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Books

  • Daisy Jones still
    Books

    Top 5 Daisy Jones and the Six songs

    Daisy Jones and the Six is a great example of an excellent best-selling book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, being turned into a great show. However, the show made a few changes by incorporating songs into a story that is deemed to be loosely based on the emergence of the  Fleetwood Mac.  5. ‘Aurora’ ‘Aurora’ is […]
  • Books

    Book Review: Animal Farm

    Animal Farm is a book, which, many would think is about animals on a farm, however, the message is far more advanced. The short answer is that it is about the dangers of communism. Animal Farm is aimed at 13+ but can be read by any age. The farm is run by Farmer Jones, but […]
  • Books

    Book Review: The Bunker Diary

    The Bunker Diary is written by British author Kevin Brooks. It was published in 2013. Many people wanted it banned for its disturbing themes and dark plot. However, in 2014 it won the Carnegie Medal. Plot We follow 16-year-old Linnus as he writes about his experience in a diary. One day he was walking along […]
  • A Good Girl's Guide to Murder cover
    Books

    Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

    This amazing murder mystery thriller is written by British writer Holly Jackson. It is an extremely enjoyable read. If you love thrilling and exhilarating books that keep you up at night desperate to know what happens next, this book will be right up your street. What’s more, there are 2 other books in the series […]
  • Hunger Games
    Books

    Book vs Film: The Hunger Games

    Would you prefer to read and envision the story of the Hunger Games in your mind or would you prefer to lie back and watch a multitude of talented actors tell you the story? Either way, both ways are successful in conveying a brilliant storyline. Whether you have already read the fun series, have never […]
  • Seven husbands book cover
    Books

    Book review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

    ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ is written by Taylor Jenkins Reid and is easily considered to be one of the best ‘booktok’ books. It is filled with plot twists and some unexpected moments. It is filled with characters who are made to be hateable and characters who are made to be likeable. It is […]
  • Books

    Is Benjamin Dean’s “The King is Dead” Worth the Read?

    The King is Dead is a queer and scandalous book involving the royal family and racism. It’s about a 17-year-old boy called James and he is the next king. It is up to James to lead Britain and to be the country’s first black king. However, the population of the country he is set to […]
  • Books

    Book review: Song of Achilles

    The Song of Achilles tells the story of the mightiest Trojan warriors. Achilles and his lover Patroclus grow, fight and love their way through one of the most brutal wars in Greek mythology. What makes it stand out? Firstly, let’s just say that Madeline Miller has created a literary masterpiece. She has shaped the story […]
  • holding-graham norton
    Books

    Book Review: Holding

    Graham Norton’s debut novel Holding attracted significant media attention and glowing reviews. Most likely because Graham Norton of The Graham Norton Show wrote a fiction crime novel. Presumably most reviewers would have liked to slate it for some kind of self-gratifying purpose. I hate it when celebrities get book deals. Half of them can’t write; it’s never usually because […]
  • the-tenant-of-wildfell-hall
    Books

    Book Review: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

    When Charlotte Brontë called her sister Anne’s book The Tenant of Wildfell Hall a “mistake” and prevented it from being published for ten years, I do think she was being rather severe. Anne Brontë’s second novel is not the masterpiece Jane Eyre is or Wuthering Heights. I am hesitant to call it a masterpiece at all, but there are […]
  • a-monster-calls
    Books

    Book Review: A Monster Calls

    A Monster Calls is one of the most renowned books of the 21st century. Patrick Ness, its author and flame-carrier, is just as renowned. There is a reason for that. A Monster Calls is one of the most moving, brilliantly executed, and informative novels I’ve read in a while. I’m possibly too old to be considered the target […]
  • Books

    Five books you need to read

    I may sound like an incessant English teacher– but reading really is so beneficial for everyone. Reading for just 30 minutes per day can help reduce stress, improve your memory, and increase your vocabulary. The escapism that novels can offer is comforting, and through reading, you truly learn so much more about yourself and the […]
  • the-color-purple
    Books

    Book Review: The Color Purple

    The Color Purple feels strange to write in American English. It would feel somehow wrong and a disservice to such a touching, thoughtful, and pure novel to add that “u” into the title, though. So, I won’t. Alice Walker’s writing is uniquely American, in the same way that Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird carries that […]
  • the-love-hypothesis
    Books

    Book Review: The Love Hypothesis

    The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is the latest read from my to-be-read list that has been interrupted by my studies, but we all need a break from Plato every now and then. I didn’t know what to expect from the book. I don’t read many romantic books, but this was recommended by friends, Twitter, […]
  • Books

    Book Review: Bridget Jones’s Diary

    The Bridget Jones’s Diary empire is synonymous with the nineties; it has (rightly) achieved legendary chick-flick status; is renowned for being comedy gold; and criticised just enough to make the whole thing semi-controversial. The last part depends on who you ask. But Bridget Jones’s Diary hasn’t always been that mega bucks film starring Texan Renee […]
  • beautiful-world-where-are-you
    Books

    Book Review: Beautiful World, Where Are You

    Sally Rooney has had a stratospheric rise to fame and success after the publication of her first two novels, Conversations with Friends and (of course) Normal People. Both novels have received widespread critical acclaim, with the latter cementing Rooney as perhaps the frontrunner of millennial literature. Beautiful World, Where Are You only serves to compound this reputation. This novel, […]
  • ace-of-spades
    Books

    Book Review: Ace of Spades

     Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. This book was an unexpected buy, but the premise of the book had me hooked. A Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars-type thriller but with two black leads who are LGBTQ? Sign me up! In fact, the plot is so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I can see […]
  • Books

    Book Review: The Midnight Library

    Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library was a Sunday Times number one bestseller. Why? For the life of me, I cannot fathom it. That’s personally, though. If I look at the general state of the world and publishing as it is, I can totally see why. The Midnight Library is essentially a mix of everything this society has come to superficially […]
  • marcus-rashford
    Books

    From Child Hunger to Child Literacy

    Never one to see a person sit on the bench for long, Marcus Rashford is now ready to take on literacy after tackling child hunger last year. Teaming up with powerhouse publisher, Macmillan, the England footballer is launching a book club that will provide books to disadvantaged children in 850 primary schools across England and […]
  • triple-cross
    Books

    Book Review: Triple Cross by Tom Bradby

    Well, the first thing I have to say about this book is that it is an absolute cracker. Tom Bradby returns on top form for the final instalment of his spy thriller with Triple Cross and I was, in no uncertain terms, hooked from the off. Triple Cross picks up where Double Agent left off. MI6 […]
  • three-women
    Books

    Book Review: Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

    Well, here I am at ten to one in the morning having completed Three Women. Before I proceed, this book – and so this review – is not suitable for a younger audience. Three Women is at its core, a reportage-novel hybrid about sex and power, which manifests itself in the following trigger warnings: rape, […]
  • 1984
    Books

    Book Review: 1984 by George Orwell

    1/5 1984 is always cited as one of the best books ever written. It’s supposed to be intelligent, sharp and profound. Instead, I found it to be dull, rambling and unremarkable. Oh, and rampantly sexist. George Orwell was clever – I’ve read his essays and I like them. But 1984? It was hard to believe […]
  • Books

    Book Review: The Light Between Oceans

    5/5 Three things are rare when it comes to me and books. First, someone buys me a book and I actually like it; second, it takes me less than two weeks to read a book; and third, I pass a book on to my grandma because I think it’s so good. M L Stedman’s The […]
  • book-review-secret-service-tom-bradby
    Books

    Book Review: Secret Service, Tom Bradby

    5/5 Heavyweight ITV journalist Tom Bradby is best known for presenting the news each night at 10pm on our TV screens. But, for those who care to follow him on Twitter, you will know he also has another talent up his sleeve: writing. His latest novel Secret Service proves very well that he is exceptionally […]
  • Books

    Tin Can Cook: A New Way To Cook on a Budget

    Jack Monroe is almost a scientist in the way she experiments with food. She takes the experimenting to a whole new level in her latest cookbook Tin Can Cook. The canned food-based recipe book is food blogger and anti-poverty activist Jack Monroe’s fourth cookbook. For anybody who hasn’t done much cooking, the wording of the […]
  • book-review-you-got-this
    Books

    Book Review: You Got This

    5/5 You Got This by Bryony Gordon is all about being yourself and being true to yourself. The book, published in May this year, openly talks about and explores topics such as self-respect, body image, mental health and more. Each chapter of You Got This has a different theme, but all of them have one […]
  • book-review-can-you-see-me
    Books

    Book Review: Can You See Me?

    Can You See Me? is a book written by author duo Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott. In the book, we learn about the life of Tally, an eleven-year-old girl with autism. When we first meet Tally, it’s the last day of the summer holidays, and the next day, Tally is going off to secondary school […]
  • review-no-one-is-too-small-greta-thunberg
    Books

    Review: No One Is Too Small, Greta Thunberg

    4/5 As the UK experiences a sweltering heatwave which has seen the hottest day on record ever, it’s no wonder climate change is on the agenda. We all know it’s happening – why else would parts of the UK be as hot as Dubai in July? Climate change activist Greta Thunberg hits the nail on […]
  • book-review-say-her-name
    Books

    Book Review: Say Her Name

    Juno Dawson’s Say Her Name, published in 2014, offers a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat classic horror book experience. This book is an intriguing page-turner for young teenagers and one that must be read by all. Mary Worthington, a student at Piper Hall, is at the centre of Say Her Name. Mary Worthington is the real name of […]
  • Book reviews
    Books

    Book Review: Payback

    Payback, an enigmatic anti-capitalist group staffed by teens, has one mission: to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Its dramatic heists create a sensation. But when excitable Payback fan Tom is recruited, he accidentally brings with him a shady money man, Mr. Ruiz. And he’s not the only one on their tail. […]
  • Books

    Why we need the Grinch more than Jesus

    Mediocre recent adaptations aside, I really like the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It’s a fable of the dangers of self-isolation, superiority complexes and shunning joy. The Grinch is a symbol equalling Ebenezer Scrooge in cultural ubiquity during December. And he’s better than Scrooge. Because he’s green and looks better on an ironic Christmas […]
  • Books

    Film review: Fantastic Beasts – The Crimes of Grindelwald

    I wasn’t going to write this review. Someone else was going to have to cover this because I doubted my ability to think objectively due to my deep unconditional love of all things Harry Potter. I needn’t have worried about that. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the sequel to 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where […]
  • Books

    Film review: The Grinch

    Kudos to the genius who had the idea to release a film about a being who hates Christmas in November. That’s a finger on the zeitgeist right there. The Grinch is the latest 86-minute adaptation of a 69-page children’s book. It depicts Benedict Cumberbatch’s Grinch as he plans his dastardly scheme while Whoville prepares for Christmas. […]
  • Books

    A beginners guide to… Marvel films

    In the eighties/nineties, Marvel comics was on the verge of bankruptcy. They were kept afloat because they had the license to produce Star Wars comics but otherwise they were literally selling filing cabinets to stay in business. So for a bit of a cash boost, Marvel sold the film rights to their most valuable characters […]
  • Books

    Book Review: Persuasion

    4.5/5 After reading Pride and Prejudice and feeling totally disappointed, my hopes were as low as can be when I started reading Persuasion. It reads basically the same as Austen’s most famous work, but Persuasion is undoubtedly filled with more wit and humour accessible to any reader than P&P, making it much more bearable in […]
  • Books

    Four worst fictional holiday destinations

    I’m aware that the majority of you are just coming to the end of your holidays and packing bags for school/uni. I, however, I have completed my MA this morning and, rather than celebrate this, I felt I’d waste your time with 500 words or so. I’m looking through travel mags and airline sites to […]
  • Books

    B**P REWIND: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

    Truman Capote’s classic novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s is brief, wistful and filled with a prominent sense of longing from both the unnamed narrator and Holly Golightly, the protagonist. Published in 1958,the novella follows a year and a half in Holly Golightly’s company – something that is rare, as precious as a diamond and as sought […]
  • Books

    4 Sidekicks who are better than the hero

    It’s a thankless job being a sidekick. You have to go through the same adversity the protagonist does and at the end of it, all you get is a lousy pat on the head and (in Chewbacca’s case) not even a medal. What the hell Leia? For your viewing pleasure, here’s our list of sidekicks […]
  • Books

    The worst superhero roommates

    Many of us know the struggle of trying to organise friends into finally getting the deposit down on that flat. The search for housemates at uni is arduous and taxing. Except for council-tax, obviously. It’s understandable why some impressionable young people would decide: “you know what, screw it. I’m gonna live with a superhero”. I […]
  • Books

    George RR Martin Delays GoT Book Again

    Author of the esteemed Game of Thrones books, George RR Martin has delayed the next book in the series to release an ‘imaginary history’, of the house of Targaryens. Martin revealed that The Winds of Winter wouldn’t be coming in 2018. The last book that was released was A Dance with Dragons, in 2011. This […]
  • Books

    Tracy Beaker the Single Mother

    If there’s one book character who deserves a follow-up story, it’s Tracy Beaker. Written by Jacqueline Wilson, the books and TV show followed Tracy, a young girl who had been abandoned by her mother and placed into a children’s home nicknamed the Dumping Ground. Fans of the show will know that Tracy was very hard […]
  • Books

    Book Review: Murder on the Orient Express

    Okay, I know I’m late to the party but I have finally read Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. I knew it was going to be a good read from the start as Agatha Christie is the best selling novelist of all time, having been outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. I’m in […]
  • Books

    What it’s Like to be Writing a Book

    Writers around the world are sitting at their desks writing. Because it’s what they do. Some writers write articles, some write poetry, some write songs and some write novels. Some do all of these; some do others; some do just one. A specific type of writing which usually captures people’s attention is novel-writing. As soon […]
  • Books

    Review: Murder on the Orient Express

    The following spoils no plot details of an 85-year-old book (who says Hollywood has no original ideas?). Agatha Christie’s steam-powered ‘whodunnit’ has been adapted more times than Piers Morgan’s job description and with Oscar-nominated actor/director Kenneth Branagh in the engine room, this latest version had all the opportunity to leave previous attempts under its wheels. […]
  • Books

    170 Years of Jane Eyre

    Here at b**p we love a good novel and we love to celebrate them too. Today marks 170 years since the publication of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, or, as she was known at the time, Currer Bell. In those glorious 170 years, there have been film adaptations of the novel, period dramas telling its story and plays touring the […]
  • Books

    Book Review: The Karamazov Brothers

    Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s final novel is something to behold. Bizarrely readable – considering not only the time it was written but also the sheer length – it paints a vivid picture of the eponymous brother’s lives’. The story is bounding and broad, expanding to encompass most of the town in which the story takes place. The […]
  • Books

    Wow, People are Nerds

    For many across the country this week will begin the new school year, whether you’re raring to go, what with your notebooks and highlighters, there will be those who would rather be doing anything else. Well, take comfort in the fact that even in fiction people still must get up at seven in the morning […]
  • Books

    Book Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

    3.5/5 Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca is often described as a modern classic and, by many trusted sources of mine, described as a great novel. Naturally, hearing that this book was amazing made me excited to read it, but in the first 200 pages or so, I just didn’t get it. Things were fairly boring after […]

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