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{{Frontpage{|class-"wikitable" cellpaddingisbn="15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->1737030942<!-- Behrend -->|title=Bag O'Goodies|-author=Jolly Walker Bittick| stylerating="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"4|genre= Anthologies|summary=Sometimes, you deserve a treat and mine was Jolly Walker Bittick's ''Bag O'Goodies''. I first encountered his writing about a year ago, when I read his [[image:1789016789Cape Henry House by Jolly Walker Bittick|Cape Henry House]], a rollicking tale of what happens when five young men find a base for their partying. Right now, I didn't want a full-length novel, so I turned to this anthology of verse and short stories. Bittick's writing has matured - and so have his characters.jpg|link=http://www Well.amazon.co.uk/dp/1789016789/refmost of them!}}{{Frontpage|isbn=nosim?tag140638853X|title=thebookbag-21Somebody Give This Heart a Pen]]|author=Sophia Thakur|rating=5|genre=Anthologies| summary=Sophia Thakur's debut anthology is a collection of poems that are all unique, whether in relation to their style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|, length or theme. The collection is split into four sections, titled 'grow', 'wait','break' and 'grow again', guiding you through a process which is one of the foundations that the anthology is built on. Each section begins with a foregrounded title page containing various small pieces of writing, ranging from a quote by a Nigerian playwright, to African proverbs. This provides a nice introduction to the section before you are immersed in the beautifully written and eloquent poems that Thakur has clearly put her heart and soul into.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1789016789|title==[[You're the Froth On My Soy Cappuccino: Poems for the Present by |author=Don Behrend]]==|rating=4 [[image:4star.jpg|linkgenre=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]]  summary=''You're the Froth On My Soy Cappuccino'' begins with ''A Modern Love Story'':

Ha! How can you not laugh at this gently mocking take on love in the hipster world? [[You're the Froth On My Soy Cappuccino: Poems for the Present by Don Behrend|Full Review]] }}<!-- Pop Up Projects -->{{Frontpage|-isbn=PUP_Rising| styletitle="widthRising Stars: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"New Young Voices in Poetry|author=Pop Up Projects[[image:PUP_Rising.jpg|leftrating=4|linkgenre=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1910959375/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] Anthologies| stylesummary="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Rising Stars: New Young Voices This collection brings together five emerging voices in Poetry by Pop Up Projects]]=== [[image:4starpoetry.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] This collection brings together five emerging voices in poetry. And And despite what the publisher says, I wouldn't personally impose an age restriction on the writing here. Each poet uses words that will appeal to many readers. I found this particularly so with Jay Hulme's poetry. [[Rising Stars: New Young Voices in Poetry by Pop Up Projects|Full Review]]}}{{Frontpage<!-- Stevenson -->|isbn=Stevenson_Garden|-title=A Child's Garden of Verses| styleauthor="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"Robert Louis Stevenson|rating=2[[image:Stevenson_Garden.jpg|left|linkgenre=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1910959103/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]Anthologies| stylesummary="vertical-align: topRobert Louis Stevenson was a very versatile writer; text-align: left;"|===[[A Childhe delved deep into the human psyche when he wrote ''s Garden The Strange Case of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson]]=== [[image:2starDoctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' but he did not restrict himself to representations of the gothic and the persecuted.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] [[:Category:ChildrenHe also wrote brilliant children's Rhymes adventure stories such as ''Treasure Island'' and Verse|Children's Rhymes and Verse]] Robert Louis Stevenson was a very versatile writer; he delved deep into the human psyche when he wrote ''The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde'Kidnapped'' , but , again, he did not restrict himself to representations prose writing because here he demonstrates his ability to write poetry.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Esiri Poem|title=A Poem for Every Day of the gothic and the persecuted. He also wrote brilliant children's adventure stories such as ''Treasure Island'' and ''Kidnapped''Year|author=Allie Esiri|rating=4|genre=Anthologies|summary=For those who do not read much poetry, but, again, he did for those who do not restrict himself know where to prose writing because here he demonstrates his ability start, this is a fun and easy commitment to write poetrytake on. [[A ChildReading a poem a day does not take long, mere minutes, and with over three-hundred poems in here there's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson|Full Review]]bound to be a poem that speaks to each reader directly.}}<!-- Esiri --> {{Frontpage|-isbn=Herbertson_Wordsworth| styletitle="widthWilliam and Dorothy Wordsworth: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|A Miscellany|author=Gavin Herbertson[[image:Esiri Poem.jpg|left|linkrating=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1509860541/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]5| stylegenre="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"Anthologies|summary===[[A Poem for Every Day William Wordsworth was a defining member of the Year by Allie Esiri]]=== [[image:4starromantic literary era.jpg|link=CategoryHe was part of the first wave, and his poetry helped to shape a large part of it. Nature was the key:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] [[:Category:Childrenexisting in nature, finding one's Rhymes own true nature and Verse|Children's Rhymes and Verse]]becoming natural in the process were the driving forces behind it.}}For those who do not read much poetry, for those who do not know where to start, this is a fun {{Frontpage|isbn=Mahfouz_Muslim|title=The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write|author=Sabrina Mahfouz|rating=5|genre=Anthologies|summary=What does it mean to be British and easy commitment to take on. Reading Muslim? This is a poem a day does not take long, mere minutes, and question these writers tackle with over threestunning clarity. Modern-hundred poems in here there's bound to be day British society has a poem that speaks varied sense of cultural heritage; it is a society that is changing and moving forward as it adds more and more voices to each reader directly. [[A Poem for Every Day of the Year by Allie Esiri|Full Review]] <!-- Herbertson -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: toppopulation, but it is also one that has an undercurrent of anxiety and fear towards those who are minorities. So this collection displays how all that fear is received; text-align: center;"|it comes in the form of stereotypical labels and racial prejudice, which are themes eloquently reproduced here.}}{{Frontpage[[image:Herbertson_Wordsworth.jpg|leftisbn=Holland Cheap|linktitle=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1903385598/refView from the Cheap Seats|author=nosim?tagBarry Holland|rating=thebookbag-21]]4|genre=Anthologies| stylesummary="vertical-align: top; textA little bit about Barry Holland: he was born in Newport, South Wales, to working-align: left;"|===[[William class parents. He loves rugby and Dorothy Wordsworth: A Miscellany by Gavin Herbertson]]=== [[image:5starhis son - his son is his favourite rugby player, which is just as it should be.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] William Wordsworth was a defining member He is a qualified engineer but is unable to work because of the romantic literary eramental ill-health. He was part All of these things feed into ''View from the first waveCheap Seats'', and his poetry helped to shape which is a large part collection of it. Nature was the key: existing in nature, finding one's own true nature poems and imaginings as vivid and becoming natural in the process were the driving forces behind it. [[William immediate and Dorothy Wordsworth: A Miscellany by Gavin Herbertson|Full Review]]striking as you could hope for. Barry sounds like a thoroughly nice bloke and his book was a pleasure to read.}}<!-- Mahfouz -->{{Frontpage|-isbn=Marshall EFT| styletitle="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"The Book of English Folk Tales|author=Sybil Marshall and John Lawrence[[image:Mahfouz_Muslim.jpg|leftrating=4|linkgenre=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0863561462/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  Anthologies| stylesummary="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[From ghosts to witches, to giants and fairies, ''The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write Book of English Folk Tales'' is a fascinating collection of stories retold by Sabrina Mahfouz]]===social historian and folklorist Sybil Marshall. Out of print for over three decades, this beautiful new clothbound edition is complete with wood-engraved illustrations by John Lawrence and is sure to capture the attention of a new generation of lovers of folklore.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Trotman_Winter[[image:5star.jpg|linktitle=CategoryWinter:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:AnthologiesA Book for the Season|Anthologies]] [[:Category:Literary Fictionauthor=Felicity Trotman (editor)|Literary Fiction]]rating=4|genre=AnthologiesWhat does it mean to be British and Muslim? |summary=This is seasonal anthology contains a question these writers tackle with stunning claritynice mixture of poetry, nature and travel pieces, and excerpts from longer works of fiction. Modern day British society has Felicity Trotman, a varied sense freelance editor and member of cultural heritage; it is a society that is changing and moving forward as it adds more and more voices to the populationEnglish Civil War Society, but it is also one that has an undercurrent of anxiety arranged the material into three sections: 'The Old Year', 'Christmas, Sacred and Secular', and fear towards those who are minorities'The New Year'. So this collection displays how all that fear is received; it comes in This creates an appropriate sense of chronological progression and also serves to make Christmas the form heart of stereotypical labels the book. Black-and racial prejudice-white illustrations – maps, which photographs and engravings – are themes eloquently reproduced hereinterspersed throughout, and each author gets a short paragraph of biography and background. [[The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write by Sabrina Mahfouz|Full Review]]}}<!-- Holland -->{{Frontpage|-isbn=Elphinstone_Winter| styletitle="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"Winter Magic|author=Abi Elphinstone (Editor)[[image:Holland Cheap.jpg|left|linkrating=http://www3.amazon.co.uk/dp/1524633127/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] 5| stylegenre="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"Anthologies|summary===[[View With everything from the Cheap Seats by Barry Holland]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:dragons to mysterious crimes, voice-stealing witches to time travel, and magical worlds to first performances of world-famous ballets, this is a collection of short stories that delights from start to finish. Anthologies|Anthologies]] A little bit about Barry Holland: he was born in Newportof short stories can sometimes fall flat, South Waleswith one or two good ones and then a bunch of mediocre fillers, to working class parentsbut this collection has no weak links.. He loves rugby .all the stories are good, and his son - his son is his favourite rugby player, which is just as it should bemost of them are brilliant. He is a qualified engineer but is unable to work because of mental ill healthI felt entirely caught up in each individual world as I read, loving the varied and extremely likeable heroines throughout. All of these things feed into ''View from the Cheap Seats}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Phinn_Virgin|title=The Virgin Mary'', which is a collection of poems and imaginings as vivid and immediate and striking as you could hope fors Got Nits|author=Gervase Phinn|rating=4. Barry sounds like 5|genre=Anthologies|summary=Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a thoroughly nice bloke plane and his book was a pleasure head to read.[[View either sun or snow, anywhere that is far, far away from the Cheap Seats by Barry Holland|Full Review]] <!-- Marshall -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Marshall EFTmadness at home, last-minute dashes to the shops on Christmas Eve and food cupboard stockpiles that would imply supermarkets are shutting for a month, nor a mere 36 hours.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1468313177/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Book of English Folk Tales by Sybil Marshall But I do remember the feeling of Christmas when I was younger, back when it was magical, and John Lawrence]]=== [[image:4starback when you knew exactly what the season would bring with carol concerts and school nativities and Christmas parties.jpg|link=Category:This book is an anthology of those moments, and it took me right back to the wonder of Christmas as a child.}}{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:AnthologiesFrontpage|Anthologies]], [[isbn=Ayrton_Pasaran|title=No Pasaran:Category:Short StoriesWritings from the Spanish Civil War|Short Stories]]author=Pete Ayrton (editor)|rating=4From ghosts to witches, to giants and fairies, |genre=Anthologies|summary=In ''The Book of English Folk Tales¡No Pasarán!: Writings from the Spanish Civil War'' is , Pete Ayrton has chosen a fascinating collection majority of stories retold texts by social historian and folklorist Sybil Marshall. Out Spanish writers, arguing that the conflict has long been written about from the point of view of print for over three decades, this beautiful new clothbound edition is complete with wood engraved illustrations by John Lawrence and is sure to capture the attention of a new generation of lovers of folkloreinternational brigades. [[The Book of English Folk Tales by Sybil Marshall and John Lawrence}}{{Frontpage|Full Review]] <!-- Trotman -->isbn=Edwards_Manor|-title=Murder at the Manor: Country House Mysteries (British Library Crime Classics)| styleauthor="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|Martin Edwards (editor)[[image:Trotman_Winter.jpg|left|linkrating=http://www4.amazon.co.uk/dp/1445664747/ref5|genre=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] Anthologies| stylesummary="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Winter: A Book for the Season by Felicity Trotman (I'm not big on short stories, but two factors nudged me towards this book. Firstly, it's broadly golden age crime, one of my weaknesses and secondly, the editor)]]=== is [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|AnthologiesMartin Edwards|Martin Edwards]], [[:Category:Reference|Reference]] This seasonal anthology contains a nice mixture man whose knowledge of poetry, nature golden age crime is probably unsurpassed and travel pieceshe's done us proud, and excerpts from longer works not only with his selection but with the half-page biographies of fiction. Felicity Trotmanthe writers, a freelance editor which precede each story. There's just enough there to allow you to place the author and member of the English Civil War Society, has arranged the material into three sections: to direct you to other works if you'The Old Yearre tempted. It's an elegant selection, 'Christmas, Sacred from the well known and Secular'the less well known, all set in and 'The New Year'around the country house. This creates an appropriate sense of chronological progression, and also serves to make Christmas the heart of }}{{Frontpage|isbn=Colfer_Place|title=Once Upon a Place|author=Eoin Colfer (editor)|rating=3.5|genre=Anthologies|summary=You know the bit of the blurb on every ''Artemis Fowl'' book. Black, where Eoin Colfer had it said about how you pronounce his name? That wasn't the intention of an up-and-white illustrations – mapscoming author to be recognisable; rather, photographs and engravings – are interspersed throughoutit was pride. Pride in the difference of it, and each author gets a short paragraph of biography and background [[Winter: A Book for the Season by Felicity Trotman (editor)|Full Review]] <!-- Elphinstone -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Elphinstone_WinterIrishness of it. Ireland, it seems to me, is more full than usual of people, things and ideas, and places that are different by dint of their singular nationality – and so many deserve to have pride attached to them. The places might not be the famous ones, but they can be the source of pride, and of stories, which is where this compilation of short works for the young comes in, with the authors invited to select their chosen place and write about it.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1471159809/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Cleeves_Murder|title=The Starlings and Other Stories|author===[[Winter Magic by Abi Elphinstone Ann Cleeves (Editoreditor)]]=|rating=4|genre=Anthologies [[image:5star.jpg|linksummary=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Confident Readers|Confident Readers]]Six authors, [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] With everything from dragons to mysterious crimes, voice-stealing witches to time travelknown collectively as 'Murder Squad', and magical worlds to first performances their six accomplices were each given photographs of world-famous ballets, this is the remote landscape of Pembrokeshire by acclaimed photographer David Wilson and asked to come up with a collection of short stories that delights from start to finishstory inspired by what they saw. Anthologies Some of short the stories can sometimes fall flatwill be more to your taste than others, with one or two good ones and then as is only to be expected in such a bunch of mediocre fillersvaried anthology, but this collection has no none are weak links...all the and if you enjoy crime short stories are good, and most of them are brilliantthen this book could be a real treat. I felt entirely caught up in each individual world as I read, loving }}{{Frontpage|isbn=Milne_Love|title=Love From Pooh (Winnie the varied and extremely likeable heroines throughout. [[Winter Magic by Abi Elphinstone (EditorPooh)|Full Review]] <!-- Phinn -->author=A A Milne|-rating=5| stylegenre="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|Anthologies[[image:Phinn_Virgin.jpg|left|linksummary=http://www.amazonFor a small book, a small review – this is a quite delightful little thing, about which not a lot can be said.co.uk/dp/1444779400/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"| ===[[The Virgin Mary It is a gift book pure and simple, much in the way that Pooh Bear was a little simple at times (''s Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4Pooh… thought how wonderful it would be to have a Real Brain which could tell you things'').5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] With it comes a simple blurb, [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house and almost instructions that it is for giving, and there is a space for a loving dedication at the time we tend to get on a plane and head to either sun or snowbeginning, anywhere that which is faragain only apt, far away from the madness at homeas it is all about love. Love of honey, last minute dashes to the shops on Christmas Evelove in friendship, and food cupboard stockpiles that would imply supermarkets are shutting for a monthlove of all various kinds, nor a mere 36 hoursbut just love. But I do remember the feeling of Christmas when I was younger, back when it was magical, and back when It can't help but make you knew exactly what the season would bring with carol concerts and school nativities and Christmas partiesmost warm-hearted. This book is an anthology of those moments, and it took me right back to the wonder of Christmas as a child. [[The Virgin Mary's Got Nits by Gervase Phinn|Full Review]] <!-- Ayrton -->}}{{Frontpage|-isbn=Walton_Scifi| styletitle="widthWhat Makes This Book So Great: 10%; verticalRe-align: top; text-align: center;"Reading The Classics Of Science Fiction And Fantasy|author=Jo Walton[[image:Ayrton_Pasaran.jpg|leftrating=5|linkgenre=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/184668997X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] Anthologies| stylesummary="verticalJo Walton has published over ten books, several of which have been award-align: winning. On top; textof that, she has a voracious appetite for books - both as a well-align: left;"|===[[No Pasaran: Writings from the Spanish Civil War by Pete Ayrton (editor)]]=== [[image:4starrespected writer of original fiction, but as a well-respected reviewer too.jpg|link=Category:{{{ratingNot only does she have time to do all that, but she also writes a regular column for Tor.com, on Science Fiction and Fantasy books, and it is these columns that a selection of which are collected here.}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies{{Frontpage|Anthologies]]isbn=Tennant_Grub|title=Did We Meet on Grub Street?In ''¡No Pasarán!: Writings from |author=Emma Tennant, Hilary Bailey and David Elliott|rating=3.5|genre=Anthologies|summary=Essentially, the Spanish Civil War'', Pete Ayrton has chosen a majority three authors (all of texts by Spanish writers, arguing that whom have long careers in the conflict has long been written about from book industry) revel in the point of view idea of being whining old curmudgeons who miss the international brigadesgood old days of publishing. [[No Pasaran: Writings This unashamed nostalgia provides the focus of the book and allows the writers to recount numerous anecdotes from their days in the Spanish Civil War by Pete Ayrton (editor)|Full Review]] <!-- Edwards -->|-| style="widthpublishing business. Whilst the primary audience for this book may well be students of creative writing and media studies, it also serves as an interesting exploration of an aspect of modern history: 10%; verticalhow a once-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Edwards_Manorburgeoning industry is now a shell of its former self, much like a lot of manufacturing.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0712309934/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbagBecause of this, I was disappointed that no space was given to a consideration of how the rise of the e-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Murder at book and Kindle has directly damaged both the sale of books and the Manor: Country House Mysteries potential for new books to be written (British Library Crime Classics) by Martin Edwards (editor)]]fewer real books sold =fewer financial advances paid to writers == [[image:4fewer books written).5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime (Historical)|Crime (Historical)]]Also, [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]]given the clear love of books as treasured artefacts, the dismissal of the Harry Potter phenomenon seems truculent, given the impetus the series gave to reading amongst both the young and adults.}}I'm not big on short stories, but two factors nudged me towards this book. Firstly{{Frontpage|isbn=Penzler_Big|title=The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries|author=Otto Penzler (editor)|rating=5|genre=Anthologies|summary=Nostalgia is a big part of the Christmas experience, itand that's broadly golden age crime, one provided in sack-loads by this hefty tome of my weaknesses short stories. Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and secondlyBrother Cadfael jostle Morse, the editor is [[:Category:Martin Edwards|Martin Edwards]]Rumpole and Vic Warshawski for space on these tightly packed pages, a man whose knowledge of golden age crime is probably unsurpassed while lesser-known and long since forgotten writers furnish new and he's done us proud, not only with his selection, but with the halfunexpected pleasures for even the most well-page biographies read of the writers, which precede each storybook worms. There's just enough there }}Move on to allow you to place the author and to direct you to other works if you're tempted. It's an elegant selection, from the well known and the less well known, all set in and around the country house. [[Murder at the Manor: Country House Mysteries (British Library Crime Classics) by Martin Edwards (editor)|Full Review]] <!-- Colfer -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Colfer_Place.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/191041137X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Once Upon a Place by Eoin Colfer (editor)]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Confident Readers|Confident Readers]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] You know the bit of the blurb on every ''Artemis Fowl'' book, where Eoin Colfer had it said about how you pronounce his name? That wasn't the intention of an up-and-coming author to be recognisable; rather, it was pride. Pride in the difference of it, of the Irishness of it. Ireland, it seems to me, is more full than usual of people, things and ideas, and places that are different by dint of their singular nationality – and so many deserve to have pride attached to them. The places might not be the famous ones, but they can be the source of pride, and of stories, which is where this compilation of short works for the young comes in, with the authors invited to select their chosen place and write about it. [[Once Upon a Place by Eoin Colfer (editor)|Full Review]] <!-- Cleeves -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Cleeves_Murder.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1909823740/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Starlings and Other Stories by Ann Cleeves (editor)]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Six authors, known collectively as 'Murder Squad', and their six accomplices were each given photographs of the remote landscape of Pembrokeshire by acclaimed photographer David Wilson and asked to come up with a short story inspired by what they saw. Some of the stories will be more to your taste than others, as is only to be expected in such a varied anthology, but none are weak and if you enjoy crime short stories then this book could be a real treat. [[The Starlings and Other Stories by Ann Cleeves (editor)|Full Review]] <!-- Milne -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Milne_Love.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1405276150/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Love From Pooh (Winnie the Pooh) by A A Milne]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] For a small book, a small review – this is a quite delightful little thing, about which not a lot can be said. It is a gift book pure and simple, much in the way that Pooh Bear was a little simple at times (''Pooh… thought how wonderful it would be to have a Real Brain which could tell you things''). With it comes a simple blurb, and almost instructions that it is for giving, and there is a space for a loving dedication at the beginning, which is again only apt, as it is all about love. Love of honey, love in friendship, love of all various kinds, but just love. It can't help but make you most warm-hearted. [[Love From Pooh (Winnie the Pooh) by A A Milne|Full Review]] <!-- Walton -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Walton_Scifi.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472111613/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[What Makes This Book So Great: Re-Reading The Classics Of Science Fiction And Fantasy by Jo Walton]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]], [[:Category:Fantasy|Fantasy]], [[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]] Jo Walton has published over ten books, several of which have been award winning. On top of that, she has a voracious appetite for books - both as a well respected writer of original fiction, but as a well respected reviewer too. Not only does she have time to do all that, but she also writes a regular column for Tor.com, on Science Fiction and Fantasy books, and it is these columns that a selection of which are collected here. [[What Makes This Book So Great: Re-Reading The Classics Of Science Fiction And Fantasy by Jo Walton|Full Review]] <!-- Tennant -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Tennant_Grub.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0704372983/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Did We Meet on Grub Street? by Emma Tennant, Hilary Bailey and David Elliott]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Entertainment|Entertainment]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]], [[:Category:History|History]] Essentially, the three authors (all of whom have long careers in the book industry) revel in the idea of being whining old curmudgeons who miss the good old days of publishing. This unashamed nostalgia provides the focus of the book and allows the writers to recount numerous anecdotes from their days in the publishing business. Whilst the primary audience for this book may well be students of creative writing and media studies, it also serves as an interesting exploration of an aspect of modern history: how a once-burgeoning industry is now a shell of its former self, much like a lot of manufacturing. Because of this, I was disappointed that no space was given to a consideration of how the rise of the e-book and Kindle has directly damaged both the sale of books and the potential for new books to be written (fewer real books sold = fewer financial advances paid to writers = fewer books written). Also, given the clear love of books as treasured artifacts, the dismissal of the Harry Potter phenomenon seems truculent, given the impetus the series gave to reading amongst both the young and adults. [[Did We Meet on Grub Street? by Emma Tennant, Hilary Bailey and David Elliott|Full Review]] <!-- Penzler -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Penzler_Big.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1784082252/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries by Otto Penzler (editor)]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Nostalgia is a big part of the Christmas experience, and that's provided in sack-loads by this hefty tome of short stories. Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Brother Cadfael jostle Morse, Rumpole and Vic Warshawski for space on these tightly packed pages, while lesser known and long since forgotten writers furnish new and unexpected pleasures for even the most well-read of book worms. [[The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries by Otto Penzler (editor)|Full Review]] <!-- Palahniuk -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Palahniuk_Burnt.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178329552X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Burnt Tongues: An Anthology of Transgressive Short Stories by Chuck Palahniuk, Dennis Widmyer and Richard Thomas]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Saying certain things out loud just don’t sound right. Some things are so disturbing or politically incorrect that you are best off leaving them inside your head, or better yet not thinking of them at all. When these words are spoken they could lead to the sensation of Burnt Tongue; an aftereffect of knowing what you said was wrong. Are you prepared to enter the world of Transgressive Fiction that aims to disturb, alienate, disgust and question? [[Burnt Tongues: An Anthology of Transgressive Short Stories by Chuck Palahniuk, Dennis Widmyer and Richard Thomas|Full Review[[Newest Art Reviews]] <!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->|}