quippe | Recent Entries

The Blurb On The Back:

”London’s exorcists! I have a reward for all of you, a job for one of you. Come to Brierley House, 20th April, 9.00am.”

The newspaper ad is a baited hook and it smells like a three-day old corpse. But hey, it’s a grand in hand for turning up so Felix Castor goes in anyway, alongside the curdled cream of his dubious profession. And once he’s in it’s hard to get out again. Brierley House is the home of Russian oligarch Gavril Ustinov, now missing, his driven daughter Ksenia Ustinov and their staff of taciturn, sinister domestics. It also hosts an invisible force that attacks exorcists and negates their abilities - a force that seems to be centuries old. Ksenia wants Castor to locate her missing father, alive or dead. Castor wants to find out who set a trap for exorcists back in the late Middle Ages and what else they were up to.

For a job this big he’s got friends he can call on: zombie data-fence Nicky Heath, reformed succubus Juliet Salazar, jaded cop Gary Cordwood and Trudie Pax, the Anathemata’s finest warrior. But the ghosts of Brierley are many, and they won’t give up their secrets lightly …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mike Carey’s urban fantasy/horror novella is a very welcome addition to the FELIX CASTOR SERIES that sees Castor older, but not necessarily wiser. Although the central mystery is overly telegraphed, I very much enjoyed the return to Castor’s world and in particular the way that Carey seems to be returning to a larger supernatural battle between Hell and Earth and he leaves the ending open for a sequel, which I would most definitely want to read.

The Blurb On The Back:

Do you want to make money while making the world a better place? Then this is the book for you.

After the bestselling success of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, the founders of Female Invest are back, and this time they’re focusing on impact investing. Cutting through the noise and ditching the jargon, this book teaches you how to build wealth while creating positive change.

From understanding investment basics to identifying the ethics behind different assets, you’ll learn how to make money while supporting the issues you really care about. By introducing you to important concepts and strategies, and combining them with simple, actionable steps, aligning your investments with your values has never been easier. The good news? You don’t need to be rich or an expert to get started.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Female Invest is a learning platform aimed at helping women to make the most from their money. This informative follow-up to GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUNDS focuses on impact (i.e. ethical) investing, explaining what it is and what to look for in a way that is easy to understand. However I wished it had been more explicit on the financial and environmental risks of crypto and the financial risks in crowd-investing as I found it a little cursory.

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE IMPACT FUNDS was released in the United Kingdom on 23rd November 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Every story needs a hero - this time it’s YOU!

It’s your first day at Bash Street School!

You can’t wait to become an awesome Bash Street Kid, but something weird has happened …

All the teachers have DISAPPEARED!

The battle is on to answer one question: what should they do with the school? Make new friends and decide what YOU want to do in this epic new adventure where you’re the main character.

YOU RULE THE SCHOOL!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE style novel is the first in an illustrated series for readers aged 8+ by Craig Graham and Mike Stirling. It’s a lot of fun, giving readers the chance to hang out with Dennis and chums and offering laugh out loud moments while fleshing out Walter and his flunkies. My only complaint is Vivian Truong’s Manga-style approach to the characters’ eyes, which took my out of the experience (although otherwise work well).

BEANO - THE DAY THE TEACHERS DISAPPEARED was released in the United Kingdom on 4th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

KAMARA loves being SUPER STRONG - it makes her feel FIZZY and ZAPPY!

But negative words from her classmates make her doubt herself. With sports day looming, will Kamara find the confidence to be STRONG inside and out?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kelechi Okafor and Michaela Dias-Hayes’s picture book combines the themes of retaining your confidence when you’re being criticised and celebrating the different kinds of strength that people have and what makes you special into an inspiring, beautifully illustrated story. I particularly liked the list of strong people at the end of the book, which is a good way of having a follow-up conversation with your young reader about the book’s themes.

STRONG LIKE ME was released in the United Kingdom on 1st February 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

When Fitzroy saved his valet, Griffin, from the hangman’s noose after the death of his wife, the facts behind those events were known only to the two of them. Now, years later, the body of a dead woman has been discovered, mutilated in exactly the same way as Griffin’s wife, and troubling secrets from the past cast a deadly shadow over those involved.

As the war intensifies, Fitzroy is sent on an overseas mission, Griffin is arrested, and a recovering Euphemia Martins is left to get to the bottom of the situation. With her brother-in-law Hans, and Fitzroy’s dog, Jack, in tow, she journeys to the University of Edinburgh’s medical school, where Griffin studied many years ago, to uncover the shocking truth behind his wife’s murder …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 17th book in Caroline Dunford’s EUPHEMIA MARTINS MYSTERY SERIES marries crime and World War I espionage to uneasy effect, in part because it focuses more on character, relationship and overall series development than the central mystery. That’s a shame because the crime had a lot of potential but Euphemia does little actual investigating so developments happen in sudden bursts (specifically the revelations to the end) and so do not convince.

Review copy from author.

The Blurb On The Back:

Take on the story quest alongside Ash and Pikachu in this interactive adventure!

Ash and Pikachu are on the hunt for a mysterious Pokémon. Lillie is searching for her lost dad. What will they find in this twisty tale? Complete the picture puzzles, word games and trivia challenges to figure out where the story will take you next.

You’ll need your Pokémon Master skills to finish the story and discover who will be the Hometown Hero!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This tie-in book for readers aged 7+ incorporates Pokémon themed puzzles with two interlinked stories. Some of the puzzles assume that you know a lot about Pokémon already not least because you don’t get any explanation for the world, characters or different Pokémon here. The stories themselves are okay, although there’s a lot of repetition in the dialogue and not enough action for me. If you have a young Pokémon fan then they will love it.

POKÉMON STORY QUEST - HOMETOWN HERO was released in the United Kingdom on 4th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Queerness is everywhere.
It always has been, and it always will be.

Queer people have been finding ways to fly their flags for centuries. Only problem is, it hasn’t always been from the rooftops for everyone to see.

Queerbook is here to help you discover the bits of gay culture you never knew you’d missed. It’s here to tell forgotten LGBTQ+ stories. It’s here to set you straight (ahem) on the LGBTQ+ terms you’ve seen lying around but might not have pinned down yet. It’s here to lead you through the magical portals of queer film, books, music, art and much, much more.

Wherever you are on your journey of discovery, this book is for you.

Are you ready?
Queer we go …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Malcolm Mackenzie is an award-winning author, editor and journalist. This entertaining and informative YA book is a good summary of LGBTQ+ history and culture with lively illustrations by Emily A Foster. Despite being broad in scope there’s inevitably a personal element to the choices here and I wondered if there could have been more contemporary LGBTQ+ people/culture but it’s still a great introduction for any teens interested in queer culture.

QUEERBOOK was released in the United Kingdom on 1st February 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Little Experts is an unmissable non-fiction series that will empower and inspire a new generation of experts.

Get up close to nature with Chris Packham CBE and encounter the amazing animal superheroes that will help us save the world - from ants and bats to sharks, wasps and dogs.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Chris Packham is a naturalist, conservationist and TV presenter. This entertaining book for readers aged 6+ (part of the LITTLE EXPERTS series and superbly illustrated by Anders Frang) does a great job of showing the diversity of life on Earth, including vultures, the humble worm and even wasps. Packham’s enthusiasm shines through and it wouldn’t surprise me if this book leads to a new generation of naturalists and conversationists.

LITTLE EXPERTS - SUPERHERO ANIMALS was released in the United Kingdom on 1st February 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The Empires of Varkal and Med’ariz have always been at war.

Alefret, the founder of Varkal’s pacifist resistance, was bombed and maimed by his own government, locked up in a secret prison and tortured by a ‘visionary’ scientist. But now they’re offering him a chance of freedom.

Ordered to infiltrate one of Med’ariz’s flying cities, obeying the bloodthirsty zealot Qhudur, he must find fellow anti-war activists in the enemy’s population and provoke them into an uprising against their rulers.

He should refuse to serve the warmongers, but what if he could end this pointless war once and for all? Is that worth compromising his own morals and the principles of his fellow resistance members?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Premee Mohamed’s literary SF novel is a sophisticated examination of what it means to be antiwar and the impact of conflict on those who fight. Alefret is an interesting character and I enjoyed the way Mohamed teases out his backstory and motivations while there are moments of real suspense and tension within the story. However the final quarter is rushed and Qhudur an under-developed foil whose unshakeable fanaticism doesn’t ring quite true.

THE SIEGE OF BURNING GRASS will be released in the United States on 12th March 2024 and in the United Kingdom on 14th March 2024. Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Little Experts is an unmissable non-fiction series that will empower and inspire a new generation of experts.

Get designing and building with architect and TV presenter George Clarke. From marvellous materials to future technology - discover the stories behind our homes.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

George Clarke is an architect, writer and TV presenter. This book for readers aged 6+ (part of the LITTLE EXPERTS series and strongly illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng) is intended to inspire young readers to become architects, builders and designers of the future but despite Clarke’s enthusiasm for the subject, the book lacks focus, darting between different subjects like materials, sustainability and 3D printing.

LITTLE EXPERTS - HOW TO BUILD A HOME was released in the United Kingdom on 1st February 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

What is anxiety, and how can you manage it?

How can you understand and express your emotions?

Why do we experience low mood, and what can we do to help?

Dr Emily’s reassuring guide is filled with tips, techniques and useful information to help you maintain good mental health while growing up.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Emily MacDonagh is a doctor who practices in the National Health Service. This is a well-intentioned book aimed at helping readers aged 9+ to understand and express their emotions and the impact of hormones as they grow older. Although there is some solid, practical advice, the tone is a little patronising at times and the illustrations by Josefina Preumayr and Ana Sebastian are pretty flat and uninspiring (albeit with good representation).

HEALTHY MIND HAPPY YOU: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH was released in the United Kingdom on 18th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

On 27 October 2018 the synagogue where Bari Weiss became a bat mitzvah was the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in American history. For most of us, the massacre in Pittsburgh came as a total shock. But to those who have been paying attention, it was only a more violent, extreme expression of the broader trend that has been sweeping Europe and the US for the past two decades.

No longer the exclusive province of the far right and far left, anti-semitism finds a home in identity politics and the reaction against identity politics, in the renewal of ‘America first’ isolationism and the rise of one-world socialism. An ancient hatred increasingly allowed into modern political discussion, anti-semitism has been migrating toward the mainstream in dangerous ways, amplified by social media and a culture of conspiracy that threatens us all.

This timely book is a powerful case for renewing Jewish and liberal values to guide us through this uncertain moment.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Bari Weiss is a journalist, writer and editor. This thought-provoking polemic was written in the aftermath of the 2018 terrorist shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue where she had her bat mitzvah and her anger at that atrocity permeates it. Unfortunately the valid points she makes about anti-semitism on both the left and the right get lost as she bangs her anti-liberal drum and she ignores completely the role of her own free speech movement.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Amazing sisters are everywhere!

Some sisters are twirly.
Some are whirly.
Some are brand new …
And some NEED THE LOO!

Every sister is different.
But when you need a helping had or a great big hug …

They’ll always be therefor you!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Alison Brown’s picture book (part of a series about family members) is a cute affair that celebrates the different kind of sisters you can have and your relationship with them. The rhyming is a bit twee in parts but I enjoyed the illustrations, which have energy and humour to them. If you are looking for a gift for a young sister or young sister to be, then I would definitely suggest this.

AMAZING SISTER was released in the United Kingdom on 4th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Korinna has simple priorities: stay on the Navitas, stay out of trouble, and stay alive. She may be a Redseer, a blind priestess with the power to manipulate space-time, but she is the weakest in her order. Useless and outcast. Or so she has been raised to believe.

As she takes her place as a navigator on an Imperium shop, Korinna’s full destiny is revealed to her: blood brimming with magic, she is meant to become a weapon of the Imperium, and pawn for the Order that raised her. But when the shop is attacked by the notorious pirate Aster Haran, Korinna’s world is ripped apart.

Aster has a vendetta against the Imperium, and an all-consuming, dark power that drives her to destroy everything in her path. She understands the world in a way Korinna has never imagined, and Korinna is drawn to her against her better judgment.

With the Imperium and the justice-seeking warrior Sahar hot on her heels, Korinna must choose her side, seize her power and fulfil her destiny - or risk imperilling the future of the galaxy, and destroying the fabric of space-time itself.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Meredith Mooring’s debut SF space opera romance has some interesting ideas, e.g. the use of a visually impaired protagonist, the idea of atomic manipulation and space ships built from asteroids, but the plotting is all over the place with some developments sign posted too early and a credibility defying plot twist in the final quarter, the central romance being under developed and ultimately a sense that nothing that happens to Korinna is earned.

REDSIGHT will be released in the United States on 27th February 2024 and in the United Kingdom on 29th February 2024. Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

This book tells the human story of one of man’s greatest intellectual adventures - how it came to be understood that light travels at a finite speed, so that when we look up at the stars, we are looking back in time. And how the search for an absolute frame of reference in the universe led so improbably to Einstein’s famous equation E = mc2,, which represents the energy that powers the stars and unclear weapons. From the ancient Greeks measuring the distance to the Sun, to today’s satellite navigation, the book takes the reader on a gripping historical journey. We see how Galileo with his new telescope discovered the moons of Jupiter and used their eclipses as a global clock, allowing travellers to find their Longitude. And how Ole Roemer, noticing that the eclipses were a little late, used this to obtain the first measurement of the speed of light, which takes eight minutes to get to us from the Sun. We then move from the remarkable international collaborations to observe the Transits of Venus, including Cook’s voyage to Australia, to the extraordinary achievements of Young and Fresnel, whose discoveries eventually taught us that light travels as a wave but arrives as a particle, and all the quantum weirdness which follows. In the nineteenth century, we find Faraday and Maxwell, struggling to understand how light can propagate through the vacuum of space unless space is filled with a ghostly vortex Aether foam. We follow the brilliantly gifted experimentalists Hertz, discoverer of radio, Michelson with his search for the Aether wind, and Foucault and Fizeau with their spinning mirrors and light beams across the rooftops of Paris. Messaging faster than light, Einstein’s theory, quantum entanglement, and the reality of the quantum world, conclude this saga.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

John C H. Spence teaches physics at Arizona State University and is Snell Professor and Director of Science for the National Science Foundation’s BioXFEL Consortium. This is an absorbing historical account of how scientists learned to measure the speed of light but although I enjoyed the personal details Spence gives on the scientists and he does try to simplify the complicated mathematical formulae, some of the book was above my skill level.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Thomas and Bruno

Join Thomas and his new friend Bruno for an ALL ENGINES GO adventure!

Diesel is given an urgent job to do, but Bruno, the new brake car, wants him to slow down and be careful. Diesel doesn’t see things the way Bruno does, and he races straight into a rockslide. Can the pair work as a team to get back on track?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Christy Webster’s picture book adaptation of the THOMAS & FRIENDS episode, ‘Shake, Rattle, and Bruno’ (by Daniel Share-Strom) is an enjoyable read that suggests Bruno is neuro-divergent (he memorises the train schedule to keep calm) and emphasises the importance of listening, not rushing into things and working together in order to resolve things. Although the pictures are a little flat and generic, young readers should still enjoy the story.

THOMAS AND BRUNO was released in the United Kingdom on 6th July 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Once there was a girl. She had a big laugh and a big heart and very big dreams.

The first picture book written and illustrated by award-winning and bestselling creator Vashti Harrison traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. With spare text and exquisite illustrations, this emotional exploration of being big in a world that prizes small is a tender portrayal of how you can stand out and feel invisible at the same time.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Vashti Harrison’s self-illustrated picture book is a beautifully executed look at fat bias and its impact on young children. The text is sparse with the focus on the images of the nameless little girl as she endures the taunts and well-meaning but still hurtful comments from adults. It’s wonderfully done and very moving such that I am still thinking about it. I’d definitely read more of Harrison’s work on the strength of this.

BIG was released in the United Kingdom on 11th May 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover a world of friendship and adventure where feelings are always welcome!

The sun is shining and the Little Seasons are on their way to the beach. But Summer is feeling hot and bothered. With one setback after another, his emotions are bubbling over.

Luckily Summer’s friends know the perfect way to relax: building a giant sandcastle. The only trouble is, no one has noticed a big wave rolling in …

Perfect for any little reader learning how to manage big emotions.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The third book in Jo Lindley’s self-illustrated picture book series is a charming look at the fun things that you can do in the summer but also how to handle it when you feel angry and everything gets on top of you because things keep going wrong. I enjoyed Lindley’s illustrations and the friendship of the four Little Seasons really comes through such that I’d be happy to read the other three books in this series.

HELLO SUMMER was released in the United Kingdom on 8th June 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Welcome to the unpredictable world of the Maliks!

Maysa and Musa Malik are twins who are TOTAL OPPOSITES. But when their cookies for a baking competition at the mosque are destroyed, can they become an UNSTOPPABLE DETECTIVE TEAM?

Look out for: - a floor made of LAVA
- An arch-nemesis called SLIME-AH
- Detective Inspector Norman a.k.a Musa’s best friend
- And a VERY big, out-of-control spiralling LIE …*

* Did we mention that Maysa can be a bit of a drama monster?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Zanib Mian’s new mystery for readers aged 7+ (illustrated by Kyan Cheng) features fun protagonists and Maysa’s insecurity that Musa has other friends than her is well done. I also enjoyed how their Muslim identity is central to the story, as it’s a great way of learning about their faith but as the first in a series this needed more telling to establish backstory (especially Maysa’s antagonism with Slime-ah) and the mystery itself is a limp.

MEET THE MALIKS TWIN DETECTIVES - THE COOKIE CULPRIT was released in the United Kingdom on 31st August 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

At the edge of the field, Oliver saw something lying in the mud. It was a bird made of iron.

Then something amazing happened …

From an acclaimed literary voice comes a magical story which explores friendship, loyalty and the power of hope.

Oliver loves birds - watching them soar into the sky and wishing that just sometimes they would stay close. So when he discovers a robin made of iron, he thinks he’s found the perfect friend - even if his toy dragon isn’t quite so sure!

When the robin begins to glimmer and hop, Oliver is amazed. But in a terrible turn of events, his new friend is lost.

Nevertheless, there is wonder and excitement ahead for Oliver - with a storm on the horizon and Iron Robin’s magic in the air …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Rose Tremain’s debut picture book has some beautiful writing but it isn’t clear if Oliver’s affinity for the robin comes from loneliness, although I did enjoy the snarky Draggi. Richard Jones’s illustrations are superb and really get across Oliver’s isolation and the robin’s magic. All in all, I think it’s a good read but the open ending and the fact that some of the themes are not fully explored may make it go over some young readers’ heads.

IRON ROBIN was released in the United Kingdom on 18th May 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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January 2026

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Page Summary

The Ghost In The Bone by Mike Carey
Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds
Beano – The Day The Teachers Disappeared by Craig Graham and Mike Stirling
Strong Like Me by Kelechi Okafor and Michaela Dias-Hayes
A Death Of A Dead Man by Caroline Dunford
Pokémon – Hometown Hero
Queerbook by Malcolm Mackenzie
Little Experts – Superhero Animals by Chris Packham
The Siege Of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed
Little Experts – How To Build A Home by George Clarke
Healthy Mind Happy You – How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health by Dr Emily Macdonagh
How To Fight Anti-Semitism by Bari Weiss
Amazing Sister by Alison Brown
Redsight by Meredith Mooring
Lightspeed: The Ghostly Aether And The Race To Measure The Speed Of Light by John C. H. Spence
Thomas & Friends – Thomas and Bruno by Christy Webster
Big by Vashti Harrison
Hello Summer by Jo Lindley
Meet The Maliks: The Cookie Culprit by Zanib Mian
Iron Robin by Rose Tremain

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I Read, Therefore I Blog

A Book Review Blog Belonging to Caroline Hooton

Recent Entries

The Ghost In The Bone by Mike Carey

Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds

Beano – The Day The Teachers Disappeared by Craig Graham and Mike Stirling

Strong Like Me by Kelechi Okafor and Michaela Dias-Hayes

A Death Of A Dead Man by Caroline Dunford

Pokémon – Hometown Hero

Queerbook by Malcolm Mackenzie

Little Experts – Superhero Animals by Chris Packham

The Siege Of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed

Little Experts – How To Build A Home by George Clarke

Healthy Mind Happy You – How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health by Dr Emily Macdonagh

How To Fight Anti-Semitism by Bari Weiss

Amazing Sister by Alison Brown

Redsight by Meredith Mooring

Lightspeed: The Ghostly Aether And The Race To Measure The Speed Of Light by John C. H. Spence

Thomas & Friends – Thomas and Bruno by Christy Webster

Big by Vashti Harrison

Hello Summer by Jo Lindley

Meet The Maliks: The Cookie Culprit by Zanib Mian

Iron Robin by Rose Tremain