These types of books are my guilty pleasure, person rescues baby animal, battles to keep it alive and manages to bond with it, I always find myself onThese types of books are my guilty pleasure, person rescues baby animal, battles to keep it alive and manages to bond with it, I always find myself on the edge of my seat hoping that this isn’t the page it all goes wrong…in fact with this book I loved the little hare so much I was covering the next page just in case I saw the words “hare� and “bloodbath� in one sentence. There is always dangerous ground with this type of book, should we be interfering? It is a wild animal after all. And how do you stop yourself going full “H is for Hawk feral�?
Dalton, one day on a walk spots a leveret on it’s own in the middle of a path, looking like it has been abandoned, she leaves it be and returns later that day to check it has gone, as it hasn’t moved and there is still no sign of the mother Dalton does what anybody with a heart would do…she rescues it. As soon as she gets home she realises what’s she taken on and starts to panic, using google and a network of friends she starts the epic job of keeping this little critter alive.
This epic story of human/hare co-habitation was a joy to read, it is an excellent way to learn about a new creature, instead of a dry non-fiction book full of stats the reader is learning at the same pace as the author and due to fantastic writing experiencing all the highs and lows of the experience. I was especially impressed how much effort Dalton put into making sure the hare didn’t become tame, it would have been so easy to shut the doors and convince herself the hare is now her pet.
A sign of a good book is picking it up at every opportunity and also saying “bollocks!� when you gotta put it down and go to work. Highly recommended book and this one has gone straight to my daughter to read next.
A few confessions for you; 1. I adore Tabitha, I didn’t care what was going on as long as I got to be inside the whirlwind of her head, 2. I have no iA few confessions for you; 1. I adore Tabitha, I didn’t care what was going on as long as I got to be inside the whirlwind of her head, 2. I have no idea what was going on and who was who, 3. that fact I spent most of the book clueless didn’t bother me one bit, I gladly let the words wash over me as Tabitha’s life played out, 4. I really really want Blowman to get a spin-off book with zero dialogue.
This is such an unusual book for me to read, it’s a bit of a rom-com in it’s own way but far more experimental than your run of the mill romance novel. I was asked to describe what I was reading by a friend and I couldn’t do it, I started off with Tabitha is writing two biographies, one of her subjects is not who she claims to be…or maybe they are and are lying? I gave up in the end as it is just too unpredictable to describe and said this book is wonderful, it is crammed with brilliant characters and I’m laughing my ass off. There are some challenging scenes of loneliness and depression and even at it’s darkest moments Tabitha’s humour shines through. There is a real nuttiness to this book and it goes deeper that the 100’s of squirrels that feature, Tabitha is the sort of person you can see bits of yourself in; all those little insecurities that you try and hide from the world, Tabitha has them and just like a lot of people she has her methods of deflecting anybody who gets too close to seeing them.
The writing is excellent, moving away from chapter structures we have notes, lists, voicemails, texts, therapy sessions, email exchanges and panic attacks. I have no idea how Upton kept this book on track but bravo to her. The funniest book I have read this year and it is gonna take some beating. Highly recommended.
Check out the review on me blog as it has photos of the mocktails I made. Check out the review on me blog as it has photos of the mocktails I made. ...more
A few years back I went to Chepstow for a day out and read about the Gwent Levels, that it was a great place to explore and to see a landscape you’ll A few years back I went to Chepstow for a day out and read about the Gwent Levels, that it was a great place to explore and to see a landscape you’ll rarely find elsewhere, whilst it did appeal to me I never did go back (one day maybe it will happen). In this book O’Mahony takes her time walking from Chepstow to Cardiff talking to everybody she meets on the way, she has this ability to get people to open up and talk about their past (and has the ability to gain free wagon wheels, a handy skill on a long walk). From fishing, wrecks, wildlife, wars, working the land and kids getting up to no good, the book is filled with many glorious stories. Whilst folk are talking about their past they share what has changed, the upheavals they faced in the name of “progress� and what they miss about the old days. Favourite story was about the little girl who got home from school and kept helping herself to cider…so much so that they had to install lids on the barrels.
The main feeling I got when I finished this book was a sense of the end of an era, many people interviewed were in their 90’s and if it wasn’t for O’Mahony and this book their stories would have vanished. There is a certain appeal to learn the history of working folk, I find it far more interesting than learning about the Royal family and all that. A similar book written in 50 years time will probably be about how a Dad went viral on Instagram or that time the government turned off Tiktok and how they had to survive.
When I started this book I was hoping that I would be able to keep up, first time reader of a book on genetics. Luckily for me Dawkins eases the readeWhen I started this book I was hoping that I would be able to keep up, first time reader of a book on genetics. Luckily for me Dawkins eases the reader into things, starting each chapter focusing on the animals themselves and gradually adding more technical info as the book progressed, it gets real technical in the last few chapters but due to Dawkin’s teaching I felt I was able to keep up and was able to grasp the basic points that Dawkins was trying to get across. The book does look rather daunting but I think you’ll find it more accessible than you’d expect.
I enjoyed learning about the history of ours and other beings genes, how they got to where they are now and the sort of obstacles they had to overcome that created what exists today. Of most interest was when Dawkins focused on one animal, like the cuckoo, there was a huge amount in here to learn about that bird and just how it is able to create different coloured eggs for each nest it leaves eggs in. I learnt about new animals and have been able to shock friends and family with images of the Bagworm and it’s strange log cabin that it builds. The last chapter was great and the fact that I was able to follow what was being shared on retroviruses and the like shows just want a good job that Dawkins does.
The book is crammed full of photos, charts and beautiful illustrations by Jana Lenzová and I think it is the balance between these pieces of art and the text that makes this book work so well. My first big book of 2025 and I can’t recommend it enough.
This is my first fiction book of 2025 and if the rest I read this year are half as good as this un then I’m gonna be in for a good one. I have previouThis is my first fiction book of 2025 and if the rest I read this year are half as good as this un then I’m gonna be in for a good one. I have previously read short pieces of work by Higgins and had a good laugh, when I saw his debut novel was out I jumped at the chance to read it and it doesn’t disappoint, it’s been a long time since a book has made me laugh this much. In fact I recently saw a discussion on one of the social media platforms recently asking the question “What book has made you laugh out loud the most?� I can say with 100% certainty that it is this beauty.
Our main character is Paul Reverb, great name, seems nice enough, a gentle well meaning person and what follows is a series of ridiculous events. Paul is lonely, tragically so it seems at times, nothing seems to go his way, in fact things seem to become sentient enough to make sure they don’t go his way, from buying a coffee, meeting mates in the pub or a nice quiet toss in the privacy of his own lounge, when Paul puts his mind on a task you soon learn to spot the incoming catastrophe. I felt so bad that I was laughing at his misfortune, at one time I actually told myself to stop laughing cos it’s mean. It doesn’t take long before Paul has got under your skin and you’re hoping that he somehow breaks the curse and gets a happy ending or at least a happy moment and as I started to run out of pages I was worrying that I may have to kidnap Higgins and do a Misery on him to get the ending I wanted.
One fun bit of this book was the nostalgia, I’m guessing I’m of a similar age to Paul because the music, TV and misc items from his past are all things I remember. Highlight moment was Paul listening to Tiny Tears by The Tindersticks, I listened to this so many times, had it on cassette and had to keep rewinding to find the start of the song. Paul is a legend for bringing this back to me.
Absolutely wonderful book, great characters, funniest writing ever and if you ever wanted to get into the head of a horny lonely man then this is the book for you.
The most interesting aspect of this book is that it’s a snapshot of life in a country just before the oil industry kicks off and brings in a lot of weThe most interesting aspect of this book is that it’s a snapshot of life in a country just before the oil industry kicks off and brings in a lot of wealth and change, through Skeet’s observations we get a glimpse of a people wanting changes and a country that has progressed as far as it can under the current leadership, it is desperately in need of a modern mind that is able to bring it forward into the modern world.
This isn’t the easiest of books to read, Skeet’s style feels almost like a report produced for the British Government and he assumes the reader knows a lot more than this reader does, this does make it a bit challenging for the newbies. What worked well was the geographic part of the writing, he is very good at describing the landscape, the architecture and the people. What didn’t work so well for me was when he delved into the history, I just couldn’t keep up with the names, dates and places, it was overwhelming for this novice. Another example of where I struggled was a falaj kept getting mentioned, it was many chapters in before it was actually described, it might have been because he had a decent falaj to describe but I still could have done with the description earlier.
The book was very interesting, I knew nothing before starting, I hadn’t even heard of Muscat it was that bad, and I feel more knowledgeable about the country now…it’s just a shame that everything changed after Skeet left, I guess I need a sequel recommendation to bring me up to date.
A wonderfully refreshing and poetic book about one of the mightiest birds on the planet, the Owl. Atkin is a poet and that comes across in her writingA wonderfully refreshing and poetic book about one of the mightiest birds on the planet, the Owl. Atkin is a poet and that comes across in her writing, there is a flow to her words that not many other nature writers have, it draws you in and captures your imagination. She is able to transport the reader into her book, setting the scene, dark woods, lots of shadows being cast by the moon and that first call of the owl, within a few lines I was there right beside her. There is plenty to learn here for the reader, most fascinating was something the owlets do, branching, I think if I saw an owlet in the wild out of it’s nest I would be worried for it, having read this book I would confidently search for the nearby adult and know that they knew what they were doing and leave them to it.
I remember the first time I read J. A. Baker’s book on the Peregrine, he became obsessed with the bird and you could see him start to merge his identity with that of the falcon, I can see similarities between Atkin and her local owls. At one point she shares that due to a medical condition she can turn her head owl-like to look behind her. Much of the book is during the time of lockdowns and due to her medical conditions Atkin spent longer in isolation, this alone time was spent looking for owls, caring for them and worrying about their survival. Atkin spends a lot of time carrying out proper research and fun research, aka cute owl videos on social media. One of my favourite parts was the descriptions of one of the habitats she visits, knee deep moss, you could almost sense the owls watching in bewilderment as she battles across the land.
Atkin states at the beginning that she isn’t an expert on Owls but as the book progresses she researches and shares what she learns and that is what I love about this book, I also started with little knowledge and have been able to learn at the same pace with Atkin who is a fabulous teacher. Atkin shows that a book doesn’t have to be crammed with facts, you can have fun too whilst learning. A fantastic introduction into owls and why people love them so much.
Quite a mixed bag here, I’m a fan of short stories but am always looking for links between the stories, it can feel like a jigsaw puzzle linking everyQuite a mixed bag here, I’m a fan of short stories but am always looking for links between the stories, it can feel like a jigsaw puzzle linking everything together, in Devlin’s collection I could find no links, instead each story is it’s own little puzzle for the reader to try and unravel. The stories are rather varied in styles, there are faery tales, Demon tales and some proper Twilight Zone moments, all stories seem to be playing on human fears no matter how irrational.
All the stories are open ended, you are left to continue the story in your head and as Devlin slowly reveals the situation I found my brain running through different theories on what was going on. Whilst they are all good some are better than others, two stand out stories for me were “The End of Hope Street� absolutely loved this, such a surreal situation, well written and a chilling ending, it was the sort of story where you can easily imagine this happening on a global scale. “We All Need Somewhere To Hide� was too big a story for the pages it was given, such an awesome idea and I was left craving more.
There is an underlying darkness to the stories but there is also human interest and humour, a little bit for everybody. The first I’ve read by this author and I’ll be coming back for more, recommended reading for fans of the short story.
This was a fabulous book, a collection of stunning photos with the theme highlighting the rural farming community in Wales. On my first look through IThis was a fabulous book, a collection of stunning photos with the theme highlighting the rural farming community in Wales. On my first look through I was blown away by the scenery, I’ve done plenty of walking in the Welsh hills but imagine having this as your place of work, very jealous, of course I am nowhere near tough enough for this life so I’m happy sitting here being jealous.
On my second read of the book I picked up on more details, the focus of the dogs as they work, the relaxed postures of the people when grouped together, whether working or on a break, they look like they don’t have any stress in the world. The most interesting bit of the photos I picked up on this time was the hands, these are hands that have spent a lifetime outside working in all weathers and the look like they all have a story to tell. There are also plenty of images of the little sheeps, getting annoyed by humans if I’ve read the looks of their faces correctly. And stealing the show, right in the middle of the book was a young dog looking incredibly sad at not being able to take part.
The book is not just photos, Cardwell has interviewed his subjects and shared with the reader their lives and work. It turns out life isn’t as stress free as I assumed, rising costs and lack of government support means that this work is on the decline, you really have to love the animals and to put yourself through this. Conservation plays a big part too, getting that balance right between sheep and cattle numbers so that the land thrives is incredibly important and each farmer here works the land carefully so that other species can also find a place to live. The skills needed for sheep farming are in decline too, sheering and crafting from their wool are not things most of us are interested in, a lot of the people interviewed here have this in their blood, so what happens when their kids want an easier career? For a book consisting mostly of photos there is a huge amount to make you think.
This was one of those books that as soon as I saw it on social media I knew I would enjoy it and it doesn’t disappoint, highly recommended reading.
There are two types of dystopian futures, the far fetched where people compete against each other in hungry games and then there are those where the pThere are two types of dystopian futures, the far fetched where people compete against each other in hungry games and then there are those where the present has been slightly tweaked and it is this second future that is far scarier because you are constantly wondering if you will have to experience it. In Stannard’s vision the management of a university is out of control, the teachers have been made less than human, if you don’t conform to an image or if a member of senior management wants a new butt plug or parrot you’ll find yourself relegated to stocking shelves in the post Brexit supermarkets. Bizarre aubergine religions are taking over and lanyards seem to be one of the most important items in society. It is an utterly bleak vision of what’s to come.
This book is classed as satire and it is very funny but not once did I laugh, any smile quickly turned into a worried grimace…might be because I work in a school haha. The writing is fantastic, not a dull moment and the cast of characters is immense, it took me a while to get my head around who was who but I think I mastered them in the end and some of the ideas that Stannard produces are very clever. The villains of the piece were the best part, their machinations on gaining bigger pay and more power were full of plot twists, sexual acts and murder…it almost felt Dickensian at times. This book takes all the bad parts of society somehow makes them a whole lot worse.
This was a good read, plenty of fun, lots to worry about (unless you are a Trump fanatic then you’ll probably love this prediction) and for the dog lovers out there it has a dog with luminous poop, what more could a reader ask for?
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