Cliff

The Bookery Celebrates World Book Day 2024

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Our volunteer Pauline writes: “In recent weeks, leading up to World Book Day on 7th March, our Schools Team have visited 15 local Primary Schools and spoken to 2,200 children about our Top Titles for 2024. The collection of 24 recently published books includes picture books for the very young, short chapter books for developing readers, longer books for older readers, super readable, dyslexia friendly titles for children between eight and 12 who lack confidence in reading plus a graphic … Read more

Christmas At The Bookery – Important Dates!

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Amongst all the Yuletide madness, we wanted to let you know all our important dates for Christmas: Our last day open before Christmas will be Saturday 23rd December . We will stay open until 2pm(ish!) and then we will be closed for the Christmas break, re-opening on Tuesday 2nd January at 10am. For those of you wanting to order books into the shop in time for Christmas, our final day for guaranteeing these will be Tuesday 19th December. For anything that needs posting … Read more

A New Chapter For The Bookery

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After ten years, two familiar faces at The Bookery, Dee Lalljee and Andrew Davey, will be leaving this autumn to pursue new projects. Both Dee and Andrew have been involved in the growth of the organisation since its inception as a small community bookshop in 2013, through to the purchase of its current high street premises and expansion to create a valued community hub. “I have spent ten extraordinary years at The Bookery and it has been a joy to work with our … Read more

Annette’s Devon Bookshelf

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BETRAYAL by Lesley Pearce ‘We’ve all been betrayed at some point,’ says Lesley. We’re having coffee overlooking Meadfoot Beach near her home in Torbay. In such an idyllic setting it feels incongruous to be discussing predatory people, violence, and how trust can be blown to smithereens. This is Lesley at her best. It’s all in seamless context, a story that is gripping and with poignant reflection on the nature of relationships. I asked how she developed the plot. ‘I met … Read more

Review: Utterly Dark And The Tides Of Time

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  Utterly Dark and the Tides of Time, the final instalment of Philip Reeve’s Utterly Dark trilogy, is everything we wanted it to be and more. The ‘more’ is provided by the time-shifting element, which adds rich layers of metaphysical reflection and emotional poignancy to the story and a Peter Pan-esque wistfulness for the approaching end of childhood and the transience of all things. The exploration of the nature of time is intricately woven in through the majestic omnipresence of … Read more

Scribner 10 for The Bookery’s 10th

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We’ve partnered with Simon & Schuster to bring you a fabulous 2 for £10 shop offer on 10 of their excellent Scribner titles, featuring some classic books alongside the cutting edge of new and exciting publications.

Review: August Blue

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  Deborah Levy’s latest novel is perhaps her most compelling and fulfilling. Elsa, an acclaimed concert pianist, is in Athens when she spies a woman who looks to be her exact double. Thus begins a journey across Europe where this doppleganger is always somewhere near, just in the fringes of her vision. As Elsa’s obsession increases against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, the lines between fiction and reality blur with Elsa struggling to maintain her identity. “My startling thought … Read more

Independent Bookshop Week 2023!

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This year’s Independent Bookshop Week runs from 17th – 24th June, and it’s an extra special time as we’re also celebrating The Bookery’s 10th Birthday! We’ll be unveiling our great new extension and event space – so drop in any time, this happy event is as much about our loyal patrons and customers as it is about our brilliant, growing bookshop. Our special day of celebrations starts on Saturday 17th June from 10am. It will be a fun-packed morning of … Read more

Review: Demon Copperhead

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  Barbara Kingsolver’s epic deep dive into America’s 1980’s opioid crisis through the eyes of one young man is an achievement to be applauded. Taking Charles Dickens’ classic novel David Copperfield as it’s inspiration and broad structure, Demon Copperhead follows the fortunes of Damon Fields from a childhood of poverty and social care, through to a darker adulthood of crime and addiction. As he struggles to survive and carve out a life for himself in the backwaters of Virginia USA, … Read more

Annette’s Devon Bookshelf

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2023 Nature Month-By-Month: A Children’s Almanac by Anna Wilson I’d like to have consulted my junior helper on this one, but it was past his bedtime. However, I think I know what his reaction would be: ‘Auntie Nette, this book says everything!’ It certainly does. ‘It’s got lists of special dates, food we can cook and how to make a garden in an egg cup!’ I’m quite excited by the scope of the Almanac. It’s a fantastic, fully illustrated delight, … Read more