'''Read [[Features|new features]].'''
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{{newreview
|author=Jane Sanderson
|title=Netherwood
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=The cover of Netherwood features a bold promise - 'Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey'. The basic features of a reliable 'upstairs/downstairs' saga are all present; the landed gentry enjoying their estate, the staff servicing it and the locals, all relying on the fortunate family for their own income.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751547638</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|summary=Well, I suppose I'd better begin with the bad which was there were moments at the start of this novel when I thought I couldn't possibly read it right to the end. It's written in such a stilted, factual style with details about the road networks of the local area and exactly how much anyone pays for anything they eat or buy or rent! Faced, for example, with the paragraph ''cars setting out from Nagasaki that take the pass road to save money take the Nagasaki Expressway from Nagasaki to Omura, then to Higashi-Sonogi and Takeo, and get off at the Saga Yamato interchange. Intersecting this east-west Nagasaki Expressway at the interchange is Route 263'' I thought I'd never manage to read more than a couple of lines before falling asleep! Still, I persisted and actually, I'm glad I did.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099526654</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Sophie Duffy
|title=The Generation Game
|rating=4
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=Do you remember ''The Generation Game'' TV show, with old Brucie and then Larry Grayson managing the mayhem? Where were you when Charles and Di got married? What about when Diana died? There's plenty of reminiscing to be done in this book as Sophie Duffy takes us from the 1960's to 2006 through the life of her character, Philippa, in a book that fleets from funny, heartwarming moments to real sadness.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908248017</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Judy Bee and Little Pink Pebble
|title=The Zoo Crew Play Ball
|rating=3
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=On the second weekend of every month the zoo keepers plan special activities for the animals and this time the San Carlos Beavers are going to show them how to play ball. Helga the Hippo hopes that she won't have to run because all she wants to do is wallow in the mud – which would make a bit of a mess of the lovely red-and-white outfit which she's wearing. Eddie the Elephant is keen to get all the animals together to make plans and discuss strategy. Lenny the Lion organises training sessions – but Helga really isn't that enthusiastic.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780920008</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=T H White
|title=Mistress Masham's Repose
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ten year old Maria is an orphan. With a venal Vicar as her Guardian and a horrible governess, Maria lives in a corner of her practically ruined stately home, with only the cook, Mrs Noakes, and an absent minded Professor as her friends. One summer's day she takes a leaking punt out on the ornamental lake in the grounds of the house, and on an artificial island, in a Folly (the Mistress Masham's Repose of the title), she discovers a community of Lilliputians, the People. At first she treats them like playthings, desperate to own them as she owns nothing else, but the Professor helps her to see them as people worthy of respect.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849414823</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Jane Fallon
|title=The Ugly Sister
|rating=5
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Abi hasn't really had much of a relationship with her sister Cleo since Cleo was discovered on the street and morphed into a successful and well known model. It's now more than 20 years later, and the sisters are hardly what you'd call close. But, with a summer to kill and nowhere really to kill it in, Abi takes up her sister's offer to move into her plush Primrose Hill pad and spend some 'quality time' with the family. Except...Cleo's idea of quality family time is to go to the gym. Or the spa. Or a comeback casting. Anywhere really, as long as it's away from them all. And with brother in law Jon at work during the day, Abi quickly starts feeling like the hired help, shuttling her nieces around town and seeing to their every need.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141047259</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Mike French
|title=The Ascent of Isaac Steward
|rating=3
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=Isaac is married to Rebekah. They have sons, Esau and Jacob, naturally. There is a half-brother Ishmael and a back-story of marital betrayal and the out-casting of sons.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956881017</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Camilla de la Bedoyere, Clive Gifford, John Farndon, Steve Parker, Stewart Ross and Philip Steele
|title=Discover the Extreme World
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=In my day it would have been called 'an encyclopaedia'. It would have had a lot more text, been rather dull – and remained largely unread by those who received it as a worthy present. For 'Discover the Extreme World' you need to start at the opposite end of the scale. It's about visual impact. A fact is linked to a picture and the more striking the better – and only then is it explained. The text is as simple as possible – clear, unambiguous wording which drives the point home as quickly as possible. The layout encourages you to move the book so that you see the pictures better and can read the words. It's fun and (say it quietly) it's educational.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184810474X</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=A Portsmouth
|title=The Beautiful Torment of a Dream
|rating=3
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=This is a beautifully presented book with its enigmatic front cover and equally enigmatic title. After reading the blurb on the back cover I was left with a feeling of wishy-washiness however, as regards the storyline. Unfortunately, the contents confirmed this for me.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956493602</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Rachel Renee Russell
|title=Dork Diaries: How to Dork Your Diary
|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=#
The clue is in the title. This is volume 3 and a half in the ongoing series of adventures for Nikki Maxwell. Here she gets her knickers into a right twist because her diary, which of course contains three books of adventures lusting after the school hunk, hating the school bitch and copious amounts of embarrassment, seems to have got lost at school. Her search for it takes her into places you wouldn't expect, closer to her BFFs, and into a major discussion about the merits and style of creating your own diary.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857073524</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
|title=We're Going to a Party!
|rating=4.5
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=The animals are going to a fancy dress party! But what is everyone going to dress up as? Can you guess who's inside each costume? This lift the flap book allows you to take a peek beneath the costume to see exactly who's inside!
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184939122X</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Larry Pontius
|title=Future King
|rating=3
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=It's the near future and King Charles III has ascended the throne of the United Kingdom with Camilla as his Queen Consort. The country is in a mess with rampant inflation, unemployment, a crumbling infrastructure and riots: the people have taken to calling this time ''The Troubles''. Such situations breed power-hungry politicians and Prime Minister Alistair Saxon has plans to become the dictator of the country. When the King refuses to give his assent to the Emergency Powers Act, Saxon and his fellow-conspirators kidnap the Royal family to prevent Charles speaking against the EPA.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1463766297</amazonuk>
}}
