Book Review: In A Dark, Dark Wood

My advice? Cancel your plans this evening, pick up a copy of this eerie novel on your way home, curl up with a cuppa, and get drawn in.

Summary:

Nora hasn’t seen Clare for ten years. Not since Nora walked out of school one day and never went back.

Until, out of the blue, an invitation to Clare’s bachelorette party arrives. Is this a chance for Nora to finally put her past behind her?

But something goes wrong. Very wrong.

Boho Wedding Inspiration

Before James and I got engaged, I had 101 ideas of what I wanted for our wedding. I had Pinterest boards and all sorts. (Don't worry, he knows and thinks it's hilarious that I was thinking about it way before he popped the question.)

But now that it comes down to making actual decisions, it turns out that I really don't have a clue where to start! Finding a band we like seems an impossible task; how do we choose which invitations we want when I'll be sending Save the Dates months before the actual invitations and might change my mind a hundred times; WHERE do we find the perfect cake that doesn't cost the earth but looks like it does; don't even ask me about dresses. My list of what I don't want is currently longer than what I do want. Is this a normal problem for a bride-to-be, or are you all more decisive than I am??

James and I are a fairly relaxed couple, and haven't been to look at a single venue yet, let alone fixing a date, choosing a colour scheme or going cake-tasting - that, in particular, I'm looking forward to. We like relaxing by the fire, long walks with the dog, good food and even better wine, and a minimal amount of stress or fuss. And we want our special day to not only reflect that but incorporate elements of our daily lives to make it even more 'us'.

Something rustic, something with a bohemian twist, would suit us down to the ground. Lots of candles, flowers everywhere, most things made or designed by hand... That sounds pretty divine. We've found a tipi company who supply their tents with wooden benches, faux-animal skin rugs, fire pits and plenty of space for little trinkets and details, so watch this space to find out how our meeting with them went!

4 Things to Avoid in The Mornings

Preface: I'm not a morning person. At. All. Anyone who knows me probably knows this. So I don't claim to be a pro at getting you up and motivated in the AM.

But over the last few months I've been working on switching up my routine to make my day more productive, my mornings more relaxing, and over time to bring a new sense of vitality to my life, particularly during the working week.

1. Only set one alarm, and snooze it once. No setting 5 alarms 10 minutes apart (which I used to be guilty of) and ignoring them until the one titled "Leave the house!" goes off. You don't feel any better with an extra half hour of broken sleep, and chances are you'll end up in a mad rush.
2. Get moving. Whether it's a full hour of yoga or just a good stretch, the most important thing to do when you get up is to get your body moving and your muscles loosened up. A good stretch of the whole body just before you get out of bed is a great start; if you have time for a workout then I love a bit of yoga and a few push-ups, sit-ups and jumping jacks. 
3. Don't get social. Checking social media is one of the main things that harpoons morning routines. Your mornings are for you, to centre yourself for the upcoming day, not for inviting everyone you know into your life. You get sucked into endless scrolling and waste time that could be spent on something much more productive. Like...
4. Breakfast. Obvious one? Absolutely. But how many of us skip breakfast in favour of an extra five minutes zzz? A lot. My trick is to plan or prepare a breakfast so good that I can't wait to get downstairs to eat it. Cereal or toast just don't inspire me in the slightest, but avocado on toast or eggs benedict will ALWAYS get me down the stairs in a flash. For something with less prep time, try a variation of overnight oats. 

What do you love to do in the AM that gets you up and about and sets you up for a great day? 

Also, WHERE can I get the mug in the photo? Image from weheartit.com

Reading List 2016

I always make long, elaborate reading lists at the start of every year and seem to add so many books to them every week that, in the end, they resemble something insurmountable. This year is going the same way, I can tell...

This year's theme is: Try Something New...
1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass
I'm already halfway through this, and I struggle to put it down. The characters are wonderfully written and developed, and I really warm to the protagonist, Celeana, who is feisty and strong-willed. I think this is a series I'm going to enjoy a lot.

2. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
To be honest, the summary of this story (and the series in general) doesn't excite me. But I've heard so many glowing reviews from book bloggers on Instagram that it's time I gave it a shot.

3. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
I haven't read any of the Grisha Trilogy - perhaps I should? But this one intrigued me much more, so it's third on my list and sitting ready on the shelf next to my bed.

New Year, Improved Me

I'm never one to go in for the 'new year, new me' idea. I think I'm a pretty good version of myself - others may disagree! What I always do in January is split up my main goals for the year and then set some individual achievements and stick to them, adding extras if I complete something before my deadline. And this year I've got more of an incentive to stick to my goals: planning our wedding!

The main things I want to focus on this year are my diet, my fitness regime, and my organisational skills (which will come in useful when planning a Big Day).

I always find that general statements like 'eat less chocolate' or 'go to the gym more' rarely work. You've got no base for comparison, no way to track progress, and no goals to hit. So instead, setting mini targets which you know you can achieve with a little effort is a much more effective motivator. I try not to set targets which are all very similar either, or I'll likely end up getting distracted by something else and lose motivation.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I adore everything about Christmas. Being surrounded by the people I love, buying gifts to spoil family and friends because they deserve it, seeing everything frosted with fairy lights and, obviously, the food. I spend most of October planning the Christmas Day menu, and most of November doing Christmas shopping to make sure everything is as relaxed and festive as possible for everyone around. I had a wonderful childhood where I was made to feel really special on Christmas Day, and now I think it's my turn to give that back to my family as much as I can.

I wanted to share a few of my favourite little things about Christmas, because this time of year is about enjoying the small things and being together - at least in our house it is.

• Decorating the house. Every year, my other half promises faithfully that he will help me put up the tree and the decorations. And every year I end up shoving him out of the way into a pile of fairy lights, and doing it myself. I say it's because I enjoy doing it all, he says it's because I'm an unbearable control freak. (We're probably both right.)
• Festive drinks. I didn't think I could find anything I liked more than a gingerbread latte, but that was before I stumbled upon the spiced orange latte from Cafe Nero. If you haven't had one, stop everything you're doing and go to your nearest right now. It's so worth it!
• Getting everyone together. My best friends are spread across the UK, France and Australia, so having all of us in one place is pretty special. We always make sure the cocktails and prosecco are flowing!
• Christmas music and Christmas films. OK. I'm that person who listens to Mariah Carey in November and is tentatively putting Elf into the DVD player just as the temperature drops. I probably watch Home Alone once a week in the lead-up to Christmas, and always play Christmas music in the car on the way to work. I'll probably do a film and music favourites in the next week or two.
• Buying and wrapping gifts. I take forever to wrap presents, and love adding little details to decorate, like candy canes and glitter. I love spoiling people and watching their faces light up as they open something lovely. 

And this Christmas will be extra-special in our house this year, as James and I just got engaged! So I think a lot of talk around the table will be wedding-related, but honestly I'm just so excited to be with everyone and eat amazing food, and polish off a few bottles of festive drink.

10 of My Favourite Feelings

It's Saturday, and I'm snuggling on the sofa with Mickey and watching the Harry Potter films back-to-back, while writing out new blog posts and looking forward to our dinner date night this evening. Here are some of my favourite feelings in the world, leave yours in comments if you like.

1. That first cup of coffee in the morning. Whether it's given to me in bed as I'm waking up, made in a hurry as I'm walking out of the door, or bought from the local deli; I'm only fully awake when I've had that first sip of caffeine.

2. Fresh bed linen. Another common one, which I'm sure you love as well. There's nothing like sinking into a freshly made bed after a long day, especially after you've just got out of a bubble bath. I swear, I would never have insomnia if I had fresh bedsheets every night.

3. Cats. Cuddling with my cats, napping with my cats, having my cats run up and purr at me as I walk in the door after work, nothing compares to the love of a cat.

4. Make-up. Specifically, trying out new make-up for the first time, especially if I love it instantly.

5. Road trips. There's nothing like spending time with your friends or significant other on a long drive, listening to music, eating, laughing, napping, and exploring new places together.

6. Bath time. Especially with Lush products, am I right? I'm a Lush addict, and can't walk in there to buy just one thing, I have to sample every new product I can find. Currently their Yoga Bomb, Frozen Bomb, and Yog Nog are my favourites, along with every Snow Fairy scented product I can find.

7. Exercise. Specifically, the glow you feel after a work out, and the way your muscles ache happily. DOMS the next day, however, aren't exactly a favourite feeling of mine...

8. Cooking. I love, love to cook and bake. A fully-stocked kitchen is my idea of heaven. I love to shop at the local delis and to try new local produce.

9. The beach. Sunbathing on the beach with a good book and the waves in the background is my favourite way to pass the time in summer. I love the sound of the ocean, salty hair, ice creams and watching the dog play in the sea - especially when he tries to bite the waves.

10. Getting mail. Because who doesn't love getting letters, parcels, postcards, and the new issue of their favourite magazine?