Book Reviews

• John Elder Robison: 'Look Me In The Eye - My Life With Asperger’s'

  Brother of Augusten ‘Running With Scissors’ Burroughs, John Elder Robison has written his own book. 'Look Me In The Eye' covers various ground, but is specifically concerned with his Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism which means that he lacks the instinctive ability to socialise in the same way as ‘normal’ people.

   
• Karen Chance: ‘Embrace The Night’

  In the vein of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Cassie Palmer fights off ghosts, gods, demons, evil organizations and conspiracies with the help of an equally complex assortment of special friends and super powers.

   
• Jennie Reekie: ‘The Ritz London Book Of Christmas’

  Christmas at the Ritz might not be the way most families spend their winter holidays, but with lush descriptions of decorated trees placed in each hotel room, Ritz stockings, three full Christmas meals, crackers, and a Boxing Day at Kempton Park Races, this small gift book makes it sound just as luxurious as one would expect.

   
• Andy Simpson: 'Can Crocodiles Cry?'

  These 500 answers, to an unknown (but lesser) number of questions, are culled from the Daily Mail’s Answers To Correspondents column, which has been published since 1888.

   
• Ed Wright: 'Celebrity Family Trees'

  In the future, it will be difficult to keep tabs on who’s who in Hello! world. The rich and famous are getting together and breeding ever more strangely-named youngsters solely so they can keep us amused with their tabloid antics when they hit their formative years.

   
• J.R.R. Tolkien: 'The Children of Hurin'

  If this is your first exposure to Tolkien, turn back. If you liked The Lord of the Rings but found the 15-hour extended DVDs too long, do not pick up this book.

   
• Darren Shan: 'Bec'

  Demon-hunting in an ancient world... Bec is a 12th century Celtic priestess-in-training when otherworldly demons invade, killing her teacher and thrusting her clan into terror-filled nightly attacks. A vision leads her to a druid who knows where the demons have come from and how to stop them, but requires her and a small group of warriors to guide his journey across Ireland.

   
• Susan Cooper: 'The Dark Is Rising Sequence'

  A modern fantasy taking on the legends of King Arthur, Cooper’s five-book series follows the adventures of five children seeking the Things of Power—a grail, a harp, and a sword—to battle the welling forces of darkness and banish them forever from the earth.

   
• Bill Buford: 'Heat'

  Have you ever wondered if you were meant to be a chef? Test yourself: Imagine the toothpaste consistency of raw lard from a pig’s back hand-cured with herbs and salt; pasta with oysters and caviar; frogs legs fried in bread crumbs and served with fennel pollen - if these dishes sound delicious, you too may be destined for the three-star kitchens of 'Heat', where art and artistry collide.

   
• Steve Cole & Linda Chapman: 'Genie Us!'

  Four stepchildren find a “How To Become A Genie” handbook and decide to wish their problems away in this extended chapter book targeted at +8s. On the guidance of a magic bookworm, the kids are soon tackling the six stages while learning about growing up.

   

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