I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Value Of Everything by Mariana Mazzucato

2026-04-12T17:58:29Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Who really creates wealth in our world? And how do we decide the value of what they do? At the heart of today’s financial and economic crisis is a problem hiding in plain sight.

In modern capitalism, value-extraction is rewarded more highly than value-creation, the productive process that drives a healthy economy and society. From companies driven solely to maximise shareholder value, to astronomically high prices of medicines justified through Big Pharma’s ‘value based pricing’, we misidentify taking with making, and have lost sight of what value really means. Once a central plank of economic thought, this concept of value - what it is, why it matters to us - is simply no longer discussed.

Yet, argues Mariana Mazzucato, if we are to reform capitalism - radically to transform an increasingly sick system rather than continue feeding it - we urgently need to rethink where wealth comes from. Who is creating it, who is extracting it, and who is destroying it? Answers to these questions are key if we want to replace the current parasitic system with a type of capitalism that is more sustainable, more symbiotic and that works for us all. The Value Of Everything will reignite a long-needed debate about the kind of world we really want to live in.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mariana Mazzucato is Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London. This interesting book makes pertinent points about how value is viewed in economics and how it incentivises companies and executives to engage in behaviour that demonstrably does not add value. It is theory heavy but Mazzucato writes so it’s clear to follow and she makes interesting points about switching to a more stakeholder-focused model.

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

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Mog Spot And Say by Judith Kerr

2026-04-08T21:05:51Z

The Blurb On The Back:

What can you see?

Come and play! Spot fun objects and find Mog in this brilliantly interactive board book.

Find Mog on every page!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This board book with liftable flaps combines Judith Kerr’s lovable Mog with everyday scenarios and gives young readers the ability to work on their identification skills as it asks you to spot various objects. I loved Mog’s expressions and there’s plenty of things in each illustration for readers to watch and talk about.

MOG SPOT AND SAY was released in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2026. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Jack The Fairy: The Week The Bad Fairies Escaped! by Tom McLaughlin

2026-04-05T21:10:25Z

The Blurb On The Back:

When Jack accidentally magics his best friend Charlie through an inter dimensional portal and onto Lonely Island, he realises he might have broken one rule too many. Especially when he discovers that Lonely Island is a prison for ruthless Twinkle and her gang of bad fairies!

Tricked into releasing the bad fairies, Jack and Charlie must confess to Mum and Uncle Dave and enlist the help of the magical kingdom. Can they dodge Bonzo the Bogeyman’s snot missiles and stop Twinkle and her gang from taking control of the entire world?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The third in Tom McLaughlin’s self-illustrated comedy fantasy series for readers aged 7+ is an entertaining if slim story about friendship that’s packed with jokes (including some laugh out loud one-liners) and the kind of gross situations that readers of this age enjoy. However, I wish there’d been some more development of Twinkle’s relationship with Jack’s mum and uncle because it would have given the plot more depth and drama.

JACK THE FAIRY: THE WEEK THE BAD FAIRIES ESCAPED! was released in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Vagabond by Tim Curry

2026-03-28T20:33:11Z

The Blurb On The Back:

A celebration of Tim Curry’s life’s work - including his iconic work as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show - and a testament to his profound impact on the entertainment industry as we know it.

There are few stars in Hollywood today that can boast the kind of career Emmy award-winning actor Tim Curry has built over the past five decades. From his breakout role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, to his iconic depiction of the sadistic clown Pennywise in It, to his critically acclaimed role as the original King Arthur in both the Broadway and West End versions of Spamalot!, Curry redefined what it meant to be a ‘character actor’, portraying heroes and villains alike with complexity, nuance and a genuine understanding of human darkness. His dozens of iconic roles across film, television and the stage, as well as the countless cartoons, audiobooks and video games he’s lent his instantly recognisable voice to, have left an indelible imprint on children and adults alike.

Now, in his first ever memoir, Curry takes readers behind the scenes of his rise to fame, from his early beginnings as a military brat with difficult family dynamics, to his formative years in boarding school and university, to the moment when he hit the stage for the first time. He tells in depth what it was like being part of some of the most emblematic works of the twentieth century, both in front of the camera and a live audience. He also explores the voice work that defined his later career and provided him with a chance to pivot after surviving a catastrophic stroke in 2012 that nearly took his life.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tim Curry is an Emmy winning and Tony-nominated actor. This reflective, even-handed memoir starts with his childhood and moves through his career (focusing on his iconic roles) up to the near fatal stroke he suffered in 2012 and its impact on his life and career. I respected his refusal to discuss his personal life and found his insights into his career to be interesting, learning a lot about someone who prefers to let his work speak for itself.

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Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

2026-03-22T21:02:29Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Agnes eyes it, then takes it with two fingers and flattens it against her mud splattered apron. For a moment she cannot tell what she is looking at. It is a printed page. There are many letters, so many, in rows, grouped into words. There is her husband’s name, at the top, and the word ‘tragedie’. And there, right in the middle, in the largest letters of all, is the name of her son, her boy.

On a summer’s day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?

Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London.

Neither parent knows that one of the children will not survive the week.

Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright. It is a story of the bond between twins, and of a marriage pushed to the brink by grief. It is also the story of a flea that boards a ship in Alexandria; a kestrel and its mistress, and a glovemaker’s son who flouts convention in pursuit of the woman he loves. Above all, it is a tender and unforgettable reimagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Maggie O’Farrell’s gripping historical novel (now an Oscar-winning film) is about love, grief and making sense of personal tragedy, all shown through the lense of Shakespeare’s family (although the man himself is never named). Shown mainly through the eyes of his wife, Agnes (here a determined woman with a supernatural ability to tell a person’s fate) it’s above all else a very human story that shows Shakespeare as both a man and a playwright.

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

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The Immortalists: The Death Of Death And The Race For Eternal Life by Aleks Krotoski

2026-03-18T17:43:48Z

The Blurb On The Back:

A wild and entertaining investigation into the business of eternal life.

From the epic of Gilgamesh to the alchemy of the philosopher’s stone, humanity’s eternal quest for immortality - and its rejuvenation tricks, therapies and tinctures - has always been our most mortal endeavour.

But now, the giants of invention and investment are building a fountain of youth of their own creation: one they not only engineer, but also own and control. Death is simply their next problem to solve, the latest expression of a hubris that regards humans as appliances to be fixed and machines to be upgraded. By harnessing technology to ‘cure’ ageing, and funding cutting-edge - and often controversial - research, today’s immortalises are locked in an arms race to be the first to pocket the profits of longevity.

What was once a wild west of experimentation has wormed its way into Washington’s corridors of power. Award-winning broadcaster and academic Aleks Krotoski journeys from those cult fringes to the heartlands of government to meet the moguls, effective altruists, geoscientists and entrepreneurs who are disrupting death. Along the way, she encounters radical life extortionists transfusing their teenage son’s blood, transhumanists who want to upload consciousness to the cloud, biohackers flogging AI-powered wellness apps and billionaire kingmakers building brand-new nations.

This razor-sharp, powerful and at times chilling investigation empowers us to consider what it truly means to be human, asking: do we really want a handful of Silicon Valley power brokers to be the architects of our forever?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Aleks Krotoski is an award-winning broadcaster, academic and author focusing on technology and social science. This is a really interesting overview of the tech bros’ foray into extending the human lifespan, that brings in libertarian desire to reduce regulation and build independent economic zones, effective altruism and, above all, profit but you get more from it if you are already familiar with some of these topics and can draw them together.

THE IMMORTALISTS: THE DEATH OF DEATH AND THE RACE FOR IMMORTAL LIFE was released in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Roots Of Love by Sarah Asuquo

2026-03-15T12:53:15Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Tia has had the best day ever, until her parents tell her that they are separating. To top it off, she has to present a project at school all about her family. With the help of her school friends, can Tia learn that there are many types of family, and that each one can be full of love and happiness.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sarah Asquo’s sensitive picture book about different kinds of families and how to deal with the separation of your parents is well written and beautifully illustrated by Ruthine Burton, who does a great job of showing a multicultural, multi-ability mix of children and parents. It’s a perfect book to give to any young reader who’s concerned that their family isn’t ‘normal’ and a great reminder that families come in all shapes and sizes.

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

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Cosmic Cadets And The Universal Uni-korn by Ryan Crawford and Rochelle Falconer

2026-03-08T22:32:43Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Gloria, the only human at the Cosmic Cadet Academy, is ready to make a splash. But on her first day, she ends up with the headteacher stuck on her shoe and is paired up with Razz, a cat-like alien who’s capable of throwing terrifying tantrums.

Determined to have a wild adventure, Gloria rejects their boring assignment and takes on the forbidden mission to capture a uni-corn, a creature capable of swallowing galaxies whole. Gloria may just get her wish for excitement … if she doesn’t accidentally destroy the entire universe first.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Ryan Crawford and Rochelle Falconer’s illustrated SF adventure for readers aged 7+ (the first in a series) has an energetic, fast-moving plot and bold, colourful illustrations. I liked that Gloria is difficult to like - impetuous, dismissive, and arrogant - because that’s not common in books for this age group but the world building does not hold together particularly well and it tries too hard to be quirky for me to want to read the sequel.

COSMIC CADETS AND THE UNIVERSAL UNI-KORN was released in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Murder At The Black Cat Café by Seishi Yokomizo

2026-03-01T00:03:16Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Tokyo, 1947.

The Pink Labyrinth is one of the bomb-scarred city’s shadiest neighbourhoods. There, in the dead of night, a patrolling policeman catches a young Buddhist monk digging in the back yard of The Black Cat Cafe, a notorious brothel. In the shallow grace at his feet lie the dead body of a woman, her face disfigured beyond recognition, and the corpse of a black cat.

Who is the murdered woman, and how was she connected to the infamous establishment? And where did the dead cat come from, given that the cafe’s feline mascot seems to be alive and well? The brilliant sleuth Kosuke Kindaichi investigates, but as he draws closer to the truth, he finds himself in grave danger …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Seishi Yokomizo’s take on the faceless corpse mystery (first published in 1973 and translated from Japanese by Bryan Karetnyk) is a clever but oddly flat read, in part because it is very short and has had to be paired with a short story Why Did The Well Wheel Crack? The characterisation never sparks off the page (including) Kindaichi who is reduced to some irritating quirks) and the resolution overly dramatic such that it never quite landed.

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Sentient: A Novel by Michael Nayak

2026-02-22T21:52:39Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Sunrise has come to Antarctica. Summer means that McMurdo Station on the continent’s coast becomes a small town: researchers and scientist drawn to the last unexplored continent.

The terrifying events which saw a horrendous parasite-born plague of rage and death lay waste to the South Pole research base the previous long winter are months past and hundreds of miles away. But there are people, and governments, who still need answers. And there are secrets to be kept.

If the plague were to reach McMurdo it could reach the world. But surely, no living being could make the journey from the Pole?

SENTIENT casts a terrifying new light on the dark and bloody events of SYMBIOTE and promises a new world of horror.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The second in Michael Nayak’s ICE PLAGUE WAR SERIES sees the virus evolve as it seeks to beak out into the wider world while Raj and the other survivors try to stop it. There’s plenty of action here and I liked the development of the various factions, including the backdrop of the US/China war, which offers depth. There are again too many characters here, which means that many deaths lack impact, but the cliffhanger ending means I want to read on.

SYMBIOTE: A NOVEL will be released in the United Kingdom on 24 February 2026. Thanks to Angry Robot for the review copy of this book.

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Breaking: How The Media Works, When It Doesn’t … And Why It Matters by Mic Wright

2026-02-15T22:45:50Z

The Blurb On The Back:

The role of the media is more important than ever. So what happens when this vital part of our society fails us and how can we even begin to understand the mess it’s in?

When the Manchester Arena was bombed, friends and families of victims were harassed by factions of the media; when an innocent man was linked to a case of murder, the media caused a pile on; whilst the BBC battles for balance on every issue, journalists who are supposed to hold politicians to account just happen to be their childhood friends … In an industry where trust between news outlets and the public is paramount, it’s hanging by a thread.

Through personal experience of the newsrooms and insider interviews, journalist Mic Wright strips the engine of information, entertainment and propaganda back to its constituent parts and lays it bare. Frank and comprehensive in its analysis of the modern media landscape, Breaking equips the reader with the tools to better interrogate our media, separating the fair from the ethically dubious, the truths from the half-truths … and the facts from the down-right lies.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mic Wright is a journalist and media critic whose book offers an unflinching, insider’s look at the UK’s news media. It’s a fascinating and scathing account of journalism, its ethics and history that offers insight into how the media operates and its drivers. It’s particularly good at the close links between politics and the media and the failures and limitations of regulation, especially when ordinary people find themselves to be the story.

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Hammer Vol 1: The Ocean Kingdom by Jeyodin

2026-02-08T21:20:33Z

The Blurb On The Back:

HAMMER

Left on his own again, Stud gets sucked into one of his father’s journals down into an ocean kingdom grappling with the murder of its king. Can Stud use his hammer hands to solve the case?

Our hero Stud is a fourteen-year-old boy whose father regularly goes on expeditions that he catalogs in his own journals. Having to fend for himself, Stud isn’t like most kids - he can turn his hands into hammers! Unfortunately, the kids in the village don’t think its cool and do not allow him to join their own fun adventures. Stud’s father has always advised him that friends are the most important accomplishment a person can make, so what’s a boy who can turn part of his body into metal to do? Go on his own adventures, of course!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Jeyodin’s self-illustrated manga-style graphic novel (the first in a series) is richly imagined and has a lot of thought put into its world building while Stud is a naive but sweet natured character. However the black and white drawings are difficult to follow including when it comes to distinguishing between characters plus there’s a lot of set up with the main plot only really getting going in the final quarter, at which point the book ends.

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

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A Death In The Hospital by Caroline Dunford

2026-02-01T23:08:30Z

The Blurb On The Back:

It is August 1914 and war has been declared. Spymaster Fitzroy returns from France with a team of highly trained spotters wounded and unfit for duty. While Euphemia’s husband, Bertram, is away undertaking Fitzroy’s next mission, Euphemia and Merry go undercover as nurses in the hospital where Fitzroy’s four surviving scouts are being treated. It is feared one of them is a traitor and Euphemia must identify him before it is too late …

At the hospital, Euphemia encounters a black-market racketeer, the impenetrable high security Ward D, and an old familiar face who believes some deaths on his ward are a result of foul play. Uncovering far more than she’d bargained for, Euphemia will need all her strength, wit, and ingenuity to survive unscathed …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 15th in Caroline Dunford’s historical mystery series sets up a new overarching storyline of a mole at the heart of the British secret service at the start of World War I. Although the plot lines are a imbalanced and Euphemia’s relationship with Fitzroy more interesting than that with Bertram, Euphemia is a proactive and determined investigator and Dunford cleverly shows how her work strains both her friendship with Merry and her marriage.

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Planet Omar – Ultimate Rocket Blast by Zanib Mian

2026-01-25T21:06:27Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Prepare to blast off into space with Omar!

Omar and his friends need to make the best rocket* to win a competition - but someone is out to sabotage them …

This operation contains:
- Eight fish in puddles (the fish are really unlucky at Omar’s school!)
- Fizzy drink EXPLOSIONS
- A rocket scientist with the BIGGEST smile you’ve ever seen
- A set of VERY confusing triplets
- And one or two SUPERSPY MISSIONS

* 100% not powered by farts, well, maybe a little bit

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 5th in Zanib Mian’s PLANET OMAR series for readers aged 9+ is another fun read that combines humour with science and faith and is energetically illustrated by Kyan Cheng. Although the story is predictable, I like the way Mian incorporates Omar’s Muslim faith and how Daniel tries to control his anger issues/low self esteem with themes about the importance of friendship over winning plus there are enough fart jokes to keep readers entertained.

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

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Careless People: A Story Of Where I Used To Work by Sarah Wynn-Williams

2026-01-18T20:12:39Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Sarah Wynn-Williams, a young diplomat from New Zealand, pitched for her dream job. She saw Facebook’s potential and knew it could change the world for the better. But, when she got there and rose to its top ranks, things turned out a little different.

From wild schemes cooked up on private jets to risking prison abroad, Careless People exposes both the personal and political fallout when boundless power and a rotten culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative, Wynn-Williams rubs shoulders with Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and world leaders, revealing what really goes on among the global elite - and the consequences this has for all of us.

Candid and entertaining, this is an intimate memoir set amid powerful forces. As all our lives are upended by technology and those who control it, Careless People will change how you see the world today.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sarah Wynn-Williams is a former New Zealand diplomat who was Director of Public Policy at Facebook between 2011 and 2017. This memoir of her time there contains few new revelations about Facebook’s activities and her apparent naivety never rings true but does offer insight into Zuckerberg and Sandberg and the disconnect between their words and actions while also providing context for Facebook’s current activities and political alignment.

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Raven Winter by Susanna Bailey

2026-01-11T22:42:49Z

The Blurb On The Back:

She stared down, as fright-frozen as the creature she was holding …

Ever since Billie’s kind and nature-loving dad went to prison, her life has lost its shine. And now, Mam’s new boyfriend has moved in and home is full of sharp-glass silences. Billie’s never felt more alone.

Until one day she discovers an injured young raven and in nursing him back to life, Billie finds friendship, hope and a letter that might bring her one step closer to reuniting with Dad.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Susanna Bailey’s richly written, moving standalone novel for readers aged 9+ follows a young girl living in an abusive household who finds hope nursing a sick raven. Bailey uses vivid description to convey Billie’s love of nature and her emotional response to living with a controlling, cruel man. It’s a sophisticated read but done in a way that readers will find easy to understand and I’d check out Bailey’s other books on the strength of it.

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

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Master List of Books 2026

2026-01-04T16:22:42Z

1. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley.

2. Raven Winter by Susanna Bailey.

3. Careless People: A Story Of Where I Used To Work by Sarah Wynn-Williams.

4. Planet Omar – Ultimate Rocket Blast by Zanib Mian.

5. A Death In The Hospital by Caroline Dunford.

6. Hammer Vol 1: The Ocean Kingdom by Jeyodin.

7. Breaking: How The Media Works, When It Doesn’t … And Why It Matters by Mic Wright.

8. Sentient: A Novel by Michael Nayak.

9. Murder At The Black Cat Café by Seishi Yokomizo.

10. Cosmic Cadets And The Universal Uni-korn by Ryan Crawford and Rochelle Falconer.

11. Roots Of Love by Sarah Asuquo.

12. The Immortalists: The Death Of Death And The Race For Eternal Life by Aleks Krotoski.

13. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.

14. Vagabond by Tim Curry.

15. Jack The Fairy: The Week The Bad Fairies Escaped! by Tom McLaughlin.

16. Mog Spot And Say by Judith Kerr.

17. The Value Of Everything by Mariana Mazzucato.

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The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

2026-01-04T16:21:35Z

The Blurb On The Back:

In a beautiful old apartment block, deep in the backstreets of Paris, secrets are stirring behind every resident’s door.
The lonely wife.
The party animal.
The curtain-twitcher.
The secret lover.
The watchful caretaker.
The unwanted guest.

There was a murder here last night. Who holds the key to the mystery of apartment three?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Lucy Foley’s standalone thriller starts off strong by showing what’s happened to Ben but ultimately fails to make good on its promise through a combination of unconvincing characters and a plot that doesn’t quite hold together. For me there’s just too much going on and when the revelations come they feel contrived rather than intriguing. It is a pacy read and I kept turning the pages but I did not enjoy this as much as I have her other thrillers.

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Extremely Online: The Untold Story Of Fame, Influence, And Power On The Internet by Taylor Lorenz

2025-12-28T20:44:42Z

The Blurb On The Back:

What have we done to the internet?
And what has the internet done to us?

Extremely Online reveals how online influence came to upend the world, has demolished traditional barriers and created whole new sectors of the economy. By tracing how the internet has changed what we want and how we go about getting it, this book unearths how social platforms’ power users radically altered our expectations of content, connection, purchasing and power. From how moms who started blogging were among the first to monetise their personal brands online, bored teens and their selfie videos reinventing fame as we know it, to how young TikTok creators are leveraging opportunities to opt out of the traditional career pipeline - the sis the real social history of the internet.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Taylor Lorenz is a journalist and technology columnist. This highly informative, narrative book looks at the rise of influencer culture from so-called ‘mommy blogs’ to social media as we now know it, explaining how monetisation happened against initial backlashes to the same and the battle between relatability and aspiration. What comes through is how little tech companies understand their products and how influencers rose in spite of them.

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Dad Jokes Greatest Of All Time by Kit Chilvers and Andrew Chilvers

2025-12-27T21:41:02Z

The Blurb On The Back:

The bestselling DadSaysJokes is back with an all-new collection of their best jokes, guaranteed to leave you grinning and groaning in equal measure.

Q: What kind of tree fits in your hand?
A: A palm tree.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kit and Andrew Chilvers run the popular Instagram account DadSaysJokes and this book is basically a distillation of it - a load of dad jokes and puns that will make you groan and chuckle. Some of the jokes are so old that they’ve got barnacles on them, a few are US-focused and so may not resonate with UK readers and there are also a couple that don’t work at all. For all that though, it’s more hit than miss and definitely not just for dads.

DAD JOKES: GREATEST OF ALL TIMES was released in the United Kingdom on 14 August 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Attention Pays: How To Drive Profitability, Productivity And Accountability by Neen James

2025-12-21T22:12:04Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Tired of being too busy but not productive? Sick of feeling over-whelmed and stressed out? Can’t seem to find enough time to devote to either your work or your personal life? Attention Pays offers an antidote to the constant barrage of disruptions we find ourselves faced with. This extraordinary book shows how to unplug from the daily stressors that drive us crazy and plug into the tools, strategies and mindsets that have the power to harness our attention and help us reach our highest potential.

Attention Pays shows how to be highly productive and achieve lasting work-life integration by putting the spotlight on the power of attention and absolute focus. The author discovered, through years of speaking, training and coaching, that we are too consumed with multitasking and tuning out to hear what’s being said. Our minds are so busy we fail to make genuine connections and enhance our existing relationships.

As the author explains, intention is what makes attention valuable. Intention involves seeing, hearing and thinking about who is with you and what needs your focus right now. Attention Pays is all about intentionally investing your attention in what matters at the moment … the people you are talking to, the priorities you are acting on, and the passions you are pursuing.

No matter what you role - executive, leader, parent, business, owner, coach - you can join the Attention Pays revolution by adopting the personal, professional, and global intentional attributes. PERSONALLY: Be thoughtful as an individual. PROFESSIONALLY: Be productive as an individual and leader. And GLOBALLY: Be responsible for your community and your world.

Attention Pays is your guidebook for becoming happier in your relationships, more fulfilled at work, and safer in the world you have created.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Neen James is an international speaker and coach specialising in client experience. This slight, but practical guide aims to help readers improve their attention in their personal, professional and within your community/globally and has useful tips for working out what matters to you and assisting in organisation and delegation. However the focus here is on individuals rather than company culture and James’s chatty style didn’t really work for me.

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

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The Wicked Lies Of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni

2025-12-14T22:28:16Z

The Blurb On The Back:

”My only talent is lying. Father says it will serve me well.”

Ceridwen Parry has run away with the fairies. But this is not her story.

For Sabrina Parry, life in nineteenth-century Wales is cruel. With her father in prison, it fails to her to protect her family and marry off her sick sister, Ceridwen.

Then Ceridwen vanishes into the eerie woods, and Sabrina is drawn into a beautiful but deadly world of fairies and monsters of old. Soon she realises Fairyland is far more dangerous than she ever expected. So when an annoyingly handsome fairy offers her a deal, Sabrina is forced to accept to save her sister.

But as with all fairy bargains, there is a heavy price. And if Sabrina doesn’t pay with her life, she will surely pay with her freedom.

Or her heart.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Anna Fiteni’s debut historical fantasy YA novel is a fresh and welcome take on fairies that couples Welsh folklore with a headstrong main character with motivations of her own beyond romance and settling down. Incorporating elements of time travel (which for the most part paper over some anachronisms) when the inevitable romance develops, Fiteni puts an interesting spin on it that plays with the reader’s expectations and which I thoroughly enjoyed.

THE WICKED LIES OF HABREN FAIRE was released in the United Kingdom on 28 August 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Naeli And The Secret Song by Jasbinder Bilan

2025-12-07T20:17:28Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Naeli loves her life in Hyderabad, India, yet she yearns to find her English father, who left when she was little. When a mysterious ticket arrives from England, Naeli abandons her familiar world to track him down. Armed only with her father’s name and cherished violin, she embarks on a bold adventure through Victorian London and beyond …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Jasbinder Bilan’s standalone historical adventure for readers aged 9+ is a mixed affair. I liked the fact that this is a story about bi-racial children with Indian and English heritage as it’s not something that gets covered a lot. Naeli is a plucky and determined character with a real gift for music and I liked her friendship with the confident Jack but the plot is episodic and for me missed emotional details that would have helped flesh it out.

NAELI AND THE SECRET SONG was released in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Brothers In Blood by Amer Anwar

2025-12-06T17:24:57Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Together they stand. Together they fall.

Southall, West London. After being released from prison Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders’ yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put his past behind him.

But when Zaq is forced to search for his boss’s runaway daughter, he quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge.

With time running out and pressure mounting, can he find the missing girl before it’s too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

It’s not hard to see why Amer Anwar’s debut crime novel won the CWA Debut Dagger Award. Setting his story within the British Asian community offers a fresh take on the detective format and he’s created an interesting main character in Zaq, who makes the most of what he learned and who he met in prison. What lifts the story is Zaq’s relationship with best friend Jag, which brings in humour and humanity when at times the plot begins to creak.

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

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The Old Religion by Martyn Waites

2025-11-30T21:17:25Z

The Blurb On The Back:

Welcome to the dark heart of Cornwall …

The Cornish village of St Petroc is the sort of place where people come to hide. Tom Kilgannon is one such person. An ex-undercover cop, Tom is in the Witness Protection Programme hiding from some very violent people, and St Petroc’s offers him a chance to lice a safe and anonymous life.

Until he meets Lila.

Lila is a seventeen-year-old runaway. When she breaks into Tom’s house she takes more than just his money. His wallet holds everything about his new identity. He also knows that Lila is in danger from the travellers’ commune she’s been living in. Something sinister has been going on there and Lila knows more than she realises.

But to find her he risks not only giving away his location to the gangs he’s hiding from, but also becoming a target for whoever is hunting Lila.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Martyn Waites’s novel (the first in a series) marries thriller and folk horror but because there’s so much going on it’s less than the sum of its parts. It has good pacing and there are some creepy moments, but the plot is heavily contrived at times and neither Tom nor Lila quite convince as characters while the antagonist is similarly underdeveloped. It’s not a bad book, I kept turning the pages, but it wasn’t as satisfying a read as I’d hoped.

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

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