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Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship - 2nd Edition (2007)

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by: The Home Office - Life in the UK Advisor

March 27, 2007
Here it is, the cure for insomnia!

Given that one of the aims of the Life in the UK test is to test English literacy, you would think the official guide would be written in accessible English! Instead, we are handed this sloppy compilation of pointless statistics, useless abbreviations, dry facts with little context and advice that will make you slap your forehead and scowl: 'Well, OBVIOUSLY!'

A blue box pops up every so often asking the reader 'check that you understand...', but oftentimes what is listed has NOT been explained or even mentioned in what you've just finished reading. I defy anyone to explain to me the differences between the Council of Europe, the Council of the EU, the EU, the EC and the European Parliament ... Read More:

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The French Experience 1 Coursebook (French Experience)

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by: Anny King, Marie Therese Bougard

June 26, 2003
Here it is, the cure for insomnia!

Given that one of the aims of the Life in the UK test is to test English literacy, you would think the official guide would be written in accessible English! Instead, we are handed this sloppy compilation of pointless statistics, useless abbreviations, dry facts with little context and advice that will make you slap your forehead and scowl: 'Well, OBVIOUSLY!'

A blue box pops up every so often asking the reader 'check that you understand...', but oftentimes what is listed has NOT been explained or even mentioned in what you've just finished reading. I defy anyone to explain to me the differences between the Council of Europe, the Council of the EU, the EU, the EC and the European Parliament ... Read More:

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Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege

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by: Dan Mills

May 15, 2008
A truly amazing book. Never have I read such a page turner and its fact not fiction. This book will blow your hair back, if you have even the vaguest interest in the Iraq war you should definitely read this.

The British Army hold a small compound in Al Amarah while the reconstruction teams being their work. Unfortunately they don't get very far before the local insurgency decide to declare all out war. The first major attack is repelled, but constant insurgency eventually force the army to hold up in their compound where over a 23-day period they took 595 mortar rounds from the insurgents, 57 RPG's, 5 107mm rockets and were attacked by many hundreds of OMS fighters. A single company, massively outnumbered managed (just) to hold out, and the ... Read More:

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Got You Back

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by: Jane Fallon

August 15, 2008
having read Getting Rid of Matthew in about 3 days, i was desperate to read the second novel of Jane Fallon, Got you Back, and i wasn't disappointed, despite the subtle similarities to the first novel. James, the husband who can't keep it in his pants, Stephanie, who plays the scorned wife ever so subtley, now having another to concentrate on, letting the mistress Katie take the lead in what was originally her revenge plan. Katie is originally perceived as a naive doormat, believing every word, or accurately, lie, that comes out of James's mouth, but once realising she has been taken for a ride, the nails really come out and the naivity falls away and the story begins to take you with it at momentum pace! i loved it! Couldn't put it down.

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Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway: How to Turn Your Fear and Indecision into Confidence and Action

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by: Susan Jeffers

January 04, 2007
This was the first 'pop psychology' book I ever bought, and it's a well-thumbed classic. Upbeat and practical, it's helpful for changing your mindset as well as your habits. A good mix of psychobabble and practical exercises. I found it especially helpful when leaving university, and having to make what felt like big choices about what to do next. The book helped me realise that all my choices could be positive and made me feel less afraid of missing out on something.

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Cityboy: Beer and Loathing in the Square Mile

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by: Geraint Anderson

June 26, 2008
I brought this book because I remember reading a similar book written by Polly Courtney (Golden Handcuffs) and thought this book would give me another similar insight into life in the city.
Both books are very similar by the fact that they are both based on the author's experiences in working in big city banks.
Geraint like Polly found the working into the city not a fun place to be and both had since left the city and gone on to become authors.
In this book Geraint explains how he got lucky and went from a hippy traveller to a man earning more money in a year than most of us will ever earn.
Personally I don't think this book gives any new insight about what is happening in the city and how much city boys are earning because I think ... Read More:

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Grow Your Own Veg (Rhs)

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by: Carol Klein, Royal Horticultural Society

January 02, 2007
I am not a gardener, I have never watched gardeners world and have only a small back yard. i somehow came across this book while browsing amazon and thought it would be a nice stocking filler for my husband. anyhow, it is so easy to follow and inspiring that we now have green beans, leeks, onions and shallots growing in our little garden. The difference in taste from supermarket veg is unbelievable. This is a great book that takes you from buying seeds to taking vegetables out of the ground, if i can do it, anyone can! Next season we are moving on to courgettes, potatoes, broccoli........

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Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

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by: Spencer Johnson

March 04, 1999
Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

OK, so all the reviewers have dissected this little book to infinity and beyond. But its very much worth reading, and won't take you long, and might just give you that little push to get out of the rut and take a wider prespective.

Ideal for people who live in prisons and want to break out (metaphorically speaking)

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The Gruffalo's Child

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by: Julia Donaldson

September 02, 2005
My kids - aged 2 and 4 - love the original Gruffalo story and ask to read it almost every bedtime. There was initial excitement when I brought this one home. But after a couple of readings they quickly stopped asking for it. If I suggest reading it now, they say "no, we want the first Gruffalo story".

In truth, the original Gruffalo story is so good that it's a very, very tough act to follow. But, even allowing for that, this sequel almost entirely lacks most of the features that make the first story so memorable. It hasn't got anything like the same rhythm in the writing. And the plot meanders its way to a weak pay-off that has little impact and doesn't make much sense.

All-in-all, a disappointing follow-up to the excellent original.

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Deadly Intent

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by: Lynda La Plante

September 01, 2008
Brilliant book, couldn't put it down, it has to be the best yet, each page was as exciting as the last, great book.