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<metadesc>Book review siteExpert, with books full book reviews from the many most walks of literary life - ; fiction, biography, crime, cookery and anything else that takes our fancy. There are also lots of author interviews and top tens.</metadesc>Hello from The Bookbag, a book review site, featuring books from all the many walks of literary life 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, & self-published 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|plus 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.</metadesc>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Panos Karnezis0008517061|title=The ConventDeath in a Lonely Place|author=Stig Abell
|rating=4
|genre=General FictionCrime|summary=Our Lady of Mercy is a small convent on the Spanish sierra made up of a handful of devoted nuns who live their lives simplyFormer Metropolitan Police detective, Jake Johnson, carrying out their daily duties like clockworkhas settled into his rustic life at Little Sky. However things change when There’s perhaps a suitcase containing a newborn baby is left mysteriously outside little uncertainty about the convent doors. The Mother Superiorfuture of his life with his vet girlfriend, Sister Maria InesLivia and her daughter Diana, believes the baby to be as moving in together would mean a miracle lot of compromise: does Jake give up his off-grid and plans relaxing life to keep him move in the convent, but the other sisters do with Livia or does Livia move to Little Sky despite her reservations about whether or not agree. During this is the events that follow future she wants for herself and her daughter? For the true characters of the nuns inside moment they’re enjoying life in the convent are revealed present and putting the peace that the sisters enjoy is stripped away to show the tension that has been bubbling away under future on the surfaceback burner.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224079344</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joe Meno1786482126|title=The Great PerhapsJanus Stone (Dr Ruth Galloway)|author=Elly Griffiths
|rating=4.5
|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=Jonathan Casper faints when he sees clouds. His wife Madeline worries about everything, not least the way the pigeons that she is studying are murdering each other. Their seventeen year Builders were demolishing an old daughter Amelia wants to overthrow house in Norwich - the evil empire of capitalism and is making her own bomb, while fourteen year old Thisbe is looking for God and praying site was going to him. Jonathanhold seventy-five 'luxury's father, seventy six year old Henry, is planning his disappearance. Jonathan and Madeline may be on apartments - when they discovered the verge bones of splitting up, to the dismay of both daughtersa child beneath a doorway.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330512471</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Bruno Vincent|title=Grisly Tales from Tumblewater |rating=4|genre=Teens|summary=Daniel Dorey comes to the vast and decaying city of Tumblewater with high hopes There was no skull. He wants to study, become Was this a surgeonritual killing or murder? Inevitably, work hard and make a better life for himselfDr Ruth Galloway finds herself working with DCI Harry Nelson. But when the school he enrolled in turns out to be a deserted building, his money is swindled from him, and he It's framed for breaking into a shopdifficult as Ruth knows, hebut Nelson doesn's ready to turn round and go back to the country. His last hope t, that she is to collect pregnant with his child as a volume result of local stories for a back-alley publisherthe one night they spent together some three months ago. One by one Her condition will be obvious before long, he hunts down the tellers of these grisly tales and records their words, but it soon becomes evident that he's hiding a dark secret not least because Ruth is prone to sudden bouts of his own.sickness..|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330479512</amazonuk>
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|rating=4.5
|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=IIt've recently read s unusual for anyone from the terrific short story collection ''The Female Of The Species'' Hardie family to approach the police. also by Oates Neither side likes or has any respect for the other. But Davie Hardie is struggling in prison and couldnhe't wait s prepared to start tell the police where the body of a missing person is buried and who was responsible for her latest bookdeath. This person, he promises, is someone big and it will be worth the police doing what he wants. I felt sure that I was in for a literary treat - And what he wants is to be transferred to an open prison to serve the remainder of his sentence and I wasto get an early parole date. FirstlyNot much to ask, is it? The new Deputy Police Constable doesn't think so and she's even prepared to do the book itself, a hardback other thing that Hardie demanded - make certain that DS Max Craigie and anyone who works with a beautifully nostalgic cover him is a book loverkept well away from what's delighthappening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847248586</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Pamela Freeman0008405026|title=Full Circle A Stranger in the Family (Castings TrilogyMaeve Kerrigan 11)|rating=4|genre=Fantasy|summary=Pamela Freeman's ''Castings'' trilogy is written in an unusual way for a fantasy novel. It tells the story from the characters' points of view, in a style more common to the chick-lit novels of Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees. This interrupted the flow of the story quite noticeably in ''Blood Ties'', the first of the trilogy, but didn't seem quite so much of a distraction in the second part, ''Deep Water''. Unfortunately, this time around it works against the story.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841497037</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=John Dickinson|title=WEJane Casey
|rating=5
|genre=TeensCrime|summary=Paul Munro has been disconnected It's sixteen years since nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall disappeared from her bed one summer night. She was never found and the World Ear investigation ground to a halt. Now, her mother, Helena, and her father are dead in readiness for their bed. Initially, it looks like a mission straightforward murder/suicide but there's something about the positioning of the bodies that will last a lifetimemakes DS Maeve Kerrigan and her boss DI Josh Derwent suspicious. Sent What looked as though it was going to man a tiny station built at enormous effort be an open-and expense on -shut case is now a desolate moon in the outer reaches of our solar system, he will never be able to returncomplex double murder. Gravity Kerrigan is one-tenth convinced that of Earth and his flesh has wasted, his bones enbrittled without the strength of calcium. explanation lies in Rosalie's disappearance: others (such as Derwent'If he stood on the Earth nows boss, Una Burt) are less convinced... his skeleton would splinter under his weight.'' It took eight years to get there and the rest of his life stretches before him fearfully. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0385617895</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jim Lahey 0571379877|title=My Bread: the Revolutionary No-work, No-knead MethodThe Kellerby Code|author=Jonny Sweet|rating=43.5|genre=CookeryCrime|summary=ItEdward Jevons is a working-class young man, obsessed with his upper-class friends, Robert and Stanza. Robert's a long time since I did Home Economics at schooltheatre director. He's also self-obsessed, but a major part of it was learning methodsdemanding, which, I was assured would stand me in good stead handsome and entitled and uses Edward to run errands for the rest of my lifehim. A Victoria sponge was a careful progression of creaming Edward has been in love with Stanza since their university days - and gently adding flour and eggshe's drunkenly confided how he feels to Robert. A white sauce Most men in Robert's position would stay away from Stanza or tell Edward that a relationship had a couple begun between them but he's not like most men: Edward is left to stumble upon the two of these methods, but essentially it meant working through them kissing in a series of instructions until they became second naturedark passageway. Bread was the worst requiring fermenting, kneading, proving and then more kneading and rising.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0393066304</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Amy V Fetzer and Shari AaronJo Callaghan|title=Climb the Green Ladder: Make Your Company and Career More SustainableLeave No Trace
|rating=4
|genre=Business and FinanceCrime|summary=With When a man is found crucified on the abject failure top of the Denmark Climate Change Conference fresh a hill in our mindsNuneaton, it is perhaps time DCS Kat Frank finds herself assigned to turn away from the politicians and look back toward what we can do. The Conference may have finally got the likes of the USAcase alongside her sidekick, India and China to acknowledge that they have to join in if we are going to save the planet as a benevolent place for our species to AI detective Lock. It's their first livecase together, but having previously been very successful with several cold cases. But when there is still too much posturing a second body found crucified a few days later, Kat is suddenly struggling with a potential serial killer and not enough commitmenta very high profile case that draws a lot of unwanted attention to their AI Future Policing project. Clearly our governments Will they be able to solve the case in time, or will Kat find herself taken off the case and 'leaders' are not going to do this for us; we have to do it for ourselves., potentially, out of a career?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>047074801X</amazonuk>139851120X
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jaki Scarcello1399613073|title=Fifty and Fabulous: The Best Years of a Woman's Life|rating=3.5|genre=Lifestyle|summary=When you open a package and find a bright pink book which proudly proclaims 'Fifty and Fabulous: the best years of a woman's life' you can be forgiven for wondering if this is going to be another of those books which recommends strenuous exercise regimes, strict diets and just a little nip and tuck under the chin. Personally, my heart sank because, er, well, I'm no longer fifty. Were my fabulous years behind me?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906787603</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewMoral Injuries|author=Will Birch|title=Ian Dury: The Definitive BiographyChristie Watson
|rating=4.5
|genre=BiographyThrillers|summary=Ian Dury was always one Olivia, Laura and Anjali met on the first day of medical school and their friendship would keep them inseparable for a quarter of the most individuala century. Olivia is ruthlessly ambitious, even contrary characters in the musical worldwhich is a bonus when you aim to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. In Laura is a branch of showbiz where people often relied on good looks as perfectionist and a short cut to stardom, he was no oil paintingtrauma doctor. During Anjali is the pub rock era, he free spirit of the group and his group, the Blockheads, ploughed she becomes a GP. When we first meet them they're at a lonely furrow which owed more to jazzdrug and alcohol-funk than rockfuelled party and it'ns going to end in tragedy. We don'roll, and his songs extolled t know who suffered the virtues of characters from Billericay tragedy or Plaistow rather than those from Memphis or Californiathe consequences. Alongside the young punk rock upstarts with whom he competed for inches in Twenty-five years later there will be an eerily similar event that will impact the rock press, he was comparatively middle-agedthree friends. As if that was not enoughThis time, in his own words childhood illness had left him a permanent 'raspberry rippleit's their teenage children who are involved.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0283071036</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Glenn Cooper0241636604|title=Book of SoulsThe Trading Game: A Confession|author=Gary Stevenson
|rating=4.5
|genre=General FictionAutobiography|summary=Area 51 is not what If you were to bring up an image of a city banker in your mind, you 're unlikely to think it isof someone like Gary Stevenson. No A hoodie and jeans replaces the pin- all that UFO kerfuffle stripe suit and his background is a smokescreen for the powers that be East End, where he was familiar with violence, poverty and injustice. There was no posh public school on his CV - but he had been to hide even better the most unusual manuscript known to (a handful London School of) mankind Economics. Stevenson is bright - extremely bright - the and he has a facility with numbers which most unearthly, singular, and unsettling book, in thousands and thousands of volumesus can only envy. All except one, which is about He also realised that most rich people expect poor people to come under the hammer in a London auction housebe stupid. Our hero Will Piper must go very reluctantly on the trail of it and its secretsIt was his ability at what was, essentially, a trail card game which will force got him and others to become entangled an internship with shadowy agentsCitibank. Eventually, who in turn know the very day of all their enemy's deathsthis turned into permanent employment as a trader.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099534479</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sharon Owens1035021803|title=The Seven Secrets of Happiness|rating=4|genre=WomenAntique Hunter's Fiction|summary=It was hard to think that life wasn't perfect for Ruby O'Neill. She and Jonathan had an idyllic marriage and a beautiful home. There was a job in a dress shop which she enjoyed and although she might not be close Guide to her parents she had good friends. It was Christmas Eve and the tree had just been delivered by a lovely man on behalf of the garden centre when her world fell apart. Jonathan had been killed in a car crash.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141028564</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewMurder|author=Alan Skinner|title=Furnaces of ForgeC L Miller
|rating=3.5
|genre=TeensCrime|summary=In this [[Blue Fire and Ice (The Land) by Alan Skinner|sequel]], itIt's almost as you were, except here twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to the mysterious powers English country village where she grew up. She's back now because of the blue flame are not being used by some outlander arsonist, but have been usurped by two inept young scientists a request for help from the Myrmidotsher beloved aunt, to fuel their industryCarole. We can predict this will prove a bad thingFreya's former mentor and Carole's close friend, but the breadth of the journey to capture the flameArthur Crockleford, is dead and the efforts of all our returning characters circumstances seem suspicious, to put things right might still be a surprisesay the least.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0955726859</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Mark Simpson|title=Alastair Sim: The Star of Scrooge and the Belles of St Trinian's|rating=4|genre=Biography|summary=The mere mention of Alastair Sim conjures up visions of pictures made during the 1950s when a more gentle humour Arthur was the order of reason why Freya had not been back to the dayvillage: Arthur, she feels, let her down badly. Yet Even though they were in business together as antique hunters, she has not felt able to be near the man hated and did his best to avoid publicity, claiming that the person or pursue the public saw on screen revealed all that anybody needed to know about himprofession she loved. How he would have fared twenty years later After the split, she worked in a cafe, met and married James (on the age rebound from the love of a more intrusive pressher life, one cannot but wonderwho was murdered) and Freya and James have now divorced.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0752453726</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Saci LloydAllTomorrowsFutureCover|title=The Carbon Diaries 2017All Tomorrow's Futures: Fictions that Disrupt|author=Benjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)
|rating=5
|genre=TeensScience Fiction|summary=It's been a year since we read a diary entry from Laura Brown. We left her with a boyfriend and just 'Opening up new ways of thinking about adjusted to a Britain in the full throes shape of carbon rationingthings to come. Her nu-punk band, ''dirty angels'', hadn't quite made it, but things were looking rather promising for its future. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340970162</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dai Sijie Sunny Singh|title=Once on a Moonless NightHotel Arcadia
|rating=3.5
|genre=Literary FictionThrillers |summary=A French female scholarThe Hotel Arcadia is a luxury hotel in an unnamed city that has suddenly been violently taken over by a terrorist group. Hiding from the terrorists who are rampaging through, killing everyone on site, studying in Chinathere is Sam, finds herself caught up in the search for a lostwartime photographer and Abhi, sacred text that was inscribed on an ancient scrollthe hotel manager. The scroll was torn As Abhi continues to try to care remotely for the residents who are still alive in two the hotel, he forms a bond with Sam who refuses to be cowed by Emperor Puyi years agoevents, and was lostkeeps on venturing out of her room to try to capture what's happened through her photography. After falling in love with a young grocer called Tumchooq Although they only ever talk over the young woman becomes caught up in tales within talesphone, their friendship grows as she finds that Tumchooq's father found Abhi tries to help her keep safe and translated half of the missing scroll and became obsessed with finding the other half, and soon Tumchooq too becomes embroiled in they both wait to see if they will be rescued before they are discovered by the searchterrorists.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099521326</amazonuk>086154742X
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Nicholas Stern1529153298|title=A Blueprint for a Safer Planet: How We Can Save the World and Create Prosperity|rating=4.5|genre=Politics and Society|summary=The hardback edition List of 'A Blueprint for a Safer Planet' was published early in 2009 as an update to the 2006 Stern Review on the economics of climate change. Now here is the paperback edition, published too early to critique Copenhagen, but nonetheless an interesting read. Stern is an expert witness who presents his evidence understandably for the layman; he is unemotional and very convincing.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099524058</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewSuspicious Things|author=Robert Crawford|title=The Bard: Robert Burns - a biographyJennie Godfrey|rating=4.5|genre=BiographyGeneral Fiction|summary=If Shakespeare is EnglandIt's own Bard, the comparatively shortlived Robert Burns – who lived 1979 and worked nearly two centuries later – fulfils the equivalent role in Scottish iconography more than adequatelyMargaret Thatcher is Prime Minister. Yet as this very thorough biography demonstrates(A woman? I mean, there is much more to the man than the wordsmith of honestly...) She'Auld Lang Synes not what' and s worrying Miv'Wees family, sleekitthough. Women have been disappearing. Well, cowrinthey've been murdered, timbut to have 'rous beastiedisappeared'doesn't sound quite so frightening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1844139301</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Alyxandra Harvey|title=My Love Lies Bleeding|rating=3.5|genre=Teens|summary=Solange Drake hates being the only born female vampire. Not only does Miv's upset because she have to put up with her pheromones making 's overheard that her irresistible father wants to male vampiresmove the family 'Down South'. When you're from Yorkshire, who all want to use Down South is a frightening, foreign place, best avoided. For Miv, the move would mean leaving her to start their own vampire familiesbest friend, Sharon, and she has a prophecy looming over her head, one 'll do anything to prevent that states a female Drake vampire will overthrow . She's not worried about the current ruler dangers or that her Mum's stopped talking - to become Queen of the Vampiresanyone.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408803402</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Terence Morgan1398524085|title=The Master of BrugesHas Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?|author=Nicci French
|rating=5
|genre=Historical FictionCrime|summary=Belgium, the fifteenth centuryCharlotte Salter was expected at her husband's fiftieth birthday party but never turned up. Hans is apprenticed to a master painter in the city of BrusselsHer children, until the old curmudgeon diessons Niall, Paul and Ollie and his studio falls aparther daughter, Etty. are all worried but - strangely - her husband, Alec, is not. Luckily for HansShortly afterwards, a mistakenly drawn sketchEtty and Greg, and a bizarre rescue from find the gallows gives him a major boost - patronagebody of Greg's father, Duncan Ackerley, in the river. It was an easy assumption for both portraits the police to make that Duncan had murdered Charlie and many religious imagesthen committed suicide when he couldn't stand the guilt. With what might seem to be a patchy diary - some years have five pages only, concerning The Salter children are not convinced but there's little else they can do but one month - we see his startling life journey, covering beguiling models, ghostly war scenes, get on with their lives and even the biggest intrigues of English royal courtwonder about what really happened.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230744125</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Markus Zusak1035906708|title=Fighting Ruben WolfeDiva|author=Daisy Goodwin|rating=4.5|genre=TeensGeneral Fiction|summary=The Wolfe family are only just getting by. Times are hard for Cameron and his older brother Ruben. Their father has been injured at work and even though he's mostly recovered nowWe tend to think of Maria Callas as Greek, he's finding it hard but she was born to get jobs Greek parents in Manhattan, New York, in December 1923 and the ultimate emasculation of the dole is looming ever nearer. Older brother Steve has ambitions and he can't wait only moved to get out of the house. Sister Sarah is drinking too much and getting a tarty reputation at schoolAthens when she was thirteen. Their mother's fighting to hold things together, Her original surname was Kalogeropoulos but her father changed itto 's taking a heavy toll. Cameron and Rube canCallas't even manage to win a bet at make it more manageable in the dog track States. When she was back in Athens - even when they supposedly so that she could get appropriate training for her voice - she was raised under the Nazi occupation by a policeman to put it on mother who mercilessly exploited her and made no secret of her preference for themher elder sister, Jackie. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1862309574</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom PalmerChristopher Edge|title=Captain Fantastic (Football Academy)Black Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ryan is Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a changed boyplace that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. Since he got into hot water with manager Steve for bullying several books ago All big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of exciting films, and his captaincy of many, many snacks! However, as the United U12s was threatenedmovie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, he's been determined to get his socks firmly pulled and they are swept up. Heinto an adventure they couldn's worked really hard at redeeming himself too - both on and off the pitcht even imagine. He's more than halfway towards becoming But as they lurch from one film genre to the best captain next, can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the team's ever had. So when Craig's attitude suddenly nosedives and he starts playing dirty during games cinema, and being insolent during training, Ryan feels a big responsibility to help sort it out. their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141324724</amazonuk>1839942738
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{{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.''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Christopher Russell and Christine RussellJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Quest of the Warrior SheepPlanet Storyland|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Take five rare breed sheep, put them in Things have been a field, and wait bit sticky for something to fall out the sky on to one of themEarthlings. YouAI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they'll find the result is re paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they gather, confer among themselves, work out their sacred God Aries is in trouble as he's lost the only thing were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to confer his power over the sacred Demon think of sheepother, Lambadnew ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and decide to take the fallen object up North to return , along with it. A journey that will take them into London in a market truck, down all the Underground, and many daily social interactions on which they depend so much more on their epic journeyheavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405243767</amazonuk>1736128426
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=M J TrowMatthew Tree|title=MaxwellWe's Retirementll Never Know
|rating=4.5
|genre=CrimeLiterary Fiction|summary=Peter 'Mad Max' Maxwell has always been something of Timothy Wyndham wants nothing more than to be different from his father, a dinosaur drunk and even he realises just how far adrift he is when some chronic underachiever whose dreams of being exceptional at any of his sixth form students start receiving threatening messages on their mobilesartistic passions all failed miserably and who had endless crises of self confidence. He might prefer So Tim applied himself to make a phone call or send a note when the need ariseshis studies, cultivated his abilities rather than his daydreams and set himself high but this isn't the way of the younger generation and Maxwell discovers that he's going to have to climb a steep learning curve if he's to help his students through the problemachievable ambitions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0749007664</amazonuk>B0CVFXPGP8
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{{Frontpage
|author=A G Slatter
|title=The Briar Book of the Dead
|rating=5
|genre=Fantasy
|summary='' There's a part of me that wants to keep this just to myself for however long I can. This secret magic of my own, all mine, at last. I just want to enjoy it for a while.''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Kessler1529900360|title=MercyThe Ghost Orchid|author=Jonathan Kellerman|rating=3.54
|genre=Crime
|summary=In some waysIt hadn't been Lt Milo Sturgis's fault that Alex Delaware had been badly injured but he felt responsible and even after Alex recovered, Sturgis was reluctant to ask for his help on difficult cases. His assertions that there were only open-and-shut cases which didn't need the first line help of this novel says a psychologist only worked for a while. Finally, it all: 'Itwas Robin, Delaware's hard to sit still when your client is scheduled to die in fifteen hourspartner, who nudged Milo into asking for help again.' From this moment on, She knew that the involvement was something that the action comes thick and fastman she loved needed. The next case did look simple, leaving though. Two lovers were murdered in the reader with barely swimming pool of a remote property in Bel Air. He was the breath heir to murmer 'an Italian shoe empire and she is married to an extremely rich man and it really probable that all this 's not the Italian. But which of them was left to the last dayprimary target?' However, if you suspend your disbelief, then the author does deliver blockbuster plot twists and twirls that are very satisfactory. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561829</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lesley Pearse1529395224|title=StolenLetting the Cat Out of the Bag: The Secret Life of a Vet|author=Sion Rowlands
|rating=3.5
|genre=Women's FictionAnimals and Wildlife|summary=The story of ''Stolen'' is an interesting oneSiôn Rowlands fell into veterinary science accidentally. David Mitchell is walking along His father was a beach in Selsey, Sussex GP and Rowlands didn't want to follow in May 2003his footsteps, particularly when he comes across a young woman – beautiful, halfconsidered the strain that being on-drowned and barely alivecall put on his father's life. She is taken to hospital and her photo is featured in When he was seventeen he took the newspapers, as the police hope to discover opportunity of doing work experience with a family friend who she is. Meanwhile, Dale, was a female hairdresser, sees the photo vet and believes was convinced this was the girl to be Lottejob for him. Before long, who she befriended on he was at Liverpool University. It hadn't - as with so many students - been his dream since he was a cruise they were working onchild. Along with Dale If anything, he's colleague Scott – who also knew Lotte – they visit the girl, but she has amnesia and seems d wanted to have forgotten almost everythingbe a professional footballer.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718152859</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Thomas Trofimuk 0861541774|title=Waiting for ColumbusA Nye of Pheasants|author=Steve Burrows|rating=4.5|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=I was hooked instantly by the titleDCI Domenic Jejeune's close friend and former colleague, Danny Maik, has taken a short holiday in Singapore to meet up with an old ally, Guy Trueman. Original, thoughtMaik was involved in a street brawl - he would later maintain that he was facing a man armed with a knife -provoking, quirkyand he killed a Ghurka. The book revolves around Initially, he faced a youngish man who has been admitted charge of manslaughter but evidence came to an insane asylum (these two words alone make me want light that suggested that he might have planned to shiver) in modern-day Spainmurder the man. The staff have their work cut outNow he could be facing the death penalty. He doesnDomenic Jejeune can do nothing to help as any interference from another police force could provoke a diplomatic incident and wouldn't remember his name or anything help Danny at all about his past. He's sporadically violent - and he says he is Christopher Columbus! As the Americans would say, go figure. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330518844</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Julie HighmoreAlexander McCall Smith|title=The MessagePerfect Passion Company
|rating=4.5
|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=''The Message'' Perfect Passion Company is very much a twenty first century tale dating agency in Edinburgh, run by Ness and operating as it an alternative to all hinges on the online apps in providing a voicemail message made from a mobile phonemore personal, tailored service. It is also based on Ness has asked her younger cousin Katie if she could come and look after the fact that it business, as Ness is very easy planning to send take a message trip to one person when it is actually meant Canada to get away for someone else. This is what happens to Jen when she receives a message from her husband Robertwhile. There Katie is nothing particularly special about this message; that is until Jen realises that she is not the intended recipient and then it has coming out of a shattering effect on her marriage.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755343018</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Dugald Steer|title=The Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles Volume 2|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Daniel and Beatrice Cook are studying Dragonology break up with Dr Ernest Drakea bad boyfriend, and are awaiting so jumps at the hatching of their very own dragon eggchance to come home to Edinburgh. But suddenly their parents have gone missing And so begins this new story from Alexander McCall Smith, bringing us to an illness is killing dragons Edinburgh we already love, thanks to 44 Scotland Street and it all smells of evil dragonologist, Alexandra Gorynytchka. Before they know it, the brotherIsabel Dalhousie novels, sister and but with some new dragon chick have characters who quickly begin to deliver Liber Draconischarm. Katie has no experience in running a business, the dragon diaryor in match-making, but Ness has full confidence in her abilities, and St Petrocthere's chalice to Dr Drake in Hong Weialways her very helpful (and rather handsome) neighbour, William, which may hold the secret to the cure. As the back cover reads: ''The future of dragon kind hangs in the balance!'' lend a hand…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0763634255</amazonuk>1846976596
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Isabel Ashdown0811771741|title=GlasshopperInstaKnits for Baby|author=Melissa Leapman
|rating=4
|genre=General FictionCrafts|summary=Thirteen-yearMelissa Leapman's ''InstaKnits for Baby'' gives us a collection of knits from toys to blankets. Some will be quick knits -old Jake is just like any other boy on the cusp of puberty: new music and Saturday jobs others are at the top of his agenda, while girls are the strange exotic creatures that must be looked at but not touched (particularly his pretty Classics teacher). But behind closed doors, Jake struggles to cope with his mother's ongoing battle with depression and alcoholism. His father moved out a few weeks ago. So has his older brotherlong, Matthew. That leaves Jake as the man cosy afternoons in front of the house: fire' variety. The projects are divided by the one who must remember time they'll take to get him and little brothercomplete - less than five hours, Andyfive to ten hours, up in time for school in ten to twenty hours and more than twenty hours. All the morning; the one making toast for dinner; projects are attractive, modern and the one keeping a watchful eye over his mother to make sure she doesnuseable. I perhaps show my age when I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects' but that't get herself into any serious troubles me being picky.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0954930975</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kate Lum and Sue HellardDean Koontz|title=Princesses Are Not PerfectThe Bad Weather Friend|rating=34.5|genre=For SharingParanormal|summary=Princesses AllieBenny is having a terrifically bad day. He loses his job, Mellie and Libby love bakinghe loses his fiancee, gardening and building respectivelyhis house gets trashed. The day before the big summer party Oh, they suddenly fancy and someone has delivered a change really weird, disturbing coffin-sized object to his home, and it's possible that whoever or whatever was inside is the thing that has trashed his house! The thing is, Benny is the very last person to deserve all swap jobsthis bad luck. With He is a hundred punnets of blueberries nice person. A really nice person. So fortunately for Benny it turns out that the delivery to pickhis house is a new friend, a hundred cupcakes bad weather friend called Spike, who has been sent to makehelp him since Benny is clearly under attack from nefarious forces for being a good person. Spike is going to take care of Benny, and a hundred chairs to buildwill certainly take care of Benny's enemies, the children are going to be awfully disappointed if the princesseshe, Benny, and Harper (a waitress slash Private Investigator who finds herself roped into Benny' new-found interests aren't successfuls wild adventure) can figure out who exactly they are.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0747599297</amazonuk>1662500491
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Avivah Wittenberg-Cox and Alison MaitlandAdam Stower|title=Why Women Mean BusinessMurray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Business and FinanceConfident Readers |summary=Do you want Murray is supposed to improve your business? be a humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. Make more profits? You probably need to look at But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the sector which makes 80% of purchasing decisionscatflap they both use can chuck them out, is not into the majority regular back garden, but into a world of the talent frightening adventure and represents 59% of graduates. Womenwhiffs. 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>0470749504</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David ClaytonB0C47LV1PC|title=The Richard Beckinsale StoryFragility|author=Mosby Woods
|rating=4
|genre=BiographyLiterary Fiction|summary=A generation probably knows Richard Beckinsale only from repeats on the UK Gold TV channels, and from occasional mentions in the context of Can you make a ''Yo birthing person''how great he would have been joke? And if only…' In 1978 The Sunday Times Magazine tipped you could, is the 30-year-old sitcom favourite as a rising major star of question should you make it? Or is the 80s who question if you did, would blossom into one of it land? The catch is that the great all-round stage actorsanswer for both could well be.. One year later, he was dead.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0752454404</amazonuk>}}. no.
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=M R Hall1529431735|title=The DisappearedWinter Visitor|author=James Henry
|rating=4
|genre=Crime
|summary=We first met Jenny Cooper in [[The Coroner by M R Hall|The Coroner]] when she had just taken over 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 Coroner a wanted drug smuggler for Severn Valleya decade. ItThe return has come about because he's had a letter from his ex-wife, saying that she's now some months later ill and whilst shehasn't long to live. It's settled into hard to feel any sympathy when Hopkins is abducted, stripped to his underwear and sent to a watery grave in the job boot of a stolen Ford Sierra. Is it a warning from a Spanish gang or a problem closer to some extent her relationship home?}}{{Frontpage|author=Alex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with her officerhim, Alisonand in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is uneven and shea generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's still shaky mentally and dependant on pills parents were both lost to the titular race, a greater extent than she would care globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to admitnavigate the world in the company of a magical beast. She's This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a feisty woman though and determined that she's going confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to do enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the job properlyonly thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0230709850</amazonuk>0571382231
}}