This week the heat gang popped our slippers on, took the phone off the hook and polished our spectacles as we sat back and enjoyed a spot of reading. On this week's heat bookshelf: A Complete History Of Tim (The Tiny Horse) by Harry Hill and Married By Christmas by Scarlett Bailey.
Here's what we thought:
A Complete History Of Tim (The Tiny Horse)
Harry Hill (Faber And Faber, £7.99)
The plot: A collection of Harry Hill’s stories about his tiny horse called Tim (he really is tiny – he sleeps in a matchbox with a Tic Tac box for a conservatory!) plus some new stories thrown in as a bonus. Read along as Tim films his own Reality TV show and babysits for his best friend Fly, then get a bit teary when he celebrates Christmas on his own.
What’s right with it? If you’re a fan of Harry’s whimsical, slightly surreal comedy, you’ll love reading about the adventures of Tim and his friends. The silly but cute illustrations by Harry himself only add to the delightful charm.
What’s wrong with it? If you find Harry’s particular brand of comedy annoying, it goes without saying that you should not approach this book. Despite it being over 350 pages long, you’ll be able to whizz through it in an hour. Verdict: Perfect if you want something that the whole family can chortle over after too much turkey this Christmas. The only problem is, you’ll want your very own tiny horse after reading it. 5/5 @oliviac_heat
Married By Christmas
Scarlett Bailey (Ebury, £6.99)
The plot: Ever since she was a little girl, Anna has had a plan: find the love of her life and get married on Christmas Eve. But, being a self-confessed control freak with a penchant for making lists and colour coding her knicker drawer, Anna will settle for nothing less than exactly what she wants. So, when her fiancé Tom drops the bombshell news that he actually already has a wife, just two weeks before the big day, Anna immediately sets off on an adventure to fix what needs fixing.
What’s right with it? While the plot is almost certainly absurd, it makes for a great story, and you’ll have no trouble becoming quickly riveted by Anna and her madcap antics. There are enough surprises along the way to keep you guessing, and writer Bailey keeps the laughs flowing through her characters’ continuous stream of well-observed and witty dialogue.
What’s wrong with it? With all her idiosyncrasies, Anna is either going to be a character you find utterly enchanting or intensely irritating, and at times we couldn’t help but wish that we could climb into the pages of the book and give her a good telling-off.
Verdict: A light, fun and fast-paced chunk of chortlesome chick-lit. Buy a copy for all your best friends this Christmas. 4/5 @Broomie29