The Bookbag
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 Tin Snail by Cameron McAllister
It's France at the 1938 Paris Motor Show. A wonderful new car has been unveiled: the Deux Chevaux or 2CV for short. It looks a bit odd and is nicknamed Tin Snail but this is a car for the people: functional, reliable, affordable. And its inventor is just 13 years old! But WWII is about to break out and France is about to be occupied by the Germans. The Tin Snail must face a perilous journey - to carry a farmer and his wife, a flagon of wine and a tray of eggs, across a bumpy field in a sleepy French village without spilling a drop or cracking a shell - and then go into hiding... Full review...
Glow by Ned Beauman
Ned Beauman has made quite a name for himself in just a few short years. In 2013, when Granta lauded him as one of their Best Young British Novelists, he had already published two novels, Boxer, Beetle (shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and the Desmond Elliott Prize) in 2010 and The Teleportation Accident (longlisted for the Man Booker Prize) in 2012. Full review...
The Bojeffries Saga by Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse
A very truncated history of comics will start with the idea that they should be funny strips – one jape then you're out; then that they should have more – perhaps a superhero; then that you can have so much more than just a superhero – witness the works of 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 the canon of comix might say, it's just about his best ever book. Full review...
Poppy by Mary Hooper
Poppy is a parlourmaid at the de Vere family's country house when World War I breaks out. Poppy is a very bright girl but had to enter service rather than continuing on to college after school because her family is poor. But the war is changing everything - even for working class girls - and Poppy's old teacher sees an opportunity for her intelligent ex-pupil. She suggests that Poppy become a volunteer nurse, a VAD. Full review...
Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman
The story of Alex, a transgendered Australian teen. Brought up as a boy but identifying as a girl who also fancies girls, Alex's journey is one you'll never forget. An important, affecting story with layers of unreliable narration that will really make you think. Highly recommended. Full review...
A Dark And Twisted Tide by Sharon Bolton
Lacey Flint. Lacey is soft and pretty; Flint is sharp and hard. Lacey Flint is all of those things.
She is also, now, a Constable in the Met's Marine Unit. Lacey had fought hard against whatever traumas lie in her past to get into the police force, and harder still to get into plain clothes. A couple of years as a DC were enough to make both her and her bosses think it was all way too much for her. Full review...
Baby's Got The Blues by Carol Diggory Shields
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been toting my baby in my arms, pushing him in his buggy or carrying him in his baby back pack and strangers have remarked ooh – lovely! I wish I was a baby! Well, do you think babies have it easy? Really? Well, listen up because the apple cheeked, down in the mouth hero of Baby’s Got The Blues is going to set you right. Full review...
Mutant City by Steve Feasey
After a devastating chemical war, the world is slowly rebuilding itself. A select group had hidden away in underground bunkers and, when they re-emerged, built six cities in which the genetically pure live in luxury and comfort. But outside the city walls, everything is very different. The survivors there are mutants, fighting for survival in degrading, impoverished circumstances. Full review...
Little Frog's Tadpole Trouble by Tatyana Feeney
I’m the little sister. I never had to deal with the threat of an impending arrival to unsettle my world, but I can’t imagine it’s always fun. There are, of course, lots of books on the subject, seeing as it’s a big topic that affects lots of families every day, but here’s a new book on the market. Can it add anything to the existing stack of Becoming a big sibling books? Full review...
Hairy Horror by Sandra Glover
In many ways, Anna’s life changed for the better when her mum married Steve. She now has a real dad for the first time in her life, as well as a beautiful home in the countryside and a gorgeous new baby brother, Jamie. In fact, you could describe her new life as almost perfect, apart from one rather major detail: her teenage brother Hal has a Top-Secret lab in the basement and he has been working on a BIG project involving a hairy tarantula called Tula. If there is one thing that Anna can’t stand, it’s spiders and Tula is anything but an ordinary spider... Full review...
Vortex by Matt Carrell
Andy Duncan's father offered him the money to travel the world for a year, but first he must do a three-month internship with Berwick Archer, an investment company based in Hong Kong. It would be decent experience to put on his CV. But when Andy got to Berwick Archer he liked what he saw - and stayed. Before long he was second in command at the firm's new Bangkok office and had a talent for what he did. There was even a girlfriend, Caroline Chan, who seemed more permanent than those who had gone before her. Caroline was a dealer, but not in a big way - although she was well connected to a very influential businessman. Full review...
Sad Men: A Memoir by Dave Roberts
Before he was twenty Dave Roberts had had a lot of jobs - far too many to list - but he really wanted to work in advertising and specifically for Saatchi and Saatchi, whom he saw as the best advertising agency and given their predominance in the early years of the eighties it's hard to argue with his judgement. The only problem was that jobs with the agency were hard to come by and Dave eventually accepted that he would have to start rather lower down the ladder with the intention of working his way up to the top. And that rung at the bottom of the ladder was a job with an agency in Leeds. Full review...
Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy by Bernadette Russell
Bringing up a child right seems an almost impossible task to me. You can do right by them at home, only for them to go crazy out of the house. Kids will be kids, be they happy, sad, curious, lazy or any other trait that adults also have. If you are lucky to have a kind natured kid, or are hoping to influence them a little, then ‘Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy’ by Bernadette Russell is a super sweet book that is bound to chime with the right type of mini human. Full review...
The Case of the Secret Tunnel (Maisie Hitchins) by Holly Webb
'Maisie Hitchins' is a detective series set in Victorian London centred on the adventures of our titular heroine who lives and works in her grandmother’s boarding house. In 'The Case of the Secret Tunnel', Maisie has to solve a mystery involving art smugglers, stolen washing and the London Underground. Sleuthing is hard work, but Gran won’t be pleased if Maisie neglects her chores, especially as the boarding house has a new guest, one who seems to be acting very suspiciously indeed... Full review...
The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death in the Sixteenth Century by Joel F Harrington
Frantz Schmidt, the official executioner and torturer in Nuremberg, the Albert Pierrepoint of his day, entered his terrible profession by accident. In 1553, shortly before he was born, the Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach had three gunsmiths arrested after they were found guilty of plotting to kill him. Invoking a local custom, he called on a random bystander to execute them, and his choice fell on Heinrich Schmidt to carry out the sentence. If he disobeyed, he and the two men standing next to him would also be summarily hanged. Having thus been made to carry out one execution, Schmidt and his family were ostracised by all respectable citizens in their home town of Nuremberg and banned from all public buildings. He therefore had no choice but to take it up as a lifelong career. Full review...
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E Smith
Lucy has lived in the same building in New York for all of her sixteen years. Owen's just moved in to the basement apartment, son of the building's new super. They've seen each other around, but they've never actually met. When a city-wide blackout hits New York, Lucy and Owen happen to be stuck in the same elevator. As they get talking, they make an unlikely connection that will travel with them around America and across continents. But how can you pursue first love when the geography is always against you? Full review...
The Story of the World Cup by Richard Brassey
Look at the calendar and you will see that it is a year ending in an even number, what does this mean? To a host of football fans it means a summer free from boredom as an International Tournament will fill the void that the Premier League has left. For non-football fans it's more excuses for people to watch a pigskin be knocked around. Be you young or old, football can get in your blood and you want to know more. For the younger fan, there are worse places to start their obsession than the World Cup and getting to know more about the esteemed tournament in Richard Brassey’s 'The Story of the World Cup'. Full review...
Seventeen Coffins by Philip Caveney
Poor Tom! He's barely recovered from his time-slip journey to plague-ridden seventeenth century Edinburgh when he's off again, this time to the nineteenth century. Just like on his first journey he's lost and friendless, and in deadly peril – but somehow, he ends up once again employed to feed the pigs. It seems some things never change. Full review...
Bhalla Strand by Sarah Maine
1910: A renowned artist brings his young bride to his childhood home of Bhalla House, an imposing estate on a remote Hebridean island. The grand residence was built at the expense of the local community, many of whom were evicted from their homes and crofts in order to create this rich man’s playground. Tensions run deep and the division between rich and poor seems impossible to bridge. Full review...
The Rev Diaries by Reverend Adam Smallbone
Adam Smallbone wasn’t always a vicar. He used to work for the Bristol Housing Department, enabling his father-in-law to tell everyone he worked 'in property'. From there, his initial calling was to a rural church in Suffolk which did nothing to prepare him for this, his current London inner city parish. Indeed, he's not prepared for Adoha (the Nigerian parishioner with 19 grandchildren and 'the bottom 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 didn't actually marry a vicar. Full review...
Can Anybody Help Me? by Sinead Crowley
Yvonne and Gerry are proud new parents. However, as they've only recently moved to Gerry's native Dublin, Yvonne mourns the lack of a support network. This all changes when she turns to Mammynet, a web-based online forum and chat room for new and soon-to-be mums. It works too - Yvonne quickly makes a local online friend but then the friend disappears without warning. Meanwhile Garda Sergeant Claire Boyle is investigating the murder of a young woman. There may be a connection but will Claire discover it before the killer strikes again? Full review...
Kicking A Ball by Allan Ahlberg
There is a boy who likes kicking a ball. It’s the best thing of all for him, and there’s nothing he’d rather be doing, nowhere he’d rather be. We see his bedroom and this has some football albums in, and a football table, but his interest is definitely with playing rather than being on the side lines. There are other ball sports too, of course, but he’s not into tennis or volleyball or golf or cricket or hockey or netball or playing catch with a child in a wheelchair (nice touch). No, kicking a ball is where it’s at. Full review...
Macavity,the Mystery Cat by T S Eliot and Arthur Robins
There’s nothing my little boy likes more than to sit down with a tome of good poetry. Currently he is reading T.S. Eliot. Well, that’s what I will be telling them down at playgroup anyway. No need to add that it’s not ‘The Wasteland’. The poem in this volume is actually just one from ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ and features the inimitable scoundrel of the title, Macavity. Full review...
The Forever Watch by David Ramirez
Great science fiction is made up of many parts, but three things are vital for it to become a classic; world building, story and character. If one of these three elements is slightly below the others, a great novel can be punished. In ‘The Forever Watch’ by Daniel Ramirez we have a fantastic world in the form of the spaceship Noah, a great character in the form of Hana, but does the story quite match up to the rest? Full review...
Riot by Sarah Mussi
It is 2018 and Britain is still in recession. Years of austerity have devastated the country. Banks are going under. Unemployment is rising. The cost of welfare is soaring. Prisons are overflowing. And the population is still rising. Something has to give. The solution? Forced sterilisation of all school-leavers without a secured place in higher education or a guarantee of employment. The programme has started with prisoners but the legislation to roll it out across the population is about to go through parliament. Unsurprisingly, there is a growing popular protest against it. Full review...
Charlie Merrick's Misfits in Fouls, Friends, and Football by Dave Cousins
The world, we are told, loves a trier, and Charlie Merrick is one of the world's biggest. His only hobby and only skill is in football, but his intent is never matched by his actual talent – a statement that stretches to most of his team-mates. With several under-12s league games under their belt and with no points to their name, Charlie must try his hardest to get the squad working as a team, which is hard considering what he has to put up with, and even harder when he makes some very unfortunate decisions… Full review...
The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O’Neill
The time: the 1995; the place: Quebec. The Tremblay family have espoused the cause of Quebeçois separation from English-speaking Canada for many years. Etienne Tremblay has been a prominent, political folk singer throughout the childhood of Nouschka, his daughter, and her identical twin brother, Nicolas. The young children themselves appeared on stage frequently and have been brought up much in the public eye. Their father is almost always absent from their life as he feeds his selfishness on public adoration. Their mother only existed for them as a name in a hit song about a one night stand. They were cared for by Loulou, a loving grandfather lacking any influence over their behaviour. Full review...
Tease by Amanda Maciel
Emma Putnam killed herself and it was all Sara's fault. If Sara and her other mean girl friends hadn't hounded and bullied Emma to the ends of the world, Emma would still be alive. And so now it's Sara's turn to be ostracised - by her old friends, by the community in which she lives, and even by the media. Full review...
The Queen's Hat by Steve Antony
A naughty gust of wind comes along and blows the Queen’s hat right off her head. Her Majesty simply cannot be seen bare headed, and so she follows it in hot pursuit. Full review...
The Bubble-Wrap Boy by Phil Earle
Tiny Charlie Han is an outsider at school, whose only friend is Sinus, a fellow outcast. At home, he suffers from an overbearing mother and a quiet father who won't stand up to her. But Charlie believes that everyone's good at something, and when he finds a special talent for skateboarding, it might be the start of something special - if his mum's constant need to keep him safe doesn't get in his way. Full review...