quippe | Recent Entries

The Blurb On The Back:

China: 1200AD.

The peaceful Song Empire has been invaded by the warlike Jurchen tribes from the north. Meanwhile, on the Mongolian steppes, a disparate nation of great warriors is about to be united by a chieftain whose name will endure for eternity: Genghis Khan.

Our hero, Guo Jing, son of a murdered Song warrior, grows up with Genghis Khan’s army. He is humble, loyal, perhaps not altogether wise, and is fated from birth to one day confront an opponent who is the opposite of him in every way: privileged, cunning and flawlessly trained in the martial arts.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This is the first ever English translation from Chinese of Jin Yong’s classic historical fantasy tale of kung fu masters and evil empires by Anna Holmwood. Originally published in 1958 (the first in a quartet), it has an action-driven, energetic plot and although the portrayal of grumpy kung-fu masters seems stereotypical now, it was innovative at the time and there’s a lot of fun to be had in seeing the various masters compete with each other.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

An astonishing wide-ranging history of Russian nationalism from a pre-eminent scholar of Eastern Europe.

In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and attempted to seize a portion of Ukraine. While the world watched in outrage, this violation of national sovereignty was in fact only the latest iteration of a centuries-long effort to expand Russian boundaries and create a pan-Russian nation. In Lost Kingdom, award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy argues that we can only understand the merging of imperialism and nationalism in Russia today by delving into its history. Spanning over two thousand years, from the end of the Mongol rule to the present day, Plokhy shows how leaders from Ivan the Terrible to Joseph Stalin to Vladimir Putin have exploited existing forms of identity, warfare and territorial expansion to achieve imperial supremacy. A strikingly ambitious book, Lost Kingdom chronicles the long and belligerent history of Russia’s empire and nation-building quest.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Serhii Plokhy is Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University, director of its Ukrainian Research Institute and a leading authority on Eastern Europe. This book, written after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, Donbas and Luhansk, examines Russian history to explain its nationalistic view of Ukraine but although it’s informative, you need a background in the subject to keep up with Plokhy’s arguments and at times I was left confused.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Cadenza is the City of Words. Run by poets, its skyline is dominated by the towers of its libraries, its heart beats to the stamping thrum of the Printing Quarter.

Young wordsmith Carlo Mazzoni arrives intent on making his name, but as the bells ring out mourning the death of the city’s poet-leader he finds himself embroiled in the city’s turmoil. A war threatens not only to destroy Cadenza, but remove it from, history altogether.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tom Beckerlegge’s alternative historical novel has beautiful imagery and grounds the fictional city of Cadenza with an authentic sense of place. I enjoyed the conceit of dividing the city’s overarching story between 12 individual stories (or Cantos), but too many lacked a resolution (notably the one about the Ink Maiden Hypatia) and while some characters appear in multiple Cantos, none of them are as well developed as they could be.

Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

On the centenary of Britain’s Balfour Declaration - promising a Jewish ‘national home’ in Palestine - comes a major new history of the Palestinians and Israelis.

In Enemies and Neighbours, Ian Black has written a gripping and timely account of the most polarising conflict of our age: the unresolved and unequal struggle between Arabs and Jews in the Holy Land. Beginning in the final years of Ottoman rule, he sheds fresh light on critical developments from the Arab rebellion of the 1930s and the watersheds of the 1948 and 1967 wars up to the present day. Drawing on a wide range of sources, from oral testimonies to Black’s own decades of reporting, Enemies and Neighbours illuminates a bitter conflict that shows no sign of ending - which is why it is essential that we understand it.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Ian Black is a visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics and former Middle East editor for The Guardian. Published in 2017 to coincide with the Balfour Declaration’s centenary (although the book begins in 1882 and the arrival of Zionist settlers), this book provides a plain facts account of the struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that explains what happened but doesn’t elucidate on why, leaving me with half the story.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover more about you with the Mr Men and Little Miss

A new series to encourage children to understand more about their own emotions and how to manage them with the help of the Mr Men and Little Miss.

A book about resilience.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Roger Hargreaves and Elizabeth Kilbey’s picture book (part of the DISCOVER MORE ABOUT YOU SERIES) is a misfire as it lacks a lot of the MR MEN AND LITTLE MISS silly humour, Mr Bump is under-used and it confuses resilience and persistence. I needed a scene where Mr Bump explains to Little Miss Brave why it’s important to keep going and how he keeps going even when he’s hurt himself. As such, it’s okay but, for me, doesn’t achieve what it wants to.

MR MEN LITTLE MISS - TRY AGAIN was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Worries

Everybody worries sometimes, but it’s important to talk about how you are feeling.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mandy Archer is an editorial director and experienced writer of children’s books. This board book for readers aged 3+ (part of a series) uses sympathetic illustrations by Louise Forshaw to explain to readers why feeling worried or anxious is perfectly normal and how it’s important to talk about any worries that you have. The flaps add a fun element to the book and there’s a little game for readers at the end to test them on what they’ve read.

THE WORRIES was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Everything you need to know about climate change!

Join teenage activists Amy and Ella Meek on their mission to save the planet in this inspiring book, perfect for budding eco-warriors.

Be Climate Clever teaches young activists about the need to tackle global warning and cut carbon emissions. It shows kids what they can do to help and how to find their voice.

Along the way, Amy and Ella will share stories about their incredible journey from starting the charity Kids Against Plastic to winning the Pride of Britain Green Champion award.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Amy and Ella Meek founded Kids Against Plastic in 2016 to tackle plastic waste. This informative book for readers aged 7+ (illustrated by Sarah Goodreau) uses interviews with campaigners and scientists to explain the science of climate change, debunk climate skeptic arguments while advising readers who want to become activists but I wish the Meeks had used examples (particularly failures) from their own campaign to motivate readers.

BE CLIMATE CLEVER was released in the United Kingdom on 7th April 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

1967: Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during China’s Cultural Revolution. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind.

Four decades later, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal of scientists after a spate of inexplicable suicides. Wang’s investigation will lead him to a mysterious virtual world ruled by the intractable and unpredictable interaction of its three suns.

This is the Three-body Problem and it is the key to everything: the key to the scientists’ death, the key to a conspiracy that spans light years and the key to the extinction-level threat humanity now faces.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Cixin Liu’s award winning SF novel (the first in a trilogy) rises above dull characterisation and inconsistencies in plotting in part due to excellent translation by Ken Liu (who provides some context via footnotes), but also by the way the story uses both the horrors of the Cultural Revolution and the three-body problem from orbital mechanics to ground the rest of the plot. It held my attention but I don’t know if I would automatically read on.

The Blurb On The Back:

Suzie Wen LOVES inventing things - but after one of her inventions goes wrong, Suzie finds herself sucked into her favourite TV show - SPACE BLASTERS!

Now on board AN ACTUAL SPACESHIP with her new friends, Suzie is exploring strange planets and meeting plenty of aliens.

But when moons start disappearing, it’s up to Suzie and the Space Blasters to …

SAVE THE UNIVERSE!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Katie and Kevin Tsang’s SF adventure for readers aged 6+ (the first in a series) has a lot of set-up, which distorts the pacing, and hand waves over how Suzie has found herself in a TV show that’s actually real. That said there is a lot of humour, it conveys how cool science and inventions are (provides bonus facts for readers), Amy Nguyen’s illustrations are lively and fun and there’s a lot of potential for future books, which I would check out.

SPACE BLASTERS: SUZIE SAVES THE UNIVERSE was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

What we count matters - and, in a world where policies and decisions are underpinned by numbers, statistics, and data, if you’re not counted, you don’t count.

Alex Cobham argues that systematic gaps in economic and demographic data lead us not only to understate a wide range of damaging inequalities, but also to actively exacerbate them. He shows how, in statistics ranging from electoral registers to household surveys and census data, people from disadvantaged groups, such as indigenous populations, women and people living with disabilities, are consistently underrepresented. This further marginalises them, reducing everything from their political power to their weight in public spending decisions. Meanwhile, corporations and the ultra rich seek ever greater complexity and opacity in their financial affairs - and when their wealth goes unallied, it means they can avoid regulation and taxation.

This brilliantly researched book shows how what we do and don’t count is not a neutral or ‘technical’ question: the numbers that rule our world are skewed by raw politics. Cobham forensically lays bare how these issues strike at the heart of our democracy, entrenching inequality and injustice - and outlines what we can do about it.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Alex Cobham is an economist and chief executive of the Tax Justice Network. This deep dive into failures in collating economic and demographic data argues that official figures are skewered against society’s most disadvantaged and increase inequality, which is further exacerbated by multinational tax avoidance. However, the tone here assumes familiarity with the underlying subject matter and is quite academic, making it difficult to get into.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Koré knew that meddling in politics could end badly, particularly when trying to sabotage his aristocratic father’s campaign before it destroys the city he has come to love. When a chance encounter with a dying god imbues him with magic-breathing powers, it gets worse: he suddenly becomes a commodity - and a political player.

But the corruption in his city runs deeper than just one man, and an ally’s betrayal unleashes an army of the dead on his home street. Koré must trust the world with his deepest secret to stand beside the woman and man he’s finally let himself love, as only the bright truth of dragon’s fire can break the iron fist of a necromancer’s hold.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Zabé Ellor’s debut novel mixes fantasy and SF with LGBTQ+ characters and erotic romance to dull effect. There are too many ideas for the storyline to be coherent or gripping and the self-pitying Koré swerves between seeing sex work as a salvation and as something done by broken people. Twists are telegraphed far too early, the antagonists are caricatures and I simply didn’t get what Ria or Faziz see in Koré beyond the physical.

SILK FIRE by Alex Livingston was released in the United States on 5th July 2022 and in the United Kingdom on 7th July 2022. Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Maya and Gran are off on an adventure to the big city … but what about their kitten Sammy?

When Maya finds Sammy stowed away in her bag, she must be brave and look after him.

A fast-paced search-and-find chase through the city, proving no one is too small for adventure!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Alice Courtley’s self-illustrated picture book is a celebration of the life and diversity that can be found within cities while also acknowledging how overwhelming they can be. Maya’s relationship with her Gran is warmly depicted and I liked the little game you play where you have to spot where Sammy is. The illustrations are bold and have a lot of diversity and I enjoyed how Courtley highlights some of the different things to do.

LOST IN THE CITY was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover more about You with the Mr Men and the Little Miss.

A new series to encourage children to understand more about their own emotions and how to manage them with the help of the Mr Men and Little Miss.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Roger Hargreaves and Elizabeth’s Kilbey picture book (part of the DISCOVER YOU SERIES) uses the MR MEN AND LITTLE MISS trade mark silly humour to explore what it means to be different and how characteristics that you think are disadvantages can actually make you special and powerful. It’s a lot of fun and there’s advice for parents, care givers and teachers at the end with suggestions on how to read the book with young readers.

MR MEN LITTLE MISS ALL DIFFERENT was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover more about You with the Mr Men and the Little Miss.

A new series to encourage children to understand more about their own emotions and how to manage them with the help of the Mr Men and Little Miss.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Roger Hargreaves and Elizabeth Kilbey's picture book (part of the DISCOVER MORE ABOUT YOU SERIES) uses the MR MEN AND LITTLE MISS trade mark silly humour to explore what it means to be kind and why it’s important to be kind, both for yourself and for other people. It’s a lot of fun and there’s advice for parents, care givers and teachers at the end with suggestions on how to read the book with young readers.

MR MEN LITTLE MISS BE KIND was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

It’s the first day of school and LITTLE MISS TINY is very excited! There is so much to learn and so many new friends to make.

Step in to LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’S classroom and join all your favourite MR MEN and LITTLE MISS for a busy day at school!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Based on his father Roger Hargreaves’s hugely successful LITTLE MISS and MR MEN SERIES, Adam Hargreaves’s self-illustrated picture book (part of the MR MEN LITTLE MISS EVERY DAY SERIES), this book is perfect for young readers who are about to have their own first day in school and may be feeling a little anxious about it by showing them how the Mr Men and Little Miss go to school and have their own silly experiences.

MR MEN LITTLE MISS GO TO SCHOOL was released in the United Kingdom on 7th July 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Hey, you!
Yes … YOU!
You have been chosen for an important mission.

Vincent’s dog, Trouble, has disappeared and he needs YOUR HELP.

Has Trouble been stolen by aliens? Pilfered by pirates? Or wandered deep into the jungle?

It’s up to you to decide!

Discover not one but THREE fun-filled worlds in this PICK A STORY adventure. Packed with hilarious characters, super-silly scenarios and decisions to make on every page, you won’t want to put it down!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sarah Coyle and Adam Walker-Parker’s choose-your-own-adventure style picture book for readers aged 3+ is a fun way of introducing children to making decisions and following different story paths. The illustrations are bright and packed with detail, the different adventures are cosy and silly and each has a little activity to keep readers occupied. All in all, I think this is very entertaining and a great introduction to gaming-type books.

PICK A STORY - A PIRATE + ALIEN + JUNGLE ADVENTURE was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Life Online

What do you do to keep safe online?

What should you share online? How do you search safely? How can you be a good online friend? In this book find out all about Internet safety and how to behave in an online world.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sarah Ridley writes and edits educational books for children and young people. Anne Rooney is an experienced writer of non-fiction for children and adults. Ryan Wheatcroft is an experienced children’s book illustrator. This solid introduction to online safety for readers aged 6+ (part of a series) covers most of the core issues but I wished it had addressed in-game purchases and in-game currency as it’s something children need to understand.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

ABC Pride

Young readers can learn their ABCs while discovering the fabulous world of Pride! Simple definitions and colourful illustrations are paired to make learning the alphabet fun and inclusive.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Dr Elly Barnes is an educationalist and founder of Educate & Celebrate, a charity that focuses on diversity and inclusiveness. Louie Stowell is a successful children’s author. This ABC picture book for readers aged 3+ is a colourful celebration of Pride, inclusiveness and social justice with bold illustrations by Amy Phelps that enhance and reinforce its messages plus discussion points at the end to help readers understand the concepts.

ABC PRIDE was released in the United Kingdom on 2nd June 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover the fascinating story of MARIE CURIE a trailblazing scientist who discovered two radioactive elements.

Did you know that Marie studied science at a secret university?

Or that she invented portable x-ray machines that helped save many soldiers’ lives during the First World War?

Packed with facts, photographs, illustrations and more, DK Life Stories take you beyond the basics to find out all about history’s most amazing people.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Nell Walker is a writer with a Master’s degree in Creative Writing. This fascinating biography of Marie Curie for readers aged 7+ covers her childhood in Poland (where education opportunities were restricted), her work on radioactivity and marriage to Pierre and role in the development of x-ray machines. Charlotte Ager’s sensitive illustrations work well alongside photographs and Walker clearly conveys a woman of remarkable spirit and ability.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Fifteen-year-old Mack is a hopeless romantic. He’s had a crush on Karim for what feels like forever, so he can’t believe it when gorgeous, popular Karin seems into him too.

But when Mack’s dad gets a film directing job in Scotland, Mack moves with him, and soon discovers how painful long distance love is. Love shouldn’t only be on the weekends. It’s made worse by the fact that Karim can be so hard to read.

Then Mack meets actor Finlay on set and experiences something electric.

Mack never thought he’d find love, but now two boys want him. How long until his old and new life collide?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Dean Atta’s LGBTQ+ YA novel frames a coming-of-age story within a romance to interesting effect. The economy of Atta’s verse format works really well to highlight the emotional state of the characters and the gulf between them and Atta sensitively handles the difficulties of being gay within some communities. That said, Mack’s economic privilege and the disparity between him and K never gets called on and the ending does one boy a disservice.

ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS was released in the United Kingdom on 24th May 2022. 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

A Hero Born by Jin Yong
Lost Kingdom by Serhii Plokhy
The Carnival Of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge
Enemies And Neighbours: Arabs And Jews In Palestine And Israel, 1917 – 2017 by Ian Black
Mr Men Little Miss – Try Again by Roger Hargreaves
Find Out About Worries by Mandy Archer
Be Climate Clever by Amy and Ella Meek
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Space Blasters: Suzie Saves The Universe by Katie & Kevin Tsang
The Uncounted by Alex Cobham
Silk Fire by Zabé Ellor
Lost In The City by Alice Courtley
Mr Men Little Miss – All Different by Roger Hargreaves
Mr Men Little Miss – Be Kind by Roger Hargreaves
Mr Men Little Miss – Go To School by Roger Hargreaves
Pick A Story: A Pirate + Alien + Jungle Adventure by Sarah Coyle and Adam Walker-Parker
Me And My World: Life Online by Sarah Ridley, Anne Rooney and Ryan Wheatcroft
ABC Pride by Dr Elly Barnes and Louie Stowell
Marie Curie by Nell Walker
Only On The Weekends by Dean Atta

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I Read, Therefore I Blog

A Book Review Blog Belonging to Caroline Hooton

Recent Entries

A Hero Born by Jin Yong

Lost Kingdom by Serhii Plokhy

The Carnival Of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge

Enemies And Neighbours: Arabs And Jews In Palestine And Israel, 1917 – 2017 by Ian Black

Mr Men Little Miss – Try Again by Roger Hargreaves

Find Out About Worries by Mandy Archer

Be Climate Clever by Amy and Ella Meek

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

Space Blasters: Suzie Saves The Universe by Katie & Kevin Tsang

The Uncounted by Alex Cobham

Silk Fire by Zabé Ellor

Lost In The City by Alice Courtley

Mr Men Little Miss – All Different by Roger Hargreaves

Mr Men Little Miss – Be Kind by Roger Hargreaves

Mr Men Little Miss – Go To School by Roger Hargreaves

Pick A Story: A Pirate + Alien + Jungle Adventure by Sarah Coyle and Adam Walker-Parker

Me And My World: Life Online by Sarah Ridley, Anne Rooney and Ryan Wheatcroft

ABC Pride by Dr Elly Barnes and Louie Stowell

Marie Curie by Nell Walker

Only On The Weekends by Dean Atta