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Hello from The Bookbag<metadesc>Expert, a full book review site, featuring books reviews from all the many most walks of literary life ; fiction, non- [[:Category:Fiction|fiction]], [[:Category:Biography|biography]], [[:Category:Crime|crime]], [[:Category:Cookery|cookery]] and anything else that takes our fancy. At Bookbag Towers the bookbag sits at the side of the desk. Itchildren'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 & self-published 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 plus author [[:Category:Interviews|interviews]], and all sorts of [[:Category:Lists|& top tens]] - all of which you can find on our [[Features]] page.</metadesc>
There are currently '''{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Reviews}}'by readers from all the many walks of literary life. With author interviews, features and top tens. You'll be sure to find something you' reviews on the sitell want to read here.Dig in!
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==New There are currently '''{{PAGESINCATEGORY: Reviews==}}'''For new reviews by genre [[:Category:New Reviews|click herereviews]]at TheBookbag.'''
'''For new features Want to find out more [[FeaturesAbout Us|click hereabout us]].'''? __NOTOC__{{newreview|author=Lauren Kate|title=Fallen|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=A 17 year old girl at a new school meets a mysterious and impossibly good-looking boy, who she's immediately drawn to. He seems determined to either ignore her or be outright rude to her, until he saves her life, and the two of them end up drawn together. This isn't Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight'', but it certainly has striking similarities.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0385738935</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Gareth Hinds|title=King Lear|rating=3|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=Hound me out of town in a most appropriate manner, but I do not like King Lear. For me, even as a trained actor, the language is too dense and rich, the set-up too archly unfeasible to create the great tragedy it's thought to be. To my mind the acclaim and esteem in which it's held is only mirrored by its own over-long, over-blown blustering.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0763643440</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Paul Theroux|title=A Dead Hand: A Crime in Calcutta|rating=3.5|genre=General Fiction|summaryThe Best New Books=Set in India, familiar territory for Theroux, ''A Dead Hand'' tells the story of a travel writer suffering from writer's block (also known as 'dead hand') until a chance letter from an American ex-pat, the mysterious Mrs Unger, relating a story of a mystery of a dead body in a hotel leads him to release his creativity in very unexpected ways. The story is more about obsession and infatuation than it is about the mystery itself as the narrator falls under Mrs Unger's Tantric charms. But does she have more to hide than she's letting on?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241144639</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Toby Lester|title=The Fourth Part of the World'''Read [[:Category: The Epic Story of History's Greatest MapNew Reviews|rating=4.5|genre=History|summary=In 2003 a map was bought for $10 million, the highest price ever paid publicly for a historical document, new reviews by the Library of Congress, where it is now on permanent public displaycategory]]. No ordinary map, this is sometimes described as America's birth certificate. It is the sole survivor of a thousand copies printed early in the 16th century, and was discovered by accident in some archives in a German castle in 1901. The sale and story behind it intrigued Toby Lester so much that he was inspired to discover more, and this book is the result.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1861978030''</amazonukbr>}}
{{newreview|author=Steven Lowe and Alan McArthur '''Read [[:Category:Features|title=Is it Just Me or Has the Shit Hit the Fan?: Your Hilarious New Guide to Unremitting Global Misery|rating=3|genre=Humour|summary=''The banks fell over like fat Labradors running over a wet kitchen floorlatest features]].'' Surely that is the wackiest, most inappropriate simile for the credit crunch and all it has done for the world. You won't get any such namby-pamby animal likenesses from these authors, instead with quite a potty mouth on them they will lambast the modern world, the entire banking system, all those who failed to see it coming, and those millions just seemingly waiting for us all to revert to high-interest, high-risk, high-lending capitalism, so they can get back on the expenses train, and back up the rich lists.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847443656</amazonuk>}}
'''Read [[Forthcoming Publications|reviews of books about to be published]].{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Andy StantonTom Percival|title=What's For Dinner, Mr Gum?The Wrong Shoes|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=As soon as heroine Polly turns her backWill's life is difficult, in a multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and leaves doesn't have enough money for even the town most basic of Lamonic Bibber for a day things like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the seasidecollege, Mr Gum falls out with was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his best friendmum and dad are separated, and Will's life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, causing carnivorous carnage all over the placehe still has a tiny amount of hope. Meat He is getting thrown around good at art, and clings to the moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like it's going out a light at the end of fashiona long, and we have dark tunnel.|isbn=1398527122}}{{Frontpage|author=Sylvie Cathrall|title=A Letter to doubt whether Polly and her companions can ever utilise the power of love and put things Luminous Deep|rating=5|genre=Science Fiction|summary= There are few greater joys than a book which lives up to rightsa compelling premise. Especially as And this book does not contain a magic unicorn called Elizabethis one of them.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405248246</amazonuk>0356522776
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Loose Women0008517061|title=Here Come the GirlsDeath in a Lonely Place|author=Stig Abell
|rating=4
|genre=Home and FamilyCrime|summary=This is the second volume by the panelists from that nice ITV seriesFormer Metropolitan Police detective, Jake Johnson, ''Loose Women''has settled into his rustic life at Little Sky. Just as promised on There’s perhaps a little uncertainty about the coverfuture of his life with his vet girlfriend, this book is an entertaining night with the girls. It turns out that they're just like us. The faces are already familiar Livia and even if you don't know them yether daughter Diana, with nine contributors, you'll soon find as moving in together would mean a like-minded woman behind one lot of the celebrity faces. The women are universally warmcompromise: does Jake give up his off-hearted grid and supportive: there will be many a lonely woman who reads relaxing life to move in with Livia or does Livia move to Little Sky despite her reservations about whether or not this book and feels as if is the future she sat down with a group of friends wants for herself and her daughter? For the moment they’re enjoying life in the eveningpresent and putting the future on the back burner.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444700154</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jean Ure1786482126|title=Fortune CookieThe Janus Stone (Dr Ruth Galloway)|author=Elly Griffiths
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Fudge Cassidy and Builders were demolishing an old house in Norwich - the Cupcake kid are best friends. If site was going to hold seventy-five 'luxury' apartments - when they discovered the names remind you bones of a certain film then you'd be spot on as that's where Fudge's father got the idea fromchild beneath a doorway. They're actually chalk and cheese – Fudge is loud mouthed and opinionated and Cupcake is quiet and thoughtful – but the combination worksThere was no skull. They've just started at secondary school and Cupcake has rather Was this a lot on her plate. ritual killing or murder? Her brother Joey has muscular dystrophy and his problems are becoming more obviousInevitably, Dr Ruth Galloway finds herself working with DCI Harry Nelson. Add to this that her father couldnIt's difficult as Ruth knows, but Nelson doesn't cope , that she is pregnant with his child as a result of the problems and he now has another familyone night they spent together some three months ago. It's just CupcakeHer condition will be obvious before long, Joey and her mother – and not a lot least because Ruth is prone to sudden bouts of moneysickness.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007224621</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jenifer Roberts0008551324|title=The Madness of Queen Maria: The Remarkable Life of Maria I of PortugalDevil You Know (D S Max Craigie)|author=Neil Lancaster
|rating=4.5
|genre=BiographyCrime|summary=Born in 1734 in Lisbon, at that time It's unusual for anyone from the richest and most opulent city in Europe, Maria was destined Hardie family to become approach the first female monarch in Portuguese historypolice. Married Neither side likes or has any respect for the other. But Davie Hardie is struggling in prison and he's prepared to tell the police where the body of a missing person is buried and who was responsible for her uncle Infante Pedro, seventeen years her seniordeath. This person, she had six children (outliving all but one of them)he promises, is someone big and became Queen in 1777it will be worth the police doing what he wants. A conscientious woman, she had the misfortune And what he wants is to be born in during transferred to an open prison to serve the 'age remainder of reason', when church his sentence and state were vying for supremacyto get an early parole date. Instinctively a supporter of the old religion, with a humanitarian approach Not much to state affairsask, is it? The new Deputy Police Constable doesn't think so and she was no Queen Elizabeth, no Catherine 's even prepared to do the Great, other thing that Hardie demanded - make certain that DS Max Craigie and wore her crown rather reluctantlyanyone who works with him is kept well away from what's happening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>095455891X</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Hughes0008405026|title=Thomas Wogan is DeadA Stranger in the Family (Maeve Kerrigan 11)|author=Jane Casey|rating=4.5|genre=Graphic NovelsCrime|summary=Well, with a title like that, need I bother with a plot summary? A man has a day out in Morecambe, then the next thing he knows heIt's in sixteen years since nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall disappeared from her bed one summer night. She was never found and the ultimate waiting room, with investigation ground to a strange array of animals (a bathalt. Now, a toadher mother, a sea urchin...)Helena, all waiting forand her father are dead in their bed... well Initially, it looks like a straightforward murder/suicide but there's somethingabout the positioning of the bodies that makes DS Maeve Kerrigan and her boss DI Josh Derwent suspicious. Yup, What looked as you didnthough it was going to be an open-and-shut case is now a complex double murder. Kerrigan is convinced that the explanation lies in Rosalie't need telling, hes disappearance: others (such as Derwent's deadboss, Una Burt) are less convinced.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>095580888X</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dave Eggers0571379877|title=The Wild ThingsKellerby Code|author=Jonny Sweet|rating=43.5|genre=General FictionCrime|summary=Meet MaxEdward Jevons is a working-class young man, obsessed with his upper-class friends, Robert and Stanza. When I say he sometimes gets the wrong end of the stick about adults, or dislikes his motherRobert's a theatre director. He's new boyfriendalso self-obsessed, demanding, or gets a bit feisty when he feels the need handsome and entitled and uses Edward to run errands for revenge, I am certainly understating the factshim. He is a bit of a rascal Edward has been in love with Stanza since their university days - and he's drunkenly confided how he feels to say the leastRobert. But all Most men in Robert's position would stay away from Stanza or tell Edward that might change when a relationship had begun between them but he finds himself travelling 's not like most men: Edward is left to stumble upon the two of them kissing in a strange land of roisterous animals, and ends up installed as their kingdark passageway.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241144221</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeremy StrongJo Callaghan|title=Christmas Chaos for the Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog Leave No Trace
|rating=4
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Trevor's troublesome dogWhen a man is found crucified on the top of a hill in Nuneaton, StreakerDCS Kat Frank finds herself assigned to the case alongside her sidekick, has had three puppiesthe AI detective Lock. They were fathered It's their first live case together, according to local bully Charlie Smugg, by one of his Alsatianshaving previously been very successful with several cold cases. Trevor would ideally like to keep themBut when there is a second body found crucified a few days later, at least until Christmas, but his parents have other ideas Kat is suddenly struggling with a potential serial killer and put them up for salea very high profile case that draws a lot of unwanted attention to their AI Future Policing project. Charlie Smugg declares that he's entitled to half of the money from the sale of the puppies, but before Will they can be sold the three puppies go missing in able to solve the park and it's up to Trevor and his best friend Tina to try and track them down before Charlie demands his cash!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141327243</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Sarah Beth Durst|title=Ice|rating=3.5|genre=Teens|summary=Cassie lives on an Arctic research station case in Alaska. She loves the ice and the wilderness of her remote home and she'd definitely prefer to spend her time on tracking polar bears and fending , or will Kat find herself taken off frostbite rather than on mixing with her peers the case and enjoying college and home comforts back in Fairbanks. However, things aren't all rosy. Cassie's mother died when she was just a baby and she can't help feeling potentially, out of a huge hole in her heart. Her scientist father is remote and unloving and her grandmother left the station after an argument with him when Cassie was still very young. career?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847386571</amazonuk>139851120X
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Iain Smyth and Michael Terry1399613073|title=The Wide-Mouthed FrogMoral Injuries|author=Christie Watson
|rating=4.5
|genre=For SharingThrillers|summary=Do you know the joke about the wide-mouthed frog? You must have heard it. It's a classic. It's one that you really need to tell in person, with your fingers pulling your mouth wide open, but to hopefully spark your memoryOlivia, Laura and Anjali met on the wide-mouthed frog introduces himself to first day of medical school and their friendship would keep them inseparable for a number quarter of animals until he finally comes across a crocodile who eats wide-mouthed frogscentury. Olivia is ruthlessly ambitious, and the frog does his best to disguise who he which is whilst saying ''Ooh, a bonus when you don't see many of those round here, do you?'' I'm hardly doing it justice, but it's very cheesy and funnyaim to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. Anyway, this Laura is a book of that joke.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408804964</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Dr Aaron Carroll perfectionist and Dr Rachel Vreeman|title=Don't Swallow Your Gum|rating=5|genre=Lifestyle|summary='''BANG'''a trauma doctor. That's Anjali is the sound free spirit of copious urban myths being shot downthe group and she becomes a GP. When we first meet them they're at a drug and alcohol-fuelled party and it''BANG'''s going to end in tragedy. ThatWe don's the sound of t know who suffered the old wives slamming tragedy or the door, as their tales get revealed as baselessconsequences. '''CLICK'''Twenty-five years later there will be an eerily similar event that will impact the three friends. ThatThis time, it's the noise lots of ill-informed websites make as they get closed down. All noises come due to this brilliant booktheir teenage children who are involved.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141043369</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Annie Taylor0241636604|title=VioletThe Trading Game: A Confession|author=Gary Stevenson
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident ReadersAutobiography|summary=Violet is If you were to bring up an image of a very special hippocity banker in your mind, you're unlikely to think of someone like Gary Stevenson. She A hoodie and jeans replaces the pin-stripe suit and his background is extremely small the East End, where he was familiar with violence, poverty and injustice. There was no posh public school on his CV - but that does not make her adoptive parents Albert and Mavis love her any he had been to the lessLondon School of Economics. However, they are slightly worried that Violet Stevenson is bright - extremely bright - and he has a very unusual habit facility with numbers which most of turning pink without warning and for no explicable reasonus can only envy. He also realised that most rich people expect poor people to be stupid. It was his ability at what was, essentially, a card game which got him an internship with Citibank. Eventually, this turned into permanent employment as a trader.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906847371</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Hilary Dixon1035021803|title=When Rooks Speak of Love|rating=4|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=Arthur Transcombe is a middle-aged, grey-haired, self-effacing poet. Unremarkable really - on the outside. He has, however, managed The Antique Hunter's Guide to achieve some success with his poems. (Being a guest speaker at the Cheltenham Literary Festival is no mean feat). He is also a babe magnet!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904529429</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewMurder|author=A J Healy|title=Tommy Storm and the Galactic KnightsC L Miller
|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Meet Tommy StormIt's twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to the English country village where she grew up. HeShe's one back now because of five teenagers snapped up from around the universe to be a gang of heroic detectives charged with rescuing EVERYTHING request for help from destructionher beloved aunt, Carole. Not just the planetFreya's former mentor and Carole's close friend, Arthur Crockleford, or is dead and the solar systemcircumstances seem suspicious, or even to say the galaxy, but EVERYTHINGleast. Nobody seems Arthur was the reason why Freya had not been back to know what's going to cause this destructionthe village: Arthur, she feels, or whenlet her down badly. Even though they were in business together as antique hunters, but he and his friends and their ship seem she has not felt able to be near the only people proactively going about saving man or pursue the dayprofession she loved. So it's After the split, she worked in a pity that they start this book strung up by a nasty loony cafe, met and married James (on the rebound from the love of her life, who's about to kill themwas murdered) and Freya and James have now divorced.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847247555</amazonuk>
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=AllTomorrowsFutureCover
|title=All Tomorrow's Futures: Fictions that Disrupt
|author=Benjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)
|rating=5
|genre=Science Fiction
|summary=''Opening up new ways of thinking about the shape of things to come.''
{{newreview|author=Graham McCann|title=Bounder!: The Biography of Terry-Thomas|rating=4I've heard it said that 'technology' is what happens after you're eighteen.5|genre=Biography|summary=When Well, I was must confess that there have been more than a few decades of technology in my early teens, it sometimes seemed as if Terry-Thomas was one of the stars of almost every other five-star British comedy film aroundlifetime. He was certainly one of I've kept up reasonably well with what's advantageous to me but I'm left with the most recognizable characters feeling that it's all getting away from me. Some of all with his gapit is -toothed grin, cigarette holder and inimitable 'Helfrankly -lo!', 'Hard cheese!'quite frightening. Of course, I could research the possibilities and best of all, the angry, probabilities and end up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I'Youm reading someone who knows what they're an absolute shower!'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845134419</amazonuk>talking about or the latest conspiracy theorist. I needed people I knew I could trust and who could deliver information in a way I could understand.
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Richard Jay ParkerSunny Singh|title=Stop MeHotel Arcadia
|rating=3.5
|genre=CrimeThrillers |summary=Spam E-Mails can be incredibly annoying, but most of us will have had to deal with themThe Hotel Arcadia is a luxury hotel in an unnamed city that has suddenly been violently taken over by a terrorist group. FortunatelyHiding from the terrorists who are rampaging through, killing everyone on site, there is Sam, a wartime photographer and Abhi, we can hit the delete button and forget about them as quickly as they camehotel manager. I certainly prefer not As Abhi continues to try to care remotely for the residents who are still alive in the hotel, he forms a bond with Sam who refuses to torture my friends be cowed by sending such rubbish events, and keeps on, no matter how bad my luck is supposed venturing out of her room to try to become if I doncapture what'ts happened through her photography. But I wonder how many of us would react if a spam E-Mail actually was a matter of life Although they only ever talk over the phone, their friendship grows as Abhi tries to help her keep safe and death, rather than just claiming they both wait to see if they will be?rescued before they are discovered by the terrorists.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0749007079</amazonuk>086154742X
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jeanette Winterson1529153298|title=The Battle List of the SunSuspicious Things|author=Jennie Godfrey
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersGeneral Fiction|summary=London 1601It's 1979 and Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister. Elizabeth (A woman? I is getting on in yearsmean, honestly. Her capital city is a busy, bustling place. Boats fill the river and people fill the streets. Jack is happy because it) She's not what's his birthday and his present is his heartworrying Miv's desire: an excitable black puppy named Maxfamily, though. Women have been disappearing. Well, they've been murdered, whobut to have 'disappeared' doesn't sound quite so frightening. Miv's upset because she's a overheard that her father wants to move the family 'Down South'. When you'licking and re from Yorkshire, Down South is a running and a leaping and a jumping and a tummy in frightening, foreign place, best avoided. For Miv, the air and a tail wagging and a barkingmove would mean leaving her best friend, racingSharon, braking, spinning energy dog of delightand she'll do anything to prevent that. She's not worried about the dangers or that her Mum's stopped talking - to anyone. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>140880042X</amazonuk>
}}
  {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jean Ure1398524085|title=Love and Kisses|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Tamsin and Katie were just thirteen and worried that they were boring. They'd been best friends since forever and were the good girls. Neither missed school, skipped her homework nor had boyfriends. Well, that is, not so far. Up until then Tamsin had been the boffin head – consistently strong academically and looking forward to going on to university. All that seemed to change when she met Alex. Well, when I say 'met' I should perhaps clarify and say that Alex pushed his wheelbarrow into her, from the building site where he worked. Oh, and did I mention that he was seventeen, Polish and spoke very little EnglishHas Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007281722</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Henry Mintzberg|title=ManagingNicci French
|rating=5
|genre=Business and Finance
|summary=''Study after study has shown that managers work at an unrelenting pace''
How true, though it always makes me wonder why, as a result, there's such a market for bulky management and leadership and general business books like this one. How does anyone who needs or wants to read one ever find the time to do so? This title actually has an answer to this, by providing two books in one, and it is such a simple yet effective solution that I have to start there. You can read this book in one of two ways. Option one is to read every word, chapter by chapter, cover to cover. If you have the time I would recommend this approach because the book is very readable, not too repetitive, and quite thought-provoking.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0273709305</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Kathryn Fox
|title=Blood Born
|rating=4
|genre=Crime
|summary=To give support to a vulnerable gang-rape victimCharlotte Salter was expected at her husband's fiftieth birthday party but never turned up. Her children, sons Niall, forensic pathologist Anya Crichton offers to drive Giverny Hart to the courthouse on the day she is due to testify against the notorious Harbourn brothers. But when Anya arrives at the house she finds Giverny close to death Paul and Ollie and faces a battle against time to save herdaughter, Etty. In the panicare all worried but - strangely - her husband, Alec, Anya fails to take note of an important clue which might help tell whether it really was suicide or a cleverly staged murderis not. Worse still Shortly afterwards, in trying to save Etty and Greg, find the girlbody of Greg's lifefather, Anya has interfered with a crime scene and Duncan Ackerley, in the case falls apartriver. She blames herself It was an easy assumption for the Harbourn brothers being allowed police to walk free make that Duncan had murdered Charlie and only hours later then committed suicide when he couldn't stand the guilt. The Salter children are not convinced but there is news of another attack. A pair of sisters have been stabbed 's little else they can do but get on with their lives and raped resulting in the death of one, while the other clings to lifewonder about what really happened.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340933097</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Leah Fleming1035906708|title=Remembrance DayDiva|author=Daisy Goodwin|rating=4.5|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=In the year 2000 an old lady in a wheelchair watches the unveiling We tend to think of the new war memorial Maria Callas as Greek, but she was born to Greek parents in the village square. There's pride in what has been achievedManhattan, New York, in the family who are gathered around her December 1923 and there are memories tooonly moved to Athens when she was thirteen. Some are good Her original surname was Kalogeropoulos but many are not.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561039</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Neal Layton|title=Surfher father changed it to 'Callas's Up (Mammoth Academy)|rating=3to make it more manageable in the States.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Having successfully seen off the rather unpleasant humans When she was back in earlier volumes, our favourite junior mammoths Oscar and Arabella have nothing much else to do apart from return to Mammoth Academy Athens - supposedly so that she could get appropriate training for lots more double periods of Difficult Sums. They're supposed to be making presentations about what they did during her voice - she was raised under the holidays too, but Oscar hasn't done any preparation Nazi occupation by a mother who mercilessly exploited her andmade no secret of her preference for her elder sister, frankly, he can't really remember what he actually did do with all that free time other than no Difficult SumsJackie. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>034098967X</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ursula Jones and Sarah GibbChristopher Edge|title=The Princess Who Had No KingdomBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The princess who has no kingdom wanders around Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a cart pulled by her horse Prettyplace that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. She All big movie fans, they's very politere looking forward to lots of exciting films, and many, friendlymany snacks! However, and kind-heartedas the movie starts, but she feels like they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is lacking because she doesnvery different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't have a kingdom of her owneven imagine. The other royals she meets treat her nicely enough But as they lurch from one film genre to the next, but there's always a feeling that she's not quite as good as them because she isn't can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the princess of anywhere.cinema, and to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846160421</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Rachel Greenlaw
|title=Compass and Blade
|rating=3.5
|genre=Teens
|summary=''I can hear the song of the sea. The call of the deep, the answering beat in my heart.''
{{newreview|author=Mij Kelly Rosevear, a remote and Louise Nisbet|title=The Happiest Man in partially forgotten island, survives on luring ships into the World or rocks and plundering the Mouse Who Made Christmas|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=Mouse doesn't wrecks. Mira, like anyone and keeps herself to herself. Her things are her things and she mother before her, is too selfish one of the seven who swim out to share them with anyone elsesurvey the ruins – rescuing any survivors and any treasure that lies within. One dayBut when the Council Watch lays a trap to end the wrecking, an old man moves in to Mousethey capture the island's leader and Mira's housefather. He used Desperate to save him from death, Mira makes a bargain with a wreck survivor who is as charming as he is secretive and with only coordinates to be the happiest man guide her, she sets off in search of a family secret that lies buried deep in the worldsea. With only nine days to unearth what might save her father, but now heas her journey takes her from the watched streets of foreign islands to the heart of the smuggler's sad. He's fed up territory, Mira must be determined to stop at nothing to save the future of having given, given, given all his life her home and never got anything back. He just sits quietly and mopes. This makes Mouse miserable, so one day the ones she decides to cheer him up by giving him a clementine..holds most dear.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340931558</amazonuk>0008664730
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Nick BlandJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Very Cranky BearPlanet Storyland|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=Moose, Lion, Zebra and Sheep head into Things have been a cave to get out of bit sticky for the rainEarthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, but little often replacing jobs they're paid to do they know and other tasks that Bear is fast asleep in theretook time to accomplish. When Just as they wake him upwere beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of other, he roars at them, chasing them outsidenew ways to spend time, so they decide to cheer him up somehowalong came an awful pandemic. Zebra paints stripes on him, Moose fashions antlers for him Life was pretty much shut down and Lion sticks a mane of straw on him. Unsurprisingly, this makes Bear even crankieralong with it, all the many daily social interactions on which they depend so it's down to Sheep to save the day..heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340989424</amazonuk>1736128426
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 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kes Gray and Lee WildishMatthew Tree|title=Mum and Dad GlueWe'll Never Know|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingLiterary Fiction|summary=A young boy's parents are splitting up. He's going through the usual emotions that children Timothy Wyndham wants nothing more than to be different from his father, a drunk and chronic underachiever whose dreams of being exceptional at any of divorce go through: worry, feeling unsure, blaming himself, anger, denial, his artistic passions all failed miserably and then trying to get them to stay togetherwho had endless crises of self confidence. His method for this isn't the usual response though: he looks for glue So Tim applied himself to stick his mum and dad together. Thankfullystudies, he finds some wise cultivated his abilities rather than his daydreams and kindly advice in the processset himself high but achievable ambitions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340957107</amazonuk>B0CVFXPGP8
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Clara VulliamyA G Slatter|title=The Bear With Sticky Paws Won't Go To Bed|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=It's Pearl's bedtime, but she says she's really busy and isn't going to sleep. She just wants to play and play and play. When the bear with sticky paws rings Briar Book of the doorbell, he whisks her away on an amazing adventure - although as you might expect, the bear has a little more energy than Pearl and eventually she does get a little sleepy.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408300648</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Stephen Mackey|title=Miki|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=It's cold, dark and icy, and Miki and Penguin are trudging through the snow. But it's Midwinter Eve, when wishes come true. They wish for a tree, lights, someone strong to power the lights, and finally a star that will shine brightly forever. Miki is taken deep below the ice to find the star, whilst up top Penguin and new friend Polar Bear start to worry about her.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>034095065X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Kristin Cashore|title=FireDead
|rating=5
|genre=Fantasy
|summary=Possessed '' There's a part of great beauty, the kind me that drives men mad, Fire is used wants to people trying keep this just to kill hermyself for however long I can. This secret magic of my own, all mine, at last. She isn't used I just want to them doing enjoy it by accident. When for a poacher in the woods outside her home accidentally shoots her, Fire is hard pressed to keep the temperamental Lord Archer from killing himwhile. But as sure as Fire is the man did not mean to cause her harm, she is made unsure by the strange fog that exists in the man's mind.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1905200129</amazonuk>}}'
{{newreview|author=Justin Scroggie|title=Eye Spy: Uncovering Within a remote mountain pass, far away from the world, lies Silverton; a town under the Secrets protection of the World Around You|rating=4|genre=Trivia|summary=Signs are everywhere. I wasnBriar't really one s, a family of those witches who thought our roads were littered with too many traffic signs until protect the town and the wider world from the Darklands. Though she has always wished for magic, Ellie Briar is the day I first non-witch to be born into her family for generations and as such since she was driven past young, her training as a pair of speed regulation signssteward revolved around letters and administration rather than spells and potions. When her grandmother suddenly dies, Ellie's cousin Audra becomes the Briar Witch, the town's leader, and Ellie takes her place beside her. As challenges come her way left, right and centre, Ellie uncovers the rare ability to communicate with the dead, positioned putting her at the exit end heart of a maelstrom of chaos. Reeling from one-way street but facing the illegal way up it. Not all signsfamily secret to another, of course, are quite Ellie must decide who to trust and determine what to do as unnecessarythe Briar witches' legacy, or indeed as blatantly visibleeverything they have sacrificed to survive, which is where this pictorial guide to countless coded messages, signifiers and other similar factoids comes inunder threat.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340994487</amazonuk>1803364548
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jose Saramago 1529900360|title=Small MemoriesThe Ghost Orchid|author=Jonathan Kellerman
|rating=4
|genre=AutobiographyCrime|summary=Having It hadn't been born in 1922 and lived through so much of the twentieth century, with an authorLt Milo Sturgis's view of change fault that Alex Delaware had been badly injured but he felt responsible and peopleeven after Alex recovered, Jose Saramago has certainly experienced a lotSturgis was reluctant to ask for his help on difficult cases. Civil Wars in the neighbouring Spain; His assertions that there were only open-and-shut cases which didn't need the growth help of his country - which still left a psychologist only worked for a while. Finally, it as western Europewas Robin, Delaware's poorestpartner, who nudged Milo into asking for help again. Here he allows us witness to his mind drifting through his childhoodShe knew that the involvement was something that the man she loved needed. The next case did look simple, though. Two lovers were murdered in the country and swimming pool of a remote property in Lisbon, Bel Air. He was the heir to an Italian shoe empire and provides a subtle she is married to an extremely rich man and gentle memoirit's not the Italian.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184655148X</amazonuk> But which of them was the primary target?
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Eoin Colfer1529395224|title=And Another Thing ... Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to Letting the Cat Out of the GalaxyBag: Part Six The Secret Life of Three (Hitchhikers Guide 6) a Vet|author=Sion Rowlands
|rating=3.5
|genre=Science FictionAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Of all the big books announced for this year, this one must have raised more eyebrows than manySiôn Rowlands fell into veterinary science accidentally. Why try His father was a GP and write a new HitchhikerRowlands didn's Guide t want to the Galaxy bookfollow in his footsteps, particularly when way before he considered the strain that being on-call put on his father's life. When he was seventeen he took the opportunity of doing work experience with a family friend who was a vet and was convinced this was the endjob for him. Before long, its creator Douglas Adams he was proving quite hopeless at such Liverpool University. It hadn't - as with so many students - been his dream since he was a task? child. And why approach If anything, he'd wanted to be a professional footballer.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=0861541774|title=A Nye of Pheasants|author=Steve Burrows|rating=4|genre=Crime|summary=DCI Domenic Jejeune's close friend and former colleague, Danny Maik, has taken a short holiday in Singapore to meet up with an Irishmanold ally, Eoin Colfer, when the originals Guy Trueman. Maik was involved in a street brawl - tempered he would later maintain that he was facing a man armed with their humour which could only be described as Monty Python doing a sciknife -fi Terry Pratchettand he killed a Ghurka. Initially, and with their cups he faced a charge of tea and dressing gowns, manslaughter but evidence came to light that suggested that he might have planned to murder the man. Now he could only be described as very English? facing the death penalty. Well the answer is most evident - Colfer is a world-beater when it comes Domenic Jejeune can do nothing to knocking up help as any interference from another police force could provoke a storydiplomatic incident and wouldn't help Danny at all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718155149</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Harlan CobenAlexander McCall Smith|title=Tell No OneThe Perfect Passion Company|rating=4.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=I've been meaning to get around The Perfect Passion Company is a dating agency in Edinburgh, run by Ness and operating as an alternative to reading some or all of Harlan Coben's workthe online apps in providing a more personal, because tailored service. Ness has asked her younger cousin Katie if she could come and look after the reviews are business, as Ness is planning to take a trip to Canada to be believed and you are get away for a fan while. Katie is coming out of a break up with a bad boyfriend, and so jumps at the 'Bloody Knife /Blunt Instrument' thrillerchance to come home to Edinburgh. And so begins this new story from Alexander McCall Smith, bringing us to an Edinburgh we already love, thanks to 44 Scotland Street and the man is quite simply not capable of turning out a duff novelIsabel Dalhousie novels, but with some new characters who quickly begin to charm. But you know how it isKatie has no experience in running a business, or in match-making, but Ness has full confidence in her abilities, what with one thing and another there's always her very helpful (and rather handsome) neighbour, William, to lend a bulging pile hand…|isbn=1846976596}}{{Frontpage|isbn=0811771741|title=InstaKnits for Baby|author=Melissa Leapman|rating=4|genre=Crafts|summary=Melissa Leapman's ''InstaKnits for Baby'' gives us a collection of books knits from toys to blankets. Some will be read and reviewedquick knits - others are of the 'long, I just somehow hadncosy afternoons in front of the fire' variety. The projects are divided by the time they't managed ll take to complete - less than five hours, five to ten hours, ten to give him my full attentiontwenty hours and more than twenty hours. All the projects are attractive, modern and useable. Until nowI perhaps show my age when I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects' but that's me being picky.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409117022</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=John Peel and Sheila RavenscroftDean Koontz|title=Margrave of the MarshesThe Bad Weather Friend
|rating=4.5
|genre=EntertainmentParanormal|summary=John Peel was without doubt one of the most important disc jockeys of all timeBenny is having a terrifically bad day. Born in Merseyside in 1939He loses his job, he began loses his career in mid-60s America before returning home to join Radio London fiancee, and then become one of the original Radio 1 team, where he stayed until his death 37 years laterhouse gets trashed. I admired the man for his passion for playing the music nobody else would give the time of day (even if I didn't always enjoy it myself) Oh, and someone has delivered a really weird, disturbing coffin-sized object to his readiness to say exactly what he thoughthome, even if and it 's possible that whoever or whatever was not what inside is the thing that has trashed his employers at house! The thing is, Benny is the BBC wanted very last person to heardeserve all this bad luck. He is a nice person. A really nice person. So fortunately for Benny it turns out that the delivery to his house is a new friend, a bad weather friend called Spike, and I always enjoyed reading his columns in the music weeklies and later Radio Timeswho has been sent to help him since Benny is clearly under attack from nefarious forces for being a good person. Nevertheless I found much Spike is going to take care of his show unlistenable towards the endBenny, recall some and will certainly take care of his rather curmudgeonly remarks on air (guest slots on Radio 1Benny's Round Table review programme come to mind)enemies, if he, Benny, and thought his build-Harper (a waitress slash Private Investigator who finds herself roped into Benny'em-up, knock-'em-down stance rather irritating after a while. So I approached this book with an open mind as a fan, but not an uncritical ones wild adventure) can figure out who exactly they are.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552551198</amazonuk>1662500491
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez Adam Stower|title=Perfumes: The A - Z GuideMurray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=LifestyleConfident Readers |summary=WonderfulMurray is supposed to be a humble, wonderfultidy and friendly cat, wonderful. The only thing that could be conceivably better than reading ''Perfumes'' would be one who is able to read it while sampling the scents it reviewssleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, but even without whatever takes his fancy next of the olfactory component, two. But he's a bad magician'Perfumes'' is s cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a delight: Turin (a lyrical scientist) hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and Sanchez (an analytically enthusiastic collector) the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not only treat perfume creation as high artinto the regular back garden, but turn perfume criticism into an art form (or at least a sophisticated genre world of writing) toofrightening adventure and whiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846681278</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Malouf B0C47LV1PC|title=RansomFragility|author=Mosby Woods|rating=54
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=Taking his theme from Can you make a small part of Homer's Iliad, Malouf tells the story of the king of Troy, Priam's grief-stricken voyage into the Greek camp to ransom TroyYo birthing person''s wealth for the body of his fallen sonjoke? And if you could, Hector, killed by is the equally grief-stricken Achilles whose great friend Hector had killed in battle before Achilles took his cruel revenge. Malouf tells question should you make it? Or is the story in sparsequestion if you did, yet lyrical and poetic fashion suggesting would it land? The catch is that the personal stories behind the epic themes that Homer related. It is an exquisitely written piece managing to be answer for both deeply moving as could well as a great piece of story tellingbe.... no.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0701184159</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Steven M Gillon|title=The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After|rating=4.5|genre=History|summary=The assassination of President Kennedy came at a pivotal moment in my life and for more than forty years I've read most of what has been written about the event. It's been of variable quality, but the books fed the curiosity of people entranced by the charismatic young President who died so publicly. IFragility''d come to is set as the point city of wondering if there was anything new Portland, Oregon, cautiously begins to be said, but Stephen Gillom has looked at what happened emerge from an unusual and largely overlooked angle – the first twenty four hours of Lyndon Johnson's Presidency.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>046501870X</amazonuk>restrictions imposed during the covid pandemic
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=1529431735
|title=The Winter Visitor
|author=James Henry
|rating=4
|genre=Crime
|summary=It's February 1991 and Essex is bitingly cold, which made Bruce Hopkins' return all the more surprising. He'd been exiled on the Costa del Sol as a wanted drug smuggler for a decade. The return has come about because he's had a letter from his ex-wife, saying that she's ill and hasn't long to live. It's hard to feel any sympathy when Hopkins is abducted, stripped to his underwear and sent to a watery grave in the boot of a stolen Ford Sierra. Is it a warning from a Spanish gang or a problem closer to home?