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[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]]==Humour==__NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreview|authorclass-"wikitable" cellpadding=David Lodge"15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE--><!-- van LENTE -->|title=The Campus Trilogy-|ratingstyle=4.5"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|genre=Humour[[image:1683690346.jpg|summarylink=Somewhere along the line the word "vintage" stopped meaning simply the wine crop of any given year, and started to mean the wine of a particularly good year, and then to mean anything of a past year that was (is) of outstanding qualityhttp://www.amazon. Such is the mutability of languageco. |amazonukuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>0099529130</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Stella Gibbons"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=Conference at Cold Comfort Farm|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]===There are no Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm.

To those of you who've not read Stella Gibbons' magnificient [[Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbonsimage:4star.jpg|original novellink=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], this is hardly likely to be a major shock - to the Gibbons fans amongst us, though, this is chilling news indeed. And when RobertPoste's child Flora returns to the farm - now a modernised monstrosity full of members of the International Thinkers' Group – sixteen years after her original visit, the news get graver and graver, as the cows Feckless, Graceless, Pointless, and Aimless have passed away of shame due to the disgrace of the bull Big Business. With the menfolk trying to make their fortunes abroad, and the women struggling, it's left to Flora to try to save the day once again.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099528681</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=Stella Gibbons|title=Cold Comfort Farm|rating=5|genre=Humour|summary=Orphaned at 19Comic-Cons are a place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, Flora Poste – a London sophisticate – is led to retreat to deepest Sussex to live off her relatives the Starkadders and when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at the aptly named Cold Comfort FarmSan Diego Comic-Con, a mournful bunch who take her in as they couldn't refuse anything of 'Robert Postehe's child'looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and creators, but seem less than happy with having to do so. As she meets plus the preacher Amoschance of maybe, just maybe reuniting with his over-sexed younger son Sethex. However, when his flighty sister Elphine, and the hugely memorable – if barely seen – Aunt Ada Doomrival is found dead, Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the first person con in literature order to see 'something nasty in the woodshed' clear his name – she resolves from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to take the family zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, in hand and solve their problemsdoing so, may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141441593</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Coulton -->|author=Tom Sharpe-|titlestyle=The Wilt Inheritance"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=3[[image:1473669588.5jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=Wilt is stuck in a job he doesn't want – teaching a subject he's not keen on to people for whom he has no affection – at one of the new Universitieshttp://www. We used to know them as technical collegesamazon. But he can't afford to lose it because of the expense of keeping the quads at an expensive school and of maintaining his snobbish wife, Evaco. It's Eva though who signs him up for a job in the summer holidays – tutoring the stepuk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-son of a local aristocrat in the hope of getting him into Cambridge – and particularly Porterhouse College. It's not long before Wilt discovers that the boy totes a gun and shoots at anything which moves – or even doesn't move – and that he's an idiot who would probably struggle to get a bus to Cambridge.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099493136</amazonuk>}}21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Tom Holt"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages|rating=5|genre=Fantasy|summary[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton]]==Imagine a world where pigs can do quantum mechanics, and where female solicitors turn into chickens. Add a dry cleaner that moves (literally, from the roof tiles to the basement) from town to town every forty-eight hours, a couple of medieval knights who've fought every day for centuries, and a magical ring (or pencil sharpener, depending on the mood it's in). Stir in a bit of property developing, a thaumaturgical detective and an old man who lives in a cloud. Result? You haven't even begun to probe the depths of this crazy, absurd, complex and hilarious book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841495077</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Steve Hely|title=How I Became a Famous Novelist|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|genre=General Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=With an uncompromising title like 'How I Became a Famous Novelist'Humour]], this clearly isn[[:Category:Women't intended to be a subtle book. So I can hardly complain when a cynical look at the writing industry swings raw punches in every direction. It just isns Fiction|Women't my sort of humour, but equally, if you rave about 'The Office' you will likely enjoy this book far more than I have done.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849015724</amazonuk>}}s Fiction]]

{{newreview|author=Charles Lamb|title=Great Food: A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig and Other Essays|rating=4|genre=Cookery|summary=''A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig'Lex Coulton' s debut novel is a collection of food-related essays from the early 19th centurystory about mistakes, failures, with a humorous bentand relationships. They're but The main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, is a few pages each - a light read to bring sixth form English teacher who has recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, a smile to your facework colleague, then on to and is grappling with the next little foodie treatincreasingly eccentric behaviour of her mother. This relationship is complicated by the fact that Frances's father disappeared at sea when she was five years old.[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241951003</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- van LENTE -->|author=ClientsFromHell.net-|titlestyle=Clients From Hell"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:1683690346.jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=Everyone who's worked as a freelancer has a story of a client from hell - that person who asked for something that was impossible, wanted it done yesterday for a fraction of the usual price, or is just plain angry about the work produced. The website [http://www.clientsfromhellamazon.net ClientsFromHellco.netuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] has collated a number of such stories over the years, and has now published them as a book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0982473931</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|authorstyle=John Saunders"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=The Vernham Chronicles|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Set amidst the rolling British countryside around Vernbury Vale is the little village of Vernham. Anyone who lives in a village will recognise it immediately, with its cobbled streets and Tudor buildings. There was some damage during the war (which might, or might not have been down to a lighthouse folly constructed [[The Con Artist by a local landowner on his lake) but the gaps have been filled with some beautiful, er, mock Tudor buildings. Almost unique and nearly beautiful as the village is, it's not the star of The Vernham Chronicles. The stars are the people who live in Vernham.|amazonukFred Van Lente]]===<amazonuk>1907499598</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Martin Millar|title=The Good Fairies of New York|rating=4|genre=Fantasy}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|summary=In this fairytale of New York, the Cornish fairy King's children are living in exile, hiding in Central Park from a nasty industrial revolution back home. They have friends from Ireland with them, and all have the ability to startle the local squirrels. Elsewhere two innocent scallywag fairies fleeing Scotland have arrived, and adopted a human each. Heather has joined up with Dinnie, the city's worst busker, a fat, alcoholic and lonely fan of TV ads for phone sex, while Morag befriends Kerry, a dying kleptomaniac beautyCrime]], just as alone for different reasons.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749954205</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=Gervase Phinn|title=TwinkleComic-Cons are a place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, Twinkleand when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, Little Stars|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=I spent many of my teenage years reading James Herriothe's books, looking for both that and I found that this collection of anecdotes sanctuary with other fans and poems by Gervase Phinn had a real flavour creators, plus the chance of Herriot about itmaybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. Perhaps it was just the settingHowever, for Phinn was a school inspector in the Dales for many yearswhen his rival is found dead, but I think he also has that knack Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of capturing a situation, and a character, and bringing out the humour without making the person appear ridiculous. Here he collates stories con in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his other booksinnocence and, some Christmassy and others notin doing so, and he relates them with several of his own poems interspersed betweenmay just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141036435</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

[[Category:History]]{{newreview<!-- Curran -->|author=Simon Garfield-|titlestyle=Just My Type"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: A Book About Fontscenter;"||rating=4[[image:1683690133.5jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=A quality typeface is a bit like a good referee at a football match in that you only really notice them if something has gone wronghttp://www. A referee is there to facilitate the players on the pitch, not to be the star of the show (though watching Match of the Day these past few weeks you'd often beg to differ)amazon. So it is with typefacesco. A good type helps the reader, enhances the flow and makes the viewing experience easy and simple. Well sort of.|amazonukuk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>1846683017</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=P K Munroe"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=You Can Stick It|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary[[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris]]===Literary merit? Absolutely none!

Plot[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], characterisation and all that other stuff you usually talk about? Nope – there's none of that, either.[[:Category:Historical Fiction|Historical Fiction]]

AhYou are a lass of twenty eight. Plucky, so itpenniless and in Regency era London the race is on to find a suitable suitor - or else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. Along your journey you's nonll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood -fiction? Wella fiesty noble eager to save you from a life alone, calling and fired by a rogueish sense for adventure. When it comes to suitors though, you'll have 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'facts clear this isn'' would t going to be stretching things a little too faran easy decision...[[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris|Full Review]]

So, come on then<!-- Jester -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Jester_Forever. What ''is'' it?jpg|left|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>0007362188<https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/amazonuk>}}1510704361?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1510704361]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=PJ Vanston"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Crump|rating=3|genre=General Fiction|summary=It's Kevin Crump's first day as [[Forever After: a lecturer at Thames Metropolitan University - an ex-polytechnic. It's the happiest day of his life, and he can't wait to see all that it holds, and make a difference to all his students. And then it hits him: the relentless pettiness of authority figures, the students who can't string two sentences together, the lowering of standards in search of higher test scores, so more money from foreign students, and political correctness gone (as I believe the saying goes) mad.|amazonukdark comedy by David Jester]]===<amazonuk>1848762852</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=John Lennon|title=In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works|rating=3}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|genre=HumourParanormal]], [[:Category:Horror|summary=During the height of Beatlemania, John Lennon used to doodle or write short poems or nonsense stories to pass the time (and there must have been a good deal of time to pass away on tour, if only waiting for screaming fans to leave them alone and go back home). Some of them were seen by Tom Maschler, literary editor at Jonathan CapeHorror]], who encouraged him to produce more. The results were published in two very successful short books in 1964 and 1965.[[:Category:Fantasy|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099530422</amazonuk>}}Fasntasy]]

{{newreview|author=John Lindsay|title=Emails From An Asshole|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Some classified ads are crying out for trollingMichael Holland is a cocky and brash young man who dies and gets made the offer of his lifetime; immortality. John Lindsay replies to themWe follow Michael, spins them a yarn, grim reaper and his friends Chip (a stoner tooth fairy) and strings them along for Naff (a stoner in the records department) as they grapple with their long as possible. Sometimes the advert is fairly innocuous lives and he emails them anywayfinding a clean surface to sit on in their flat. These are emails from an asshole, after all.[[Forever After: a dark comedy by David Jester|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1402778279</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Stibbe -->|author=L C Tyler-|titlestyle=The Herring In The Library"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=4[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.5jpg|genre=Crimeleft|summarylink=Tall, elegant Ethelred is a gentleman, and a third-rate authorhttps://www.amazon. Elsie, his literary agent, is short and dumpy, and not afraid to speak her mindco. It is Elsie, in fact, who constantly assures her client he only occasionally aspires to the giddy heights of being seconduk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-rate. This could be the business partnership from hell, but not only do these two seem to get along, they even manage to solve crimes together. In this, the third outing for L C Tyler's eccentric sleuths, we are provided with a locked room mystery, a cast of possible villains of the most stereotypical type, and a fresh, funny tale which will make you laugh so much you'll get a stitch.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0230714684</amazonuk>}}0241309824]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Seth Grahame"vertical-align: top; text-Smithalign: left;"|title=Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter|rating=3.5|genre=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 [[An Almost Perfect Christmas 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.|amazonukNina Stibbe]]===<amazonuk>1849014086</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview[[image:4.5star.jpg|authorlink=Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith and Tony Lee|title=Pride and Prejudice and ZombiesCategory: The Graphic Novel|{{{rating=3|genre=Graphic Novels}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|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 ''the risen undead'' it will become a series of booksHumour]], inspiring others, and/or lead to the same story being published in many different guises. Here, then, on its way to Hollywood, is Jane Austen’s story of Lizzie Bennet, the feisty young woman trying to ignore Mr Darcy while fighting off the ''manky unmentionables'' – at least she is until the hidden truths open up to her, just as the soft soils of Hertfordshire do to yield their once-human remains. And this time it’s in graphic novel form.[[:Category:Short Stories|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848566948</amazonuk>}}Short Stories]]

{{newreview|author=Carl McInerney|title=The Funniest Football Joke Book Ever|rating=3Christmas – the time of traditional trauma.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Who scored You only have to think about the turkey for that – once upon a time it was leaving it sat on the most goals in downstairs loo to defrost overnight, and if that failed the Greek Mythology League? The centaur forwardhair-dryer shoved inside it treatment was your next best bet. Nowadays it's all having to make sure it'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 eat it. Badoom boom tshhhhChristmas, though, is of course also a time of great boons. It's cash in hand for a football joke booklot of plump people who can hire red suits and beards, packed it was always a godsend for postmen with all the thank-you letters to aunties you saw twice a decade that your parents made you write out in long-hand as a child, and as for the gills with all sorts makers of cheesiness Meltis Newberry Fruits – well, did they even try and silliness. Funniest eversell them any other time of the year? Perhaps not, but it's not too bad.[[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849391114</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Doescher -->|author=Paul Magrs-|titlestyle=Hell's Belles"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=3[[image:Doescher_Will.5jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=The idea behind this series of novels is quite enchanting and amusinghttps://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/gp/product/159474985X?ie=UTF8&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.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0755346467</amazonuk>}}159474985X]]

{{newreview|authorstyle=Nick Wadley"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Man + Dog|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary=Throughout my life I[[William Shakespeare've lived with dogs or deeply regretted s the fact that I lacked a canine companion. Watching a dog – or better still, Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part 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.|amazonukSeventh by Ian Doescher]]===<amazonuk>1564785521</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview[[image:4.5star.jpg|authorlink=The Harvard Lampoon|title=NightlightCategory: A Parody of Twilight |{{{rating=3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|genre=Humour|summary=Most people will have heard of the worldwide phenomenon that is Science Fiction]], [[Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:Category:Humour|TwilightHumour]]. 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 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 Alan McArthur |title=Is it Just Me heroines most sturdy. You may or Has may not have noticed the Shit Hit the Fan?: Your Hilarious New Guide to Unremitting Global Misery|rating=3|genre=Humour|summary=cinematic version of his original stage play for ''The banks fell over like fat Labradors running over a wet kitchen floor.Force Doth Awaken'' Surely that is the wackiest, most inappropriate simile for the credit crunch and all it has done for but here at last we get the world. You won't get any such namby-pamby animal likenesses from these authorsactual script, instead complete with quite a potty mouth on them they will lambast the modern world, the entire banking system, all those who failed to see it coming, and those millions just seemingly waiting for us all to revert to highannoying-in-different-interest, highways-risk, highto-lending capitalismbefore droids anew, so they can get back on the expenses trainreturning heroes from elsewhere in his oeuvre, and back up people keeping it in the rich listsfamily til it hurts.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847443656</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Eoin Colfer|title=And Another Thing ... Douglas Adamsif you need further encouragement, don' Hitchhikert forget his audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the series is so popular we's Guide re on to the Galaxy: Part Six of Three (Hitchhikers Guide 6) |rating=3.5|genre=Science Fiction|summary=Of all the big books announced for part seven – surely making this year, this one must have raised more eyebrows than many. Why try and write a new Hitchhikerover twice as good… [[William Shakespeare's Guide to the Galaxy book, when way before the end, its creator Douglas Adams was proving quite hopeless at such a task? And why approach an Irishman, Eoin Colfer, when Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part 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 story.Seventh by Ian Doescher|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718155149</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Goss -->|author=The Vampire Miles Proctor-|titlestyle=The New Vampire's Handbook"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=3[[image:Goss_600.5jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=I shall start with a predictionhttps://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/gp/product/1785942719?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-to lifestyle guide.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0224086464</amazonuk>}}1785942719]]

{{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. [[Doctor Who: Now We're only just preventing lethal global warming Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by having a credit crunch that has prevented a lot of big building, air travel, James Goss 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...|amazonukRussell T Davies]]===<amazonuk>0224086197</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=James May[[image:4.5star.jpg|titlelink=Car FeverCategory: Dispatches From Behind The Wheel|{{{rating=4|genre=Lifestyle|summary=Now, 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}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children've sprung their media entities from out of the studio, into other TV programmes, s Rhymes and the world of journalism, with chatty columns in the broadsheets allowing them free rein to witter to their heartVerse|Children's desire. And hereRhymes and Verse]], in one grandiloquent volume[[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], and in time for Christmas, are many of James May's desires.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340994533</amazonuk>}}Humour]]

{{newreview|author=Jane Austen Consider the Doctor. Just how many birthday and Seth Grahame-Smith |title=Pride Christmas gifts must he have to hand out each year, were he to keep in 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 pithily encapsulate the life of a Time Lord and Prejudice that of some of his friends and Zombies|rating=4enemies.5|genre=Humour|summary=AhAs luck would have it, he has the benefits space in his TARDIS to a good stock up in advance, so my advice to him – sorry, her – would be to pop along to his local Earth-based book of a classic first lineemporium and get himself ready. And if you'Call me Ishmael.' 'It was re working on a shorter timescale, with a bright cold day in Aprilshorter lifespan, and thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, well my advice is pretty much the clocks were striking thirteensame.' [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (Dr Who can forget Iain Banks' 'It was the day my grandmother exploded'? Or those timeless words ) by Jane Austen, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.'James Goss and Russell T Davies|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594743347</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Ingram -->|author=Harry Hill-|titlestyle=Tim The Tiny Horse At Large"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:Ingram_Kammie.jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=It's been a while since Tim and Fly's [[Tim the Tiny Horse by Harry Hill|last adventures]], and changes are afoot in Tim's tiny worldhttps: 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/gp/product/1785451995?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0571244157</amazonuk>}}1785451995]]

{{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 [[Conversations 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's another matter. He would much prefer to be left alone in front of his little Olivetti typewriter 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.|amazonukKammie by Annie Ingram]]===<amazonuk>0297856499</amazonuk>}}

[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Christopher Moore|title=You Suck|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|genre=Pets]], [[:Category:Humour|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. Humour]]

WellIt was something of a relief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammie. You see, except Annie knows something which has been self-evident to me for the tiny bit that isa 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'll discover that in due courseand 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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841498092</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]

{{newreview<!-- Harris -->|author=Hugh Murr and Sid Nigtures -|titlestyle=Cyber Sign Offs"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=2[[image:Harris_Glass.jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=I admit I had the wrong end of the stick when it came to this book, before I opened it at leasthttp://www.amazon. 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 postsco. 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/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?'. But no. This is a collection of dialogues between two people 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.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904312497</amazonuk>}}21]]

| style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris]]=== [[image:3star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Teenager Liam Glass is mugged and stabbed yards from his Camden flat. As the boy 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]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreviewrating}}} 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|authorlink=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]]===Simon Brett [[image:4.5star.jpg|titlelink=BlottoCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Ally is an ordinary woman with teenage children, Twinks a husband and a job. Then comes the day when ordinariness flies out of the window. It's not a coincidence that it's the same day she finds Queen Elizabeth I in the pantry and the ExBard of Avon in her bath. What's she going to do? Well, Elizabeth and Will have their own ideas about that! [[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-Kingalign: left;"|===[[The Surgeon's DaughterCase: 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=4"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]]  |genrestyle="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan]]===Humour [[image:5star.jpg|summarylink=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 can be few people who have written eighty books without me even having picked up one 's the split and the awkwardness of themthe girls' schoolteacher being the other woman for a start. Then there's that mistaken identity moment involving the neighbours. At leastJanice is well adjusted and over her ex-husband Alec. She still dreams of him, yes, and but it's so over! Just as well really… guess who's at lastthe door? [[Our Tiny, 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 have redressed know they should be called that fault – the author provides 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 case 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. And one of Simon Brettthem in recent years has been Colin Taylor, 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 come the potential to ruin everything. [['Twas the conclusion there are 79 more that will be worth investigatingFight 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 Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4.5star. Here jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house is the time we meet 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 it was magical, and back when you knew exactly what the first time Blotto (posh idiotic son 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 dowager duchess) child. [[The Virgin Mary's Got Nits by Gervase Phinn|Full Review]] <!-- North -->|-| style="width: 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 Twinks (posh brilliant genius sister prescribed, read on. In these pages you too will see that Romeo had lots of options en route to Blotto)hitting the bottle. Likewise, their familyshe could have turned away from her predestined path at no end of junctures. And to what result? Well, their surroundingshappy marriage and a kid called Ben, because the leads have just banged people's heads together and stopped the corpse inconveniently disturbing quarrelling, or Death by Tybalt (him) or a long life running an establishment curing murderous women, such as a dinner partyLady M (her).[[Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845299353</amazonuk!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->}|}