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.

Autumn iPlayer Recommendations Part 2

Hello friends and welcome back to my new fave kind of post which pretty much consists of me gushing about the TV I've been bingeing lately. 

If you haven't already, check out my previous posts 4 Must-Watch iPlayer Recommendations Autumn 2020 and 5 TV Shows You Should Watch on BBC iPlayer.

By the way, it has dawned on me - now I'm 3 posts deep in iPlayer recommendations - that you may be getting concerned that I don't know other channels or streaming services exist. To be honest, I just really like the fact there's no adverts and it's free. No shame in my game.

The Bridge

From the show's premise, this is the last thing I'd expect to be obsessed with. It's a subtitled police drama based between Sweden and Denmark. When a body is found on the bridge, one half in Sweden and one half in Denmark, two police officers, Saga and Martin, have to work together to figure out why.

4 Must-Watch iPlayer Recommendations Autumn 2020

Looking for some thrilling dramas to sink you're teeth into this autumn? Look no further. 

Since my previous post, 5 TV Shows You Should Watch on BBC iPlayer, I've been searching for even more great content. And let me tell you, I've found it. So much so that this is actually going to be a 2 part post. Expect another 4 incredible recommendations next week. I'm mixing it up a bit too so whether you're looking for dozens of episodes to keep you going or just a one-off fix, I've got you covered.

I've worked my way through the good, the bad and - let's face it - the awful, to find the absolute gems on BBC iPlayer. I'm talking truly mindblowing tele you can't turn off. Because as the evenings draw in and restrictions tighten again, one thing I really look forward to is sitting down to an episode of my current fave programme every night with some tasty treats. 

Also, since iPlayer is free, I find more people tend to be watching the same thing at the same time. That means even more enjoyment because you can talk about it and gasp at the same parts.

I May Destroy You

Without a word of exaggeration, this is the best TV show of 2020. 

Millennial writer Arabella pulls an all nighter to finish a creative project she's working on. She breaks to get something to eat and meet friends. Then blank. She comes to, back at her desk writing, with no idea what just happened. The series follows Arabella as she pieces together the horror of sexual assault, and how she begins to deal with it. 

The show deals with issues of consent from multiple angles. Angles I hadn't even thought of, let alone understood before. 

It also depicts our hustling, swiping, validation seeking, woke, hedonistic generation and it's vulnerable underbelly. And it's not just the issue of sexual assault which is explored, but the fine line we all tread in maintaining our mental health and relationships.

You Need To Check Out Wilko Stationery

I've noticed that for many in this community, the love of makeup is rivaled only by the love of stationary. Wilkinson's has been one of my favourite places to feed my stationary addiction for a long time (as I mentioned here) but I feel compelled to stress again the amazing value for money they offer. Each time they release a new collection they manage to compete with places like Paperchase and TKMaxx but at a fraction of the price. My most recent purchases, a diary-style notebook and an organiser, came in at only £1.75 and £2.50- and look how cute they are! Each collection has matching notebooks, folders, pens and more. At any one time they have a few different collections out too so there's something to suit everyone's style. Wilko stationary is perfect for back to school/ university but also just life in general if, like me, you love getting organised and writing everything down. I would definitely recommend you have a look at the stationary section next time you pass a store. I can hardly go in now without picking something up!

The Benefits Of Buying Second-Hand #AD

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Everyone wants to get the best deal they can get when they buy something. I don't know about you but when I have my eye on something, I um and ah over it for ages. I see it in the shop, wonder if its worth that amount, if I can get it for a better price elsewhere and make a mental note to look up blogger reviews online. I often think that instead of spending my time trawling through ebay, amazon and other sites, surely someone could collate them and just say 'here is what your looking for'. Well, I'm here to tell you that I have found such a website and I just had to share it with you. SecondWow.co.uk offers price comparisons of items on sale across eBay, Gumtree, Amazon and Preloved. They cover categories from fashion to vehicles and pretty much everything in between. And the best thing? They're all in one place!
I think the quality and value for money of second hand goods would surprise a lot of people. I'm always doing wardrobe clearouts and most of the stuff I sell on eBay or give to charity has hardly been worn. When I volunteered in a children's charity shop, most of the clothes were brand new but sold for a fraction on the price. You can get such good bargains. I think especially with electronics people have a tendency to move on the the latest thing when their current model still has plenty of life left in it (ahem, Apple products). My last two iPhones have been second-hand and lasted years. Buying preloved goods not only saves you money but provides the (often independent) seller with a small return on the stuff they no longer need. 
With buying second hand becoming easier and easier, there's nothing to stop you finding a treasure in someone else's trash.  Do you shop preloved goods? What's your best thrift find to date?
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The Perfect Summer Day Out #AD

When I finished my second year of university in May I had the very grand yet vague idea of 'actually doing stuff' with my summer instead of lapsing into the all-too-familiar couch potato life. Although I have indulged in a fair amount of my favourite hobby (lying down and watching TV) I have realised that making the most of summer is most easily done by doing all the little things that you always mean to do but never have the time. Things that are both realistic and fulfilling. I find that if you record each little thing you do, you can look back and see that it adds up to one successful, productive summer. Things on my list this year included getting back into blogging, decluttering my bedroom, getting a new job and making time for fun days out with friends and family. 

While some may consider a day of sunbathing or visiting a theme park the ultimate summer day out, I'm not a fan of sizzling my skin in the sun (not that we get a great deal in Glasgow) or scary rollercoasters (I threw up the last time I went on one). Instead, sometimes the most simple kind of day out can be the most enjoyable. I think one of the most classic and fun summer days out is going for a picnic. You can adapt it to your budget, your location and the time you have available. If you are lucky enough to live in the country or by the sea, I imagine you have an endless selection of scenic picnic locations to choose from. But even if you live in the city like me, you can take a picnic basket filled with goodies to a park, on a train journey, or even to your back garden. Its a day out that everyone can enjoy- from little kids to grannies and grandpas. The most important thing about it is taking time out from your day to day routine to appreciate tasty food and good company. A picnic is also, lets face it, pretty instagram/ Pinterest worthy. Think gorgeous picnic baskets and triangular-cut sandwiches. And for those worrying about the cost of getting your hands on picnic essentials, lovepicnics.co.uk review and compare the best picnic baskets and accessories available online to save you doing it yourself. There are websites for everything these days!

I hope this has inspired you to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors this summer. Now that my hayfever is settling down, I certainly will be!

Have you had a picnic lately? What are your favourite summer days out?

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