Hello from The Bookbag, a book review site, featuring books from all the many walks of literary life - fiction, biography, crime, cookery and anything else that takes our fancy. At Bookbag Towers the bookbag sits at the side of the desk. It's the bag we take to the library and the bookshop. Sometimes it holds the latest releases, but at other times there'll be old favourites, books for the children, books for the home. They're sometimes our own books or books from the local library. They're often books sent to us by publishers and we promise to tell you exactly what we think about them. You might not want to read through a full review, so we'll give you a quick review which summarises what we felt about the book and tells you whether or not we think you should buy or borrow it. There are also lots of author interviews, and all sorts of top tens - all of which you can find on our features page. If you're stuck for something to read, check out the recommendations page.
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The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Grace and Jude Divine have always been the poster-children for kindness and understanding. Their father is a pastor, a truly good man, and they’ve been brought up to set a good example to those around them. They seem to have everything they could want – until Daniel Kalbi returns to their lives. Three years ago, Jude’s friend Daniel left unexpectedly. Jude was found lying covered in his own blood – and no-one has ever told his younger sister Grace what happened. With the return of the boy she had a crush on for years, Grace needs to work out exactly what happened and how it’s linked to some attacks on people and animals which have just started – could this be a dangerous attraction for her? Full review...
After the Fire, A Still Small Voice by Evie Wyld
Frank has moved to his grandparents’ shack by the sea after a tough end to a difficult relationship, and is trying to settle down, get a job, and get to know his new neighbours. He seems to be doing well, until two girls disappear, with suspicion falling on him. Decades earlier, Leon is left to run his family’s cake shop as his father is sent to fight in Korea, before he in turn is conscripted to serve in Vietnam. Things happen to him, although very few of them are of any interest whatsoever. Is there a connection between Frank and Leon? Will either or both of them manage to find happiness? Can author Evie Wyld give us any reason to care? Full review...
Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl is trying to save the world. No wonder Holly Short and Foaly think he's not himself. He might stand to make another huge fortune, but he's thinking about global warming, and technological cures for it. But he's also thinking about a lot of other things - in particular, the patterns of the number five. His mind seems stuck making him tap things in multiples of five times, and use sentences with five words in. But when his demonstration in Iceland goes wrong with a four-engined fairy space probe crashing, he certainly becomes something other than himself. Full review...
The Herring In The Library by L C Tyler
Tall, elegant Ethelred is a gentleman, and a third-rate author. Elsie, his literary agent, is short and dumpy, and not afraid to speak her mind. It is Elsie, in fact, who constantly assures her client he only occasionally aspires to the giddy heights of being second-rate. This could be the business partnership from hell, but not only do these two seem to get along, they even manage to solve crimes together. In this, the third outing for L C Tyler's eccentric sleuths, we are provided with a locked room mystery, a cast of possible villains of the most stereotypical type, and a fresh, funny tale which will make you laugh so much you'll get a stitch. Full review...
No Less Than The Journey by E V Thompson
No Less Than The Journey concerns a young Cornish miner seeking a new life in America. He makes many interesting acquaintances and some rather arduous journeys in his quest to find a family member. Full review...
A Darker Night by P J Brooke
The location is the beautiful and historic city of Granada. The husband-and-wife writing duo, aka P J Brooke, impart their knowledge of this area to the reader almost straight away. The hot and dusty terrain is described in detail, along with some tempting snippets of local history; for example, some of the locals still choose to live in old cave houses. Very primitive living indeed, as you can imagine. And one inhabitant, a gypsy, is found dead. As his cave is so bare and sparse there's not too much evidence for Sub-Inspector Romero to go on. But, he does find something of interest... Full review...
Risotto with Nettles by Anna Del Conte
People who are serious about food will know the name of Anna Del Conte. She's a serious writer about Italian food but not someone who has courted fame via the television screen. You'll have met her in places like 'Sainsbury's Magazine' or read some of her brilliant writing about the food of her native Italy. Full review...
Scent of a Killer by Kevin Lewis
D I Stacey Collins is beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea to introduce her teenage daughter to the father she's longed for all her life. Professional Standards at the Met are wondering about her links with the underworld and telling them that Jack Stanley, a major figure in the criminal world, is Sophie's father might well end her police career for good. She gets away with what she says on this occasion, but finds herself side-lined in the next major case – and dong jobs which could well have been handled by a rookie constable. And what a case it is. Three headless corpses have been found in a parked car in a London street and as their hands have been removed too the first major problem is identification. Full review...
Burley Cross Postbox Theft by Nicola Barker
When a bag of twenty seven undelivered letters was recovered from behind a hairdresser's in Skipton it fell to two local policemen to investigate what would become known as Burley Cross Post Box Theft, for it was in the village of Burley Cross, just before Christmas, that the Post Box was forced open and the mail stolen. P C Roger Topping, of the Ilkley force, took over the case from his old school friend Sargeant Laurence Everill without any great hope of success, but the village was in turmoil and something had to be done. Full review...
Wyrmeweald: Returner's Wealth by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
If you could imagine the frontier world of the Wild West transported to the Highlands of Scotland, you would have the setting for this first book in a new trilogy by the creators of the Edge Chronicles. Micah, a poor farmhand, longs to make his fortune so he can marry the wealthy Seraphita, so he sets off for the Wyrmeweald, where riches beyond your wildest dreams can be had – if you survive. It is a harsh and unforgiving land, full of dangerous dragon-like creatures called wyrmes, but Micah soon learns that when it comes to violence and deceit, it is humans he needs to fear most. Full review...
A Place Of Secrets by Rachel Hore
A collection of 18th century books offers Jude an opportunity to combine work and a visit to her family in Norfolk. She works as a valuer at a London auction house, and it has been a while since she went home. Full review...
The Restoration Game by Ken MacLeod
Lucy Stone works for a videogame company in Edinburgh. She enjoys the job - particularly being one of the boys - and it's given her a sense of belonging that she'd craved but never had. And then her mother calls. A CIA spook, Amanda wants Lucy's firm to rewrite their upcoming game to feature the mythology of a small ex-Soviet republic. Krassnia is where Lucy was born, where she lived for her first seven years, and where she spent the scariest day of her life. Amanda wrote a seminal work on Krassnian mythology and Lucy uses this to reshape the game, knowing that it's likely to be used as a tool in a hoped-for colour revolution. Full review...
First Hero (The Chronicles Of Avantia) by Adam Blade
There's a land under threat from an evil man leading a well-drilled, lethal army. And there's a boy, and his companion, and his destiny is to save the land from the evil man, who will only get more evil if he gets what he wants, which is currently in four pieces. If this sounds like a well-worn template, don't blame me. Adam Blade writes as if by committee, and that's because he is one - it's a pseudonym for a cabal of pre-teen fantasy churners. But enough of him - we should be talking of Tanner, the lad in this book. Full review...
The Map Of All Things (Terra Incognita) by Kevin J Anderson
After years of religious war between the Aidenists and the Urecari, with multiple atrocities on both sides, the known world has been divided. For each loss there is a retaliation, an upscale of the damage until the war becomes a crusade. In the centre of all this is Ishalem, a city that bridges the divide. Captured by the Urecari, who are now building a wall to defend it, the Aidenists want it back, no matter what the cost. Full review...
Wicked: Resurrection by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
The eagerly-awaited conclusion to Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié's Wicked series is finally here. After over three years of wondering and waiting to find out how this enthralling supernatural series will end, readers can finally dive straight into the war between good and evil with Resurrection and discover the answers to the secrets that have been kept from them. Full review...
Counterfeit Kisses by Sandra Heath
Stephen Holland was gullible and certainly no match for the Duke of Exton who was a proficient cheat at cards when there was something which he wanted. In this instance what he wanted was the Holland Tiara and despite all that Sir Gareth Carew could do, Holland, in his cups to the point of being unable to get himself home, lost the tiara. When Carew took the drunk home Holland blamed Carew for the loss and Susannah Holland swore that she would regain the tiara and have her revenge on Carew. Such is the fate of those who do good turns. Full review...
My Sister's Voice by Mary Carter
Twenty-eight year old Lacey Gears is a fiercely independent deaf artist living in Philadelphia with her boyfriend Alan and her puggle Rookie. Lacey is proud to be deaf and has no desire to become hearing. When she finds a note in her mailbox telling her she has an identical twin called Monica, Lacey dismisses it as a joke but curiosity gets the better of her when she sees a picture of Monica, and she soon finds herself confronting Margaret, her orphanage house mother who confirms Monica’s existence and their separation twenty-five years ago. Full review...
Dark Water by Caro Ramsay
This is a big, meaty and satisfying read from the pen of Caro Ramsay. I haven't read any of her previous books to date but I will certainly look them out now. The location is in and around the city of Glasgow so lots of Scottish humour and a nice line in the local dialect from several characters. This all helps to get the reader involved early on. And I was. Full review...
The Killer's Daughter by Vivian Oldaker
Emma has just moved to Wessex with her Dad and Jan, her Dad's girlfriend. But it's not just adjusting to a new school, a new country that Emma has to deal with. Emma's Dad was accused of murdering her famous Grandmother by pushing her off a cliff in Greece. No one wants to be her friend, and it's not long before she becomes the newest victim to bullies. Slashed swimming costumes, physical fights – being at her new school is difficult. Full review...
Heading Home by Katie Flynn
Claudia is seven when this book opens, in Liverpool in 1926. She's a careful girl, perhaps a little spoilt, although clearly not wealthy. She enjoys the protection of thirteen-year-old Danny who comes from a poorer family, and evidently has something of a crush on Claudia. Even in this first chapter, she comes across as somewhat self-centred, wanting people to think well of her, but not naturally generous or empathic. Full review...
I Curse the River of Time by Per Petterson
This novel is told in the first person by the main character, thirtysomething Arvid Jansen. He's at a painful part of his life when we meet him; he's separated from his wife and he's not coping at all well. As if that wasn't enough personal stress to contend with, he's discovered that his mother is seriously ill. How long has she got to live? How will she cope? And how will Arvid cope? Full review...
Organ Music by Margaret Mahy
David and Harley are out later than they should be. David is getting anxious: he knows his mother will be worrying already, and he's not the type to break rules or get into trouble of any kind. But Harley's feeling rebellious; he's having a tough time at home at the moment, and he's up for pushing at some boundaries. So they wander along Forbes Street, in a down-at-heel area of town, looking for a bit of adventure. And surely enough, they find it in a car left with its keys temptingly in the ignition. Full review...
A Senseless Squalid War: Voices From Palestine 1890s - 1948 by Norman Rose
The reappearance of A Senseless, Squalid War in paperback will afford wider access to the balanced and detailed scholarship of Prof Norman Stone. This is a sad story of the Palestinian Mandate retold through the viewpoints of politicians and proponents; Arab, Jewish, British, French, German and American. It energetically conveys an understanding of the character of figures as disparate as David Ben Gurion, Richard Crossman, Haj Amin and David Lloyd George. Organisations, conferences and sticking points are deftly expounded. It does not lose sight the overarching motives and machinations of International Politics. Full review...
She's So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott
Ally Ryan had not expected to return to Orchard Hill – ever. Less than two years previously she and her family had moved out in a hurry when her father’s business dealings had caused serious financial problems in the local community. But her mother has a job in the local school and they move into a small house and try to rebuild their lives. Abby wasn’t exactly expecting a warm welcome but she was surprised when so many of her so called 'friends' cut her dead and it’s made obvious that she now lives on the wrong side of town. Full review...
Neil Young's Greendale by Joshua Dysart, Cliff Chiang and Dave Stewart
It's 2003. Alaska is about to get raped, and Iraqis killed, for the sake of providing power for the USA. Which is ironic, as only before this is Sun Green a powerless young woman, and after it - well, she might have a very different kind of power. A mystical sort of girl, with a great affinity to nature, the teenaged Sun has to first solve many blank spaces in her family tree, and work out her nightmares - which might include the strange man new to town. Full review...
Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue 2010 by Stanley Gibbons
Stanley Gibbons Great Britain stamp catalogues come at basically three levels. At one end of the scale is Collect British Stamps, a concise listing which excludes variations in shade, perforation, phosphor banding, watermarks et al. At the other is the multi-volume specialized edition. This is the intermediate catalogue, which provides in one 354-page paperback the main variations of each issue. It also includes such extras as miniature sheets, special first day of issue postmarks, postage dues, booklets, and regional issues (Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, plus the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, the latter territories prior to postal independence in 1969 and 1973 respectively). Full review...
The Stamp King by G. De Beauregard and H. De Gorsse
Set in 1896, this is the story of William Keniss and Betty Scott, two young American philatelists each intent on owning the world’s only complete stamp collection. The rarest specimen of all is one issued by the Maharajah of Brahmapootra but never placed on general sale, although one copy did pass through the postal system, and it is one of only two in the entire universe. The Maharajah owns this one himself - and our collectors are determined to get their hands on the other. Full review...
Dr Finlay's Casebook by A J Cronin
Most people will have heard of Dr Finlay, although they may not be entirely sure why - A J Cronin's stories of a fictional doctor in pre-War Scotland have been televised over the years, most recently in the nineties when David Rintoul starred as Dr Finlay. Although fictional, A J Cronin, who died in 1981, was himself a doctor and has apparently based some of Finlay's experiences on his own. This omnibus is made up of two books by Cronin, Dr Finlay of Tannochbrae, published in 1978 and Adventures of a Black Bag, published in 1943, both collections of short stories. Full review...
The Final Hitch by Samantha Scott-Jeffries
Following her first outing in Samantha Scott-Jeffries I Do I Do I Do, Izzy Mistry is back and comfortably settled into her life in Majorca as a wedding planner. Izzy loves her job and certainly isn’t expecting to be planning her own wedding anytime soon, so is rather surprised when she finds herself being proposed to by two different men on the same night. One of these men is her ex-boyfriend, Harrisson, and Izzy soon finds herself back in his arms, planning to start a new life together on the island. But as they start to renovate their beautiful new home in the mountain town of Soller, the sheen on their relationship starts to fade, and Izzy is left wondering whether she made the right decision. Full review...
Molly and the Night Monster by Chris Wormell
Molly is in bed, but then she hears a creak on the stair. Could it be an elephant or a rhino coming to get her? Might it even be a night monster? Luckily, Molly is well-armed with her monster catcher, so should be alright, as the door sloooowly inches open... Full review...
Firebrand (Rebel Angels) by Gillian Philip
Seth lives in the land of the Sidhe, protected from the world of full-mortals by an ancient magical Veil. There's an uneasy but relatively settled peace, with only the occasional border fray to disturb their long lives. But things aren't easy for Seth - he's the unwanted second son of a Sidhe lord, his mother interested only in the corridors of power at the court of Kate NicNiven, and his father with eyes only for his older brother Conal. The inhabitants of his dun don't trust him, he's half-feral, and his only real tie is to Conal, who has taken him under his wing, and for whom Seth would gladly die. Full review...
Dork Diaries: Party Time by Rachel Renee Russell
This is the second in the series of 'Wimpy Kid' for girls books, full as usual of comic cutaways to cartoon strips, illustrations, OMGs, BTWs, BFFs, smileys and over-used exclamation marks!!!!! It's October, and Nikki is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The place is the school's Halloween Ball, ideally with Brandon, the crush of her life for this term at middle school. The rock is as usual the evil Mackenzie, the Cruella de Vil of snobbish, bullyish school bitches. Can Nikki resolve her dilemma - just for the fortnight this diary spans, and get her beau to the ball - especially when she double-books herself? Full review...
The Dream Thief (Horatio Lyle) by Catherine Webb
When an orphan girl appears on Horatio Lyle's doorstep, half-dead and apparently poisoned, the genius inventor finds himself drawn into a conspiracy that reaches to the highest circles of London Society. Someone is kidnapping workhouse children and essentially turning them into zombies. Somone is stealing their dreams. With the help of his young ward, the street-urchin Tess, he sets out into the darkest parts of the city to stop them. Full review...
A New Omnibus of Crime by Tony Hillerman (Editor) and Rosemary Herbert (Editor)
Clive Wilkes is a delivery boy for a grocery store somewhere in America. Miss Oyster Brown is a devout spinster in a Berkshire town. An unnamed Scottish doctor works in Swaziland. What do these disparate characters have in common with the learned Horace Rumpole, Queer Customer, and Chief Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh? All of them are connected with crimes – either as victims, perpetrators, or investigators – in this brilliant anthology. Full review...
How To Sell by Clancy Martin
In the 1980's, 16 year old Bobby Clark gets expelled from his high school in Canada for stealing. This is a young boy so immoral that he pilfers his own mother's wedding ring to pawn for cash to keep a girl happy. After the girl turns out to be less interested in him than he is in her, he follows his older brother Jim to Texas, where he gets a job working with Jim in a jewellery store. As he falls into a life of scams, drugs, hookers, gorgeous women, and an obsession with Jim's girlfriend Lisa, it's clear that this coming of age story is a tragedy waiting to happen. Full review...
Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin
Don't read this book if you are of a delicate disposition and prone to nightmares. Within the first few pages a woman is burned at the stake, a man is unjustly accused and hanged, his young son only just escapes the same fate and a woman dies in childbirth. But this is no horror story, and none of the violence is gratuitous: this is quite simply the world of fifteenth century Spain. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella are fighting the Moors in Granada, Christopher Columbus is seeking royal funding for a voyage to prove the world is round, and the Inquisition is spreading terror and anguish throughout the land. And against this background of momentous events, we have the thrilling and beautiful account of the lives of two young people, bound together by hatred and love. Full review...
The Burning Mountain by LJ Adlington
In AD79, Gaius Justinius Aquila is drenched in grey ash, trying desperately to help the citizens of Herculaneum as Vesuvius erupts around them. In 1943, German paratrooper Peter Schafer finds himself in Naples. Peter has a secret - he's underage, having run away to sign up. Within the year, Peter will find himself defending Monte Cassino against a huge Allied bombardment. Throughout his time in Italy, Peter will have many encounters with Vittoria, an impoverished Neapolitan who steals to keep herself and a ragbag bunch of orphans alive. Full review...
Black Lung Captain: Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding
Things on board the Ketty Jay have never been as low. Darian Frey and his crew are even having trouble thieving from defenceless orphanages. So when the next token job-they-can't-refuse comes along, they fall under it's spell. An explorer has returned with tales of untold riches, courtesy of the most mysterious artefacts and treasures of an unknown civilization. The fact that the remains are those of an aircraft crashed in the most Arctic of rainforests, inhabited by the most evil beast-men monsters, is neither here nor there. The problems start with what they find there, which is worse than anyone could have expected - or indeed years ago, with a mysterious connection between the remains and the more unusual crewmember... Full review...