Mid-July Favourites

It’s summer! Although you wouldn’t think it looking at the weather we’ve had in the North West of England where I live but that is beside the point. Whether it looks summery or not, I’m feeling summery inside and that’s all that matters!

Person:
Carrie Underwood (Singer)

I have been majorly obsessed with Carrie Underwood this month. She’s gorgeous, an amazing singer and a genuinely lovely person it seems. I…just…she is one of my new girl crushes and I think she’s great.

Film:
The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Directors: Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney

I was dragged to watch this film by my mum and little brother and, in all honesty, I didn’t expect to like it too much but decided to give it a shot and because I will never turn down sweet popcorn. And actually, I ended up really loving this film. It hasn’t overtaken Inside Out as my favourite animation that isn’t wholly Disney but I think it’s nabbed the second spot. It’s funny, engaging and a little bit feminist in my opinion. It also has a fantastic soundtrack.

Song:
Oklahoma (2001)
Artists: Gordon Macrae, Charlotte Greenwood, Shirley Jones

My favourite song this month is a bit of a bizarre one but this really is my most played song of the month. I’m trying to expand my musical knowledge so decided to check out Oklahoma! which is a pretty well loved musical. And while some of the songs may take some getting used to, this song has now been engraved on my brain. It’s such a happy and optimistic song – which is everything I like – and I have been playing it on repeat for the last few days.

Book:
A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J Maas

To be honest, I didn’t love A Court of Thorns and Roses and from the quarter of this book I didn’t think I’d love this either. But I absolutely adored it. I love the new female characters – that the first book was sorely lacking – and I love the new romances that are beginning to emerge. This book is also hilarious. And I’ve figured out why I didn’t like the first book and what my big problem is – one word: Tamlin.

TV Show:
Reign (2013)
Director: Megan Follows

I recently finished the second series of this show and I can’t stop thinking about it. This series has just been so dang good – it’s been packed with action and suspense and humour and magic and it also hasn’t been afraid to tackle some serious yet relevant topics like sexual assault. I love all of the characters because they’re all so complex and strong-willed. I cannot wait to binge watch the third series in my summer holidays and witness more of the amazingness!

Album: Carrie Underwood

This month it’s less about one specific album and more about one artist’s entire repertoire. I am in love with Carrie Underwood and have been listening to every single song that she’s ever written. She is an amazing singer and seems to be a genuinely lovely person. She can sing sassy songs and sad songs and angry songs and I just love everything about her.

Mid-June Favourites

The sun is finally beginning to shine, and the number of barbecues I’m attending is on the up, which can only mean one thing – it’s June!

Film:
The Huntsman: Winters War (2016)
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan

This was difficult because I watched two very entertaining films this week, but purely for the number of laughs I’m going to go with The Huntsman: Winters War. Yes, the plot was slightly predictable at times and the beginning montage was very confusing but this was a very enjoyable film. I laughed so many times during this film and I loved how sweet the romances were. This film also looked stunning and Emily Blunt was fantastic; I also now have a small girl crush on Ravenna even though she is pure evil.

Song:
Tightrope (2015) and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow/Head Over Feet (2015)
Artist: Glee Cast

I have been loving watching the final season of Glee mainly because of the new incredible music that I’ve been discovering. I really like the fact that they are introducing some new voices to the show which keep things fresh and interesting and well as wrapping up all the storylines that have bene continuing over the last six seasons.

Book:
Am I Normal Yet? (2015)
Author: Holly Bourne

This is the second book of Holly Bourne’s I’ve read and she is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors – I loved this book. Not only do I feel like I understand OCD so much better and could hopefully empathize with someone with OCD now, but the way this book really puts you into the head of someone with OCD is staggering. This book made me feel some really powerful emotions too and I absolutely loved it.

TV Show:
Reign (2013)
Director: Brad Silberling

I’ve been catching up with series two of this show lately and I’ve been absolutely loving it. The characters are all so interesting and engaging, and the plots are all very complex and intriguing too. This show also looks visually stunning and I love the combination of serious tones with humour and romance. I also like that there are threads of truth running through the whole thing, so you’re getting educated at the same time!

Album:
Catch Me If You Can (2011)
Artist: Aaron Tveit, Company

Because of this musical, I really want to watch the film now starring Leonardo DiCaprio but this album is insane. All of the songs are absolutely fabulous – there are some sad ones, some romantic ones, some funny ones and some uplifting ones. I know Aaron Tveit is a great singer, and I’ve been playing this album literally on repeat.

Mid-May Favourites

It’s May! That crept up fast, right? It’s basically summer! And here is my rather eclectic mix of things that I’ve loved over the past month.

Film:
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Director: Joe Russo & Anthony Russo

You knew this was coming, right? That my favourite film of the month would be the new Marvel release that everyone and their mother was raving about? Yes, it is fantastic and amazing and ripped my heart into tiny little pieces. It also made me smile uncontrollably and sent me into mild hysterics. This might be the most ambitious Marvel film to date and shows just what kind of a journey we’re on with the next bunch of Marvel films.

Song:
Fixer Upper (2013)
Artist: Maia Wilson, Cast – Frozen

I have no idea why I am obsessed with this song but I am. This is one of the very underrated songs in the Frozen soundtrack and while I was on a bit of a Disney kick, I re-discovered it. And I have been playing it again and again and again constantly. It’s insanely catchy and I love it (because I love every Disney song)

Book:
Lair of Dreams (2015)
Author: Libba Bray

I haven’t even finished this book yet and it’s already my favourite book of the month. It’s been ages since I read The Diviners and I had completely forgotten that I loved it so much. The characters are so engaging and vivid, the mysteries are intriguing and complex and the dialogue is hilarious. There is also a good representation of people, with partially disabled people, black people, Chinese people and homosexual people making up some of the group of characters.

TV Show:
Criminal Minds (2005)
Director: Many…see the full list here

Yep, this show is still here. This show is one of the only things that has me gripped with every single episode that I watch. Every episode has humour and character development and action and mystery and a heck of a lot of drama. I’m currently making my way through series 3 and let’s just say that this show is not afraid to put our most beloved characters lives in danger. It’s thrilling and engaging and I love it. I just love it.

Album: What’s Inside: Songs From Waitress
Artist: Sara Bareilles

I’ve been a fan of Sara Bareilles for a long time and I recently discovered this album of songs from the musical – and film – Waitress. These songs are all so catchy yet beautiful and I love the variety of happy and cheery and sad and meaningful. When I’ve not been listening to Fixer Upper, I’ve been listening to this. And loving it.

Mid-April Favourites

Now that the days are finally getting warmer – only slightly warmer but still, it’s progress – and the murky winter days are fully behind us, I feel like everyone is now on full steam ahead until summer. But why not enjoy the simple spring seasons before they go for a year? And why not enjoy them with one of my favourites from the month?

Film:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
Director: Burr Steers

I recently did a review of this film, but basically, I really, really enjoyed it and can’t stop thinking about it now. I was really impressed with how the world was created and how regency England being taken over by a zombie plague actually began to sound quite realistic. The characters were great, as were all the performances – and Sam Riley’s very raspy Darcy – and I really liked the look of the film too. While this film may have boarded on cheesiness quite a few times, I still really enjoyed watching it.

Song:
Say No This This (2015)
Artist: Jasmine Cephas-Jones, Leslie Odom, Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sydney James Harcourt, Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton

Out of all the amazing songs from the Hamilton soundtrack, this is the one song that I’ve been playing constantly. I think this is one of the most under-rated songs from Hamilton, but it is just so freaking good. It’s really catchy and has a certain film noir atmosphere to it, which is completely different from the rest of the soundtrack. Jasmine Cephas-Jones is particularly brilliant in this song and I really think it deserves more recognition.

Book:
Me Before You (2012)
Author: Jojo Moyes

This book surprised me on so many levels and I absolutely loved it. I really surprised myself in the sheer speed that I managed to read this book – it’s not a short one either, with the page count reaching over 450 pages. I found the writing style to be really compelling and engaging, and I loved the variety of topics that this book covered – family, relationships, school and university and euthanasia. Lou Clark, the main character is one of the most vibrant and vivacious characters that I’ve ever read about and I adored following her journey because she was so feisty and optimistic, yet very realistic at the same time.

TV Show:
Glee (2009)
Director: Eric Stoltz

I’ve really been re-discovering my love of Glee this month and the sad fact has finally hit me that I only have the final series to watch before I’ve seen every episode. Something about this show just makes me so happy and optimistic about the future, and I feel like the characters are old friends that I’ve known forever because they’re all so diverse and interesting. And, of course, the music is phenomenal.

Album:
Hamilton (2015)
Group: Original Broadway Cast Recording

Yes this album is still here and it’s going to have to take something pretty amazing to knock it from it’s pole position. Hamilton is now one of my favourite musicals of all time because it’s soundtrack is just to stunning. It’s so complex and clever that I’m still discovering new things even though I’m pretty on my fifteenth listen of the thing. Just give this thing a listen if you haven’t already – and dedicate a whole day to it, so you can listen to it again and again and again and get the full effect of its awesomeness.

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Mid-March Favourites

The weather is very, very slowly beginning to transition from the frosty, bleak winters into the slightly less frosty and bleak springs to we’re accustomed to. I’ve been loving a lot of new things this month and while I’m pretty late to the bandwagon for a few of them, I still love them a lot.

Person:
Joanna Sotomura
Actress

I don’t know what it is about Joanna, but I just love everything about her. She is a brilliant actress – judging from her amazing portrayal of Emma in Emma Approved – and I may be slightly obsessed with her.

Film:
Joy (2015)
Director: David O Russell

I did not expect to love this film, but I am properly obsessed with it – as you can tell from my review. Jennifer Lawrence gave a truly incredible performance and I loved everything about it. It looked stunning, I adored the soundtrack and the characters were superb. Everything felt and looked 100% real and tangible and I loved the overall story and message. Definitely my favourite film of the year so far.

Song:
People Help The People (2011)
Artist: Birdy

This is one of my favourite songs of all time, because it really just summarizes some of my beliefs as a person, and this month I have been listening to it a lot and loving it. It’s such a beautiful song, with real heart and passion behind it and I really think that Birdy is a very under-rated artist who deserves a heck of lot more press.

Book: Only Ever Yours (2014)
Author: Louise O’Neil

This is a book that I had heard a lot about, and therefore I decided to give it a shot. And while I cannot say that I liked the book – because the whole world that this book takes place in is horrific and all the events that take place are horrific too – but I can say that I was completely hooked from beginning to end and there was something so addicting about the story that I couldn’t stop reading. This is an fantastically written book, in my opinion, about a very dark dystopian society that really isn’t that far away from the world that we currently live in.

TV Show:
Criminal Minds (2005)
Director: Many…see the full list here

I arrived very late to this bandwagon – probably because in 2005 I was not looking to watch murder-mystery shows filled with death. But now, in 2016, I am addicted to this show. I’m watching one or two episodes every day that I have a single spare moment and I love everything about this show. The characters are all so engaging and interesting, and I’ve learned so much about the world of criminal profiling since watching this show – so it is also educational. And this show is also hilarious.

The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story (2016)
Directors: Ryan Murphy, Anthony Hemingway and John Singleton

Going into this show, I didn’t think I was going to like it because it is very, very different from the sort of thing that I would normally watch. But, I am addicted to this show. The performances are all incredible, the characters are phenomenal and the storyline is so gripping and intriguing that I just need to know how the story continues. If that isn’t reason enough, Sarah Paulson plays the only female main character and is actually amazing.

Album:
Hamilton (2015)
Group: Original Broadway Cast Recording

I wasn’t aware of this musical before I stumbled across the soundtrack on Spotify, probably because I haven’t been in the USA to see the explosion of popularity that this show has been getting. But, this is basically the only album that has been blasting into my ears. It’s a very modern musical, but it’s so different from anything that I’ve heard before that I just love it and every time I listen to it, I hear something new.

Mid-February Favourites

It’s half way through the month of February and the first signs of spring are beginning to emerge through the gloom and the rain – there is light at the end of the tunnel and we can get through this winter alive. Anyway, because of the cold weather I’ve been watching a lot of TV and listening to a lot of Glee covers. Fun times.

Song:
Grease (Is The Word) (2016)
Artist: Jessie J & Grease Live Cast

Now, while I might not have actually witness the spectacle that was Grease on live television, and I have been listening to the spectacle that is this song. I am a massive fan of Jessie J and there is just something about this song that really makes me happy. It’s full of energy and life and Jessie J did an amazing job singing it. It’s super-duper catchy and easy to listen to but also has deeper meanings running through it. AMAZING!

Book:
Jane Eyre (1847)
Author: Charlotte Bronte

I was not expecting this book to crop up in my favourites this month but indeed it has. I have a review for this book coming up in the next week, so all I’ll say is that I loved it. The writing was really interesting and engaging to read but the main thing I loved was the character of Jane herself. She is so empowered and strong-willed and determined but also doesn’t step on the small people and is kind and compassionate.

TV Show:
Agent Carter (2015)
Director: Louis D’Esposito

You guys know that I loved the first series of this show and, just as I knew I would, I am absolutely loving this second series. Peggy is just as awesome as she was in the first series, and I’m loving seeing all my favourite characters back together – my only complaint is that Angie has not made an appearance yet. But, I have been thinking about this series all month and I cannot get it out of my head.

Album:
Light Up The Dark (2015)
Artist: Gabrielle Aplin

I have been a massive fan of Gabrielle Aplin for a very long time and while I was a huge fan of her first album, I am loving her darker, more edgier stuff. She manages to combine really catchy songs with really addicting rhythms as well as some deeper meanings to all of her songs. I really love her voice and just how easy this album is to listen to; it really makes me happy and puts me in a great, up-beat mood.

Mid-January Favourites

It’s hard to believe that we’re half way through the first month of 2016, but here we are. And even though it’s only the first month, there is already a whole batch of new things that I’ve fallen in love with and I want to share those with you guys. Side note, I have no favourite album because all my musical time has been taken up listening to Glee songs.

Film:
The Intern (2015)
Director: Nancy Meyers

I have a review coming out very soon if you want to know more of my precise thoughts but, in short, I absolutely loved this film. I laughed and I cried and I felt every possible emotion in between. It was hilarious, the performances were incredible – especially those from Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro – and the characters were intriguing and relatable and I loved everything about it.

Song:
You’re All The World To Me (2013)
Artist: Matthew Morrison and Jayma Mays

I’ve been having a real Glee revival this month and I’ve been listening to a bunch of new songs that I didn’t really give much thought when they were first released. And even though I’ve found some real corkers (Proud Mary, anyone?) this one has been sticking in my head ever since I heard it. I don’t know whether it’s because the song is by Fred Astaire, or I just remember the scene in which Will and Emma sing it, but I just can’t get it out of my head.

Book:
Illuminae (2015)
Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This is definitely one of the most original books that I’ve ever read and even though I didn’t give it a 5 star review, I’ve been thinking about it ever since I finished it. The world was created so vividly and the characters were all so fun of life and wit that the story hasn’t left my head. This book definitely makes you work as an reader and there’s no skim-reading in this one, but that’s something that I really liked. And that ending was just mean – you don’t just want to know what happens next, you need to know 🙂

TV Show:
American Horror Story: Freak Show (2014)
Directors: Michael Uppendahl, Ryan Murphy, Bradley Buecker, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

I’ve been catching up on the fourth season of this show and once again, I love it. I wasn’t sure about this series going into it, as the freak show idea didn’t exactly win me over but I now love it just as much as the previous seasons. The characters are fascinating, the episodes are seriously frightening yet all the important themes and messages are still there which is one of the main things that I love about this show.

My Favourite Books of 2015

I know that I’m a little late with this post but I wanted to make sure the year was up and over with, just in case I read an amazing book right at the end of the year. If you want to have a look at my favourite books of 2014, then that is an option open to you, but this year I’m going to be doing things a little differently. Basically, this is a list of my favourite books of the year with a little explanation – or rather a rant – as to why I loved them so much, and I’ll link to my review too.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

This was my most anticipated book of this year and it didn’t disappoint. The way in which Marissa Meyer manages to create such a rich story, whilst weaving in the fairy-tale elements, is really amazing and makes for a really enjoyable and intriguing story. The characters are fascinating and complex and interesting to read about, and I love Marissa Meyer’s writing style because she manages to combine humour and action and drama, as well as intertwining the romance elements and the fantasy too.

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas

This was the fourth installment of the Throne of Glass series and by far, the best in the series. Sarah J Maas is an expert at crafting complex and rich worlds, that are detailed and thought out and just fascinating to read about. She can also create diverse and interesting characters, who all bring different things to the table, and are all constantly growing and expanding. She also manages to convey so much emotion and feeling through her characters that you feel the full spectrum of emotions. This book was filled with action and drama and suspense and fantasy, as well as some humour, romance and some great, unusual friendships between the characters.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

This wasn’t my first outing into the world of Cassandra Clare, but this was my first outing into the Mortal Instruments world, and I absolutely loved it. I love the humour and the banter and the dialogue between the characters, and Cassandra Clare is an expert at creating witty and funny characters. I also love the diverse and complex world in this book and how even after one book, I feel completely immersed in this world and the politics and the society and the relationship between each of the groups in this society. The characters are all fun and interesting and very mysterious and flawed, but this it what makes them so relatable to the reader.

The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks by E Lockhart

I read this book not really expecting much, but I ended up loving a number of things about it. Firstly, E Lockhart’s style of writing in this book is funny and engaging and really evoked the feel of the book as a whole. I also loved how E Lockhart talked about some very current and important topics, but in a understandable and thoughtful way that would be entertaining for readers. The characters are all really realistic and relatable and I love the way this book made me feel – almost empowered and engaged and inspired to do something.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

This is another book that I didn’t expect much of, but that I ended up loving. I think that the writing style is fairly similar to Cassandra Clare’s in this book, or at least the way she manages to communicate humour through her writing. This book is stuffed full of action and drama and humour, and I loved the historical elements that are in this book too – even if they are twisted into something that is more fantastical. The plot is very mysterious and quite dark, and the book itself is very atmospheric and immersive.

Mid-December Favourites

It’s time for all of the Christmassy favourites to come emerging out of the wood work after being shut up for the last eleven months. I’ve brought out all the jumpers and the fluffy socks and the bobble hats so bring on the snow! Well, that’s if we get any. Snow to the UK is much like a unicorn, something fabled and rare that we don’t really know if it exists or not. There are a couple of random, non-Christmassy things in the list, but that’s just because I need to have a little variety in my life!

Film:
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Director: Brian Henson

This is my joint favourite Christmas film, and this year I have been thinking about this film constantly. I’ve been playing the soundtrack non-stop, I’ve been re-playing the scenes over and over in my head and I’ve come to the conclusion that, at least to me, it’s the perfect Christmas film. The themes of family and friendship and forgiveness and love and the Christmas spirit are just so strong in this film, that it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, and I nearly cry every time I watch it.

Song:
Sorry (2015) & Love Yourself (2015)
Artist: Justin Bieber

I never thought the day would come that I would be loving two Justin Bieber, because he’s hardly the epitome of the perfect human being, but I’m all for separating the art from the artist. These two songs are so catchy – annoyingly so – and I’ve been playing them on repeat between my Christmas song breaks. I’d really recommend giving these two a listen if you want something to be permanently etched into your brain.

Book:
Winter (2015)
Author: Marissa Meyer

I knew this day would come – the day that I’m utterly infatuated with Winter. This book is incredible and you can definitely expect to see this one in my top books of the year, and the definite list will be appearing in the next few weeks. Everything about this book was just amazing – the character development, the world building, the writing style, and love all the relationships between the characters and the romances are all just so darn cute!

Album:
Christmas (2011)
Artist: Michael Buble

I have been listening to The Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack a lot over the last month, but I just think I’ve been listening to this album more. I don’t love everything on this album, but more than half of this album have been playing non-stop in my house over the festive period. I think that the tone and the feel of this album is perfect for the Christmas period and if you haven’t yet looked at this album, then I strongly recommend that you do.

Mid-November Favourites

November is probably my favourite month out of the entire year, mainly because it is my birthday month. And because November means that it is only one month until Christmas – yay! The last month has flown by so quickly, for me at least, and I can’t wait to share my favourites with you 🙂

Song:
Get Weird (2015)
Band: Little Mix

I’ve been a fan of Little Mix since they started out and I’m still amazed about how far they’ve come. Their new album is firmly on my to-buy list when Christmas rolls around and I am really in love with this song. It was a toss up between this and Love Me Like You, which I also love, and Ellie Goulding’s On My Mind which I was obsessed with at the start of the month. But this song just gets to me and it’s insanely catchy too – like most of their songs. I love Little Mix as a band and what they stand for and their whole style, and this song is my new obsession.

Book:
Fairest (2015)
Author: Marissa Meyer

I have been wanting to read this book for an age, so when I saw it in my local book shop I had to grab it. It was perfect timing too because I really want to read it before I dive into Winter, so I’m being good and not letting myself buy my most anticipated book of the year until I’m completely done. I’ve not even finished this book yet and I’m already in love with it. Levana is such an fascinating and complex character that I really sympathise with her now, even though she is such a heart-less evil villain. This book is amazing, and it’s less than 250 pages so you can literally read it in a day if you wish.

TV Series:
American Horror Story: Coven (2013)
Creators: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk

I fell out of love with this series for a while, but now I’m firmly back in love with it. I’m in love with the setting and the mixture of flashbacks to the past and the adventures happening in the present. The acting is superb and the characters are amazing; my spirit animal Sarah Paulson is still killing it, and I’m also loving Lily Rabe and Angela Bassett. I love all the complex relationships between the characters and generally, the whole atmosphere of the show.

Album:
Confident (2015)
Artist: Demi Lovato

I’ve always been fairly interested in Demi Lovato, never fully obsessed, but just liking her. That was until I discovered her most recent album Confident which I have been playing on repeat for the last few weeks. Every single song is just addicting to listen to and I don’t think I ever fully realised just how incredible her voice is. Seriously. If you think she is just another run-of-the-mill Disney pop star then give this album a listen and I bet you change your mind.