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The Blurb On The Back:

Some books should be banned or destroyed. This is the story of one of them ...

In a coastal town, a strange, out-of-print children’s book is found, full of colourful stories of castles, knights and unicorns. But the book is no fairytale. Written by Austerly Fellows, a mysterious turn-of-the-century occultist, it is no mere entertainment. In fact, those who start it find that they just can’t put it down, no matter how much they may want to.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Robin Jarvis’s dark fantasy novel for children aged 11+ (the first in a trilogy) is a weird, sinister affair that bucks many of the conventions in children’s literature (including by having a largely adult cast) and takes a jaundiced view of modern life and the attitude of teenagers. However the way Jarvis intermingles backstory with the plot works really well and the body swapping is really disturbing such that I want to check out the sequel.

Thanks to Harper Collins for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Why is it getting harder to secure a job that matches our qualifications, buy a home of our own and achieve financial stability?

Underprivileged people have always faced barriers, but people from middle-income families are increasingly more likely to slide down the social scale than climb up.

Duncan Exley draws on expert research and real-life experiences - including from an actor, a politician, a billionaire entrepreneur and a surgeon - to issue a wake-up call to break through segregated opportunity. He offers a manifesto to reboot our prospects and benefit all.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Duncan Exley is the former Director of the Equality Trust. In this damning, fascinating and thought-provoking book that’s amply supported by statistics and academic studies and uses the anecdotal experience of 16 individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and professions, he shows how growing inequality and diminishing opportunities for social mobility go hand-in-hand while emphasising the problems faced by those who rise above their background.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Everything is on the line for probability mage Alex Verus …

Once Alex was a diviner trying to live under the radar. Now he’s a member of the Light Council who’s found success, friends … and love. But it’s come with a price - the Council is investigating him, and if they found out the truth, he’ll lose it all.

Meanwhile, Alex’s old master, Richard Drakh, is waging a war against the Light mages. To protect those he cared for, Alex will have to become something different. Something darker …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 10th in Benedict Jacka’s ALEX VERUS urban fantasy series overcomes a clunky and repetitive first half to really take off once Verus makes a momentous decision that provides a real game changer and I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the last 2 books. The action scenes are fast-paced and exciting, I enjoyed an old character’s return, mourned another’s inevitable departure and still care what happens to Verus and his friends.

The Blurb On The Back:

The dramatic story of the relationship between the world’s three largest economies, by one of the foremost experts on East Asia.

For more than half a century, American power in the Pacific has successfully kept the peace. But it has also cemented the toxic rivalry between China and Japan, consumed with endless history wars and entrenched political dynasties. Now, the combination of these forces with Donald Trump’s unpredictable impulses and disdain for America’s old alliances threatens to upend the region. If the United States helped lay the post-war foundations for modern Asia, Asia’s Reckoning will reveal how that structure is now crumbling.

With unrivalled access to US and Asian archives, as well as many of the major players in all three countries, Richard McGregor shows how the confrontational course on which China and Japan have increasingly set themselves is no simple spat between neighbours. And the fallout would be a political and economic tsunami for all of us.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Richard McGregor is the former Chief of the Financial Times’s Washington Bureau and Fellow at Washington’s Wilson Center. In this highly informative book he takes a linear approach to the region’s history but avoids making predictions as he explains the shifting tensions in the relationship between China, Japan and the USA since World War II to show how each reached its current position while emphasising the stakes should relationships break down.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

”I used to think to make people feel afraid was a curse, an awful thing ... But I’d love for them to fear me ... I want them to look at me and weep.”

On the even of their divining, the day Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are to discover their fate, they’re captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Vallarta.

Far away from their beloved Traveller community, and forced to work in the harsh castle kitchens, Lil finds some comfort in the storm-eyed Mira, a fellow slave who she’s drawn to in ways she doesn’t understand. But too soon she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying man of myth, who takes girls as gifts.

They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s YA gothic fantasy (a homage to the ‘dark sisters’ in Bram Stoker’s Dracula) has some beautifully written scenes and shows the discrimination faced by Travellers but there’s not much plot, Lil’s first person POV leaves Kizzy under-developed and in the final quarter, her disappearance means that a key decision has no tension or explanation while the ending is very weak such that it doesn’t do the dark sisters justice.

THE DEATHLESS GIRLS was released in the United Kingdom on 19th September 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

These are the men who stole the world.

Investigative journalist Oliver Bullough reveals the obscene dark side of globalised finance, a shadow realm of oligarchs and gangsters, unimaginable power and zero accountability. It’s a place you are unlikely to visit, but you can see its effects everywhere. Just look around.

How did we get here? In the 1950s, a small group of bankers in London had a clever idea: ‘offshore’, an imaginary zone where money could flow free. Their breakthrough created a vast reservoir of secret wealth, one that bends the laws of every nation on Earth in order to protect its masters.

Thanks to offshore, for the first time thieves could dream big. They could take everything - which is exactly what they will do, unless we stop them.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Oliver Bullough is a journalist and writer specialising in Russian history and politics. In this well-researched, easy to follow book that left me incredulous and furious, he sets out how the international finance system (facilitated by Western bankers, accountants and lawyers) permits the rich and the crooked to hide their money while still benefitting from it. It’s jaw dropping stuff that makes you realise that money conquers all.

The Blurb On The Back:

Inspired in part by the woman who made history as India’s first female attorney, The Widows Of Malabar Hill is a richly wrought story of multicultural 1920s Bombay as well as the debut of a sharp and promising new sleuth.

Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family, has just joined her father’s law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a legal education from Oxford, Perveen also has a tragic personal history that makes women’s legal rights especially important to her.

Mistry Law has been appointed to execute the will of Mr Omar Farid, a wealthy Muslim mill owner who has left three widows behind. But as Perveen examines the paperwork, she notices something strange: all three of the wives have signed over their full inheritance to a charity. What will they live on? Perveen is suspicious, especially since one of the widows has signed her form with an X - meaning she probably couldn’t even read the document. The Farid widows live in full purdah - in strict seclusion, never leaving the women’s quarters or speaking to any men. Are they being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous guardian? Perveen tries to investigate, and realises her instincts were correct when tensions escalate to murder. Now it is her responsibility to figure out what really happened on Malabar Hill, and to ensure that no innocent women or children are in further danger.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sujata Massey’s historical crime novel (the first in a series) is a well constructed affair that does an excellent job of portraying 1920s multicultural Bombay, what the rise of the independence movement means for the city’s various religious and cultural groups and the problems faced by women, but the murderer is a little easy to guess and I wanted more of Alice and Perveen’s friendship than what’s on the page.

The Blurb On The Back:

We tend to think cities look the way they do because of the conscious work of architects, planners and builders. But what if the look of cities had less to do with design, and more to do with social, cultural, financial and political processes, and the way ordinary citizens interact with them? What if the city is a process as much as a design? Richard J Williams takes the moment construction is finished as a beginning, tracing the myriad processes that produce the look of the contemporary global city.

This book is the story of dramatic but unforeseen urban sights: how financial capital spawns empty towering skyscrapers and hollowed-out ghettoes; how the zoning of once-illicit sexual practices in marginal areas of the city results in the reinvention of culturally vibrant gay villages; how abandoned factories have been repurposed as creative hubs in a precarious postindustrial economy. It is also the story of how popular urban cliches and the fictional portrayal of cities powerfully shape the way we read and see the bricks, concrete and glass that surround us.

Thought-provoking and original, Why Cities Look The Way They Do will appeal to anyone who wants to understand the contemporary city, shedding new light on humanity’s greatest collective invention.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Richard J Williams is Professor of Contemporary Visual Cultures at Edinburgh University. In this fascinating book he builds the argument that global cities look the way they do due to different, interacting processes operating on them. He focuses on the impact of money, power, sex, work, war and culture (specifically creative industries) predominantly on western cities, and I came away with a different way of thinking and looking at places.

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

1. White Girls by Hilton Als.

2. Still Lives by Maria Hummel.

3. The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman.

4. Mass Starvation: The History And Future Of Famine by Alex de Waal.

5. Girl In The Window by Penny Joelson.

6. War Is Over by David Almond and David Litchfield.

7. The Magic Misfits 2: The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris.

8. The Empowered Manager by Peter Block.

9. Grist Mill Road by Christopher J Yates.

10. The Free-Time Formula by Jeff Sanders.

11. Egypt by Robert Springborg.

12. Amelia Fang And The Memory Thief by Laura Ellen Anderson.

13. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carré.

14. A Very Large Expanse Of Sea by Tahereh Mafi.

15. Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist by David Almond and Dave McKean.

16. The Accidental President by Tom McLaughlin.

17. Heimat: A German Family Album by Nora Krug.

18. The Happiness Fantasy by Carl Cederström.

19. Under The Ice by Rachael Blok.

20. A Legacy Of Spies by John Le Carré.

21. Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian.

22. In Blossom by Yooju Cheon.

23. Love From Dr Seuss.

24. Swiss Watching: Inside The Land Of Milk And Honey by Diccon Bewes.

25. A Story About Cancer (With A Happy Ending) by India Desjardins and Marianne Ferrer.

26. The La’lun by J N Harris.

27. Future Politics by Jamie Susskind.

28. You Can’t Hide by Sarah Mussi.

29. Unsolved Murders: True Crime Cases Uncovered by Amber Hunt and Emily G. Thompson.

30. Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas.

31. Positive Thinking Pocketbook by Gill Hasson.

32. To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer.

33. Tell The Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams.

34. Meet The Penguins by Mike Brownlow.

35. Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory.

36. The Girl With The Shark’s Teeth by Cerrie Burnell.

37. The Closest Thing To Flying by Gill Lewis.

38. A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths.

39. Shattermoon by Dominic Dulley.

40. The Chain by Adrian McKinty.

41. Their Little Secret by Mark Billingham.

42. Empire Of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio.

43. The Lost by Mari Hannah.

44. The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli.

45. The Feed by Nick Clark Windo.

46. Lovers And Strangers: An Immigrant History Of Post-War Britain by Clair Wills.

47. Isadora Moon Has A Sleepover by Harriet Muncaster.

48. The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong.

49. Adventure Duck -v- Power Pug by Steve Cole and Aleksei Bitskoff.

50. Sunny Side Up: A Story Of Kindness And Joy by Susan Calman.

51. Between Worlds: Folktales Of Britain & Ireland by Kevin Crossley-Holland.

52. Against Hate by Carolin Emcke.

53. Moscow, Midnight by John Simpson.

54. Marked by Benedict Jacka.

55. Joe Country by Mick Herron.

56. Ronan Boyle And The Bridge Of Riddles by Thomas Lennon and John Hendrix.

57. Astroturf by Matthew Sperling.

58. Narwhal – Unicorn Of The Sea by Ben Clanton.

59. Death In The Spotlight by Robin Stevens.

60. The Joy Of Missing Out: The Art Of Self-Restraint In An Age Of Excess by Svend Brinkmann.

61. Heartstream by Tom Pollock.

62. Teen Pioneers – Young People Who Have Changed The World by Ben Hubbard.

63. Hope For The Best by Jodi Taylor.

64. AI For Marketing And Product Innovation by A K Pradeep, Andrew Appel and Stan Sthanunathan.

65. Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson.

66. The Alt-Right: What Everyone Needs To Know by George Hawley.

67. Typography: A Very Short Introduction by Paul Luna.

68. The Dog Who Saved The World by Ross Welford.

69. Speak Up! By Laura Coryton.

70. Amelia Fang And The Half-Moon Holiday by Laura Ellen Anderson.

71. Cross Purpose by Claire MacLeary.

72. Bitter Pills: The Global War On Counterfeit Drugs by Muhammad H. Zaman.

73. The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla.

74. The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drews.

75. Rose Interrupted by Patrice Lawrence.

76. Master Your Mind by Roger Seip and Robb Zbierski.

77. The Demons Of Liberal Democracy by Adrian Pabst.

78. The Corner Shop: Shopkeepers, The Sharmas And The Making Of Modern Britain by Babita Sharma.

79. He: A Novel by John Connolly.

80. Be More RBG by Marilyn Easton.

81. Step Into Your Power by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins.

82. Money – Myths, Truths And Alternatives by Mary Mellor.

83. Adventure Duck vs The Armadillo Army by Steve Cole and Aleksei Bitskoff.

84. Productivity – Get Motivated, Get Organised And Get Things Done by Gill Hasson.

85. Isadora Moon Puts On A Show by Harriet Muncaster.

86. Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800 – 1906 by David Cannadine.

87. The Scramble For Europe by Stephen Smith.

88. A Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World by C. A. Fletcher.

89. Swimming Against The Storm by Jess Butterworth.

90. Afropean: Notes From Black Europe by Johny Pitts.

91. The Taking Of Annie Thorne by C. J. Tudor.

92. Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything by Charles Conn and Robert McLean.

93. Chernobyl: History Of A Tragedy by Serhii Plokhy.

94. The Aunt Who Wouldn’t Die by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay.

95. What Do We Know And What Should We Do About Immigration? by Jonathan Portes.

96. The Alice Encounter by John Gribbin.

97. The Scientific Method by Massimiliano Di Ventra.

98. A Strange Kind Of Brave by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald.

99. Unlocking Creativity by Michael A. Roberto.

100. The Land Of Roar by Jenny McLachlan.

101. There Is No Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee.

102. Places In The Darkness by Chris Brookmyre.

103. The Art Of Communication by Judy Apps.

104. Halo Moon by Sharon Cohen.

105. The Economics Of Arrival: Ideas For A Grown Up Economy by Katherine Trebeck and Jeremy Williams.

106. Pretend You’re Safe by Alexandra Ivy.

107. Boot by Shane Hegarty.

108. Kingdom Of Souls by Rena Barron.

109. Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson.

110. Artificial Intelligence In Practice by Bernard Marr and Matt Ward.

111. No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez.

112. The Blood by E. S Thomson.

113. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson.

114. Hired: Undercover In Low-Wage Britain by James Bloodworth.

115. Slay by Brittney Morris.

116. Dogs: A Philosophical Guide To Our Best Friends by Mark Alizart.

117. My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

118. How To Own The Room by Viv Groskop.

119. The House Of Light by Julia Green.

120. Communication: How To Connect With Anyone by Gill Hasson.

121. Reconstruction by Mick Herron.

122. The Secret Barrister: Stories Of The Law And How It’s Broken.

123. Midnight At Moonstone by Lara Flecker and Trisha Krauss.

124. Good Money: Understand Your Choices by Nathalie Spencer.

125. Where Do You Go, Birdy Jones? By Joanna Nadin.

126. Feminism Is … by Alexandra Black, Laura Buller, Emily Hoyle and Dr Megan Todd.

127. Walls by Emma Fischel.

128. The Future Of Design by Lorraine Justice.

129. White Bodies by Jane Robins.

130. Stunt Double: Jungle Cruise by Tamsin Cooke.

The Blurb On The Back:

Fearless stunt double Finn is in Thailand working on the latest Rio Dining blockbuster. It’s a dream job, but are the whispers around set true? Is the film really cursed?

When stunts go wrong it’s serious, and on this movie, they could be deadly. So far, Finn’s survived all sorts of smashes and crashes, even an elephant stampede, but it’s the secrets on set that might finally break him.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The second in Tamsin Cooke’s STUNT DOUBLE SERIES is a fast-paced, YA action fantasy that makes good use of its Thai locations but the female characters are thinly drawn in a book that’s clearly aimed at boy readers, a certain suspension of disbelief is needed to buy into the plot and while the revelation of a secret brings emotional depth, it also seems very soapy.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Callie loves Tilda.

She’s her sister, after all. And she’s beautiful and successful.

Tilda loves Felix.

He’s her husband. Successful and charismatic, he is also controlling, suspicious and, possibly, dangerous.

Still, Tilda loves Felix.
And Callie loves Tilda. Very, very much.

So she’s made a deal to save her. But the cost could destroy them both ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Jane Robins’s psychological thriller is a tedious, silly affair that poorly uses the serious subject of controlling male behaviour. The lacklustre plot is far too easy to guess and isn’t helped by an alienating main character whose personality ‘quirks’ include eating things that belong to her fundamentally unpleasant sister and who never acts in a believable or rational way (to the extent that at one point I thought she was special needs).

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

The Blurb On The Back:

There is no blurb on the back, instead you get these quotes:

”A hugely important book that appears at a critical time.”
Bruce Nussbaum, Mentor-in-Residence, New Museum, NYC, former Managing Editor, BusinessWeek

“A must-read for anyone who recognises the need to graduate past a world of objects made of wood and metal, to design experiences that will largely be made out out computer codes.”
John Maeda, Global Head of Computational Design and Inclusion, Automattic, Inc

“An excellent overview of professional design. It’s an invaluable resource for those interested in pursuing a career in the field or for entrepreneurs looking to harness the power of great design.”
Carole Bilson, President, Design Management Institute

“Lorraine Justice has created a guide that will help designers and those who want to learn what design is and can be. Her experience as an educator, strategist, and researcher provides the base to describe the who, what, and why in design.”
Craig M. Vogel, FIDSA, FRSA, Associate Dean, College of DAAP, University of Cincinnati

“A timely book for designers, students in design disciplines, business, CEOs, product managers, and team players.”
Min Wang, Professor, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing China, founding partner, HYVC

“An authoritative and inspiring exploration into the role of design in production and society, technology and the market.”
Lorenzo Imbesi, PhD, Full Professor of Design, Chair of Sapienza Design Research, Sapienza University of Rome

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Lorraine Justice is a designer, speaker and educator. This book is strong on principles of good design and design management but which doesn’t really go into much depth on what the future of the industry may look like (and remains focused on products rather than services), she sets out the key issues to be aware of in the design cycle. As an introduction to the topic, it’s fine but those seeking more depth should look elsewhere.

THE FUTURE OF DESIGN was released in the United Kingdom on 6th June 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Ned Harrison Arkle-Smith had a good life - a perfect family, a true best friend, and a brilliant secret den - but now everything is ruined! Suddenly his mum and dad want to build a wall right through the middle of his home, Bill has made other friends, and his new neighbour has taken over his special place.

Ned is definitely, completely, totally not happy about this. Until the night he loses his temper and something amazing happens. Something that means maybe he can get everyone to come back round to his way of thinking ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Emma Fischel’s humorous fantasy novel for children aged 9+ is a clever, funny book about a boy who struggles with change, anxiety and his parents’ divorce and who decides that he’s going to use his magical powers to punish and bully rather than for good. I especially liked the fact that Ned is really difficult to like for a lot of the book and a lot of the fun comes from his slow realisation about how unpleasant he is and how he reacts to that.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Feminism is …

… the struggle for equality between women and men.

It didn’t just start with #MeToo. The fight for women’s rights has been around for hundreds of years. Today’s feminism is more diverse than ever before and asks all kinds of questions. How does sexism affect women? Is gender fixed or fluid? What is intersectional feminism?

Get to grips with the big issues in this lively introduction, and meet some inspirational rebels who were not afraid to stand up for what they believed.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Alexandra Black is a writer specialising in non-fiction, Laura Buller writes for younger readers, Emily Hoyle is a writer who has covered feminism and Dr Megan Todd is a lecturer in social science at the University of Central Lancashire. In this well structured introduction to feminism aimed at teens (introduced by TV presenter Gemma Cairney), they set out some of the key moments in feminist history and the main issues it’s tackling today.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

Birdy Jones is all alone.

Dad’s new family means there’s no room left for Birdy. The only place that feels like home is Grandpa’s pigeon loft, amongst the warmth of the birds she loves to race. It’s also where she meets Dogger - her only real friend.

When Birdy uncovers a message from the past, she thinks it explains why she doesn’t ‘fit’ in her family. But the closer she gets to the truth, the further apart she becomes from Dogger. Why is he drifting away when she needs him the most?

Sometimes it’s those we know best who may be hiding the biggest secrets …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Joanna Nadin’s contemporary novel for children aged 9+ is a wonderfully observed story of belonging, friendship, grief and working out who you are. The dialogue really conveys the Leeds location and Nadin does a good job of showing the issues involved with having parents in low paid work without over-emphasising it. The Dogger storyline had a neat magical realist vibe, although I wanted more of a resolution.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

We all make choices with money - understand yours.

Using a unique, visual approach, Nathalie Spencer uncovers the science behind how w think about, use and manage money to guide you to a wiser and more enjoyable relationship with your finances.

From examining how cashless transactions affect our spending and decoding the principles of why a bargain draws you in, through to exposing what it really means to be an effective forecaster, Good Money reveals how you can be motivated to be better with money and provides you with essential tools to boost your financial wellbeing.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Nathalie Spencer is a behavioural scientist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. In this very broad book that doesn’t offer much new to those seeking to get control over their finances, she looks at the psychology of financial decision making and how behavioural science can be used to boost financial wellbeing. If you’re wondering why you keep avoiding dealing with your finances, then this book offers an additional means of procrastination.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

On the stroke of midnight, the costumes come to life. And nobody is going to tell them what to do …

Kit’s father is away AGAIN, and although she’s supposed to be staying with her brother and sister, Kit steals away to visit her grandfather at Moonstone Costume Museum.

Once filled with extravagant wonders, the museum is now an ageing house with creaking floorboards and damp walls. The decadent outfits seem dull and lifeless. The fabrics worn and dusty. But there is still magic within Moonstone’s walls, and Kit soon discovers that the old clothes have a secret of their own … because on the stroke of midnight, the costumes come to life. And nobody is going to tell them what to do …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Lara Flecker’s debut fantasy novel for children aged 9+ (beautifully illustrated by Trisha Krauss) is a charming affair about the importance of creativity and coming together to help each other out. There’s a bit of an old-fashioned vibe to the story telling but for me that added to its appeal and I think many readers will relate to Kit’s fear that she’s a disappointment to her successful dad and siblings.

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

The Blurb On The Back:

How can you defend a child abuser you suspect to be guilty?

What do you say to someone sentenced to ten years who you believe to be innocent?

What is the law and why do we need it?

And why do they wear those stupid wigs?

From the lawyers to the criminals, the victims, witnesses and officers of the law, here is the best and worst of humanity, all working within a system which would never be off the front pages if the public knew what it was really like.

Both a searing first-hand account of the human cost of the criminal justice system, and a guide to how we got into this mess, the Secret Barrister wants to show you what it’s really like and why it really matters.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The Secret Barrister is an anonymous junior barrister specialising in criminal law in England and Wales who was Independent Blogger of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and has written for numerous publications. In this passionate, clearly written and damning book that is essential reading for anyone who cares about the United Kingdom they set out how the English criminal legal system should work and why it is going so drastically wrong.

The Blurb On The Back:

What should have been a simply pick-up turns into a day-long nightmare for Bad Sam Chapman.

When an operational catastrophe puts a gun in the hands of a young man who then breaks into South Oxford Nursery School and take a group hostage, teacher Louise Kennedy fears the worst. But Jaime Segura isn’t there on a homicidal mission, and he’s just as scared as those whose lives he holds as collateral.

As an armed police presence builds outside the school’s gates, Bad Sam Chapman - head of the intelligence services’s internal security force, the Dogs - battles the clock to find out what Jaime is after, before those who are after Jamie find him first …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mick Herron’s deftly plotted, taut spy thriller (set within the same world as the JACKSON LAMB SERIES and featuring bit player Sam Chapman) is a sophisticated ensemble piece set against the backdrop of post invasion Iraq. I loved how Herron splits the action between the characters to convey their viewpoints and the misdirection is masterly but some scenes are repetitive and I didn’t think the overall narrative voice quite worked.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover the principles to effective communication.

Communication is the key to connecting with others. All too often, however, poor communication leads to misunderstandings between people. How can you better hone your communication skills?

Become an accomplished communicator.

Communication expert and bestselling author, Gill Hasson, reveals how to become a communication who delivers any message clearly and confidently. As an adept communicator you will foster trust, respect, confidence and empathy between yourself and others. Using the techniques and methods outlined in Communication will give you the information needed to:
- Identify the issues that lead to miscommunication
- Interact with people who have different opinions, beliefs and needs to you
- Make small talk and turn it into meaningful conversation
- Become a good listener and be able to ‘read between the lines’
- Persuade others and support them

Communication explores the fundamental principles of good communication and explains how to connect more easily and feel more confident about communicating with a diverse range of people.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Gill Hasson is a teacher, trainer and writer. In this helpful book she sets out principles of good communication and then provides tips for putting those principles into practice. Each book has a useful summary at the end of each chapter with tips of conversational styles, small talk and disconnecting from conversations plus there are good segments on communicating with people with dementia or hearing problems.

COMMUNICATION: HOW TO CONNECT WITH ANYONE was released in the United Kingdom on 23rd August 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Page Summary

Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis
The End Of Aspiration by Duncan Exley
Fallen by Benedict Jacka
Asia’s Reckoning: China, Japan, The US And The Struggle For Global Power by Richard McGregor
The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Moneyland by Oliver Bullough
The Widows Of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
Why Cities Look The Way They Do by Richard J Williams
Master List of Books 2019
Stunt Double: Jungle Cruise by Tamsin Cooke
White Bodies by Jane Robins
The Future Of Design by Lorraine Justice
Walls by Emma Fischel
Feminism Is … by Alexandra Black, Laura Buller, Emily Hoyle and Dr Megan Todd
Where Do You Go, Birdy Jones? by Joanna Nadin
Good Money: Understand Your Choices by Nathalie Spencer
Midnight At Moonstone by Lara Flecker and Trisha Krauss
The Secret Barrister: Stories Of The Law And How It’s Broken
Reconstruction by Mick Herron
Communication: How To Connect With Anyone by Gill Hasson

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I Read, Therefore I Blog

A Book Review Blog Belonging to Caroline Hooton

Recent Entries

Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis

The End Of Aspiration by Duncan Exley

Fallen by Benedict Jacka

Asia’s Reckoning: China, Japan, The US And The Struggle For Global Power by Richard McGregor

The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Moneyland by Oliver Bullough

The Widows Of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

Why Cities Look The Way They Do by Richard J Williams

Master List of Books 2019

Stunt Double: Jungle Cruise by Tamsin Cooke

White Bodies by Jane Robins

The Future Of Design by Lorraine Justice

Walls by Emma Fischel

Feminism Is … by Alexandra Black, Laura Buller, Emily Hoyle and Dr Megan Todd

Where Do You Go, Birdy Jones? by Joanna Nadin

Good Money: Understand Your Choices by Nathalie Spencer

Midnight At Moonstone by Lara Flecker and Trisha Krauss

The Secret Barrister: Stories Of The Law And How It’s Broken

Reconstruction by Mick Herron

Communication: How To Connect With Anyone by Gill Hasson