3 Ways To Update Your Home For The New Year*

Now it might sound a little crazy talking about new year already but this year has flown by! Anyone else agree? As always January dragged but since then the days have whizzed by and I can't quite believe we're already in the middle of November. We're not far off Christmas and before we know it we'll be welcoming 2020. I'm already sad at the thought of all things Christmas being over and it's barely even begun! That's part of the reason I'm never a huge fan of new year, my favourite few months being over in a flash, and there's just something incredibly daunting about a whole 12 months ahead of you with no idea what's to come. That being said, there are positives - it's a chance to celebrate the previous year and what you've achieved, and whether it's been a good year or not, it's a fresh start.

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When all the Christmas decorations come down though, my home never quite feels the same for a while. It doesn't feel as cosy, it looks bare and I end up noticing everything I don't like about certain rooms. Please tell me I'm not alone in feeling like that! That's why I think updating your home around new year is a great way to start over. Here are a few updates I've been considering and you might find them useful too if you want to head into the new year with a fresh look on your home.

Replace Old Furniture 

With Christmas, comes the boxing day and January sales! One of the most perfect times to finally get rid of some of old furniture and replace with something brand new. You can get some real bargains around this time of year and if you're lucky you might have even received a few vouchers or some money at Christmas therefore reducing the cost even more. Many big retailers take part in these sales such as John Lewis, Marks and Spencers, Habitat, DFS and Debenhams, all of which sell some really beautiful pieces. Even if you don't want to replace any big items of furniture, items like new cushions and throws can make a big difference to a room and get you ready for a new season.

New Windows

If you've been after new windows for a while, Tuffx Glass are here to solve all of your problems. With over 25 years of manufacturing experience, they provide glass for famous attractions such as The Shard and Edinburgh Zoo but they also work on smaller residential projects meaning they can provide toughened glass throughout your home too. Upgrading your windows is something that can really make a big difference in your home, as not only will they look more appealing outside and inside, it can add significant value to your home should you choose to sell one day. Old windows can also affect how well insulated your home is too which isn't something you want to be worrying about when Winter hits.

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Add Lighting To The Garden

Whilst gardening isn't something that sets my soul on fire, I dream of the day I can sit and look out at a pretty garden in the summer and it be somewhere I genuinely enjoy spending my time. I've always liked the idea aswell of adding lighting to the garden to brighten up the space in the evenings meaning that if I wanted to, I have the option of relaxing outside whenever. As it goes dark from about 4pm in the later months of the year, lighting is essential! You can get solar powered lights now to dot around the area, some people like to twirl fairy lights around trees, lanterns are always a pretty idea and decking lights are a good one if you have a seating area.

Whilst no-one should feel pressured to make big changes like this once a new year hits, if you have been planning re-decorating and sprucing up your home, I really do think it's one of the best times to do it. I'd love to know if you feel the same as me once the Xmas decorations are down? Do you have any home updates planned?

This post is in collaboration with Tuffx Glass*

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My 2019 Reading Challenge - Update #4

It's that time again. Another roundup of my 2019 reading challenge. In case you somehow didn't know, I set myself a goal of reading 30 books this year, and I'm currently at number 87 so it's safe to say I've achieved far more books than I could have ever imagined! I honestly don't know how I've done it and it's going to mean setting myself a higher target next year I think, but I've thoroughly enjoyed reading such a variety. I've already done 3 roundup posts so far instead of doing one mammoth one at the end of the year and you can find those here - 1, 2, 3. So let's get on with the latest set of books I've got through over the last few months.

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's pretty obvious from my review of this that I absolutely adored it! Nicola Yoon is like the queen of young adult books, and I really did love this just as much as Everything, Everything. Nicola has taken a simple boy meets girl story and turned it into something so fresh and unique. I loved the film too.

The Rumour by Lesley Kara - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Rumour had been on my to read list for a long time so I was really hoping it would live up to the hype, and wow it did. Such an intense thriller with a great storyline and an ending that will stay with you afterwards. I did find it a little overwhelming the amount of characters there were at points but they were all pretty vital to the plot.

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover alone, this looked so similar to One Day In December by Josie Silver and the plot was actually kind of the same too, not that I'm complaining. A classic will they, won't they love story and you all know how much I love one of those. I don't think I was quite as invested in the characters as I have been in books like this from Paige Toon and Giovanna Fletcher but still a great read.

What You Did by Claire McGowan - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This really took me by surprise actually. For a thriller I actually thought it started off pretty slow and I did find myself thinking, will I be able to finish this but when I say it picked up the pace later on in the book, I truly mean it. I had absolutely no idea where it was going to go from one chapter to the next and I thought it was really interesting for a woman's husband and best friend to be pitted against each other.

Dream A Little Dream & Dream A Little Christmas Dream by Giovanna Fletcher - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've read the majority of Giovanna's books now and she is just an author that gets romance so right. I loved her previous books Billy & Me, and Some Kind Of Wonderful, just to name a few but Dream A Little Dream was beautiful. I did find the dream sequences a little over the top sometimes but I adored the main characters Sarah and Brett and the short story follow up, Dream A Little Christmas Dream was a lovely way to end their story.

The Escape by C.L Taylor - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

C.L. Taylor is quickly becoming one of my favourite thriller/mystery authors. I'd heard great things about her books on Twitter & Instagram, and I mean very high praise and with that there's always a worry that maybe you just won't quite get it like others do or your expectations won't be fulfilled but the first book I went for by this author, The Escape was mindblowing! Literally an on the edge of your seat type thriller with characters you just want to scream at! Insanely good.

The Girl Next Door by Phoebe Morgan - ⭐⭐⭐

I got onto a bit of a roll with thrillers and as I spotted The Girl Next Door for just £2 on Amazon, I thought I'd give it a whirl. Unfortunately I didn't love it. It didn't quite pack as much of a punch as The Escape or a few others I'm about to mention, and I thought the ending was a little predictable.

Sleep by C.L. Taylor - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The latest release from C.L. Taylor and I couldn't resist it after loving The Escape so much. This was based in a remote B&B in Scotland and I loved picturing the scenery. Straight away it felt creepy and the suspense just grew and grew from the first few chapters. I was utterly gripped and read it ridiculously fast.

Maybe This Time by Jill Mansel - ⭐⭐⭐

Finally something a bit more lighthearted! I wanted to absolutely love this but it was just kind of okay. It was one I'd seen around a lot and kept meaning to grab it but now I'm glad I just spent 99p on kindle rather than a fiver on the actual paperback. I quite liked the characters but so much happens straight away that I found there was hardly any tension or buildup and from then on I was just thinking, okay so how are you going to fill this book because you've just revealed everything on the blurb. A little disappointing.

Who Did You Tell by Lesley Kara - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one didn't quite grip me at the start like The Rumour, also by Lesley Kara did but as I got about a quarter of the way in, I found myself getting really interested. This book tackles the topic of addiction, alcoholism and loss which I wasn't expecting but I like that it's so different from The Rumour, and there was a good sense of unpredictability about it. Would definitely recommend if you've read The Rumour and enjoyed it.

The Lodger by C.L. Taylor - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can you tell I've become a fan of C.L.Taylor? I really don't think you can... Anyway, I signed up to her newsletter and if you do, you get a free copy of her short story The Lodger. As you might guess, it's not very long so it's a great snappy one to read in one go, which I do like sometimes. The thing I find with short stories is that I obviously want more by the end of it, there's never quite as much detail as I'd like. Regardless, it was still a pretty great thriller and it's just only made me want to pick up some of the author's previous books that I've not yet got round to.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have many thoughts about this book but no idea how to articulate them properly. This was the book everyone seemed to be talking about over the Summer so I had high hopes. And it's not that it didn't fulfil them, it did, it's a fantastic book but I just never connected with the characters. The plot of a man being wrongly accused and going to prison for years, leaving his wife with their best friend, a man who has also been in love with her for a long time, seemed like it could make for something really heartwrenching. At times it was, and I definitely felt for each person because who knows how they'd cope in that situation, but I didn't find anyone particularly likeable. I know not every book will have characters you love but with a story like this I expected to feel more or to care more about the outcome.

Truth Hurts by Rebecca Reid - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

God, this book was good! I wrote a big review of this so I won't go on too much but Rebecca Reid knows how to write a good drama. It's not that it didn't have elements of a thriller novel, it did but it wasn't a book full of twists and turns. It was quite a slow burner so could have easily become quite boring and tedious to read but somehow it just kept me hanging on. The premise was fantastic, a new couple who decide to never talk about their past, and just that alone is enough intrigue to get started with as everyone wants to know why they both wanted that. I'm still not over the ending.

Saturdays At Noon by Rachel Marks - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nothing at all like books I reach for but I am SO glad I read it. It had relatable characters that weren't afraid to show their struggles which was so refreshing and just offered something different to many other books. Jake and Emily, two people who would never usually interact find themselves thrown together at anger management class, and whilst this wouldn't usually jump at me as something I need to read, there was something really special about this. It took me a little time to warm up to Jake but I think each character was written so well.

Unfollow Me by Charlotte Duckworth - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Well this definitely made me have a think about how much I share on social media! This follows a vlogger/social media influencer who one day deletes her Youtube channel, Instagram, pretty much every social media account she's ever had. Loyal followers are in shock and can't figure out where she's gone and why she'd do this. What comes next is an intense story on how dangerous the online world can be. Who is really watching us? How much can people find out just from an Instagram photo? Is everyone that's following us doing it for the right reasons? Tense, scary and thought- provoking. Honestly, a brilliant book.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing - ⭐⭐

This book actually really annoyed me, which might sound silly but after seeing so many fantastic reviews, I expected something groundbreaking. Unfortunately as this is part of the Richard and Judy Book Club, at the very start they introduce the book, and go on TO GIVE THE WHOLE STORY AWAY. It told me all the of the twists! Just from the blurb, you get nothing really, you could go into it with no idea what's going to happen, but for some reason their review has been put at the start. Before I knew what I was reading, it was too late. From then on I kind of thought throughout 'well I know the twist now, I know where this is going, I know who to suspect'. A real shame as otherwise I might have rated it higher. I mean, I still found it a little disappointing, but that just totally ruined it for me.

The Holiday by T.M. Logan - ⭐⭐⭐

This was another book I went into with high expectations, it seemed like my kind of thriller. A woman who suspects her husband is cheating with one of her 3 best friends, and they're all on holiday together. We get thrown in pretty quickly so I was a little sceptical in how the rest of the book was going to get filled, and I kind of just don't really understand why it went in the direction it did. There were a lot of red herrings that didn't always quite work and I never actually liked any of the characters so I didn't really have anyone to root for. A really great premise but just not what I expected.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - ⭐⭐⭐

As mentioned in my 5 TV shows I've binge-watched recently, I got through the series of Sharp Objects ridiculously quick so I was really intrigued in how the book would compare. I read Gone Girl, also by Gillian Flynn a while ago and I think the film absolutely did it justice, but this time I actually preferred the show to the book. I'm not quite sure why but I just couldn't get into it and I didn't actually find there was that much more detail throughout compared to the TV program which you would expect. It's a book that deals with tough subjects so not one for everyone.

The One We Fell In Love With by Paige Toon - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

God, I adored this book! Paige Toon does it again. I've actually almost got through the entirety of her collection which I'm a little sad about, but one that I only picked up recently was The One We Fell In Love With. Three sisters, all in love with the same boy, but only one can have him. It was a classic pull on your heartstrings book by Paige, but I just never get bored of them. Some really sad moments throughout, a big twist halfway through which surprised me and a lovely ending.

One Week Til Christmas by Belinda Mitten - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm all about the festive stories at the moment! I keep getting drawn to books very similar to One Day In December but so far none have quite been on the same level. That being said, One Week Til Christmas was a stunning read. Set in London, Isobel and Tom literally crash into each other at a bus stop, and sparks fly, but they only have one week until Isobel flies back to Melbourne. I loved their little love story and how quickly it started and throughout I really wasn't sure if this would be something that at the end of the week would be over for good, or if they'd really met for a reason and this was true love. I adored references to Winter Wonderland, the West End, the London Eye, the Southbank Market, just so many places I've been and love more than I could say so it felt really special to be almost reliving it and walking these places with them.

The Two Lives Of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The second novel from Josie Silver, the author of One Day In December which I just mentioned, and wow was it emotional. Again, not quite up there with One Day In December but it did make me cry from the first chapter. I actually cried for the majority of the book. Lydia loses her fiance in a car crash so life as she knows completely changes, but whenever she takes a sleeping pill, she gets to enter an alternative universe and be with Freddie again so boy does that take you on an emotional rollercoaster. She can either keep going down this dangerous road to try and spend as much time with Freddie as she can in this other life, or somehow pull herself through it and see what life has left to offer, and I just couldn't help but agonise over the decision with her. I absolutely dread to think how I would cope. It's a beautiful story that really makes you question so much about yourself and your relationships, and it's also an important reminder to always tell people how much you love them.

Through The Wall by Caroline Corcoran - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was tense from the very first chapter! Two neighbours Lexie and Harriet, who whilst may not have ever interacted with each other in real life, know everything there is to know thanks to the likes of social media. Both with struggles going on, Harriet not able to get over her ex, and Lexie unable to get pregnant, both become obsessed with one another and their seemingly perfect lives, wanting it for themselves. Through The Wall is a chilling story of how we never really know if what's put out online is the truth. Strangely relatable at times.

Rewrite The Stars by Emma Heatherington - ⭐⭐⭐

This started off incredibly well and I got Paige Toon vibes from it, a really powerful love story of two people who are meant to be but might never make it. I adored Charlotte and Tom and the chemistry between them was palpable but I can't help but be a bit annoyed at where the story went afterwards! I love that there was drama and it wouldn't be a story without a bit of will they, won't they but I didn't like how Charlotte allowed other people to dictate her life for so long, and almost gave up her dreams because of worry over what people would think. I found the ending very bittersweet and I just think the characters deserved a bit more.

So, I hope you managed to get through all of that! I'm in shock that I've read so many books this year, but as there's still a few months left of the year, I'm kind of hoping to get to 100 now. I'm hoping to do another round-up post late in December then I'll be deciding my top books of 2019!

Have you read any of the books I've mentioned?

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How To Spend A Day In Manchester For Under £60*

It wasn't too long ago I last spoke about my love for Manchester. George and I ventured there for the day with Bear recently as we wanted to see more of what the city had to offer and in the past we've usually just gone around Christmas time. On that particular trip we got to see a show at Manchester Opera House, we explored the Northern Quarter and we finally saw the new Friends cafe which is insane! Manchester is one of those places though that is constantly buzzing and there is always something new to discover, so this time I wanted to share a few more of my tips for the city. More specifically, I want to talk about how you can spend the day there for less than £60. Yep, we might all love a day out but they can be very expensive, so let's see what's available if you're on a budget.

Before we get onto seeing the sights in Manchester, let's talk about travel. In the past we've travelled to Manchester by train, it's not too far and there's just something I really like about sitting for an hour with my book and just watching the world go by. Unfortunately train prices have rocketed over the last few years so I've been looking for other alternatives and that's where Megabus comes in. Megabus are the market leader for great value coach trips and as they're part of Stagecoach, this means they offer greener, smarter travel at great value prices. Megabus have recently extended their service meaning 6 new buses are available on their London to Aberdeen route, those being of course London and Aberdeen but also Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Dundee. To make your journey even more comfortable too, the new coaches are kitted out with a new interior, tables and wireless charging meaning your journey can be as fuss-free as possible. So if you're on a budget it's well worth looking into Megabus for a great start to any day trip!

Breakfast

Now, all good day trips start with breakfast don't they? And Manchester is full to the brim of cool eateries so you'll be spoilt for choice. My first recommendation would be Cafe 19 who do an array of indulgent pancakes, huge sandwiches and delish cakes, located just down the road from Primark in the city centre. There's also Gino D'acampo's Coffee & Deli Bar located in the Arndale selling a range of croissants, brioche rolls and classic Italian hot chocolate. Yes please. If you're wanting to start off your day shopping in the Arndale then I also recommend Bella Italia. They currently do breakfast for £5.49 which is so affordable! The menu is huge and you can always be guaranteed a nice meal. Lastly, for something a little different, I recommend The Koffee Pot, in the Northern Quarter. Here you'll find all american pancakes, grilled cheese and even breakfast cocktails. There's also some really cool street art around this area which is working checking out. So now breakfast is covered, let's start exploring

The Printworks

Next up I'd recommend heading to the Printworks. Not only does this look incredibly cool, but it's also full of fun activities. Here you'll find things like Escape Rooms and Mini Golf, perfect for all of the family and there's even a cinema! It's also a hub of unique bars and restaurants, great if you want to stop for a drink, and Bierkeller is apparently the place to go for the ultimate German experience! The range you spend can obviously vary depending on if you want to take on any of the activities but for free it's definitely worth at least paying a visit!

Browse The Libraries

You all know how much I adore reading so visiting libraries is my kind of thing! Luckily Manchester has several and of course they're free! There's the John Rylands Library which is a Victorian Gothic masterpiece and this in particular houses some of the world's oldest and most important books. It's absolutely beautiful inside and out and there's also the Manchester Central Library which is huge! You can spend hours and hours there.

Manchester Cathedral

Not far from the Manchester Central Library is Manchester Cathedral. Stunning come rain or shine, you have to go and see this. Open to visitors all year round, you can even pop inside and they do guided tours too if you want to learn as much as possible. With activities for children too, it can be a place for all of the family to enjoy and there's even a cafe. Maybe a great choice for a spot of lunch? They offer a contemporary take on the traditional British tearoom and serve an impressive selection of loose leaf teas, homemade meals and hand crafted cakes.

Christmas Markets

The perfect way to end your day, a visit to the Christmas markets. Now obviously this is only from November onwards but if planning a trip to Manchester any time soon, you can't miss out on a walk around the gorgeous markets. Stalls upon stalls of baked goods, mulled wine, homemade gifts and so much more. The markets are sure to put you in the festive mood, so much so that last year I put up the decorations pretty much as soon as we got in! I've been to quite a few Christmas markets now and so far, I've found none better than Manchester. The whole city just gets into the festive spirit and you can't help but be happy there! The amount you'll spend really depends on how much food and drink you want to try, and if you want to get any Christmas shopping done. I personally think for £20 you can get a decent amount, which if you've spent the day seeing all of the free things Manchester has to offer, then really that's not bad at all!

I've only just scratched the surface with what Manchester has available, so a few other things I thought were worth mentioning are - the Manchester Art Gallery, the Museum of Science and Industry, the National Football Museum, Heaton Park and Haigh Woodland Park. Oh, and they're all FREE. Whilst Manchester is a great place to visit for a shopping trip - the Arndale and of course the Trafford Centre are brilliant, the city also has so much more to offer and as you can see a lot of it can be done within a budget.

I hope if you're planning a visit to Manchester that this has given you some inspiration. I couldn't recommend going for the Christmas markets enough!

*This post is in collaboration with Megabus but all views are my own

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My Fudgy Oreo Brownies Recipe

I know, ANOTHER brownie recipe. I can't help it, I JUST LOVE BROWNIES OKAY. I do bake other things, but at the moment I'm just loving taking a simple brownie recipe and creating something new each time. As I'm sure you've seen by now I've made Lotus Biscoff Brownies, Zesty Jaffa Cake Brownies and my all time fave, Bourbon Brick Brownies. Earlier this week I decided to finally try something many people will have made over and over again before me, Oreo brownies, and they were 100% worth the wait.

Ingredients:

100g butter

200g golden caster sugar

200g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

100g plain flour

Around 24 Oreo biscuits

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees (160 fan) and grease and line a square baking tin

2. Break up your Oreos and set aside, I used a rolling pin to get them into smallish chunks. I used about 24 Oreos and this meant there was plenty for the mixture but also some to scatter on top before baking

3. Put the butter and sugar into a saucepan and warm over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved

4. Take the saucepan off the heat and add in the broken up chocolate and vanilla extract. Keep stirring until the chocolate has completely melted and is almost glossy

5. Leave your chocolate to cool slightly then add in your two eggs. Using a hand-held electric whisk if possible, beat them in until the mixture is thick and smooth

6. Sift in your flour and then fold it into the mix until fully incorporated 

7. Add in about 3/4 of your broken up oreos (probably works out at about 18 oreos), give it one final mix and then pour into your prepared tin

8. Even the mixture out with a knife or the back of a spoon then add your remaining broken oreos on top (around 6) pushing into the mixture slightly

9. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes

10. After 45 minutes, leave to cool completely in the tin. Once cool, remove the brownie from the tin and then cut into squares. This mixture makes at least 9 large brownies but as they're quite rich I'd recommend cutting into 12

I know I post recipes for brownies a lot but they really are one of my favourite things to bake and each time it always makes me so happy for something I've made to have gone well. These are definitely up there with my Bourbon Brick Brownies as one of my faves and I'm already excited to make them again! I'd love to pick up the mint Oreos soon actually and try those with this recipe, maybe along with some peppermint essence for that festive feel!

Have you done much baking recently?

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