What I've Been Watching: Christmas Edition

As I have mentioned already, I like Christmas quite a lot. I have my favourite Christmas movies that I watch every year, usually multiple times, but I do try out some new ones each year. I thought it might be fun to share the Christmas movies, and TV show, I have watched so far this holiday season.

Let It Snow - This is the Netflix adaptation of the novel by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. I read the book last year and enjoyed it, so I was super excited that this was being adapted. This follows a group of teenagers in a small town during a Christmas Eve snowstorm. I actually ended up being a little disappointed by this film. It wasn't a bad film, but it almost felt like nothing really happened. It had its cute moments and a few festive bits, but probably not one I'm likely to watch again.

A Christmas Switch - This is basically a Christmas version of Freaky Friday. Two completely different women end up in the others body and have to live their life during the holiday season. If I'm being honest, this wasn't that great. It's obviously a concept that has been done many times before, but this wasn't done very well. I wouldn't recommend this one.

Merry Happy Whatever - Unlike anything I have seen before, this was a Netflix Christmas show. The story itself is not unusual, a girl brings her boyfriend home to meet the family and it doesn't go quite as smoothly as everyone hoped. I wasn't loving it after the first episode but decided to keep going and I'm really glad I did. I ended up really enjoying it and got pretty invested in the story. I would definitely recommend giving this a watch.

Christmas In The Heartland - This is another switching movie! In this one, two teenagers on their way to spend Christmas with grandparents they have never met decide to switch places. This was a pretty average teen movie that I almost gave up on. It really wasn't great to start with, the acting was bad and the story was slow, but it did get better. It was very predictable and even more cheesy than the usual Christmas movies. However, it wasn't terrible and I did find it quite sweet in the end.

A Bad Moms Christmas - I watched Bad Moms a few years ago and really enjoyed it so it was nice to finally get around to watching the Christmas sequel. This movie follows the three mothers from the first movie who have to deal with the stress of the Christmas season, but with their own mothers turning up to add to the madness. I really enjoyed this, though not as much as the first, and thought it was a super fun Christmas movie. Although I am not a mother, I thought it was super relatable at showcasing the stress of Christmas, while most other movies like to paint the picture of a perfect, stress free holiday season. The cast is great, the plot is never dull and pretty funny, and there is a nice heartfelt message to it as well.

A Christmas Prince - This was probably the biggest surprise of the Christmas movies I have watched this year. It follows a reporter who is sent to write a story about a Prince and ends up under cover as a tutor in the palace. I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting to. It was pretty predictable but it was also really sweet. I enjoyed the story and ended up quite invested in the relationship. There are another two movies in this series available on Netflix and I can't wait to check them out.

That is everything Christmassy I have watched so far this year, well except all of my usual favourites. I will for sure be watching more in the next couple of days, so they will most likely feature in a future What I've Been Watching post.

Do you have any Christmas movie recommendations for me?

Sophie :)

Four Christmas Book Recommendations

I love books, I love Christmas, of course I love Christmas books! I've read a few Christmas/holiday themed books over the last few years, some hits but also some definite misses. I thought, since were getting pretty close to Christmas, I would share some of my favourites that I have read over recent years.

(full disclosure: I haven't actually read all of these, they were just the only Christmas books I had to hand)

1. My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins

This is an anthology filled with 12 amazing holiday stories written by popular YA authors, edited by Stephanie Perkins. These stories cover a variety of holidays, not just Christmas, and feature some of the most adorable couples. I haven't read this since 2015, so I definitely need to reread it soon. I do have a full review, in which I go into detail about each individual story, if you want to know more.

2. Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

I read this one last year, after putting it off for a while after hearing some mixed reviews, and ended up really enjoying it. This book features three interconnected stories taking place during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town. I absolutely loved Maureen Johnson's story, really liked John Green's story, and thought Lauren Myracle's story was just okay. As a whole though, this was a really fun, super sweet book that definitely got me in the Christmas spirit.

3. The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

This is another one I read last year and was a real surprise for me. It's a little bit odd, and took me a bit to get into, but I ended up loving it. It follows a man who struggles to juggle work and home life and claims he needs to be two places at once, who meets a homeless man outside his office and gets him a job. However, everything isn't quite as it seems. It's a great story, with a hint of fantasy/paranormal that Cecelia Ahern does so well, that has a really great message.

4. What Light by Jay Asher

As I write this I am in the process of rereading this one to see if I still love it quite as much as I did back in 2016. This is about a girl who essentially lives two lives - one during the majority of the year at her family's Christmas tree farm in Oregon, and another at Christmas at their tree lot in California. One Christmas she meets a boy, who of course has a bed reputation, and begins to fall for him. I thought this was the most adorable Christmas read.

What Christmas books would you recommend I check out next?

Sophie :)

What I've Been Watching Recently Part 1

I haven't posted an update on the movies and TV shows I've been watching for the longest time, so I thought it was about time I did just that. I found that when my life was pretty crazy I reached for the remote rather than a book, so I have quite a lot to cover and will need to do this in two parts. This isn't in any kind of order because I can't remember all the way back to April!

Friends Seasons 5-7 - As I have said before, I have watched this show so many times but never every episode in order so I have been rewatching it in order slowly over the year. I have always and will always love this show! Season 5 onwards are my favourite seasons so I have really been loving watching them again. 

The Last Summer -  This is a Netflix movie that I decided to watch because it has KJ Apa in it, but I now can't remember anything else about it. I know it's a romantic comedy about four friends during the last summer before they go off to college. I liked it okay at the time but it is so forgettable that I forgot I even watched it. 

Glee Season 1 - I decided on a whim that I wanted to start rewatching Glee. I watched the first two seasons when it first aired and then gave up on it, so I wanted to give it another go. I am a huge musical theatre fan and am not averse to anything cheesy but Glee was just too much even for me. I forgot how cringey and just plain bad the first season of this show is. Honestly, I struggled to get through it. One of my friends absolutely loves the show and has convinced me it gets better, so I might try and keep going at some point.

Otherhood - This is another Netflix movie and another one I would say is pretty forgettable. It's about three mothers who decide to surprise their adult sons after they forget Mothers' Day. It is meant to be a comedy but I didn't really find it that entertaining at all. In fact, the only thing I really liked about it was Jack Lacy.

After - This was a total surprise. I wasn't going to watch it because I hadn't read the book and was considering doing so first, but in the end I just decided to watch it without reading the book first. I didn't know what to expect but I definitely didn't expect to love it as much as I did. This is, like I said, based on the book After by Anna Todd, and follows a 'good' girl who moves away to college and meets a 'bad' boy and of course she falls for him. It's nothing that hasn't been done before but I just thought it was so adorable and I was completely invested. 

Good Sam - This was another Netflix movie that I enjoyed slightly more than the others. It follows a reporter who is made to cover a story about people finding bags of money on their doorstep and she is trying to uncover who is doing it. This was a nice, sweet movie but it was quite predictable and is a storyline I have seen done better before. I would say it's a good feel-good movie but nothing super special.

The Good Place Season 3 - I was loving this and then stopped watching it for ages and I don't know why. I decided to finish off the third season in time for the fourth (which I still haven't started yet) and loved it just as much as the rest. If you don't already know, this is a series basically about the afterlife. It is absolutely hilarious and they have taken the show in so many weird and unexpected places, I can never tell what is coming next. I just think it's amazing and don't want it to have to end.

Someone Great - Yet another Netflix film, yet another disappointment. This is another romantic comedy following a girl who's long term boyfriend breaks up with her and her two best friends try to give her a good night to get her out of her depression that follows the breakup. I was expecting great things given the cast, but it fell flat for me. It was just like any other 'party' romcom and didn't do anything different of special. I didn't really enjoy it at all.

Falling Inn Love - So basically, I've been watching a lot of Netflix films this year. This was a sweet little romantic comedy about a girl who, after losing her job and boyfriend in the same week, wins an inn in New Zealand, which turns out to be needing a lot more work than first appeared. Obviously there is very nice to look at local who offers to help her with the work needing done and everyone knows where this is going. It was cute and had some pretty funny moments, but it was very predictable and I got a little bored.

Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past - I have no idea why I decided to watch this but it popped up on Netflix so I decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, this was just bad! It is about a 'womanizer' who is haunted by ghosts of former girlfriends during the lead up to his brother's wedding. I didn't find it funny, it was pretty boring and really feels like a waste of an hour and a bit.

Death In Paradise Season 7 - I somehow skipped a season and watched season 8 before 7, so I obviously had to go back and catch up. I love a murder mystery so this is the perfect show for me, plus is has some comedy mixed in to make it such a fun watch. Every episode is so clever, I am always being surprised and can never guess the ending. I will never get bored of this.

That was basically everything I have been watching on Netflix over the past few months. In part 2, I'll chat about the things I've been watching on all other platforms. Netflix seems to have been my go to recently.

Do you have any good Netflix recommendations for me?

Sophie :)

5 Books I Want To Read Before The End Of The Year

I haven't had the best reading year in 2019, as I have been so busy with everything else going on in my life to read as much as I would have liked. However, I am wanting to try and make up for that a little bit in the last few weeks of the year and read as many books as I can. There are some books that are high on the priority list to read before the year is over, so let's talk about them.

1. Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay - 

I mentioned this in the End Of The Year book tag as one that I definitely want to get to before the end of the year. I absolutely loved This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay and this is essential a festive follow-on to that. It is another 25 stories from Adam's time as a junior doctor in the NHS, but with a festive twist in that they are all Christmas stories. I can't wait to read this!

2. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare -

On every 'books I want to read before...' list I do, there is always a Cassandra Clare book. I finally read City Of Glass this year, after putting it off for a year, and I am reading Cassandra Clare's books in publication order, so this is the next one I need to get to. I have been saying that since February but I really do hope to get to it before the end of the year.

3. Christmas With The Bomb Girls by Daisy Styles -

This is the third book in a series I haven't read that was sent to me for review two years ago! I don't know why I accepted it for a start, but I also really should have read it before now. It is historical fiction, which isn't always my cup of tea, but it is also a Christmas book and it is no secret that I love Christmas. I'm going to give it a go, even though I haven't read the rest of the series and don't have a clue what it's about. 

4. Girl Made Of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake -

This was another one I mentioned in the End Of The Year book tag. I have heard so many people rave about this book for the past year and a half and haven't seen a single negative review. I am very intrigued to see if I enjoy it as much as everyone else seems to, so I'm really hoping to get to it before the end of the year. I think it has the potential, judging by all the opinions I have seen, to be a favourite of the year.

5. What Light by Jay Asher - 

Again, this is one I mentioned in the End Of The Year book tag. This is a reread, so I'm not sure if it really counts. I read this a few years ago and really loved it, but I have since seen a lot of negative reviews. I thought it was a really sweet, fun romance with some Christmas fun thrown in and I had a great time reading it. I really want to read it again and see if I have the same thoughts the second time around.

Let's be honest, there are only a couple of weeks left of the year so I'm most likely getting to none of these books before the end of the year, but sometimes it's nice to set unrealistic goals for yourself.

What books are you wanting to get to before the end of the year?

Sophie :)

October & November 2019 Wrap Up

So, apparently I wasn't quite as 'back' as I thought I would be. I'm definitely still trying to juggle work, life and blogging, but I'm getting there. I may not have my blogging life back to normal, but my reading life started to get back on track a little bit in October and November and I'm so happy about that. I'm definitely not back to reading as much as usual, and I really doubt I'll hit my Goodreads goal this year, but I'm glad I'm reading something. I read 3 books in October and 3 in November, so let's talk about them.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven -

I have had this on my shelf for the longest time but it is so crazy hyped that it put me off reading it, but I finally picked it up. This follows a boy and girl who meet on the ledge of the school bell tower and then become connected through a school project. People seem to either love this book or hate it, but I seem to be somewhere in the middle. I found the characters to be pretty bland, as though Jennifer Niven tried so hard to make the characters quirky that it they became nothing more than quirks. I thought the story was interesting and enjoyed getting both perspectives, though I didn't feel the mental health rep was entirely accurate. I thought the ending was important and impactful, but the book as a whole didn't blow me away. I also got very strong Eleanor and Park vibes while reading this and I really didn't enjoy that book.

Rating: 3/5

The Wrong Side Of Kai by Estelle Maskame -

Estelle Maskame's DIMILY series is one of my all time favourite series', so this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. It follows a girl who has an explicit video of her made public and teams up with the new boy in school to get revenge. I was so disappointed that I didn't love this as much as I wanted to. I liked the idea of this, I love a revenge plot, but this seemed very rushed and quite predictable. As usual, Estelle Maskame created great characters, who I really enjoyed getting to know, and I really loved that Vanessa wasn't the typical 'good girl' who couldn't possibly ever have sex with anyone, she was a real teenage girl. I also thought there was a great message regarding slut shaming and sharing explicit content. Overall, I liked this but not as much as I had hoped to.

Rating: 3/5

How To Love by Katie Cotugno -

This clearly made an impact as I'm honestly struggling to remember much about this book. I remember it following a girl both before and after becoming a teenage mother; the developing relationship between her and her childhood family friend, and her dealing with him returning after disappearing for some time. I remember enjoying the alternating before and after perspectives, but I didn't love the characters. I thought the story was okay, it was interesting enough, but the characters took away slightly from my enjoyment of the story. This wasn't a bad book, it was just pretty forgettable.

Rating: 3/5

Postscript by Cecelia Ahern -

Finally something to break up the run of 3 star reads! This is the sequel to the debut novel of one of my favourite authors, Cecelia Ahern's PS I Love You. Despite being such a popular book, the PS I Love You isn't one of my favourite novels of hers. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. The sequel, however, was a different story. Postscript follows Holly seven years after her husband Gerry died and she is approached by a group inspired by Gerry's letters to help them create their own versions. I wasn't sure what to expect from this but I absolutely adored it. I loved revisiting Holly and her family and seeing how things have changed for them all in the years since the first book ended. Even more than that, I really enjoyed meeting new characters and experiencing their stories. This story was completely heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time, and approached death and grief in an entirely unique way. I thought Holly's struggles throughout the book were very real and something many in similar situations may be able to relate to. I really did absolutely adore this book.

Rating: 5/5

Layover by Amy Andelson & Emily Meyer -

This was my biggest disappointment of the past couple of months. It follows three step-siblings who decide, during a layover in LA on the way to a family vacation, to run away in response to finding out their parents are getting divorced. The two oldest step-siblings also have feelings for each other. This was one of the most ridiculous books I have read in a while. The characters are pretty much unbearable and the authors liked to make it very clear that Flynn, one of our main characters, was not like other girls. Despite the annoying characters, the plot, while completely ridiculous and not at all realistic, was pretty fun. There was even a trip to Disneyland, so that was fun to read. The romance between the step-siblings was kind of unnecessary and seemed like an afterthought that was just added for an extra little bit of drama. There was some anxiety rep, specifically anxiety in younger people, which I thought was good to include and, at least from my personal experience, was a fairly accurate representation. This was definitely a disappointing read.

Rating: 2/5

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston -

I'm so sad to say this was another slightly disappointing read. I did enjoy it, but nowhere near as much as I expected to given the hype surrounding it. This follows the son of the American president and a British Prince who hate each other but have to stage a friendship, which of course leads to romance. There was nothing I disliked about this book, it was a good story with good characters that I enjoyed reading, but it didn't blow me away. I really liked all of the characters, although I did find it hard to keep track of who was who, and really enjoyed the romance. I did wish there was more of a build up to the romance, it seemed to all happen very fast in the beginning of the book. I didn't find the American politics all that interesting, a lot of it went over my head, and did find there was a few incorrect British stereotypes thrown in, but neither ruined my enjoyment. I think the reason I didn't love this book was just the fact that I got bored for middle of the book. I felt it was longer than it needed to be, and while I enjoyed the beginning and really loved the end, the middle section was just a bit dull. There were also so many really great messages throughout the book. Overall, I did enjoy this book but it was way overhyped and fell flat for me.

Rating: 3/5

It wasn't the best reading month in terms of quality, everything was pretty average other than my one 5 star, but I'm just glad to be reading anything. 

Have you been reading anything great recently?

Sophie :)

The End Of The Year Book Tag

It is very hard to believe we're at the end of the year already! I have had the craziest year, with so many massive changes, but it has gone so fast. I have been seeing the End Of The Year tag going around and thought it would be a good way to get back into things.

1. Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I think the only book I started and put down this year was Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff. I was enjoying this but just wasn't in the mood so put it down. I'm not sure if it is one I'll pick up before the end of the year but I definitely want to finish it some time soon.

2. Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

Clearly I am late to the party with this tag. It is already well into the end of the year now, but I find thrillers and books covering darker topics are my typical transition books. However, this year I was just picking up anything I found interesting in the hope of actually being able to read a book.

3. Is there a new release you're still waiting for?

I think all of the new releases I was anticipating for the year have already been released. I'm just looking forward to 2020 releases now.

4. What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay - I absolutely loved This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay so I'm really excited to read this collection of experiences of a junior doctor in the NHS at Christmas time.

What Light by Jay Asher - I have already read this book a few years ago but I really want to reread this book this year. It is a super sweet Christmas contemporary story, which I loved the first time around, but I've seen a lot of negative reviews since so I want to see how I feel about it on reread.

Girl Made Of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake - I have heard nothing but amazing things about this book so I really want to see if it will live up to the hype. It follows a girl who's best friend accuses her twin brother of rape, putting her in the most horrific situation.

5. Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?

I think Girl Made Of Stars has the potential to be a favourite if I love it as much as everyone else seems to. It made a lot of favourites lists at the end of 2018. 

6. Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

I have in the sense of deciding not to make too many plans for the year. I have found that the more I give myself plans or goals for the year, the less I actually read. I will talk about this more in a future post.

What are your reading plans for the end of the year?

Sophie :)

I'm Back & A Few Changes

Oh my days, life has been crazy! I am so sad that I have had to basically neglect this blog for the majority of this year, but so many life changes meant that I had to prioritise everything else going on. However, things are hopefully starting to settle down and I'm back into some kind of routine so I am hoping this will mean I can get back into the blogging game.

While I am so excited to be back, there are some things that I want to change. During my break from blogging, I realised there were some things that I just don't enjoy about it. I was so focused on trying to do what is expected of a book blogger that I didn't bother to think about whether or not those were things I enjoyed. I have decided that, since this is purely a hobby for me, my main focus should be the things I enjoy and I shouldn't put pressure on myself to do the things I "should" be doing.

As much as this may go against everything a book blogger should be, I hate writing reviews. I have always felt this incredible pressure to try to review all of the books I read and never felt like I was doing a good enough job, probably because it always felt like a chore. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to stop reviewing book completely. I just think I need to calm it down a bit and just review books when I have something to say. It is so hard, I feel, to write a full review for a 3 star, totally average, nothing special book when I can sum up my thoughts in a short paragraph in my wrap up. So, from now on, I will still be posting the odd review, but I will not be trying to review everything I read.

The other thing I am wanting to change is incorporating other topics. I love reading and always will, but I have other things I love and want to talk about. I have been doing this a little bit through my 'What I've Been Watching' posts, and I would like to include more TV/movies content, as well as some other things I enjoy.

So basically, I'm back but expect a few small changes around here.

What kind of things would you like to see on this blog?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | May - September 2019

Life is crazy. Blogging is hard. I read some books, let's talk about them while I have a spare five minutes!

In all seriousness, I am currently the busiest I have been in a long time and blogging has had to take a serious back seat. I am trying to post wrap ups when I can, but I doubt I'll have anything more than that for at least the next month or so. I've hardly even had time to read recently, which makes me quite sad, but I did manage 3 books in May, 3 in June and 3 in July.

Strictly Between Us by Jane Fallon -

This was a complete cover buy, but sadly not one that paid off this time. This follows a woman who uses her assistant as bait for her best friend's husband, who she is convinced is cheating, and things get very messy. It turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. I disliked most of the characters and didn't really see any kind of character development, they stayed selfish and unbearable for the whole book. I also wasn't a fan of the cheating storyline. I'm not someone who always dislikes cheating in books, I think a cheating plot can be done well, but I didn't like this one. Especially as I felt many characters did not receive any consequences for their actions and blame seemed to be placed predominantly on one party when many were involved. It did have some redeeming qualities; it has some funny moments, there was one characters I liked, and it was a pretty quick read for being over 400 pages. However, it was still a disappointment.

Rating: 2.5/5

Lucky In Love by Kasie West -

Speaking of disappointing reads, I am so sad to say this is possibly my least favourite book from one of my favourite authors. I adore Kasie West but this story just fell flat for me. This is about a girl who wins the lottery and has to deal with all the changes it brings, including how differently people are suddenly treating her. I'm generally not a fan of lottery win storylines and this was no exception. I didn't dislike the book, I just found the plot to be predictable and filled with unnecessary drama. The characters were fine but forgettable and didn't live up to what I have come to expect from Kasie West's books. I guess I can't love everything she writes.

Rating: 3/5

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins -

This is the second book in the Royals series, a series following a Scottish royal family and American teens who find themselves involved in royal drama. The second book is set in a Scottish boarding school and find American Millie sharing a room with the princess of Scotland. I have such mixed feelings about these books as a Scottish person myself. After reading Royals, I claimed that it would have been a 5 star read had it not been set in Scotland as I found many of the inaccuracies too difficult to ignore. However, I went into this book with the mindset of the Scotland in this book being entirely fictional, which made it a lot easier for me to simply laugh at the inaccuracies and focus on enjoying the story. I think these books are so much fun! I love all the characters and particularly loved the boarding school setting in this second book. I also really enjoyed the romance and found myself really rooting for them from the outset. As long as you don't believe this is what Scotland is actually like, I would definitely recommend giving these books a try.

Rating: 4/5

The Second Summer Of The Sisterhood by Ann Brashares -

After reading the first book in the series two years ago, I decided it was definitely time to continue with the second book. The second book takes place the summer after the first, as the girls once again go their separate ways for the summer with the travelling pants to keep them connected. This was a different reading experience for me as, unlike with the first book that I read after watching the movie so many times, I did not know this story at all. I didn't enjoy this as much as the first, particularly as I didn't enjoy Carmen's storyline, but I still had a lot of fun being with these characters again. I loved Bridget's story in this book and really enjoyed seeing her character grow and develop so much. I can't wait to carry on with the rest of the series.

Rating: 3/5

Did I Mention It's 10 Years Later? by Estelle Maskame -
This short novella/bonus chapter was released to celebrate the anniversary of the release of Did I Mention I Love You? It takes place 10 years after the end of the DIMILY trilogy and was a lovely insight into how all of the characters are doing in the future. This was so lovely to read as I often finish books or series and wonder how the story would continue - if couples would stay together, new friendships would last, family issues would be resolved - so I enjoyed getting some of those answers. The DIMILY trilogy is a favourite of mine, so of course I loved this.
Rating: 5/5

Girl In The Mirror by Cecelia Ahern -
Let me just say that I adore Cecelia Ahern, she is one of my favourite authors. However, this wasn't for me at all. Girl In The Mirror features two short stories, one of the same name and The Memory Maker. One I thought was just fine, the other I didn't understand at all, but I couldn't tell you which one was which. In fact, I don't really remember a much about either. I think that tells you my general feelings. Disappointing from a favourite author.
Rating: 2.5

Listen To Your Heart by Kasie West - 
Kasie West is another of my favourite authors, as I already mentioned, and as far a I can remember I enjoyed this book. It follows a girl who ends up as the host of her school's podcast, which is completely outside of her comfort zone, and has to give advice to callers; including a guy asking for advice about his crush, who she believes to be her best friend. It was pretty typical Kasie West, fun and cute with a sweet romance and some nice friendships. It wasn't my favourite of hers but it did give a great Summer vibe, with the lake being a big part of the story, which was exactly what I was looking for.
Rating: 4/5

Did I Mention I Love You? by Estelle Maskame -
This was a reread for me. After reading Did I Mention It's 10 Years Later, I was desperate to go back and read this first book in the series again. I have a full review of this book, and the series as a whole, and I stand by pretty much everything I said in both. I did enjoy this more upon reread, I think as I had more of a connection to the characters and the story, but did still have the same issues as I had the first time around. This is my least favourite in the series, but I do still love this book, and the series as a whole.
Rating: 3.5/5 (maybe 4 this time)

Becoming by Michelle Obama -
If you don't know about this book, where have you been? This is Michelle Obama's memoir, following her life and journey to becoming one of the most influential women in the world. I have huge respect for her, I think she is an incredible woman, and this absolutely grew and grew while reading this book. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Michelle Obama herself, which added another level to the reading experience. I felt as though she was sitting in the car with me, telling me all about her life. I found it so interesting to hear all about her upbringing, her career, and particularly to find out more about her as a person, rather than Barack Obama's wife. As with most memoirs, I did get a little bored at some parts, but overall, it was a really interesting and enjoyable book.
Rating: 4/5

And that is it. I didn't read a single book in August or September, which is so disappointing as that is the longest I have gone without reading a book in years! However, life is just so crazy at the moment. I am happy to report that I have read a couple in October so far, which I will hopefully be able to share with you at the end of the month, if I can get myself back on track. For now though, those were all the books I read in May, June and July.

What is the longest you've gone without finishing a single book this year? Any tips for finding time to read when life is too crazy?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | April 2019

I have been the worst blogger over the past month! April has been so crazy that I had time for nothing other than trying to survive my dissertation. However, now that is out of my life for good, I can get back to all the things I have been neglecting. As well as not having much time to blog, I didn't find a lot of time in April to read. I only managed three books in the month, which is more than March but considerably less then the first couple of months of the year. I did really enjoy all three of the books I did get to and even found another 5 star read.

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough -

With all of the hype surrounding this book, and the ending in particular, I knew I had to pick it up. I had not idea what to expect as I went in completely blind, but I definitely didn't expect that. This is the kind of book that had me confused for basically the whole thing. I had no idea what was going on, but that's what made it so intriguing and kept me completely hooked. I would definitely suggest going into this blind, which is why I'm not giving any kind of synopsis. It was one of the weirdest reading experiences of this year so far, but I actually really enjoyed it. The ending seems to be very hit or miss but I thought it was an amazing twist. It is quite rare that I'm completely shocked by a twist but this one managed it, it was great!

Rating: 4/5

Hard Pushed by Leah Hazard -

This is a non-fiction book, being published tomorrow, following Leah Hazard's journey as a midwife in the NHS. I have mentioned several times that medical memoirs like this are completely my kind of book, but I am often a little let down by them. This was not one of those books at all. I absolutely adored this book from start to finish. It was a real raw, genuine insight into the role of a midwife and the many challenges they face, particularly in an understaffed and underfunded health service. Yet the struggles and real lows of midwifery were well-balanced with fun and heartwarming stories of some of the amazing women and families that have been cared for. I just thought it was perfect and definitely confirmed my desire to one day go into this wonderful profession.

Rating: 5/5

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord -

After a good 3 years of sitting on my shelf just waiting to be shown some love, I finally picked up my second Emery Lord book. I really enjoyed Open Road Summer and knew I wanted to read more from her, but for some reason it took a lot longer than I would have liked. This one follows a girl who is trying to get her life back on track a year after the sudden death of her boyfriend. This book featured so many of the things I love, and didn't have the usual plot points that I really hate. We had a great friendship group that didn't have any unnecessary drama or fall outs over really stupid things. We had an adorable romance that wasn't instalove and started as a really pure friendship with no inability to use simple communication. Even better than all of those things, we also had platonic boy/girl friendships, involved parents and the sweetest grandmother. There was a lot I really liked about this book! There wasn't really anything I didn't like, but it just wasn't quite a 5 star read for me.

Rating: 4/5

I read a real mix of different books in April, but really enjoyed all of them. I know May is going to be another really busy month for me, but hopefully I can do a bit better with both blogging and reading this month. However, as long as I read some more books I enjoy then I can't complain too much.

What was the best thing you read in April?

Sophie :)

What I've Been Watching | March 2019

Life is not fun at the moment and it has been pretty difficult to find the time to blog. However, I have some time right now so I am making the most of it and finally getting around to sharing what I watched during the month of March.

The Vampire Diaries Season 6 - I used to love this show but got bored by the time I got to season 6 and stopped watching. I had always intended to finish it at some point, so when it was announced that it was being taken off UK Netflix I watched Season 6 in a mad rush. It wasn't taken off in the end, but I did get the push I needed to watch it. I fell in love with the show all over again and I can't wait to see what else they are going to do with it.

Death In Paradise Season 8 - I somehow managed to skip a season but that doesn't really matter too much with this show. I love this so much! It's the perfect combination of mystery and humour, with some of the most beautiful scenery you could ever find. I always love each new season as much as the last and never get bored of it.

The Disappearance Of Madeleine McCann - I don't know many people who didn't watch the Netflix Madeleine McCann documentary in March. I already knew a lot about this case with it being so widely publicised, but I did find this quite interesting. It definitely didn't need to be as long as it was, as a lot of it was pretty unrelated to the case and a bit boring. However, it was good to know more of the facts.

Captive For 18 Years: The Jaycee Lee Story - This was recommended after I finished the Madeleine McCann series and since I like a good true crime documentary, I decided to give it a watch. This was a case I hadn't heard anything about before so it was interesting to learn about. 

After Life Season 1 - After hearing so many people rave about this, I wanted to see what the fuss was about. This is a newer Netflix show about a man who loses his wife and has to come to terms with his life without her. It's a mixture of emotions with a lot of darker humour. I really liked some parts, but overall I was underwhelmed. It was just fine.

Isn't It Romantic - This was another underwhelming watch for me. I thought this would be my ideal film; a rom-com that pokes fun at rom-coms and has musical numbers. As much as I love this cast, the film just fell a bit flat. It was pretty funny but I got bored after a while.

That is all I watched in March. It's a bit of a varied bunch in March, but that just sums up my taste in TV and movies. 

Have you watched any of these? What did you think of them?

Sophie :)

Review | The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward

The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward
Series: The Potion Diaries #1
Published On: July 2, 2015
Published By: Simon & Schuster
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon | BD | Goodreads

When the Princess of Nova accidentally poisons herself with a love potion meant for her crush, she falls crown-over-heels in love with her own reflection. Oops. A nationwide hunt is called to find the cure, with competitors travelling the world for the rarest ingredients, deep in magical forests and frozen tundras, facing death at every turn. 
Enter Samantha Kemi - an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam's family were once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom, but they've fallen on hard times, and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete with the dazzling powers of the ZoroAster megapharma company? Just how close is Sam willing to get to Zain Aster, her dashing former classmate and enemy, in the meantime? And just to add to the pressure, this quest is ALL OVER social media. And the world news. 
No big deal, then.

Do you ever pick up a book years after buying it and realise you're not interested anymore? This was how I felt about this book. However, I decided to give it a chance before getting rid of it, and I'm glad I did. This is a really fun story of a girl searching for the cure for a love potion in a competition being followed by people all over the world (think The Hunger Games but less violent and deadly). It is full of adventure, fast paced, and generally a really enjoyable read.

The characters did feel a little underdeveloped, particularly the side characters who all felt quite similar. However, they were not bad characters. I enjoyed reading about them and hope to get to know them more as the series continues. The relationships between the characters felt a bit forced - the friendships didn't feel real and the romantic relationship happened very quickly. I do think these can hopefully be improved upon in future books in the series.

As I have mentioned, this is a very fast-paced book with a fun plot. I flew through it and didn't get bored once. There is always something happening. My only other complaint about this book is how convenient things were. This is supposed to be an incredibly difficult competition to find a cure no-one knows the ingredients for, yet all of these competitors just know what to do next or how to solve their problems. There is some very impressive guess work.

Despite having a couple of complaints, I did really enjoy this book. It is not the next great fantasy series, but it is a fast, fun read and perfect for those, like me, who don't tend to enjoy too much fantasy. This read a lot like a contemporary with fantastical elements, which I enjoyed. It is not the best written, most creative book, but it has definitely made me want to carry on with the series and see where it goes.

Haul | March 2019

I was doing so well with buying less books in 2019. I managed to not buy a single book in the month of February, which is a rare thing for me, and had yet to add a single physical book to my collection in 2019. However, I caved in March and added some shiny new books to my shelves. I bought 5 new physical books and one ebook, so I didn't go too crazy.

Goodbye Perfect by Sara Barnard - I have read, and loved, every other Sara Barnard book so it was time I picked up this one. This is about a girl whose best friend runs away with a random guy just days before the start of their exams and she has to try and deal with all of that. If her other books are anything to go by, I expect to love this.

Genuine Fraud by E Lockhart - I had no intention of picking this book up but it was on offer and that just made it too tempting to refuse. I don't have a clue what this book is about but the synopsis is so intriguing. It's just as vague as the synopsis of We Were Liars, the only other book I have read from E Lockhart, and that turned out to be completely different that I expected, so we'll see how this one goes.

The Potion Diaries books 1-3 by Amy Alward - The first book in this series was the first book I read this year and I really enjoyed it. I knew straight away that I wanted to continue on in the series, so when I saw the collection available on The Book People for a super reasonable price, I picked it up. It does mean I now have two copies of the first book but I will be giving one away to a friend. I can't wait to see how this series progresses.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett - This is another one I knew nothing about but saw it on the Kindle store for 99p and bought it because I had heard of it. This is why I have too many books! All I know about this is it follows two characters who have issues with each other and are stuck in the woods together. It definitely sounds like something I could really enjoy.

That is everything I bought in the month of March. I'm really happy to have these books but I am definitely hoping I can get back to being good for at least the next month, my physical TBR is not shrinking nearly as much as I would like.

Sophie :)

What I've Been Watching | February 2019

I know I'm a month behind but I've been so busy, apparently watching a load of TV and movies, to be keeping up to date with blogging. I will have my March viewing wrap up coming soon but for now, I watched a lot in February so we better get started.

Blockers - This is a comedy about parents who find out about their kids pact to lose their virginity on their prom night and set out to stop them. It was just fine. It did have some funny parts but a lot of it wasn't really my humour. I really liked the cast but the film just fell flat for me.

Back With The Ex Season 1 - I was so hooked on this show, I watched it in like two days. I love a good trashy reality show and that was exactly that. It follows four former couples trying to work things out and get back together. I loved it, I'm already wishing for a second season.

Moana - I'm super late to the party with this one but I finally got around to watching Moana. I had heard such amazing things about it but I always watch Disney movies 100 years after everyone else. This is the story of a girl who is called to the sea but her family want her to stay and rule her island. I adored this film. The story, the music, the comedy; everything was done so well. This might even be my favourite Disney 'princess' film.

The Good Place Season 2 - I watched season 1 in January and ended up loving it so had to carry on. Season 2 was even better! I just love where they are going with this story, they have such creative ways of keeping it going. This show is hilarious and I'm trying so hard not to power through season 3 because I don't want to wait super long for the fourth.

Like Father - Oh I so wanted to love this! I love Kristen Bell and I'm going on a cruise later in the year so thought with this being set on a cruise ship it would be great to get me excited for that. Unfortunately, I was so bored. This is the story of a woman who gets left at the alter and, after a drunken night, ends up on her honeymoon cruise with her estranged father. The funny parts weren't that funny and the serious parts were just boring. This was a disappointment.

Friends Season 3 & 4 - Like I said in my January post, I am rewatching Friends as I have seen every episode but never watched it start to finish in order. I love this show and I always find it so comforting to watch, it's the one show that I will always watch when I'm ill. I'm really enjoying watching it again, no matter how many times I watch these episodes I will never get bored of them.

Abducted In Plain Sight - This is a documentary about a young girl who was abducted and it is quite possibly the strangest thing I have ever watched. I spent the entire time shouting "What The Hell" at my TV and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, something else happened. It is so unbelievable and so incredibly screwed up that I still can't believe this was real life. 

That is everything I watched in the month of February. It might not seem like much for many but that is a lot for me, I tend to go through phases of watching shows and movies. 

Have you watched any of these things? What did you think of them?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | March 2019

I know I only just posted my February wrap up, but it is already time to share the books I read in March. I really can't believe we are in April already! My life has been so busy lately that this year is flying in. I didn't have a great reading month in March, due to that crazy busy life I was just talking about, so I only managed to read two books. However, one of those two books was a five star read so I'm not going to complain too much; quality over quantity.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire -

I have been wanting to read more NA books for a while now and Jamie McGuire seems to be one of the most popular NA authors. I had this on my kindle for a while but decided to pick it up when I was needing a quick, fun read. This follows a good girl who becomes friends with a bad boy but, of course, they develop feelings for each other. I started off really loving this book. I loved the characters and the sexual tension, and despite the pretty toxic relationship dynamic, I was rooting for them to get it together and be with each other. However, I didn't like the way fighting was portrayed, it was never really seen to be a bad thing to go around punching people that annoyed you, and I wasn't a fan of the ending. If this book had just been the first half, I would probably have given it 5 stars.

Rating: 3/5

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Mijkamp -

I think I have mentioned before that I have a strange interest in books about school shootings. I don't know why, it's kind of strange. This is a book about a school shooting and one that I had heard a lot about when it was first published. I definitely can't say I enjoyed this book, given the plot and the horrific content, but it is one of the best written books on this topic that I have read. It follows multiple perspectives over the hour long timeline of the shooting, making it incredibly intense and difficult to read. I had to take breaks a lot while reading as it was written so vividly that I almost felt as though I was there. It was a very hard read, it was truly heartbreaking, but the overall message is one of hope.

Rating: 5/5

Those were the two pretty different books I read in March. I am definitely hoping to do better in April, but as long as I read some good books the number doesn't matter too much.

What was the best book you read in March?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | February 2019

I'm posting my February wrap up 3 days before the end of March so clearly it didn't take me long to fail at blogging in 2019! Due to being crazy busy, and then crazy ill, the blog has had to take a major back seat during March. Reading has also taken a major back seat, as I have yet to read a single book this month, so I'm hoping talking about some of the great books I read in February might give me a bit of motivation to pick something up.

Sleepovers by Jacqueline Wilson -

This was a book I remember loving when I was younger, so when I saw the audiobook available through my library I decided to see how I would feel about it as an adult. I ended up enjoying it just as much. It's a lovely story of friendship, that also focuses on different home situations and things that make people 'different'. As is typically the case with Jacqueline Wilson books, this is a fun story with a really important message for young readers to learn from.

Rating: 4/5

The Butterfly Club by Jacqueline Wilson -

This was the February pick for Maddie & Bee's Jacqueline Wilson book club. As it was one I had not read before, and was available through my library, I decided to join them in reading it. This is about the smallest of triplets who is separated from her sisters, who always look after her, when they start in a new class at school. This is another really great story about friendship, but also about stepping out from the shadows of other siblings to become your own person. It is longer than any of the other Jacqueline Wilson books I have read before, but it read just as quickly as her shorter works. I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to.

Rating: 4/5

Panic by Lauren Oliver -

Finally! This book has sat on my TBR shelf for longer than most, it was one of the first books I ever hauled on this blog back in 2014, but I just never picked it up. I finally forced myself to read it in February and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I have no idea why I didn't pick it up sooner. Panic follows a group of graduating seniors in a small town who spend their summer taking part in a high stakes game involving facing their fears. If a blurb mentions some kind of game or competition, I am definitely intrigued. While I did find the game aspect fun and it kept me turning the page, it was a little underwhelming. I wanted more! The characters were fine and the plot kept me reading, but it was somewhat forgettable (really though, I can't remember it at all).

Rating: 3.5/5

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham -

I adore Lauren Graham so this was the most fun book to read. I listened to it on audiobook during a long drive and Lauren's narration almost felt like she was sat beside me telling me about her life. It is her memoir, following her through her early life and career to the Gilmore Girls reboot and everything in between. I loved learning more about her life and career, as well as getting some fun behind the scenes information from both Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. I had a blast reading it but, like I often find with these kinds of books, some parts were a little bit dry. I would definitely recommend giving it a read, though.
Rating: 3.5/5

Giant Days Volume 3 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, Max Sarin & Whitney Cogar -
I started this graphic novel series in January and was enjoying it enough to continue on but wasn't loving it. I actually ended up enjoying volume 3 a little more than the first two. I don't remember much about it now, if I'm being honest, but I do remember finding it more engaging and being more invested in the story and these characters. I am interested to see where the series will go and follow more of the journey of these characters.
Rating: 3/5

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty -
I read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty last year and enjoyed it so much that I knew I wanted to read more from her. When I saw her latest release available from my library I was excited to give it a go. The premise is quite vague so I wasn't sure what I was going into, and I finished the book still not entirely sure what I had read. It follows nine individuals as they attend a health resort, each with their own different reasons for being there, but the health resort isn't quite what they expected. This was one of the strangest books I have ever read and I did consider giving up on it a couple of times. As I was listening to the audiobook I decided to power through, but it remained just as confusing throughout. The characters were annoying and the plot was somewhat dull when it wasn't completely frying my brain, but I kind of liked it. It's a weird one. I definitely want to read more from this author.
Rating: 3.5/5

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour -
This book was the unexpected star of the month! I'm pretty sure I only bought it because I liked the cover and left it sitting on my shelf for a couple of years, before picking it up at random in February. I didn't even know what it was about going in to it, but completely fell in love with it straight away. It is about a girl who designs film sets and is given her brother's apartment for the summer on the condition that something great take place there. The book follows her summer adventures and quest for "something great" after her and her best friend discover a secret about a movie legend. I fell in love with everything about this book - the film and set design aspect, the characters, the friendship, the adorable f/f romance - it was all amazing. In all honesty, I don't remember why I didn't give this book a full 5 stars.
Rating: 4.5/5

City Of Glass by Cassandra Clare -
After being on my TBR every month for almost a year, I finally read City Of Glass! I have been wanting to carry on with the series but just wasn't picking this book up, for whatever reason. This is book 3 in the Mortal Instruments series, which I have been trying to finish for about 3 years now. I really enjoy this series while I'm reading the books but seem to forget that in between. When I first started reading City Of Glass, I wasn't sure if I was outgrowing the series as I wasn't loving it quite as much, but that soon changed. I ended up enjoying the third book just as much as the first one. I will definitely be trying to finish this series again this year.
Rating: 4/5

Those were the 8 books I read in February. Thank goodness I started off the year strong as March has been pretty disappointing in comparison. 

Did you read anything great in February?

Sophie :)