tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14314376164027232232024-03-13T11:41:42.021+00:00Whisks, Hooks and BooksA Welsh Londoner's Lifestyle BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-72928179875988150032015-08-10T19:26:00.000+01:002015-08-10T19:26:26.122+01:00Reading Challenges - Bout of Books 14 and Beat the Heat Readathon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzYnvfTXrQk/VcOpVcwzkdI/AAAAAAAAAv8/YT6TDPxLwHE/s1600/Vintage%2BLibrary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzYnvfTXrQk/VcOpVcwzkdI/AAAAAAAAAv8/YT6TDPxLwHE/s400/Vintage%2BLibrary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s6.favim.com/orig/65/books-library-vintage-Favim.com-587563.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, as I mentioned in <a href="http://whiskshooksandbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/i-havent-blogged-in-ten-months.html" target="_blank">this</a> post, I haven't been reading anywhere near enough books lately. I make the excuse that I'm busy but by doing these reading challenges I hope that I will have to make time to read. This makes reading sound like a chore, which it certainly isn't in my eyes, but sometimes I get lazy and need a little motivation to read something other than Take a Break magazine (my guilty pleasure). I'll post my goals for each challenge closer to the time but here are the basic rules and details on how you can sign up.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QaUek1bqEh0/VcOny3cWCEI/AAAAAAAAAvo/lLYArfSCxE8/s1600/BOB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QaUek1bqEh0/VcOny3cWCEI/AAAAAAAAAvo/lLYArfSCxE8/s200/BOB.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. </span><b style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bout of Books</a> blog. </b><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">- From the Bout of Books team</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JhNyQwWZomM/VcOoQM7Jq0I/AAAAAAAAAvw/7ZFEoXUeUBE/s1600/BeatHeatRAT3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JhNyQwWZomM/VcOoQM7Jq0I/AAAAAAAAAvw/7ZFEoXUeUBE/s400/BeatHeatRAT3.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Beat the Heat Readathon runs from August 24th at 12:00 AM to September 6th at 11:59 PM. What does this readathon entail, you ask? Well, read as much or as little as you want – the main point is to READ! You set your own goal, and for three weeks you read as many books as you can/want to reach your goal!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There will be mini-challenges throughout the Readathon for participants, along with a grand prize giveaway at the end!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sign up here at Novel Heartbeat or over at <a href="http://www.phantasmicreads.com/2015/08/3rd-annual-beat-the-heat-signups.html" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.5s; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #a398ad; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s;">Phantasmic Reads</a>. You may join whenever you like, but to be eligible for our grand prize giveaway, you must sign up by August 28th.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To join, all you have to do is make a sign-up post – even if it’s just a “Let’s do this!” thing – and add your post URL to the linky below! You can put your goals and progress (will be required for the final giveaway) in your sign-up post, or you can make it separate. Totally up to you! (You are welcome to use the template we provide in the kick-off post as well.)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In order to enter for the grand prize, you must have a post to keep track of your progress so we can see that you participated.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Follow along on Twitter and share your progress with the hashtag #BtHReadathon!</span></li>
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<span style="color: #5e5353; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Let me know if you're participating in either of these challenges, I'd love to see your goals and progress!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-51076924115187624382015-08-06T18:13:00.000+01:002015-08-06T18:13:23.819+01:00Super Veggie Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I KNOW it's Summer (well, apparently so!) but this is one of my favourite quick and easy lunch recipes for Slimming World on the go during any season. I often take pasta salad or some variation on that but it involves making it the night before so if I've been really busy or just a bit lazy then I just grab a portion of soup from the freezer and my healthy extra B of bread and I'm ready to go. Also, when I have this for lunch I seem to have really good weight losses! It's really filling and keeps me going all afternoon but it only has vegetables in it, brilliant.</div>
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I usually just chuck in anything I've got in the fridge so feel free to add whatever you want but I thought I'd write a rough 'recipe' for anyone who wants a bit of inspiration! </div>
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<li>Butternut Squash</li>
<li>Sweet Potatoes</li>
<li>Carrots</li>
<li>Red Onions</li>
<li>Garlic Cloves</li>
<li>Stock Cubes (I would usually use vegetable stock cubes but I only had chicken today!)</li>
<li>Fry Light (Or oil if not doing Slimming World)</li>
<li>1 tsp Curry Powder (Optional)</li>
<li>Salt and Pepper</li>
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I haven't put quantities as you can pretty much do as you please. I also like to add celery, red pepper, courgette, parsnips, basically anything that can be boiled like hell then blended into yummyness.</div>
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Peel and dice the red onion, add it to a large saucepan and fry in Fry Light for a few minutes. Add some minced garlic and the curry powder and fry for a further minute. Then peel and roughly chop the butternut squash, carrots and sweet potato into cubes, it doesn't really matter what they look like as it's all going to be blended in the end anyhow.<br />
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Add the rest of the veggies to the pan and cover them with water then add the stock cubes. Put the lid on and boil until all of the veg is tender (it takes roughly an hour) then leave to cool a little. Trust me you do not want to be blending molten soup, unless you want little splash burns all up your arms. Blend with a stick blender until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then eat it! Or leave to cool completely and divide into portions for the freezer. Easy peasy!</div>
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Let me know if you've got any recipes you think I'd like or if you try this recipe yourself!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-57971699975439053492015-07-19T15:32:00.000+01:002015-07-19T15:32:46.226+01:00I Haven't Blogged In Ten Months!So, as the title suggests, I haven't blogged in such a long time. I think the main reason for this is, ever since leaving London I didn't know which direction this blog would take. I don't do exciting 'London' things any more, I don't have so much time to read or crochet any more because I'm spending time with my family and socialising. I didn't really know what to write about. I was also working very little hours leaving me with not many pennies so it felt like I was living a half life, going to work, coming home and that's about it.<br />
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I'm so much happier in life right now. I've got a new job, I started about four months ago and I absolutely love it. Having more hours and more of a routine has helped me get my life back into reality and I'm able to do more and save for exciting things. I've also lost 3 stone in the last eighteen weeks with Slimming World and I'd like to write a little bit about this.<br />
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So I think that's what this blog's going to be for a while, a little lifestyle, a little craft, a little reading, a little dieting, lots of bits and bobs!<br />
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I hope you'll stick with me,<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-34610058093160641332014-10-05T12:44:00.001+01:002014-10-05T12:45:20.137+01:0025 Things I Love About Autumn<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OtXbN6e-soU/VDEnydshAeI/AAAAAAAAAts/O2UV35d_w_w/s1600/Autumn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OtXbN6e-soU/VDEnydshAeI/AAAAAAAAAts/O2UV35d_w_w/s1600/Autumn.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/7318418120053649/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Well, after a long and wakeful night I'm so pleased to announce that my cousin has had her baby. I cant wait for a big cuddle, she is beautiful. It feels like we've all been waiting for this day for so long and now it's finally here I don't know what to do with myself!<br />
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It is a decidedly chilly morning so, after retreating back under my duvet with a cuppa, I thought I'd write a good old list of all the things I love about Autumn! Brr, pass me those slipper socks.<br />
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1) Novelty bobble hats - The cuter the better, if they're sporting any woodland animals then that's bonus points!<br />
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2) Pumpkins - After watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMkpTOSp88k" target="_blank">this</a> hilarious video, I can solemnly say that I am not addicted to Pumpkin Spice Lattes (okay, maybe just a little bit!) but is there anything that says Autumn more than the little orange veggies? And they make a delicious soup too!<br />
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3) Woodland Animal Prints - Foxes, owls, I love them all! And the trend is supposed to stay strong throughout 2015 which makes me rather happy.<br />
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4) Warming Home Cooking - Something to warm hungry tummies after a long day just makes everything seem so cosy.<br />
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5) Halloween - An excuse to dress up like a loon and party hard. Well, if your idea of partying is making some of <a href="http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/09/jell-o-blood-worms.html" target="_blank">these</a> jelly worms then come on down!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D93ZOnZSOfQ/VDEoNWGu8QI/AAAAAAAAAt0/ifnbFEfcmOY/s1600/Leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D93ZOnZSOfQ/VDEoNWGu8QI/AAAAAAAAAt0/ifnbFEfcmOY/s1600/Leaves.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515380751081096544/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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6) Autumnal Colours - Oranges, reds, browns, matching the cruncy leaves scattered on the floor is always a plus in my book.<br />
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7) Crisp Mornings - I think this is one of my top favourite Autumn moments! Being able to see your breath in the morning is so exciting.<br />
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8) Bonfire Night - My parents got married on the 5th of November so we always have a special little gathering on bonfire night. Fireworks, sparklers and hot dogs, what more do you need?<br />
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9) Sloe Gin - No explanation needed surely??<br />
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10) Christmas Planning - It's my favourite time of the year and when the nights start drawing in it's a signal for me to start those prezzie lists.<br />
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11) Gigantic Mugs - Filled with tea, coffee, mulled wine, wrapping your hands around a big steaming mug seems to melt many troubles away.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1PET_-8pwa4/VDEpwvhDhjI/AAAAAAAAAuA/dhDx2woG3yc/s1600/Mug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1PET_-8pwa4/VDEpwvhDhjI/AAAAAAAAAuA/dhDx2woG3yc/s1600/Mug.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/343540277797282589/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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12) Rugby Season - Beefy men in shorts and patriotism, beautiful.<br />
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13) Open Fires - Cliche I know but I don't care one bit. Roaring flames, crackling logs and the smell of wood smoke makes me feel instantly Christmassy.<br />
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14) Slipper Socks - Another one that needs no explanation, a warm woolly, foot hug.<br />
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15) Wood smoke - Already touched upon this but the smell of wood smoke needs it's own special mention, delicious.<br />
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16) Gingerbread Lattes - Or any latte to be honest, gingerbread ones make me feel extra snuggly though.<br />
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17) Wearing Layers - I'm a very hot person so Summer is usually sweltering for me! It's nice to have minimal clothes on for a while but once Autumn comes around and I can get out the leg warmers and boots then I'm chuffed.<br />
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18) Family Duvet Days - Closing the curtains, bringing our duvets into the living room and watching a proper family film makes those wet days a little special.<br />
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19) Crocheting Afgans Without Overheating - Crocheters will feel my pain here. It's so annoying to be draped in a wooly blanket and sweating buckets during the warmer months.<br />
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20) Awesome TV - Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, it seems that all the good telly starts in Autumn.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O7Z8lDxLl9Q/VDErA0XTRQI/AAAAAAAAAuI/HthLsc134EQ/s1600/TWD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O7Z8lDxLl9Q/VDErA0XTRQI/AAAAAAAAAuI/HthLsc134EQ/s1600/TWD.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/383720830724826066/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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21) Rosy Cheeks - Again, a little bit cliche but I love coming back from a walk with the dogs with windswept hair, rosy cheeks and massive smiles.<br />
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22) Harvest Festival - I'm not a 'churchy' person but I love harvest festival and try to attend the service in our tiny family church most years. Everything always looks so beautiful with all of the flower, fruit and vegetable decorations.<br />
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23) Scented Candles - Yes, 'Beach Flowers' and 'Garden Sweet Pea' are lovely but bring on the 'Apple Pumpkin' and 'Christmas Cookie' to warm a cold evening.<br />
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24) Movember - Mustachioed men? Fine by me!<br />
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25) Birthdays - Autumn is the time for, not only my lovely Mum's birthday but now also my beautiful niece Lily. We are going to have so much fun over the next few years.<br />
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Have a peep at my Autumn board on Pinterest <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/clbrown1991/autumn/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Muchos love,<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-67692620241895854662014-08-09T16:43:00.000+01:002014-08-09T16:43:47.712+01:00Home!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-objxSlvXnHo/U-ZAL7v0UnI/AAAAAAAAAtc/YaEQIjvSWEI/s1600/IMG_4538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-objxSlvXnHo/U-ZAL7v0UnI/AAAAAAAAAtc/YaEQIjvSWEI/s1600/IMG_4538.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaz, me and Millie enjoying Pembrokeshire</td></tr>
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Well, I'm home. I've been home for two weeks and it is absolutely lush! I have also done pretty much nothing during those two weeks, and enjoyed every last second of it.<br />
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Moving out and the journey home went really well. My mum and step dad came to pick me up in their van so we got all my stuff in easily, although it seemed to have bred. I brought home twice as much as I went up there with I'm sure. We made really good time coming back to Pembrokeshire and although it was very cosy with all three of us in the front of the van, it all went smoothly. My room here was tiny, I could fit in a single bed, a chest of drawers and that was about it so I moved into the office. My mum had made out that it was a bit of a cave and that they'd only had time to bring my bed down but when I came home they'd completely set out my room with furniture and some of my knick knacks which were here. It was such a surprise and really lovely.<br />
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I have so enjoyed being back with my family and getting back into the routine of family life. I'm still in holiday mode really but it's just so nice to be back. Leaving the children was hard. They gave me a beautiful photo of the two of them in a lovely frame and a card which my boss had written some really lovely things in. We both cried in Carluccio's, haha! I was sad to be leaving them as they're wonderful, funny, clever children but I'm looking forward to keeping in touch with them and visiting them. It was the right time for them but most importantly for myself. It's very difficult as a nanny to think of yourself sometimes, I had such a close bond with them as I'd looked after them for two and a half years but this has been the right thing for all of us.<br />
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I've started Slimming World. It's going well, I'm about four days into it and I'm feeling really motivated. I'm hoping to do a full post on my reasons for going and how I'm finding it so keep a look out for that. I have weigh-in on Tuesday evening so I'll keep you updated.<br />
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I volunteered with SPAN arts, they were hosting an open air theatre performance and I helped wtih the catering. I really enjoyed it, it was something a bit different and I got to meet new people. My best friend works for them so I got to meet a few of her workmates and they were lovely, we're all going on a night out together soon which will be great. I was also surrounded by delicious looking cakes <i>all night</i> and not a single morsel passed my lips so I was pretty pleased with myself.<br />
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I've done <i>lots</i> of crochet since coming home. I've finally finished the blanket for my niece and I'm really pleased with it. I've done a rainbow colour scheme and it's really bright and fun. I can't wait to see her all wrapped up in it.<br />
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I've also been enjoying getting out with the dogs to the beach. There were many times in London when I just wanted to go to the seaside so I was determined to do it more now that I'm home. We have an Alaskan Malamute (Millie) and a Siberian Husky (Shaz) and they've been loving it too. The trouble is, in Pembrokeshire a lot of the beaches are closed for dogs during the summer months but our local beach, Amroth, allows dogs on part of it and we went to Newgale today which I'm going to write a full about about. It is so good to get out and appreciate this beautiful world we live in. My friend bought me a Wales travel guide as a leaving preseint! Such a good gift. I've already gone through it and marked all the things I'm hoping to do, I'm determined to visit more places locally.<br />
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Well, I think that's all for now! Sorry if this post is a bit 'me me me', I'll have something more interesting for you next time I hope! The dogs are both fast asleep so I may join them for half an hour! It feels very decadent to have a snooze in the day.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-13000336708503838132014-07-20T18:27:00.000+01:002014-07-20T18:27:16.500+01:00My Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, it's been my last weekend as a Londoner! It's been a lovely, relaxing weekend. Yesterday I spent the day with a friend, S, in Central London, it was <i>so</i> hot. I had tickets for The Pajama Game (no, I haven't misspelled it, I think it's an American spelling) for my birthday from my boss so S and I went to that in Shaftesbury Theatre. It was really brilliant, I'll post a full review soon. Then we had dinner in Bella Italia which was delicious but I couldn't really enjoy it because it was sweltering in there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dp1YOTJPckQ/U8v5bMSMETI/AAAAAAAAAtA/3G4VlnD5YQk/s1600/Pajama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dp1YOTJPckQ/U8v5bMSMETI/AAAAAAAAAtA/3G4VlnD5YQk/s1600/Pajama.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.ticketmaster.co.uk/tm/en-gb/dbimages/43271a" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Today I've just been pottering around my room, finishing off the last of the packing and I popped into town to do my last Primark shop for a while, the closest Primarni to home is about an hours drive away so we go there on special occasions haha! I feel pretty organised which is worrying me a bit. I was so stressed last weekend thinking about all the things I needed to do but I seem to be nearly finished. I feel like I've forgotten something.<br />
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So, this will be my last week with the monkeys (I'm a nanny for twins who were three the other week, when did that happen?). I'm excited about going home but I'm going to miss them terribly. I really hope we stay in contact. We're just going to have a really fun week with lots of laughter as usual. They really have grown into wonderful, funny, kind individuals. They are very special.<br />
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Six sleeps until I'm back in Wales!! Eeeeeee!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-51215821448640352132014-07-18T22:36:00.000+01:002014-07-18T22:36:39.852+01:00New Beginnings<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-az0T4MFDDng/U8mOvgSSiuI/AAAAAAAAAsU/7QaeCr2rsNQ/s1600/Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-az0T4MFDDng/U8mOvgSSiuI/AAAAAAAAAsU/7QaeCr2rsNQ/s1600/Home.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://homesweeth0me.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/home.html" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Okay, so you may have noticed (actually, you probably haven't, I don't want to seem big headed haha!) that I have not been very regular with my blog posts since Christmas. I am really annoyed at myself for falling out of the habit of blogging because it's something which I enjoy so much and I love being part of this community. I've been wanting to write a post for a while but I wanted everything to be finalised before saying anything as it means that this blog may change a bit.</div>
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I'm moving back to Wales. I will no longer be a London nanny but a Pembrokeshire....something!! I don't have a job to go back to but I am chilled out and relaxed (more about that later) and know that it will be alright in the end.</div>
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I've made some amazing friends whilst being up here, without whom I would <i>never</i> have been able to stay for two and a half years. They've been so supportive and helpful, a lot of the time without even realising it, and for that I am truly, truly grateful. I've missed my family so much and my friends from back home too. It was very strange for me to come from a community where everyone knows each other and where I was hardly ever alone to a place which seems so impersonal at times. I've really enjoyed my time up here, it has helped me grow in ways I never thought possible, has made me so much more confident and a little bit more sure of what I want in life. I cannot wait to get home to put all my wishes into action.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--M3C47lyMlA/U8mQnpkPmSI/AAAAAAAAAsg/dUd_eX57nV8/s1600/Angel+Cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--M3C47lyMlA/U8mQnpkPmSI/AAAAAAAAAsg/dUd_eX57nV8/s1600/Angel+Cards.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gHqnK7ZHOuI/Te_PLSaPG3I/AAAAAAAAB2g/WkmRQgxn18U/s1600/Angel_Cards.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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I had a card reading recently, not tarot but cards pretty similar to angel cards, and it was such an uplifting experience. I was basically told not to worry, to rest and relax, enjoy being home with my loved ones and back in my base. That what I want will come. So that is why I'm not stressed about finding work or trying to do so much that my mind is running around in circles and I never actually acheive anything. I am excited for this 'new beginning' of sorts and look forward to what the next few months have in store for me.<br />
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So, this blog. I suppose it won't really change <i>that</i> much. There'll be less posts about London life but I haven't really posted much of that sort of thing anyway. I will hopefully have more time for crafting so will be writing posts about that and I'd like to keep up with the book reviews and author interviews as they are often my favourite posts to write.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FSAI6UrKB4M/U8mROWSil7I/AAAAAAAAAso/bh9QTDYyxHk/s1600/Pembrokeshire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FSAI6UrKB4M/U8mROWSil7I/AAAAAAAAAso/bh9QTDYyxHk/s1600/Pembrokeshire.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pembrokeshire National Coast (<a href="http://www.pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk/?PID=160" target="_blank">Source</a>)</td></tr>
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I'd also like to explore Pembrokeshire and Wales more. I feel incredibly guilty that I haven't seen many of the most beautiful sights in my home country, some of which are a mere thirty minute drive away from my home. I am going to be a tourist in my birthplace and hopefully share with you some of the beautiful places Wales has to offer.<br />
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I am also going to be joining Slimming World and exercising. I am a rather large gal and I want to change that. I'll write a full post about that soon but I want to do this for me. I'm going to start putting myself and my family first more often, we deserve it. Happiness is priceless.</div>
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So I would like to thank all of you who are still folowing me for not deleting me, and those new followers I've had recently. You'll be seeing more of me I hope and I'm pretty damn excited about it all!</div>
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Thanks for listening to/reading my ramblings. I hope they made <i>some</i> sense!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-46516266106510580322014-05-18T17:25:00.000+01:002014-05-18T17:25:01.259+01:00Les Miserables - Review<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZxNZ_DuS_I/U3iaW6h6A0I/AAAAAAAAArI/8jIs402H0Xg/s1600/les-miserables_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZxNZ_DuS_I/U3iaW6h6A0I/AAAAAAAAArI/8jIs402H0Xg/s1600/les-miserables_1.jpg" height="369" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mhsmustangnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/les-miserables_1.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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The lights dim and the first few iconic bars of 'Look Down' blare from the speakers, travelling from the band below. There isn't a free seat in the house and people are standing in a line at the back to watch the performance. I've watched the film of Les Miserables several times, the soundtrack is one of my most played albums, I thought that I knew what to expect, I thought that I had already been fully affected by the storylines and emotions in the script. I was wrong.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKrRQ8lgxEo/U3isJOWgKrI/AAAAAAAAArU/1dwxfsRzlmU/s1600/les-miserables-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IKrRQ8lgxEo/U3isJOWgKrI/AAAAAAAAArU/1dwxfsRzlmU/s1600/les-miserables-04.jpg" height="468" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://palace.london-theatre-guide.org.uk/public/shows/les-miserables/les-miserables-01.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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One of the first things which I noticed about the play was that the songs are slightly different to the ones featured in the film. Not dramatically, just the rhythm of the singing or the way in which some of the phrases were assembled, some of the sentences had been swapped around. I thought that this was going to be a problem, that the unfamiliarity of the songs would somehow taint my enjoyment of the show. It's safe to say that didn't happen.<br />
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Another very big difference about the show in contrast to the film is that the actors on the stage could actually sing. Now, I'm not dismissing Hugh Jackman's, Russell Crowe's or anybody else's performance in the film, I thought that they portrayed the characters brilliantly but some of them didn't have the strongest voices. In the play the actor's voices sounded flawless, with such power and empathy it was amazing.<br />
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The set changes were done so quickly and quietly that often I didn't notice what was going on until they had already been changed or rearranged. In the middle of the stage a large circle was set into the floor which could rotate, this allowed the scenery to change, for us to have a different perspective of certain scenes and for characters to change their appearances quite often without the play being held up or becoming disjointed.<br />
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All of the actors were amazing as I've mentioned before and their voices were phenomenal. There were quite a few occasions of goosebumps and shivers I can tell you, and many tears were shed too! I'm just going to quickly touch on the actors who I particularly enjoyed watching, which may be a long list because they were all so talented.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kV9okpf-2Hg/U3isZjRsq8I/AAAAAAAAArc/hxTxzqdmr34/s1600/80881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kV9okpf-2Hg/U3isZjRsq8I/AAAAAAAAArc/hxTxzqdmr34/s1600/80881.jpg" height="531" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wos.tm-cdn.com/photos/80881.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Carrie Hope Fletcher plays Eponine and she was amazing. Her performance was brilliant and tears were streaming down my face when she sang 'On My Own' and 'Little Fall of Rain' which were, in my opinion, the most emotive songs of the show. I thought the effort and finesse put in by Carrie was amazing and inspiring. She also has a very popular personal YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhNxkjmpQcTJDrabiyzHUw" target="_blank">ItsWayPastMyBedTime</a> with some great videos including her own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMURfINv3r4" target="_blank">Cup Song Mash Up</a> which is genius. I am wondering how she tamed her gorgeous hair enough to fit under the cap during the barricade scenes though!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KTpUb8Lan9o/U3isnHGUCCI/AAAAAAAAArk/sVP3dHR25os/s1600/Thenadier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KTpUb8Lan9o/U3isnHGUCCI/AAAAAAAAArk/sVP3dHR25os/s1600/Thenadier.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cHzotE0q3kg/UlBZUnUkZ8I/AAAAAAAAFGw/zxmwnZGquwk/s1600/Les+Mis+-+Production+Shot+-+Tavern+1418x945.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Thenadier and Madame Thenadier, played by Cameron Blakely and Wendy Ferguson, were hilarious. Their presence, even in a serious scene, really brought some comic relief to a play which, without it, could be rather overwhelming and depressing. Their performance and timing was spot-on and they had the whole audience laughing several times.<br />
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Gavroche, the little cheeky chappy who also has some brilliant one liners, was played by Tom Burgering. He had confidence and swagger which fit Gavroche perfectly and his voice was also amazing for such a young person. I have found out through research for this post that Gavroche is actually Eponine's younger brother and the Thenadiers' son which really surprised me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7p0gt5RTUII/U3itIG5G2dI/AAAAAAAAArs/Rof-RInW7-w/s1600/Fantine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7p0gt5RTUII/U3itIG5G2dI/AAAAAAAAArs/Rof-RInW7-w/s1600/Fantine.png" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wenubis.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/3/4/10341897/8881011_orig.png" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Another actress who I felt deserved a mention is Ne-Young Jeon who played Fantine. She is a Korean singer and actress who was born in Holland but her accent was impeccable, I would never have guessed that she was not British. Her protrayal of Fantine, especially during her 'protitute times' was excellent. She didn't over dramatise or overact but you knew exactly what was happening to her. Her love for Cosette and determination to help her shone throughout her performance and when she sang 'I Dreamed A Dream' it was really heartfelt and harrowing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xYIuRDEnfOE/U3itaCWDm7I/AAAAAAAAAr0/pInu1otQKM0/s1600/clothboundlesmis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xYIuRDEnfOE/U3itaCWDm7I/AAAAAAAAAr0/pInu1otQKM0/s1600/clothboundlesmis.jpg" height="400" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.paperplus.co.nz/books/250/495/9781846140495.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Overall I absolutely loved the performance, I could go and watch it again straight away and it is a performance which I will hopefully see a number of times in the future. And the soundtrack is still a regular favourite of mine. I think the next step in my Les Miserables obsession will be to actually read Victor Hugo's book Les Miserables.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-17065486593294193872014-05-12T18:27:00.001+01:002014-05-18T15:41:39.161+01:00To Love Another Person Is To See The Face Of God.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLvl16jZHp0/U3EESPER2fI/AAAAAAAAAq4/stUnoD7v-DA/s1600/les-mis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLvl16jZHp0/U3EESPER2fI/AAAAAAAAAq4/stUnoD7v-DA/s1600/les-mis.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://darkaeon.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/les-mis.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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My Mum came up last week which was brilliant. I met her after work onThurday and we went for dinner in a lovely local Italian restaurant called Little Italy. The food was delicious and I'd never seen such an enormous pile of pasta, my favourite.<br />
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On Friday she met me at work and spent some time with the children I look after. She bought them a comic each from the newsagents then we walked to the park for a quick go on the swings. The children were great, chatting away with her. We all had a lovely time.<br />
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We went straight to the hotel after I finished work. We were staying in the <a href="http://www.eurotravellerhotel.com/premier-tower-bridge.html" target="_blank">Eurotraveller Hotel</a> which I cannot commend highly enough. It was spotlessly clean, had a hot shower and a blissfully comfy bed, what more could we have needed? We bought a picnic on our way to the hotel and ate it on the bed in our pyjamas. Sharing a bottle of wine, some olives and salad and chatting for a few hours is what I love most about when we spend time together. I love how our relationship has evolved as we've grown older into one of best friends rather than just mother and daughter.<br />
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The next day we were up and out of our room quite early and made our way to Camden. I've been there a few times now and I think it might be one of my favourite places in London. When I'm there I just want to wear Doc Martins and get a facial piercing and drink beer with a shisha like all the cool kids who spend their time there. It was my Mum's first time there and she loved it, she's definitely a convert.<br />
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We went round the markets and, to be frank, there is a lot of shit there. There are quite a few things which you see over and over again, the same clothes, the same handbags, crappy phone cases and counterfeit 'designer' goods, but if you're prepared to look past all the rubbish and dig a little deeper you can really find some gems. The stalls with really individual items that you've never seen before. I bought a few bits and bobs, a Harry Potter picture which i thought was really unusual (anything with Harry Potter will usually get my attention!!), a VW Camper photo on owl print travel holdall and a sketch of the Southbank.<br />
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My favourite type of stalls are the ethnic stores, the smokey dens filled with the smell of incense, beautiful fabrics and gleaming wood. From these stalls i bought two wall hangings and a notebook. I have a soft spot for notebooks and when I looked inside it contained the most beautiful handmade paper, so I added it to my ever growing collection. Plus, it was only £3 so I couldnt say no could I?!<br />
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That evening, and the main reason for my Mum's stay, we went to see Les Miserables in the theatre. I'll write a full review soon but I will say now that it was phenomenal. Absolutely breathtaking.<br />
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On Sunday we got up a bit later, not much because check-out was at 10am, boo! We pretty much drank coffee, people watched and chatted until it was time for her to get the train back to Wales. We talk for hours when we're together, I haven't got a clue what we find to talk about but the only time we stop is when we're asleep.<br />
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So all-in-all it was a brilliant weekend. Tiring and busy but so much fun, and I could go see Les Mis again tomorrow!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-63649739384488476332014-03-10T18:59:00.001+00:002014-03-10T18:59:51.567+00:00Review - Out Of The Ashes by Michael Morpurgo<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CHSx3ZSQnw/UwPFBYK7O9I/AAAAAAAAAqg/C-BoBipiYS4/s1600/OutoftheAshes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CHSx3ZSQnw/UwPFBYK7O9I/AAAAAAAAAqg/C-BoBipiYS4/s1600/OutoftheAshes.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81ozNus4vyL._SL1500_.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">This review contains spoilers.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love Michael Morpurgo's writing, I think his stories are beautiful and so well crafted. After enjoying his classic War Horse so much, and remembering the Butterfly Lion from when I was a child (and seeing both in the theatre) I vowed to read more of his novels. I started with Out of the Ashes, a story about foot and mouth disease and the impact it has on a Devon community. I remember the outbreak so vividly, I can't believe it was thirteen years ago. Something which had such an enormous impact on farmers and the communities surrounding them has been sympathetically and accurately documented in this book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon Description -<i> <span style="background-color: white;">This story is not a story at all. It all happened. On New Year's Day Becky Morley begins to write her diary. By March, her world has changed for ever. Foot-and-mouth disease breaks out on a pig farm hundreds of miles from the Morleys' Devon home, but soon the nightmare is a few fields away. Local sheep are infected and every animal is destroyed. Will the Morleys' flock be next? Will their pedigree dairy herd, the sows with their piglets, and Little Josh, Becky's hand-reared lamb, survive? Or will they be slaughtered too? The waiting and hoping is the most agonizing experience of Becky's life . . .</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is obviously a children's book so I read it in less than an hour but it was really harrowing and thought provoking. The description of the fear and panic that people felt at the beginning of the outbreak was so accurate and Morpurgo really captured the dread which gripped the countryside at this time. When the animals were being put down, there was such a sense of dispair. Farmer's whole livelyhoods were destroyed, herds which they may have been breeding for many years and sometimes generations were just killed. My blood went cold when reading it, it was so clinical and incredibly sad.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Becky's father develops depression after all his animals are killed. I like that Morpurgo tackled this issue because it wasn't all done and dusted once the corpses had been burned. Farmers feel an incredible responsibility towards their animals and to see them all being slaughtered just because of the disease (a very dangerous disease, I understand that) must have been terrible. I also feel like children's books, for older children anyway, should lightly address issues like mental health. These things affect many children and their parents or family but they don't know who to talk to about it or what to do. It also shows the children that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a life after devastation. There were illustrations in the book, some which were pretty sad, but they did break up the intensity of the story which would be good for younger readers.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not one of Morpurgo's more romantic novels but a thought-provoking, realistic on none the less.</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-61591907299108605532014-02-19T20:30:00.000+00:002014-02-19T20:30:04.093+00:00Dogs and Babies.<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I deliberated with myself a lot over whether to write this post. I don't intend it to be a bashing of the parents or families of children who have been seriously injured or killed by dogs because lets face it, they've probably been punished enough. It's just a matter which has been weighing on my mind for the last couple of days and I wanted to defend these so called 'dangerous' dogs. I hope it doesn't turn into a massive incoherent rant but it's a matter which is very close to my heart.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday in Pontyberem, Wales, a six day old baby was reportedly killed by her family's pet, an Alaskan Malamute. You can read the full story <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mothers-horror-as-sixdayold-baby-elizamae-mullane-is-killed-in-suspected-dog-attack-9136204.html" target="_blank">here</a>. How many times does this have to happen for people to wake up and realise that a child, alone and unsupervised, with a dog just isn't a good mix? I would never fully trust any dog with a child, they are animals.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alaskan Malamutes <i>'should be supervised around unfamiliar small animals, as they have a strong prey instinct'</i>. Why would you leave an animal which is described like that around a young baby? Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love dogs. I cannot wait to be in a situation where I can get one of my own and it will most definitely be a large and widely regarded 'dangerous' breed. But even if i got a Jack Russell I wouldn't be leaving it alone with my child.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My mum has an Alaskan Malamute and a Siberian Husky and I can relate to the quote about them having a strong prey instinct. They are both brilliant dogs, so soft and gentle with us and they have really loving, laid back temperaments, but there is no way in hell I would ever let them be around children alone. I have seen them run after and pluck a seagull from the sky, thrust their heads into a hedge and come out with a bird between their jaws. I don't encourage it, obviously, but I can't punish them for it, they're animals and it's their nature. They had to survive for many years by hunting for their prey. Just because humans have decided that we like their company doesn't mean that we can change what's been hardwired into them by hundreds of thousands of years of evolution.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our childhood dog was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix. He was the best dog ever. That's the only way I can describe him. The best dog. Staffies are immensely protective and in tune to their owners emotions, a soppier breed of dog you'd be hard pressed to find, but they are strong. More people every year are hospitalised because of Labrador bites than bites from a Staffordshire Bull Terrier but it is not sensationalised in the news because people aren't often killed by Labradors. A Labrador's instinct is to go for the arms and legs, they will bite and let go. A Staffy, with jaws that could bend steel, will instinctively go for the face and body and they do not let go. Also, bad people get Staffies. They think of them as a status symbol, a dog to make them look 'hard'. This is why there are so many Staffies in rehoming shelters, because people buy them thinking they're a dangerous breed then realise that they are soft as anything. I know there are exceptions, I am widely generalising, but on the most part if a dog has good owners then it will be a good dog.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">People forget that these are wild animals which are living in their homes. Huskys and Malamutes are the purest breed of dog there is, the closest to the wolf, so surely they have some lasting instincts that make them wild and untameable? People hit, hurt and shout at these animals forgetting that the dog could quite easily kill them if it chose. People leave their children alone with these animals, forgetting that an elbow in the wrong place when the kids are climbing all over the dog or the kids taking food away from it could make it snap, bite, instinctively protect itself or it's prey. They are <b>animals</b>.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-48413402959487390032014-02-18T20:32:00.000+00:002014-02-18T20:32:17.846+00:001984 Theatre Review<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDkpHiKnhNY/Ur4ceb0E_WI/AAAAAAAAAoc/L0dom69oIJw/s1600/1984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDkpHiKnhNY/Ur4ceb0E_WI/AAAAAAAAAoc/L0dom69oIJw/s640/1984.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://resources3.atgtickets.com/static/11925_full.jpg" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I read George Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four as part of my English A-level in college and I loved it. It seemed to eerily reflect our current society, a text which really was before it's time. I've re-read the book many times since I studied it and I enjoy it more and more every time. It also inspired me to read some of Orwell's other well know classics. Animal Farm is one of my all time favourite books, so depressing and clever. How someone can describe Britain's social state through animals so accurately is beyond me. George Orwell was such an impressive, brilliant writer.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">When I saw that a stage version was coming to Richmond Theatre I was so excited and I booked tickets straight away. I couldn't imagine how the book could be transferred to the stage but I think they did it well.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Description from ATG's website :- <em>April, 1984. 13:00. Comrade 6079, Winston Smith, thinks a thought, starts a diary, and falls in love. But Big Brother is watching him - and the door to Room 101 can swing open in the blink of an eye.</em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>Its ideas have become our ideas, and Orwell's fiction is often said to be our reality. The definitive book of the 20th century is re-examined in a radical new staging exploring surveillance, identity and how thinking you can fly might actually be the first step to flying. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>This new major production explores the world inside Winston Smith's head, as well as the world without, and catches the euphoria and bliss buried deep underneath the cold face of Big Brother. In an age of mass surveillance, ‘total’ policing and GPS tracking, 1984 is as relevant now as it ever was.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4RNIRSxOZsM/Ur4dc9yFCsI/AAAAAAAAAos/7agDaTC34vs/s1600/1984+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4RNIRSxOZsM/Ur4dc9yFCsI/AAAAAAAAAos/7agDaTC34vs/s400/1984+3.jpg" height="291" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/resources/images/2682216.jpg?type=articleLandscape" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I really enjoyed how they had adapted it for the stage. The set changed very subtely, using mainly music and lighting, but you knew what was going on. Some of the actors would wheel pieces of scenery to a different position and that would mean that the stage was now a different place, the Ministry's cafeteria or the second hand shop. The actors also played two or three different characters but it wasn't as confusing as I would have imagined, I could follow the story. The back room of the second hand shop, Winston's secret room, was set off stage. We saw Winston and Julia via a large TV screen at the top of the set. The cameras were placed quite abstractly so it was quite difficult to see the whole room but the overall effect was interesting, very different.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x1cHjY4ipIo/Ur4dLfYRKZI/AAAAAAAAAok/GB1N104uUwI/s1600/1984+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x1cHjY4ipIo/Ur4dLfYRKZI/AAAAAAAAAok/GB1N104uUwI/s640/1984+2.jpg" height="640" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sheengate.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1984-13-09-13-nottingham-playhouse-1888.jpg" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">When Winston was taken to Room 101, he was on a chair in the middle of the stage with tarpaulin all around him. There were about eight surgeons around the stage and O'Brien. O'Brien would ask Winston a question and if his answer was 'wrong' the surgeons would descend upon Winston, the lights would strobe, then it would cut to blackout as all we could hear were Winston's screams. When the lights came back up, Winston would have blood on him, his fingers, his mouth, because he was being tortured. It was a really tense atmosphere.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">If I hadn't read the book before-hand then I'm not sure how much of the play I would have understood. Because I already had a background knowledge of the story I could fill any gaps within the plot myself but I'm not sure how someone who hadn't already read it would fare. One of Orwell's best features in his writing, in my opinion, is his description. There's one part in the book which I have to skip because the description makes me feel so sick. I felt like there were a few details missed out of the play, details which make the book brilliant, but the play was only an hour and forty minutes long so there is only so much they can include I suppose.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Also, there was no interval. I know it's not a very long time but the story is extremely intense. I could have done with a break around an hour in.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Overall I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to see a different adaptation of a classic and well-loved book and it must have been hard to fit it onto a stage. A great night.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-85090677874711793442014-02-16T21:40:00.000+00:002014-02-16T21:40:45.856+00:00I'm Still Here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As Bloglovin' seems to enjoy reminding me, I haven't written a blog post for 39 days. This is bad. One of my New Year's resolutions was to blog more and that obviously hasn't come to fruition. I'm starting to post again regularly from this week, sometimes it takes a break to realise how much you enjoy something. I've taken a couple of these breaks since starting this blog not even a year ago, terrible, but I keep being drawn back. I miss it. So here I am, apologising profusely and promising much more regular posts from now on.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've reached 160 followers! Wow, thank you so much. To all my new followers, I will be much more active on here in future. I don't usually leave such big gaps between posts. I'll also be following you all back very soon and I look forward to reading everything you have to write.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm part of the 2014 Blogger Challenge and I've missed a few of those posts but I'm hoping to catch up on them and start a fresh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Currently Reading :-</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P_1GThS7FiQ/UwEqbDXjG_I/AAAAAAAAApY/6poCLPsyJ7U/s1600/LifeAfterLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P_1GThS7FiQ/UwEqbDXjG_I/AAAAAAAAApY/6poCLPsyJ7U/s1600/LifeAfterLife.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beniceorleavethanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/life-after-life-e1364310158304.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On My Bookshelf :-</span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X2RylgRpTWA/UwEuk810IeI/AAAAAAAAAqA/K7E3vGwgPJk/s1600/Bookshelf1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X2RylgRpTWA/UwEuk810IeI/AAAAAAAAAqA/K7E3vGwgPJk/s1600/Bookshelf1.png" height="304" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/tbpstatic/1/books/large/EAADTI.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a> <a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356034436l/16120760.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a> <a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366570676l/17307098.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-73697331868482344312014-01-08T18:24:00.000+00:002014-01-08T18:24:59.818+00:00Review - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BryJNVG-FvY/UqStu2sB5GI/AAAAAAAAAkw/pUc1vP_rJaQ/s1600/TheBookThief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BryJNVG-FvY/UqStu2sB5GI/AAAAAAAAAkw/pUc1vP_rJaQ/s400/TheBookThief.jpg" height="400" width="256" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Thief-Markus-Zusak/dp/0552773891/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387141036&sr=1-1&keywords=the+book+thief" target="_blank">The Book Thief</a></div>
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by Markus Zusak</div>
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I really like reading books before watching the film adaptation. I like to be able to form ideas about situations and characters in my head first before being shown on a screen. I have also found that some books are absolutely murdered when turned into a film so I like to discover them in the way the author intended first. I hadn't heard much about this book before, I'd heard the title but I knew nothing of the story. When I heard that it was being turned into a film I looked it up on Amazon, read the blurb and wondered why the hell I hadn't read it yet. So I bought it. I read it. I LOVED it.</div>
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Amazon Description - <span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">HERE IS A SMALL FACT - YOU ARE GOING TO DIE</span></div>
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1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.</div>
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Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.</div>
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SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION - THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH</div>
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It's a small story, about:</div>
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a girl</div>
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an accordionist</div>
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some fanatical Germans</div>
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a Jewish fist fighter</div>
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and quite a lot of thievery.</div>
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ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW - DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES</div>
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I wouldn't say that I <i>enjoy </i>reading books about the Holocaust and World War II but I do find them interesting and I have read quite a few, fiction and non-fiction, this one is so different! At first I didn't like that the story is narrated by death. I thought that it was quite impersonal and the writing style took a little while to get used to. After a couple of chapters however, I was hooked. It was also a bit annoying that you knew many of the main storylines, and deaths, in advance. I think that it took some of the shock factor away from the book but it was still brilliant.</div>
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The characters, the non-Nazi ones, are loveable and really burrow into your heart. I cared about each and every one of them. Liesel was sweet and caring, Rudy was chilvalrous and daring, Papa was everything a papa should be, I loved mama's brash exterior and the fact that she loved her family so much, Max was poetic and scared. I loved them.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lSw-rHe3vnk/Uq4jEVegW2I/AAAAAAAAAn0/0xF33pYlr2U/s1600/Bookthief.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lSw-rHe3vnk/Uq4jEVegW2I/AAAAAAAAAn0/0xF33pYlr2U/s400/Bookthief.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.surfandsunshine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1390672_585659614816156_1496348584_n-500x500.png" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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I liked the fact that there were no 'Hollywood' moments. There were a few times I expected something to happen in a certain way, the predictable, happily ever after way, but it didn't. I felt like it represented real life pretty accurately. Lives were saved by pure coincidence and lives were taken too. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to ruin such a wonderful book for someone who hasn't read it yet.</div>
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I was in the hairdressers when I finished the book. I knew that I was going to need a good cry at the end of it and that I should stop reading but I just couldn't. I also couldn't let all my emotions out whilst having a wash, cut and blowdry without risking looking like a totally crazy person. So I held them all in, I only let a tear or two escape as I read one of the most distressing endings to a book ever. I held it in all the way home and then I lay on my bed, re-read the last chapter and had a bloody good cry. God, that makes me sound pretty mental. But the book was just so emotive! And good!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zRUNRi9eb2Y/Uq4jdfIVwXI/AAAAAAAAAn8/C2-VIZuuvxY/s1600/the-book-thief-733x266-1386645314.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zRUNRi9eb2Y/Uq4jdfIVwXI/AAAAAAAAAn8/C2-VIZuuvxY/s640/the-book-thief-733x266-1386645314.png" height="232" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryarts.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/the-book-thief-733x266-1386645314.png" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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I am so looking forward to seeing the film now, I hope that it does the book justice and they don't change it too much! If you haven't read it yet I would definitely recommend it. It's one of the best books I've ever read and it will be one of those books that I will read many more times. Five stars (5*).</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-44097599156439580442014-01-05T20:14:00.000+00:002014-01-05T20:14:20.662+00:00Inspiration - 2014 Blogger Challenge #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_j9CI-Cv0U/UsiShMKwUHI/AAAAAAAAAo8/f2pELzBF_Rc/s1600/2014BloggerChallenge.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_j9CI-Cv0U/UsiShMKwUHI/AAAAAAAAAo8/f2pELzBF_Rc/s1600/2014BloggerChallenge.png" /></a></div>
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This year I'm taking part in the 2014 Blogger Challenge hosted by Gaby at <a href="http://anothergirlyblg.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Another Girly Blog</a>. This is the first post and the subject is inspiration. The idea is that instead of writing a resolutions post we should post a picture which will inspire us throughout the year.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ewy4AKUE6aw/UsiTKd6YoJI/AAAAAAAAApE/Q4j41UDZuxQ/s1600/travel+inspiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ewy4AKUE6aw/UsiTKd6YoJI/AAAAAAAAApE/Q4j41UDZuxQ/s640/travel+inspiration.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hannahandtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/muse-12.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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I am really going to try to keep this quote in my mind this year. There are so many things which I want to do and I keep putting them off, thinking that I'll see what happens and waiting for other people to make decisions which will impact my life. I am saying '<i>no more</i>'. I am going to get up off my arse and go and grab the world instead of waiting for it to come to me. I need to make plans, do research, make lists, but I need to actually follow through with them for once. I need to go and do the things I plan, and do them rather than waiting. If I don't fulfill some of my dreams now then I may never get to and that would be a major regret.<br />
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So here's to 2014, to travelling, writing, education, experiences, doing more of <i>everything</i>. I hope it's going to be a good year for you all.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-53795225728436308672013-12-26T13:31:00.002+00:002013-12-26T13:31:58.375+00:00Review - Coming Home For Christmas by Jenny HaleWell, Christmas has been and gone for another year. I had a really wonderful day and I hope you all did too.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQE8UwqCb7o/Uq4Qw7hvJEI/AAAAAAAAAnk/NpwKRJJQOeg/s1600/Coming-Home-for-Christmas-Jenny-Hale-400px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQE8UwqCb7o/Uq4Qw7hvJEI/AAAAAAAAAnk/NpwKRJJQOeg/s400/Coming-Home-for-Christmas-Jenny-Hale-400px.jpg" width="260" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://itsjennyhale.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Coming-Home-for-Christmas-Jenny-Hale-400px.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Christmas-Jenny-Hale/dp/1909490113/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387138520&sr=1-1&keywords=coming+home+for+christmas" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Coming Home For Christmas</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">by Jenny Hale</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Publication Date - 1st October 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Publisher - <span style="background-color: white;">Bookouture</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Amazon description :- </span><b>Christmas is a time for family... isn't it?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Allie Richfield loves Christmas, so when she lands a job as House Manager for the amazing Ashford Estate—which includes organizing the Marley family festivities—she is in her element. With a budget bigger than her life savings and a team of staff, how hard can it be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As one-by-one she meets the Marleys, she’s about to find out...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Allie’s new boss, Robert, might be gorgeous, but he’s also colder than the snow outside and refuses to come home for Christmas. Robert’s playboy brother, Kip, flirts with her relentlessly; and his sister, Sloane, arrives home with baggage—both the divorce-kind and the Louis Vuitton kind. Their ninety-two year old grandmother, Pippa, spends her day grumbling at them all from her mobility scooter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With Robert intending to sell Ashford, it’s the Marley’s last chance to create some happy memories in their family home—and Allie is determined to make it happen... even if it takes a little Christmas magic! With the festive spirit in full swing, she might even discover a little happiness of her own...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet another Christmassy book which I've read this year! It was an easy read, chick-lit with a bit of Christmas thrown in. Because of the location, a massive house owned by someone with lots of money, I thought that this would have such a Christmassy feel but to be honest it didn't really do it for me. The storyline was pretty non-existent and it was so predictable. I knew what was going to happen almost as soon as I started reading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't feel like Allie's feelings were explored very much, apart from when she was fawning about over men. She was apparently close with her mother and sister but when she couldn't spend Christmas day with them it was barely mentioned that she'd missed them or wanted to spend the day with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It also really annoyed me when her previous job as a nanny was put down. I have often found that a nanny is viewed as a glorified babysitter. Allie is described as just being a nanny to get some money, to fill a job gap. I have never met a nanny like that. To work so closely with children you have to love it and love them, and it's not just sitting around playing with kids all day. It's a hard job, physically, emotionally and mentally. Many people don't have enough respect for what nannies do and books which portray nannies like this really annoy me because it gives people the wrong idea about a really wonderful, much needed job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was okay, the main positive in my book was that it was Christmas themed but other than that I didn't feel like it had much going for it.Two stars (2*)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-49305715989699723132013-12-22T15:51:00.001+00:002013-12-22T15:51:17.264+00:00I'm Home!I came home on Friday and it finally feels as if Christmas is here. My mum came to pick me up from London because last year the trains were horrendous, this year the weather wasn't as bad as it was last year but I am so glad that I didn't have to drag the world's biggest suitcase across to Paddington station. I don't go back to London until Saturday 4th January so I have two glorious weeks to spend with my family and friends, I am SO excited.<br />
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I'm seeing my bestie tonight for the first time in about seven months and I can't wait. A night of mulled wine and chatting. Isn't that the sign of a brilliant friend? The fact that you don't see each other for ages but when you do it's like you've never been apart? My brother's passed his driving test too so I get to utilise his driving skills by getting him to pick me up, payback for the last four years of lifts! It's great though because public transport is pretty non-existent down here and I hate driving the morning after a night out.<br />
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Other than that I don't really have any concrete plans for my time in Pembrokeshire. I'm planning on seeing my Gran a few times, spending a night or two at her house puppy visiting. I'm taking my cousin (who was thirteen the other day, where does the time go??) for a girlie day of shopping and cinema as a birthday/Christmas present so I'm really looking forward to that. I hope to go to the beach a few times with our dogs, it's freezing but that's the best weather to go in my opinion. Also, you don't have any of the summer tourists! There are a few friends I'm planning to catch up with over the two weeks but that's about it. A time for family, friends, lie-ins, baking, reading and relaxing. Perfect.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/df14aba3bc05662e4befb5696cb48620/tumblr_mfjuyg7maP1qcck31o1_1280.jpg" target="_blank">Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!</a></td></tr>
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I'll be putting a couple more posts up before Christmas Day but I'll take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas. I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be great!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-25084225939132263372013-12-15T18:04:00.002+00:002013-12-15T20:21:21.127+00:00Interview and Review - Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5nmj-NZenk/UqSupf9Hq-I/AAAAAAAAAlI/L_Yo3__17Ws/s1600/CARHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5nmj-NZenk/UqSupf9Hq-I/AAAAAAAAAlI/L_Yo3__17Ws/s400/CARHS.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-at-Rosie-Hopkins-Sweetshop/dp/0751551805/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387138631&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+at+rosie+hopkins+sweetshop" target="_blank">Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop</a></span></div>
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by Jenny Colgan</div>
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Publication Date - 7th November 2013</div>
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Publisher - Sphere</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I have mentioned </span><a href="http://whiskshooksandbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/review-calling-mrs-christmas-by-carole.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">before</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> there is nothing which gets me into the Christmas spirit quite like curling up with a great festive read, preferrably with a mug of hot chocolate or an open fire but these romantiscised ideas come from reading so many of said festive books. <i>Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe</i> by Jenny Colgan has become on of my fail-safe Christmassy books so when I saw that Jenny was releasing another Yuletide novel,<i> </i></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18172194-christmas-at-rosie-hopkins-sweetshop?from_search=true" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><i>Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop</i></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the blurb :-</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Curl up with Rosie, her friends and her family as they prepare for a very special Christmas . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rosie Hopkins</b> is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She's going to be spending it with her boyfriend, <b>Stephen</b>, and her family, flying in from Australia. She can't wait.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweetshop also what's best for Rosie?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Treat yourself and your sweet-toothed friends to Jenny Colgan's heart-warming new novel. The irresistibly delicious recipes are guaranteed to get you into the festive spirit and will warm up your Christmas celebrations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I really enjoyed this book. It is a sweet, cosy read which is just perfect for the </span>run-up<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to the Christmas celebrations. Set in a picturesque village featuring small schools, rolling hills and corner shops. The location screams ideal Winter destination, even with the snowy disruptions. I think that the Rosie Hopkins series are my favourite Jenny Colgan books because it reminds me of my Pembrokeshire home, the positives (the community, the countryside) and the negatives (the gossip, the public transport...or lack of it!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After reading <i>Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams</i>, the first installation of Rosie's adventures, I felt that everything had been rounded up nicely at the end of the story. I was a little bit worried that this book had been written purely as a Christmas follow on and that it wouldn't have much of a story line. I imagine that it would have been easy for it to become an 'everything's-great-and-wonderful-merry-Christmas-to-all' sort of book. Thankfully, I was wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I won't give too much away but when the blurb says 'a tragedy' they don't just mean that Rosie runs out of candy canes on Christmas Eve! I had to read that chapter twice because I'd read it so quickly the first time round, too worried about what was going on and what was going to happen. Like Jenny's other cake, chocolate and sweet themed novels there are some wonderful recipies which I'm very much looking forward to trying out over the holidays. Recipes include fudge, candied peanuts and more which are perfect for Christmas time. As always, there was a strong humour throughout the book. There were lots of laugh out loud moments which earned me a few funny looks in the coffee shop but I really enjoy Jenny's humour and it has the ability to really lift some despairing parts of the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, there were sweet, heart warming, tear-in-your-eye moments. Surely that's why we read Christmas stories? That's true for me anyway. But there were heart wrenching, worrying moments too. This is a brilliant book in it's own right, with a great storyline. Not a saccharine, sickly Christmas </span>cringe-fest at all<span style="font-family: inherit;">. This is another book which I'll be plucking from the shelf on December 1st for many years to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including</span><i style="font-family: inherit;"> Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, which are also published by Sphere. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013. Jenny is married with three children and lives in London and France. She was kind enough to answer a few of my questions :-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>How do you balance your writing with your home life and children?</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">I cannot and will not lie- I have help! A lovely woman comes in three mornings a week to help with cleaning and laundry, and the rest of the time they're at school. Before I had children I thought I'd be able to work whilst they were napping or playing- hahahah! NO! Of course not. So I pay for help. The best thing is the flexibility. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>Did you have any favourite authors or books as a child? Do you think they have inspired you when you write?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Yes, loads. Jo in Little Woman, of COURSE, I idolised her. And I loved Enid Blyton, who wrote in so many genres. James Heriot was a massive influence on me, you can see it in the Rosie books. Lipton isn't Darrowby, but they have their similarities!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>Recipes feature a lot in your recent books, do you try them all out personally? And do you have a signature recipe?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Of course! I would never suggest someone cook something I hadn't tried. I change specialities all the time, but I make really really good fishcakes, and fabulous pissaladiere, which is a french pastry with slow cooked onions, olives and anchovies. I could eat it all day. Fortunately my husband hates anchovies so I don't make it that often. And I do like a nice light victoria sponge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>How difficult was it to get your first book published?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Well, I am not good at answering this question because I got my first novel published very easily, but you have to know that before that I had tried cartooning, stand up comedy, poetry and children's stories and failed dismally at all of them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>Do you have a designated 'writing space'? If so, what is it like?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">No I don't, I like to go to cafes and different places. My absolutely favourite place to write is on the train. I live in France, and there they come round the quiet carriage to make sure you've got your phone off! I have a specific seat I like on the TGV (high speed train) from Cannes to Paris, and I always get loads down there. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">It is so easy to publish now I would say, please don't rush to it. You don't want everyone seeing your very first, unpolished efforts on the internet for evermore. Practice and practice until you know you're ready (you'll know). And never stop reading. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">For more information about Jenny and her brilliant books, you can visit her <a href="http://www.jennycolgan.com/" target="_blank">website</a> or follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/jennycolgan" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jennycolganbooks?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><i>Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop</i> by Jenny Colgan is published by Sphere, it's available now in hardback, £12.99.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><i>*I received this book in return for an honest review.</i></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-28998951380208346462013-12-10T19:13:00.001+00:002013-12-15T19:26:22.237+00:00End Of The Year Read-a-Thon 2013 - Updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqQlTHizs5A/UqTapcPj9EI/AAAAAAAAAlY/XTLqqipbBhc/s1600/Read-a-Thon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqQlTHizs5A/UqTapcPj9EI/AAAAAAAAAlY/XTLqqipbBhc/s1600/Read-a-Thon.png" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you would like to know what this End of the Year Read-a-Thon is all about, Check out my post <a href="http://whiskshooksandbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/end-of-year-read-thon-2013.html" target="_blank">here</a>. This is where I'll be posting my daily challenges and updates.</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 2</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, it's day two of the read-a-thon and I'm doing okay, about three quarters of my way through Christmas At Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop. I've only challenged myself to read three books before the 22nd of December but with Christmas swiftly approaching work and my evenings off are going to get insanely busy so I'm happy with that amount!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 2 teaser challenge, hosted by <a href="http://booklovinghippo.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/readingcram-read-a-thon-day-2-teaser-challenge/" target="_blank">Book Loving Hippo</a>. Open the book you're currently reading to a any page and post two sentences from that page.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Back at the sweetshop, she smiled at every child who came in, all of them bursting with secrets about what Santa was bringing them; all enraptured by the tiny train in the window; little cheeks rosy; eyes bright and round; parents tired but happy. She knew everyone now, and they knew her." - Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan</span></i></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 3</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day three and I've finished Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop. I really enjoyed it, it really got me into the Christmas spirit so bring on the festivities! I've started The Book Thief and it's unusually written, from death's point of view, but I am liking it so far.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The day three challenge is hosted by Jessica at <a href="http://coffeelvnmom.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Let Me Tell You A Story</a> and it's a list of your top ten books read in 2013. This was a hard one, especially as I've discovered a few brilliant series this year but instead of putting all of them, I've just put my favourite one to represent the whole series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In no particular order :-</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sea Sick by Iain Rob Wright</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sanctum by Sarah Fine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Room by Emma Donoghue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Boy From Baby House 10 - Adam Philips</span></li>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 4</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm still on The Book Thief an I'm absolutely loving it. I didn't like the way it was written at first, I didn't feel that it was very emotive, but I am so into it now. I stayed up way too late last night reading it, 'just one more chapter' hehe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today's challenge is hosted by Lori at <a href="http://www.writingmyownfairytale.com/" target="_blank">Writing My Own Fairy Tale</a>. It's a spine poetry challenge! For all of the rules, check out Lori's page. I mainly use a Kindle so I can't take a pretty picture of my spine poem!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Silent Tears <i>fall</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After The Fear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Will You Love Me?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One Step Too Far.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pure</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pandemonium.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a pretty feeble attempt I'll admit but I TRIED!!</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 5</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The day five challenge is hosted by Emily at <a href="http://www.fallingforya.com/2013/12/end-of-year-read-thon-book-to-movie.html" target="_blank">Falling For YA</a> and she wants to know your favourite book to movie adaptation. I loved The Hunger Games, book and film version. I found that the film was actually quite true to the book which made it much more enjoyable. I'm really looking forward to seeing Catching Fire as I imagine that it'll be really good too!</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 6</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today's challenge is a seasonal one, hosted by Michelle at <a href="http://bookbriefs.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Book Briefs</a>.</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Recommend a good book for a snowy day :-</span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_4x5FAXSeg/Uq395cJ0n8I/AAAAAAAAAmw/ERMTTIQazoY/s1600/TheFinalWinter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_4x5FAXSeg/Uq395cJ0n8I/AAAAAAAAAmw/ERMTTIQazoY/s320/TheFinalWinter.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1382985617l/11494704.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Recommend a good book for a rainy day :-</span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5H2xbvZQ3fY/Uq3-bsvpENI/AAAAAAAAAm4/VdFAg12zqIo/s1600/Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5H2xbvZQ3fY/Uq3-bsvpENI/AAAAAAAAAm4/VdFAg12zqIo/s320/Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows.jpg" width="222" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a9/Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Recommend a good book for a beach day :-</span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZzg6Xc_89Q/Uq3_Kf8FgLI/AAAAAAAAAnA/1ExUcctcu_4/s1600/onehundrednames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZzg6Xc_89Q/Uq3_Kf8FgLI/AAAAAAAAAnA/1ExUcctcu_4/s320/onehundrednames.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://iamagreedyreader.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/bookso6ct27_large.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Recommend a good book for a spooky night :-</span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-20u6qvT5qjQ/Uq3_xb-PO_I/AAAAAAAAAnI/oy7RhSzU1RU/s1600/dumakey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-20u6qvT5qjQ/Uq3_xb-PO_I/AAAAAAAAAnI/oy7RhSzU1RU/s320/dumakey.jpg" width="208" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bcfreviews.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/dumakey.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 7</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I finished The Book Thief today. My God. I'll write a full review on it soon but all I'll say is that it was amazing. I've started Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver and I'm enjoying it so far.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The day seven challenge is hosted by Cindi at <a href="http://ccclubbs.com/" target="_blank">Mommasez</a>. You have to pick a book you read in 2013 and describe the book in only 166 characters. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MxT1pfdG3uM/Uq4CGZ_pNGI/AAAAAAAAAnU/lqDeEvUsK84/s1600/LastKiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MxT1pfdG3uM/Uq4CGZ_pNGI/AAAAAAAAAnU/lqDeEvUsK84/s320/LastKiss.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.contentreserve.com/ImageType-100/0292-1/%7B064FADE1-C94B-49C0-9CE8-8A10E0DD2FE6%7DImg100.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Foster carer, Casey Watson takes in a fourteen year old mother and her baby. They help Emma care for her baby whilst they care for Emma too.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-28333331607882517552013-12-08T20:47:00.001+00:002013-12-09T19:33:16.724+00:00End Of The Year Read-a-Thon 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqQlTHizs5A/UqTapcPj9EI/AAAAAAAAAlU/3pEBa-aw6eM/s1600/Read-a-Thon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqQlTHizs5A/UqTapcPj9EI/AAAAAAAAAlU/3pEBa-aw6eM/s400/Read-a-Thon.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have A LOT of books on my bookshelf and Kindle which have been sadly neglected and unread so when I saw <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2013/12/end-year-read-thon.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=end-year-read-thon" target="_blank">Kimba's</a> post on a December Read-a-Thon I was pleased to find something which will give me a little push to read some of the books which have been forgotten. The Read-a-Thon is hosted by <a href="http://juliababyjenreadingroom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/end-of-year-2013-reading-cram-read-thon.html" target="_blank">Juliababyjen's Reading Room</a> and <a href="http://danasquare.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/end-of-year-2013-readingcram-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Dana Square</a> so head on over to their blogs to sign-up and read the rules. The Read-a-Thon is running from the 9th - 22nd December 2013 and the main goal is to read some great books but there will also be some challenges and prizes along the way. To get involved on Twitter, use the hashtag #ReadingCram<br />
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I don't really have anything which I <i>have </i>to read before a deadline but I have a few books which I would like to clear out of my library to make way for some new ones in the New Year.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BryJNVG-FvY/UqStu2sB5GI/AAAAAAAAAks/EmupoJXen_I/s1600/TheBookThief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RKa4kuljMUo/UqSuSy6LyPI/AAAAAAAAAk8/bRbJKF0Kzx4/s1600/GodsandWarriors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RKa4kuljMUo/UqSuSy6LyPI/AAAAAAAAAk8/bRbJKF0Kzx4/s320/GodsandWarriors.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5nmj-NZenk/UqSupf9Hq-I/AAAAAAAAAlE/sX0gqAf3SIs/s1600/CARHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5nmj-NZenk/UqSupf9Hq-I/AAAAAAAAAlE/sX0gqAf3SIs/s1600/CARHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5nmj-NZenk/UqSupf9Hq-I/AAAAAAAAAlE/sX0gqAf3SIs/s320/CARHS.jpg" width="194" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BryJNVG-FvY/UqStu2sB5GI/AAAAAAAAAks/EmupoJXen_I/s1600/TheBookThief.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BryJNVG-FvY/UqStu2sB5GI/AAAAAAAAAks/EmupoJXen_I/s320/TheBookThief.jpg" title="" width="204" /></a> </div>
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All three of these books are for review and I might be able to squeeze in another but in the run up to Christmas we all know how busy it can get! I'm looking forward to this Read-a-Thon.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-83144730470214846642013-12-08T17:10:00.001+00:002013-12-08T17:47:41.487+00:00Review - Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iR-Ac21DPcQ/UqSRRhgM-4I/AAAAAAAAAkE/2kQlE1Xzk88/s1600/Calling-Mrs-Christmas-paperback2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iR-Ac21DPcQ/UqSRRhgM-4I/AAAAAAAAAkE/2kQlE1Xzk88/s400/Calling-Mrs-Christmas-paperback2.jpg" width="253" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Calling-Mrs-Christmas-Carole-Matthews/dp/0751545589" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Calling Mrs Christmas</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">by Carole Matthews</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Publication Date - 24th October 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Publisher - Sphere</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon Description - <span style="background-color: white;">Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children, so he enlists Cassie's help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her loving partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When millionaire Carter asks Cassie to join his family on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn't go . . . Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Join Cassie as she takes you on a romantic and emotional rollercoaster ride in <i>Calling Mrs Christmas.</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
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For me, Christmas films just don't cut it. Of course, I have a few favourite festive movies I like to watch with my family. Oliver! is an absolute must in the run up to Christmas. But they aren't what I rely on to get me into the Christmas spirit. Christmassy books are what I love, the things which make me feel the most festive and excited. As soon as December the first comes around (I make myself wait until this date, it's very difficult) I buy about five books with the world 'Christmas' somewhere on the cover and get lost in a soppy, sickly, snow-covered world.</div>
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One of the first books I read this December was Calling Mrs Christmas. I must say that I wasn't expecting much from this book. I thought that it would be a quick, easy read, girl with horrible boyfriend, meets rich, lovely man, they fall in love and that's the end of that. No other stories in the background, not too much concentration needed. I was completely wrong. I won't give too much of the plot away but the ending was really not what I had predicted.</div>
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I really enjoyed this book. Cassie is a strong, likeable main character and I was willing her to do well for herself throughout the book. Jim was a kind, supportive partner and I thought it was nice that he was given a small story line of his own with the boys in the young offenders unit. It gave the story a bit more depth and threw an extra few weepy moments in too. That can never be a bad thing can it? I found Carter Randall to be quite pushy and annoying. He was a sweet and attentive father but the way he wouldn't take no for an answer really got on my nerves at times.</div>
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This book really was Christmas through and through. The trip to Lapland was written so beautifully that I really felt I was sleeping in the Ice Hotel and cuddling Huskies myself! It seemed like an amazing trip of a lifetime yet it stayed believable, the description of the scenery and Cassie's surroundings were in-depth enough so that I could totally imagine where she was but not to the extent that I was bored.</div>
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There were quite a few bits which made me cry, not a difficult task, and there were plenty of sweet moments but they didn't seem saccharine. I think this will definitely be going into the archive of Christmas books which I read every December. Four stars (4*).</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-81683461579026032742013-12-05T18:00:00.001+00:002013-12-05T18:00:44.715+00:00Blood Brothers Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6A76-DIH128/UpdXBcCIB3I/AAAAAAAAAjY/O_OtfOPvklg/s1600/bloodbrothersnew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6A76-DIH128/UpdXBcCIB3I/AAAAAAAAAjY/O_OtfOPvklg/s640/bloodbrothersnew.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.grandtheatre.info/UserFiles/Image/Whatson/bloodbrothersnew.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You may say that I'm a fan of this musical. Well, to tell you the truth I have now seen it four times! There have been a few musicals over the years which I've really enjoyed and wanted to see again but I always feel guilty buying a ticket for a show I've already seen rather than broadening my horizons a bit and trying something new. With Blood Brothers I feel absolutely no guilt whatsoever. Admittedly, I studied the text for my drama and English GCSEs so I went twice with school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first time I saw it was when I was about fourteen, in Cardiff with my Gran. Linda Nolan was playing Mrs Johnston and I was completely in love with the hilarious, often naughty and deeply sad musical. I saw that Blood Brothers, after spending 24 years in the West End and closing last November, was now touring and it was showing in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Wimbledon_Theatre" target="_blank">New Wimbledon Theatre</a>. I persuaded a couple of my friends to join me and I eagerly booked the tickets.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AV5WSZGFy0A/UpdYP9UgCvI/AAAAAAAAAjo/i3qwHXYperc/s1600/BloodBros-Tour-10-1822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AV5WSZGFy0A/UpdYP9UgCvI/AAAAAAAAAjo/i3qwHXYperc/s640/BloodBros-Tour-10-1822.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast during 'Kids' Game' <a href="http://bloodbrothersthemusical.webs.com/photos/Blood-Brothers-tour-2010/BloodBros-Tour-10-1822.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is the description from their </span><a href="http://www.bloodbrothersmusical.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">website</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Blood Brothers Musical is, at first, a heart-warming story of Mickey and Edward, two brothers separated at birth, brought together again through friendship. However, their familial relationship is concealed by their guardians who strive to keep them apart because of superstitious beliefs.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"> Despite relocating, their lives continue to intertwine, although the deep divisions between the privileged life of Edward and Mickey’s poverty-stricken existence are wholly apparent. As they try to conquer the social divisions which hinder their friendship, they must deal with the harsh realities of class consciousness; Edward goes on to study at Oxford whilst Mickey is forced into a life of crime through unemployment.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"> As adults, they are caught up in a vicious love triangle with Mickey’s childhood sweetheart Linda. Mickey’s imprisonment and subsequent depression pushes Linda into the arms of the conciliatory Edward. A desperate Mickey takes drastic action against his fraternal twin which will ultimately expose their true identities.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2qIlJRKAL3c/UpdXg62g09I/AAAAAAAAAjg/qG4pj3GJXNY/s1600/bloodbrothers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2qIlJRKAL3c/UpdXg62g09I/AAAAAAAAAjg/qG4pj3GJXNY/s640/bloodbrothers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs Johnstone (Maureen Nolan) and Mickey (Sean Jones) <a href="http://i2.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article5885024.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/zzmaureennolan1-5885024.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Even though I have seen it quite a few times, I was definitely not disappointed by this production of Blood Brothers. Maureen Nolan played Mrs Johnstone and her voice was beautiful, protraying so much emotion during 'Tell Me It's Not True' that I (and many other audience members) were reduced to tears. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson who played Mickey and Eddie were brilliant. I am always astounded at how two adult men can act so convincingly like children. It wasn't ridiculously over the top, as is so easily done with an adult playing a child. It's quite subtle, with body language and they way they talk. Pulling their jumper over their knees, an awkward wave or talking about an older sibling. I completely forgot that I was actually watching adults. I suppose it would be pretty hard to get children to swear like Mickey does too!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">The music is wonderful. It's an album I frequently listen to, the songs are so funny and often rather rude. They are upbeat and jaunty with some real belting notes in there to give your vocal chords a good stretch in the shower! There is often an element of sadness and some of the songs are heart breaking, 'Easy Terms' is another song which is heartwrenching but still beautiful. The musical is based in 1960s Liverpool and there are a few cultural references throughout the show, giving it depth and making it part of the larger British story. I think it ticks all the 'musical soundtrack' boxes.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j7UnXhYleis/UpdZPlu1WkI/AAAAAAAAAj0/4tgasLE3myA/s1600/BloodBros-Tour-10-1241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j7UnXhYleis/UpdZPlu1WkI/AAAAAAAAAj0/4tgasLE3myA/s640/BloodBros-Tour-10-1241.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sammy (Daniel Taylor) and Mickey (Sean Jones) <a href="http://bloodbrothersthemusical.webs.com/photos/Blood-Brothers-tour-2010/BloodBros-Tour-10-1241.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">If you haven't yet seen this show then I thoroughly recommend that you do. I am absolutely in love with it. If you've already seen it before, go again! I'm not going to judge you ;)</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-70909755824219531182013-11-12T19:49:00.000+00:002013-11-12T19:49:09.561+00:00I'm Back!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcD5fMsQlac/UoI1OX07pxI/AAAAAAAAAig/ts6lHdT3jQA/s1600/Break.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcD5fMsQlac/UoI1OX07pxI/AAAAAAAAAig/ts6lHdT3jQA/s1600/Break.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.ketchum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/take-a-break-from-work.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<br />
Right, well, after a much longer than planned break, I am back. I'd felt a bit fed up in general and decided to give my typing fingers a rest! I really enjoy blogging but my heart wasn't in it, I felt like I was writing for writing's sake. But I have missed it. REALLY missed it. I'd see something and think 'Oh, that would be a good blog topic' and then just not put pen to paper. I've also gotten a bit behind on reading all my favourite blogs, my Bloglovin' feed is choc-a-bloc with awesome posts which I have yet to read. So I am sitting here with a cuppa and getting down to business.<br />
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Not much has happened in my world. I've seen a few plays which I will be writing up on here, got back in touch with some friends who I've been neglecting (anyone who knows me knows that I am TERRIBLE at keeping in contact, I try my best but I'm just rubbish!!) and I've started my Christmas shopping. Yaaaaay!!<br />
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Christmas really is my favourite time of year. As soon as the wind gets that nip in it and the leaves start falling from the trees my countdown begins. Actually it begins on the 4th of July, the day after my birthday, but that makes me sound a bit Christmas obsessed, which I probably am!<br />
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I started potty training one of my charges today so watch this space. She got on really well, one proud nanny here. When we've both got into more of a routine with it I'll write a post about different methods we used, any tips or tricks which I found helpful, and ones I didn't! It's not something one really thinks about, going to the toilet, but there's a lot to learn and control. Bring it on I say!<br />
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I have become a tad bit obsessed with Instagram! I love it! I can spend hours looking through the different pictures. I don't like posting too many pictures on Facebook because it's really annoying but on Instagram you're SUPPOSED to post pictures all day. You can follow me <a href="http://instagram.com/clbrown1991" target="_blank">here</a>. Shameless, I know.<br />
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Well, you will be hearing from me very soon I hope! Thanks for reading,<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-24638166295155677982013-09-21T18:14:00.001+01:002013-09-21T18:14:54.859+01:00Gran's Granny Square Crochet Blanket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WLvJ44x4IZU/Uj3JDci-iOI/AAAAAAAAAhg/qs48mSAddoQ/s1600/IMG_1563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WLvJ44x4IZU/Uj3JDci-iOI/AAAAAAAAAhg/qs48mSAddoQ/s640/IMG_1563.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was my Gran's birthday last week. For Christmas I crocheted her some coasters which went down very well (she cried when she opened them!) so I decided to make her something special for her birthday.<br />
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I'm a bit obsessed with granny squares. They're so quick and versatile, you can make a beautiful item in just one weekend. I love that granny squares come together so quickly and I love how many different effects you can make. I had a look on good old Google and I found this tutorial on <a href="http://signedwithanowl.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/squaring-big-circle-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Signed With An Owl</a>. I really liked the design, it was striking but simple and I knew that I'd be able to have some fun with the colours.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZxmsTZM490/Uj3Ic5gSHcI/AAAAAAAAAhY/wOceNvLBH9Q/s1600/close+up.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZxmsTZM490/Uj3Ic5gSHcI/AAAAAAAAAhY/wOceNvLBH9Q/s640/close+up.png" width="600" /></a></div>
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I used DK yarn in yellow (Y), orange (O), red (R), light blue (LB), dark blue (DB), green (G), cream (C) and pink (P). I made six squares with the first round made with O, second round made with R, third made with LB, fourth made with DB, fifth made with G and sixth made with Y. I then did the outline in C. For the next six squares I brought the middle colour to the outside so the pattern was R, LB, DB, G, Y, O. I did this a further four times, bringing the middle colour to the outside each time and making six squares in each pattern.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MB1xEjBJfIk/Uj3Qln3aZSI/AAAAAAAAAh4/2hZVIPeOl1g/s1600/IMG_1565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MB1xEjBJfIk/Uj3Qln3aZSI/AAAAAAAAAh4/2hZVIPeOl1g/s640/IMG_1565.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When I had made all thirty-six squares I started to arrange them. I decided to arrange them in this order (the colour refers to the yarn used on the sixth row of the circle), Y, O, R, LB, DB, G. For the next line I took the colour used in the first column and brought it to the end, giving the colours a diagonal effect. The second row's colour pattern was O, R, LB, DB, G, Y. I did this for the next four rows until I had aranged the whole blanket. I then sewed the squares together. I was very new to crochet and didn't know that there is actually a crochet technique to join granny squares, which you can see <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/joining-granny-sqaures.html" target="_blank">here</a>, so I just sewed them with a running stitch.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3yBXxHiBqtE/Uj3P5KVSB_I/AAAAAAAAAhw/hztOwqOcrdU/s1600/IMG_1567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3yBXxHiBqtE/Uj3P5KVSB_I/AAAAAAAAAhw/hztOwqOcrdU/s640/IMG_1567.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once I had my whole blanket pretty much done I started to go right around the edge. Now, as I mentioned just now, I was very new to crochet so some of the squares were a little wonky, causing the edge to ripple a little bit. To try to minimise this I went right around the outside in C. I then crocheted round the outside again using a different coloured yarn for the length of one square using the pattern G, DB, LB, R, O, Y, repeating on each side. I went round it all again with C.<br />
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I was happy with it, it looked much tidier, but I wanted something which would really finish it off. After trying out a few different borders, I found this one on <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/granny-b.html" target="_blank">Attic 24</a>. It was quite time consuming but I felt that it really finished the blanket off nicely. I did mine in P.<br />
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To completely finish it I ironed it on the wrong side (I tested the iron on a small piece first to make sure it wasn't going to melt into nothing), folded it up and wrapped it in some pretty paper. My gran was so pleased with it, she wore it for the rest of the afternoon, once she had opened it. All together it took me about nine months! But I like to flit from project to project leaving some unfinished to come back to later so it wasn't a whole nine months spent on this one thing!<br />
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I hope that people are able to understand this blog and it's not just a screen of weird letters, it's the first time I've written a tutorial (I use the term tutorial VERY loosely!). I'm sorry for the lack of useful pictures too, I'll try to take more for my next project! If anyone has any pointers then please leave a comment, suggestions are very welcome!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12600109778699875978noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431437616402723223.post-12334848168408903442013-09-18T18:46:00.000+01:002013-09-18T18:47:03.493+01:00'Soul Sister' Review<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwKT3WIooRg/UjmnhVFhygI/AAAAAAAAAgo/EER43AKet8M/s1600/Soul+Sister+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwKT3WIooRg/UjmnhVFhygI/AAAAAAAAAgo/EER43AKet8M/s640/Soul+Sister+WEB.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/user_content/images/events/Soul%20Sister%20WEB.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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A musical inspired by the lives of Anna Mae Bullock (known as Tina Turner) and Ike Turner. The story line was simple, it didn't go into too much detail about the segregation which was going on at the time and later there are about two minutes dedicated to feminism so it skims over some important historical details. It was quite wooden and some of it seemed obviously written just to point out certain details rather than allowing you to come to the decisions yourself. I knew nothing about her life before watching this and I was really interested to find out more. There were moments which were incredibly sad. Tina seemed like such a strong, independent woman but at times she seemed miserable and resigned to the fact that she would be treated badly by Ike.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2dldRrffcA8/UjmoMg1p63I/AAAAAAAAAg8/DY6zfy3DdrE/s1600/Tina-Turner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2dldRrffcA8/UjmoMg1p63I/AAAAAAAAAg8/DY6zfy3DdrE/s640/Tina-Turner.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/incoming/article8078623.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/Tina-Turner.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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The story was good but my God, the music was fantastic. Featuring hits like 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' they were definitely songs to get you singing along and dancing. The band on stage were absolutely flawless, playing their instruments very well and really bringing the songs to life. The Ikettes sang beautifully and had voices which really complimented Tina's.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iaz7TypamKs/UjmomVdWp-I/AAAAAAAAAhA/-EbkQ7c__sQ/s1600/arts+page+3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iaz7TypamKs/UjmomVdWp-I/AAAAAAAAAhA/-EbkQ7c__sQ/s640/arts+page+3.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/incoming/article7664945.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/arts+page+3" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Jenny Fitzpatrick, who played Tina, was amazing. Her dance moves were so like Tina's that you could have mistaken her for the real thing, hip thrusts, fluttery arms and stiff legs in all the right places. It really was uncanny. Her voice was flawless, belting out a strong song one minute then the next caressing a gentle note. Ike, played by Chris Tummings, was also very believable. At times he seemed so vulnerable and you felt sorry for him but there were other times where you hated him for the things that he was doing.<br />
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At the end everyone was up on their feet dancing and having a great time. The sometimes weak story line was really supported by the great music and the sing-along soul songs were great.<br />
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I saw this musical in the New Wimbledon Theatre which was a great venue, old fashioned and ornate. I sat in the upper circle and it was almost empty which was such a shame. Surprising too because the show was on tour, only staying in each theatre for a few days, and I think the tickets cost about £12. I would have thought that the price would have enticed people but sadly not, There was only about five percent of the seats filled in the upper circle.<br />
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I would recommend this musical, the songs really made it for me, who can go wrong with a bit of Simply The Best??<br />
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