Difference between revisions of "Book Reviews From The Bookbag"
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|rating=3.5 | |rating=3.5 | ||
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction | |genre=Children's Non-Fiction | ||
| − | |summary=I hope you agree with me about the sheer optimism of this book's title. It carries a certain chutzpah to pretend to show all the secrets about a mystical site which remains, even with a lot of evidence, sheer conjecture. Yes we know when the stones were erected, and from where they came under the orders of what kind of prehistoric man, but nothing is guaranteed in the occult world of pagan ritual, prehistoric pantheons and primitive perpetual calendars. This book won't admit to doubt beyond saying some people have | + | |summary=I hope you agree with me about the sheer optimism of this book's title. It carries a certain chutzpah to pretend to show all the secrets about a mystical site which remains, even with a lot of evidence, sheer conjecture. Yes we know when the stones were erected, and from where they came under the orders of what kind of prehistoric man, but nothing is guaranteed in the occult world of pagan ritual, prehistoric pantheons and primitive perpetual calendars. This book won't admit to doubt beyond saying some people have different ideas about Stonehenge, but it will succeed in giving a fleeting glimpse to some of the mysteries and oo-er factors that make the site so intriguing for all ages to this day. |
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847805205</amazonuk> | |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847805205</amazonuk> | ||
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 08:33, 20 May 2014
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.
There are currently 16,117 reviews at TheBookbag.
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Dylan's Amazing Dinosaurs - the Tyrannosaurus Rex by E T Harper and Dan Taylor
Everyone love dinosaurs, that is as long as they stay millions of years in the past and don’t suddenly turn up in the park next time I am having a picnic. Dylan is a character who certainly loves dinosaurs, enough so that he is able to travel back in time to answer any questions he may have about their existence. Seems a little dangerous to me, especially when he comes up against the king of lizards in E T Harper and Dan Taylor’s, ‘Dylan's Amazing Dinosaurs - the Tyrannosaurus Rex’. Full review...
Terror Town: Elf Girl and Raven Boy 5 by Marcus Sedgwick
Nobody wants to go to Terror Town. It might have a fabulous castle, a Horror Hotel to stay in, and more, but nobody wants to go there. Oh, except for Elf Girl and Raven Boy, who need to collect something from the Hotel in order to defeat the Goblin King. And lo and behold, the Singing Sword held at the Hotel is just given away as a complete annoyance – but getting what they came for so easily could only come at a price… Full review...
The Secrets of Stonehenge by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom
I hope you agree with me about the sheer optimism of this book's title. It carries a certain chutzpah to pretend to show all the secrets about a mystical site which remains, even with a lot of evidence, sheer conjecture. Yes we know when the stones were erected, and from where they came under the orders of what kind of prehistoric man, but nothing is guaranteed in the occult world of pagan ritual, prehistoric pantheons and primitive perpetual calendars. This book won't admit to doubt beyond saying some people have different ideas about Stonehenge, but it will succeed in giving a fleeting glimpse to some of the mysteries and oo-er factors that make the site so intriguing for all ages to this day. Full review...
Ogres Don't Dance (Ogden the Ogre) by Kirsty McKay
Meet Ogden the Ogre. Getting lost in the forest one night after a raid on the village for a bit of human-shaped supper he finds a barn full of colourfully-dressed people having a riotous time, dancing away happily. Obviously Oscar wants to join in, but it's only when he chances on meeting Willow, an incredibly independent nine year old girl, that he gets the opportunity to learn how to dance. But will he stick to the promise he has to give her in return, that of never eating another human, or will he leave her a weeping Willow? Full review...
Riccarton Junction: 1 by W Scott Beaven
Kikarin (Kiri to her friends), moves with her family from cosmopolitan London to the wilds of the Scottish borders where not all accept her Japanese/English mixed heritage. Her father works in forestry for the local laird and her mother lives for the day when Kiri's brother, Keith, is released from the Young Offenders' Institute. However, bringing Keith home again doesn't mean the end of their problems or indeed his. Full review...
The Obsidian Poplar and Other Stories by Lightfall Literary Agency (Editor)
I'll confess that I was a little nervous about The Obsidian Poplar and Other Stories. There's a common misconception that short stories are easy - something run off quickly before the author gets on with doing the proper job of a full-length work, but the truth is rather different. A short story has none of the luxuries of a longer work: plot development has to be done quickly, characters have to come off the page. Every word must earn its keep. A book can be written - a short story must be crafted. But what made me particularly nervous here was that all the authors are students - and the editor was convinced that there are ten of them who are good enough to be included in the book. Full review...
The Serpent House by Bea Davenport
It's 1898 and Annie is living a miserable existence with her aunt and cousins. Not long orphaned, she misses her mam every day. So Annie is overjoyed when her brother's employer Lady Hexer allows him to bring his sister to live with him on a cottage on the estate at Hexer Hall. Lady Hexer takes an interest in both brother and sister. But why? Full review...
Chasing Stars (After Eden 2) by Helen Douglas
Chasing Stars is the follow-up to After Eden - in which Ryan travels back in time to save the world from disaster by preventing the discovery of a far-off planet. In so doing, he falls in love with Eden. In this second story, Ryan travels back once again - this time to save Eden's life. And now Eden must make a sacrifice, too. The boy she loves has given up everything to save her and now she must give up everything to save him... Full review...
Children are Naughty by Vincent Cuvellier and Aurelie Guillerey
Children are naughty. You don't have to tell me that. I have two monsters, one of whom I found this very morning standing on top of the toilet and putting nappy cream all over himself (fully clothed, of course!) I only left the bathroom for a moment! Anyway, this story tells you all about the naughty antics that children can get up to, with everything from biting to throwing food on the floor! Prepare yourself, things could get messy...! Full review...
Sentinel by Joshua Winning
In many ways this book is not as typical of fantasy and mild horror as the summary might suggest. Unlike a lot of stories where we join the main character in the aftermath of a major event, this one begins before Nicholas is orphaned. The ever-increasing tension as his parents leave for a train journey, coming so soon after a menacing and mysterious prologue, makes it pretty clear to us that they won't be returning, and that Nicholas will soon be in deadly danger himself. Full review...
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Two boys - no longer a couple, but still friends - are kissing outside their high school. But this is no ordinary kiss. This is a kiss which they intend to last over 32 hours, breaking the world record for longest kiss. Their friend will document it, spreading the world to, and beyond, their community, some of whom will be supportive, others of whom will be disgusted. Two other boys are in a relationship, while two more may be about to start one. An eighth is looking for something he may never find. Two Boys Kissing tells the story of all these different boys, at different stages of love. Full review...
The Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby
In November 1963 the world was shocked by the assassination of President John F Kennedy, but the picture which brought home to us the horror of what had happened was not of JFK but of his wife in the iconic pink suit, soaked with her husband's blood. 'Let them see what they have done', she said. I've always assumed that the suit was new for the occasion - but it had a back story too and it's told in The Pink Suit, a work of historical fiction based on facts. Full review...
Tudor: The Family Story by Leanda de Lisle
With so many recent books published on various aspects of Tudor history, it becomes harder to find a new angle or approach to the subject. Leanda de Lisle has thus pulled off the almost-impossible. Her starting point is not the battle of Bosworth and Henry Tudor’s claiming of the throne as King Henry VII in 1485, but an event nearly fifty years earlier, the death and funeral of Catherine de Valois. The widow of King Henry V, Catherine married secondly the Welsh squire Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur, known to posterity as Owen Tudor. Their elder son Edmund later married Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of John of Gaunt, one of King Edward III’s several sons, and it was the only child of this union, born when his mother was a mere girl thirteen years of age, who would become the victor on Bosworth Field. Full review...
Consiglieri: Leading from the Shadows by Richard Hytner
I've always been fascinated by the existence of that shadowy figure, the consigliere, in stories about the Mafia. He - and it was always a man - appeared to be full of wisdom, with the interests of the family at heart and without an ambitious bone in his body, or so it would seem. It was the title of Richard Hytner's book which drew me in - along with the idea that coming top is sometimes second best. That seemed to go against everything that I'd ever been brought up to believe. So - does he make a good case for being the second in command? Full review...
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Chechnya 2004: Akhmed stands watching while the Russian 'Ministry' break into his friend Dokaa's house, drag Dokaa away and set light to the remaining house. Shocked, Akhmed dashes over to rescue Dokaa's treasure: his 8 year old daughter Havaa. Realising he has to take her to safety, Akhmed moves the child to the local hospital (or rather the shell that used to accommodate it). There, alongside a less-than-skeleton staff with no equipment, Akhmed tries to do what he can for both his new charge and his countrymen knowing that he will not be the only person affected by his decision to care. Full review...
Tale of a Tail by Margaret Mahy and Tony Ross
Imagine you have a dog. (That would be nice...I'd like a dog). Now imagine that the dog is magical! He's a special sort of dog who can grant wishes, just with a special up and down wag of his tail. There couldn't be anything better, could there, than a dog that grants wishes? Just so long as you're always very careful about what you wish for whenever that dog is within hearing range! Full review...
A-Maze-ing Minotaur by Juliet Rix and Juliet Snape
Greek Myths are fantastic. They are full of action, characters and more gore than a truck load of video nasties, but how do you tell them to children? Remove the grisly bits for one and write them in a way that will appeal to the modern adolescent. This is exactly what writer Juliet Rix and illustrator Juliet Snape set out to do in ‘A-Maze-ing Minotaur’. Anything that uses the word “a-maze-ing”, must appeal to kids, right? Full review...
House of Secrets: Battle of the Beasts by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini
Columbus and Vizzini’s sequel to House of Secrets is action packed, cinematic and compelling. Their influences are myriad and range from the Goonies and early Harry Potter (directed by Columbus) to the fantastical and creepy writings of pulp novelist Robert E Howard, Gothic author H P Lovecraft and Ray Bradbury. The result resembles an explosion of colours from a renegade paint box of genres crossed with high octane movie plots. Fantasy, science fiction, magic, action, horror and war combine to create a curious mix of the supernatural and the historical. Full review...
Fifteen Bones by R J Morgan
I'm going to break from my usual habits here, and just use the blurb on the back as a summary of this book. This isn't out of laziness, honestly. Partly it's because I'm worried I'll give too much away otherwise, and partly because the blurb itself deserves praise as an absolutely masterful example of how to draw a reader in without spoiling anything at all. 'Things haven't been the same for Jake since the accident. Then he meets Robin and finds hope. She is exciting, fearless... and the most dangerous girl in London.' Full review...
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo and K G Campbell
Holy bagumba! What a gem of a book. When Kate DiCamillo decided to tell a story featuring a crazy vacuum cleaner, a 'natural-born cynic' who loves comics and a special squirrel she probably didn't imagine the odyssey her book would take. What she has created is an affectionate tribute to the super heroes of comic books intertwined with the belief that anything is possible. It is further illuminated by the expressive, imaginative and humorous graphics of K G Campbell. There is interplay between individual full page black and white drawings and panels of sequential art as the antics of DiCamillo’s eccentric and vulnerable characters evolve. This is enhanced by the use of speech bubbles shaped like clouds and experimentation with different fonts. Full review...
Frances and Bernard by Carlene Bauer
There's something very special about an epistolary novel. The format might seem unnatural to readers in this day of abbreviated text messages and e-mails, but the conceit of a written exchange allows for fully developed first-person voices and a confessional tone. Provided the author can bypass the subtle difficulties of plot-building, letters are also a handy indicator of the passage of time, and ably convey period vocabulary. Full review...
Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light
You’d think a dragon would be hard to lose. This one is bright green and hiding in the city streets. A little boy sets out to find him. Visiting all the dragon’s favourite haunts, the boy counts objects, from one to twenty, as he goes. Follow his route, enjoy the journey and practise your counting skills. Full review...
The Curse of the Pampered Poodle: Mariella Mystery 4 by Kate Pankhurst
In this latest instalment of the popular Mariella Mystery series, the Mystery girls are off for a sleepover at the local museum to investigate some decidedly strange goings-on involving a stuffed poodle called Misty. If reports are to be believed, bad luck seems to follow this cursed canine everywhere, leaving death and disaster in her wake. It is said that anyone who insults Misty will hear a loud bark and then be plagued with bad luck as the infamous curse strikes again. Full review...
The Short Giraffe by Neil Flory and Mark Cleary
Anyone who has ever been to a Wedding and saw the photographer trying to wrangle the bride and groom’s families together for a group shot will know all about the perils of mass photography. Neil Flory’s new children’s book, ‘The Short Giraffe’ suggests that the issue is not only human based, but also happens in the animal kingdom. Full review...
Two Giants by Michael Foreman
In this reissue of a book first published in 1967, the Two Giants live in a nice world where things are lovely and they get along brilliantly. What fun it must be to have your best friend around all the time. Until, that is, they have a fight. Before they can think about reconciling, they are separated and forced to live apart. Their animosity grows. Will it be possible for them to ever be friends again? Could something as simple and insignificant as sharing a pair of socks make it all ok? Full review...
After The Honeymoon by Janey Fraser
A TV star and his make-up artist wife, and a dinner lady and her husband are not two couples you would expect to end up honeymooning at the same place, but through a twist of fate (ok, a teacher at the school one works at and the other sends her kids to) both women and their new husbands end up on the same secluded Greek island at the same time. It’s run by a British woman who left for the continent 15 years ago, and it’s the perfect spot to get away from it all, be it your toddler's safely left with grandma, or the paparazzi who are desperate for an exclusive. Full review...
The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker and Sam Taylor (translator)
Confession - when I chose to review this book, I had no idea it had made such huge waves worldwide. I chose it because I hadn’t read a thriller for a while and this looked like a good one. Before the book arrived, I heard all about it – and it was just as well as I had heard so much positivity, as I also hadn’t realised it was such a hefty tome. (I’m not intimidated by hefty tomes, but experience has taught me that they don’t always justify themselves). Full review...
An Episode of Sparrows by Rumer Godden
It is post war London and in a private garden in a prosperous square someone has been digging up the earth. The formidable Miss Angela Chesney of the Garden Committee is convinced that a gang of local boys from nearby Catford Street is to blame. Her sister Olivia, a more thoughtful and kindly woman, worries about these children, ‘the sparrows’ and believes that there is more to this than petty theft. Meanwhile in Catford Street a little girl named Lovejoy Mason, abandoned by her mother to the care of restaurant owner Vincent and his wife, nurtures hopes and dreams of her own. As this story unfolds these very different lives become entangled in ways none of them could have anticipated. Full review...
Prince of Darkness by Sharon Penman
1193: Justin de Quincy, bastard son of the Bishop of Chester and loyal to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, steers clear of Eleanor's youngest son John at all costs. After all, John's henchman did try to murder him. However there's a plot afoot to frame John for a crime he didn’t commit (for a change), bringing with it somewhat of a dilemma for Justin. As much as he hates John, de Quincy realises that getting to the bottom of the plot is in the interests of the Queen and England. So Justin's course is set, no matter what it costs and no matter which hornets' nests it disturbs. Full review...
Glass Thorns - Thornlost by Melanie Rawn
The Touchstone Players are back and now mostly married but the show must go on. Talking of which, it's their playwright Cayden's 21st naming day. He's come of age but his aristocratic mother would still rather he went to court as a courtier than the entertainer that his wizard/elven/fae heritage equips him for. However Cade has other concerns. He, the dwarf glister, Mieka who wields Cade's magic, Rafe (who manipulates it) and Jeska the masker (who can literally become anyone) are no longer the court favourites. Also, you remember the danger that Cade foresaw for Mieka from Mieka's wife in his elsewhen premonitions? Well, there's more! (There follows some spoilers for the previous novels so read them first before reading on.) Full review...
Childish Spirits by Rob Keeley
Ellie and her mum and brother Charlie have moved into Inchwood Manor. Ellie's mum is going to transform the old house into a heritage visitor attraction. Ellie doesn't mind this but she does wish her dad had come too. But for some reason, he hasn't. And if Ellie wasn't texting him, he wouldn't even know how they were getting on. There's a great deal of work to be done to get Inchwood Manor ready and mum is busy with manager Marcus. Charlie is busy being fed up at being stuck in the back end of beyond. And so neither of them notice the strange things that Ellie does... Full review...
