My Writing Ramblings: My March Favourites
I know we’re already in the middle of April but I wanted to share some of my March favourites, especially as we are all stuck inside and if you, like me, are looking for recommendations, then posts like this are perfect.
Without further ado, let’s get into my favourites.
My favourite show that I’ve recently watched is The Stranger.
This is based from a book by Harlen Coben. I had heard so many people talking about this TV show both on and off social media. I had also throughly enjoyed Safe which was another adaptation done for Netflix.
I did worry that the hype was going to ruin The Stranger but I need not have worried.
Richard Armitage plays the husband of a woman who disappears under suspicious circumstances after he has confronted her with a secret, disclosed by someone he has never met before.
That’s all I will say about the plot but what follows are many twists and turns which resulted in me trying to guess what was coming and completely failing.
I throughly recommend it especially if you can binge all the episodes. The theme song is such an ear worm too.
The app I have been enjoying the most is Disney+. If you’ve followed this blog for a while, then you will know how big of a Disney fan I am despite being in my late thirties. I have no regrets. Hahaha. It was inevitable that this was going to end up on my favourites list.
I had been incredibly excited and impatient for this app, especially as it had already launched in the US. I was just about stopping short of marking off the days in my diary until it’s launch and I have not been off it much since. I love the fact that I can access it from my Sky Q box.
I am seeing films listed that I have not seen for years. It is going to be easier to complete my Disney watch list that’s for sure.
I know that it means an additional subscription but I feel it’s worth it. Not only have you got movies and TV shows, there’s a lot of behind the scenes and short films too. Also, Star Wars and Marvel if you’re a fan (I am more of a fan of the latter if I am honest.)
As usual, I found it quite hard to pick a favourite book for March. I enjoyed all the novels I had the chance to read. If I had to choose a favourite, it would be The River Home by Hannah Richell.
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My Writing Ramblings: 15 Things About Me
I know I seem to be saying this a lot but WHERE DID FEBRUARY GO?
It has slipped away that’s for sure. How was it for everyone?
As it’s Friday and almost the end of the month, I wanted to do something a little different and something I have not really done before (or if I have, it was ages ago.)
As I was preparing questions for authors, I began to wonder how I would answer some of these questions if I were answering them. The variety of answers is one of the things I love most about doing author interviews. Everyone is so different.
So below, I am answering fifteen questions about me – things that you may not know, others I may have answered before. I would love to get to know you too. If you fancy a go at answering these, please do in the comments below. I think this is going to be fun. Here we go.
Do you have a middle name?
Yes, I do. It’s Elizabeth. I did remember asking my Mum once if it was in honour of anyone. I think she may have said The Queen. Even if she didn’t, I am taking that.
Where were you born?
I was born in Bournemouth, which, for people not from the UK, is a seaside town on the south coast of England. I adore it and miss living there. There was something so lovely about getting out of school and heading down to the beach for an hour after school or deciding to walk home after work and listening to the waves as I walked along. I find that sound calming.
What did you want to do for a job when you were younger?
I wanted to be a teacher. I was always in awe of them. They seemed to be all-knowing.
Yes, I was one of those students that loved homework although I think that was as much to do with the fact that, the more I did, the more new notebooks I could insist on having. My stationery addiction began early.
I would even pretend to teach classes when I was much younger, using the side of my wardrobe as a blackboard. My Mum wasn’t impressed. Hahaha.
It was only as I finished senior school that I moved away from teaching and went into radio broadcasting.
What’s my favourite holiday destination?
Oh Walt Disney World. No question. You can forget about being an adult and no one cares. In fact, it’s encouraged.
Who’s your favourite author?
by My January Favourites
Columbia Pictures
January favourites time. My first of 2020.
I love reading posts like this as you never know what you’re going to discover. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
My film favourite for January was Little Women.
Starring Emma Watson, Laura Dern and Saoirse Ronan, this adaptation was directed by Greta Gerwig.
I was one of those people who was a little sceptical about a new adaption of this novel. I didn’t hate the 1994 version but, like many classic novels, there are many.
I saw this one with a friend who is as in love with this story as I am.
The beginning was slightly confusing but when it becomes clear how the timeline is set up, it had a huge amount of charm. It’s a lovely adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel. I know I haven’t got much to compare it to seeing as we are only in January but it’s my favourite film so far this year. Upcoming films I do want to see include A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood starring Tom Hanks, Emma (yes, another adaptation,) and Bill and Ted Face The Music. It’s part of a classic series. Don’t judge me. Hahaha.
My favourite app this month is Procreate.
For anyone who is in to digital art or digital planning knows all about the Procreate app. I am in no way an artist but by following many tutorials online and things like drawing assistance, it has allowed me to produce doodles and artwork.
This app has so many incredible features and if you have an iPad or an iPhone then Procreate is a great app if you want to do creative things. It helps me when I am creatively blocked.
I am not being paid to say great things about them. I just love this app.
Netflix
The TV show I have been bingeing this month is Suits on Netflix.
The last series has been available for a while but I have been putting it off because I don’t want it to end. The law firm in this series has had more name changes than I’ve had pens though. I own a lot of pens.
I couldn’t put it off any longer thanks to someone I work with saying how good the last series was. I am loving this last lot of episodes and it is filling the void whilst I wait for the new series of Lucifer and Line of Duty later in the year.
It also makes a nice change from all the crime documentaries I have been watching.
I am going to miss Harvey when he goes. I have enjoyed Suits as a whole but I guess everything has to come to an end.
Abbie Emmons is my favourite You Tube channel for January.
by My Writing Ramblings: September Favourites
Before we get too far into October, I wanted to share some of my favourites/things I enjoyed from September.
My first favourite is series two of the Netflix show, Mindhunter.
OK so technically this was released in August but as I didn’t do a favourites for last month, I can give it a mention.
Series one, episode one had me totally hooked on this show. I pretty much bingewatched it over a day. I was beyond excited to get into the second series especially when you take into account how series one ended.
This was just as brilliant and amazing as the first and focuses on the Atlanta child murders whilst also continuing some plot points from the first series.
This series was incredible and I can’t wait for series three. It’s well written, has brilliant acting and is just… awesome. End of. If you’ve been wondering whether to give it a go, please do.
My second favourite is an app and it is Layton: Pandora’s box HD for mobile.
I have been a massive fan of the Professor Layton games from when it appeared on the Nintendo DS. I am not a big gamer but I love puzzle games and so this is right up my street.
Although I have played Pandora’s box before, it has been so long, it’s like playing a new game especially as I think they have added some new puzzles. I don’t remember playing them anyway so even if you’re familiar with the game, I think you will get something from this new format.
I was delighted to see it was available on the App Store and I love the fact that I can play it when I have a few minutes without having to carry the DS around.
The book I most enjoyed last month is I Wanted You to Know by Laura Pearson.
by My Writing Ramblings: June Favourites
July is here and wow, the weather has been amazing. I am keeping everything crossed that it lasts. As June is now finished, I wanted to look at some of my favourite things from last month.
My favourite book from last month was Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay by Ali McNamara. I am a huge fan of Ali’s novels so it was no real surprise that I adored this novel.
Her writing style is so effortless and she creates wonderful characters. The plot for this book was great; a woman inherits a castle and meets a handsome stranger. Also, this cover is just so beautiful.
Here’s the blurb for the novel.
Amelia is a single mother, doing her very best to look after her young son, Charlie – but money is tight and times are tough. When she first hears that she is the last descendent of the Chesterford family and that she has inherited a Real-Life Castle by the sea, Amelia can’t quite believe her ears. But it’s true!
She soon finds that owning a castle isn’t quite the ticket to sorting out her money problems that she’d first hoped: she can’t sell, because the terms of the ancient bequest state that any Chesterford who inherits the castle, must live there and work towards the upkeep and maintenance of the family home. So ever-practical Amelia decides to uproot her little family and move to this magnificent castle by the sea.
Living in a castle on the beautiful Northumberland coast is fun at first, but organising the day-to-day running is a lot more complicated than Amelia first imagined. Luckily she has help from the small band of eccentric and unconventional staff that are already employed there – and a mysterious unseen hand that often gives her a push in the right direction just when she needs it most. It’s only when she meets Tom, a furniture restorer who comes to the castle to help repair some antique furniture, that Amelia realises she might get the fairy-tale ending that she and Charlie truly deserve…
There are so many great TV shows being released right now. The one I enjoyed most in June was definitely Black Mirror. I do think that Charlie Brooker is a genius. It’s sad he’s not doing his end of year show but if it’s because he has been writing Black Mirror, that is fine with me.
by Book Club
