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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 book review 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 author [[:Category:Interviews|author interviews]], and all sorts of [[:Category:Lists|top tens]] - all of which you can find on our [[Featuresfeatures]] page. If you're stuck for something to read, check out the [[Book Recommendations|recommendations]] page.
'''Read [[:Category:Features|the latest features]].''' <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=P J ParrishMark Lingane|title=Dead of WinterDegrade (Tesla Expansion)
|rating=4
|genre=CrimeTeens|summary=Loon Lake''Degrade'' opens as it means to go on - with inyerface, banging action. Poor Arid, alone in the desert since his parents were killed, Michigan has a narrow escape as two mega-rigs fight it out and his is picturepretty much destroyed. He finds himself rescued by the mysterious-postcard pretty – an idyll that sits serenely but-fascinating Ella and snugly in onboard the ''Moonlight'' under the midst suspicious eyes of a pine-peppered winter wonderlandits leader, Queen Bea. Louis Kincaid needs a little serenity in Bea's eyes flash with recognition when he tells her his life name - Arid Geiger - but before he can find out why that is, there's an assassination attempt and on arrival in Loon Lake he feels almost as if he has come homeArid is under suspicion and imprisoned. Life has not been easy for Kincaid. A troubledAn escape facilitated by Ella - Queen Bea's daughter - sees Arid and her other daughter, unhappy child of mixed raceFrey, passed around various institutions and foster homes, Louis figures that if he is going to put some integrity back into stranded in the world, he will need to wear a badge to do itdesert...|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847391346</amazonuk>099461649X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Russell Celyn JonesB07XLM3SM6|title=The Ninth Wave (New Stories from Murder at the Mabinogion) Dolphin Hotel|author=Helena Dixon|rating=4.5|genre=Literary FictionCrime (Historical)|summary=Pwyll rules a medievalElowed Underhay was just twenty-style fiefdom seven when she disappeared from Dartmouth in June 1916, leaving her daughter, Kitty, in a post-climate change Walesthe care of her grandmother. A great deal of money had been spent to find out what happened to her and the conclusion was that she was dead, mainly because there was no evidence to suggest otherwise. Kitty has come to terms with this and in 1933 she was running the Dolphin Hotel in Dartmouth with her grandmother when her grandmother had to leave to look after her sister who was ill. Life is different She was reluctant to leave Kitty in many ways charge - thereand Kitty could not understand why. She's a newalways coped with the mix of holidaymakers, boating people and the naval college on the edge of town before -but-old social order built on feudalism and horsepower is she's done every job in the main means of transporthotel. But in many ways it And she particularly cannot understand why her grandmother's much the same - people still fight one another, towns still friends have sink estates, rich boys still have too much time been roped in to keep an eye on their hands things ''and precious little meaning in their lives'' why Captain Matthew Bryant has been hired to take charge of security at the hotel. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1854115146</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Owen SheersSeishi Yokomizo and Louise Heal Kawai (translator)|title=White Ravens (New Stories from the Mabinogion)The Honjin Murders|rating=4.5|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=In To many readers, the old tale, Branwen phrase 'locked room murder mystery' is enough to make the sister of Bendigeidfran - book one to read; preferably quantified by the giant King of Britain. She marries the King of Ireland, who doesnwords 'clever' or 'good't treat her well. She manages to send Bendigeidfran a message via a tamed starling and war and killings ensue. In this new tale, a young girl has just walked away from her brothers For those whoneed more, here is the extra background – we're in rural Japan in the wake 1930s. The oldest son of an esteemed family is belatedly getting married, although the devastating foot and mouth outbreakwhole affair is really not as ostentatious as it might be – hardly anybody has turned up, are despoiling their heritage by rustling and illegally slaughtering sheepwhat with it being arranged at great haste. She meets only has an old man who tells uncle representing her a story involving family, for one thing. Either way, the superstitions about celebrations have gone ahead as planned, only for the ravens wedded couple to be slashed to death in their private annex before the Tower sun rises on their marriage. What with a man missing parts of Londonhis fingers being in the neighbourhood, propaganda work during World War IIand some mysterious use of a traditional musical instrument at the time of the crime, and an equally doomed love affairthis case has a lot of the peculiar about it. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1854115030</amazonuk>1782275002
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jennifer BohnetCixin Liu|title=Follow Your StarDeath's End|rating=3.5|genre=Women's Science Fiction|summary=ItIf I's three years since Nanette Weston left Monacod been paying more attention when I picked this book up, I would have put it back on the shelf. SheNot because I didn't want to read it, but because I'd been engaged to a Formula 1 racing driver and had lived have figured out that it was the life final part of the wealthy but a serious car accident had ended all thattrilogy. The accident could have killed her fiancé Coming in partway through a saga is never the easiest thing to do and she lost her driving licence it's particularly true in science fiction because of without knowing the alcohol sheback-story there are not just people whose names mean nothing to you (when it's assumed they will) but there are whole concepts that you won'd consumedt understand. Her slow recovery was hindered by the end This latter is particularly true of her engagement but sheCixin Liu's found some contentment in being work – his range is phenomenal. George R R Martin, who knows a nanny to thing or two young childrenabout world-creation, described it as ''a unique blend of scientific and philosophical speculation, conspiracy theory and cosmology''. When her friend All of that and employer, Vanessa, remarries and takes an extended honeymoon in the Amazon Nanette is asked to take the children back to Monaco where their father livesmore.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0709089090</amazonuk>1784971650
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=J R Stephenson1780894511|title=Crooked JusticeDie Alone|author=Simon Kernick|rating=2.54|genre=General FictionThrillers|summary=Meet Barry Johns. You'll see him coming - Ray Mason is in prison awaiting trial for murder and he's five hundred pounds if in the vulnerable prisoner unit: as a cop, he's an ouncesomething of a target, but the unit is not as secure as the inmates would have hoped and Mason is injured in a riot. Just don't ever lend him money - On his way to hospital he won't pay it back. A businessman with a share of a nightclub on Cyprus, he goes there for a customary break, s broken free by armed men and finds his sort-of moll-type sort-of girlfriend has been installed as the bar danceran offer is made to him. He manages 's to assassinate the man who is likely to tread both on become the toes of his local colleague country's next prime minister and some Greek rivals. And when he'll then be given a rival in London chases him up for thousands of pounds owed new identity so that he decides to pack up and shut upcan start afresh abroad. ItHis captors say that they's a big stone that hides himre MI6, but Mason has his doubts. His choices are limited though and he leaves a very awkward trail for everyone wanting has personal reasons to upturn believe that it and get their revengewould be better if Alastair Sheridan was dead.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0955855713</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Stephen BakerAkwaeke Emezi|title=They've Got Your NumberPet
|rating=4.5
|genre=Popular ScienceTeens|summary=If you are in The people of the slightest bit paranoid, worry town Lucille believe that ''Big Brother'' is always watching or like all the monsters are gone. Their children are raised to believe understand that you they were saved by the angels, those who rid the town of evil, and there are not no monsters anymore. But one day, Jam accidentally cuts herself and bleeds a number, but little onto one of her mother's paintings. The blood awakens a free man (or woman)bizarre, then this may not be the book for youterrifying-looking creature named Pet, as who somehow comes to life and declares that it will do nothing is here to dispel any of those worrieshunt the monster. If, on Though Jam tries to convince it that all the other handmonsters are gone, you think 'the mathematical modelling of humanity' sounds like Pet is certain that there is one of the sexiest things ever, still, and are chomping at that the monster is hiding in the bit to learn more about ithome of her best friend, then you might well be interested in what Business Week journalist Baker has to sayRedemption.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099507021</amazonuk>0571355110
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Rebecca Tope1686751680|title=Fear in the CotswoldsMy Mummy does weird things / Maman fait des choses bizarres|author=Amelie Julien and Gustyawan
|rating=4
|genre=CrimeFor Sharing|summary=Thea Osborne Which child doesn't think that their mother is a house sitter by profession. , well, ''weird''? When people go away she moves into It might be that in the morning their homes and looks after their animals and the property. mother doesn't like speaking much when every self-respecting child knows that that is when you're at your brightest with lots to say? This time it's winter and she'Why'' then does Mummy stick her fingers in her ears? Then there's spending a month doing yoga in front of the Cotswold village of Hampnetttelevision, which could be worrying if it wasn't so funny. It wouldnWe won't be a job for all of us but Thea delights go into too much detail about what goes on in getting to know the local people bathroom and the area. In colour changes which have occurred when Mummy emerges and frankly, the past she's also been involved with less said the police in solving various cases but it looks as though that might have come better about her reactions to an end as your artistic efforts on the relationship she had with DS Phil Hollis has crumbledwall. For the first time Thea feels like an outsider – and a foolish one - when she finds footsteps in the snow which lead to a body in a nearby field. When the police finally arrive the body has disappeared and the police obviously wonder if she's imagined it all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749007478</amazonuk>I mean, what else would you use paint for?
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Justine Avery and Liuba Syrotiuk
|title=What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream?
|rating=4
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=''The day has ended''<br>
''Hasn't it been splendid?'' <br>
''But now, it's time, to be sure'' <br>
''For an entirely different adventure'' <br>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anne RiceMichael Harris|title=Angel TimeSolitude: In Pursuit of a Singular Life in a Crowded World|rating=2.5|genre=General FictionLifestyle|summary=Toby O'Dare This is an extremely efficient hit man with a passion for musicnot the book I was expecting it to be. For some reason I expected it to be another self-help manual on how to find calm, how to step outside the mainstream, history and playing his beloved lutebut it is not that at all. He Instead of telling us how it is more about the ''s also something of a lost soul having turned his back on God many years ago. One day while on a why'job' he is visited by an Angel who offers him a chance at redemption. Toby agrees Harries examines how we're eroding solitude, which used to become the Angel's be a natural part of our human instrument life, and help save lives rather than take themwhy that matters. He is sent on an assignment to help a Jewish couple accused Of course, he talks about how some people have found solitude and what has come of murder that, and eventually in 13th Century Englandthe final chapter he talks about his own experience of having deliberately sought it out, but mostly he wanders down the alleys and by-ways that his thinking about this lost art led him.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0701178140</amazonuk>1847947662
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ian MortimerAndy Briggs|title=1415: Henry V's Year of GloryCtrl+S
|rating=5
|genre=HistoryScience Fiction|summary=The medieval, Life in fact time-honoured, view of King Henry V as one of Englandthe near future's greatest heroes was propagated though not originated by Shakespeareall bad. We've reversed global warming and fixed the collapsing bee population. We even created SPACE, a virtual-sensory universe where average guys like Theo Wilson can do almost anything they desire. But almost anything isn't enough for some. Every day, normal people are being taken, their emotions harvested - and again more recently lives traded - to some extent by Olivier's portrayal in filmcreate death-defying thrills for the rich and twisted. At least one historian Now Theo’s mother has called him 'disappeared. And as he follows her breadcrumb trail of clues, he'll come up against the greatest man most dangerous SPACE has to offer: police, AI Bots and anarchists - as well as a criminal empire that ever ruled England''will kill to stop him finding her . . .|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0224079921</amazonuk>1409184641
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Deborah Gregory1609809378|title=Dancing With The Dead|rating=3|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=I wanted to read Rabbits''Dancing with the Dead'', because I'm interested in family history. The blurb on the back of the book also mentioned Gill – our heroine of the piece – was moving from Bristol (my current home) to Lincolnshire (where I was born and brought up). I felt with all these links, the novel could not fail to interest me – but this was not the case.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904529305</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewRebellion|author=Miss Read|title=Christmas at Thrush GreenAriel Dorfman and Chris Riddell|rating=4|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Set in the rural village of Thrush Green, this book is the latest in a series surrounding familiar characters. There is the feisty Ella Bembridge, who is finally having to admit that old age is creeping up as her eyesight fails. Friends such as Dimity and Charles Henstock are concerned about her, but she refuses to accept any help. Albert Piggott has decided it's time to retire now that his wife, Nelly, is a successful cafe owner and can afford to take care of him! And relative newcomer Phil Hurst and her husband are arranging the local nativity play, despite a number of set-backs. Will everything be in place for Christmas? And will independent Ella make a decision about her future?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409101592</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Matt and Dave|title=Yuck's Robotic Bottom|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ItWe's concerned me for re in the realm of the rabbits, only the foxes and wolves have taken over. King Wolf, His Wolfiness, has declared the rabbits don't exist, but the pesky birds have spread rumours from awing that the bunnies are in fact still around. Demanding a while that it's relatively easy propaganda spree, King Wolf orders a humble monkey to pick up early readers for girls – princessesbe his official portrait photographer, magic soft toys, mermaids and pets abound – but whatever the poor innocent monkey prints out in his darkroom there's is a much smaller choice for boysdistinct leporine hint. It's important too with early readers that Can King Wolf succeed in proving himself victorious, can the content is ''interesting'' and reading becomes more than just something which you ''have'' rabbits show their continued existence to all who need to do at school and moves into being fun. Matt know of it – and Dave have found what can the answer poor monkey caught in Yuck.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847382991</amazonuk>between do?
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=John E SmelcerInnosanto Nagara|title=The Great DeathM is for Movement
|rating=4
|genre=General FictionEmerging Readers|summary='As Western Europeans settled AlaskaSet in Indonesia, they brought in the not too distant past, this is a story about social change. Dealing with them diseases against which some difficult issues, such as political corruption and nepotism, the indigenous people had no natural immunitybook is neither boring nor preachy. At the beginning of the twentieth century It educates gently, fully two thirds of all Alaska natives perished from a pandemic of measleswith vibrant, smallpoxchallenging illustrations, and influenzait portrays how social movements need people who will try, even when it seems that they will fail. No community was spared. In most cases, half of The message is a village's population died within a week. In some casespositive one; that in an increasingly uncertain world, there were no survivors. It was we do still have the end of an ancient way of life. Natives still refer power to the dreadful period as the Great Deathinstigate change.'|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842709194</amazonuk>1609809351
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Maxine Barry1780724047|title=River Deep|rating=3.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Two young women both have a love A Dictionary of the Thames. Melisande Ray's beloved hotel, the Ray of Sunshine is on the river bank. It's here that guests come who want to be pampered Interesting and looked after in the way that only the best hotels can do well, but when Wendell James checks in to the hotel it's not pampering he's looking for. He's buying a piece of land not far from the Ray of Sunshine and he's sussing out the competition. There's something personal in there too – if his new hotel means that the Ray of Sunshine goes under then that would be an added bonus. There's just a slight doubt in his mind when a red-haired maid catches his eye.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709088930</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewImportant Dogs|author=Joe Gores|title=Spade and ArcherPeter J Conradi
|rating=4
|genre=CrimePets|summary=Sam Spade decidesI struggle to resist a book about dogs, bravely, to set up his but I did wonder why this onewas so ''thin'': given that I've never encountered a dog who wasn't interesting or important -man detective agencyand probably both, I was expecting a massive tome. ItBut 's the 1920s in San Francisco so we have the prohibition era 'A Dictionary of Interesting and all that that entails. Many locals, Important Dogs'' is actually ''a rich compendium of course, choose to disobey the law, stick two fingers up, so to speak world's most significant and as a result therebeloved dogs''s lots of bootleg liquor. Straight away, and it's evident that Sam is certainly a man of few wordsrich treasure trove. He has the mannerisms of a cat - stealthyWe begin with Peter J Conradi's four collies: Cloudy, quick on his feetSky. Bradley and Max. HeThey's also a compulsive chain-smokerre consecutive rather than simultaneous dogs, but then again, most people werewhat comes over is Conradi's love for each and every one of them. In I knew that era, holding a cigarette I was an elegant, almost essential accessory. How times have changedin safe hands.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140911323X</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester Clark1785769294|title=The Best of TimesMan at the Window (Detective Cardellini)|author=Robert Jeffreys
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Most children enjoy It's when we read that a good traditional tale and this lovely book by Michael Morpurgo seems young boy is creeping reluctantly to have all the right ingredients – a handsome prince teacher's bedroom one October night that we realise something is badly wrong. Nowadays you ''might'' hope that something would be done about it fairly quickly but this was 1965 and a beautiful princess who fall child abuse was generally regarded as malicious mischief on the part of the child. The boy would be safe that night though - albeit in love, get married and live happily ever afterthe most horrific fashion. Or do they? Sadly When he reached Captain Edmund's bedroom he found the man dead on the floor, not long after Prince Frederico marries the lovely Princess Serafina, she becomes very sadtop of his skull missing. Nobody knows what has caused such great sadness, but poor Prince Frederico is desperate to find a cure for his wife The school's misery. He tries everything initial reaction was that this was a dreadful accident: there had been a cull of kangaroos in his power some nearby fields and eventually decides to offer his kingdom to anyone who can make her happy again before she dies of it was obviously a broken heart. Lots of people come to the palace to try and help but in the end stray bullet that had killed the solution is a simple one provided by some very kind travellersCaptain.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405232552</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Shirley Jackson1786695227|title=We Have Always Lived In The CastleInvisible in a Bright Light|author=Sally Gardner
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Nelson used to pull Mike the Milk's milk float, but he has now retired. He lives in the stable at the back The beginning of this excellent story will leave the dairy along with a couple of tricky rats, Rhodri and Rhys, reader more than a pigeon little confused: who has no sense of direction, a frog who thinks he's a secret agent spy and an old racehorse who spends most of his time sleeping. Rhodri and Rhys find a mysterious message on Mike's fridge and is the animals believe that Mike has been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE. Somehow our hero, Nelson, finds himself travelling down to London, pulling a ceremonial coach for Prince Charles as well as giving a TV interview about his experience.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848510454</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Elizabeth Baines|title=Too Many Magpies|rating=4|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=Becoming a mother brings a whole new world of fear into your life. Suddenly you see man in the danger in every situation, and fear and trepidation can be become your constant companions. In this novellagreen suit, we meet a young mother who what is married to a logical scientist. They attempt to control their children's futures on a scientific basisthe Reckoning, growing their own fruit and vegetables, giving their children nothing sugary, eating no eggs for why are rows of people in a whole year until any adverse affects from them were disproved. cave? But after meeting stick with an enigmatic stranger our young mother begins to struggle as he introduces ideas of freedom into her world. She begins an affair with him, begins to let things slip at home and with the children, yet finds she is still continuously haunted by the sense of an ever-present danger.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1844717216</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Katherine May|title=Burning Out|rating=4|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=Violet has it all – a well-paid job, and a luxurious apartment all to herselfMs. Everything Gardner is catered for; her meals, her clothes, and her health are all how she would like them to be. But very cleverly letting us experience the life she is leading is beginning to take its tollsame disorientation as our heroine. On We watch in dismay as the verge of snappingstrange man, a drained and somewhat out-of-sorts Violetwho seems to have no eyes, withdraws back does his best to persuade her home townto answer his questions. ThereBut for some reason, she meets someone familiarCeleste, a ghost reminding despite her of how she used to be ten years earlier – a young carefree girl, full of life. Only this isn't a ghostbewilderment, but a girl living the life Violet once lived – exactly the same. Haunted by the past Violet realizes history is repeating itself remains wary and is convinced events will happen again. Events that will in turn haunt the girlgives nothing away.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906727392</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Amanda Downum1912374854|title=The Drowning CityViolet|author=S J I Holliday
|rating=3.5
|genre=FantasyThrillers|summary=In a nutshell, youI're reading this because you're wondering whether The Drowning City ve never been but understand that travelling is good, bad or mediocre. You've probably glanced at the rating all about meeting new people and guessed the latterforming instantaneous bonds with people in often chance situations. I'm afraid itWell, that's not quite that simple. This exactly what happens when the two main/only characters meet in a travel agency in Beijing - Carrie is unsuccessfully trying to get a debut that provokes decidedly mixed feelings. I started off convinced that I was going refund on an extra ticket for the Trans-Siberian train and Violet is trying to love this bookunsuccessfully buy a ticket for the same sold-out journey. The cover art is effortlessly coolAs the two team up, the premise intriguingtravelling through Mongolia, the characters laden with potential for greatness Serbia and the backdrop is certainly evocative.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841498149</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Tove Jansson|title=The True Deceiver|rating=5|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=Most people of my age will have come across Janssoninto Russia, it could's work unwittingly, via ve been the televised renditions start of the Moomin tales. The readers amongst us would then have been entranced a few years ago to discover that at last Thomas Teal had set about the translation into Englishbeautiful friendship but this a thriller after all so it quickly becomes a tale of obsession, manipulation, first of The Summer Book and then of a collection of short stories which were published as 'A Winter Book'toxic friendships. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0954899571</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Daniel Kehlmann 1912374838|title=Me and Kaminski|rating=4.5|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=After reviewing several long books, it's been refreshing to read such a fluent yet pared down story as 'Kaminski and Me'. In it, Sebastian Zollner, the obnoxious main character, shoves himself forward in a desperate attempt to research a best seller which will re-ignite his career as an art critic. Kaminski, the proposed subject, was a fashionable painter long ago, but now, ancient and chronically ill, has virtually slid into oblivion. So the second-rate writer is on a loser unless he can dig up some juicy details to hook the art world and general public.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847249892</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewNothing Important Happened Today|author=Louis Barfe|title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light EntertainmentWill Carver
|rating=4
|genre=EntertainmentGeneral Fiction|summary=Light entertainment Nothing Important Happened Today is often looked down upona dark, as if it's a bit nafftwisted, tepid and ignorabledifficult read. What's Stories about cults often forgotten are, but this is that different; it's hugely popular, enjoyable and much written with a sense of it style that is of the highest qualityquite unlike anything I've read before. Louis BarfeI can's Turned Out Nice Again tells t remember ever having read a novel with such an odd, distinctive narrative voice. While a slim and relatively small book, the complete story slow-moving nature of British light entertainmentthe plot makes it feel far larger than its 276 pages.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1843543818</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jim Helmore and Karen Wallwilliamabbey|title=Oh No, Monster Tomato!The Pursuit of William Abbey|author=Claire North|rating=43.5|genre=For SharingParanormal|summary=Marvin is entering When William Abbey fails to prevent the lynching of a young boy in 1880's South Africa, he finds himself cursed by the grieving mother. A naïve English Doctor, he slowly learns the weight of the Great Grislygust Grow-Offcurse upon him, but just like as the shadow of the dead boy begins to follow himacross the world. Never stopping, his tomatoes aren't always growing very big– it crosses oceans and mountains in pursuit of William. He takes As he finds himself unable to resist speaking the only sensible course of action: truths that he hears in others, he sings his tomatoes a song. The results are spectacular. Victory also learns that the dark shadow is surely within his grasp.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140524741X</amazonuk>deadly – and seeks to kill the one he loves the most…
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joseph Delaney 1643785036|title=The Spook's Stories: WitchesWondrous Apothecary|author=Mary E Martin
|rating=4
|genre=TeensGeneral Fiction|summary='Warning: Not to be read after darkThose who have known Alexander Wainwright,' are the only words on the back of landscape artist famous for his Turner prize-winning ''The Spook's StoriesHay Wagon'', and on Rinaldo, the inside flaprenowned conceptual artist would say that they're chalk and cheese, if not sworn enemies. If you'The Timesve watched the relationship, as has our narrator, art dealer Jamie Helmsworth, you' warns us d have said that this book is 'seriously scary'they were magnets, drawing and repulsing each other in equal measure... The whole thing kicks-off relatively tamely Wainwright was at the socially acceptable end of the artistic continuum, thoughbut with Rinaldo, with a story about a young Spook (it was all too obvious that there was but a sort of monster-hunter) who falls in love with a witch fine dividing line between conceptual art and is forced public nuisance. As time has worn on, he's frequently been brought to bear the consequences when attention of the witchpolice. On this latest occasion, we see him charged with arson and theft of ''The Hay Wagon''s sister comes to stay and exhibits a taste for the neighbor-children.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0370329961</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lisa Unger|title=Die For You|rating=3.5|genre=Crime|summary=Best-selling novelist Isabel Connelly is married to successful video game designer Marcus Raine. Or so she thinks. But when her husband fails to return from work, she realises something is wrong. Going to his office to try to find out what happens to him, she gets attacked and ends up in hospital, while his co-workers are killed. Things get worse for her, however, when investigating detective Grady Crowe reveals that Marcus Raine has been dead for several years, and the man she married was using a false identity. Infuriated by the betrayal, and the realisation that she's been living a lie for the past five years, Izzy takes matters into her own hands and sets out to find her husband and work out why he lied to her for so longMary H. Ignoring police warnings, she delves deeper and deeper into a nasty underworld, and finds a tale which has its roots in Prague and rivals anything she could have plotted in one of her novelsK.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099522179</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Lisa McMannChoi|title=WakePermanent Record
|rating=4
|genre=Teens
|summary=Janie Pablo, a college drop-out, is seventeen and studying hard for college. She's also working lots of hours at a local nursing home to earn money for college as it's unlikely her alcoholic mother is going to provide much in the way of resourcesNew York bodega. College is Janie He's only chance at a life better than the one she's lived so far and so you can't blame her for being so single-minded massively in the pursuit of her goal. Only one thing stands in her way...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847385036</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jaclyn Moriarty |title=The Spell Book of Listen Taylor|rating=3.5|genre=Teens|summary=Listen Taylordebt, he's father has just moved in with avoiding his girlfriend and they are adopted into the Zing familymother, with all of its delightful eccentricities and he finds his joy in creating unusual behaviour – the Zings meet every Friday night for dinner and then disappear into the garden shed to work on the 'Zing Family Secret'. Marbie Zing is terrified of doing something wrong and losing Nathaniel and Listen. Her sister Fancy is becoming increasingly disillusioned snacks with her home liferandom ingredients! Whilst working one evening, and her daughterhe's year two teacher surprised to discover that the girl he is coming to terms chatting with as he serves is a break up. The stories of these people come together to create a tale of lifesuper-famous pop star and, loveas unlikely as it may seem, and ultimately, what being part of they start a family meansrelationship.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330446363</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=F G Cottam|title=The Magdalena Curse|rating=2.5|genre=Horror|summary=Mark Hunter With one character who is trying very hard not to be seen or noticed by anyone and the sort of father other who would do anything for his son. After losing his wife is seen and followed and daughter in a tragic accidenthounded by everyone all over the world, his surviving son Adam has become his whole worldit's an interesting clash as they come together. And Adam is an exceptional child – beautiful This isn't just a love story though, incredibly smart and mature beyond his ten years – only recently heactually it's really just Pab's been channelling the voices of the dead. Plagued by horrific dreamsstory, able to speak Russian in about the hours after journey he wakes, drawing occult symbols when he doodles, Hunter believes Adam to be possessed. Doctor Elizabeth Bancroft is sceptical, until she meets Adam, and witnesses the horrors the poor boy endures for herselftakes in his life via his meet-up with Leanna Smart.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340980982</amazonuk>0349003459
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jon Berkeley1609809319|title=The Lightning Key (Circus Trilogy)|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=I shall start with a word of advice. When you're being hounded by a circus master, and a magician, for the soul of a tiger that's contained in a tiger's egg that's contained in the brain of your teddy bear, and your best friend Long- a fallen angel Haired Cat- is trying her best to make sure the other angels do not turn on you in a big way - then you're probably living the third book in a fantasy trilogy. Still - never mind, the angel's efforts will involve you entering a dream world of flight and cloud cities, the chase after your enemies will take you across the world to desert oases and back, and friends new and old will be on board to help.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847384447</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewBoy Cub|author=Sue Townsend|title=Adrian Mole: The Prostrate YearsEtgar Keret, Aviel Basil and Sondra Silverston (translator)
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=As soon as heroine Polly turns her back, and leaves the town of Lamonic Bibber for One day a day at boy is in the seaside, Mr Gum falls out zoo with his best friend, causing carnivorous carnage all over father when the placeman gets called away on urgent business. Meat is getting thrown around like itThe boy isn't hustled into a cab and taken home first, though, no – he's going out of fashiongiven hot dog money, and taxi money, and we have told to doubt whether Polly just stick around on his own and her companions can ever utilise enjoy himself. Well, it's no surprise that the orphan-for-an-afternoon sensation the power lad feels doesn't make him happy, and so he thinks of love a species name for himself, and put things to rights. Especially curls himself up into an empty cage as this book does not contain if he were a magic unicorn called Elizabethnew exhibit.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405248246</amazonuk> And it's then the drama begins…
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Loose Women1785785516|title=Here Come the GirlsFucking Good Manners|author=Simon Griffin
|rating=4
|genre=Home and FamilyLifestyle|summary=This is the second volume by the panelists from that nice ITV seriesManners maketh man, ''Loose Women''. Just as promised on the cover, this book is an entertaining night with the girlsthey say. It turns out that they're just like us. The faces are already familiar and even certainly makes life easier if you don't know them yeteverybody abides by a set of conventions, with nine contributors, you'll soon find a like-minded woman behind one some of the celebrity faces. The women which are universally warm-hearted ages old 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 eveningothers which have evolved over time.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444700154</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jean Ure|title=Fortune Cookie|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Fudge Cassidy and the Cupcake kid Manners are best friends. If the names remind not about how much to tip or how you of a certain film then should behave if you'd be spot on as that's where Fudge's father got the idea from. get an invitation to Buckingham Palace, they have nothing to do with class or financial status: Theythey're actually chalk and cheese – Fudge is loud mouthed and opinionated and Cupcake is quiet and thoughtful – but about getting the combination worksbasics right before we try to deal with more difficult matters. 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 Of course, we all have more obvious. Add to this that her father couldnrelaxed manners when we't cope re with the problems family and he now has another family. Itfriends, but it's just Cupcake, Joey and her mother – and not a lot of money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007224621</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jenifer Roberts|title=The Madness of Queen Maria: The Remarkable Life of Maria I of Portugal|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 best if we learn to become the first female monarch in Portuguese history. Married to her uncle Infante Pedro, seventeen years her senior, she had six children (outliving all but one of them), distinguish between our public and became Queen in 1777. A conscientious woman, she had the misfortune to be born in during the 'age of reason', when church private lives 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 reluctantlyact appropriately.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>095455891X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=David Hughes|title=Thomas Wogan is Dead|rating=4.5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=Well, with a title like that, need I bother with a plot summary? A man has a day out in Morecambe, then the next thing he knows he's in the ultimate waiting room, with a strange array of animals (a bat, a toad, a sea urchin...), all waiting for... well, something. Yup, as you didn't need telling, heFucking Good Manners's dead.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>095580888X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Dave Eggers|title=The Wild Things|rating=4|genre=General 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 a bit feisty when he feels the need for revenge, I am certainly understating the facts. He is a bit of a rascal aims to say help us on the least. But all that might change when he finds himself travelling to a strange land of roisterous animals, and ends up installed as their kingway.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241144221</amazonuk>
}}
