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[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]]__NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{|class-"wikitable" cellpadding="15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE--><!-- van LENTE -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1683690346.jpg|link=Humourhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=__NOTOC__thebookbag-21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=A J Jacobs"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=My Experimental Life|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]==A J Jacobs has a reputation for setting himself onerous tasks. His first book was about reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica; his second detailed a year spent according to the Biblical precepts. In My Experimental Life, he recounts nine briefer episodes of living outside his comfort zone.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099547422</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Seth Grahame-Smith|title=Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter|rating=3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|genre=Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|summary='Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.' That quote, on the Statue of Liberty, was probably not designed with the inclusion of vampires in mind. But by some means or another North America is rife with the things – hiding in plain sight, as the older ones can bear sunlight, with the help of darkened glasses. It might just come down to one eager young man to rid his new country of such things, on his way to something he’s a bit more known for.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849014086</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=Jane AustenComic-Cons are a place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, Seth Grahameand when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Smith Con, he's looking for both that and Tony Lee|title=Pride sanctuary with other fans and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel|rating=3|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie story of any renown will not remain simply a zombie story. Before you can say ''creators, plus the risen undead'' it will become a series chance of booksmaybe, inspiring others, and/or lead to the same story being published in many different guisesjust maybe reuniting with his ex. HereHowever, thenwhen his rival is found dead, on its way Mike is forced to Hollywood, is Jane Austen’s story navigate every dark corner of Lizzie Bennet, the feisty young woman trying con in order to ignore Mr Darcy while fighting off the ''manky unmentionables'' clear his name – at least she is until the hidden truths open up from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to herzombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, in doing so, may just as the soft soils of Hertfordshire do to yield their once-human remainsunravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator. And this time it’s in graphic novel form.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848566948</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Coulton -->|author=Paul Magrs-|titlestyle=Hell's Belles"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=3[[image:1473669588.5jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=The idea behind this series of novels is quite enchanting and amusinghttp://www. Frankenstein's daughter is living and sleuthing in Whitby, ably aided and abetted by her sidekick, the enigmatic Effie, and a growing menagerie of younger accomplices, namely Michael and Pennyamazon. Whilst the original idea showed huge promise, I felt that the author has rather overdone it in terms of output, in his desire to capitalise on his original successco. Book two in the series was quite disappointing, relying on sensationalism rather than adequate plot and character development. Book three was an improvementuk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-and I'm delighted to report that this, the fourth book in the series, shows him returning to form with the promise we saw in the first of the series.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755346467</amazonuk>}}21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Nick Wadley"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=Man + Dog|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton]]==Throughout my life I've lived with dogs or deeply regretted the fact that I lacked a canine companion. Watching a dog – or better still, the interaction between dogs – is infinitely better than anything on television and it's sheer joy to see how man and dog interacts and how, so often, they hold a mirror up to each other.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1564785521</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview[[image:4star.jpg|authorlink=The Harvard Lampoon|title=NightlightCategory: A Parody of Twilight |{{{rating=3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|genre=General Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=Most people will have heard of the worldwide phenomenon that is Humour]], [[Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:Category:Women's Fiction|TwilightWomen's Fiction]]. The books by Stephenie Meyer and the film have made a legend of the romance between vampire Edward Mullen (Robert Pattinson plays the movie role) and teenage schoolgirl Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart).|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849013330</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Steven Lowe and Alan McArthur |title=Is it Just Me or Has the Shit Hit the Fan?: Your Hilarious New Guide to Unremitting Global Misery|rating=3|genre=Humour|summary=Lex Coulton''The banks fell over like fat Labradors running over s debut novel is a wet kitchen floor.'' Surely that is the wackieststory about mistakes, failures, most inappropriate simile for the credit crunch and all it has done for the worldrelationships. You won't get any such namby-pamby animal likenesses from these authorsThe main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, instead with quite is a potty mouth on them they will lambast the modern world, the entire banking system, all those sixth form English teacher who failed to see it cominghas recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, and those millions just seemingly waiting for us all to revert to high-interest, high-risk, high-lending capitalism, so they can get back on the expenses traina work colleague, and back up is grappling with the rich listsincreasingly eccentric behaviour of her mother.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847443656</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Eoin Colfer|title=And Another Thing ... Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to This relationship is complicated by the Galaxy: Part Six of Three (Hitchhikers Guide 6) |rating=3.5|genre=Science Fiction|summary=Of all the big books announced for this year, this one must have raised more eyebrows than many. Why try and write a new Hitchhikerfact that Frances's Guide to the Galaxy book, father disappeared at sea when way before the end, its creator Douglas Adams she was proving quite hopeless at such a task? And why approach an Irishman, Eoin Colfer, when the originals - tempered with their humour which could only be described as Monty Python doing a sci-fi Terry Pratchett, and with their cups of tea and dressing gowns, could only be described as very English? Well the answer is most evident - Colfer is a world-beater when it comes to knocking up a storyfive years old.[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718155149</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- van LENTE -->|author=The Vampire Miles Proctor-|titlestyle=The New Vampire's Handbook"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=3[[image:1683690346.5jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=I shall start with a predictionhttp://www. I will not become a vampire, for this imminent Hallowe'en, any festive fancy dress parties, or indeed for life as the lifeless undeadamazon. I will not need tips on filing my fangs, or how to divert attention from the fact I cannot eat human food at dinner partiesco. Me and my reflection in mirrors will remain intact. But for those of you reading this at night, somewhere, flameproof cape at hand, with your distaste of garlic, publicity and presumably the anaemic, this is the sterling howuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-to lifestyle guide.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224086464</amazonuk>}}21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Richard Horne "vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=A is for Armageddon|rating=2.5|genre=Humour|summary=[[The world is definitely going to hell in a handcart. We're only just preventing lethal global warming Con Artist by having a credit crunch that has prevented a lot of big building, air travel, and consumerism. The population is getting so obese there is no room for any more of us - and add that to the exploding population statistics, and it's never going to look better. And don't get me started on where all the bees have gone...|amazonukFred Van Lente]]===<amazonuk>0224086197</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=James May[[image:4star.jpg|titlelink=Car FeverCategory: Dispatches From Behind The Wheel|{{{rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|genre=Lifestyle|summary=NowCrime]], way back when I was younger, and watched TV a lot, I am sure I remember Top Gear as being a consumer programme. How times change. These days I am sure they destroy more cars than they review, and the three main people from the show are approaching superstar status, with their amenable personalities, awkward wardrobe choices and trenchant laddish charms. They've sprung their media entities from out of the studio, into other TV programmes, and the world of journalism, with chatty columns in the broadsheets allowing them free rein to witter to their heart's desire. And here, in one grandiloquent volume, and in time for Christmas, are many of James May's desires.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340994533</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=Jane Austen Comic-Cons are a place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, and Seth Grahamewhen Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Smith |title=Pride Con, he's looking for both that and Prejudice sanctuary with other fans and Zombies|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary=Ahcreators, plus the benefits to a good book chance of a classic first line. 'Call me Ishmaelmaybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex.' 'It was a bright cold day in AprilHowever, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' Who can forget Iain Banks' 'It was the day my grandmother exploded'? Or those timeless words by Jane Austenwhen his rival is found dead, 'It Mike is a truth universally acknowledged that a forced to navigate every dark corner of the con in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie in possession of brains obstacle courses – Mike must be prove his innocence and, in want of more brainsdoing so, may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.'[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594743347</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Curran -->|author=Harry Hill-|titlestyle=Tim The Tiny Horse At Large|rating=4"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|genre=Humour|summary=It's been a while since Tim and Fly's [[Tim the Tiny Horse by Harry Hillimage:1683690133.jpg|last adventures]], and changes are afoot in Tim's tiny worldlink=http: Fly is getting married to his girlfriend//www. Tim's a little worried because they've only known each other for a weekamazon. The marriage goes ahead, and Tim finds himself kicking his heels, so he gets a petco. And so the brief episodes in the life of a horse who lives in a matchbox continue.|amazonukuk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>0571244157</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Sam Savage"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=The Cry of the Sloth|rating=3.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Meet Andrew Whittaker. In some untold time of recent American history, he is forced through a failed marriage and an artistic temperament at odds with so many other people, to let properties to tenants he does not like, for $120 a month. The lodgers might not like the state of the buildings - ceilings falling through and so on - but that[[My Lady's another matter. He would much prefer to be left alone in front of his little Olivetti typewriter Choosing by Kitty Curran and create art. He runs a literary journal, of a kind, called "Soap", which no-one likes, no-one reads (and often, with dodgy, cheap printing, no-one could physically read it anyway), and which makes him poorer in time, money and spirit.|amazonukLarissa Zageris]]===<amazonuk>0297856499</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Christopher Moore|title=You Suck|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|genre=Humour]], [[:Category:Historical Fiction|summary=You know that old adage about books and covers? Well this is a case in point. The title isn't great, but the cover design for the paperback imprint is, like, duh!, the pits. It is so uncool…so unrep-resent-ative of the book. This is not a cocktail thing. Not even a "Bloody Mary" thing. Historical Fiction]]

WellYou are a lass of twenty eight. Plucky, except for penniless and in Regency era London the tiny bit that race ison to find a suitable suitor - or else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. Along your journey you'll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - a fiesty noble eager to save you from a life alone, and fired by a rogueish sense for adventure. When it comes to suitors though, but you'll discover that in due coursehave to make the ultimate decision between witty, pretty and wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, wholesome, rugged and caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, or the mad, bad and terrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven. With orphans, werewolves, long lost lovers and ancient Egyptian artifcats along the way, it's clear this isn't going to be an easy decision...[[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841498092</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Jester -->|author=Hugh Murr and Sid Nigtures -|titlestyle=Cyber Sign Offs"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=2[[image:Jester_Forever.jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=I admit I had the wrong end of the stick when it came to this book, before I opened it at leasthttps://www. I had assumed it was a collection of real-life on-line signatures - we've all seen them, those straplines people have on all their forum postsamazon.co. The obvious response would have been along the lines of 'fair enough, but why is this a book in this day and age, and not a websiteuk/gp/product/1510704361?'. But no. This is a collection of dialogues between two people ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag- shall we call them Sue deNim and Allie Bye, who have a line or two to say to each other, and a made-up name (sorry, make that May Dupp-Name) with which to sign it off. Much jolly nonsense ensues.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>1904312497</amazonuk>}}1510704361]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Simon Brett"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King's Daughter|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=There can be few people who have written eighty books without me even having picked up one of them. At least, and at last, I have redressed that fault in the case of Simon Brett, and have come to the conclusion there are 79 more that will be worth investigating. Here we meet for the first time Blotto (posh idiotic son of [[Forever After: a dowager duchess) and Twinks (posh brilliant genius sister to Blotto), their family, their surroundings, and the corpse inconveniently disturbing a dinner party.|amazonukdark comedy by David Jester]]===<amazonuk>1845299353</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Karl Pilkington|title=Karlology|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|genre=HumourParanormal]], [[:Category:Horror|summary=The Radio Five film critic Mark Kermode has a rule when reviewing comedies. If he laughs more than five times then the film deserves its billing as a comedy. If that rule was applied to Karl Pilkington's new book Karlology then it would easily fit into the category for there are laugh aplenty in this strangeHorror]], amusing and charming little book.[[:Category:Fantasy|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140533746X</amazonuk>}}Fasntasy]]

{{newreview|author=Joe Stretch|title=Wildlife|rating=3|genre=Humour|summary=The word ''Twitter'' doesn't occur in Joe Stretch's vocabulary, but that's what his book Michael Holland is about. Life in a cocky and brash young man who dies and gets made the blogosphere, massively exaggerated, where people don't leave their desks but nevertheless come together (but never literally) in satisfying their deepest, darkest desires. If I've made it sound even faintly exciting, believe me, Joe Stretch is a fantasist with realist tendencies. What he is after is laughteroffer of his lifetime; what he produces is a virtual simulacrumimmortality. Sniggery-pokeryWe follow Michael, jiggery-jokery, he tinkers with the twilight zone of a future-scenario where, for reasons beyond all understanding, some robotic grim reaper and literal Dickhead his friends Chip (i.e. a man with stoner tooth fairy) and Naff (a dick fixed to his forehead – I kid you notstoner in the records department) decides to target as they grapple with their long lives and finding a few selected humans for a make-over in his own image. Given that virtual worlds exist clean surface to pull in punters who don't like themselves sit on in the real one, and their main purpose is to make money, one's only question must beflat. [[Forever After: why?a dark comedy by David Jester|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099532077</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Stibbe -->|author=Michael Marr-|titlestyle=Three Jumpers"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=5[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.jpg|genre=Literary Fictionleft|summarylink=When Bardolph Middle placed an ad in the paper proclaiming he was a writer, he thought he might get the odd request to write a speech or twohttps://www. Maybe, if he was very lucky, a company might ask him to conceive an entire marketing plan and advertising campaignamazon. What he never expected was this job offer…|amazonukco.uk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>1906558485</amazonuk>}}0241309824]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Lady Annabel Goldsmith"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Copper: A Dog's Life|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Copper was one of a litter of dogs born to a stray bitch and who was 'adopted' [[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Lady Annabel Goldsmith - or might it be the other way round?. Here he tells his story in his own words as transcribed for him by his owner. He's got his own priorities – and obedience is not one of them – along with a roving spirit. It's perhaps fortunate that he's a dog as this allows you to call him 'cheeky' and 'charming'. If he was a human being 'randy' and 'arrogant' would be two of the first words which came to mind.|amazonukNina Stibbe]]===<amazonuk>0751538205</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Tim Moore[[image:4.5star.jpg|titlelink=I Believe in YesterdayCategory: My Adventures in Living History|{{{rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|genre=Humour|summary=Common opinion has it that the television programme ''Time Team'' did a lot for the public image of archaeologists – bringing them out of their holes in the ground]], and making them seem like exciting, interesting people with a good way of putting their knowledge across. However it was clearly a much harder task when it came to those background artistes they have sometimes, walking up and down in Roman centurion gear, or living the historical lifestyle as a re-enactment.[[:Category:Short Stories|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224077813</amazonuk>}}Short Stories]]

{{newreview|author=L Vaughan Spencer|title=Don't Be Needy Be Succeedy|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Are you underperforming in your business Christmas – the time of traditional trauma. You only have to think about the turkey for that – once upon a time it was leaving it sat on the downstairs loo to defrost overnight, and personal lives? Do you underestimate if that failed the importance of good hair and moisturised skin in achieving -dryer shoved inside it treatment was your life goals? Are you stumbling through life in a Fast-Moving Business Environment (FMBE) without a motivational mantra to guide you? Then you need this booknext best bet. As Nowadays it's all having to make sure it'The A s suitably free-range and organic – but not too organic that you can go and visit it, and get too friendly with it to want to Zee of Motivitality''eat it. Christmas, though, this is of course also a dictionary time of achievement from great boons. It's cash in hand for a man lot of plump people who can teach hire red suits and beards, it was always a godsend for postmen with all the thank-you how letters to succeed like aunties you saw twice a toothless budgie.decade that your parents made you write out in long-hand as a child, and as for the makers of Meltis Newberry Fruits – well, did they even try and sell them any other time of the year? [[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846681634</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Doescher -->|author=Mark Crick -|titlestyle=Sartre's Sink"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: The Great Writers' Complete Book of DIYcenter;"|rating=4[[image:Doescher_Will.jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=''Sartre's Sink'' comprises fourteen short story parodies of some of the world's best known writers – the twist being that the stories are all about undertaking some mundane DIY task such as tiling a bathroom (Dostoevsky) or reglazing a window (Milan Kundera)https://www. So far it sounds a bit like some pretentious Oxbridge student twaddleamazon. You can just imagine how the idea came up over an over-ripe Brie and an underrated bottle of 1963 Taylor's portco. It also rather smacks of that Radio 4 programme which I detest with an absolute passion uk/gp/product/159474985X?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag- I can't even stand writing its name, ugh - ''Quote Unquote'', in which parodies do feature, read out by smug self-congratulatory writer darlings (you can tell I don't like it, can't you?). However, dear readers, this book is rather enjoyable and I speak as someone who is rather less versed in the writings of this famous lot than I care to admit.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>1847080472</amazonuk>}}159474985X]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Ian Crofton"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=History Without the Boring Bits|rating=5|genre=History|summary=I was never one for history, and in fact left the dregs of a history teacher in tatters when I scraped through with a D. Still, history is an odd thing – written by the winners of course, and annoyingly biased in my mind towards the plain. There[[William Shakespeare's no real reason to remember the order of Henry VIII's six wives, but we can only relish Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the one credited with polydactylism, a third nipple and whatnot (the second one, in fact – whoever that was).|amazonukSeventh by Ian Doescher]]===<amazonuk>1847243746</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Jim Holt|title=Stop Me If You've Heard This|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|genre=Science Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=As far as I can remember, my first time in print was when I submitted some jokes to a charity's themed joke collection. Before then, some of my first actions as a child might have been laughing, and what is cuter in a baby than that? But why was that infant laughing – he didn't have a joke he could get, surely?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184668109X</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=P G Wodehouse |title=Joy A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, there was a man called William Shakespeare, who was able to create a series of dramatic histories full of machinations most foul, rulers most evil and rebellious heroes and heroines most sturdy. You may or may not have noticed the Morning|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary=cinematic version of his original stage play for ''Joy in the MorningThe Force Doth Awaken'' is another novel from P.G. Wodehouse's wonderful series of books about Bertram Wooster and Jeeves. Bertie is a young gentleman of inherited means and no present occupation. He is a good humoured and well-meant chap, however clearly not but here at last we get the smartest tool actual script, complete with annoying-in the shed. Bertie seems -different-ways-to have a talent of getting himself into trouble but that is where Jeeves-before droids anew, returning heroes from elsewhere in his loyaloeuvre, educated and painfully clever butler comes to people keeping it in the family til it hurts. And if you need further encouragement, don't forget his rescue. Jeeves audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the series is irreplaceable when it comes so popular we're on to saving Bertie from whatever creative, complicated and incredibly funny situations Wodehouse puts his characters through.part seven – surely making this over twice as good… [[William Shakespeare's the Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099513765</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Goss -->|author=P G Wodehouse-|titlestyle=Thank You, Jeeves"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:Goss_600.jpg|genre=General Fictionleft|summarylink=Bertie Wooster was once engaged to Pauline Stokerhttps://www. It didn't last very long – about forty eight hours, most of which Bertie spent in bed with a bad cold, if his memory serves him correctlyamazon. It's still embarrassing when he meets Pauline and her father, particularly as it was the father who was responsible for breaking off the engagementco. Rather than eat at the Savoy Grill where he spotted the Stokers, he goes home to his only consolation. Bertie plays the banjo. Unfortunately, he doesn't play it very well.|amazonukuk/gp/product/1785942719?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0099513730</amazonuk>}}1785942719]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Philip Moore "vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Utterly Ridiculous|rating=3 |genre=Humour|summary=If I learned nothing else from this book, I now know of a new profession[[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: aircraft cleaner. For that is the trade A Collection of Dave, the hero of ''Utterly Ridiculous''. With little but a van Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and his torpid terrier Biggles, Dave roves the airstrips of southern England, titivating light aircraft.|amazonukRussell T Davies]]===<amazonuk>1906221685</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{newreview|author=John Mole |title=I Was a Potato Oligarch{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category: Travels Children's Rhymes and Travails in the New RussiaVerse|rating=1 |genre=Travel|summary=I remember getting this book in post, reading the title Children's Rhymes and thinking noVerse]], even though I am Russian[[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], I will try to be unbiased and judge it like I would judge any other book about a foreign country experience. I now have to regretfully admit I failed. In my defence, John Mole's focus on mocking the nation and country made that all too easy.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1857885090</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=Clive Gifford|title=Teenage Kicks: 101 Things Consider the Doctor. Just how many birthday and Christmas gifts must he have to Do Before You're 16|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary=Kids. They're bored all the timehand out each year, aren't they? Nothing you buy seems were he to have any longevity. I think they live keep in alternative dimension in which time passes much more slowly touch with even half of his companions? He would certainly need a few novelty gifts for some of them, say, for example, whimsical books of verse that it does for harassed parents. It's pithily encapsulate the only explanationlife of a Time Lord and that of some of his friends and enemies. I think Clive Gifford must sympathiseAs luck would have it, because he has the space in his latest bookTARDIS to stock up in advance, Teenage Kicksso my advice to him – sorry, has a whopping 101 ideas her – would be to pop along to alleviate boredom his local Earth-based book emporium and get himself ready. And if you're working on a clever challenge too - your bored child has to complete them all before they reach 16. At shorter timescale, with a measly £5.99shorter lifespan, and thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, this book could represent well my advice is pretty much the most wonderful value for money any parent could ever wish forsame.[[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and Russell T Davies|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340950617</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Ingram -->|author=Jon Canter -|titlestyle=A Short Gentleman"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:Ingram_Kammie.jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=The narrator of this spoof biography is a civil law barristerhttps://www. Robert Purcell has been educated at Winchester and Oxfordamazon. He has modelled himself on his polite and restrained father, a High Court judge and, as a child, Robert maps out the components his own expected adult life – wife, two children, career – and the respect which he will gain from this, together with his undoubted intellectual superiorityco. At the age of eight, he writes a future Who's Who entry for himself, with all the academic and professional accolades he expects to garner.|amazonukuk/gp/product/1785451995?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0224077740</amazonuk>}}1785451995]]

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{newreview {rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|Pets]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It was something of a relief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammie. You see, Annie knows something which has been self-evident to me for a long time: dogs are perfectly capable of communicating with humans and not just on a level of food!, walk! or play!. You do require extensive training to become fluent, but most dogs will be perfectly willing to give their time to teach you and all you have to do is listen. Annie has studied hard: Kammie has trained her well and the pair have allowed us to share some of their conversations. [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|Full Review]] <!-- Harris -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Harris_Glass.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris]]=== [[image:3star.jpg|titlelink=Tim Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Teenager Liam Glass is mugged and stabbed yards from his Camden flat. As the Tiny Horseboy lies comatose, desperate journalist Jason Worthington scrabbles for the inside scoop, tired police officer Andy Rockham searches for a missing tape, harried politician Jamila Hasan fights for re-election, distraught mother Katrina Glass waits by her son, and gym-owner Royland simply finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. We follow this host of ensemble characters in a bleak, kaleidoscopic satire of modern media. [[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris|Full Review]] <!-- LENTE -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lente_10.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690222/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |authorstyle="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]===Harry Hill [[image:4star.jpg|genrelink=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Nine comedians are invited to a remote Caribbean island under the guise of working with Dustin Walker, a comedic legend. Each fits neatly into one of the archetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the washed-up has-been who has fallen far from his early days; Zoe, the rising female star with a new stand-up special coming soon; Dante, who went from being a kid on the streets to the hardest working road comic in the business; Oliver, the child-like prop comic who can't get any respect from his peers; Janet, the insult comic who is past her prime; TJ, the nightly variety show host with a reputation for harassing his female colleagues and guest acts; Ruby, the ultra-feminist YouTuber and Blogger with a chip on her shoulder; and William, whose redneck character ''Billy the Contractor'' is a far cry from his real personality as a posh millionaire. Of course, all nine agree because ''when God almighty walks down on a beam of light and asks for your help, what the hell else are you going to say?'' [[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]] <!-- Scott -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Scott_Eliz.jpg|ratinglink=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788037006/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Elizabeth, William... and Me by S Lynn Scott]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|summarylink=After doing even tiny bit Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Ally is an ordinary woman with teenage children, a husband and a job. Then comes the day when ordinariness flies out of research the window. It's not a coincidence that it's the same day she finds Queen Elizabeth I realised in the pantry and the Bard of Avon in her bath. What's she going to do? Well, Elizabeth and Will have their own ideas about that I must ! [[Elizabeth, William... and Me by S Lynn Scott|Full Review]] <!-- Rodford -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Rodford_Surgeon.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178565005X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] In the second instalment of this series, Private Investigator George Kocharyan has been hired by a well-known local man to track down some missing valuables. Bill Galbraith, a world-famous surgeon at Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital who hosts a popular medical television programme, has had his briefcase stolen by his live-in domestic servant, Aurora. According to Galbraith, this briefcase contains confidential notes concerning an important patient of his at the hospital. George agrees to look into the theft, assuming it will be a relatively easy and straightforward case – little does he know, he's about to enter a world of deceit and dysfunction. [[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford|Full Review]] <!-- Jordan -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Jordan_Tiny.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1760293814/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] As predicted by Caroline and Janice's mother on Caroline and Henry's wedding day, their marriage is over, albeit 15 years and two daughters further along than predicted. Indeed, this is definitely not a good weekend for Janice to be babysitting at Caroline's house. There's the split and the awkwardness of the girls' schoolteacher being the only person out other woman for a start. Then there 's that mistaken identity moment involving the neighbours. At least Janice is well adjusted and over her ex-husband Alec. She still dreams of him, yes, but it's so over! Just as well really… guess who ever read Tim 's at the door? [[Our Tiny Horse having never heard , Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan|Full Review]] <!-- Taylor -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Taylor_Scilly.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178475515X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Travel|Travel]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Meet the Isles of Scilly. (I know they should be called that – the authorprovides a handy guide to the etiquette of their name, their nature and location, etc.) For our more distant readers, they're several chunks of granite rock out in the Atlantic, where Cornwall is pointing, with just 2,200 permanent residents. They're big on tourism, and big on growing flowers in the tropical climate the Gulf Stream bequeaths them – although the weather is bad enough to turn any car to a rust bucket within years. They're so wee, and so idyllic-seeming, especially at night, you can be mistaken for thinking there would be no need for a police presence. But there is – at least two working at any one time. ThusAnd one of them in recent years has been Colin Taylor, I who has done his official duty – alongside maintaining a well-known online existence, which has brought to life all the whimsical comedy of his work. [[The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor|Full Review]] <!-- Lloyd -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd_Twas.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472125118/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[['Twas the Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It's Christmas Eve and Mum has arranged everything. All she now has to do is await the arrival of the relatives and the food shopping delivery. Little does Mum know that those two elements alone have the potential to take another reviewerruin everything. [['Twas the Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees|Full Review]] <!-- Phinn -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Phinn_Virgin.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1444779400/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Virgin Mary's word Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a plane and head to either sun or snow, anywhere that is far, far away from the madness 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. But I do remember the feeling of Christmas when I was younger, back when itwas magical, and back when you knew exactly what the season would bring with carol concerts and school nativities and Christmas parties. 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]] <!-- North -->|-| style="typical Harry Hillwidth: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;" |[[image:North_Romeo.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0356508536/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] For all those who think tragedy plots are too restricted and prescribed, read on. In these pages you too will make see that Romeo had lots of options en route to hitting the bottle. Likewise, she could have turned away from her predestined path at no end of junctures. And to what result? Well, happy marriage and a kid called Ben, because the leads have just banged people's heads together and stopped the quarrelling, or Death by Tybalt (him) or a long life running an attempt at reviewing Tim establishment curing murderous women, such as a stand-aloneLady M (her). [[Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571229565</amazonuk!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->}|}