I absolutely love this time of year – and not just because it’s my birthday month! All my favourite TV shows start up again which unfortunately means that I’ll be struggling to focus on my Uni work for a little while! So I thought I’d let you know about the shows I’m rewatching in anticipation for the new seasons starting soon or which ones have already started and I’m loving.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Okay, so I’m also rewatching this because I’m determined to get my housemate invested in it so I have someone to watch it with when the new season starts again. This show is odd in so many ways and is the sort of thing that you finish watching and then wonder what it is exactly you’ve just watched and then suddenly one day, you find you’ve binge watched the entire series and you need the new one in your life, like yesterday. I’m not sure how to describe this show other than it’s quite eccentric and weird but in an adorable way and it tackles some subjects that are considered taboo in the TV world like mental health and sexuality. Oh, and there’s singing!
Chicago Med
I’m not going to lie to you, but I started watching this show purely because I found out that Colin Donnell was it in. Because, let’s face it, he is a very dreamy man. This is obviously a medical drama, which might be my favourite type of TV show and at first I wasn’t sold. Like I say I was primarily watching it for just one person, but the more I watched I slowly got invested. It’s the sort of show that you can really easily drop in and out of and I often found myself putting it on when I needed to watch something that didn’t require me to actually concentrate too much. I found the first episode of season 2 a little slow for my liking – but I’m going to stick with it, if for nothing else other than being able to see Mr Donnell’s dreamy face!
Greys’ Anatomy
Yes this is another medical drama, what can I say?! Greys’ is probably the longest series that I’ve stuck with with this year being season 13. First thing first, (SPOILERS!) I still miss Derek and stand by that fact that I think something is missing from the show. HOWEVER, that being said I’m slowly getting just as invested as I was before. April and Jackson finally have their baby and I’m hoping that they’ll realise they are both hopelessly in love still. I also love the fact that this series has claimed that it’s going to focus on Meredith and Alex’s relationship more, which I can say has already started to happen and I hope it continues for the rest of time.
The Flash
I’m going to be completely honest with you here – I binge watched both seasons in about a week. I just couldn’t stop watching – I love everyone on it and the storyline is amazing. While I don’t think it’s as gritty as other ‘Superhero’ shows like Arrow for instance, but it does have a slightly darker undertone than I was expecting and I love it. Grant Gustin is just absolutely adorable and I can’t help but smile whenever he does because he may just have the most adorable grin! If you didn’t know this show features Barry Allen who gets struck by lightening and then becomes the fastest man alive. Its hilarious, heart-warming but will sometimes rip your heart from your chest and stamp on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0l7iGKh8g
Brooklyn Nine Nine
It was actually my brother that got me into this show, before that it was one that I never really paid much attention too because I just didn’t think it would be my cup of tea. Now, don’t get me wrong – it did take me a while to get into it but what I really love about it is that first and foremost its a comedy. I usually find shows like this tend to find themselves a little too seriously and try to force relationships and drama down your throat. This is different, at the core its a comedy about a group of co-workers who are essentially one big dysfunctional family!
Strictly Come Dancing
I love this, its definitely a guilty pleasure of mine! There is just something great about sitting down on a saturday night after dinner, with a cup of tea and watching celebrities try their very best to not fall over their own feet. I would absolutely love to be able to learn to dance like this, but I don’t think I have the patience so I really admire the people that get involved and throw everything they have into it. Plus, some of the contestants are surprisingly very very good.
Featured Image – SpoilerTV
What's In My Bag – October 2016.
I am usually a very big fan of big bags! Usually because I like to fill them with useless things that I’m convinced I may at some point need. (I never do!) However, when I saw this is the shop I found how small it was quite cute. It isn’t so small that you can’t fit in the essentials, but it is definitely not a bag I would use to uni. This one is from New Look for £17.99 and can be found here.
First I have my purse, which is also from New Look (I can’t find this one online, but this is a similar one.) and I like that it’s big enough for all of my cards but is still quite slim. Then we have my keys, earphones, a pen because I’m a writer and always make sure I have a pen on me, and since starting my new meds that make me very snacky I tend to try and carry a snack around with me!
That blue folder you can see has all of my medical information in, after far too many trips to the hospital where they have struggled to find my information I realised that carrying my own set of notes helped speed some things up an awful lot. I also tend to carry some sort of lip balm, hand cream and anti-bacterial gel. I particularly like this anti-bac because it doesn’t have a very strong alcoholic smell to it and isn’t sticky. I’m also loving this hand cream because it smells like peppermint which I love and it sinks into the skin very quickly. I also have my soap and glory pouch which holds some meds, hairbands and plasters. I prefer to keep them all in one place so that they don’t get lost in the bottom of my bag and this pouch is the perfect size!
So there you have it, everything that I have in my bag, which is surprising considering I usually like to pack everything but the kitchen sink! What are the essentials you always pack in your bag?
Whats In My Bag – Library Edition.
I’m not going to lie to you – during my first year I avoided the library like the plague and only step foot inside to print off my assignments. However, I have since learnt what an actual godsend the library can be. I spent a good portion of my second year in the library, whether that was with a group or just on my own but I found that there was no where I worked better. So I thought I’d show you what I end up packing in my bag when I decide to have a little library sesh!
I almost always take my laptop with me because thats where I’ll have my assignments written and I prefer doing work on my laptop than the library computers because I can save everything on my laptop and take it home with me. Plus it’s always hard finding a free computer in the library unless you go at silly o’clock in the morning! But that brings me onto my next essential. CHARGERS! You wouldn’t believe that amount of times I’ve gone to the library and forgotten my chargers and ended up leaving because of a dead laptop and phone. So these are essentials! I always take my purse because, without fail, I will buy multiple hot drinks to help get me through long sessions. That being said I always try to take a snack with me for when I need to have a little break and a little boost. The anit-bacterial gel, lip balm, earphones, and tiny purse filled with my meds and other bits and bobs like hairbands and plasters are bits that I always carry with me.
Yes I know – thats a lot of pens. I may have a slight obsession. I always take a selection because I never know what mood I’m going to be in and I tend to use certain colours for certain sections or when I’m editing! I usually take an assortment of fine liners, felt-tips, highlighters and gel pens!
I always take the notebooks for the subject of work I’m going to be doing because I like to keep all my notes in the same place. Then I’ll take flash cards and post-its to mark important places in books as well as making summary notes. I also take some sticky tabs to help mark chapters that I have to read as well as some colourful tape to help highlight important notes!
Finally I’ll take my diary because I like to able to write down appointments, meetings and assignment dates as soon as I know about them so that I don’t forget about them. I’ll also write in there what reading I need to get done and when I need to get it done by as well as when I need to start working on assignments and work.
So that’s it, that’s everything I take with me when I go to the library. It seems like a lot but I tend to go to the library for a fair few hours at a time so I like to be covered for whatever I might need so that I can settle in for a long session.
Let me know what your library essentials are and whether you take as many pens as I do!
SourcedBox – September 2016.
I’ve done a few of these reviews before but for anyone who doesn’t know, SourcedBox is a monthly box delivered to your door filled with snacks and treats to try. They tend to always be suitable for vegetarians, or are gluten-free and free from added sugars or preservatives. I haven’t yet had a box that hasn’t impressed me and I’m excited to try everything in this months box.
Bilberry & Lingonberry Birch Water – Tapped £37.50 (15 bottles)
I was very dubious about this, I kinda felt like there was so much hype about it that I wouldn’t like it but I was wrong. This has a really nice taste to it, even though I have no idea what a bilberry or lingonberry is supposed to taste like. I also found it tasted very fresh, but that may have just been because it was supposed to. But I thought it was very refreshing and on a hot day would definitely do the job to quench your thirst. However considering the price, I think I’m going too stick to the waters out of my taps.
Rhubarb and Ginger Tea – Teapigs £3.99 (15 teabags)
I love herbal tea, but this isn’t my favourite. I’m not sure what it is about it that I don’t like about it, but I wasn’t a fan of the smell so I think that put me off from the get go. I usually really enjoy tea that has ginger in but this one didn’t really have enough in for my taste. That being said, I have had other flavours from the Teapigs range and have really enjoyed them, so I feel this one just wasn’t for me.
Quinoa Sprinkles – Louola’s Superfood £7.50
I’ve yet to try these, but I can’t wait to try these on my cereal. I think it’ll give it a bit f extra crunch and obviously has nutritional benefits too. After looking on the website, they do a few different flavours and they even do a selection of trying pots similar to the one I received, which I think is a great idea!
Green Raisin and Bareberries Promix – Wyldsson £10.99
I had a handful of these, and really enjoyed the taste! They reminded me a little of the Whitworths Shots which are a very similar concept. Although these seemed to have a better ratio of nut – fruit than the Whitworths. I’m not allowed to eat a lot of nuts, so these will last me ages as a little snack or sprinkled over cereal.
Berry The Rage Bar – Hangry Food Co. £10 (box of 6)
I unfortunately couldn’t eat this but I gave it to my mum to try and while she liked it, she prefers the Naked bars. It wasn’t as fruity as she imagined and was a little bit too nutty. She’d be open to trying a different flavour but the Naked bars still stand victorious in our house.
Wild Orange Bar – Pana Chocolate £3.20
Okay so I’m not really sure how I felt about these. They were a bit too soft for my liking and left an odd aftertaste in my mouth. However, I gave my mum the other square and she really liked it, so I think it maybe wasn’t sweet enough or didn’t have a strong enough orange taste for my liking.
Oat & Bilberry Cookies – The Beginnings
I just have to say that I love the little box these come in. I’m definitely a sucker for pretty packaging, I’m terrible when I go shopping because I’ll get sidetracked and end up picking up things that look pretty. These were a it confusing at first, they sort of reminded me of flapjacks but had the texture of a buttery biscuits. Being completely honest, I loved them. I’ve been gluten-free for a few months now and have struggled finding gluten-free biscuits that weren’t dry or just taste a bit stale, but these are my definite new number one choice. I couldn’t find a UK website for these, and I haven’t seen them around anywhere, so hopefully I’ll find where to buy them soon because I need to put in a huge order!
Chocolate Halo Thins – Sweet Virtues £3.95
Now I don’t usually like dark chocolate, but these are amazing! They are incredibly thin (obviously Taylor, read the name again) so they feel like a cheeky little snack. I can imagine after too many that I’d start to feel a little sick, but I think they’d be the perfect snack while watching a movie and having a little evening snack. I got the yerba mate and lemon ones, I have to say they don’t taste much like lemon to me and I’m not sure what yerba mate is but I think I like it!
Banana Crisps – Emily Fruit Crisps £1.49
So you know what I was saying about pretty packaging? This definitely fits the bill. How lovely do these look? No I have had banana crisps before and quite enjoyed them, so I felt like these were always going to be a winner. And I was right. These are awesome as just a little snack on the go or I think they would be amazing as a cereal topping.
Salted Caramel Bliss Balls – Halo Wholefoods £4.95 (1 bag of 6 balls)
I didn’t like these at all. I’ve yet to find a protein ball that I like, these were just too nutty for my liking! I also didn’t find they tasted like salted caramel in the slightest which was the biggest let down. But I’m still going to keep searching for a protein ball that I, at the very least, don’t mind. If you have any suggestions, leave me a comment and let me know, I’m all ears.
Coconut Oil – Cocofina £9.48 (12 Sachets)
When I first saw this in the box I was a little confused. But when I found the recipe card at the bottom of the box it made much more sense. The recipe card is for a ‘Japanese Mushroom Miso Hot Pot’ from Niomi Smart’s new cookbook Eat Smart and they’ve included the coconut oil to encourage you to get the the rest of the ingredients. It looks absolutely divine and I cannot wait to try it.
My Favourite Spoken Word Poems.
I have loved spoken word for as long as I can remember! I have a YouTube playlist that has near on 300 videos of Spoken Word poem that I love. I can easily get sucked in and before I know it, I’ve watched three hours worth of videos and I’ve been super unproductive, but it’s always worth it because afterwards I always feel so inspired. So I’ve decided to compile my absolute favourites to share with you in the hopes of more people being able to appreciate the art of spoken word. Enjoy!
Sarah Kay – If I Should Have A Daughter
Phil Kaye – Beginning, Middle & End
Sabrina Benaim – Explaining My Depression To My Mum
Jeanann Verlee – Unsolicited Advice to Adolescent Girls with Crooked Teeth and Pink Hair
Rudy Francisco – A Lot Like You
Guante – Ten Responses to the Phrase ‘Man Up’
Charlotte Higgins – Auto-Complete
Rives – If I Controlled the Internet
Rives – Mockingbird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ0FNsEsDCE
Matt Mason – Notes for my Daughters Against Chasing Storms
How Being Diagnosed With A Chronic Illness Changed Who I Am.
‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light’ – Dumbledore
When you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness, it doesn’t come with a guide. I had no one in my life that I could talk to that really got what I was going through. So I turned to online friends. There is an abundance of people online who are ready and willing to talk and help as much as they can. So I thought I’d share a little ramble about how being diagnosed with a chronic illness has impacted my life in ways I didn’t even think were possible. I hope that it might help someone who has questions or is worried they are the only ones who feel like they don’t have a clue what is going on. I promise you, you’re doing an amazing job!
Sudden body & mentality changes
Being on steroids for 8 weeks meant that I put on a lot of weight, I suddenly had terrible skin and my hair started to fall out. And even after being off the steroids for over two months, I’m still struggling with my skin, trying to maintain my weight and trying, with not much success, to stop the hair loss. The mood swings I experienced on certain medications were horrific. One minute I’d be happy-go-lucky and seconds later I felt like I could break down in tears. It was a huge shock to my system and I hated feeling like I wasn’t in control of the way I felt anymore. Luckily I’m now on meds which help control that and I have more good days than bad but it’s hard knowing that sometimes you’re not in control of the way you feel and there’s nothing you can do to change that.
Makes me question everything I do
Simple things, like popping to the shop, unfortunately aren’t that simple for me anymore. It can take all of my energy just to get dressed and some days I can’t stray too far from my bathroom so the idea of leaving the house becomes laughable. Going out for the day means I have to think about how long I’ll realistically be able to sit in a car, when and where I’m going to be able to eat and whether I’ll even have the energy to last the whole day without a nap. The first thing I do now whenever I go anywhere, is to make a mental note of where all the toilets and places to eat are. Things that I never had to really think about or question before have suddenly become my number one priority and sometimes its super hard to explain that to people.
Become aware of how different things affect me
Sometimes eating or drinking something that doesn’t agree with me can mean that I end up suffering for a few days or even a few weeks. I have brand new limitations and I’m still coming to terms with that. I can’t walk as far or for as long as I used to, I can get tired from just walking down the stairs, my body aches in a way I never thought possible, I sometimes struggle to stay focused and on really bad days I have huge mental blocks and struggle to even talk to people. I’ve never experienced anything like this before, and it’s even harder to deal with when people just assume if you’ll take your meds you’ll be fine. It’s never that simple.
Changed who I am
I have such a different mentality to that of a year ago and that’s had a huge impact on my life. I see everything differently now, everything comes with some form of an obstacle. I’ve had to learn to respect my limits and not push them and sometimes I’m not the upbeat, outgoing person I used to be. It’s frustrating knowing that something like an illness can change almost everything about you.
However, and I know this might be hard to believe, I have found some positives in this dark place we call chronic illness. When I look back over the last 6 months I notice glimmers of light and hope all of the place, it really is amazing to see how much can change, especially for the better, in such a short amount of time.
Appreciate time with family & friends
On super crappy days where I literally cannot get out of bed, I end up having to cancel plans that I’ve sometimes had for weeks. This means it can be hard to stay in touch with my close friends and family. However, because of this, I appreciate the time I do spend with them so much more. I have some of the most amazing friends, even though they live miles away and I won’t see any of them for another month, that have been so so supportive and just make me even more excited and much less nervous about going back to university. Every moment I get to spend with my family I am so thankful for, because they have been my rock through all of this and they have been nothing but supportive. Sure on the bad days I have to explain that they are going to have to be patient with me because I’m having a slow day, but they always are. They always listen to what I need and always try to help in any way they can, and most of the time the only thing I need is for them to be there waiting for me to have a good day.
Learnt how important it is to be open and honest
I’ve always been the sort of person who kept how they felt to themselves or put others first. The last few months this has had to change. Every day I have to consider how I’m feeling both physically and mentally. Sometimes something as little as popping to the shops could be the difference between me getting home and showering or going straight to bed. People don’t understand that sometimes even getting into the shower and washing my hair can feel like a mammoth task. But I’m learning how to tell people how I’m feeling and if I need something in particular. It’s mostly small things like letting people know that I’m having a bit of a slow day so if I’m quiet or seem to be a bit out of it, I’m not being rude, it’s because I’m having a rough day and there isn’t much I can do or asking people to slow down if they are walking too fast because I physically can’t keep up. Being able to be this open with people has been amazing and has helped me to no end. I’ve realised that unless you’re honest with people about if you’re struggling or having a particularly bad day there is no way for them to help you.
Made me realise how strong I am
There have been a fair few days over the last few months where I’ve woken up and wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and cry myself back to sleep. But I don’t because that wouldn’t help me. Don’t get me wrong if I’m having a bad day then I’ll let myself just chill and won’t pressure myself to get anything done. But I make sure that I still get up and shower, I make sure I eat, talk to my friends and watch my favourite movies. While I’m not doing anything that will make me feel worn out or feel any worse, I’m still engaging and doing things that make me happy. Now I know that I’m stronger than my bad days, this is my life now so I have to do everything I can to make the adjustments I need to make my life feel normal again and try to get back to the place and the person I was before all this happened.
Changed who I am
Yes, I know I’ve already said this but hear me out. Yes it has changed who I am and in many ways it doesn’t feel like its been a great thing but there are moments when I feel like its been one of the best things. I see things so differently now and I know that I’m going to have to work a bit harder to get the things I want in life, but I’m ready for that, I’m willing to put in that bit of extra fight because this disease in no way dictates who I am or how I’m going to live my life. I refuse to let this disease control me because I control it. It has made me strive harder to reach my goals and made me more determined to do the things I want to do. Its made me so much more compassionate to people because I understand now how something like being ill can effect you both mentally and physically. I see every day as a new challenge, and sometimes I’m not up to the challenge and that’s okay but some days I smash even my own expectations and that’s an absolutely awesome feeling. I amaze myself daily by overcoming tiny milestones on this new journey and that makes me so proud. So in some ways I’m thankful for everything that’s happened to me over the last few months because I’m the happiest I’ve been in the longest time and that is definitely not something to cry about.
Feature Image – Twitter
Top 10 Favourite Shows.
Gossip Girl
I think this may have been one of the first ‘girly’ TV series’ that I fell in love with. I remember buying the first season on DVD and watching it all within a matter of days and then I stopped watching it. It’s the sort of series that I went through fits and farts with, I would binge watch a few seasons on Netflix and then not watch another episode for months. So it took me a super long time to finish the whole series, but it was so worth it. It has everything you could ever want; drama, love, scandals and clothes. Oh lord the clothes!
Friends
I will watch this series until the day I die. I laugh every single time I watch it even though I’ve watched through the whole thing at least a dozen times. Whenever I’m having a rough day or I just need some easy viewing, I will always put Comedy Central on and guaranteed this is on. I love that you can pretty much start anywhere in the series and it will still make sense. Chandler is my spirit animal for sure, I wish I was as fashionable as Rachel but I know that I’m probably as annoying and obsessive as Monica.
The Vampire Diaries/The Originals
I have a love/hate relationship with this show. I loved the first season of The Vampire Diaries but the second one? To me was a bit blah, and I kind of gave up on it. Then I found the books and I adored them! I think I managed to get through the first 4 books within a few weeks. So I decided to give it another try, I powered through and ended up realising it wasn’t too bad. I was sort of over the soppy love story between Elena and Stefan, I really disliked Bonnie and most of the story lines were very slow burners. However, the longer I stuck with it, there was more I ended up liking. I loved the relationship between Elena and Damon, Bonnie in season 4 and 5 is pretty amazing and I really found myself rooting for Caroline and Stefan.
Then we come to the Originals, which I adore. I think it’s a lot darker than TVD and its definitely bold in the moves it makes. We follow the ‘original’ vampires when they try and reclaim the city of New Orleans. I love the story in this, there isn’t a character I dislike and every single season finale has had me blubbering like a baby. The writing is beautiful and, while we are lead to dislike him as the villain in TVD, we learn why Klaus is as dark and twisted as he is and I found myself hoping he’d win every single time. And just a quick mention of Elijah, who may be my favourite person because he is super charming and dashingly handsome and even though he has been betrayed by his family so many times, will stop at absolutely nothing to defend them and keep them safe.
Hells Kitchen
I love Gordon Ramsay. I admire him and respect him and I love everything he’s ever done. I’ve watched every show he’s ever done and loved all of them, but Hell’s Kitchen is by far my favourite. You can really see how dedicated he is to finding and moulding the best chef. Also, he has some amazing one liners that absolutely make my day!
Will & Grace
Okay, so, confession time. I have not completed this series yet. I know! I’m a terrible person. The show ended years ago, so you’d think I’d have caught up by now. But the only time I really watch it, is in the early hours of the morning when it’s on Channel 4. I love everything about this show, the characters, the relationships they have and the humour is so on point, even now! Karen has me in stitches every time I watch this and is easily my favourite character!
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is something I’ll watch religiously and then suddenly not watch for years and then suddenly have to marathon to catch up. It is so clever and the story lines are fantastic. While I haven’t always enjoyed the characters they have introduced, the majority of them are a win for me. Spencer is by far my favourite, because he’s so clever and nerdy and sometimes I just want to hug him and make all the pain go away. (Yes, I’m aware he’s fictional, thank you very much.) I remember buying the box set of the first five seasons and watching them religiously and then I stopped. Then a few years later I caught up with the season I’d missed and then I stopped. And then last summer I sat down to catch up and realised somehow I was 4 seasons behind and the new season started that October. But somehow I pushed through and managed to catch up in time. It’s not a series I would recommend doing as I did and leaving long gaps between watching because sometimes the story lines are so in depth and intricate that I would forget what had happened before. But for something super witty and so superbly and cleverly written, this is the one I typically turn to.
Ugly Betty
Oh Ugly Betty. This was the sort of series that everyone at school would talk about. I used to watch it with my mum every week and would freak out about if I missed an episode. It’s such an empowering show with such a great message for young girls. You don’t have to change who you are to make friends or do well. If you have a dream you can reach it, if only just by believing you can, because sometimes the only person who believes in you, is you. Sometimes I like to pick the series up again because it makes me chuckle and the characters are fantastic. Heres hoping that one day they’ll let us know what Betty’s up to.
Grey’s Anatomy
Yes yes yes. I have been a fan of this show for years now. I can’t even remember when I started watching it, but I have converted many people into fans over the years. I love every single person who is on it, although sometimes it takes a re-watch for them to really grow on me, I’m looking at you Addison. But there is so much heart in this show and you very quickly get invested into the characters and their stories. Although, be warned, there are a fair few deaths in this show so be warned there will also be many tears while watching it.
Chuck
What a surprise, it’s something that features Zachary Levi. I watched this show when I was going through a bit of a rough patch during my first year of university. It is funny and nerdy and witty and the characters are all extremely loveable. I love the love story in it, because it isn’t shoved in your face during every episode. I really hope that one day we’re told how Chuck and Sarah are doing, heres hoping for a movie!
Supernatural
THIS! I fangirled so so hard over this show. (Okay, I still do.) Sam and Dean are quite possibly my favourite characters from any show ever. I know that’s a pretty hefty claim, but there is so much to love about them, Sam’s a huge closet nerd, Dean is hilarious and there is so so much heart behind the show. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some later seasons that, in my opinion, weren’t as good as the first few seasons, but with the new season that heart is definitely back and the bond between the two brothers is stronger than ever. I promise if you start to watch it and stick it out until the end, you will not regret it.
Featured Image – tv.com
My TBR List – September.
I have so so so many books that I need to get to reading! I definitely have what most people would probably call an addiction to buying books. However, this month I have set myself the task of trying to actually get through some of the books that have been on my TBR (To Be Read) pile for far too long.
A Court of Thorns & Roses – Sarah J. Maas
‘Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.’
This is about a huntress called Feyre who, after killing a wolf in the woods, gets a visit from a beast-like creature who demands retribution. She is then taken to a land only spoken of in legends and knows she is in trouble. She lives in this land with a lethal, immortal faerie, one of whom once ruled over her world. I haven’t gotten far enough into this story to really comment on it, but I do really enjoy the writing style. I really like the character of Feyre who is fearless and would do anything to protect her family, having promised her mother before her death. I will be interested to see how the rest of this story plays out, especially because one of the main reasons I bought it was because of the comparisons to the fairy-tale Beauty and the Beast. I look forward to seeing if this is true and, if so, how the friendship between Feyre and the faerie she live with develops.
Illuminae – Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
‘I am frequently underestimated. I think it’s because I’m short.’
Okay, so I bought this book because of how it’s written and laid out. It’s written in a series of emails and mission report and I love things like this. Because of how it’s written, when I do pick it up I do get through it fairly quickly, so I think if I sat down one afternoon I would probably finish it very easily. We follow Kady and Ezra, who have recently broken up, just before their planet is invaded. They both board separate ships so communicate through emails. From what I’ve heard there’s also a plague that’s broken out and lots of lies. It also includes hacked documents like schematics, military files, medical reports and interviews. The reason I put it down was because I found it difficult to connect with the characters and I think this is mostly to do with the writing style, but I’m going to try and push through and finish it this month.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through he Looking-Glass – Lewis Carroll
‘”Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
“I don’t much care where – “
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”‘
We all surely know the story of Alice in Wonderland. I’ve made quite a big effort to try and read more classics because that was the genre I’ve always fallen short with. I started this book about a month ago and for some reason, just decided to put it down and not finish it. I definitely think that this is the sort of book I could easily finish in one sitting so hopefully this will be one of the first ones I finish this month. Plus, how pretty is this edition?
Landline – Rainbow Rowell
‘I love you more than I hate everything else.’
I love Rainbow Rowell. I finished all of her other books within days of starting them because I just couldn’t put them down. I got this book when it first came out and I made it through a few chapters and put it down because it didn’t grab me like her other books had. It’s about a marriage in trouble and follows Georgie’s inner turmoil as she decides not to go on a family Christmas trip and feels like she has finally pushed her marriage past breaking point. Then she finds a way to communicate with Neal in the past, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage. I think this is going to be a hard one for me to finish because I still remember feeling quite disappointed with it when I first picked it up, but I’m hoping it gets better as it gets further into the story because I absolutely love everything that’s come from Rainbow Rowell before.
Carry On – Rainbow Rowell
‘You have to pretend you get an endgame. You have to carry on like you will; otherwise, you can’t carry on at all.’
I was so excited about this book. I still am. For anyone who has read Rowell’s other book Fan Girl, they will also have been excited. In Fan Girl, we follow the main character and her obsession with a fictional book series called Simon Snow. The book included excerpts of the books as well as excerpts of fan fiction written for the series. And then the amazing announcement came that Rowell was actually going to write a book from the Simon Snow series that had featured in Fan Girl. It’s a book series about magic and ghosts and vampires, it had me hooked from the beginning. Unfortunately, I bought this book around the time I hit my reading slump, so very quickly after picking it up, it was put back down again. But I remember enjoying what I did read, so hopefully this won’t be such a hard one for me to pick up again.
August Favourites.
Carte Noire Latte Macchiato Caramel
Okay, so I may be slightly obsessed with my Tassimo coffee maker but I used to just have hot chocolate or the bog standard Costa Americano. Then I realised they offered more ‘speciality’ coffees. My absolute favourite is the Costa Caramel Latte but they’ve been sold out absolutely everywhere. So I thought I’d give the Carte Noire version a go and I have to say that I’m fairly impressed. While Costa will always be my absolute fave, for this month and until Morrisons decides to get more in stock, these are my go-to coffee at the moment!
Hand in Hand – Lindsay Mendez
Now I am a huge fan of musicals and I often to listening to soundtracks from musicals on repeat. I recently found the Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Live album and it has been stuck on repeat all month, I’ve even found my brother humming along to some of tunes. My favourite is by far this one! It has THE catchiest tune ever and I always find myself singing along.
Crazy Ex Girlfriend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAaRQezoIAg
This! How did I not just on this before. It has everything! Relatable characters, a ton of funnies and musical numbers throughout! The show follows Rebecca who moves from New York to West Corvina after bumping into her old ex from summer camp and everything that comes along with that. The cast is made up of broadway stars so they can all hold a tune and the songs are hilarious. The theme song in itself is super catchy. This is my new favourite show to binge watch and I cannot wait for the new season.
Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
I have got the driest hand in the world! (Exaggeration? Maybe.) I’ve never really had dry hands before, and no matter what I’ve tried they just seemed to get even drier and horrible and gross. I then found this at the bottom of my make up drawer and decided to give it a go. And it is fantastic. My hands are so soft and are no longer dry, I really like the slight minty smell it has although my mum said it reminded her of toothpaste! If you’ve got super dry hands, I would definitely recommend this, I literally carry it everywhere now!
Family and friends
This has been a big month in terms of reconnecting with my family and friends. I had a family day out with my two nephews which may have been the best day I’ve had in a very long time and it was lovely to connect with my family in a way I haven’t in a very long time and I’ve realised just how much I’ve missed it and need that in my life. Then one of my best friends came down form Leicester for a visit and after not seeing each other for a few months it was lovely to catch up and just spend some quality time together and just chill. I’ve realised how important it is to keep the people you care about close to you because they help me appreciate every day and they are always there when I need someone to lean on and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
My Month In Music.
She Sets the City on Fire – Gavin DeGraw
I love love LOVE everything that Gavin DeGraw has ever done, so I was super hyped to find out that he was releasing a new single and I was not disappointed! This is super catchy and I loved everything about this. Now, admittedly I prefer when he does things that are perhaps a little bit more raw and slow, like ‘Solider’ or ‘Dancing Shoes’ but for a summer tune this is great!
Can’t Stop The Feeling – Justin Timberlake
Talking of summer tunes, is this not just the perfect summer song. It’s so upbeat and happy and just makes me want to dance every time I hear it. Plus, I love Justin Timberlake so to have some new music from him is great.
The Left Side of the Moon – Zachary Levi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REJm1jvtHR0
We all know how obsessed I am with everything that Zachary Levi does and this is no exception. I love finding new recordings of things he’s done and I happened to stumble across this gem this month. Its got a lovely jazzy, bluesy feel to it which I absolutely love. This is what I call easy listening music and I would love for him to release a whole jazz album. An idea for you, Mr Levi, perhaps?
Sun Don’t Let Me Down – Keith Urban
I’ve been a fan of Keith Urban for as long as I can remember. I can easily spend days on end listening to his albums on repeat and I wouldn’t get sick of it ever. And this is no exception. It’s very chilled and has a beat that makes me dance in my chair as I type this. While at first I thought it was a bit odd that it featured Pitbull, but after a few listens it really grew on me and I love it.
Chainsaw – Nick Jonas
Nick Jonas has always been a firm favourite in my playlists, whether as Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas And The Administration or on his own. This is one of my favourites from his new solo album. I like that he’s done a more mellow slow song in the midst of all his very poppy dancey music. It reminds me of all the great old school Jonas stuff.
Jeremy Jordan & Andy Mientus – If I Had You
I kid you not, I have listened to this everyday for the whole month. I love Jeremy Jordan and when I found this video I instantly fell in love. It’s catchy and features the smooth voice of Jeremy Jordan and Andy Mientus. (Both of whom feature in superhero shows which means I’m immediately a fan!) After I’ve listened to this I find myself singing it for the rest of the day and then getting sucked into watching as many videos of the two of them singing and before I know it, it’s five hours later and I’ve not done anything productive!
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