Changes

[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreview|authorclass-"wikitable" cellpadding=Annie Ingram"15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->|title=Conversations with Kammie<!-- Hogan -->|rating=4-|genrestyle=Pets"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|summary[[image:1473669065.jpg|link=It was something of a relief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammiehttp://www.amazon.co. You see, Annie knows something which has been selfuk/dp/1473669065/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-evident to me for a long timealign: dogs are perfectly capable of communicating with humans and not just on a level of ''food!'', ''walk!'' or ''play!'left;"|===[[Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan]]=== [[image:5star. You do require extensive training jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|General Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Paranormal|Paranormal]] Tilda returns to become fluentBrighton, but most dogs will be perfectly willing to give their time tidy away the remains of her mother's life after her death. Whilst there, she returns to teach you the Paradise hotel, a haven for eccentrics and all you have to do is listenmisfits. Annie has studied hard: Kammie has trained A place where people can be themselves, and let go of thoughts that torment them elsewhere. Little wonder that Tilda cannot forgive her mother for banishing her well and the pair have allowed us to share some as a child, from this place of their conversationswonder.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1785451995With the help of Queenie Malone, caring, and gregarious, Tilda begins to pick apart the tricky and uncertain relationship she had with her sometimes cruel and distant mother. [[Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan|Full Review]] </amazonuk!-- van LENTE -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle= Charles Harris"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1683690346.jpg|titlelink= The Breaking of Liam Glasshttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]|rating= 3|genre=Crime|summarystyle= A flawed but reasonably entertaining swipe at modern media. There's plenty here to like, and plenty not to. But good structure and scramjet pace keep this one flying to the final page."vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908943823</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= ==[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|title]]== Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery|rating= 4|genre= Humour[[image:4star.jpg|summarylink= Nine comedians are invited to Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Comic-Cons are a remote Caribbean island under the guise place of working with Dustin Walkerwonder and sanctuary for many people, a comedic legendand when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and creators, plus the chance of maybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. Each fits neatly into one However, when his rival is found dead, Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the archetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the washed-up has-been who has fallen far con in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his early days; Zoeinnocence and, in doing so, the rising female star with may just unravel a new standdark secret behind a legendary industry creator. [[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]]  <!-- Coulton -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-up special coming soonalign: top; Dante, who went from being a kid on the streets to the hardest working road comic in the businesstext-align: center; Oliver, the child"|[[image:1473669588.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-like prop comic who can't get any respect from his peers21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; Janet, the insult comic who is past her primetext-align: left; TJ, the nightly variety show host with a reputation for harassing his female colleagues and guest acts; Ruby"|===[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|General Fiction]], the ultra-feminist YouTuber and Blogger with a chip on her shoulder; and William[[:Category:Humour|Humour]], whose redneck character [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women'Billy the Contractor's Fiction]] Lex Coulton' s debut novel is a far cry from his real personality as a posh millionairestory about mistakes, failures, and relationships. Of courseThe main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, all nine agree because ''when God almighty walks down on is a beam of light and asks for your helpsixth form English teacher who has recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, a work colleague, what and is grappling with the increasingly eccentric behaviour of her mother. This relationship is complicated by the hell else are you going to say?fact that Frances''|amazonuk=s father disappeared at sea when she was five years old. [[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|Full Review]] <amazonuk>1594749744</amazonuk!-- van LENTE -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=S Lynn Scott"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1683690346.jpg|titlelink=Elizabeth, Williamhttp://www.amazon.co. and Meuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |ratingstyle=4.5"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||genre=Humour|summary=Ally is an ordinary woman with teenage children=[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Comic-Cons are a husband place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, and a job. Then comes the day when ordinariness flies out of the window. ItComic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's not a coincidence looking for both that it's and sanctuary with other fans and creators, plus the same day she finds Queen Elizabeth I in the pantry and the Bard chance of Avon in her bathmaybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. What's she going to do? WellHowever, when his rival is found dead, Elizabeth Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the con in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and Will have their own ideas about that!intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, in doing so, may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator. [[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788037006</amazonuk!-- Curran -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle= E G Rodford"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1683690133.jpg|titlelink= The Surgeon's Casehttp: George Kocharyan Mystery 2//www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |ratingstyle= 4"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||genre= Crime |summary=In the second instalment of this series, Private Investigator George Kocharyan has been hired =[[My Lady's Choosing by a well-known local man to track down some missing valuablesKitty Curran and Larissa Zageris]]=== [[image:4star. Bill Galbraith, a world-famous surgeon at Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital who hosts a popular medical television programmejpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], has had his briefcase stolen by his live-in domestic servant, Aurora[[:Category:Historical Fiction|Historical Fiction]] You are a lass of twenty eight. According to GalbraithPlucky, this briefcase contains confidential notes concerning an important patient of his at penniless and in Regency era London the hospital. George agrees race is on to look into the theft, assuming it will find a suitable suitor - or else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. Along your journey you'll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - a fiesty noble eager to save you from a relatively easy life alone, and straightforward case – little does he knowfired by a rogueish sense for adventure. When it comes to suitors though, heyou's about ll have to enter a world of deceit make the ultimate decision between witty, pretty and wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, wholesome, rugged and caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, or the mad, bad and dysfunctionterrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven.|amazonuk=With orphans, werewolves, long lost lovers and ancient Egyptian artifcats along the way, it's clear this isn't going to be an easy decision... [[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris|Full Review]] <amazonuk>178565005X</amazonuk!-- Jester -->}}{{newreview|author=Toni Jordan-|titlestyle=Our Tiny, Useless Hearts"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=5[[image:Jester_Forever.jpg|genre=Women's Fictionleft|summarylink=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 predictedhttps://www.amazon.co. Indeed, this is definitely not uk/gp/product/1510704361?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1510704361]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Forever After: a good weekend for Janice to be babysitting at Caroline's housedark comedy by David Jester]]=== [[image:4star. There's the split and the awkwardness of the girls' schoolteacher being the other woman for jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|Paranormal]], [[:Category:Horror|Horror]], [[:Category:Fantasy|Fasntasy]] Michael Holland is a start. Then there's that mistaken identity moment involving cocky and brash young man who dies and gets made the neighboursoffer of his lifetime; immortality. At least Janice is well adjusted We follow Michael, a grim reaper and his friends Chip (a stoner tooth fairy) and Naff (a stoner in the records department) as they grapple with their long lives and over her ex-husband Alecfinding a clean surface to sit on in their flat. She still dreams of him, yes, but it's so over[[Forever After: a dark comedy by David Jester|Full Review]] <! Just as well really… guess who's at the door?-- Stibbe -->|-|amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>1760293814</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|author=Colin Taylor[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.jpg|title=The Life of a Scilly Sergeantleft|ratinglink=4https://www.amazon.5co.uk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0241309824]]  |genrestyle=Travel"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|summarylink=Meet Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]] Christmas – the Isles time of Scillytraditional trauma. (I know they should be called You only have to think about the turkey for that – once upon a time it was leaving it sat on the author provides a handy guide downstairs loo to the etiquette of their namedefrost overnight, their nature and location, etcif that failed the hair-dryer shoved inside it treatment was your next best bet.) For our more distant readers, theyNowadays it're several chunks of granite rock out in the Atlantic, where Cornwall is pointings 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 just 2it to want to eat it. Christmas,200 permanent residentsthough, is of course also a time of great boons. TheyIt're big on tourism, and big on growing flowers s 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 tropical climate the Gulf Stream bequeaths them – although the weather is bad enough to turn any car thank-you letters to aunties you saw twice a rust bucket within years. They're so weedecade that your parents made you write out in long-hand as a child, and so idyllic-seeming, especially at night, you can be mistaken as for thinking there would be no need for a police presence. But there is the makers of Meltis Newberry Fruits – at least two working at well, did they even try and sell them any one other time. And one of them in recent years has been Colin Taylor, who has done his official duty – alongside maintaining a wellthe year? [[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe|Full Review]] <!-- Doescher --known online existence, which has brought to life all the whimsical comedy of his work.>|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178475515X</amazonuk>}}{{newreview-|authorstyle=Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||title='Twas the Fight Before Christmas[[image: A Parody|rating=3Doescher_Will.5jpg|genre=Humourleft|summarylink=It's Christmas Eve and Mum has arranged everythinghttps://www.amazon. All she now has to do is await the arrival of the relatives and the food shopping deliveryco. Little does Mum know that those two elements alone have the potential to ruin everything.|amazonukuk/gp/product/159474985X?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>1472125118</amazonuk>159474985X]]}}{{newreview|authorstyle=Ryan North"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=Romeo and/or Juliet==[[William Shakespeare's the Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating=3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|genre=Humour]]|summary=For all those A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, there was a man called William Shakespeare, who think tragedy plots are too restricted was able to create a series of dramatic histories full of machinations most foul, rulers most evil and rebellious heroes and prescribed, read onheroines most sturdy. In these pages you too will see that Romeo had lots You may or may not have noticed the cinematic version of options en route to hitting his original stage play for ''The Force Doth Awaken'', but here at last we get the bottle. Likewiseactual script, she could have turned away from her predestined path at no end of junctures. And complete with annoying-in-different-ways-to what result? Well-before droids anew, returning heroes from elsewhere in his oeuvre, happy marriage and a kid called Ben, because the leads have just banged people's heads together and stopped keeping it in the quarrelling, or Death by Tybalt (him) or a long life running an establishment curing murderous womenfamily til it hurts. And if you need further encouragement, such 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 a Lady M (her). good… [[William Shakespeare's the Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk!-- Goss -->0356508536</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Gervase Phinn-|titlestyle= The Virgin Mary's Got Nits"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Goss_600.jpg|ratingleft|link= 4https://www.amazon.co.5uk/gp/product/1785942719?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785942719]] |genre= Humour|summarystyle= Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a plane "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 head to either sun or snowRussell T Davies]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children's Rhymes and Verse|Children's Rhymes and Verse]], anywhere that is far[[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], far away from [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Consider the madness at homeDoctor. Just how many birthday and Christmas gifts must he have to hand out each year, last minute dashes were he to the shops on Christmas Eve, and food cupboard stockpiles that keep in touch with even half of his companions? He would imply supermarkets are shutting certainly need a few novelty gifts for some of them, say, for a monthexample, nor a mere 36 hours. But I do remember whimsical books of verse that pithily encapsulate the feeling life of Christmas when I was younger, back when a Time Lord and that of some of his friends and enemies. As luck would have it was magical, and back when you knew exactly what he has the season would bring with carol concerts and school nativities 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 Christmas partiesget himself ready. This book is an anthology of those momentsAnd if you're working on a shorter timescale, with a shorter lifespan, and it took me right back to thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, well my advice is pretty much the wonder same. [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Christmas as a child.Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and Russell T Davies|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk!-- Ingram -->1444779400</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Kieran Crowley-|titlestyle= Shoot"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating= 4[[image:Ingram_Kammie.jpg|genre= Crimeleft|summarylink= I make something of a habit of being late to discover good writers, in this case getting to Crowley after he is no longer with ushttps://www. The result is that what is billed as ''an Famazon.Xco. Shepherd mystery'' with all the optimism of there being more to come has the poignancy of being, if not the last of a short line, certainly one of a few. F.X. Shepherd – he doesn't like his first name and prefers just uk/gp/product/1785451995?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785451995]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"Shepherd" is, technically, a columnist. He's been sacked |===[[Conversations with Kammie by one New York newspaper and is writing a weekly column for anotherAnnie Ingram]]=== [[image:4star. I don't know much about journalismjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|Pets]], but I'm guessing one column [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It was something of a week doesn't pay much as a rule…which explains why Shepherd's soap-washed-foul-mouthed editor (read the bookrelief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammie. You see, you'll see what I mean) expects him Annie knows something which has been self-evident to turn in some genuine journalism as wellme for a long time: front page, seat dogs are perfectly capable of your pants stuff. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783296518</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Gray Jolliffe|title=The First Ever Christmas: And Who communicating with humans and not just on a level of food!, walk! or play!. You do require extensive training to Blame|rating=5|genre=Humour|summary=If I tell you a secretbecome fluent, but most dogs will be perfectly willing to give their time to teach you and all you promise not have to tell anyone? Well, I really don't like Christmasdo is listen. Annie has studied hard: it's my least favourite time of year Kammie has trained her well and whilst some people count down to the day itself, I look forward pair have allowed us to that point when I can say that it's all over for another year. It's all too commercialised for me, share some of their conversations. [[Conversations with a coating of faux religion. I've never found it in the least funny Kammie by Annie Ingram|Full Review]] <!-- that is, until I found Gray Jolliffe's ''The First Ever ChristmasHarris -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image: And Who's to Blame''Harris_Glass. Amazingly, I'd never encountered Gray Jolliffe either, but I'm a convert to his skills as a cartoonist (if not to the idea of Christmas) after reading this collection of Christmas-themed cartoons from his archive.|amazonukjpg|link=<amazonuk>1445663503<http://amazonuk>}}www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] {{newreview|authorstyle=Jonathan Pugh"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Pugh's New Year's Resolutions|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary=If there's one thing that's for certain, it's that the world is changing[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris]]=== [[image:3star. We're dating onlinejpg|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, we're communicating in ways that make email seem redundantdesperate journalist Jason Worthington scrabbles for the inside scoop, and when we're shopping we just tell tired police officer Andy Rockham searches for a website where and when it can be deliveredmissing tape, and how much leeway they have to swap our wishes harried politician Jamila Hasan fights for whatever it is they do bring us. But those changes are also supposed to be affecting us – we're supposed to use a smart watch to tell us if we're moving or not-election, distraught mother Katrina Glass waits by her son, we have to keep up with and gym-owner Royland simply finds himself in the latest fads, and we're supposed to prick our ears up and take note when wrong place at the proverbial 'they' change their minds about what we're supposed to eatwrong 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]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780722885</amazonuk!-- LENTE -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle= Luke Rhinehart"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title= Invasion[[image:Lente_10.jpg|ratinglink= 4http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/1683690222/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] |genre= Humour |summarystyle=Super"vertical-intelligent furry aliens suddenly appear from another universealign: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star. And they've come to earth to have fun. Alien Louie follows fisherman Billy Morton home one day, and he and his family quickly come jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Nine comedians are invited to love a remote Caribbean island under the playful alienguise of working with Dustin Walker, a comedic legend. But when Louie starts using their computer to hack Each fits neatly into government and corporate networks, stealing millions from banks to give to others, they realise that Louie and his friends mean trouble. As Billy and his family begin a roller coaster ride one of fame and fortune, as well as a ranking high on the FBI's most wanted listarchetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the Government soon decides that these aliens are terroristswashed-up has-been who has fallen far from his early days; Zoe, and must be eliminated. Whilst the aliens are playing games they hope will help humans rising female star with a new stand-up special coming soon; Dante, who went from being a kid on the streets to see the insanity of hardest working road comic in the American politicalbusiness; Oliver, economic and military systems, they soon come to realise that the Powers that Be donchild-like prop comic who can't play games: they make war. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1785651757</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Rod Green|title=Only Fools 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 Horses: The Peckham Archives|rating=4|genre=Entertainment |summary=We are in guest acts; Ruby, the world of one of the country's most famous ultra-feminist YouTuber and well-loved sitcoms – even if it was sort-of killed off for Christmas 2003. Yes, there have been specials since, Blogger with a chip on her shoulder; and more repeats to clog up the BBC schedules than is really pukkaWilliam, but very few people failed to succumb to its charms at one time or another. Iwhose redneck character 'm sure there have been books before now celebrating the stony-faced reception of ''that'' drop through Billy the open bar hatch, and ''thatContractor'' chandelier scene, but this is much more meaty. Purporting to be the family archives, found dumped in Nelson Mandela House, the documents here were passed a far cry from pillar to post, from one council worker in his real personality as a department with a clumsy acronym to anotherposh millionaire. Of course, from them to the police – all nine agree because ''when God almighty walks down on a beam of light and now here they are being published asks for their social history worth. Will enough readers find them of worthyour help, as what the series quietly celebrates its 35th birthday?hell else are you going to say?'' [[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk!-- Scott -->1849909245</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Mara Wilson-|titlestyle= Where Am I Now?"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Famecenter;"|[[image:Scott_Eliz.jpg|ratinglink=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788037006/ref=nosim?tag= 5thebookbag-21]] |genre= Autobiography|summarystyle= Mara Wilson has always felt a little young and a little out of place"vertical-align: top; text-align: as the only child on a film set full of adultsleft;"|===[[Elizabeth, the first daughter in a house full of boysWilliam... 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, the sole clinically depressed member of a cheerleading squad, husband and a valley girl in New York and a neurotic in California, and an adult the world still remembers as a little girljob. Tackling everything from how she first learned about sex on Then comes the set day when ordinariness flies out of the window. It's not a coincidence that it'Melrose Place,'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 losing her mother at a young age, to getting her first kiss (or was it kissesdo?) on a celebrity canoe tripWell, to not being cute enough to make it in Hollywood, these essays tell the story of one young woman's journey from accidental fame to relative obscurity, but also illuminate a universal struggle: learning to accept yourselfElizabeth and Will have their own ideas about that! [[Elizabeth, William... and figuring out who you are and where you belong. Me by S Lynn Scott|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0143128221</amazonuk!-- Rodford -->}}{{newreview|author= Tony Stuart-|titlestyle= Writing Lines|rating"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Rodford_Surgeon.jpg|link= 4http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/178565005X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] |genre=Humour|summarystyle= George Gordon Wentworth (1946"vertical-align: top; text-2011) lived a humdrum lifealign: left;"|===[[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford]]=== [[image:4star. He was a barely adequate teacher in a fairly world renowned independent school in Kent and kept a copious diary of his quotidian existence. Most of what he recorded was dross. Howeverjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], amongst all [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] In the utterly uninteresting tailings second instalment of his life there were this series, Private Investigator George Kocharyan has been hired by a well-known local man to track down some nuggets and grains to catch the attentionmissing valuables. Author Tony Stuart has created these amusing anecdotesBill Galbraith, panning them out over twenty six episodes which give us the best of Wentworth – comedy gold. From losing all the pupils in a world-famous surgeon at Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital who hosts a popular medical television programme, has had his briefcase stolen by his charge on a school trip to being arrested on suspicion of terrorism; from waking up live-in bed between the married couple the morning after their weddingdomestic servant, Aurora. According to destroying a ski run; from appearing full-frontal naked in a sheep-farmers' gazette to triggering Galbraith, this briefcase contains confidential notes concerning an air-sea rescue; Wentworth was, blinkered and befuddled, important patient of his at the subject – of these and so many more unlikely but highly amusing eventshospital.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1524634441</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Graham Fulbright|title=Driving Mad: ManiacsGeorge agrees to look into the theft, Morons and the Advanced Motorist's Club|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary=I passed my driving test when John F Kennedy was in the White House assuming it will be a relatively easy and Istraightforward case – little does he know, he've recently had s about to reapply for my driving licence having achieved a venerable age. When I started driving the roads were kinder, more forgiving places - or put another way, the idiots were fewer enter a world of deceit and further betweendysfunction. I don[[The Surgeon't know how long Graham Fulbright has been driving, but he certainly knows his motoring morons and in ''Driving Mad'' he brings us a fictional sample of their eccentricities. Well, I'm pretty certain that they're fictional s Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford|Full Review]] <!-- but these days you never know...Jordan -->|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783062584</amazonuk>}}{{newreview-|authorstyle=Mario Giordano"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions[[image:Jordan_Tiny.jpg|ratinglink=4http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1760293814/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |genrestyle=Crime"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||summary=Poldi had not long been widowed when she decided to move from Bavaria to Sicily with the intention of drinking herself to death==[[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan]]=== [[image:5star. She couldjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Fiction]], of course[[:Category:Humour|Humour]] As predicted by Caroline and Janice's mother on Caroline and Henry's wedding day, have done this in Germanytheir marriage is over, but she felt that a sea view was essentialalbeit 15 years and two daughters further along than predicted. Once thereIndeed, new friends, family already resident on this is definitely not a good weekend for Janice to be babysitting at Caroline's house. There's the island split and the corpse awkwardness of the girls' schoolteacher being the other woman for a young man, his face blown off by a shotgun, whom she found on start. Then there's that mistaken identity moment involving the local beach, intervened to give her life some meaningneighbours. For a while she was a suspect, but that (At least Janice is well adjusted and over her wig) were no obstacle to her falling for Commissario Vito Montana who was assigned to investigate the caseex-husband Alec. Assisting She still dreams of him (or having him assist her) came naturally to Poldi and before long there was an investigative and personal partnership. At least , yes, but it's so far over! Just as Poldi was concerned.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908524693</amazonuk>well really… guess who's at the door? [[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan|Full Review]]}}{{newreview<!-- Taylor -->|author= Grady Hendrix-|titlestyle= My Best Friend's Exorcism"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating= 5[[image:Taylor_Scilly.jpg|genrelink= Horrorhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178475515X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |summarystyle=1988, Charleston, South Carolina. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny"vertical-dipping goes disatrously wrong, Gretchen begins to actalign: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor]]=== [[image:4.5star..different. She's moody. She's irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she's nearby. Abby's investigation leads her to some startling discoveries - and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusionjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Travel|Travel]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Meet the fate Isles of Abby and Gretchen will Scilly. (I know they should be determined by called that – the author provides a single question: Is their friendship enough handy guide to beat the devil?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594748624</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Kevin MacNeil|title=The Brilliant and Forever|rating= 3.5|genre= Humour|summary= You know sometimes when someone tells a jokeetiquette of their name, their nature and location, etc.) For our more distant readers, everyone else laughsthey're several chunks of granite rock out in the Atlantic, and youwhere Cornwall is pointing, with just 2,200 permanent residents. They're sat there wondering what was so funny?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846973376</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Christopher Fowler|title= Bryant and May: Strange Tide|rating= 3big 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.5|genre= Crime|summary= The thirteenth outing for Bryant They're so wee, and May is looking very much like it will so idyllic-seeming, especially at night, you can be their lastmistaken for thinking there would be no need for a police presence. Arthur Bryant But there is on compassionate leave whilst tests are continuing, which are likely to confirm that he is suffering from Alzheimer's. His condition is worsening almost by the day– at least two working at any one time. And one of them in recent years has been Colin Taylor, memory lapses are morphing into fullwho has done his official duty – alongside maintaining a well-scale hallucinations.|amazonuk=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]] <amazonuk>0857523422</amazonuk!-- Lloyd -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Kevin Smith"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd_Twas.jpg|titlelink=The Voyage of the Dolphinhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472125118/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summarystyle=Dublin 1916"vertical-align: Among the unrest and antitop; text-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. Theyalign: left;"|===[['d like a trophy; Twas the skeleton of an Irish 'giant' to be precise. The only glitch is that the main trophy contender, Bernard MacNeill's skeleton, is somewhere difficult to access Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and all seasoned explorers are otherwise engagedEmlyn Rees]]=== [[image:3. There may be hope though5star. They turn to Fitzmaurice, a student not good enough for anything elsejpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It's Christmas Eve and Mum has arranged everything. Fitzmaurice agrees, picking his friends Crozier All she now has to do is await the arrival of the relatives and Rafferty to go with himthe food shopping delivery. So… ''Gentlemen, lace up your strongest boots and pack your warmest underwear – we're all off to Little does Mum know that those two elements alone have the bloody Arctic!potential to ruin everything. [['' Whether battle cry or epitaph, three men Twas the Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and a dog… and an iguana… are going anyway.Emlyn Rees|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910124826</amazonuk!-- Phinn -->|amazonus=<amazonus>1910124826</amazonus>}}{{newreview-|authorstyle=Tony Hawks"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=Once Upon a Time in the West… Country[[image:Phinn_Virgin.jpg|rating=3left|genrelink=Travelhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1444779400/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] |summarystyle=I have often complained in a jokey voice to my partner about life in the sticks, and the way she moved me from an inner"vertical-city flat to slumming it in the suburbs with fewer busses, no takeaways within walkingalign: top; text-and-keeping-food-hot distance, and no align: left;"|===[[The Virgin Mary'Polish' shops for a can of beer whenever you fancy ones Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4.5star. Things are different with Tony Hawksjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], as here he has purposefully decided to up sticks from London [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a plane and head to Somewhereeither sun or snow, Devon – a tiny village where anywhere that is far, far away from the people who built their own homes decades ago still live in themmadness at home, where slugs are a lot more of a problem for last minute dashes to the wannabe lettuce-grower than they shops on Christmas Eve, and food cupboard stockpiles that would imply supermarkets are shutting for the metropolitan commutera month, and where village halls have nor a mere 36 hours. But I do remember the power to turn you into both a Pol Pot dictator if you get on their committee feeling of Christmas when I was younger, back when it was magical, and into a quivering, bruise-inducing wreck if back when you're knew exactly what the wrong gender at 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 Zumba class…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444794809</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewchild. [[The Virgin Mary's Got Nits by Gervase Phinn|author=Marian KeyesFull Review]]|title=Making It Up As I Go Along|rating=4.5|genre=Entertainment|summary=Oh, how the book reviewing gods like to give, and equally like to take away. Here before me is a brand, spanking new collection of journalism by the wonderful Marian Keyes – but it's a proof copy, so there's no photo of the author. Even if over the years I have stopped reading her novels, I have always turned to the author picture to remind myself such sights exist in this world. Himself is a lucky man, for sure. 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.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718182529</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Jean-Yves Ferri|title= Asterix and the Missing Scroll (Album 36)|rating= 5|genre= For Sharing|summary=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 child, but now that I reread them I can't help but wonder why, because they are so full of hilarious jokes that I definitely wouldn't have understood when I was younger. I laughed loud and hard to myself twice within the first two pages of Asterix and the Missing Scroll, so I'd definitely say that this was a hit.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1510100458</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Spadge Whittaker|title=Braver Than Britain, Occasionally|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=In which Spadge researches Britain's top ten fears and faces them all over the course of a year. We're quite a fearful society, you know. And the things we fear most are, in order: heights (acrophobia), snakes (ophidiophobia), public speaking (glossophobia), spiders (arachnophobia), small spaces (claustrophobia), mice (musophobia), needles (trypanophobia), flying (pteromerhanophobia), crowds (agoraphobia) and clowns (coulrophobia).<!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0993429904</amazonuk>}}