Showing posts with label Lifestyle
30 March in

What I've Read So Far in 2022.

What is there to do when you are isolated in the house, suffering from the dreaded coronavirus? Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 years I have finally caught the virus and now 7 days in, I thought it was time to write a blog post. I've spent a lot of my time in isolation getting things up to scratch with Theatre & Tonic but it also provided me with a great opportunity to get my nose into a book. I thought it was about time to talk about the books I have read so far this year. 

Last year I read 28 books, and the year before I hit 54. I want 2022 to be the year I get back into enjoying reading; because let's face it, I hit a bit of a rut with it in 2021. So with that in mind, let's straight into talking about the books I have read so far in 2022. 



WUNDERSMITH: THE CALLING OF MORRIGAN CROW

Rating: ★★★/5

I began the year by reading this book and I just wasn't feeling it at all. I had high hopes for this book after devouring the first book, Nevermoor, a few years ago. I was really disappointed that I didn't love this one nearly as much. A lot of the book really dragged for me and there wasn't really any excitement oozing from the pages that made me want to finish it nearly as quick, in fact, it was a slog the entire time. The language at times in this book is actually quite difficult, considering it is aimed at children. I was really surprised by this. I am really hoping that when I finally pick up the third book in the series to read I will find it a more pleasing read. 


THE COUPLE AT NO.9

Rating: ★★★★★/5

The Couple at No.9 is one of those books you want because everyone on your social media has been raving about it. It is the first book I have read from Claire Douglas, but it certainly won't be the last because I devoured this book. It starts with pregnant Saffron Cutler who moves into 9 Skelton Place with her boyfriend Tom. Renovations begin on their new home; when all of a sudden builders uncover a body - two bodies, in fact. What unravels from this starting point is a fantastic book full of real twists and turns, it kept me guessing the conclusion right to the end. Douglas has really crafted how she includes different characters through the varying chapters as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and definitely need to find more of Claire Douglas for my shelves! 


TRUST IN ME

Rating: ★★★★/5

This book by Sophie McKenzie has been on my shelf for the longest time and in a bid to #BeatTheBacklog in 2022, I finally gave this one a go. On first impression, this is a genre of book I would definitely usually go for, so I don't know why I hadn't read it sooner. Trust In Me is a book that keeps the reader speculating and the author has done a fantastic job at doing this by involving a handful of characters for the ride. It really fits the title as she explored who can you really trust. The POV really worked for this story, throwing us straight into the forefront of what was unfolding. I definitely enjoyed this book more than I was expecting to. 


THE ALIBI GIRL

Rating: ★★★★★/5

I definitely brought this book on a whim, from one of those great paperback offers in The Works. The Alibi Girl gives the reader a bit of a tricky start, taking a little while for you to get your head around what is happening. However, it becomes a great, heartbreaking, and very interesting story. I liked the transition between the two main characters and different timescales that really supported the build-up for the conclusion. I flew through the last 20% of the book as it really picked up.


AFTERMATH

Rating: ★★★★★/5

Aftermath is about the wreckage and devastation after a school shooting three years before. Kelley Armstrong has an empathetic approach to this hard-hitting topic by putting the focus on both families that are affected by the events; the shooters and the victims. The main characters in this story are Jesse and Skye and the author really brought them to life within the first couple of pages, which I loved because I could get right into the teeth of what was unfolding. I hadn't heard of Kelley Armstrong before reading Aftermath, I don't think it will be long before I read another from her!


LOVE FRANKIE

Rating: ★★★★/5

I adored Jacqueline Wilson's books growing up and have been dying to read Love Frankie since I heard of its release. Helped massively by the writer who herself is part of the LGBTQ+ community it's a book we've needed on our shelves for so long! It is pretty incredible that before this book, young people didn't have someone like Frankie to read about. The characters in this book have been crafted so well and even include a woman suffering from MS in the story too. This story definitely takes us on an emotional rollercoaster and we see how Frankie transforms in front of our very eyes. The only real downside was that in parts it was a *little* slow. 


NO BALLET SHOES IN SYRIA

Rating: ★★★★★/5

No Ballet Shoes in Syria is a relevant book for the times as we navigate through the situation in Ukraine and we're concerned by the thousands of people whose lives have been impacted. This book gripped me from the start, it tells the emotional, heartbreaking journey of a young girl as she comes to England from Syria, a country held in conflict. It is a well-formulated and educational book, especially for those younger readers. Catherine Bruton has demonstrated the level of research she conducted to include facts on the events unfolding in Syria to portray a realistic view from the young girl's perspective. It is a really important read but enables readers to see how dance can reap huge rewards for young people. 


HOLD TIGHT

Rating: ★★★★★/5

I'm not alone in becoming obsessed with the TV series that have surfaced on Netflix over the last couple of years from Harlan Coben's books. It wasn't going to be long before I started reading more of them and recently read Hold Tight. I consumed this 400+ page book in 3 days, but I can see that other readers may find it hard to stick with because Coben's style of writing is very specific. Coben is very good at formulating interesting plots, beefed up by the transition between varying characters, 6 stories on their different threads, before seizing to its conclusion which I felt came at the perfect time. I would really like to read more of his books, this one didn't disappoint! 

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02 January in

my intentions for 2022.

" New beginnings are in order, and you are bound to find some level of excitement as new chances come your way. " - AULIQ ICE 

I don't know when it happened but I decided to stop making new years resolutions a few years ago. We are all guilty of creating goals that aren't sustainable or were more in line with expectations set in society when in fact it's about setting things that are just for us. I'd usually give by April or somewhere earlier anyway and it wasn't worth the thinking space. 

Instead, I like to set myself intentions. It enables me to decide how I would like the year ahead to look as a whole and how I would like to feel. You can then build on that by deciding on the things that you are in control of that can be implemented or changed to help create the year and feeling you'd like.  The result of this is a far more rewarding feeling once the year is over and you are able to reflect on the last 12 months. 

The important starting block for this process is taking the opportunity to reflect on the past year before diving straight into what is to come. You may find that some things that worked for you 12 months ago aren't going to work in the next year ahead. With that in mind let's quickly reflect on 2021...

a look back on 2021...

I think it's fair to say 2021 was just as unpredictable as 2020 was. We came through the last bit of a lockdown and was striving towards some form of "normality". Yes mentally this year was just as difficult and I felt guilty for the lack of time I spent in 2020 with friends and family. I knew that I was so lucky not to have lost anybody close to me due to covid and being able to spend all of the time I did with Jordan at home. 

2021 brought me huge positives personally. In February we moved into our first home, by April I was visiting theatres again and the summer gave me a huge lease in seeing friends again. Considering all things pandemic I was able to see nearly 60 shows this year and read 28 or so books! 

I turned 30 in the summer and I think that provided me with the perfect opportunity to reflect; both personally and professionally about my life. Professionally my job isn't right for me anymore and I have been working really hard to consider what is the next step for me. The financial strain my job currently puts into our daily life is NOT what I want to be experiencing in 2022.  



what do I want in 2022?

which leads me nicely onto the things I intend to happen in this new year, 2022. Of course above everything else I hope it brings me happiness and good health. I want this year's focus to be on making the right foundations. I'm keen to get back to learning again and also doing more exercise for both my physical and mental wellbeing. If 2020 and 2021 taught me anything it was that our health is so important, both physically and mentally! Here are my other intentions for 2022:

📚 READ MORE
I lost so much of my motivation to read in 2021 which is a shame as it's one of my favourite activities to indulge in during the evenings and when I am commuting to and from work. In 2022 I am keen to read more by also diving into my bookshelves and beating the backlog of to be read books I have accumulated over the years. If you are a fan of reading, you can follow me on Goodreads! 

🏠 HOUSE PROJECTS
We would have been in our house a year coming February and have definitely been committed to one project so far, the living room. There are a few projects I have lined up for 2022, some obviously bigger than others. I want to begin with starting on the hallway before just adding a statement wallpaper into the living room and upcycling some of the furniture which was left with us. By then hopefully, we can get the garden looking marvellous for the summer and our snug pretty much completed for the conservatory! The bigger projects are not at the forefront of my mind in 2022. 

☀️ GET OUTDOORS AND TO THE SEASIDE
I missed the opportunity to see more of the outdoors in 2022 and I really want to feel the sand between my toes so get me to the seaside. 

💰 Be better with money. I need to look into better ways to save our money and earn cash back for purchases in 2022. Any tips or recommendations to do this are very much welcome in the comments! 

✍️ WRITE AND CREATE MORE
2022 will be the year I get back into writing on the blog and creating content again. I lost my spark in 2021 so would love to get back into it and work with brands more regularly.  ⠀
⠀
🧠 continue to strive for development in my career. ⠀

🎭 Be more engaged and present in the theatre industry and gain exciting opportunities further down the line. 

What are some of your goals or intentions going into 2022? 

⠀
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26 November in

12 Excellent Christmas Gifts for Theatre Lovers in 2021.


Are you searching for the perfect gift for the theatre lover in your life? Well don't worry, thespians are actually easy to shop for and there are loads out there to choose from. Whether it's a game, something for the home, a book or the best place for theatre tokens. You'll find it here in this quick guide! I've pulled together a list of some of our favourite gifts for theatre lovers - so get stuck in! 


1. 100 Songs Every Theatre Nerd Should Know - Ultimate Musical Theatre Card Game  £11.99, Amazon. 


A great card game for the musical theatre fans out there. Songs in the pack come from classic Broadway and West End musicals. Definitely one for future dinner parties and get together with your fellow musical friends! 

2. The Musical Theatre Card Game £9.99, Amazon. 


Another great card game for Musical Theatre fans! This one from Stage Insider is played like Top Trumps! This pack features 52 of your favourite Broadway and West End shows from past and present. I think this would be suitable for young people too!



I love love love this store on Etsy so definitely had to give it a place on my gift guide. I have a few of these gorgeous prints in my home and they're exceptionally made. She also does tote bags, stickers and bookmarks too! I've definitely got one of her new bookmarks on my Christmas list! 

4. Moonbug Gifts Musical Mug £8.75+, Etsy

A musical-themed mug is a perfect gift for a thespian this Christmas and Moonbug has some great ones on their Etsy store! There's no other type of mug that they'll want in their home or on their desk at home!

5. Theatre Lover Life Journal £2.99, Etsy 


This journal contains 200+ pages celebrating all things musicals, fringe and stage plays! Each page has been specifically designed and curated to enhance your theatre knowledge and help you enjoy planning your next theatre trip! There are things like dedicated pages to review shows, a bucket list of theatres to see in the world and an a-z of musicals to see! 

6. Musical Theatre Stickers £1.50 each, Etsy


I think these gifts would make great stocking fillers for thespians! They look like fantastic quality and will look great on your laptop or notebooks! 

7. West End Theatre Map £20.00, Etsy


Another print on my gift guide but what a gorgeous hand-illustrated map of London's West End theatres for your home. I really like how colourful this prin8t is and if you are familiar with the West End then you'll love being able to spot some of your favourite theatres!

8. Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story £13.87, Amazon 

This book is essential for a thespian's bookshelf! This book tells you the story of musical theatre in a lavishly illustrated book. It is a really gorgeous book and allows you to build on your theatre knowledge. 

9. Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal £12.78, Amazon


If you are a fan of Hamilton, this book is just for you! I read this book for myself earlier this year and it's a captivating read into behind the scenes on Hamilton coming to the West End through the eyes of actor Giles Terera. I couldn't put it down so I urge all of my fellow thespians to give this book a read. 

10. Theatre Tokens Gift Cards


I got a Theatre Token gift card for my 30th birthday this year and it's the perfect gift for a thespian! Why not contribute to their next theatre trip with a gift card?! I can't wait to use mine because I still haven't decided what show to see with it. 



This is the perfect thing for Boxing Day with those leftover turkey sandwiches and 3409th Bailey's hot chocolate. I want this for myself, I really enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles!

12. Unisex 'One Sleigh More' Black T-Shirt £17.00, West End Best Friend



You can never have too many Christmas clothes to wear during the festive season and making it stagey is an extra bonus for sure! West End Best Friend have some great ones in their shop including this Les Miserables inspired t-shirt you can get your hands on!

If you are a small business who would like to feature their product on this Christmas Gift Guide, get in touch theatreandtonic@gmail.com asap. 


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24 May in

AD | Sprucing Up Your Dining Room On A Budget.

This post features gifted products from Lakeland Furniture.

Since we moved into our new home in February, we have been navigating different ways we can spruce up the spaces that aren’t on the top of our priority list with renovations. One of those is certainly our dining room. 

Dining rooms can quickly become outdated, especially when we eat the majority of our meals at the kitchen table. This space can be easily overlooked when renovating. Luckily, you do not need a huge budget to update and add some changes to the dining room. Below are three easy ways to spruce up a dining room and have your guests enjoy their time being entertained in this space when they come to visit. 

Add an accent wall in

Whether you decide on painting a wall a bold new colour, or opt for some wallpaper, adding an accent wall will instantly refresh the dining room. Plus, both paint and wallpaper are quite affordable, and application is easy to complete. This is a simple way to create a focal point without undertaking major renovations to do the job. 

The colour in this room feels quite cold in comparison to our individual styles so this space will have some colour soon, we’re thinking of wallpaper one wall to really brighten it up. I’ve been looking for accent wallpaper that includes some geometric shapes. Accent walls are a great way of playing with creating gallery walls using family photos too. 




Consider statement lighting

The simplest way to spruce up your dining room on a budget is to trade out your basic light fixture for a statement lighting feature. From large pendants to unique chandeliers, there’s no wrong aesthetic. We recently bought a lampshade from the closing down sale at Debenhams, it fits into our style and what we’d like to create in the dining room perfectly well. 

Our table in the middle of the dining room makes a huge statement so we wanted to incorporate this with the lighting. We also have a lamp in this room that helps to build warmth in the room. 

Don’t forget accessories

Accessorizing a room makes all the difference and is the icing on the cake when it comes to transforming a room on a budget. There’s absolutely no need to go crazy, since the goal is still to update your dining room on a budget, but adding a few finishing touches goes a long way.

We’ve added a few plants, a couple of bookshelves, some prints and candles. I feel like they’ve really helped to make our dining room feel comfortable and inviting. We also recently got some new dining chairs from Lakeland Furniture and I feel like they’ve really elevated the space. Our Dove Dining Chair’s in Light Grey Velvet has really changed the dining table. By adding a grey runner in the middle, along with our gold tray and small plant it has really supported the idea of making the dining table our centrepiece within this room. The chairs are incredibly comfortable too which is great when enjoying our mealtimes in the dining room. 

Read more: [AD] House Renovations with Lick.

Finally, when it comes to sprucing up your dining room on a budget it’s important to remember to have fun with it! Your home should reflect your tastes and personality. It needs to be a enjoyable place to enjoy the evenings in. 

Giving your dining room a makeover doesn’t have to break the bank. We’ve come up with three easy ways to spruce up your dining room on a budget. After you give these ideas a try, invite some friends over for dinner and see what they notice about your new look. 

Gifted products

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16 January in

Why my BTEC Performing Arts qualification saved my future.

The year is 2011 and I just completed three years studying a BTEC in Musical Theatre at Loughborough College. I obtained a triple distinction which meant the option to go onto to university was wide open for me, but before college, that wouldn’t have been an option for me. You see, I didn’t do very well in my GCSE’s and I considered that my future looked bleak. I don’t know why but the expectation to do well and go onto A-Levels overwhelmed me. When I saw the brand new performing arts course at Loughborough College was going to begin 12 months later, I knew I had to apply. My BTEC qualification essentially saved my future and it’s why I am frustrated by the recent news that ‘Performing Arts BTEC could be scrapped in post-16 qualifications reform‘ announced this week.



There is a consultation on the future of post-16 technical qualifications taking place this month, with many people spreading the word about the potential that the BTEC in Performing Arts will be scrapped.

Shared from the Drama and Theatre website, in the second stage of the Department for Education’s ‘Review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England’, it has been proposed that 16- to 19-year-olds wanting to study a technical subject can choose from 24 ‘T Levels’ and ‘additional specialist qualifications’ that can be studied alongside T Levels. 

This would mean that BTEC Performing Arts and other vocational qualifications such as Cambridge Technicals in Performing Arts, RSL Vocational Awards, UAL performing arts qualifications and other vocational creative and performing qualifications would no longer be funded. There is no replacement T Level in Drama or Performing Arts. 

The government consultation document states that ‘this will mean that all technical qualifications should offer the firm prospect of a sustainable job and career.’ 


We still live in a society where the arts aren’t considered a sustainable job and career, when in fact it brings billions of money into the UK’s economy every year. And in fact, loads of people you see in respectable careers probably had involvement in the arts at some point through their education. I definitely believe all of the skills I learnt during my BTEC have enabled me to be a bloody good Learning Support Assistant.

A BTEC is a fantastic pathway for young people who wouldn’t necessarily access the more academic A-Level route, this isn’t the fit and realistic option for everybody. Participating in a creative qualification enables you to build on more than just your academic skills (because believe it or not, we don’t just act, sing and dance) we become more socially and emotionally connected with ourselves and the world we live in. Sustaining a career in any field is pretty damn hard, but if you’ve got the determination you can absolutely do it. I think doing performing arts taught me all I needed to know about resilience.

There’s some belief that BTEC is the “easier” route to university and that couldn’t be further from the truth. When you do a BTEC you still have to work hard to obtain good grades to be able to go onto university, I even retook my GCSE English and Maths on top of doing that full-time. It wasn’t easy but because I was provided with the right support to manage it all, I did it. I have friends who did A Levels and the thought of all of the exams honestly feels me with dread. I couldn’t have possibly made it through A-Levels so doing a BTEC was the best avenue for me personally. I know other young people feel exactly the same which is why we can’t possibly see this change develop within education.

Read more: My Career after University (4 Years On!)

If we want young people to continue to access a education that is available to them and something they are passionate about, then these T Levels need to do exactly that. They need to reflect a society of future trailblazers for the more artistic industries out there. They need to reflect the more realistic society we are living in, not one that continues to build up more and more boundaries for young people. Education is tough enough for many already, whether that’s due to personal reasons or restrictions out of their control, it doesn’t always feel accessible to young people in our society. So why are we continuing to build boundaries?

We seem to be living in an age where the arts are being squeezed out of education more and more. I’ve recently been struck by the news that the Dance department in the university I went to is closing, is this the sad state that is becoming of our education system? I surely hope not.

I urge the consultation to look further in-depth at what studying a performing arts BTEC course can do for a young person’s future, even if it doesn’t make them the next big West End star but a positive contribution to society with all of the skills they’ve gained.

Did you study a BTEC qualification? share your experience in the comments.

The Stage also released a article about the plans to scrap performing arts BTEC recently too!

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02 August in

The Books I Read in July 2020

“Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”
- E.B. White

We've sped through July and I'm already discussing what books I read over the past 31 days, doesn't summer go by so quickly? I can't wait for the Autumn evenings to draw in now when I can enjoy a good book next to a pumpkin scented candle and under a blanket, there's nothing better. However, I feel like July has reignited my motivation to read and I've picked up some great reads this month.

This month I have gone back to my normal pattern of 5 books in a month, one which I grabbed from my bookshelf after it'd been there for quite a while. I've also tried to ensure I read more from my Kindle because my TBR list from NetGalley is just as shocking as the one from my shelves. I'm really hoping August will be just the same, if not better for reading. I'm getting *so close* to my reading goal of 50 books this year too and hope to reach it way ahead of the end of the year! 

With that in mind, here are the books I read in July 2020. 


Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

The one book I would encourage everybody to read before the year is out is Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race. It draws on really important subject matters surrounding race and feminism that really drew me in. Reni Eddo-Lodge does a great job in introducing the links between gender, class and race in Britain and other countries in this book. It's an account of different areas within our history including the Atlantic slave trade, Indian soldiers in World War I and the 1981 riots. It really captures areas of history so well. I struggled with the last 40% of the book, it was hard to keep up with and it started to drag for me personally. I really had to push myself to the end which is a shame for a book that is really important to read as a white British woman. There's a lot of really important information and historic facts intertwined within this book but I would recommend you read it alongside something else, you can really dip in and off of this one to get the full effect of the subject matter.

A Bit of a Stretch by Chris Atkins

This year I am really enjoying books around the subject matter of prisons and so A Bit of a Stretch really appealed to me from the get go. Chris Atkins, a former film producer shares his brutally honest account of his time in one of the worst prisons in the UK, Wandsworth Prison. He spent 5 years in prison for tax evasion and A Bit of a Stretch is just a snippet into what his experience was like. I couldn't put this book down after the first chapter and he's experiences with mental health and the prison system is incredibly eye opening for the reader to experience. Although the subject matter is quite serious and there's parts that really shock you, there's some hope intertwined that people can turn their lives around. I found it such an intriguing read and probably my favourite of the month. 


My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood

This is the physiological thriller I wanted to get my teeth stuck into this month and has been on my bookshelf for MONTHS. It follows war reporter, Kate as she returns to her home in Herne Bay, England after hearing the death of her mother. Kate not only encounters the wake of her mother's death emotionally, her father's abuse, and her sister Sally who is battling to stay off the bottle. There's many twists and turns in this story, including the introduction of Paul, Sally's husband. We shift through different times in Kate's life as well as shifting through different characters in the present. The pace of this story is fast but it works well within it's context, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to groups with My Sister's Bones and I'm just surprised I didn't pick it up sooner. 

When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
*kindly gifted on NetGalley in return for an honest review.

WOW! This book is up there as one of my favourites of the year, it was just so good! When I Was Ten kept me gripped to it's unwinding plot from the get go as we journeyed to figure out what happened in the Carter household that fateful evening. I sat and read the final 50% of it in one sitting as I was desperate to figure out what the conclusion was. The plot centres around Sara and Shannon Carter which one fateful night in their home, Hilltop House one of the girls stabbed their parents to death whilst they self. One of them was accused of the brutal murders and spent her teenage years in a secure children's unit. The other moved to a foster family and tried to rebuild her life.

Now it's in the present day, on the anniversary of the murder trial and a documentary team are determined to use tracking down one of the sisters to create a national sensation surrounding the  murders once again. There's 3 parts to this story and includes a journalist, Brinley. The shift between the characters and different parts of the plot made for a fantastic thriller. I enjoyed the inclusion of another character, the Justice Minister Geoffrey Heathcoates. You really need to read this book for yourself to see why I think it is S O good! 

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a book I have seen circulating through many bookstagram accounts for weeks so I wanted to see what the hype was for myself. This love story is of a mother blinded by loss and her husband who insists on their survival as they undertake the Syrian refugee to Europe. The subject of this book leaves you lost for words and it leaves a mark on you but I didn't nearly get to grips with it as much as I had hoped. I think the account of people struggling to make it to a country gives you a stark reality of what happens all over the world and how fortunate we are to live in the country we do. I found the shift between the journey of gaining asylum and his life in the UK quite disorientating for me personally. The book definitely stuck with me but not as much as I had hoped, I'd definitely give it a go though for yourself.

What did you read in July? 
 


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02 July in

The Books I Read in June 2020

"A cover is not the book, so open it up and take a look" 
- Mary Poppins

We have already sped through the first 6 months of this year, besides the fact we've spent most of it in lockdown, it's been a good year for reading. I've felt as though I lost some of my reading mojo this month, I found it hard to get to grips with a book which made it difficult to move forward. (I'm hoping to pick it up again over the summer!) 

In June I enjoyed the adventures in 4 books, 1 of which I forgot I had on my bookshelf for seemed very appropriate for our time. With everything surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement globally at the moment, I've been trying to add more culturally diverse titles onto my TBR pile. 2 of the other books I read were kindly donated to me by my friends which I really appreciated. I'm just about to begin my summer holidays in July too which means hopefully lots more time on my hands to indulge in as much reading as possible.

With that in mind, here are the books I read in June 2020. 


Little Friends by Jane Shemilt
This was my least favourite book I read in June. Little Friends is a psychological thriller that I found very hard to get to grips with. I thought this title may grow on me over time but it just didn't, even if the conclusion was actually quite brilliant. I don't remember much from this book unfortunately. 

The Girl Next Door by Phoebe Morgan

My friends had already told me that this book wouldn't be what I expected and they weren't wrong. The Girl Next Door is jam-packed with twists and turns to keep their readers involved with the action. All of the characters within this story were intriguing, especially the Goodwin family who drew me instantly. The story shifts between different characters after a 16 year old is found murdered. Parts of the story are emotionally difficult to read but Phoebe Morgan writes it well and with really understanding for the various emotions involved. 

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

I love a good thriller and managing to get my hands on one can sometimes be difficult as it's quite a vast genre in books. Blood Orange genuinely kept  me on my toes right until the end, the twists and turns are superbly established in this story. The flow of the writing is very pacy and intertwining the legal aspect to the character made it a great domestic drama.  I heard lots of hype around this book so was thrilled when my friend lent it to me. Alison Wood's story; the damaged marriage, the toxic affair, the court cases she was involved with and her desperation to become a better mother to her daughter Matilda was exceptionally portrayed by Tyce. This is a book for everyone to get their nails into this year! 

When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele

Undoubtedly one of the most important books I'm going to read in this year, especially when conversation about diversity is at the top of most people's agendas...including mine. When They Call You A Terrorist is a heartbreaking, true account of Khan-Cullors' life story and how the horrors that happened to her family and community led to her work with Black Lives Matter. I experienced a journey and education from this book, I learnt so much more about what happens in their communities and how fortunate I am. At parts I had the rug from under my feet pulled as I tried to navigate this 'reality' I clearly knew not very much about. It's definitely encouraged me to read more books like this! 

What did you read in June? 
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17 June in

The Happy Things From Lockdown For Me.

I don't think lockdown is well and truly done with in the UK, although you'll know that things are starting to resume. I don't think my own normal will be back for a long time though and I'm just dying to give my family and friends a big squeeze to be honest, more so because my sister is due to give birth to my niece in August. At the start of lockdown I found the entire thing very daunting and my anxiety was incredibly triggered by the uncertainty of what was on the horizon. Rewind 3 months later, I mean how has it been 3 months already? and I've made it through the "worst" of it, I think. 

I feel as though lockdown has given me an incredible amount of resilience and mind over matter strength. There's been some really lovely memories from this time in lockdown that I've enjoyed writing down in my journal over the weeks and no doubt, coronavirus won't be forgotten about in a hurry. I've had moments when the enormity of the situation (and the fact I haven't seen all of the children at school in MONTHS) but all in all, I can see the light at the tunnel emerging and it feels good.  Whilst enjoying my morning cuppa, I wrote a list of the happy things from lockdown for me and I wanted to share my happy things from lockdown before sharing with you a post with 100 happy things from other people. 



My auntie recovered from the virus.

Slow mornings in bed with a cuppa and a book without a 6am alarm to wake me up for work.

Learning how to cook and find a joy in doing it.

Ticking off my to do list on a regular basis.

Walking in the local countryside, finding new routes for me to explore.

Going on bike rides with Jordan. 

The afternoons in the sunshine, reading a book or soaking up the rays.

Musical bingo on a Sunday evening with friends.

Participating in lots of different quizzes, especially the musical ones. 

Organising weekly quiz or bingo with my work colleagues. 

More time with my rescue hedgehog April before she was released.

Video calls with my loved ones.



Enjoying a afternoon tea virtually with my family, including my grandma.

Having a glimmer of "normality" by going to work.

Creating fun videos with my colleagues and dance club.

Kicking back to watch lots of theatre online (even though I'd rather be in an auditorium).

Finally started my Mental Health First Aid qualification. 

Laughing out loud at Dance with Dave on Instagram.

Bringing new plant babies into my home.

BBQs in the garden.

Camping out in the garden. 

Making new online friends in the past few months.

Reconnecting with some old friends.

Doorstep chats with friends.

Watching lots of TV series and films (Disney+ has been a joy!)

Doorstep deliveries from independent places, especially when they're doughnuts.

Banging my pan at 8pm on a Thurday night in the #ClapForNHS

Enjoying the time to slow down in the evenings.

What has brought you a little bit of joy during lockdown? 

 




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31 May in

The Books I Read in May 2020.


"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them."
- Lemony Snicket 

I feel like May has been the quickest month of the year, who would have thought being in lockdown meant the days just went by rapidly? This month the weather for the large majority has been glorious meaning it's the perfect antidote to be in the garden, tucking into a good book. It's what I've done for the majority of this week alone and why I am slacking on all of the other things I need to get done. 

In May I enjoyed the company of 6 books, 2 which have been on my bookshelf for a long time and 2 on my Kindle. I'm really trying to be more active in picking up books from the different resources I have at home, it's definitely paid off in May. So with that in mind, let's get stuck into some quick reviews on the books I read this month. 


The Killer Inside by Cass Green
*Title provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review. 
I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book, especially for the first 50% of it. The Killer Inside is split into the stories of 3 different people. It was tough to keep up with this book and not give up. It definitely began to pick up and provided to become quite interesting in the second 50% of the story. The way in which the characters are brought together is quite predictable within this genre but it is still done well. The shift between the different characters in the story are well-formed and it kept well with the entire pace of the plot. I would advise that people gave this title a firm chance to deliver its goods! 


Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
This was one of my favourites titles I read this month and with everything that is going on in the world right now, it was the ideal time to engross into a book that discusses race in a great way. Queenie Jenkins is a 25-yer-old Jamaican British woman living in London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into either. She works at a national newspaper, where she's constantly forced to compare herself to her white middle-class peers. We follow Queenie as she navigates through her world after a break up from her long-time boyfriend. 

Queenie is a book that has everything you want; wit, laugh out funny moments and relatable characters to engage you through every page.  I was hooked from the very beginning of this book; it was a real joy to read. I think the issues raised in this book certainly speak volumes and I felt I received so much as a reader from Queenie's character and the other people in this book. This book was hyped around me for months, it's a proper gamechanger, why didn't I read it sooner?! 


The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
This is not a book I would usually go for but I absolutely loved this book and would say it's essential reading for everyone. The Secret Life of Bees is set in South Caroline in 1964 where we meet Lily Owens, a young girl whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. An event one day in the company of her fierce-hearted "stand-in-mother" Rosaleen drives them to escape to Tiburon, South Carolina. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and boney, and the Black Madonna. 

There are so many words to describe this book; it was touching, well-written, beautiful, full of expression, shocking, insightful, and more! It took the issue of racial issues and religious experiences to the very heart of the story with a touch of comfort from love, family, and of course, bees. Lily Owens and the Daughters of Mary are characters you want to hold onto very tightly and Sue Monk Kidd is a really gorgeous writer. The Secret Life of Bees definitely had moments that will surprise you as a reader!


One Split Second by Caroline Bond
*Title provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
What a fantastic book and portrayal of the devastating repercussions of a car crash. When a car carrying five teenagers home from a party crashed into a brick wall, the consequences are devastating - not just for the young people directly involved. This book touches on the grief, forgiveness, friendship, wider community, and family it creates and affects along the way. The characters in the story are well intertwined amongst the pages and believable to the story, There are definitely some really emotional moments in this book too. I also admired the nod to organ donation within this story that was equally powerful to the readers. A really fantastic read from start to finish with this one. 


Letters From An Astrophysicist by Neil deGrasse Tyson
This book is a collection of letters and replies from Neil deGrasse Tyson to his fans and other inquirers, collected over a span of more than two decades. The range of topics is vast, touching on science, religion, philosophy, politics, ethics, education, and more. It's quite interesting to hear his knowledge and thoughts on these different topics and in letter form makes it easy to follow. The strongest element of this book was when it focused on September 11, 2001, and that was an incredibly powerful moment in this book that Tyson witnessed for himself. It was an interesting book but it's very specific to the people that would enjoy this book. 


You Don't Know Me by Sara Foster
*Sent to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
A firm 4 star review for this book! It's a fantastic, twisting tale that really got to grips quickly for the reader. You really need to give this book your attention to ensure you don't miss the twists and turns embedded in the pages. Lizzie Burdett was eighteen when she vanished, and Noah Carruso has never forgotten her. She was his first crush, his unrequited love. Lizzie was also his brother's girlfriend. Noah's brother, Tom has been gone from home for a decade after he was accused of what happened to Lizzie on that fateful day she disappeared. As the inquest into her disappearance looms, Noah has escaped to Thailand where he meets Alice Pryce. Alice also carries a terrible secret of her own and they go on a really interesting journey with one another in You Don't Know Me that puts their secrets at risk of being told. Noah and Alice are the centre of the story and their secrets craft the conclusion well. I was definitely shocked by its conclusion and it definitely picked up in pace for me nearer the end! 


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18 May in ,

My Mental Health Journey with Anxiety.

"Mental Health isn't a battle to be won. It is a journey to continue walking"

It's been 6 years since I shared my mental health diagnosis in my blog post 'Having a Mental Health Disorder' and I've been on a journey ever since that day. The perception of myself, my thought process and how society deals with mental health has changed SO much. I wanted to use this week, Mental Health Awareness Week to dig deep and share a snippet of my mental health journey with you. 

It's important to remember that all of our journeys are not the same, what I went through isn't what the next person with anxiety has experienced and vice versa. However, I do think it's important that we share our stories to offer a beacon of hope that hopefully people are reminded that they're not alone.


My diagnosis came in 2014, during the final year of my dance degree in Coventry. Shit went down in that year and emotionally I filled my bucket with it all. Imagine being a child carrying your bucket full of water from the sea to your sandcastle kingdom and sloshing the water everywhere, that was me 6 years ago. I truly believe that for years I was carrying around mental health problems, especially when I cast a thought back to how I felt in specific situations growing up and in school etc. Physically, I had anxiety for a long time but it was only until after gasping for breath outside a restaurant in 2014, unable to translate what got me so riled up to my best friend that I needed to get myself to the doctors. 

Let me tell you getting a diagnosis from a university doctor, was at the time a 'quick fix' that I could have done without. The conversation was sparse, I was handed a prescription of tablets to take and then I left with very little further information about what it was. I got a confirmation weeks later from my local GP and handed more security that there were ways of supporting me with having anxiety. Please do seek support from your local home GP with mental health, I've had mostly good experiences in chatting with them. The first year of diagnosis was the hardest as I tried to adapt to handling what triggered me as well as adapting to life as a graduate, searching for jobs. This was the year I found the true appreciation for family, friendships and meeting Jordan. 

I think one of the biggest lessons I've learnt in this time is that anybody can have anxiety and that doesn't mean it defines me.

Over time friendships have collapsed, I have had good days and also some really bad days. I took on CBT which gave me more knowledge around my thought process and how to manage that better. I've figured out what my triggers are and learnt to live beside them, rather in their shadows for 6 years now. I've learnt what works for me to get me out of a rut with how I'm feeling; whether that's taking dance classes, doing yoga, going to the theatre, reading or running the bubble baths of all bubble baths! But I've also understood the importance of talking about how I'm feeling; a problem shared, is a problem halved and I feel as though some of my difficult days have been made better by doing this. 



I've come so far over this time and it's important to acknowledge your tiny victories. 6 years ago, I'd struggle to go for dinner in a restaurant even with my closest of friends, travel on public transport to local destinations, going to watch a show and holding down friendships was really tough. Over the years I learnt to manage my anxiety, accept that some people just don't "get" what it's like to have anxiety, ticked off some near-impossible things over the years and back then it seemed that I had a good grip on it all... or so I thought. 

In 2018 I was pulled back into the grasps of my anxiety when I quit my job in a school to take on a Marketing career. What happened was the anxiety of 2014/5 came knocking at my door and it was like I was meeting it all over again. It wasn't a good time and it still brings a knot to my stomach. It was tough and even now in 2020, anxiety knocks on my front door every now and again to remind me it's still very much here. I still have panic attacks, I still find some days unbearable and find myself getting torn up over the smallest thing. 

But what has happened since 2018? I've left marketing, got back into working in education, really taken to blogging, made some fantastic friendships, travelled around the UK, done numerous interviews with people (when i'd usually opt for emails so I don't have to talk) and recently started my Mental Health First Aird course because I know it'll help others. I love working in schools where I can promote the importance of mental health too, learning about mental health has to start there at the roots, in education. 

I think it's important people like me continue to share their stories and to show others that mental health doesn't have to live in a cloud above me but it lives beside me instead. We're navigating life together. It helps me to grow into a stronger and educate others that it's ok not to be ok. 



 
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