Sunday, 5 February 2017

February's Plans and January's Outcomes

February is here along with the heat which gives me a perfect excuse to stretch out on the deck chair with a ice cold drink and a pile of books.

To be honest I'm not that fond of the heat.  We kind of have a hate-hate relationship where I'm a hot sweaty puddle on the floor.  Holidaying in Iceland seems very appealing at this time of year.

Getting cool is definitely my main objective this month along with the following...
 
1.     Blood lines by Angela Marsons
        You just knew I had to have a thriller and I've been loving the Kim Stone D.I. series so 
        this latest book was a pretty much a given.
  2.   The last girl by Joe Hart
        I just love reading a good apocalyptic novel so I have high hopes for this one.
3.     Ever the hunted by Erin Summerill 
        I'm always a bit wary about YA fantasy books mostly because so many of them tend 
        to throw in a love triangle, so I'm cautiously optimistic about this one.
 4.    We know it was you by Maggie Thrash
        A YA novel with a touch of mystery. 
5.     The best things in life are free: the ultimate money saving travel guide
        Travel and free.  I am so there. 
6.     Best of the simple things: taking time to live well
        Honestly it's just the cover that appeals to me.  I actually have no idea what its about.
7.     Natural solutions for cleaning and wellness by Halle Cotts
        I like the sound of this one  and am hoping that I get some good ideas.
8.     Traditional Nordic Knits
        My hunt for something to knit this year continues.
9.     Shop cats of New York
        Cats.  Do I really need to say anything else other than this book is so totally me.
 10. Victoria
       One of those shows that I have been meaning to watch for ages.  Now seems like the 
        perfect time to catch up. 
11.  Madam Secretary
        I've been looking for a new slightly trashy show to watch.  Cross fingers this is the one.
12.  Better Things
        I so love the poster for this show that I just have to watch it.
13.   Write more
        Don't say a word.  It will happen.  One day
14.   Knitting
        Still on the hunt.  I'm even contemplating knitting some socks.
15.   Lose weight and get fit.
         I've hit a bit of stumbling block with this at the moment. Blame it on all the stress eating. 
        The walking though is going well so there is at.
16.   Declutter
         A slow progress but still progress.  Who knew we had so much stuff.
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Saturday, 28 January 2017

The Viewing Files: 2016 A Year Of All The Watching

My reading may of bit hit and miss this year but my viewing was on the whole spot on. There were old favourites and new shows and old shows that I finally caught up on.  Which of course meant all the marathons.

 It's no wonder I need new glasses.

Crimey, thrillery shows featured strongly as always.  Shows with plot twists galore where bad guys were good guys and good guys were bad guys and sometimes you had no idea which was which. 

Then there were the Sci-Fi shows which this year were a lot more darker than usual and a lot more twistyer.  Some of which totally did my head in they were so complicated.  They were also totally gripping and totally me.  Because apparently I'm weird like that.

Add a historical drama or two and that pretty much sums up my viewing year. 

It was also the year I finally gave up on a handful of shows.  Shows I use to like, others I wanted to like but didn't and shows that lost the plot and ruined amazing characters completely.  No more Arrow or Teen Wolf  and a smattering of others for me.  Ahh the freedom.

Favs of 2016 












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Sunday, 15 January 2017

Book Talk: 2016 A Year In Books

My reading has been a bit hit and miss this year.  It's been a year of reading madly and then a complete drought for several weeks and some books I thought I would really enjoy I didn't and those which I had few expectations about really grabbed me.  

My taste pretty much stayed the same, lots of crime, chick lit, contemporary romance and YA with a handful of nonfiction and science fiction thrown in.  Only once or twice did I venture into something a little different.

Science fiction actually let me down this year.  Just about every Sci-Fi I tried (except YA ones) turned out disappointing in the end.  And yet I love a good Sci-Fi.  Maybe it was just the choices I made or that my expectations for some books were a little too high.  Crime on the other hand saved the day in most cases as did YA.

Nonfiction wise my reading ran into lots of practical choices instead of my usual weird and quirky reads, so was mostly taken up with books on knitting, cooking, travel and decluttering.  Which, other than the cooking, probably sums up my life for the year.

I read 120 books of which...

33 were YA
22 Chick Lit 
16 Contemporary Romances
15 nonfiction
10 Science Fiction 
8 Crime
6 Supernatural/Horror
6 Audio books
3 General
and 1 Fantasy.

I also seriously got back into magazines this year;  Empire, Sci-Now, SFX, and The Knitter became part of my regular reading pile.

Favs of 2016






 




The Year Of Living Danishly by Helen Russell

And Those That Disappointed

Sequels and follow up books were the failures for me this year.  I really like The Girl With All The Gifts but couldn't get into M R Carey follow up book Fellside.  Same with Chris Beckett's Daughter of Eden the third and final book in his Eden series.

Audio Books Rule... as always

I have a major weakness for audio books and those by Big Finish are my jam.  This year most of listening was taken up with the latest 8th Doctor Who adventures Dark Eyes and the Doom Coalition starring Paul McGann.  Also on my listening radar was Ghost Town by BBC4 which was an excellent but totally creepy Sci-Fi.

So all in all a good year I think. 
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Tuesday, 3 January 2017

All The Spending...

Christmas sales, Boxing Day sales, New Year's sales.  Everywhere you go there are sales, sales, sales.  What's a girl to do except pull out the credit card and start spending.  

Of course List Girl that I am have to plan my spending first.  Which requires research and browsing and more research and more browsing.  And my list, not surprisingly, ends up being a tad long.  Pray for my credit card.

1.    The Passion Planner
       I love the idea of this.  It sounds so awesome.  Even better it looks pretty awesome 
       inside too.  And would you believe that the idea for this was mostly funded by
       Kickstarter.
2.    Shaun The Sheep Compact Tangle Teezer
       Everyone should have a Shaun The Sheep Tangle Teezer, although it was a hard 
       decision between this and the Hello Kitty one.  I've heard really good things about 
       these Tangle Teezer's  so I am really keen to give one a go. 
3.    Knitting Project Bag
        A knitting project bag with sheep on it.  How cute is that.  And it even has a metal 
        sheep zipper tag.  I'm just loving the little details like this.  This would be so perfect to 
        keep all my knitting needles and other bits and bobs in.
4.    Knitting Yarn Thingy
       I came across this completely by accident.  I have no idea if I would use it but it really 
       doesn't it matter.  Because cuteness will always wins out.
5.    Knitting Themed T-shirt
       As an avid knitter it will come as no surprise that I love this T-shirt and want it.  Like 
       now.
6.   Gilmore Girls Themed Print
      Is this just too perfect for words.  I feel like I should have a whole series of these prints
      on my walls.
7.   Gold sandals
      Gold sandals.  There a thing.  A thing I think I may want.
8.    Which means gold nail polish
       Because of course it does.  I'm currently tossing up between this one and an OPI one. 
       Maybe I will just buy both.  Problem solved.
9.   Pineapple String Lights
       How cool are these?  Like seriously?  They are just so cute and perfect and exactly 
       what every girl needs next Christmas. 
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