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[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tim FlanneryDean Koontz|title=The Mystery of the Venus Island Fetish|rating=3|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Meet Archie Meek. He's about to leave the Venus Islands, where he's lived for 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 pickled. That's not to ignore the fact he'll count as something quite alien himself, with his filled-out frame, nearly all-over suntan and totemic tattoo, in amongst other changes to his body. But what's this? When he gets back, he finds one of the main Venus Islands artefacts that caused him to go there in the first place, a huge, macabre ceremonial fetish mask, purloined as corporate artwork. And some of the curators he wishes to work alongside have vanished. Is the weird society of the museum he's returning to, perchance, even weirder, stranger and more violent than the cannibalistic society he's waving farewell to?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1922079308</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Roman Dirge|title=The Cat with a Really Big Head|rating=3.5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary= How many picture books are there about cats? 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, by the author's own admission, his imagining of the Joseph Merrick (the 'Elephant Man') of the feline world – who struggles to sneak up behind a mouse when the shadow of his head is a total giveaway, 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 you, try the second major piece, which has a most revealing foreword – ''Dedicated to a certain girl… I hope your life is filled with wonderful accomplishments, love and all the magic you desire… - But I hope your death is slow and horrible.''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782762876</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Val Hennessy|title=Not Far From DreamlandBad Weather Friend
|rating=4.5
|genre=General FictionParanormal|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 the free television licence barrierBenny is having a terrifically bad day. He loses his job, he loses his fiancee, and his house gets trashed. What Ronald ''Oh, and someone has'' got is delivered a roof that leaks (there's good reason why really weird, disturbing coffin-sized object to his home is called 'the shack'), a dog who is going bald (in patches) and money thatit's in very short supply. On possible that whoever or whatever was inside is the plus side he thing that has friendstrashed his house! The thing is, mostly platonic and usually in much Benny is the same boat as Ronaldvery last person to deserve all this bad luck. He is a nice person. But are they downhearted? A really nice person. WellSo fortunately for Benny it turns out that the delivery to his house is a new friend, they are occasionallya bad weather friend called Spike, but mostly they're generously optimistic and out who has been sent to make the most of what they've got, usually bought help him since Benny is clearly under attack from charity shops and jumble salesnefarious forces for being a good person. ''Not Far From Dreamland'' Spike is the story going to take care of a year (2012) in the life Benny, and will certainly take care of Ronald TonksBenny's enemies, if he, Benny, his friends and relativesHarper (a waitress slash Private Investigator who finds herself roped into Benny's wild adventure) can figure out who exactly they are.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0704373874</amazonuk>1662500491
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Harry Harrison1529153050|title=Bill, the Galactic HeroBritain's Best Political Cartoons 2022|author=Tim Benson|rating=3.54|genre=Science FictionHumour|summary=Meet Bill. He's a simple farmer – wellSeeking some light relief from the current political turmoil which is coming to seem more and more like an adrenaline sport, he I was nudged towards ''isBritain's Best Political Cartoons of 2022' taking a correspondence course in being a Technical Fertiliser Operator – but fate has something else in store. And so does the mechanised, technological, industrial military, which needs several billion grunts to fight the Chingers, in mankind's first inter-galactic war. Still, at least he gets medals just for signing up. After Sharp eyes will have noted that itwe's all downhill, and re not yet through the year: the likes of Petty Chief Officer Deathwish Drang can only make that a straight line downcartoons run from 4 September 2021 to 31 August 2022. Really, Who can imagine what hope is therewill be to come in the 2023 edition?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>147320531X</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Ian Doescher1785633074|title=William Shakespeare's The Phantom of MenaceStaggering Hubris|author=Josh Berry
|rating=4.5
|genre=Humour
|summary= Join Members of Parliament like usto believe that the country is run by politicians, good gentles, headed by the Prime minister - the ''primus inter pares'' (that's for a merry reimagining those of `Star Wars Episode 1you who are Eton and Oxbridge educated) but the reality is that the ' as only Shakespeare could have written it'prime'' movers are the special advisers - the SPADS - who are the driving force behind the government. 'Tis a true Shakespearean drama, filled with sword fights, soliloquies and doomed romance…all We are in glorious iambic pentameter and coupled with gorgeous illustrations. Hold on the privileged position of having access to your midichlorians: The plays the thingmemoirs of Rafe Hubris, wherein you'll catch the rise man who was behind the skilful control of Anakin!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594748063</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Attaboy|title=The Book the Covid crisis which was completely contained by the end of Hugs|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=A hug's a hug, OK? 2020. You either do, or you don't. Some people might not know the name now but he will certainly be a little more enthusiastic about the process whilst others are more elegant in the execution of the hug, but basically you just get on and do it and then forget about it, right?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0867197978</amazonuk>man to watch.
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Christopher Fowler0571365884|title= Bryant and May – The Burning ManMy Mess is a Bit of Life: Adventures in Anxiety|author=Georgia Pritchett
|rating=4
|genre=CrimeAutobiography|summary= The Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) Georgia Pritchett has always been anxious, even as a new set of overlordschild. For reasons that She would worry about whether the monsters under the bed were explored in comfortable: it was the previous couple sort of outings they have been transferred life where if she had nothing to the City Of London Policeworry about she would become anxious but such occasions were few and far between. The Met are still the big players in the area. City of London Police only police the old cityOn a visit to a therapist, the square mile, the financial district in other wordsas an adult, when she was completely unable to speak about what was wrong with her it was suggested that has very little she should write it down and ''My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety'' is the way of street crime, because noresult -one lives there anymore and the people who work there or so we are, by and large, either too rich given to need to steal, or too smart to have to do so on the streetsbelieve.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857522043</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Catharina Ingelman-SundbergJohn Boyne|title=The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again! |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. 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.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1447274903</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Winshluss|title=In God We Trust|rating=4.5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=To start with, a rhetorical test. 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 favour.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0861662350</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=David Walliams and Tony Ross|title=The Queen's Orang-UtanEcho Chamber
|rating=5
|genre=For SharingGeneral Fiction|summary=The Queen felt trapped in the palace with all those stuffed animals which she has been given on foreign toursMeet George Cleverley. There are mountains He is self-defined as "one of them and every night she would dream the few television personalities over the age of escapingfifty without a criminal record". When He starts this book a bit worried when his mistress tells him she's carrying his child, but then his author wife is getting her birthday drew near kicks with the family dutifully asked Ukrainian partner "Strictly Come Dancing" paired her what she would like as a presentwith. The Prince was thinking of They have three children, who are a goldsad-sack with absolutely no social skills whatsoever, diamond encrusted stairlift whilst the Duke was considering a great big bottle of brandy. The Royal Baby had some decorated thimbles in mindgirl who hangs around with a virtue-signalling, but keyboard warrior "wokester" who wants to save the Queen became just a little snappish as she explained that what she really wanted was 'Oneworld's own oranghomeless with out-of-utan'date food, and a fit young lad doing the gay hustle thing. And she didn't mean Add in a stuffed onefew other characters – therapists, lawyers, random transgender types – that all have two very different connections to his life, and you have something that suggests an almost farcical approach to the modern world. What suggests the farcical approach even more, however, eitheris the fact this is bloody funny.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0008135134</amazonuk>0857526219
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jack SheffieldStephen Clarke|title=Silent NightThe Spy Who Inspired Me|rating=3.54
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=I read This is a couple of Jack Sheffield’s books spoof spy story, that isn't about five years ago, and enjoyed them very muchJames Bond. Or Ian Fleming. They were written in But it features a similar style to those popularised byman called Ian Lemming, who dresses well and 'likes the ladies' and who works for instancethe secret service, James Herriot or [[:Category:Gervase Phinn|Gervase Phinn]], told mostly but in the first personplanning side of things more than the active service. Lemming finds himself put on a mission with a female spy called Margaux, describing and the author’s first couple of years as Headmaster at pair end up stranded in Normandy, with Margaux on a small village primary school desperate mission to unearth traitors in Yorkshire. The village of Ragley is fictional, as are most of the charactersresistance network, but the incidents and situations encountered are based on the author’s experience.Lemming desperately trying to keep up with her!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552167045</amazonuk>2952163855
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Afonso Cruz and Rahul Bery (translator)
|title=Kokoschka's Doll
|rating=2.5
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=Well, this looked very much like a book I could love from the get-go, which is why I picked my review copy up and flipped pages over several times before actually reading any of it. I found things to potentially delight me each time – a weird section in the middle on darker stock paper, a chapter whose number was in the 20,000s, letters used as narrative form, and so on. It intrigued with the subterranean voice a man hears in wartorn Dresden that what little I knew of it mentioned, too. But you've seen the star rating that comes with this review, and can tell that if love was on these pages, it was not actually caused by them. So what happened?
|isbn=1529402697
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=B08KKQ85FN
|title=But Never For Lunch
|author=Sandra Aragona
|rating=4
|genre=Short Stories
|summary=''If a woman approaching the menopause can be likened to a Rottweiler in lipstick, an Ambassador nearing retirement resembles a pampered peacock about to be released into the company of carrion crows or, more to the point, about to discover the real world of bus timetables and paying his own gas bills.''
You don't get many better opening sentences than that, do you? We first met His Excellency and The Ambassador's Wife in [[Sorting the Priorities: Ambassadress and Beagle Survive Diplomacy by Sandra Aragona|Sorting the Priorities]] and we learned what it was like to be moved around countries like accompanying baggage by the Italian Government but the time has come for HE to retires and for Sandra Aragona to become The Wife of Former Ambassador... They have left The Career and settled in Rome. Well 'settled' rather overstates the situation and their dog, Beagle, has no intention of slowing down any time soon, despite being sixteen and deaf.}}{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=B08GFSK2WZ|title=The Karma Trap|author=J Robert LennonLisette Boyd|rating=4|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=George Jackson is thirty-three years old, absolutely gorgeous to look at - and single. She's not had sex for eight months and she's stuck in the karma trap: an awful lot of bad luck is being visited on her and she has a real talent for attracting drama. Her life's chaotic: she dealt with the leak from the shower by putting something down at the bottom of the stairs to absorb the water - then the shower fell through the roof whilst she was in it and left her, stark naked, staring at the pervy postman. She only has to take her mother's dog out for a walk for her to end up with dog poo spattered across her face - and a photo being taken by someone who shares it around the office.}} {{Frontpage|author=David C Mason|title=See You In ParadisePandora's Gardener
|rating=3
|genre=Short StoriesCrime|summary=Lennon writes with John Cranston is a relaxedgardener, easy style and his characters are instantly recognisable as people from everyday walks of lifealthough what he did before he became a gardener, without being in any way stereotypical. Many of the people in these stories are dealing with normal frustrationshe claims, and Lennon is cleverly detached enough not to make them individuals that you're obviously supposed to root for (the only exception classified. That is the industrialist in the eponymous tale, who just as well because he 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 about to be unreliable and unfair. For me, the most unsettling story is ''No Life'', because it portrays caught up in a decent couple at the mercy of people more powerful and influential than them. There is no supernatural or bizarre element at work herecriminal / spy / terrorist plot, just ordinary characters at where only he can save the mercy of social powerday.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781253358</amazonuk>0956180523
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lynne TrussJester_Forever|title=Cat out of HellForever After: a dark comedy|author=David Jester|rating=34
|genre=Horror
|summary=Meet Alec Charlesworth. He's retired Michael Holland is a cocky and decamped to an isolated coastal cottage with just his dog brash young man who dies and loving memories gets made the offer of his colleague wife, now that she has died before her timelifetime; immortality. But the fusty librarian cannot rest too long before engaging in exploring some unusual computer files that were pinged across by someone at the college he worked atWe follow Michael, just before he left. Bizarrely they show photographic a grim reaper and audio evidence of a talking cat called Rogerhis friends, 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 Chip (a few of the characters can, that this cat is being accompanied by unusual stoner tooth fairy) and unexpected death – much like Alec's wife. It's only when Roger testifies to having been pushed through Naff (a stoner in the ends of endurance records department) as they grapple with their long lives and out the other side that we begin finding a clean surface to doubt where the true evil sit on in this story lies…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099585340</amazonuk>their flat.
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jimmy Hansen and Mychailo Kazybird1683691172|title=Wallace & Gromit : The Complete Newspaper Strips Collection Vol 2William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Mean Girls|author=Ian Doescher|rating=42.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=For me there are two important areas of A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, all the Star Wars films were crunched up against Shakespeare, and the cover of this book where three letters are arranged in meaningful waysmarriage seemed a perfectly suitable one. The first is with So much so – so easily did the S-U-N plots and characters converse in their obligatory red Shakespearean dialogue, and white font. No minor paper could hold Wallace and Gromitbehave with Shakespearean stage directions – that the producers tried again, their adventures have with [[William Shakespeare's Get Thee Back to be in what is (unfortunately) the most widely read tabloid in Future! by Ian Doescher|Back to the countryFuture]] no less. And elsewhere is C-B-E, suggesting that worked. But simultaneously they put a real test out. A film I can't even really remember seeing was transcribed into the original Elizabethan lingo. A cult following I had never followed whatsoever was given the storytellers at Aardman Animations who are not household names are feted and revered as artistic expertsbrand new, yet oh so ancient, raising many laughs and much money for dressing. Here was the country courtesy of their creative output. Together these short collections of letters show just how much WaG are major creationstrue challenge – would I manage to enjoy this, and if based on little foreknowledge? Oh damn those shiny gold stars for letting the proof was needed this much longer collection of their daily comic strips provides it in spades.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782760822</amazonuk>game away…
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=168369094X|title=Dear Committee MembersWilliam Shakespeare's Get Thee Back to the Future!|author=Julie SchumacherIan Doescher
|rating=4.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=Jason Fitger (Jay) is a Professor of creative writing and literature at a small university in the American mid-west. He is also a frustrated novelist with a colourful personal history, much of which bleeds into his professional life, with interesting results.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007586345</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|title=Mapp and Lucia Omnibus
|author=E F Benson
|rating=3.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=Miss Elizabeth Mapp rules A long time ago, in a publishing house far away, [[:Category:Ian Doescher|someone]] thought it wonderfully wacky to rewrite the town story of Tilling - she is Star Wars in Shakespearean pentameter, colliding two entirely different genres and styles in such a clever way they seemed perfectly suited. It was then duly repeated for all the centre of other films in the social lifemain Star Wars cycle, and spends her days enjoying bridgeclearly someone's buffing their quills ready for Episode Nine, polite conversation and civilised paintingthe title of which became public knowledge the day before I write. When Mrs Emmeline Lucas arrives in town (known to all as Lucia) In the hiatus, Miss Mapp finds her life truly shaken uphowever, as the culturedeffort has been made to see if the same shtick works with other texts, fashionable and progressive Lucia makes her home to riff on other seemingly unlikely source materials in iambs. And could we have anything more suitably unsuitable-seeming than Back to the townFuture, with its tales of time travel, bullying, and swiftly rises to the top of the ranks amongst the social scene in Tilling.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849908478<parent/amazonuk>child strife like no other?
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleisbn=Encyclopedia Paranoiaca1473669065|author=Henry Beard and Christopher Cerf|rating=4|genre=Popular Science|summarytitle=We're screwed. Wherever we look, whatever we think of doing, there is a reason why we shouldnQueenie Malone't be doing it, and people to back that reason up with scientific data. 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 worse. 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…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>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>}} {{newreview|title=The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - The Nearly Definitive Editions Paradise Hotel|author=Douglas AdamsRuth Hogan
|rating=5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=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>
}}
 
{{newreview
|title=Quick Pint After Work
|author=Luke Lewis
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=BuzzFeed is one of the world’s best time sucks, 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 'a social news and entertainment company', 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>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Graeme Simsion
|title=The Rosie Effect
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=Following inadvertent success with the Wife ProjectTilda returns to Brighton, Professor Don Tillman and his new bride Rosie have moved from Australia to New York. Although Dontidy away the remains of her mother's position on the autistic scale is subjective, he still operates on a daily basis of structured procedures, lists and logiclife after her death. Rosie can generally handle that but Whilst there are choppy waters ahead. With the patter of tiny feet imminent logic goes out the window as , she struggles with her PhD while Don struggles returns to find his place in the baby production process. At least he has his drinking buddies to support him – an aging rock drummer and Paradise hotel, a friend whose wife has thrown him out haven for infidelityeccentrics and misfits. What could possibly A place where people can be themselves, and let go wrong?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718179471</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Burnt Tongues: An Anthology of Transgressive Short Stories|author=Chuck Palahniuk, Dennis Widmyer and Richard Thomas|rating=4|genre=Short Stories|summary=Saying certain things out loud just don’t sound rightthoughts that torment them elsewhere. Some things are so disturbing or politically incorrect Little wonder that you are best off leaving them inside your headTilda cannot forgive her mother for banishing her as a child, or better yet not thinking from this place of them at allwonder. When these words are spoken they could lead to With the sensation help of Burnt Tongue; an aftereffect of knowing what you said was wrong. Are you prepared Queenie Malone, caring, and gregarious, Tilda begins to enter pick apart the world of Transgressive Fiction that aims to disturb, alienate, disgust tricky and uncertain relationship she had with her sometimes cruel and question?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178329552X</amazonuk>distant mother.
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sammy Looker1683690346|title=Something Nasty in the SlushpileThe Con Artist|author=Fred Van Lente
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=I couldn't resist the title Comic- Cons are a neat play on [[Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons|Cold Comfort Farm]] place of wonder 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 gigglesanctuary for many people, even to groan and when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic- unkindCon, I know - he's looking for both that and I'd mentally shelved the book sanctuary with other fans and creators, plus the triviachance of maybe, or (hopefully) the humourjust maybe reuniting with his ex. There However, when his rival is found dead, Mike is that element forced to navigate every dark corner of the bookcon in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, in doing so, but there's also something far more useful. If you're thinking about publishing may just unravel a book this should be required reading ''before'' you even go near dark secret behind a publisherlegendary industry creator.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472111028</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=The Queen1473669588|title=Still ReigningFalling Short|author=Lex Coulton
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=Anyone who frequents Twitter will know that itLex Coulton's debut novel is a mixed blessing. It's a mine of wonderful information story about mistakes, failures, and supportive camaraderierelationships. It's also - unfortunately - home to The main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, is a lot of people sixth form English teacher who take great pleasure in causing pain to others. But in amongst all this are has recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, a few gems work colleague and one of them is [https://twitter.com/Queen_UK @Queen_UK], a delightful satire on members of grappling with the royal family, celebrities, the political classes and the state increasingly eccentric behaviour of Her Majesty's nationher mother. Or, ''one's nation'' as Ma'am would say. ''Still Reigning'' This relationship is her second book, after ''Gin O'Clock'' and itcomplicated by the fact that Frances's the sort of parody which leaves you wondering if the writer might not be someone ''very'' close to the originalfather disappeared at sea when she was five years old.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0715649132</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1683690133|title=Last Days of the Bus ClubMy Lady's Choosing|author=Chris StewartKitty Curran and Larissa Zageris
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=I could well have been You are a nearlass of twenty-neighbour of Chris Stewarteight. NotPlucky, of course, near his current primary occupancy, an ecological farmstead just beyond the turning off from the back end of nowhere penniless and in Regency-era London the most rural of corners of southern Spain, but back when he lived in the southrace is on to find a suitable suitor -east of Englandor else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. Along your journey, being Genesisyou' first ever drummerll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - a fiesty noble eager to save you from a life alone, and building bridges in the North Downsfired by a rogueish sense for adventure. The fact I learnt the latter from this book shows up several of the features of this warm-hearted When it comes to suitors though, you'travelogue' – ll have to make the fact that Stewart is never shy about portraying family details ultimate decision between witty, pretty and history – given a good map wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, wholesome, rugged and a prevailing wind one could find where he lives caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, or the mad, bad and descend on the farmterrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven. With orphans, werewolves, if one wished; long lost lovers and that while this might be on ancient Egyptian artefacts along the travel shelvesway, the narrative is so fragmented it actually moves a lot more than any of the characters do's clear this isn't going to be an easy decision...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908745436</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Stibbe_Xmas|title=Summer HalfAn Almost Perfect Christmas|author=Angela ThirkellNina Stibbe|rating=4.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=If one didn’t know Christmas – the time of Angela Thirkell’s distinguished background as traditional trauma. You only have to think about the turkey for that – once upon a granddaughter of Sir Edward Burnetime it was leaving it sat on the downstairs loo to defrost overnight, and if that failed the hair-dryer shoved inside it treatment was your next best bet. Nowadays it's all having to make sure it's suitably free-Jones range and daughter of a classicistorganic – but not too organic that you can go and visit it, and get too friendly with it would be tempting to describe her as want to eat it. Christmas, though, is of course also a kind time of country cousin great boons. It's cash in hand for a lot of [[:Category:P G Wodehouse|P.G. Wodehouse’s]]. An unaffected plump people who can hire red suits and intelligent onebeards, whose humour is less sophisticated but bubbles over it was always a godsend for postmen with just as much glee. The middleall the thank-class world she has created, where young men come from families you letters to aunties you saw twice a decade that are comfortably wealthy rather than outrageously soyour parents made you write out in long-hand as a child, offers a counterpoint to and as for the Mitford or Wodehouse worlds with their aristocratic characters who travel makers of Meltis Newberry Fruits – well, did they even try and sell them any other time of the world and mingle with more louche, bohemian ones.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184408969X</amazonuk>year?
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleisbn=The Bojeffries SagaDoescher_Will|authortitle=Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse|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 youWilliam Shakespeare're out; then that they should have more – perhaps a superhero; then that you can have so much more than just a superhero – witness s the works of [[:CategoryForce Doth Awaken:Alan Moore|Alan Moore]]. But you mustn't be too surprised to see the whole thing come around in a full cycle. Because Alan Moore has, with this volume, concluded his own funny strip japery, and whatever history or greater opinions about Star Wars Part the canon of comix might say, it's just about his best ever book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0861662318</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewSeventh|author=Reverend Adam Smallbone|title=The Rev DiariesIan Doescher
|rating=4.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=Adam Smallbone wasn’t always A long time ago, in a vicar. He used to work for the Bristol Housing Departmentgalaxy far away, enabling his father-in-law to tell everyone he worked 'in property'. From therewas a man called William Shakespeare, his initial calling who was able to create a rural church in Suffolk which did nothing to prepare him for thisseries of dramatic histories full of machinations most foul, his current London inner city parishrulers most evil and rebellious heroes and heroines most sturdy. Indeed, he's You may or may not prepared for Adoha (have noticed the Nigerian parishioner with 19 grandchildren and 'the bottom cinematic version of God') or Colin, the homeless alcoholic who has adopted Adam and his wife Alex (Mrs Vicarage to Colin). But then Alex also has a lot to get used to; after all, she didnoriginal stage play for 't actually marry a vicar.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718178394</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Look Who's Back|author=Timur Vermes|rating=5|genre=General Fiction|summary=The Force Doth Awaken''Hitler Youth Ronaldo! Which way to , but here at last we get the street?'' With these words a very misguided Nazi Fuhrer asks for his first directions actual script, complete with annoying-in the Berlin of 2011. Mistakenly believing the lad -different-ways-to be a party junior member with his own name on his football shirt, 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 a sign of a Soviet-beating alliance between the two countriesbefore droids anew, that people eat granola bars because the war still leads to a bread shortagereturning heroes from elsewhere in his oeuvre, and that people making an ironic speech bubble with their fingers keeping it in the air is all that is left of the Hitler salutefamily til it hurts. But yes, after a long hiatus neither he nor our author is particularly concerned with explainingAnd if you need further encouragement, don''that man'' t forget his audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the series is back – and if he has his way heso popular we's going re on to be just part seven – surely making this over twice as popular this time round…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857052926</amazonuk>good…
}}
 
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