Recent Favourites - Disney+, Normal People & More

AD - This post features gifted items but all opinions are my own
It's been a long, long time since I last shared a favourites post! A while back I shared one each month but over time I found I was just repeating myself or running out of things to talk about so now I just do them every so often, when I've built up a collection of books, products, TV shows & more. There are quite a few books I want to talk about this time as I've been reading so much over the last few months aswell as some new beauty products I've been trying out and some of the best brownies I've ever eaten in my life!

SheaMoisture Body Wash & Body Lotion*

A few months ago I was sent some products from SheaMoisture to try out and I've absolutely loved them. The bottles are absolutely huge so they are going to last me forever at this rate! SheaMoisture have a variety of products ranging from shampoos to hair masks, body oils to body wash and lots more but the products I received are the African Black Soap Soothing Body Wash and the African Black Soap Soothing Body Lotion. The Body Wash has a gentle formula enriched with natural organic ingredients and is suitable for dry skin, something I often don't experience but weirdly have been whilst in lockdown! I've noticed a few little dry patches so this arrived at the perfect time. The body wash lifts away any dirt and impurities whilst moisturing the skin too. I've been using this in the shower and then following up with the body lotion afterwards but I love that you can use a capful of the body wash in the bath instead. As the body lotion is formulated with African Black Soap and organic Shea Butter, it makes my skin feel amazing too. It really hydrates my skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth for hours afterwards. I've really enjoyed trying both of these out and as such a small amount goes a long way, I'll be using them for many weeks to come. You can find both of these African Black Soap products at LookFantastic and Superdrug for £11.99 each.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

God this book was fantastic! If anyone else has read this and wants a chat about it, please leave me a comment, I just want to know what everyone else thinks of it! It was a book that actually did feel like a thriller, I've read too many recently which claim to be thrillers and then end up not going anywhere but this actually was. So incredibly clever, full of suspense and major twists throughout that I just couldn't believe. Definitely a contender for my top 5 books of the year come the end of 2020.

Miss Patisserie Bath Bombs

Whilst I'll always have a place in my heart for Lush when it comes to bath bombs, so many other brands are becoming firm faves of mine when it comes to skincare and bath products. Miss Patisserie have some really beautiful bath bombs and and a few months ago, George got me a set of 4 which I've loved working my way through. They're not the cheapest ever but cheaper than Lush who have definitely become a bit overpriced in my opinion. I just love the range of colours, patterns and scents you get with the Miss Patisserie bath bombs and they take their time to fizzle out too so it always feels like money hasn't just been wasted! Highly recommend checking them out at Boots if you're in need of a stock up!

Brown & Blond Brownies

At the very start of lockdown, George and I ordered brownies from an amazing company called Brown and Blond. They've been at various Christmas markets over the years that we've been too so I was thrilled when I found them on Instagram and saw the huge range you could order online. It got us through first week of lockdown! We tried out quite a few different varieties but I think my favourite would have to be the Salted Caramel ones. We missed out on ordering some of their Easter specials recently but we'll definitely be trying out some of their other monthly specials at some point!

The Longest Holiday by Paige Toon

Paige Toon can do no wrong in my eyes. I've very nearly read all of her books and there have only been 2 I think that have left me wanting more. I recently read The Longest Holiday, one of her older books, and it was just the perfect Spring read. It definitely made me long for a holiday even more, like that was possible and I completely fell in love with the characters. Whilst it was obviously focused mostly on romance - the reason I always reach for Paige's books, it also had some really deep moments throughout and a good dose of drama thrown in too. One of the best books I've read from Paige Toon.

Disney+

I think we're all loving Disney+ at the moment aren't we? I shared 10 of my current Disney+ picks a few weeks ago so feel free to read that if you're in need of some inspiration of things to watch. It came along at the exact right time didn't it? I've been really enjoying High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, I've watched Zootropolis more times than I'd like to admit and George and I even watched all of the Marvel films from the beginning which was fun!

The Phantom Of The Opera Live Stream

I'm missing theatre a lot. I always knew I would during lockdown but over the last few weeks, it's really got to me. It's my biggest passion and I'm just waiting for the day we get told the theatres can re-open and we can re-book the shows we missed last month. I feel so lucky I got to see Les Mis on my birthday now because who knows how long the closure of the West End could last. To get my theatre fix, I've been enjoying some of the live streams Andrew Lloyd Webber has been putting out on Youtube. He recently streamed the 25th anniversary performance of Phantom Of The Opera and I had the loveliest evening watching it. Whilst it was never going to be the same as being sat in the theatre, Phantom Of The Opera is one of the shows on my theatre bucketlist so in a way I've kind of ticked it off! The cast were brilliant and the music is just outstanding.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

It feels like I'm talking about this book all the time at the moment but there just seems to be one book a year that I get utterly lost in and this seems to be the one for 2020. I reviewed Normal People just this week so I'll leave that here in case you want to hear all my rambly thoughts on it. I just adored it in every way. The characters, Connell and Marianne are just so real and I was so sad to turn the last page. I was completely obsessed with the TV adaptation too, so much so I'm tempted to start it from the beginning again soon! Can't get over it, probably never will. 

What have you been loving over the last few weeks? Have you read any of the books I mentioned?

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Current Netflix Top Picks #14

Whilst in lockdown there isn't a great deal to do is there? Despite always finding jobs around the flat
(it feels never ending), working on my blog and obviously doing a LOT of baking, it's also fair to say I'm watching a lot of TV. I've been leaning more towards to Disney+ recently just because it's so new and there's so much to watch but there's still no denying, Netflix win when it's comes to documentaries and binge-worth reality TV. Here are my current Netflix top picks!

Nadiya's Time To Eat

To say how much I enjoy cooking, I rarely seek out cooking programs on Netflix but I'm definitely going to be doing that from now on. Obviously I've re-watched all of GBBO on there but that was pretty much it. I spotted Nadiya's Time To Eat just last week and I've loved each episode. She's just seems like such a lovely person doesn't she? So down to earth which I love and she actually shows normal recipes that we really all could recreate at home. There's a few recipes I'm desperate to try soon from the series including chocolate hazelnut mousse and the peanut butter and jam traybake.

Love Is Blind

Okay I know this came out months ago now and it was all everyone was talking about but I still had to mention it in this post. Love Is Blind is the show that I think we're all going to be waiting for each now year, it's similar in a way to Love Island so if you're a fan of that, I think you'll love this. In Love Is Blind, 30 single men and women hoping to find love, take part in a kind of speed dating game. The men and women date each other in different 'pods' where they can talk to each other but not see each other and if they form a strong enough emotional connection, they can propose to one another. After the proposal, they meet face-to-face, head to a couples retreat and then they move in together before then deciding on the actual wedding day if they want to say I do, proving whether love really is blind. It's such an interesting format and nothing like any other dating show out there which I think is what I loved about it. It's packed full of drama too though so it's easily a show you can just binge-watch in one go!

Tiger King

Another show everyone was talking about weeks ago I know but it's just fascinating! I wasn't actually that bothered about watching it at first, I'm not usually too fussed about documentaries but then all the memes started and I had to witness the madness for myself. Tiger King is primarily about Joe Exotic, a zoo owner who spirals out of control in a true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding. His real life enemy, Carol Baskin also plays a big part in the documentary and it's quite clear no one is really innocent throughout, they're all a bit strange to put it mildly. It really is a brilliant watch for so many reasons. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing most of the time.

Love Wedding Repeat

Okay this definitely isn't the best film Netflix have put out but I also don't think it was as bad as some of the reviews I've seen are saying! Love Wedding Repeat features a great cast including Sam Claflin, Olivia Munn, Eleanor Tomlinson and Joel Fry and it's basically the same wedding day repeated as Jack (played by Sam) tries to ensure his sister has the perfect day without any mishaps. It's a nice romantic comedy to stick on during the weekend with some really funny moments but probably don't expect it to be the best film you've ever watched.

The Sun Is Also A Star

I just adore anything by Nicola Yoon. Nicola is the author of the book The Sun Is Also A Star, aswell as Everything Everything and luckily both have been adapted into film. I first watched this last year but I'm thrilled it's been added to Netflix. This follows college-bound romantic Daniel and pragmatist Natasha who meet and fall in love on one magical day in New York. Sparks fly immediately but Natasha is fighting her family's deportation to Jamaica meaning one day may be all they ever have? It's just the sort of film I would have adored as a teenager. I love both the characters and having read the book too, I think they've really done it justice with the film, no details are missed.

So, that's my current Netflix picks! Like most of us I'm sure, I'm really working my way through loads of boxsets and films at the moment so let me know if you have anything you recommend.

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Normal People By Sally Rooney Book Review

I only tend to share book reviews when a book has really got to me in some way. I want to talk about the books that I feel passionately about or that have stirred up ALL the emotions in me and Normal People by Sally Rooney did exactly that. I finished this book a few weeks ago now and I find myself still thinking about it. It seems to be a book that really divides people so I'm sure they'll be people reading this who felt the exact opposite to me but at the moment I'm struggling to see how any other book is going to beat it this year. This review is going to be LONG.

'Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in the west of Ireland, but the similarities end there. In school, Connell is popular and well-liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation - awkward but electrifying - something life-changing begins. Normal people is a story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can't.'

My Review

 I only picked up Normal People recently after seeing the trailer for the TV adaptation which is available on BBC iPlayer and I ended up reading it in less than 12 hours. It's the first book in a while that has kept me up for hours because I just couldn't bare to put it down.

We first meet Connell and Marianne as teenagers in sixth form in a small town in Ireland. Connell is one of the popular boys at school and Marianne is the opposite in every way. The two of them would never usually find themselves in each others company but Connell's mum works as a cleaner for Marianne's family. They clearly come from very different worlds. It's not until Connell arrives to pick up his mum one day, that he and Marianne finally talk. From there on, a friendship starts which leads to a romantic relationship but unfortunately it's never plain sailing.

Despite having the nice house and money, Marianne's childhood wasn't a happy one and she struggles a lot as a teenager because of it, meaning she finds it hard to accept a normal relationship and Connell cares too much about what people think, wanting to hide the relationship. Many things tear the two of them away from each other over the years yet they somehow always find their way again. You can't deny the chemistry between them from the very beginning. I utterly adored both of them. They weren't perfect, they both had flaws but it was just so raw and real. Their relationship was intense and heartbreaking, uncomfortable and even hard to read at some points but also beautiful. Two people who needed each other but weren't always able to communicate that. Marianne and Connell are just two very special characters who I really felt for and I don't think I've ever rooted for a couple to make it work as much as I did for these two.

Onto Sally Rooney's writing now which I found was really unique. It felt comfortable from the beginning, despite their being no speech marks which I thought was a little odd but within a page or two, I got used to it. This also had quite a few time jumps throughout which I'm not always a fan of but I actually didn't mind them with Normal People. Even if we moved 7 months on or so, Sally would always fill in the gaps so nothing was missed. I'm also not a fan of really long chapters and can find them a drag but this was perfect. Short and snappy chapters really keep my attention but these were long enough that you still get plenty of detail too.

The interesting thing about Normal People is that to me it doesn't particularly fit into one genre. A lot of it is centered around Connell and Marianne's relationship obviously but it's not always the main focus. So much of it is about them both finding their own ways in the world, accepting their flaws and confronting their demons and in a lot of ways it's not always a happy book. Anxiety and depression are spoken about too and I personally think Sally handled each subject perfectly.

So let's bring this long, rambly review to end. Connell and Marianne aren't your typical characters but I grew to love them and I felt incredibly sad to close the book. They just felt so human and relatable. No one is perfect and no relationship is either and I felt Sally portrayed that perfectly. Whilst this may be a love it or hate it book in some people's eyes, if you've not read it, I urge you to give it a chance. It's now the book to beat in my 2020 reading challenge and something impressive is going to have to come along to knock it off the top spot. I also highly recommend the TV adaptation too!

Have you read Normal People? or seen the TV show? Would love to know your thoughts if so!

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The Little Bookshop Of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans Book Review*

*I received a copy to review but all opinions are my own
At the start of 2020 when I shared my blogging goals for the year, I said I wanted to write more book reviews this year. I started off the year pretty well, sharing reviews for Big Little Lies, People Like Us and The Five Year Plan but then despite reading loads more since then, I've struggled to find the motivation to actually write up reviews. The current lockdown situation is seriously starting to get to me so I've been struggling with motivation a lot over the last few weeks. I was recently invited to be part of the book tour for The Little Bookshop Of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans though and I was thrilled!

'Today is the Mondayest Monday ever. Hallie Winstone has been fired - and it wasn't even her fault! Having lost her job and humiliated herself in front of a whole restaurant full of diners, this is absolutely, one hundred percent, the worst day of her life. That is until she receives an email announcing that she is the lucky winner of the Once Upon a Page Bookshop! Owning a bookshop has always been Hallie's dream, and when she starts to find secret love letters on the first page of every book, she knows she's stumbled across something special. But Hallie's beloved bookshop is in financial trouble, and with sales dwindling, she can't help but wonder if she is really cut out to run a business. Things start to look up when she meets gorgeous, bookish Dimitri and between them, they post a few of the hidden messages online, reuniting people who thought they were lost forever. But maybe it's time for Hallie to find her own happy-ever-after, too?'

My review

I'm going to start by saying I will ALWAYS enjoy books that are about books. Being such an avid reader myself, I love when you find a character that is exactly the same and really feels the magic of books and the different world's you can get lost in with each one. So many parts of this book just made me smile because I could totally relate to Hallie's love for reading and I felt Jaimie really got across how much reading can mean to people.

Whilst I admit it did take me a little while to get fully stuck into this and I did find a few bits a little over the top, I really did grow to love Hallie. She felt like a character I could really relate to and I'm sure many other people would too. She seemed to lack in confidence a little and luck was never something she had much of so it felt like such a win when she gets given the bookshop. She's a character you can really root for and I was just hoping throughout that she'd find a way to make the bookshop a success again.

I also can't not mention the romance aspect in this between Hallie and Dimitri. He was the perfect love interest and all the way through, from the very first moment they met, I was willing for them to end up together. They just both had this cute awkwardness about them yet the chemistry was so obvious. I love that their was an air of mystery around Dimitri though and they both found ways to help each other in business and in their personal lives.

Overall, The Little Bookshop Of Love Stories is a really beautiful, light-hearted read and I think any books lovers would thoroughly enjoy it. It just makes you smile and I think that's something we all need right now!

What are you reading at the moment?

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