Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan | Book Review

This is a spoiler-free review of Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan.

You will like Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery if you’re looking for a cosy Christmas book with plenty of spirit and a great story that keeps you hooked.

Set in a harsh coastal winter, it’s the perfect book to read under blankets, drinking a warm hot chocolate. There are even recipes at the end.

It has an almost whimsical feel, with exotic characters from across the globe whose lives converge on the small seaside village of Mount Polbearne.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery has:

• lavish decorations
• a pet puffin
• freezing cold weather
• wrapped-up villagers
• drama
• secrets
• more Christmas baking than you can imagine
• romance
• reunions
• a Christmas fayre· 

This Christmas chick lit is guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit.

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan | Book Review

 

This is a spoiler-free review of Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan.

You will like Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop if you’re looking for all the festive feels wrapped up in one cosy novel.

This book is a brilliant Christmas read. It’s bursting with everything you’d want at this time of year including:

• carols
• excited cute kids
• sweets galore
• a puppy
• snow
• family reunions
• romance
• Christmas shopping

It’s perfect for reading while sipping a hot chocolate in the cold dark evenings, wrapped up in a warm blanket.

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod | Book Review

I am absolutely not a morning person. I never have been. I'm pretty much a demon until 11am. I know that the early bird catches the worm and all that and because I start work at 8am I do need to rise early out of necessity. Honestly though, I'd rather not.

I'm just finishing an online course called The Science of Well-Being by Yale University. It sounds obvious, but one of the most essential factors in people's happiness levels, studies have shown time and time again, is sleep. While I may falter in some of the other contributory factors like exercise, meditation and gratitude, sleep is something I can't not prioritise. When people say to me 'I only got 4 hours sleep last night' I'm like 'HUH?! How are you still functioning?!' I'd literally collapse. So, whether its been before exams, stressful times at work or after a night out, I always get the amount of sleep I need. I think that's why, until now, I've classified mornings as time which would be better spent unconscious.

Therefore, even though I've heard The Miracle Morning recommended time and time again over the years alongside books I have loved, I prematurely judged it as 'not my thing'. However, when my cousin dropped her copy at my house in the middle of a pandemic saying it had changed her life, I kind of had to take notice. And I'm super glad I did.

What is The Miracle Morning?

The book begins with testimonies about how The Miracle Morning has transformed people's lives. From losing 25 pounds to quitting smoking to attaining top grades to finding true love to improving relationships to having more energy to accomplishing long term goals to having every day 'feel like Christmas' - this book can purportedly help you do anything.

The Existence of Amy* by Lana Grace Riva | Book Review

Trigger warning - this book contains depictions of OCD, depression and suicidal thought patterns.

This is a no spoiler book review.

Hello you lovely folk and happy Saturday! I hope you're having a swell weekend. As I mentioned in my last book review, for a few months now I have been really struggling to get into a book. Only a tiny fraction are cutting it. I've currently got three books on the go and they're all very mediocre. So, I was delighted to read 'The Existence of Amy'* by Lana Grace Riva last weekend because it gripped me straight away and I finished it within a few hours.

What's the story?

From the outside you'd be forgiven for thinking Amy was normal (whatever 'normal' actually means...). She has a great job in digital marketing, brilliant work friends and a nice house. However, we are privy to Amy's perspective, and from the inside her life is a constant struggle. The title pretty much sums it up: she's just existing, not living.

Amy's whole existence is dictated by her OCD (and subsequent anxiety and overthinking) and bouts of depression. She fights with herself to keep up appearances and continue the charade of a normal life but its exhausting.

'The Husband's Secret' by Liane Moriarty | Book Review

This is a no spoiler book review

The Husband's Secret has been on my to-be-read pile for well over a year after I got it at a jumble sale 3 for £1 (bargain!). 

For such a book-loving gal who usually roars through novels alongside working full time, since we've went into lockdown and I've had so much free time, I've been finding it so difficult to get into a book. I don't know if it's because right now our brains are constantly distracted by the enormous threat of a pandemic. Anyway, while other folk have been using this time to whittle down their TBR pile, mine has been slogging along almost untouched. 

Have you been feeling the same difficulty in settling into reading lately?

I'm a big believer in 'feeling' what to read next. I need to be in the mood for a particular genre or type of book. For every few fiction books I read, I'll throw in a non fiction between to change things up. The diversity is the beauty of reading: having such variety to choose from means I never get bored.

Let's leave all the hard hitting science and canonical literature for later. My brain just can't deal. Right now? I need something light with a great story which hooks me in immediately. 

Cue The Husband's Secret.

Book Wishlist 2020

Having a large To Be Read (TBR) pile seems to be a common trait among book lovers. I'm totally overcome with excitement whenever I enter a book shop or, as is more often the case, a charity shop or jumble sale. I simply buy books faster than I can read them and this has been the case for years.

As a result, I currently have about 15 books I haven't read yet. In an effort to reduce the pile and save money, I'm not buying any more books until my TBR pile has reduced considerably. While we're in lockdown, I'm trying to read as much as I can. However, I'm finding it more difficult than usual to concentrate on a book. Once I'm 100 pages in I'm fine but getting to that point takes days. Anyone else feeling like this?

'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen

This is a no spoiler book review (except the mug in the photo)

Way back in 2014 in The Reading Tag, I said the next book I had my sights set on was Pride and Prejudice. When I wrote that, I was just about to start university studying English Literature. Fast forward nearly six years, I have the degree and a whole lot of other classics under my belt, but still no Jane Austen.

Why?

'Everything I Never Told You' by Celeste Ng

This is a no spoiler book review

In October I got a fanta-bulous book haul from a local annual jumble sale, including Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. In jumble sale situations there's not much you can do except judge a book by its cover unless you spot one you have wanted to read for a while. In the case of Everything I Never Told You, I read the blurb, thought it sounded a bit like Riverdale (dead body of teenager found in lake in small American town, whodunit vibes) and would therefore be a decent read. Besides, you can't go wrong at 3 for £1.

What I thought would be a semi-good book completely surpassed my expectations. Not only was it a fantastic story, well thought out and well written, it was also complex in its handling of various themes. Also, it avoided the over-dramatic, thriller/ whodunit angle in favour of a much more sophisticated yet simple explanation.

Everything I Never Told You is about an underrepresented mixed race family (Chinese American) in an underrepresented setting - small town America in the 60s and 70s. I'm saying underrepresented because I personally have never encountered this genre of identity story, which either says a lot about my own limited reading perimeters, the school/ university curriculum, or both.

'You Are A Badass' by Jen Sincero Book Review

I always feel a bit deflated after Christmas. It's my favourite time of year and I build up to it from October, so it all seems to go by in a flash and come Boxing Day normality slaps me in the face like a big dry turkey. 

I'm never quite sure what to do with myself in the days between Christmas and New Year and I'm definitely not someone who gets hyped up about Hogmanay (what's the big deal?) BUT there is something extremely inspiring and energising about the first of January. I always reflect back on what I've done in the previous year and plan out what I want the coming year to have in store.

It seems like the stars aligned because I stumbled upon the perfect new year book. I had wanted to read 'You Are a Badass' by Jen Sincero for a while but I didn't want to pay full price from Waterstones because I'm trying to restrict my spending so you can imagine my delight when I found a copy in a charity shop for £1.50.

You Are a Badass has the subtitle 'How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life'. While there is a tiny part of me that felt a bit cringe reading this i.e. with people on the train looking over and thinking 'Woah she must think a lot of herself reading a book like that'... I also can't help but think its exactly what our generation of over-thinking, self-conscious social media addicts need - a bit of positive affirmation. And let's face it, besides everything else it's a pretty attention grabbing title.

'Is It Just Me?' by Miranda Hart

I've just finished 'Is It Just Me' by Miranda Hart and thought I'd write a little review for anyone who is thinking of giving it a read. I actually got this for Christmas and its been sitting in my 'to read' pile since - reading books is the basis of my degree so I don't get through much personal reading. 

At just over 300 pages, this is no run of the mill joke book, but it made me laugh out loud and I finished it in a couple of days. Essentially, this is a compilation of life's awkward and embarrassing moments. The chapters cover subjects from diet and holidays to pets and weddings. Speaking to her 18-year old self, Miranda revisits her most painfully embarrassing memories with the intention of reassuring her, and us, that they happen to everyone. The frequent back and forth interaction between young and 'big' Miranda did make the book seem a little disjointed, and I think it could have been just as good without 18-year old Miranda's input, but she did offer some insights about how weird today's technology-obsessed population would seem to a teen 20 years ago. 

'Is It Just Me' is fun, light-hearted and has some really amusing illustrations. I very much liked the frequent address of readers and the challenges sprinkled throughout such as speaking affirmations aloud or spontaneously rolly-pollying- wherever you are while reading. There are also periodical checklists- 'Miranda's Amazing Tickbox Game'- where you too can share the elaborate adventures she embarks on. Miranda's wacky take on things is pretty hilarious and the extent of her very British social awkwardness and etiquette hiccups is certainly reassuring. 

I think everyone could relate to this book and it is very light-reading. I think I've been spoiled with really profound literature on my course so I found this book a little too light overall. It might be because I don't read a lot of comedy but I think Miranda's humour comes across better on her TV show (which I would 100% recommend!). I got more out of the book because I have seen the TV show, and read most of it unconsciously in her accent. While I wouldn't reread this or absolutely rave about it, I'd say its still worth a read. 

The Reading Tag

I haven't written a tag post in ages and after seeing The Reading Tag on Fay Olivia's blog a little while ago, I knew this was one which would be perfect for me because although I am quite lazy with reading, I am quite the book worm when I get into it. They're also something a little different to post and let you get to know me better. I won't tag anyone specific just anyone reading this who wants to give it a go. Be sure to let me know if you do.

Do you have a certain place for reading at home?

Usually on my bed but I've been known to actually travel around the house and sit/ hang upside down in every little space until I'm comfortable.

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

I can never find my bookmarks so usually just whatever I have to hand. Recently I've used post its.

Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter or a certain number of pages?

In general I can just stop at the end of a page or even paragraph. Stopping midway through a sentence is of course unthinkable.

Do you eat or drink when reading?

Reading is probably the only activity I don't consider snack- appropriate. Perhaps just a cup of tea.

One book at a time or several at once?

One at a time unless they're educational/ completely polar. I'm very easily confused.

Reading at home or everywhere?

Most of the time at home, particularly if I'm really into a book though I'll sometimes take one along on train journeys in case I run out of Facebook/ Instagram updates to scroll through.

Reading out loud or silently in your head?

Completely silently. I used to get so frustrated with my friend in school who read out loud next to me because I'd become so distracted.

Do you ever read ahead or skip pages?

I'll admit I did this when I was younger (and it gave me a rather confusing expectation for the end of HP7 - imagine knowing Dumbledore/ Snape are dead but discovering them speaking on the last page). Now I wouldn't dare.

Breaking the spine or keeping it new?

Keep it new through fear of it crumbling. I learned this the hard way when I broke the spine of my teacher's personal copy of A Scarlet Letter and had to hand it back to her in bits. 

Do you ever write in books?

Ever since I had to annotate and highlight my copy of The Great Gatsby in school I can't stop. I could be reading anything and feel the urge to note at the side that I like the way it is written or what it could represent. Its a curse.

What are you currently reading?

I'm between books just now. I finally admitted defeat with A Tale of Two Cities and now my university books have taken over. I think my next will be Pride and Prejudice though. .

Shopping My Stash | Decor & Miscellaneous

Hey Everyone (and a special hello to my 11 new followers woop!)

Typically, thoughts of summer bring to mind relaxation, sun and doing nothing. My summer consists of productivity, organisation and clear outs. Although its nice now and again, to me a lazy day is a wasted day, so when I've not been out with friends or the gym so far this summer, I have been tidying through and discovering long lost possessions- otherwise known as shopping my stash. 

Whilst sorting through all my old stuff and clearing out, I found a number of cute things I thought would be perfect decor additions to my room. The storage boxes are so pretty, though I'm not entirely sure about them yet as they're not really in keeping with the colours of my room (pink and green). However, the rose print trinket box, candle and alarm clock definitely are! The little rose box was a little present from my mums friend when I was a flower girl at her wedding, the candle was a purchase from Ikea a while back (it smells amazing by the way) and the clock was a present from my cousin in New Zealand. And of course the cute little frog trinket box (I think every girl in the country bought one like this from Claire's when they were younger) matches my room perfectly. So after finding all this, I am in desperate need of a few display shelves- any recommendations of where I can get sturdy ones? I'm thinking B&Q or Ikea. 

I also found a couple of random bits and bobs that I thought I would include.

So there's some cute keyrings that will soon be making an appearance on my key and some books that I want to read. I've read the Lauren Conrad one before and really enjoyed it and I actually got the other one ages ago and never read it. I was determined to read lots this summer and I haven't skimmed one single page so I just need to get reading! I just find reading blogs or watching YouTube so much more tempting.

Have you shopped your stash lately?