme, who won a £161 million EuroMillions jackpot a few years agowith level ten being Grand Master level. ThatHe's so much money also good at systems, having contributed to the relational database that it landed them on the Sunday Times Rich List of the UKhas streamlined his school's thousand most wealthy peopleadministration. So a billion pounds. That Jason's a lotschool, Easingdale Comprehensive, right? Can you imagine it? What would you do? Would you try to remain anonymous? Andis very big on technology and its head, if you didMr Johnston, how would this affect your relationships is keen to involve his pupils wherever they show promise. So Jason's friends have also helped out. Liz is great with your nearest hardware and dearest? What it would be like? How could you keep your friends helped with the school's card reader system. Becky has a flair for software and family from knowing that you were now one has recommended lots of the richest people in the country? curriculum-enhancing apps. And Bill is a talented programmer... [[The Billion Pound Lie Evil Occupants of Easingdale Castle by Bill DareRay Filby|Full Review]]
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===[[Across the Void Stone Cold Heart by S K VaughnCaz Frear]]===
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science FictionCrime|Science FictionCrime]]
Sea epics? So 20th centuryDC Cat Kinsella is back at the Met after a secondment to the London Mayor's Office: the hours were good but the job was boring. She's grateful to be back with the old team - her partner DS Luigi Parnell, boss DCI Kate Steele and DC Rénee Akwa. She's still not prepared to say anything about the identity of her boyfriend: the knowledge that she's in a relationship with Aiden Doyle, the brother of a murder victim and moreover a murder with which her father might have had some involvement could finish her career. Try Kinsella and Parnell are called to the discovery of the body of a space epicyoung woman: Naomi Lockhart was Australian, just twenty-two years old and her body was discovered by her flat mate, Kieran Drake, an ex-offender. [[Across the Void Stone Cold Heart by S K VaughnCaz Frear|Full Review]]
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