There's no better treat than going to a nail salon and getting a gel manicure - I don't go too often, but it is so relaxing and I love how long it lasts. Sadly, it feels like they won't be opening up anytime soon, so I decided to work out how to do it myself - it is seriously easier than you'd think!

One of my main pet peeves of wearing ordinary nail polish is how easily it chips - on my index fingers, it will chip after a day, no matter how good the quality of the polish is! So, especially during lockdown, I started doing it less and less often because it felt like such a faff, having to repaint them every few days. This was my main reason for working out how to apply gel polish myself, now I only have to reapply every couple of weeks, or sometimes even less frequently, which is such a win win for me!

There are three key elements to achieving a gel manicure at home - shaping, painting, and removing, and I'm going to talk through how I achieve each one.

 

 

So, until I started going to a nail salon about a year ago, I had no idea how important shaping and maintaining your nails is. But then I went to get a manicure for my birthday a couple of months ago, and they spent well over half the time actually looking after the nails before putting a drop of polish on. That was when I realised, no matter how pretty the polish shade is, it will always look a mess if you don't pay proper attention to your nails first!

 

The key tools you will need for this are a good, high quality nail file (I've recently realised how ineffective primark ones are, sadly), a buffing block and a cuticle tool - I picked this one up from Boots mega cheap, and it does the job perfectly. Using the cuticle tool to push the cuticles back and then remove them with the other end is a little bit of a weird job, I did start to squirm a bit when I thought about it too much! But it makes the world of difference to how your manicure looks, and the polish will last longer too. 

 

I also like to take the nail file to make sure all my nails are roughly the same size - yep, difficult when there's always that one that has just broke, but as much as possible! I'm not the best yet at shaping them, it's still something I'm getting my head around, especially as I prefer a rounded shape and all my nails seem to be naturally square, but I'm learning!

Finally, take the buffing block to buff the surface of your nails, this will make the polish apply easier to the nail - if you have a smooth surface, it's just going to slide right off!

The big difference between regular and gel nail polish is the use of the LED or UV lamp for curing. This is one reason why I actually much prefer gel polish - I hate waiting around for polish to dry, and often smudge it before it's ready!

 

 

There are so many lamps on sale in a range of prices. To start myself off, I purchased a gel polish set from the brand 'Le Mini Macaron'. The sets come in a range of colours, from white, light pink, red to the burgundy I chose. This includes a little mini LED lamp in the shape of a macaron to cure one nail at a time. It's super cute and easy to travel with, which personally suits me more than a big lamp that cures the whole hand at once. 

The set also included a polish in the shade 'Cassis' to match the lamp, a couple of tools and a USB lead to attach the lamp to a socket or device (I use my laptop) in order to power it. This makes it even easier for on the go use! 

I also recently purchased a further two shades of Le Mini Macaron's polishes, a pink (Honey Ginger) and grey (Sugar Stone). When applying, make sure to wipe off the brush along the top of the bottle so you only apply a very light layer - it's all about building up the polish to ensure it lasts! I usually go for three coats, although I may opt for two if it's a dark shade like the burgundy.

 

You may be thinking, what about a base coat or a top coat? Well, one of the reasons I was drawn to Le Mini Macaron gel polishes is that they are a '3 in 1' with a base and top coat part of the formula. However, they do offer their own top coat, which I think would be a good idea to ensure it lasts for as long as possible.

One of the biggest difficulties of doing a manicure at home is doing your alternative hand - for example, because I'm left handed, my right hand always looks great, but then my left will be a complete mess! Well, luckily I have a couple of tips to help you out here. Firstly, I suggest keeping your unnatural hand still holding the brush, and let the fingers you're painting do the work, moving them around the brush because they will be far steadier! Secondly, use a tool like a cuticle pusher or a cotton bud to wipe up any mistakes, like nail polish on the skin - this is important before curing because polish left around the nail will make it easier for it to chip! Now my left hand actually looks as good as my right!

 

An optional step to finish off is adding some hand cream and cuticle oil to achieve that relaxing feeling straight out of the salon - The Body Shop is my go-to for these! 

Eventually, we will get to the point where the nail growth is getting annoying (mine seem to grow so fast!), maybe it has chipped a little, or perhaps you just fancy trying out a different colour. Removing gel polish is more difficult than regular polish, but I guess that is the price you may for them to last so long! I had an absolute mare with Amazon when trying to purchase some remover (they just casually lost my parcel), so ended up getting the Red Carpet Manicure gel remover from Look Fantastic. It's not the most effective, but it is very affordable! Soak a cotton pad in the remover, then place it on your nail with some tin foil around it for about quarter of an hour! Then you can reuse the cuticle tool to scrape off any excess, and you are ready to start the cycle over again!

 

Achieving a gel manicure at home is super easy, and makes for a perfect pamper evening. I miss nail salons as much as the next person, but this is a fine alternative! Gel polish lasts so much longer than regular nail polish, and I don't feel like I'm walking on eggshells waiting for it to chip! Have you been doing your own manicures during lockdown? I would love to hear!

Let me put my cards on the table - I did not enjoy Everything I Know About Love. The raved about memoir by Dolly Alderton won a National Book Award for Autobiography of the Year and has countless high praising reviews... but let's just say it wasn't for me. I struggled to find its purpose and simply didn't enjoy the narrative. So perhaps it's surprising that I was so excited to read Dolly's debut novel, Ghosts. And maybe even more surprising, that I absolutely loved it.

 

As expected, when the novel was announced I didn't exactly rush to pre-order, but when I heard her interviewed on one of my usual Podcast listens Off Menu, the plot piqued my interest. A story intertwining friends, family, romance and self-exploration, it surprisingly sounded right up my street. I decided to trust some early reviews and give it a read, and I am so glad I gave it a chance.

Ghosts is written from the perspective of Nina Dean, a food writer living in London who turns thirty-two years old in the novel's prologue, taking us through the 'weirdest year' of her life. Her dad is disappearing from her to dementia, she's struggling to connect to her best friend who now only talks about being a mum, and her ex-boyfriend is moving on with his life without her. In enters Max, the charming and romantic love interest - but in this world of deleting and 'ghosting', is he too good to be true?

 

Ghosts isn't a simple love story - and it certainly isn't the 'rom com' style, happily-ever-after kind. A range of romantic relationships are explored including from Nina's relations with her current boyfriend, and her ex that she remains good friends with, but also of her friend Lola who has been in the dating game for a decade, the complacent marriage of her best friend Katherine, and the changing dynamics of her parents' relationship as her mum struggles to cope with her dad's illness. Touching upon the subject of Nina's dad's dementia, Dolly explores the impact of past events and memories of a person, including returning to an old family home and eating childhood foods, which I found very insightful.

The novel is packed with hilarious quips and observations about life, as the character Nina experiences her current boyfriend meeting her ex, being single at a wedding, and discovering she is living in a flat above a psychopath (or so she thinks). Even Dolly as the author doesn't take herself too seriously, describing one character as someone who reads 'overhyped memoirs written by women under thirty having feeble epiphanies about themselves' - a gentle mockery of her own success that made me laugh out loud.

The novel reminded me so much of a couple of my favourites I read last year; Expectation by Anna Hope, and Olive by Emma Gannon. They are cut from the same cloth - witty female protagonist(s) living in London, dealing with their friends moving on without them and struggling to keep the bonds they once shared. If you've already read either of those, I can promise you now that you will love Ghosts - and likewise if you haven't read them yet, and are looking for something else after reading Ghosts, I am pointing you in the perfect direction!

 

My first read for 2021 was one of the best books I have read recently, a solid 4.5 star read and a great way kick off the year. I would love to hear what your first read of 2021 was, (or maybe will be if you haven't got round to it yet) and what else you are planning to read this year!

Starting a new year, we always have a few goals and one of mine is to finish up some of the makeup products I have in my collection. Okay, at least hit pan on them! Based on the project pan idea that has been around in the beauty world for quite a few years now, I won't be buying anything new until I have finished these up - so this goal goes hand in hand with my much bigger goal of not buying any new makeup this year. It might seem a little crazy, being a beauty blogger, but the past few months have really made me take stock of what I have already in my collection, and what I actually use. I won't be including products like mascara or concealer in this post, because I go through each of them every six months so it feels pretty pointless to include them.

 

Having been featured in many a blog post, my Too Faced bronzer is one of my all-time favourite products. I bought it in New York which feels like absolutely ages ago, and despite using it most days since, I still haven't made a real impact on the pan. This is one of those that I doubt I would finish this year, even if I wore it every single day, but I would love to make a bit of progress with it. 

The Colourpop highlight in the shade Flexitarian holds a very similar place in my collection as the Too Faced bronzer - bought it in New York, have used it loads since. It has a good dent in it, yet it still has a long way to go. It is my favourite highlighting shade, a gorgeous champagne shimmer that suits my skintone both in the summer and winter.

 

This is one I seriously think I can finish this year! I bought the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow pomade (in the shade Ebony) right at the beginning of last year, and since I don't use any other brow products, a good portion of it has already been used. It's already lasted a lot longer than a brow pencil like ABH's Brow Wiz, that only lasts me from 3-6 months, so it is far more cost effective. I've been estimating that it will last me about eighteen months, so I imagine half way through this year it might need replacing!

 

The Sky Wash in the shade Valley is on the list to remind me to use it more often! I bought this literally two days before the Glossier shop in London closed for lockdown last year, and because we then spent so long indoors, it never really got its chance to shine. The orange tone is perfect for the spring season, so I'm hoping I can try and get it used then - being a liquid eyeshadow, it won't last as long as powder products!

No, I'm not aiming to finish the entire palette this year - that would be a difficult feat for any palette in my collection, let alone the one I've only had a year! But certain shades in Soft Glam I use every single day, pretty much, and it would be great to hit pan on them over the next year. Dusty Rose, in the bottom left, is my everyday go-to eyeshadow - it's the perfect base for any sort of look, especially a dusky pink. I get a lot of use out of Burnt Orange, Sienna and Rose Gold too.

 

I am determined to finish a whole lipstick for the first time this year, and I have no doubt it will be Velvet Teddy! One of my favourite lipsticks, there is only a tiny stub left of it now. Once I'm done, I will certainly be repurchasing a brand new one - replacing a lipstick because I finished it feels like such a feat!

I doubt I will use Very Victoria up as quickly as Velvet Teddy, simply because there is far more left of it. However, it is my go-to lipstick that I reach for almost everyday, so although I maybe won't quite finish it, I really hope to be on my way by the end of 2021.

I've read and watched many project pan posts over the years, but never thought it could be for me until I considered attempting to not buy any new makeup this year. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to use up some of my favourite products that I already own, to make space for new things. When it comes to things like mascara, I only have one on the go, and just replace it when it is finished anyway, so of course when I say buying no new makeup, I don't mean not replacing things! But when I have so many lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes already, I really want to try not to buy any new ones, instead making use of what I already own.

 

What makeup products do you want to use up this year?

 

It feels difficult, or maybe downright ridiculous, to write about looking forward to the new year, when we've just been plunged into a lockdown just like where we were ten months ago. I've been unmotivated to write this one, but am desperate not to break blogging tradition!

The aim of this post is to look back on the goals I made in my 'Hello 2020' post, see if I achieved them or want to extend them into this year, and perhaps add a new goal or two. Last year I actually only made three goals - perhaps I was somehow aware that 2020 wasn't going to be an overly productive one.

 

My first was 'Read more books'. Now if you've read my recent round up of all the books I read in 2020, you'll know that I achieved this one and then some. My goal of twelve books for 2020, and my actual achievement of 36 books, may not look like a big number to some, but considering I only read five in 2019, I had come a long way.

I really want to continue with this goal into 2021 - I'm so glad I let reading back into my life this year. I am excited about new releases like never before, exploring different authors and genres and most importantly, have rekindled my love for books that I seemed to have lost over my teen years. 

 

My second goal of 2020 was to put more time into my blog. This is a trickier one - I think at times, I really managed this, and at others I didn't. There were points where the endless staying inside sucked the inspiration from me, and others where I tried new ideas and wrote posts I was really proud of. I'm still torn between two mindsets about my blog this year - between being super organised and scheduling everything, or just going with the flow and writing when I feel like it. Honestly, the latter will probably be how I end up approaching it, because at the end of the day, blogging is a hobby, so I need to enjoy it!

The final goal I made last year actually made me laugh because I didn't even think about it the entire year - keeping up my French knowledge. After I finished my A Level in French, I really wanted to keep my skills up because they had come so far, but unfortunately this never became reality! I think the closest I got was watching Emily In Paris on Netflix and being proud of understanding what her French co-workers said behind her back!

 

A new goal I want to make and stick with in 2021 is to make more time for artwork. You would think that last year, what with that huge lockdown, I would have had plenty of time for painting, and yet I only did two and a half paintings last year. Not great. Painting and drawing is one of my favourite hobbies, and the only one that makes me truly forget about everything else for a couple of hours. I find it so useful to relieve stress, so I really hope I can get more creative this year.

Buying less clothes and makeup is a big goal for me this year too. I did pretty well makeup wise last year and this year hope to stick with the rule of only buying replacement products eg. a new mascara or brow product when they run out. I'll soon be posting a 'project pan' style post about the makeup products I want to try and use up this year to make room for new things, so stay tuned! Buying less clothes is going to be more difficult - at first I was going to say no new clothes at all, but that would be lying as I have a list of a few gaps in my wardrobe I really want to fill this year - an oversized blazer and some good sandals being two I really want to find this spring. It's not that I buy over excessively, or that I'm in the habit of buying clothes I get bored of - I'm such an indecisive shopper that about 95% of my wardrobe are items that I love and will cherish for years. But because I love them all, there's plenty of them for now!

 

Are you making any goals this year? I was in two minds whether to even make any, since the start of 2021 doesn't really feel like a fresh start, but it's always good to try and make some positive changes, isn't it? Let me know how you are feeling about the start of this year!

I know, I know, when 2021 begins the world won't magically get back to normal, but I am more excited than any other year to say goodbye to 2020, as I imagine a lot of you are too. I round up what I have done every year in a blog post on the 31st December, but having read back through my previous ones, this year definitely feels different. I feel like there's a 'before' section, the first two and a half months of the year, and an 'after' section, everything since I left uni in March and lockdown was announced. Since then, all the exciting things I normally put into these posts - trips away, theatre visits, fun things with friends - have been taken away. 

Despite the fact that I would characterise 2020 with one word; 'dull', looking back I can think of a few things that have really shaped the year for me, or make me happy to look back on.

I started my year off in January by seeing Hamilton, which was a truly amazing experience. As the year has gone on I have got more and more obsessed with the soundtrack - Wait For It has to be my favourite. When it finally comes back (hopefully May next year, if all goes well), I urge you to go and see it - yes, it will be worth it! Similarly, I went to see Dear Evan Hansen days before theatres closed for lockdown. It blows my mind that I saw one of the last performances of it this year without realising. 

 

In a total contrast to the rest of the year, my February was characterised by coming up to see two concerts in Manchester - The Script and The 1975. The Script, as always, were amazing; I will go and see them again and again! But seeing The 1975 for the first time, in the best seats I have ever had in the arena, was possibly the highlight of my whole year. I watch videos from it back all the time and can't even believe it happened! The atmosphere was electric and I feel so lucky to have seen them live. 

 

2020 has truly been a year of cancellations. I may have had no concrete plans for holidays booked, but I had a few West End shows cancelled, including Hairspray and Les Mis, had my McFly concert postponed not once, but twice and had FriendsFest postponed to the following year. This is a little mention for all the things that could have happened, including all the things that weren't yet booked, if 2020 hadn't been the 2020 we knew.

Re-reading my 'Hello 2020' goals for this year, I said that one of my goals was to read more books, but commented that my goal of twelve may be a little ambitious. Well, I definitely underestimated myself (and perhaps didn't predict a pandemic would give me so much time) and ended up tripling my goal with 36 books! To say that I never really made time to read for pleasure until this year, I am really proud of it and want to keep it up - maybe not to the same extreme, but still!

I said the exact same line last year - despite the craziness of 2020, some things never change! Taylor has had not one, but two albums out this year so her music has definitely lifted my spirits. I was listening to The 1975 a lot around the time of their concert and soon after, their latest album Notes on a Conditional Form was released.

(5 out of the 6 artists are the exact same as last year! I have written less music posts this year, but I think this is because I listen to the same artists on repeat...)

 

1. Tonight Is The Night - McFly

2. If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know) - The 1975 (my most listened to track!)

3. Gold Rush - Taylor Swift

4. Wait For It - Hamilton soundtrack

5. The 1 - Taylor Swift

In September everything seemed to be getting back to normal (how naive we were) and I managed to get another show in, although it was different to what I was used to. Sleepless at Wembley's Troubadour Theatre was a great show and the cast were sensational. But what I couldn't stop talking about was having a row all to myself - a change I could get used to. 

Like reading, I've had even more time for Netflix this year, and both Derry Girls and Gilmore Girls have found firm places in my heart this year. They are two very heartwarming, uplifting and hilarious shows and have helped get me through that everlasting lockdown period in the middle of the year. I watched a few other shows this year that I loved, including The Morning Show and Trying on Apple TV, and This Is Us on Amazon Prime that I am about halfway through so far.

When I finally came back to London in September, I was really excited to be living a stone's throw away from Covent Garden. I have adored getting to know this gorgeous area of London and can't wait to do so even more next year - praying that everything reopens again very soon!

 

What have you done this year? I would love to hear what got you through the madness that was 2020!

Here we are, at the end of the weirdest year EVER. It’s been a crazy one, but the extra time has led me to rekindle my love of reading, and read more books than I ever expected to. When setting my Good Reads reading challenge goal this year, I went for 12 books, equalling a book a month, which felt pretty ambitious at the time, bearing in mind I only read 5 books in 2019. But those 12 got read pretty quickly, and my new goal became 20, like 20 books in 2020. But then I’d achieved that by June! All in all, I ended up reading 36 books, which I consider a real achievement for me.

Most importantly, I’m happy I’ve felt inspired to get reading again, especially as 36 is such a great increase from the minimal 5 books I read the previous year. I felt out of love with reading a few years ago, when I’d grown out of the ‘young adult’ section, but didn’t feel quite right for the adult section just yet. In 2018-19 I generally just read non-fiction, and I’m glad I’ve let fiction back into my life again this year. However, I’ve still attempted to read a range of books, including non-fiction texts, ranging from historical books to memoirs. 

I’ve read some of the best books ever that I can’t stop recommending to everyone, and some I’ve been pretty disappointed by, so today I can’t wait to give you the low-down on all the books I’ve read. I tried to keep them as short as possible, in mini-review form with star ratings, but I also had to write enough to do justice to every book too. Here we go!

 

Normal People - Sally Rooney 2.5 stars

Sadly, the year began with one I was quite disappointed by. I really wanted to like Normal People, I really did. The hype was huge when I read it, and got even greater once the series came out back in April. But unfortunately, this one was not for me! I didn’t find the main characters, Marianne and Connell very likeable, and if they just communicated like, you know, ‘normal people’, they might have found things a bit easier.

A History Of The World In 21 Women - Jenni Murray 4.5 stars

Murray’s round up of 21 women who changed the path of history was both interesting and inspiring. Her choices represented a great range of both time and geography, from Joan Of Arc or Empress Dowager Cixi, to Toni Morisson or Angela Merkel. Towards the more recent figures that Murray has had a personal experience with, they feel a little more biased, but on the whole she presented their flaws as well as their achievements with great depth - this is the perfect book to dip in and out of depending on who you fancied reading about.

Home Work - Julie Andrews 4.5 stars

I was excited to read Julie Andrews’ memoir of her Hollywood years largely to read about filming two of my favourite films, Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. Although these were over and done with in the first few chapters, I was still engrossed in the story of the rest of her work in the film industry, learning a lot about her career. She often kept us at arms-length, I feel a little more emotion would have been powerful, but nonetheless, I found this memoir to be a very enjoyable read.

Dishonesty is the Second Best Policy - David Mitchell 4 stars

As an avid fan of the show Would I Lie To You?, I decided to read team captain David Mitchell’s latest book, a collection of his columns written for The Observer. On the whole, they were very witty and well-written, personally I preferred the more popular culture-focused subjects, topics such as Christmas and Patisserie Valerie - some of the political essays towards the end were written as early as 2015, so now felt a bit irrelevant.

The German House - Annette Hess 3 stars

Hess’ novel The German House wins the award for weirdest book I read this year; I’m still struggling to get my head around it months later. Set in Frankfurt in 1963, almost twenty years after the end of WWII, young Eva Bruhns becomes a translator for trials about the war she can barely remember. The historical, Holocaust trial side of the book was incredibly insightful and heartbreaking - exploring the sentiment in Germany towards their role in the war not very long after it was a very interesting take. However, the other side of the story focuses on Eva’s family and that whole storyline was very strange and littered with plot-holes, which detracted from the trial story.

To War With the Walkers - Annabel Venning 4 stars

A true account of six siblings' experience of the Second World War, from many different lenses including a London hospital, a Japanese prisoner of war camp, and the battlegrounds of Italy. It’s a wonder all the siblings managed to survive the war as you’ll find many close encounters and near misses in this book; it’s definitely an emotional one.

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath 4 stars

I never feel all that comfortable giving star ratings to classic novels such as The Bell Jar, because they’ve already been defined as classics for a reason, but here we are. I feel the book is very much split into two parts - the decadent, exciting life in 1950s New York, contrasts with the breakdown of mental health in the second part. I think the contrast between these almost makes you feel like it’s two different books in one, which somehow makes it such a good read.

 

The Giver of Stars - Jojo Moyes 5 stars

We come to my first 5 star book of the list, and my first Jojo Moyes read! The Giver of Stars is such a captivating read, set in 1930s Kentucky, about a female-run, horse-riding, travelling library. The English protagonist, Alice Van Cleave, is totally out of her depth when she learns married life to an American isn’t all she expected, and her character development and growth of confidence was an amazing journey.

The Five Year Plan - Carla Burgess 3.5 stars

I read this one in a day, which would suggest it was pretty good, right, because I couldn’t put it down? However, it was actually quite unforgettable - I totally forgot I read it until I went on Goodreads. An easy read with likeable characters, but it bugged me that Orla’s love interest, Aiden, was basically trying to pull her away from her dream, her ‘plan’, all the time, just to suit him. Not cool.

City of Girls - Elizabeth Gilbert 3 stars

The setting of the novel, 1940s New York, sure is decadent and gorgeous to read about. Our protagonist Vivian Morris, is age 95 and telling her story. While the chatty narration style is enjoyable, unfortunately the character is not. So self-obsessed and superficial that most of the time, she wasn’t even aware that the world was caught up in such a major war! The first page introduces a character that she doesn’t officially meet until 80% of the way through the novel, so I was impatiently waiting for a turn in the story that didn’t come until it was too late.

The Prime Ministers - Steve Richards 4 stars

Steve Richard’s reflections of the British leaders during ‘modern times’, The Prime Ministers provides a balanced insight into the ups and downs that contribute to their elections and downfalls. I have a much greater understanding of the logistics of British politics through reading this; as a history student, it really helps me to understand the present by looking at previous leaderships. He highlighted the media’s influence on politics which I found really insightful.

Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton 2.5 stars

Based on reviews I’ve read, I feel like this is a bit of a love it or hate it book, and disappointedly I found myself in team ‘hate it’. While it gets better as it goes along (you could say, as Dolly matures), I struggled to see its purpose or how it is supposed to be so relatable. It seemed ironic that Dolly spoke about how excited she was to be a ‘grown-up’, yet carried on acting so annoyingly childish.

Expectation - Anna Hope 4 stars

This sat on my shelf for a while because I was so scared it wouldn’t live up to my expectations (no pun intended) but I am happy to say that it did. The three female protagonists, Cate, Hannah and Lissa, each had their flaws but Hope created her characters in a relatable, rather than annoying way. Their imperfections were what made them all into such strong characters and accompanied by the London setting, this was a very enjoyable read.

 

The Flatshare - Beth O’Leary 5 stars

I was so sad when I got to the end of this, because quite frankly I would have been happy if it never ended and I simply carried on reading about Tiffy and Leon’s lives forever! The two share a flat but have never met, thus through post-it notes their lives begin to intertwine in a way neither could have ever predicted. I love that Beth O’Leary doesn’t stray away from more serious subjects either, creating a story that made me both laugh and cry like crazy.

Half A World Away - Mike Gayle 4 stars

Warning - this is an incredible emotional read! I had to put the book down and take a break at one point because it was simply TOO MUCH EMOTION. TEARS EVERYWHERE! A heartfelt and well-written tale about two siblings separated as children who find their way back to each other’s lives. I loved Gayle’s technique of omitting information from the reader so we are unknowingly misled like one of the characters.

Never Greener - Ruth Jones 3.5 stars

I had high hopes for Ruth Jones’ novel debut, which I think is why I was so disappointed by Never Greener. Her incredible Gavin and Stacey is such a success because of its lovable characters, and yet the protagonist of Never Greener, Kate, is simply despicable! After reuniting with her first love, Kate begins to wonder if the grass could have been greener, exploring what it means to have a second chance at what could have been.

 

Why We Get The Wrong Politicians - Isabel Hardman 4 stars

This provides a real insight into the world of parliament, including what exactly MPs get up to on a daily basis and the logistics surrounding this. While I learnt a lot from this book, the title is very misleading. It’s more about the life of a politician, rather than why we get the wrong ones, and although Hardman goes on to explain why politicians make bad laws, they themselves aren’t exactly what is wrong with the system.

The Switch - Beth O’Leary 4 stars

Beth O’Leary’s sophomore novel, it was certainly going to be hard for this one to live up to The Flatshare! Leena and her grandmother Eileen switch lives, with Eileen moving into Leena’s London flat looking for a second chance at love, and Leena moving up to rural Yorkshire for a break from her high-pressure job. The characters of The Switch are just as lovable as those in The Flatshare and the story is fun and quirky.

 

The One Plus One - Jojo Moyes 4.5 stars

I look back on this book with such fondness! Single mum Jess is just trying to do the best for her children. She’s struggling to do it all on her own, but will never admit it. After an unfortunate mishap, Ed finds his life turned upside down, and just wants to make good. On an unlikely trip, their lives are pulled together in the most unusual ways. I absolutely love Jojo Moyes’ writing style and this was such a fun story, I loved all the characters, especially the quirky children, Tanzie and Nicky.

The Secret Barrister 3 stars

The cover describes this one as ‘stories of the law and how it is broken’, so I think I was expecting some thought-provoking and grabbing court case tales. However, this is more of an explanation of how the British legal system works, and why this is good or bad. I learnt a lot from it, but it was rather dry so took a while to get through.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman 4 stars

Gail Honeyman’s bestseller was an enjoyable read; very character, rather than plot driven, which suits me but isn’t always for everyone. Eleanor leads a simple life, with a predictable routine - go to work, get a meal deal, go home, repeat. But it’s fine, she’s happy. Or is she? I loved how Eleanor was a very quirky yet likeable character - aspects of her personality that could potentially be annoying ended up being very endearing. I loved getting to know her and I think you will too.

Such A Fun Age - Kiley Reid 4 stars

One of the most exciting releases of 2020, Such A Fun Age is an American novel about two women, career woman Alix, and her daughter’s babysitter, Emira. The two women end up shocked by their unlikely connection to the same man. Reid explores ideas of race and class in modern America with such insight and the novel is so well-written - I would never have guessed this was a debut. While I found the ending of the novel quite unfulfilling, I can’t wait for more of her work.

 

Grown Ups - Marian Keyes 4.5 stars

My first ever Marian Keyes read was her latest novel, Grown Ups and it wins the award for the longest book I read this year; it’s a LONG one. Which says even more about the fact that I read over half of it in one day, it gripped me so much! The Caseys are a big family who spend every occasion together - birthdays, anniversaries and holidays in Tuscany. However, tensions are brewing under the surface - what happens when the secrets all come tumbling out? There’s a lot of characters to get to know and remember - it’s a good job there’s a family tree at the beginning! While I didn't find most of them very likeable, I was still thinking about the story a week later, and this impact made me rate it so high.

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes 5 stars

Louisa Clark starts an unusual job, looking after Will Traynor who became paralysed after an accident. The ultimate rom-com novel, I absolutely adored this book. Because I had watched the film a few months earlier, I knew what to expect and wasn’t too emotional, but there are many moments that the film omits that give even more depth to the characters.

An Unsuitable Match - Joanna Trollope 3 stars

When Rose and Tyler get engaged as each other’s second chance at love, the reaction of their children threatens to ruin everything. Unfortunately, An Unsuitable Match was a slow and dull read - all the characters just seemed to be moaning about something, from beginning to end! It seemed like no family member was prepared for anyone else to be happy.

She Said - Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey 4.5 stars

A true account of the two New York Times journalists who broke the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Kantor & Twohey’s investigation was incredibly gripping. I was hooked and shocked from the get-go and the work they did was truly groundbreaking. The book deviates towards the end, touching on the Brett Kavanaugh case, which felt detached because it wasn’t their investigation to tell. But, overall this is a must-read.

Daisy Jones & The Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid 3.5 stars

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel is very unusual - an interview style of a fictional seventies band, describing the rock and roll drama they experienced. In theory, it sounded like a great idea, but because it’s difficult to imagine the songs of the band, it was difficult to emotionally connect to. Despite the interesting characters, the ending fell flat, giving me mixed opinions about this one.

After You - Jojo Moyes 3.5 stars

Jojo Moyes reunites us with Louisa Clark in the second installment of the Me Before You trilogy, but sadly it did not live up to the original. After promising Will she would try new things, Louisa finds herself stuck struggling in a dead-end job. Not the exciting adventure I was expecting!

Olive - Emma Gannon 5 stars

Olive is an absolute gem, to the point I almost teared up a bit at its final page. Olive has always been in sync with her three close friends, but feels lost as they drift apart, towards marriage and motherhood without her. I loved all four of the women in the novel; despite Olive being the central character, the issues Bea, Cecily and Isla faced were equally explored and valid. Chuck in a bunch of paralleling coincidences, from them going to the same university as me, to the same Portguese village on holiday, and I couldn’t be more in love with this book.

Airhead - Emily Maitlis 3.5 stars

Presenter of BBC Newsnight, Emily Maitlis breaks down some of her most groundbreaking interviews; from the shocking to the unplanned. Airhead is an interesting and enjoyable read, but I expected more of an in-depth look at journalism, rather than simply rehashing specific interviews, making some chapters more appealing than others.

Only You - Kate Eberlen 3.5 stars

Letty, from London, and Alf, from Blackpool, meet in Rome where dance provides them with an instant connection. Split into three parts, part 1 and 3 are enjoyable, however things get a bit messy in part 2. The reason I read this was to see how the author would portray Blackpool - not very well, I must add.

Quite - Claudia Winkleman 4 stars

After being in a book reading slump (all that extra uni reading started to take its toll), Claudia Winkleman’s recent memoir, Quite, was the perfect read to raise spirits. With chapters about different aspects of her life - from strictly to eyeliner - it was funny, relatable, and very Claudia - her personality shone throughout.

 

 

Paris Echo - Sebastian Faulks 3.5 stars

Faulks alternates between the narratives of Hannah, an American academic studying women during The Occupation, and Tariq, a Moroccan teenager attempting to connect with his mother’s past life in Paris. I enjoyed the historical occupation excerpts, but felt the writing was emotionally detached from them, and there were a few confusing plot points left unexplained.

The Diary of a Bookseller - Shaun Bythell 3 stars

A day-to-day diary of life owning a bookshop in a Scottish town, The Diary of a Bookseller was fun to begin with, but became increasingly dry as it went on, because it was all a bit of the same. And when it wasn’t the same, it was about some fishing trip that I really wasn’t interested in!

Billy and Me - Giovanna Fletcher 4 stars

I reserved this on BorrowBox before it was announced Giovanna was going into the I’m A Celeb castle, but it felt even more fitting to read her debut novel while she was in there! Sophie May is a waitress in her ordinary town, but her life is turned upside down when heartthrob actor Billy comes to shoot a film there. An exciting novel but Billy’s character definitely needed more depth, sometimes it seemed like Sophie is complaining and worrying for no reason and other moments feel out of character. But overall, a great debut novel - I can’t wait to work my way through the rest of her work!

Still Me - Jojo Moyes - 4 stars

The third novel of the Me Before You series, Still Me is the final book I read in 2020, although I haven't quite finished it yet - 70% through! Louisa Clark's life has taken an exciting turn as she takes a job in glamorous New York, although struggles to leave home behind. I'm finding this one more enjoyable than After You (largely because of the setting), but it will never quite live up to the original.

The Best Books of 2020

You may have noticed that there were four five star reads this year; The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and Olive by Emma Gannon. Coincidentally, they are all novels that have been released in the past year or so, with the exception of Me Before You being written several years earlier. These were ones that made me feel emotional, made me not want to put it down, and made me want it to never end. They were all great novels that I wholeheartedly recommend - but I'd say if any I gave at least four stars to take your fancy, they are worth the read.

Looking Forward - My 2021 Reading Goals:

Reading thirty-six books this year can be owed to lockdown, and I’m very much hoping that I don’t have quite as much spare time on my hands next year! In 2021 I’m going to be setting my GoodReads goal as 21 books (21 for 2021!) but I hope to read between 21 and 24; I think two books per month isn’t too much pressure.
I have quite a few books on my shelf I am excited to be getting on with next year! I can’t wait to get stuck into all the books in my birthday book haul, and I also have the hugely raved about Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo and Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens that are sat on my shelf and ready to be read.

 

If you got this far - congrats! This year was so extraordinary, I doubt you'll ever see a book round up quite this long from me again! What was your favourite book of 2020? I would love to hear what you enjoyed, or maybe what you were disappointed by!

EG x

I have been of McFly for what feels like forever, and yet until 13th November 2020, I had never had the chance to eagerly anticipate the release of their latest album. I was completely blown away when I saw them in concert at the Keep Calm and Play Louder tour in 2012 and since then have seen then have met Tom at a book launch (and have him tweet that he read my book review!), seen them as McBusted in my unheard of hometown, and more recently, been to Danny's solo concert in Manchester. That was just over a year ago and I remember then being very doubtful I would see them back together, so imagine my excitement that they were back together and making a new album. It had been a whole ten years since their last one, so of course I had very high hopes.

The album is a mixture of sounds that sum up McFly - the fun pop hits reminiscent of their early days, the pop-punk inspired tracks and the Springsteen-esque that are obviously Danny's .

The album begins with Happiness, which they released during the summer as their first proper single in goodness knows how long. It is very feel good and cheery - it could turn a bad mood around in no time! Another Song About Love and Heads Up have a very similar feeling - incredibly catchy and positive. The lyrics are fun and easily memorable. Vocals come primarily from Tom on these, although we hear more of Danny in Another Song About Love, and I enjoy Dougie's vocals on Heads Up.

 

You're Not Special is similar to those three with a catchy and infectious beat, but I find its lyrics rather disheartening - I'm sure that wasn't their aim, but the repeated 'everybody else is just like you... you're not special' led me into somewhat of an existential crisis on first listen, making the fact it's so catchy not ideal. It's a weird one, because the sound of it is very upbeat, and yet the lyrics are a bit depressing!

 

Tonight Is The Night is the second single they released before the album, accompanied with a great video. This is easily the stand out track of the album. I adore the guitar riffs, the lyrics are sensational and Danny's vocals in the chorus are incredible. This is going to be amazing live on tour.

We then come to Young Dumb Thrills and Growing Up, two tracks that I personally find myself skipping more than listening to. The pop-punk vibes are simply not my thing, although I know that Growing Up has been a lot of fans' favourite. McFly have never featured any other artists on previous albums and these two collaborations with RATBOY and Mark Hoppus were not necessary this time round. 

 

The tracks following those two constitute my favourite part of the album. Mad About You has a classic McFly feeling and the way it rises and falls really stands out. Sink Or Sing has a gorgeous ballad sound to it and really highlights Danny's amazing vocal ability. Like I Can isn't a stand out but I can't complain about hearing Danny so much! Both Sink or Sing and Like I Can have a bit of a One Direction vibe - remember how McFly wrote Don't Forget Where You Belong off Midnight Memories? These two have a very similar sound.

Wild and Young is another stand out track; it's up with Tonight Is The Night for me. It's no surprise that this was originally one of Danny's solo tracks that I saw live on his tour. It is definitely inspired by his idol Bruce Springstreen and is such a powerful track, made even better now he's accompanied by the rest of McFly for that strong beat.

Not The End brings us to the end of the album and has the most distinctive and unique intro of a McFly song ever. It's one you inevitably end up swaying to and leaving in them laughing and joking around at the end is classic McFly. It really sums up where they are as a band right now and finishes the album perfectly.

The more I have listened to Young Dumb Thrills, the more it has cemented itself as a great McFly album, alongside the rest. Perhaps I enjoy the more powerful and rockier sound of Red, Touch the Rain and Hyperion that we got from The Lost Songs last year and perhaps I was hoping for something more reminiscent of Radio:ACTIVE, but that comes down to my personal taste. McFly have experimented with their sound on some tracks of this album, but it is also very fitting with their previous music. Tonight is The Night and Wild and Young have quickly become some of my favourite McFly songs ever, which is a real testament to how great they are.

 

I can't wait to hear the album on tour - fingers crossed we'll be back in those arenas eventually! What is your favourite album right now?