Author: RichJames

Categories
Book

A body in the cottage by P.F. Ford

Released: 3rd October, 2023

Genre: Mystery, crime

Score: 9/10

A body in the cottage was a thoroughly good read. Available from www.joffebooks.com, it is a police procedural novel set in West Wales, in the UK. The town where the police are based is Llangwelli, which is a quiet, rural place to live but has its fair share of murders!

We follow Detective Sergeant Normal and the rest of the team as they solve a crime. A woman’s body is found in a derelict miners cottage on a building site that is soon to be demolished.

The characters are very likeable and realistic and the plot has quite a few twists and turns along the way, much like the winding country lanes of Llangwelli.

A body in the cottage was an enjoyable book and I really connected with old-fashioned DS Norman and DI Southall and the rest of their team. A great read.

Categories
Children

TUUYOOWK friction power cars

Score: 10/10

These friction toy cars are a must for all toddlers and young children. The move a lot further than the amount they are pushed due to their internal mechanism. This means that the slightest push will see the cute cars travelling across your floor.

Made out of solid, sturdy, durable heavy plastic, these cars are colourful and they each feature a cute animal driver. You get 4 cars in the box and they can be pushed forwards or backwards and, when released, they continue moving.

These attractive, fun toy cars will keep toddlers entertained at home or in a nursery setting for hours. A really good toy.

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Categories
Homeware

A5 gold acrylic photo frames

Score: 8/10

These acrylic frames with gold bases are rather pleasing. They are made from acrylic, not glass, so don’t expect heavy, hardwearing material. The frames are attractive and very easy to fill and display. I used them for photos but, being A5 size, you could use them as display holders in a boutique or salon, or even table settings at an event or function.

You get 6 frames in a box, all individually wrapped and you can set them up in a minute. Just slide the photo into the middle of the frame, them slide the bottom plinth sideways across the bottom of the frame. Simple!

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Categories
Children

Fantastic playdough tool set for children of all ages

Score: 8/10

This is a great set for children of all ages who enjoy modelling with playdough. The numerous cutting and shaping tools are made from plastic and not sharp enough to harm your child, but are strong and sturdy enough to withstand energetic play with the playdough.

This set comes with 10 small cutters. Some of these are excellent, however several of these shaped cutters have very small holes where it would be difficult for very young children to push out the playdough shape. Older children will not have this problem though.

This set is attractively coloured and well made. It should last a fair amount of time being played with. A great buy for parents and grandparents. It also comes with a book of illustrated instructions showing how to make many attractive and fun models to keep your child entertained for hours, days, weeks, months and possibly years.

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Categories
Beauty & Hair

Large colourful hair clips for easy styling

Score: 10/10

My wife ordered these 6 large hair clips so she can put her hair up and out of the way quickly and without fuss. She has traditionally used hair bands, however our 2 cute kitties have a tendency to run off with them!

These clips were bought as an alternative and within seconds, my wife was able to twist her hair and add the clip. As you can see, the results are great and this was the first time she has ever used a clip like this.

The selection of colourful clips arrived in an attractive gift box, so perfect if you are giving them to someone as a present. The clips are sturdy and substantial and hold my wife’s hair in place well. She has shaken her head about to test whether it will fall out easily and there was zero movement at all! Very impressive. So, if you’re looking for an extremely fast method of styling your hair, these clips are it!

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Categories
Tech

YEZRO all metal stand for Echo Show 5

Score: 10/10

This stand is a brilliant addition to my Amazon Echo Show 5. It fits all generations of the Show 5 (1st gen, 2nd gen and even 3rd 2023 gen). It doesn’t need any attachments, rather it connects to your Show 5 via a powerful magnet on the top of the stand.

The stand is 100% metal and feels very solid and sturdy with a good weight. It has a ball joint for the top of the stand so you can angle your Echo Show 5 to suit your needs.

This is a durable, top quality product and has improved the sound quality of my Echo Show 5 as it no longer reverberates with the top of the unit it sits on.

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Categories
Children

30x party bag fillers and fidget toys

Score: 10/10

This pack of party favours for children are perfect for mid-to-late-aged children. It features 30 pieces split between 2 items. I received a selection of snap or slap bands that, when you slap them onto your arm, magically twist around to create a strap of sorts. They are great fun to try out, even for the bigger kids that we all are!

These party bag fillers also contained a selection of silicone bracelets of Pop-Its. These are the ideal stress relief fidget toys as they work like reusable bubble wrap. The bracelets are quite long so not suitable for very small children. I use a Pop It fidget toy my self and have added a bracelet (pictured) for my own use. I use to it stop me from peeling the nails of my fingers and they work a treat. Perfect for neurodiverse children of all ages.

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Categories
Children Seasonal

Halloween pumpkin carving kit

Score: 10/10

This pumpkin carving kit is extremely impressive. Although not the cheapest kit, it comes with many blades and utensils to scoop out and carve your own jack-o-lantern pumpkin for Halloween.

All tools are stainless steel and of a durable, sturdy construction with comfortable plastic handles. The will withstand some tough use and will last many years, making this set a good investment.

All the tools come in a handy, zipped storage wallet to keep them clean, dry and safe. This is always handy as you will never lose a blade or scoop. The set also includes 3 paper stencils to make good Halloween designs ready for the spooky season. The wallet is in an attractive orange and black design, mimicking the pumpkin it will be used for. Overall, a great purchase.

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Categories
Children Games

24 children’s small hoops

Score: 10/10

This set of children’s hoops does exactly what it says on the tin – low-cost, plastic rings that children (and adults if they want to!) can use to play ring toss and other games.

The set comes with 24 rings all in varying sizes so there is a great choice of sizes to make games easier or more challenging. The colours are bright, vivid and appealing.

The plastic is substantially thick on these hoops so I believe they will wear well and be very durable. The perfect toys to make up your own games with and have fun.

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Categories
Children Tech

Talking flash cards with reader for British English

Score: 5/10

I received this Talking flash card set, that boasts 224 words, so that my wife could use it with any English as an Additional Language children in the nursery where she works as a learning aid.

The reader, featuring a cute cat design, is very appealing and a good size and weight for little hands. It comes with lots of cards featuring 224 words as advertised. We chose this version as it specifically mentioned that it was designed for British English. It contains words for animals, including the sounds they make, objects, foods and drinks and many other categories.

On the whole, this card set works very well and does what it describes. When you insert a card, the reader says the word aloud, teaching the child using it what the picture is named. The reason I have given it such a poor rating is because, as specifically described as a British English set, some words are pronounced strangely and many cards are American English not British. For example: eggplant instead of aubergine, agitator truck instead of cement mixer, backhoe instead of digger and subway instead of underground or tube. This aside, the reader works as it should and is still a valuable tool, just be mindful if you are British that a few words don’t translate.

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