Changes

[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreview|authorclass-"wikitable" cellpadding=Kevin Smith"15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->|title=The Voyage of the Dolphin<!-- van LENTE -->|rating=5-|genre=Historical Fiction|summarystyle=Dublin 1916"width: Among the unrest and anti10%; vertical-British feeling worsened by the threat of conscription into a war seen as nothing to do with the Irish, Trinity College faculty has other distractions. They'd like a trophyalign: top; text-align: center; the skeleton of an Irish 'giant' to be precise"|[[image:1683690346. The only glitch is that the main trophy contender, Bernard MacNeill's skeleton, is somewhere difficult to access and all seasoned explorers are otherwise engagedjpg|link=http://www. There may be hope thoughamazon. They turn to Fitzmaurice, a student not good enough for anything else. Fitzmaurice agrees, picking his friends Crozier and Rafferty to go with him. So… ''Gentlemen, lace up your strongest boots and pack your warmest underwear – we're all off to the bloody Arctic!'' Whether battle cry or epitaph, three men and a dog… and an iguana… are going anywayco.uk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>1910124826</amazonuk>"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||amazonus=<amazonus>1910124826</amazonus>==[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]===}}[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{newreview{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|author=Tony HawksCrime]], [[:Category:Humour|title=Once Upon a Time in the West… CountryHumour]]|rating=3|genre=Travel|summary=I have often complained in Comic-Cons are a jokey voice to my partner about life in the sticksplace of wonder and sanctuary for many people, and the way she moved me from an innerwhen Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-city flat to slumming it in the suburbs with fewer bussesCon, no takeaways within walking-he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and-keeping-food-hot distancecreators, and no 'Polish' shops for a can plus the chance of beer whenever you fancy onemaybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. Things are different with Tony HawksHowever, as here he has purposefully decided when his rival is found dead, Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the con in order to up sticks clear his name – from London cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to Somewherezombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, Devon – a tiny village where the people who built their own homes decades ago still live in themdoing so, where slugs are may just unravel a lot more of dark secret behind a problem for the wannabe lettucelegendary industry creator. [[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]]  <!-- Coulton -->|-grower than they are for the metropolitan commuter, and where village halls have the power to turn you into both a Pol Pot dictator if you get on their committee and into a quivering, bruise| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-inducing wreck if you're the wrong gender at a Zumba class…align: center;"|[[image:1473669588.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1444794809<http:/amazonuk>/www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]}}{{newreview|authorstyle=Marian Keyes"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=Making It Up As I Go Along|rating=4.5|genre=Entertainment[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|summarylink=OhCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|General Fiction]], how the book reviewing gods like to give[[:Category:Humour|Humour]], and equally like to take away. Here before me is a brand, spanking new collection of journalism by the wonderful Marian Keyes – but it[[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's a proof copy, so thereFiction]] Lex Coulton's no photo of the authordebut novel is a story about mistakes, failures, and relationships. Even if over the years I have stopped reading The main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, is a sixth form English teacher who has recently fallen out with her novelsbest friend Jackson, I have always turned to a work colleague, and is grappling with the author picture to remind myself such sights exist in this worldincreasingly eccentric behaviour of her mother. Himself This relationship is a lucky man, for surecomplicated by the fact that Frances's father disappeared at sea when she was five years old. But beyond sounding like a letch, what can I say about this – the beauty's third large dose of essays, web columns and other journalism? I can start with agreeing that I am not the target audience, but it's easy enough to see from these pages exactly what the target is. So much like that test you do – you know the one, that formulates decisions about the age and commonality of all things in space to come up with how many billions of planets are likely to have alien life on – you can narrow things down quite readily here, and still come up with a huge number[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|Full Review]] <!-- van LENTE -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1683690346.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718182529</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Jean-Yves Ferri|title= Asterix and the Missing Scroll (Album 36)|rating[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]=== 5|genre= For Sharing[[image:4star.jpg|summarylink=Asterix is those rarest of book series; one designed for kids which is actually even funnier when you are an adult. I used to love Asterix as a childCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], but now that I reread them I can't help but [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Comic-Cons are a place of wonder whyand sanctuary for many people, because they are so full of hilarious jokes that I definitely wouldn't have understood and when I was younger. I laughed loud Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and hard to myself twice within creators, plus the first two pages chance of Asterix and the Missing Scrollmaybe, so I'd definitely say that this was a hitjust maybe reuniting with his ex.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1510100458</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Spadge Whittaker|title=Braver Than BritainHowever, when his rival is found dead, Occasionally|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=In which Spadge researches Britain's top ten fears and faces them all over the course Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of a year. We're quite a fearful society, you know. And the things we fear most are, con in order: heights (acrophobia), snakes (ophidiophobia)to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, public speaking (glossophobia)in doing so, spiders (arachnophobia), small spaces (claustrophobia), mice (musophobia), needles (trypanophobia), flying (pteromerhanophobia), crowds (agoraphobia) and clowns (coulrophobia)may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=Full Review]] <amazonuk!-- Curran -->0993429904</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Mike Bullen-|titlestyle= Trust"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating= 4[[image:1683690133.jpg|genrelink= General Fictionhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |summarystyle= Greg "vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Amanda are happyLarissa Zageris]]=== [[image:4star. Unmarriedjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], but together thirteen years and with two young daughters, they [[:Category:Historical Fiction|Historical Fiction]] You are very much in love. Dan and Sarah aren't so fortunatea lass of twenty eight. Their marriage is going through the motionsPlucky, penniless and they're staying together for in Regency era London the sake of their troubled teenage sonrace is on to find a suitable suitor - or else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. Following Along your journey you'll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - a business conference away fiesty noble eager to save you from home, one bad decision sends a happy couple into turmoillife alone, and turns an unhappy couple into love's young dreamfired by a rogueish sense for adventure. As secrets and betrayals threaten When it comes to send both relationships out of controlsuitors though, thereyou's only one thing that can keep everything from falling apart: Trust|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751559253</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Dan Rhodes|title=When ll have to make the ultimate decision between witty, pretty and wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, wholesome, rugged and caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, or the Professor Got Stuck in mad, bad and terrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven. With orphans, werewolves, long lost lovers and ancient Egyptian artifcats along the Snow|rating=4.5way, it's clear this isn't going to be an easy decision... [[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris|Full Review]] <!-- Jester -->|genre=General Fiction-|summarystyle= Two people are on a train on their way to, of all things, a WI meeting where the ladies of All Bottoms will be lectured on the non"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-existence of Godalign: center;"|[[image:Jester_Forever. One of the two people is Professor Richard Dawkins, rampant atheist, hectoring scientist chappie, and all-round devotee of ''Deal or No Deal''jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon. The other is Smee, his mono-named assistant, amanuensis or 'male secretary'co. Smee will come to the fore when the weather sets in and the train journey has to be abandoned some way short of its ultimate destination, Upper Bottom. Instead the pair fetch up at the isolated yet friendly community of Market Horton, and the only option for accommodation is taken – yes, the dieduk/gp/product/1510704361?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-in-the21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1510704361]]  | style="vertical-wool nonalign: top; text-believer has to be housed align: left;"|===[[Forever After: a dark comedy by a retired vicar and his wifeDavid Jester]]=== [[image:4star. This clash of titanic opinions, peppered with social faux pas aplenty will provide for a particularly English kind of farcical comedy, but one with the legs to go as far as any other Good Books have reached in the past…jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1910709018</amazonuk>}}Category:{{{newreview|author=Rob Temple|title=Very British Problems Abroad|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|genre=Humour|summary=MeetParanormal]], if you haven't already[[:Category:Horror|Horror]], [[:Category:Fantasy|Fasntasy]] Michael Holland is a cocky and brash young man who dies and gets made the phenomenon offer of the Very British Problemhis lifetime; immortality. In this format they're in pithy little comments We follow Michael, a grim reaper and his friends Chip (a stoner tooth fairy) and Naff (of, ooh, about 140 characters a stoner in length, for some reason…the records department) as they grapple with their long lives and detail the minor things finding a clean surface to sit on in life that we like nothing more than to inflate to their flat. [[Forever After: a major factor of life. They can involve manners, staring at things until they mend themselves, hitting things ditto, or the fact that nobody apart from you and I know how to queue properly. And if the idea hits the world outside our shores, then – well, you certainly have a book full of content regarding our attitude and ineptitude abroad.dark comedy by David Jester|Full Review]] <!-- Stibbe -->|-|amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>0751558494</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.jpg|author=Fraser McAlpineleft|titlelink=Stuff Brits Like|ratinghttps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=4|genreUTF8&tag=Humour|summarythebookbag-21&linkCode= With over 100 chapters on different aspects of Britain and Britishness, this book is both fascinating and hilarious. Just looking at the list of subjects is enough to produce a sardonic twist of that stiff upper lipas2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0241309824]]  | style="vertical-align: the chapters cover topics that range from offal to curry, from pedantry to banter, from conkers to rugby. There may be many chapters but this is no academic tome top; text- each chapter is just two to three pages long, each is written with endearing affection, each is easy and satisfying - and quirkily funny - to readalign: left;"|===[[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1857886348</amazonuk>}}Category:{{{newreview|author= John Samuelrating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|title= What I Tell You in the DarkHumour]], [[:Category:Short Stories|rating= 3.5Short Stories]]|genre= Humour|summary=A man called Will is fighting fiercely against corruption Christmas – desperate to expose his company's dodgy dealings to the presstime of traditional trauma. Overcome with doubt and fear, he goes You only have to kill himself. But, at think about the exact moment he attaches his noose to turkey for that – once upon a time it was leaving it sat on the back of the door, he is saved. By a curious housemate or a concerned girlfriend? No, by an Angel. Not the white-feathered guardian Angel you may expect, but one who wishes downstairs loo to help Will achieve his endsdefrost overnight, and so possess if that failed the body of the hapless Will in order hair-dryer shoved inside it treatment was your next best bet. Nowadays it's all having to finish what he started. It goes without saying make sure it's suitably free-range and organic – but not too organic that the Angel is hoping things you can go better than they did and visit it, and get too friendly with the last guy he possessed – it to want to eat it. Christmas, though, is of course also a time of great boons. It's cash in hand for a hapless young man from Galilee called Jesus…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0715650505</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= John Niven|title= The Sunshine Cruise Company|rating= 4.5|genre= Humour|summary= Susan Frobisher lot of plump people who can hire red suits and Julie Wickham live in a small Dorset town. Friends since schoolbeards, they live fairly uneventful lives – Susan has it was always a lovely house and godsend for postmen with all the thank-you letters to aunties you saw twice a lengthy marriage to accountant Barry, whereas Julie is doing slightly less well – living decade that your parents made you write out in long-hand as a council flat child, and working in an old people's home. When Barry is found dead trussed up in a sex dungeon, it transpires that he has been leading a hidden life for yearsas for the makers of Meltis Newberry Fruits – well, did they even try and his expensive fetishes lead to sell them any other time of the bank moving to take Susan's home. Struck year? [[An Almost Perfect Christmas by both desperation and a sense of injustice, Sue and Julie conspire to rob a bank, taking along their friend Jill – a devout Christian conflicted due to lack of money and a terminally ill grandson, and Ethel – a foul mouthed resident of the nursing home longing for adventure.Nina Stibbe|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0434023183</amazonuk!-- Doescher -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Marie Phillips"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=The Table Of Less Valued Knights|rating=4[[image:Doescher_Will.5jpg|genre=Fantasyleft|summarylink=Sir Humphrey has been demoted from King Arthur's Round Table to the Table of Lesser Valued Knightshttps://www. The only way to get his comfier seat back is to redeem himself via a questamazon. Therefore when damsel Elaine seeks help to find her kidnapped fiancé, Humphrey and his ward, the teenage giant Conrad, eagerly set forthco. Meanwhile in the kingdom of Tuft, new Queen Martha has run away after a disastrous wedding to… a… well… disastrous Prince Edwin. She may not realise it yet, but she too will have a job for Humphrey!uk/gp/product/159474985X?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=159474985X]]  |amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>0099555875</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|author=Tim Flannery|title=The Mystery of the Venus Island Fetish|rating=3|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Meet Archie Meek. He[[William Shakespeare's about to leave the Venus Islands, where he's lived for Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the last five years, and return to Sydney, where he'll take his office in the museum and fill it with all the cultural artefacts he's found and wildlife he's plucked or pickledSeventh by Ian Doescher]]=== [[image:4.5star. That's not to ignore the fact he'll count as something quite alien himselfjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], with his filled-out frame, nearly all-over suntan and totemic tattoo[[:Category:Humour|Humour]] A long time ago, in amongst other changes to his body. But what's this? When he gets backa galaxy far away, he finds one of the main Venus Islands artefacts that caused him to go there in the first place, was a hugeman called William Shakespeare, macabre ceremonial fetish mask, purloined as corporate artworkwho was able to create a series of dramatic histories full of machinations most foul, rulers most evil and rebellious heroes and heroines most sturdy. And some of the curators he wishes to work alongside You may or may not have vanished. Is noticed the weird society cinematic version of the museum hehis original stage play for ''The Force Doth Awaken's returning ', but here at last we get the actual script, complete with annoying-in-different-ways-to-before droids anew, perchance, even weirderreturning heroes from elsewhere in his oeuvre, stranger and more violent than people keeping it in the cannibalistic society he's waving farewell to?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1922079308</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Roman Dirgefamily til it hurts. And if you need further encouragement, don't forget his audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the series is so popular we're on to part seven – surely making this over twice as good… [[William Shakespeare's the Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher|title=The Cat with a Really Big HeadFull Review]]|rating=3.5|genre<!-- Goss -->|-| style=Graphic Novels"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Goss_600.jpg|summaryleft|link= How many picture books are there about catshttps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1785942719? And how many do you know that you would really NOT prefer your children to see? If the answer to the second question is 'none – yet', scratch that last word. The title piece in this collection is, ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785942719]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by the authorJames Goss and Russell T Davies]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children's Rhymes and Verse|Children's own admissionRhymes and Verse]], his imagining of [[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Consider the Joseph Merrick (the 'Elephant Man') of the feline world – who struggles Doctor. Just how many birthday and Christmas gifts must he have to sneak up behind a mouse when the shadow hand out each year, were he to keep in touch with even half of his head is companions? He would certainly need a total giveawayfew novelty gifts for some of them, say, and who can hardly even eat with dignity as bending down to his bowl would break his neck. If that's too dark or oddball for youexample, try whimsical books of verse that pithily encapsulate the second major piece, which has life of a most revealing foreword – ''Dedicated to a certain girl… I hope your life is filled with wonderful accomplishments, love Time Lord and all the magic you desire… - But I hope your death is slow that of some of his friends and horribleenemies.''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782762876</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Val Hennessy|title=Not Far From Dreamland|rating=4As luck would have it, he has the space in his TARDIS to stock up in advance, so my advice to him – sorry, her – would be to pop along to his local Earth-based book emporium and get himself ready.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Ronald Tonks has reached that stage in life which I call upper middle age: you've qualified for your pension but not yet got to And if you're working on a shorter timescale, with a shorter lifespan, and thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, well my advice is pretty much the free television licence barriersame. What Ronald ''has'' got is a roof that leaks [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (there's good reason why his home is called 'the shack'), a dog who is going bald (in patchesDr Who) by James Goss and money that's in very short supplyRussell T Davies|Full Review]] <!-- Ingram -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Ingram_Kammie. On the plus side he has friends, mostly platonic and usually in much the same boat as Ronaldjpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co. But are they downhearteduk/gp/product/1785451995? Well, they are occasionally, but mostly they're generously optimistic and out to make the most of what they've got, usually bought from charity shops and jumble sales. ''Not Far From Dreamland'' is the story of a year (2012) in the life of Ronald Tonks, his friends and relatives.ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785451995]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||amazonuk=<amazonuk>0704373874</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Harry Harrison|title=Bill, the Galactic Hero|rating[[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram]]===3.5|genre=Science Fiction[[image:4star.jpg|summarylink=Meet Bill. He's a simple farmer – wellCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|Pets]], he ''is'' taking [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It was something of a correspondence course in being a Technical Fertiliser Operator – but fate has something else in storerelief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammie. And so does the mechanised, technological, industrial militaryYou see, Annie knows something which needs several billion grunts has been self-evident to fight the Chingers, in mankind's first inter-galactic war. Still, at least he gets medals just me for signing up. After that it's all downhill, a long time: dogs are perfectly capable of communicating with humans and the likes not just on a level of Petty Chief Officer Deathwish Drang can only make that a straight line downfood!, walk! or play!. ReallyYou do require extensive training to become fluent, what hope is there?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]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>147320531X</amazonuk!-- Harris -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Ian Doescher"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace[[image:Harris_Glass.jpg|ratinglink=4http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |genrestyle=Humour"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||summary= Join us, good gentles, for a merry reimagining ==[[The Breaking of `Star Wars Episode 1' as only Shakespeare could have written itLiam Glass by Charles Harris]]=== [[image:3star. 'Tis a true Shakespearean drama, filled with sword fights, soliloquies and doomed romance…all in glorious iambic pentameter and coupled with gorgeous illustrations. Hold on to your midichloriansjpg|link=Category: The plays the thing, wherein you'll catch the rise of Anakin!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594748063</amazonuk>{{{rating}}}{{newreviewStar Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|author=Attaboy|title=The Book of HugsCrime]], [[:Category:Humour|rating=4Humour]]|genre=Humour|summary=A hug's 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 hugmissing tape, OK? You either doharried politician Jamila Hasan fights for re-election, distraught mother Katrina Glass waits by her son, or you don't. Some people might be a little more enthusiastic about and gym-owner Royland simply finds himself in the process whilst others are more elegant in wrong place at the execution wrong time. We follow this host of the hugensemble characters in a bleak, but basically you just get on and do it and then forget about it, right?kaleidoscopic satire of modern media. [[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0867197978</amazonuk!-- LENTE -->}}|-{{newreview|author| style= Christopher Fowler"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title= Bryant and May – The Burning Man[[image:Lente_10.jpg|ratinglink=4|genrehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690222/ref=Crime|summarynosim?tag= The Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) has a new set of overlords. For reasons that were explored in the previous couple of outings they have been transferred to the City Of London Policethebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star. The Met are still the big players in the area. City of London Police only police jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Nine comedians are invited to a remote Caribbean island under the old cityguise of working with Dustin Walker, a comedic legend. Each fits neatly into one of the square milearchetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the financial district in other words, that washed-up has very little -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 way of street crimebusiness; Oliver, because nothe child-one lives there anymore and like prop comic who can't get any respect from his peers; Janet, the people insult comic who work there areis past her prime; TJ, by the nightly variety show host with a reputation for harassing his female colleagues and largeguest acts; Ruby, either too rich to need to stealthe ultra-feminist YouTuber and Blogger with a chip on her shoulder; and William, or too smart to have to do so on whose redneck character ''Billy the streetsContractor'' 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]]|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857522043</amazonuk>}}{{newreview<!-- Scott -->|author=Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg|titlestyle=The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again! "width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Scott_Eliz.jpg|ratinglink=3http://www.amazon.co.5|genreuk/dp/1788037006/ref=Humour|summarynosim?tag=Following the success of ''The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules''thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Elizabeth, 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 oneWilliam... 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 oneMe by S Lynn Scott]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1447274903</amazonuk>Category:{{{rating}}}{{newreview|author=WinshlussStar Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|title=In God We TrustHumour]]|rating=4.5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=To start Ally is an ordinary woman withteenage children, a rhetorical testhusband and a job. How about God and Adam playing badminton 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 and day out, until one gets bored and decides to create Eve? Or the defeater of Goliath pantry and the saviour Bard of the Israelites being one Conan the Barbarian? Or this as a test – Jesus Himself failing Avon in her bath. What's she going to have a successful session of tequila slammers with Gabriel due to the holes through His handsdo? I barely need mention that in these pages God does battle with SupermanWell, for you to Elizabeth and Will have answered the test and put yourself firmly in one of two camps for this book – one very much opposed to buying ittheir own ideas about that! [[Elizabeth, William... and one very much in favour.Me by S Lynn Scott|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk!-- Rodford -->0861662350</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=David Walliams and Tony Ross-|titlestyle=The Queen's Orang"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-Utanalign: center;"|rating=5[[image:Rodford_Surgeon.jpg|genrelink=For Sharing|summary=The Queen felt trapped in the palace with all those stuffed animals which she has been given on foreign tourshttp://www.amazon. There are mountains of them and every night she would dream of escapingco. When her birthday drew near the family dutifully asked her what she would like as a present. uk/dp/178565005X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Prince was thinking of a gold, diamond encrusted stairlift whilst the Duke was considering a great big bottle of brandySurgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford]]=== [[image:4star. 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 orang-utan'. And she didn't mean a stuffed onejpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], either.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0008135134</amazonuk>Humour]]}}{{newreview|author=Jack Sheffield|title=Silent Night|rating=3.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=I read a couple In the second instalment of Jack Sheffield’s books about five years ago, and enjoyed them very much. They were written in this series, Private Investigator George Kocharyan has been hired by a similar style well-known local man to those popularised bytrack down some missing valuables. Bill Galbraith, for instancea world-famous surgeon at Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital who hosts a popular medical television programme, James Herriot or [[:Category:Gervase Phinn|Gervase Phinn]], told mostly has had his briefcase stolen by his live-in the first persondomestic servant, describing the author’s first couple of years as Headmaster at a small village primary school in YorkshireAurora. The village of Ragley is fictionalAccording to Galbraith, as are most this briefcase contains confidential notes concerning an important patient of his at the charactershospital. George agrees to look into the theft, assuming it will be a relatively easy and straightforward case – little does he know, but the incidents he's about to enter a world of deceit and situations encountered are based on the author’s experiencedysfunction.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0552167045[[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford|Full Review]] </amazonuk!-- Jordan -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=J Robert Lennon"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Jordan_Tiny.jpg|titlelink=See You In Paradisehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1760293814/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |ratingstyle=3"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||genre=Short Stories|summary=Lennon writes with a relaxed=[[Our Tiny, easy style and his characters are instantly recognisable as people from everyday walks of life, without being in any way stereotypicalUseless Hearts by Toni Jordan]]=== [[image:5star. Many of the people in these stories are dealing with normal frustrationsjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] As predicted by Caroline and Lennon is cleverly detached enough not to make them individuals that youJanice's mother on Caroline and Henry're obviously supposed to root for (the only exception s wedding day, their marriage is the industrialist in the eponymous taleover, albeit 15 years and two daughters further along than predicted. Indeed, who this is an archetypal capitalist fat cat). There are some very clever characterisations – in definitely not a good weekend for Janice to be babysitting at Caroline's house. There'Weber’s Heads the split and the awkwardness of the girls'', schoolteacher being the other woman for example, the narrator is a flawed individual whose opinions of his housemate are gradually revealed to be unreliable and unfairstart. For me, Then there's that mistaken identity moment involving the most unsettling story 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'No Life'', because it portrays a decent couple s at the mercy of people more powerful and influential than them. There is no supernatural or bizarre element at work heredoor? [[Our Tiny, just ordinary characters at the mercy of social power.Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781253358</amazonuk!-- Taylor -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Lynne Truss"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=Cat out of Hell[[image:Taylor_Scilly.jpg|ratinglink=3|genrehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178475515X/ref=Horror|summarynosim?tag=Meet Alec Charlesworth. He's retired and decamped to an isolated coastal cottage with just his dog and loving memories thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Life 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 a Scilly Sergeant by someone at the college he worked at, just before he leftColin Taylor]]=== [[image:4. 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 cat5star. Worryingly, we soon see what at jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Travel|Travel]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Meet the most only a few Isles of Scilly. (I know they should be called that – the characters can, that this cat is being accompanied by unusual author provides a handy guide to the etiquette of their name, their nature and unexpected death – much like Alec's wifelocation, etc. It) For our more distant readers, they's only when Roger testifies to having been pushed through the ends re several chunks of endurance and granite rock out in the other side that we begin to doubt Atlantic, where Cornwall is pointing, with just 2,200 permanent residents. They're big on tourism, and big on growing flowers in the true evil in this story lies…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099585340</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jimmy Hansen 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 Mychailo Kazybird|title=Wallace & Gromit : The Complete Newspaper Strips Collection Vol 2|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=For me so idyllic-seeming, especially at night, you can be mistaken for thinking there would be no need for a police presence. But there are is – at least two important areas working at any one time. And one of the cover 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 this book where three letters are arranged in meaningful wayshis work. [[The first is with the SLife of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor|Full Review]] <!-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 CLloyd -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>|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd_Twas. 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 spadesjpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472125118/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>1782760822</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Dear Committee Members|author=Julie Schumacher|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary[['Twas the Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees]]==Jason Fitger (Jay) is a Professor of creative writing and literature at a small university in the American mid-west= [[image:3. He is also a frustrated novelist with a colourful personal history, much of which bleeds into his professional life, with interesting results5star.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>0007586345</amazonuk>}}Category:{{{newreview|title=Mapp and Lucia Omnibus|author=E F Benson|rating=3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|genre=Humour]]|summary=Miss Elizabeth Mapp rules the town of Tilling - It's Christmas Eve and Mum has arranged everything. All she now has to do is await the centre arrival of the social life, relatives and spends her days enjoying bridge, polite conversation and civilised paintingthe food shopping delivery. When Mrs Emmeline Lucas arrives in town (known Little does Mum know that those two elements alone have the potential to all as Lucia), Miss Mapp finds her life truly shaken up, as ruin everything. [['Twas the cultured, fashionable and progressive Lucia makes her home in the town, Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and swiftly rises to the top of the ranks amongst the social scene in Tilling.Emlyn Rees|amazonuk=Full Review]] <amazonuk>1849908478</amazonuk!-- Phinn -->}}{{newreview|-|titlestyle=Encyclopedia Paranoiaca"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|author=Henry Beard and Christopher Cerf[[image:Phinn_Virgin.jpg|ratingleft|link=4http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1444779400/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] |genrestyle=Popular Science"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||summary=We==[[The Virgin Mary're screwed. 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 datas Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4.5star. Take any aspect of your daily life – what you eatjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], how you work, how you rest even, what you touch – all have problems that could provoke [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a serious illness plane and head to either sun or worse. And outside snow, anywhere that daily sphere there are economic disastersis far, nuclear meltdowns, errant AI scientists and passing comets that could turn our world upside down far away from the madness at home, last minute dashes to the blink of an eyeshops on Christmas Eve, and food cupboard stockpiles that would imply supermarkets are shutting for a month, nor a mere 36 hours. Perhaps then you better read this book first – for 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 may well turn out took me right back to be your last…|amazonuk=<amazonukthe 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 -->0715649213</amazonuk>}}{{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>}}