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[[Category:Humour|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreview|author= Christopher Fowler|title= Bryant and May – The Burning Man|ratingclass-"wikitable" cellpadding=4|genre=Crime|summary= The Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) has a new set of overlords. "15" For reasons that were explored in the previous couple of outings they have been transferred to the City Of London Police. The Met are still the big players in the area. City of London Police only police the old city, the square mile, the financial district in other words, that has very little in the way of street crime, because no<!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE--one lives there anymore and the people who work there are, by and large, either too rich to need to steal, or too smart to have to do so on the streets.>|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857522043</amazonuk!-- van LENTE -->}}{{newreview|author=Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg|titlestyle=The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again! "width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary=Following the success of ''The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules'', the League of Pensioners are back – and this time, they’re in Vegas! I haven’t read the first book but it was on my list when the opportunity arose to review this one[[image:1683690346. The idea of the League of Pensioners marching towards a fairer world through fun and frolics was hugely appealing to me and this is a stand alone novel so I thought I would dive straight in with this one.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1447274903<http://amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Winshluss|title=In God We Trust|rating=4www.5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=To start with, a rhetorical testamazon. How about God and Adam playing badminton day in and day out, until one gets bored and decides to create Eve? Or the defeater of Goliath and the saviour of the Israelites being one Conan the Barbarian? Or this as a test – Jesus Himself failing to have a successful session of tequila slammers with Gabriel due to the holes through His hands? I barely need mention that in these pages God does battle with Superman, for you to have answered the test and put yourself firmly in one of two camps for this book – one very much opposed to buying it, and one very much in favourco.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0861662350<uk/dp/1683690346/amazonuk>}}{{newreview|authorref=David Walliams and Tony Ross|title=The Queen's Orang-Utan|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summarynosim?tag=The Queen felt trapped in the palace with all those stuffed animals which she has been given on foreign tours. There are mountains of them and every night she would dream of escaping. When her birthday drew near the family dutifully asked her what she would like as a present. The Prince was thinking of a gold, diamond encrusted stairlift whilst the Duke was considering a great big bottle of brandy. The Royal Baby had some decorated thimbles in mind, but the Queen became just a little snappish as she explained that what she really wanted was 'One's own orangthebookbag-utan'. And she didn't mean a stuffed one, either.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0008135134</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jack Sheffield|title=Silent Night|rating=3.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=I read a couple of Jack Sheffield’s books about five years ago, and enjoyed them very much. They were written in a similar style to those popularised by, for instance, James Herriot or [[:Category:Gervase Phinn|Gervase Phinn21]], told mostly in the first person, describing the author’s first couple of years as Headmaster at a small village primary school in Yorkshire. The village of Ragley is fictional, as are most of the characters, but the incidents and situations encountered are based on the author’s experience.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0552167045</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview
|author=J Robert Lennon
|title=See You In Paradise
|rating=3
|genre=Short Stories
|summary=Lennon writes with a relaxed, easy style and his characters are instantly recognisable as people from everyday walks of life, without being in any way stereotypical. Many of the people in these stories are dealing with normal frustrations, and Lennon is cleverly detached enough not to make them individuals that you're obviously supposed to root for (the only exception is the industrialist in the eponymous tale, who is an archetypal capitalist fat cat). There are some very clever characterisations – in ''Weber’s Head'', for example, the narrator is a flawed individual whose opinions of his housemate are gradually revealed to be unreliable and unfair. For me, the most unsettling story is ''No Life'', because it portrays a decent couple at the mercy of people more powerful and influential than them. There is no supernatural or bizarre element at work here, just ordinary characters at the mercy of social power.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781253358</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=Lynne Truss"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Cat out of Hell|rating=3|genre=Horror|summary=Meet Alec Charlesworth. He's retired and decamped to an isolated coastal cottage with just his dog and loving memories of his colleague wife, now that she has died before her time. But the fusty librarian cannot rest too long before engaging in exploring some unusual computer files that were pinged across [[The Con Artist by someone at the college he worked at, just before he left. Bizarrely they show photographic and audio evidence of a talking cat called Roger, replete with Vincent Price voice – although they are also damaged by being included alongside some bad screenplay attempts about said cat. Worryingly, we soon see what at the most only a few of the characters can, that this cat is being accompanied by unusual and unexpected death – much like Alec's wife. It's only when Roger testifies to having been pushed through the ends of endurance and out the other side that we begin to doubt where the true evil in this story lies…|amazonukFred Van Lente]]===<amazonuk>0099585340</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview[[image:4star.jpg|authorlink=Jimmy Hansen and Mychailo Kazybird|title=Wallace & Gromit Category: The Complete Newspaper Strips Collection Vol 2|{{{rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|genre=Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=For me there are two important areas of the cover of this book where three letters are arranged in meaningful ways. The first is with the S-U-N in their obligatory red and white font. No minor paper could hold Wallace and Gromit, their adventures have to be in what is (unfortunately) the most widely read tabloid in the country. And elsewhere is C-B-E, suggesting that even the storytellers at Aardman Animations who are not household names are feted and revered as artistic experts, raising many laughs and much money for the country courtesy of their creative output. Together these short collections of letters show just how much WaG are major creations, and if the proof was needed this much longer collection of their daily comic strips provides it in spades.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782760822</amazonuk>}}Humour]]
{{newreview|title=Dear Committee Members|author=Julie Schumacher|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Jason Fitger (Jay) is Comic-Cons are a Professor place of creative writing wonder and sanctuary for many people, and literature when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at a small university in San Diego Comic-Con, he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and creators, plus the American mid-westchance of maybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. He However, when his rival is also a frustrated novelist with a colourful personal historyfound dead, much Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of which bleeds into the con in order to clear his professional lifename – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, with interesting resultsin doing so, may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007586345</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview
|title=Mapp and Lucia Omnibus
|author=E F Benson
|rating=3.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=Miss Elizabeth Mapp rules the town of Tilling - she is the centre of the social life, and spends her days enjoying bridge, polite conversation and civilised painting. When Mrs Emmeline Lucas arrives in town (known to all as Lucia), Miss Mapp finds her life truly shaken up, as the cultured, fashionable and progressive Lucia makes her home in the town, and swiftly rises to the top of the ranks amongst the social scene in Tilling.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849908478</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview<!-- Coulton -->|title=Encyclopedia Paranoiaca-|authorstyle=Henry Beard and Christopher Cerf"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:1473669588.jpg|genrelink=Popular Science|summary=We're screwedhttp://www. Wherever we look, whatever we think of doing, there is a reason why we shouldn't be doing it, and people to back that reason up with scientific dataamazon. Take any aspect of your daily life – what you eat, how you work, how you rest even, what you touch – all have problems that could provoke a serious illness or worseco. And outside that daily sphere there are economic disasters, nuclear meltdowns, errant AI scientists and passing comets that could turn our world upside down at the blink of an eye. Perhaps then you better read this book first – for it may well turn out to be your last…|amazonukuk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>0715649213</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview
|title=Diary of a Mad Diva
|author=Joan Rivers
|rating=3.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=The late Joan Rivers was, without a doubt, a character. Actress, comedian, writer, director, presenter, she was well known in the USA and beyond for her sharp tongue and no holds barred persona. This was the last of the dozen books she published, her final title before her death in September 2014.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0425269027</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|titlestyle=The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy "vertical-align: top; text- The Nearly Definitive Editionalign: left;"||author=Douglas Adams|rating=5|genre=General Fiction|summary[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton]]==There are few series that have garnered such a cult following as 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'. Whether the fans have come from the radio series, the (impossibly hard) computer game, or the (well intentioned but not particularly good) film, they are everywhere. Ask a room of people what the meaning of life is, and you can be pretty sure a good few will pipe up with '42' as the answer.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0434023396</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|title=Quick Pint After Work|author=Luke Lewis|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|genre=General Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=BuzzFeed is one of the world’s best time sucksHumour]], and I’m regularly directed to the site by links from Facebook and Twitter, in between browsing the app on my phone. According to the author bio on this book, BuzzFeed is [[:Category:Women'a social news and entertainment companys Fiction|Women', which is a fancy way of describing lots of fun lists that speak to the readership (20 words that have a completely different meaning in Manchester, 30 Things all ex-gymnasts know to be true, 40 Very British problems, yadda yadda yadda). These list work well on line when you want a quick distraction, and they’re easy to flip through, looking at the attached photos or video clips. The question then, is whether or not BuzzFeed the book will have the same appeal.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751557730</amazonuk>}}s Fiction]]
{{newreview|author=Graeme Simsion|title=The Rosie Effect|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Following inadvertent success with the Wife ProjectLex Coulton's debut novel is a story about mistakes, failures, Professor Don Tillman and his new bride Rosie have moved from Australia to New Yorkrelationships. Although Don's position on the autistic scale The main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, is subjectivea sixth form English teacher who has recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, he still operates on a daily basis of structured procedureswork colleague, lists and logic. Rosie can generally handle that but there are choppy waters ahead. With is grappling with the patter increasingly eccentric behaviour of tiny feet imminent logic goes out the window as she struggles with her PhD while Don struggles to find his place in the baby production processmother. At least he has his drinking buddies to support him – an aging rock drummer and a friend whose wife has thrown him out for infidelityThis relationship is complicated by the fact that Frances's father disappeared at sea when she was five years old. What could possibly go wrong?[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718179471</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- van LENTE -->|title=Burnt Tongues: An Anthology of Transgressive Short Stories-|authorstyle=Chuck Palahniuk, Dennis Widmyer and Richard Thomas"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:1683690346.jpg|genrelink=Short Stories|summary=Saying certain things out loud just don’t sound righthttp://www. 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 allamazon. When these words are spoken they could lead to the sensation of Burnt Tongue; an aftereffect of knowing what you said was wrongco. Are you prepared to enter the world of Transgressive Fiction that aims to disturb, alienate, disgust and questionuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?|amazonuktag=<amazonuk>178329552X</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview
|author=Sammy Looker
|title=Something Nasty in the Slushpile
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=I couldn't resist the title - a neat play on [[Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons|Cold Comfort Farm]] and I'm sure that you'll understand that I was expecting some examples of the horrors to be found amongst the mountain of unsolicited manuscripts which every publisher accumulates. I'll confess I was expecting to giggle, even to groan - unkind, I know - and I'd mentally shelved the book with the trivia, or (hopefully) the humour. There is that element to the book, but there's also something far more useful. If you're thinking about publishing a book this should be required reading ''before'' you even go near a publisher.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472111028</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=The Queen"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Still Reigning|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Anyone who frequents Twitter will know that it's a mixed blessing. It's a mine of wonderful information and supportive camaraderie. It's also - unfortunately - home to a lot of people who take great pleasure in causing pain to others. But in amongst all this are a few gems and one of them is [https://twitter.com/Queen_UK @Queen_UK[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]], a delightful satire on members of the royal family, celebrities, the political classes and the state of Her Majesty's nation. Or, ''one's nation'' as Ma'am would say. ''Still Reigning'' is her second book, after ''Gin O'Clock'' and it's the sort of parody which leaves you wondering if the writer might not be someone ''very'' close to the original.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0715649132</amazonuk>}}==
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|title=Last Days of the Bus Club|author=Chris Stewart|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|genre=Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=I could well have been a near-neighbour of Chris Stewart. Not, of course, near his current primary occupancy, an ecological farmstead just beyond the turning off from the back end of nowhere in the most rural of corners of southern Spain, but back when he lived in the south-east of England, being Genesis' first ever drummer, and building bridges in the North Downs. The fact I learnt the latter from this book shows up several of the features of this warm-hearted 'travelogue' – the fact that Stewart is never shy about portraying family details and history – given a good map and a prevailing wind one could find where he lives and descend on the farm, if one wished; and that while this might be on the travel shelves, the narrative is so fragmented it actually moves a lot more than any of the characters do.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908745436</amazonuk>}}Humour]]
{{newreview|title=Summer Half|author=Angela Thirkell|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=If one didn’t know of Angela Thirkell’s distinguished background as Comic-Cons are a granddaughter place of Sir Edward Burnewonder and sanctuary for many people, and when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Jones Con, he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and daughter of a classicistcreators, it would be tempting to describe her as a kind of country cousin plus the chance of [[:Category:P G Wodehouse|P.G. Wodehouse’s]]. An unaffected and intelligent onemaybe, whose humour is less sophisticated but bubbles over just maybe reuniting with just as much gleehis ex. The middle-class world she has createdHowever, where young men come from families that are comfortably wealthy rather than outrageously sowhen his rival is found dead, offers a counterpoint Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the Mitford or Wodehouse worlds with their aristocratic characters who travel the world con in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and mingle with more louche, bohemian onesin doing so, may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184408969X</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Curran -->|title=The Bojeffries Saga-|authorstyle=Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=A very truncated history of comics will start with the idea that they should be funny strips – one jape then you're out; then that they should have more – perhaps a superhero; then that you can have so much more than just a superhero – witness the works of [[image:Category1683690133.jpg|link=http:Alan Moore|Alan Moore]]//www. But you mustn't be too surprised to see the whole thing come around in a full cycleamazon. Because Alan Moore has, with this volume, concluded his own funny strip japery, and whatever history or greater opinions about the canon of comix might say, it's just about his best ever bookco.|amazonukuk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>0861662318</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview|authorstyle=Reverend Adam Smallbone"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=The Rev Diaries==[[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris]]=== |rating=4[[image:4star.5jpg|genrelink=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Historical Fiction|Historical Fiction]] |summary=Adam Smallbone wasn’t always You are a vicarlass of twenty eight. He used to work for the Bristol Housing DepartmentPlucky, enabling his father-penniless and inRegency era London the race is on to find a suitable suitor -law or else doom yourself to tell everyone he worked life as an eternal spinster. Along your journey you'in property'. From there, his initial calling was ll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - a fiesty noble eager to save you from a life alone, and fired by a rural church in Suffolk which did nothing to prepare him rogueish sense for this, his current London inner city parishadventure. IndeedWhen it comes to suitors though, heyou's not prepared for Adoha (ll have to make the Nigerian parishioner with 19 grandchildren ultimate decision between witty, pretty and wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, wholesome, rugged and 'caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, or the bottom of God') or Colinmad, the homeless alcoholic who has adopted Adam bad and his wife Alex (Mrs Vicarage to Colin)terrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven. But then Alex also has a lot to get used to; after allWith orphans, werewolves, long lost lovers and ancient Egyptian artifcats along the way, she didnit's clear this isn't actually marry a vicargoing to be an easy decision...|amazonuk=[[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris|Full Review]] <amazonuk>0718178394</amazonuk!-- Jester -->}}{{newreview|title=Look Who's Back-|authorstyle=Timur Vermes"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=5[[image:Jester_Forever.jpg|genre=General Fictionleft|summarylink=''Hitler Youth Ronaldo! Which way to the streethttps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1510704361?'' With these words ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1510704361]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Forever After: a very misguided Nazi Fuhrer asks for his first directions in the Berlin of 2011dark comedy by David Jester]]=== [[image:4star. Mistakenly believing the lad to be a party junior member with his own name on jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|Paranormal]], [[:Category:Horror|Horror]], [[:Category:Fantasy|Fasntasy]] Michael Holland is a cocky and brash young man who dies and gets made the offer of his football shirtlifetime; immortality. We follow Michael, he also thinks for a while it is still 1945. He's soon informed of the truth, but still makes some unfortunate conclusions – that the street kiosks selling Turkish language newspapers are grim reaper and his friends Chip (a sign of stoner tooth fairy) and Naff (a Soviet-beating alliance between stoner in the two countries, that people eat granola bars because the war still leads to a bread shortage, and that people making an ironic speech bubble records department) as they grapple with their fingers long lives and finding a clean surface to sit on in the air is all that is left of the Hitler salute. But yes, after their flat. [[Forever After: a long hiatus neither he nor our author is particularly concerned with explaining, ''that man'' is back – and if he has his way he's going to be just as popular this time round…dark comedy by David Jester|Full Review]] <!-- Stibbe -->|-|amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>0857052926</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.jpg|author=Adam Ruckleft|titlelink=The Bluffer's Guide to Golf (Bluffer's Guides)https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0241309824]]|rating=4.5|genre=Sport|summarystyle=The fly leaf suggests that this Bluffer's Guide is the way to instantly acquire all the knowledge which you need to pass as an expert in the ''arcane and labyrinthine'' world of golf"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe]]=== [[image:4.5star. There's quite a bit there that I'd agree on - jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]] Christmas – the rules (and time of traditional trauma. You only have to an unfortunate extent think about the ''attitudes'') are arcane and they seem to take turkey for that – once upon a lifetime time it was leaving it sat on the downstairs loo to masterdefrost overnight, but thereand if that failed the hair-dryer shoved inside it treatment was your next best bet. Nowadays it's a surprising amount of information tucked away inside this little book. What I might quibble with is whether or all having to make sure it's suitably free-range and organic – but not too organic that you would ''pass as an expert'' (which suggests that you're something can go and visit it, and get too friendly with it to want to eat it. Christmas, though, is of course also a con man): theretime of great boons. It's enough detail here cash in hand for a lot of plump people who can hire red suits and beards, it was always a godsend for postmen with all the thank-you letters to give aunties you saw twice a solid grounding without needing to bluff.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|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk!-- Doescher -->1909365327</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=The Collected Works of A J Fikry-|authorstyle=Gabrielle Zevin"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Doescher_Will.jpg|left|ratinglink=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/159474985X?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=4159474985X]] |genre=General Fiction|summarystyle=A J Fikry is not having a good time. He"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[William Shakespeare's lost his wife to a car crash, and he's not making that much moneythe Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher]]=== [[image:4.5star. The book store he runsjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] A long time ago, stuck out on in a limb on galaxy far away, there was a quiet island communityman called William Shakespeare, is too remote who was able to turn create a profit year-roundseries of dramatic histories full of machinations most foul, rulers most evil and rebellious heroes and he has just dismissed heroines most sturdy. You may or may not have noticed the latest publishercinematic version of his original stage play for 's rep 'The Force Doth Awaken'', but here at last we get the actual script, complete with annoying-in-different-ways-to turn up at -before droids anew, returning heroes from elsewhere in his dooroeuvre, partly because her previous counterpart, an inconsequential part of A J's life when all is said and doneand people keeping it in the family til it hurts. And if you need further encouragement, had died and he didndon't know about it. But forget his bad time audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the series is about so popular we're on to get a lot worse, part seven – surely making this over twice as good… [[William Shakespeare's the one thing he owns worth Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the most – a rare book, more valuable than his house, his business, anything – is about to vanish. Which bizarrely will cause several major changes to his one-person household…Seventh by Ian Doescher|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408704617</amazonuk!-- Goss -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=William Hanson"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Goss_600.jpg|titleleft|link=The Bluffer's Guide to Etiquette (Bluffer's Guides)https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1785942719?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785942719]]|rating=5|genre=Lifestyle|summarystyle=If you ask people what they fear most in any social situation most will tell you that it's not knowing how to behave"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and Russell T Davies]]=== [[image:4.5star. Theyjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children'll be fine about the basics, but its Rhymes and Verse|Children's those little niceties - how to introduce yourselfRhymes and Verse]], what to ask for as an aperitif[[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], how [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Consider the Doctor. Just how many birthday and Christmas gifts must he have to address someonehand out each year, were he to keep in touch with even half of his companions? He would certainly need a few novelty gifts for instance which can suddenly reveal you as some of them, say, for example, whimsical books of verse that pithily encapsulate the life of a parvenuTime Lord and that of some of his friends and enemies. William Hanson gives us a quick trip through As luck would have it, he has the essentials space in a book which is very readable and - his TARDIS to stock up in places advance, so my advice to him – sorry, her – would be to pop along to his local Earth- hilariously funnybased book emporium and get himself ready.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1909937002</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Horrid Henry's Biggest And if you're working on a shorter timescale, with a shorter lifespan, and Best Ever Joke Book - 3thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, well my advice is pretty much the same. [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and Russell T Davies|Full Review]] <!-- Ingram -in-1>|author=Francesca Simon and Tony Ross-|ratingstyle=4"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Ingram_Kammie.5jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=It is easy to see why Horrid Henry remains such an enduring and wellhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1785451995?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785451995]]  | style="vertical-liked children’s character. The adventures of this cheeky, irreverent schoolboy and a cast of extreme characters including Miss Battle Axe, The Demon Dinner Lady, Rabid Rebecca and archalign: top; text-nemesis Moody Margaret are incredibly funny and a perfect way to encourage reluctant young readers to cultivate a love of reading. It is no surprise then, that the series has spawned a set of three spin-off joke books, which have now been combined to create a single volumealign: left;"|===[[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram]]=== [[image: ''Horrid Henry’s Biggest and Best Ever Joke Book''4star.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>144401174X</amazonuk>Category:{{{rating}}}{{newreviewStar Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|title=Let Me Off at the Top!Pets]], [[:Category: My Classy Life and Other MusingsHumour|author=Ron BurgundyHumour]]|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=''This book is It was something of a testament to my giant ballsrelief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammie.'' But it's also a lot more. The story we've never You see, Annie knows something which has been able self-evident to discern from either me for a long time: dogs are perfectly capable of the ''Anchorman'' films is one communicating with humans and not just on a level of surprising hardshipfood!, unsurprising hardness, and great hairwalk! or play!. It's a rags-You do require extensive training to-riches talebecome fluent, as Ron Burgundy comes from a Hicksville town in the middle of the outskirts of somewhere the arse end of nowhere (a town perpetually on fire due but most dogs will be perfectly willing to give their time to the accidents in the mines underneath) teach you and struggles against all the odds – and many of the evens in the shape of women's legs – to get where he you have to do is today, thrusting himself listen. Annie has studied hard: Kammie has trained her well and his news at the pair have allowed us nightly.to share some of their conversations. [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780892241</amazonuk!-- Harris -->}}{{newreview|-|titlestyle=Outraged of Tunbridge Wells"width: 10%; vertical-align: Original Complaints from Middle England|author=Nigel Cawthornetop; text-align: center;"|[[image:Harris_Glass.jpg|ratinglink=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?tag=4thebookbag-21]] |genre=Humour|summarystyle=It was ever thus… cyclists go too fast, without using a hooter or lights"vertical-align: top; there are hoodlums everywhere one looks, and no public conveniencestext-align: left; people pretend to have qualifications and degrees they haven't rightfully earned; buses are too busy with shopping women who should be indoors already, cooking for their working menfolk… It's a very clever idea to show exactly what is behind the 'disgusted "|===[[The Breaking of Tunbridge Wells' tagLiam Glass by Charles Harris]]=== [[image:3star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Teenager Liam Glass is mugged and as a book to be shelved alongside those with stabbed yards from his Camden flat. As the wackier letters sent to boy lies comatose, desperate journalist Jason Worthington scrabbles for the ''Daily Telegraph''inside scoop, these selections from the Royal town's press itself make tired police officer Andy Rockham searches for a great eyemissing tape, harried politician Jamila Hasan fights for re-opener to election, distraught mother Katrina Glass waits by her son, and gym-owner Royland simply finds himself in the wrong place at the complaints and complainants wrong time. We follow this host of ensemble characters in a bleak, kaleidoscopic satire of Kentmodern media.[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908096918</amazonuk!-- LENTE -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Charlie Hill"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=Books[[image:Lente_10.jpg|ratinglink=4http://www.5|genre=Humouramazon.co.uk/dp/1683690222/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |summarystyle=Neurology professor Lauren Furrows witnesses the sudden untimely"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|death of two tourists in a bar while on holiday. Birmingham bookshop owner===[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]===Richard Anger happens to be in the same bar so together our single holidaymakers decide to team up as an investigatory force to be reckoned with[[image:4star.(Well, Lauren teams up for that. Richard's reasons jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Nine comedians are more physical thanintellectual invited to begin with.) The murders seem to emanate from author GarySaylesa remote Caribbean island under the guise of working with Dustin Walker, a comedic legend in . Each fits neatly into one of the archetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the washed-up has-been who has fallen far from his own mind andearly days; Zoe, apparentlythe rising female star with a new stand-up special coming soon; Dante, fatal who went from being a kid on the streets to read. Elsewherehippy exhibitionists (the hardest working road comic in an overthe business; Oliver, the child-18 way) Zeke and Pippa, are planning theart installation to end all art installations and, are determined to makeGary the centrepiece, whether he realises it or not.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|link=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|link=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 the window. It's not a coincidence that it's the same day she finds Queen Elizabeth I 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! [[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 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's at the 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 know they should be called that – 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 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 them 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 the potential to ruin 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 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 it was 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="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 prescribed, read on. In these pages you too will 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 establishment curing murderous women, such as a Lady M (her). [[Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North|Full Review]] <!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781251630</amazonuk>}}

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