The Last Graduate
by Naomi Novik
(1 Review)
Return to the Scholomance - and face an even deadlier graduation - in the stunning sequel to the ground-breaking, Sunday Times bestselling A Deadly Education. The dark school of magic has always done its best to devour its students, but now that El has reached her final year - and somehow won herself a handful of allies along the way - it's suddenly developed a very particular craving... For her. As the savagery of the school ramps up, El is determined that she will not give in; not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. But as the spectre of graduation looms - the deadly final ritual that leaves few students alive - if she and her allies are to make it out, El will need to realise that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules. Wry, witty, endlessly inventive, and mordantly funny - yet with a true depth and fierce justice at its heart -  The Last Graduate reminds us that there are far more important things than mere survival... more»»
Review by Chrissi 28th September 2021

Random
by Craig Robertson
(1 Review)
Glasgow is being terrorised by a serial killer the media have nicknamed The Cutter. The murders have left the police baffled. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason behind the killings; no kind of pattern or motive; an entirely different method of murder each time, and nothing that connects the victims except for the fact that the little fingers of their right hands have been severed. If DS Rachel Narey could only work out the key to the seemingly random murders, how and why the killer selects his victims, she would be well on her way to catching him. But as the police, the press and a threatening figure from Glasgow's underworld begin to close in on The Cutter, his carefully-laid plans threaten to unravel - with horrifying consequences. Random is a terrifying and highly inventive debut from a  star of the thriller genre - for fans of Mark Billingham and Val McDermid... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 28th September 2021

Tidelands
by Philippa Gregory
(1 Review)
Tidelands is the first book in the brand new Fairmile series from the Sunday Tmes number one bestselling author.
Midsummer’s Eve, 1648, and England is in the grip of civil war between renegade King and rebellious Parliament. The struggle reaches every corner of the kingdom, even to the remote Tidelands – the marshy landscape of the south coast. Alinor, a descendant of wise women, crushed by poverty and superstition, waits in the graveyard under the full moon for a ghost who will declare her free from her abusive husband. Instead she meets James, a young man on the run, and shows him the secret ways across the treacherous marsh, not knowing that she is leading disaster into the heart of her life. Suspected of possessing dark secrets in superstitious times, Alinor’s ambition and determination mark her out from her neighbours. This is the time of witch-mania, and Alinor, a woman without a husband, skilled with herbs, suddenly enriched, arouses envy in her rivals and fear among the villagers, who are ready to take lethal action into their own hands... more»»
Review by Alison Berrieman 9th June 2021

Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
by Caroline Criado Perez
(1 Review)
Discover the shocking gender bias that affects our everyday lives Imagine a world where your phone is too big for your hand, where your doctor prescribes a drug that is wrong for your body, where in a car accident you are 47% more likely to be seriously injured, where every week the countless hours of work you do are not recognised or valued. If any of this sounds familiar, chances are that you're a woman. Invisible Women shows us how, in a world largely built for and by men, we are systematically ignoring half the population. It exposes the gender data gap – a gap in our knowledge that is at the root of perpetual, systemic discrimination against women, and that has created a pervasive but invisible bias with a profound effect on women’s lives... more»»
Review by Chrissi 1st May 2021

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Albino’s Treasure
by Stuart Douglas
(1 Review)
When anarchists attack a painting of the Prime Minister and suggest that the man himself could be next, Scotland Yard have no choice but to call in Sherlock Holmes. It is just the start of an adventure that sees Holmes and Watson on the trail of a centuries-old puzzle, a puzzle that they are not alone in trying to unravel. As the master criminal The Albino closes in on them, not to mention the mysterious Lord of Strange Deaths, Holmes and Watson find themselves in a race to solve the clues and locate England's long-lost treasure... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 1st May 2021

Yarashell Abbily and Her Very Messy Room
by Sybrina Durant (Author) and Sara Wilson (Illustrator)
(1 Review)
The book is about a delightful little girl who wakes up joyfully each day. She sets about getting herself dressed and ready for the day. In the process, she pulls most everything out of her dresser drawers and closet, tossing them this way and that. They all land in unique configurations about the room, creating a fantastic wonderland in her imagination. Through it all, she discusses her creations with her best friend…her doll, who encourages her handi-work to be even better. As you might imagine, when Mommy appears upon the scene, all she sees is a mess! A battle of wills ensues. Finally, in frustration Daddy arrives with a brilliant idea. To end the confrontation, he suggests a game…Yarashell’s favorite. The thought of winning is exactly what is needed to turn her attention to the task at hand…cleaning up her room... more»»
Review by Paul Lappen 1st May 2021

Eyes of Truth
by Linda Suzane
(1 Review)
When a body is found drained of blood, the ruler of Naj sends his brother Insu-ha Dar to investigate. In distant Dak-moon, Dar discovers a series of gruesome murders and a city plagued by a mysterious sickness and gripped with fear of dangerous night creatures. The Insu-ha's ability to tell if a person is lying should make it easy for Dar to discover the killer, but he finds it isn't. With his companion, a retired assassin named Waulo, Dar searches for the truth. A truth that the Magistrate Insu-ha Shoki doesn't want him to find. For Insu-ha Shoki has stolen the secret of immortality from the Dolzi and now forces others to pay the price for his obsession. Can Dar find the real murderer and save three innocent farmers wrong accused of the crime Can he stop Insu-ha Shoki's plans before they destroy the whole Kingdom of Naj Can he avoid the assassin's knife... more»»
Review by Molly Martin 1st May 2021

Hook
by Nicolas Tsamis
(1 Review)
Shortly before he dies, an elderly enlightened Teacher in India finds a way to leave his body and remain suspended in a dimension somewhere between life and death. Only Rahul, his loyal student, knows about the Teacher's plans, as the dying man gives him instructions for the future before leaving his body. Meanwhile, Konstantinos, a successful 35-year-old bachelor and owner of a software company, finds himself in the middle of the Teacher's grand plan without realizing it. His life is radically changed, along with that of the woman he loves and everyone else around them, as they all become involved in something so huge, it could positively alter the course of humanity... more»»
Review by Paul Lappen 31st January 2021

Bright Lights, Big City
by Jay McInerney
(1 Review)
You are at a nightclub talking to a girl with a shaved head. The club is either Heartbreak or the Lizard Lounge. All might become clear if you could just slip into the bathroom and do a little more Bolivian Marching Powder. Then again, it might not... So begins our nameless hero's trawl through the brightly lit streets of Manhattan, sampling all this wonderland has to offer yet suspecting that tomorrow's hangover may be caused by more than simple excess. With the publication of Bright Lights, Big City in 1984, Jay McInerney became a literary sensation, heralded as the voice of a generation... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 28th September 2021

Version Zero
by David Yoon
(1 Review)
Three friends. One broken world. And a quest to save it. Sometimes you have to break the world in order to fix it… Max is fortunate enough to be employed by Wren, the world’s most powerful social media company. He works in a sprawling campus made of glass on a project so secret he can tell no one about it. But one day he discovers something sinister going on beneath the surface of the company. A terrible secret that makes him rethink not only his work but also the true consequences of modern technology. When Max is fired from Wren for asking the wrong questions, he joins up with his two best friends to form Version Zero, a top-secret group with a simple goal: break the internet and build something better and kinder in its place... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 9th June 2021

Comfort Reading in Lockdown
Finding comfort in reading familiar books through the Lockdown.
You might not be surprised to know that there is a record of the books that we read – I don’t know how it started but there might be a touch of competition involved in the BookLore household. It might say something that when you look at my reading from 2020, it mainly consists of re-reading favourites. I do re-read books, I like re-reading series in preparation for the latest instalment and I will defend that right unto death by a thousand paper cuts. 2020 was the ultimate comfort-reading binge. I am sure that I am not the only reader who escaped the tidal wave of global misery into a land of imagination and comfort... more»»
Article by Chrissi 1st May 2021

Right to Kill
by John Barlow
(1 Review)
Wortley, West Leeds. On a Thursday night in February, DS Joe Romano finds himself back on home turf. He’s following up on the disappearance of drug-dealer Craig Shaw. It’s the start of a case that could make or break Romano’s career. Because Shaw is about to go from missing to murdered. While some don’t think Shaw’s killer should be brought to justice, Romano believes every life counts. But he’s running out of time. The killer is ready to strike again. And Romano will be forced to question whether anyone has the right to kill. Right to Kill is the first in a gripping new crime thriller series, perfect for fans of Joseph Knox and Ian Rankin... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 1st May 2021

Daisy Jones and the Six
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
(1 Review)
For a while, Daisy Jones and the Six were everywhere. Their albums were on every turntable, they sold out arenas from coast to coast, their sound defined an era. And then, on 12 July 1979, they split. Nobody ever knew why. Until now. They were lovers and friends and brothers and rivals. They couldn't believe their luck, until it ran out. This is their story of the early days and the wild nights, but everyone remembers the truth differently. The only thing they all know for sure is that from the moment Daisy Jones walked barefoot, on to the stage at the Whisky, the band were irrevocably changed. Making music is never just about the music. And sometimes it can be hard to tell where the sound stops and the feelings begin... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 1st May 2021

Dead in the Water
by R. J. Patterson
(1 Review)
Atlanta sports writer Cal Murphy travels deep into the Louisiana bayou to investigate the mysterious death of a five-star high school football recruit in the small town of Saint-Parran. What he finds is a sinister secret hidden beneath a tussle between boosters from two major college football programs fighting for the services of another local recruit. In pursuit of a story that will reinvigorate his writing career - and save his marriage - Murphy uncovers a deadly secret and must decide how far he's willing to go to reveal the truth that could undermine the integrity of the sport. Dead in the Water is book four in the Cal Murphy thriller series... more»»
Review by Paul Lappen 1st May 2021

She-Clown and Other Stories
by Hannah Vincent
(1 Review)
She-Clown and Other Stories by Hannah Vincent is a collection of revelatory stories showing women trying to be themselves while clowning around for others. These are stories told with a female gaze, showing women striving to be artists, employers, employees, daughters, mothers, sisters, friends, partners, wives and girlfriends. Characters are captured in recognisable moment of real life and in occasional flights of fancy.  The women in these stories are exhilarated to discover the joy and surprise of other women's company, they make bold sexual choices and go on night-time excursions. As grandmothers they give their grandchildren unsuitable presents. These women are at home and on holiday, at work and at play. They are young and they are old, fulfilled and frustrated, professional and amateur, educated and uneducated, knowing and unknowing. Their stories are witty, colourful tales of struggle and success, of yearning and learning... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 1st May 2021

And the Beat Goes On
by Sonny Bono
(1 Review)
In this candid, frank and highly entertaining autobiography, Sonny Bono tells his fascinating story--the tale of a man who lived the American Dream, got knocked down more than once, yet rose again to new triumphs. It is also the story of one of the greatest singing duos of the century - Sonny & Cher, "two lost kids who shared the same dream". Cher's former other half recounts his exciting life and career, describing his salad days pitching songs door-to-door, his first date with Cher, their seemingly "overnight" success, their marital difficulties, and his post-Cher political life... more»»
Review by Molly Martin 1st May 2021

Live Show, Drink Included
Collected Stories
by Vicky Grut
(1 Review)
Each of the stories contained in Live Show, Drink Included feels like a short novel. Vicky Grut takes inspiration from a range of often ordinary situations and explores how easily things can go awry or take an unexpected turn. The stories veer from the realistic to the surreal, and nothing is quite what it seems. For example, an office worker is ordered to step away from her office desk by slightly sinister inspectors. An academic’s impulsive reaction to being mistaken for a shop assistant lands her in big trouble. A young couple are in for a bit of a surprise when they decide on the spur of the moment to visit a Soho sex-show. Be prepared to be not only entertained but also taken by surprise when reading the fourteen mini-novels in this collection, stories that make you ponder about who is in control of one's destiny... more»»
Review by Ben Macnair 31st January 2021