2017 in review.

I’ve thought about, and more than slightly dreaded, writing this post for a few weeks now. What first came to my mind about this year was the negatives, because there have been more than a few. I’ve had more jobs this year than I wanted to, I’ve seen both the best and the worst in people and I’ve struggled myself. That said, when I was driving on Christmas Day, I realised I felt content. 

Let me explain. This time last year we were living at Ali’s Mums, I’d just started a new job that I wasn’t happy in and all in all I was quite low. In 12 months so much has changed for me and Ali. We’re in our own place, which was so special, we’re both working in jobs that we feel good at and enjoy and we’re happy. I’ve realised I can survive Ali being away for months at a time, and we can still get through tough times apart (I lost my job when he’d started the second month of tour, not great timing).

I’ve definitely seen the best and the worst of people this year, but through it, all learnt that I have some wonderful friends and that my family will always support me. When I was going through awful times this year, job hunting, going through the pain of spinal injections, losing Hamski and just feeling lost, I had people around me who cared.

Even though all that happened I fought my way through. For so long I’d thought, great, the ‘real world’ is about hating your job and being miserable. Thankfully, and while I never take any job for granted, I’ve actually found that I have so much passion working in Social Media, something I’ve wanted to do since I was a student. I’ve realised that if I’m in pain I can go back to the doctors and be firm with the help I need. I’ve learnt that, when I have to, I can survive on just texts and phone calls with Ali, even at the worst of times.

That doesn’t mean that I haven’t had a great time too! I’ve been to Pride in Brighton, got published in a magazine, went on holiday, fallen in love with another little hamster and grown my blog more than I thought I would.

So, while 2017 might not have been the easiest, it’s shown me that I’m resilient and you know what, sometimes, I’m pretty damn cool too.

My Top Posts of 2017!

We only have 1 whole day left of 2017, what?! I’m torn, the last 2 months feel like they’ve gone so quickly. At the end of the year, I always love to see what you guys have read most and what’s done well, what blogger doesn’t?

So I wanted to share with you my top 10 most read posts of 2017! Here we go.

 

10. Harry Potter Haul – Primark Has Done It Again…

I’m shocked that this is still in my top 10 and has been since I first posted it in 2015. This is when Primark first started doing a lot of Harry Potter stuff. If you liked this post keep your eyes peeled in the new year…

9. Taking Chances and Making Calls

This was my first steps in taking my life into my own hands after losing a job back in April.

8. Book Review: Fully Functioning Human (Almost) by Melanie Murphey 

I love watching Melanie Murphey on YouTube and so do a lot of you! She’s sweet, funny and this is a helpful book. This is my only book review to make it into the top 10 and I’m glad it’s this one.

7. My Boyfriend’s Leaving Me For Two Months?! 

This year Ali went away on tour for 2 months, the longest we’ve been apart. This was the start of me talking about going long distance, I’m really glad I talked about it to get through the tougher times.

6.  Dealing With The Unexpected

A post I wrote in response to being fired, which turned out to be a good thing.

5. The Truth About Being in a Long-Term Relationship 

Next year Ali and I will have been together for 10 years! So I did what I normally do, I decided to write about it.

4. Sunday Seven: The Businesses You Don’t Know About But Should 

Back in April I was lucky enough to visit Dolly’s Vintage Fair and feature some of the wonderful small businesses that were there!

3. Feminist Friday… with Jess Willby 

And on to my Feminist Friday series, Jess wrote about how Feminism is bigger than just us as individuals and how we need to work together to achieve. It was an absolutely inspiring post.

2. To The People Who Stole From My Boyfriend 

It’s been a very up and down year, in August while Ali had a great time working festivals, someone decided that they wanted to steal from him. It was pretty shitty and frustrating (the stolen rucksack has never been found). This was an open letter to those who stole from him.

1. Typo Haul

Aaaaand at number 1 is my haul from Typo. This is a really cool shop and one I only found this year on a visit to Kingston. There are some beautiful things in this shop!

 

What were your favourite posts that YOU wrote this year? Let me know in the comments below!

My Top 10 Books of 2017!

We’ve finally got to the end of the year! Well, it has been a long one but I’ve had plenty of books to get me through it, hitting my goal of 100 books today, but what about the top 10?

I have to say it hasn’t been my greatest year in terms of 5-star reads BUT there have been some absolute crackers, which means it has been hard to narrow it down…are your favourites in my top 10?

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Turtles All The Way Down – John Green 

I got into John Greens books when The Fault in Our Stars came out but then read them very quickly. I didn’t think we’d get a new novel so of course, I started this the second I got my hands on it. John Green is incredible and you could definitely tell this was written from the perspective of someone who has struggled with mental illness. Review here.

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The Sun and All Her Flowers – Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur came back with another cracking collection and I’ve really got into my poetry this year. This was another beautiful collection, exploring the evolving stages of relationships as well as a tribute, I felt, to her mother. Review here.

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Making Faces – Amy Harmon

This was an ARC that I received and I absolutely loved it. This broke my heart but gave me hope. Set in the aftermath of 9/11 it looks at the impact on young people, as well as looking at the idea of popularity and beauty. Review here.

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How Not To Be a Boy – Robert Webb

This surprised me, of course, I’d watched Robert Webb growing up on the TV but not thought much about him. It was only after I heard an interview I picked this up. A really interesting look at depression, gender and growing up. Review here.

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It Only Happens In The Movies – Holly Bourne

Holly Bourne came back after her wildly successful Spinster Club series and made me fall in love all over again. In true Bourne style, we have a kick-ass protagonist that decides love isn’t like the movies especially after her parents marriage crumbles as well as her own relationship. Review to come but you can find out more here.

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Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls – Elena Favilli

This was amazing, with beautiful illustration and tales about women that I’ve never heard of as well as women who I definitely have. This is for children but I think you’ll fall in love with it.  Review here.

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My Lovely Wife – Mark Lukach

It’s refreshing to read about mental illness from the perspective of family members. Mark Lukah marries the love of his life after meeting at eighteen. What neither of them knew at the time was that their later marriage would be tested to the limit as Giulia is hospitalised for severe mental illness. I loved this so much, especially as it is so honest and looks at relapse, the struggles and stresses of dealing with hospitals. So, so good. Review to come, but you can find out more here.

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My Shitty Twenties – Emily Morris

The title was enough to make me pick up this book. When Emily unexpectedly falls pregnant as a student the father responds by telling her to enjoy her ‘shitty twenties’, I know what a charmer. This goes through Emily’s journey as a young Mum and is full of honesty but also has a sense of humour. Review here.

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Nina Is Not Okay – Shappi Khorsandi

You might have seen Shappi on I’m A Celebrity but did you know she was a brilliant author? For me, this put Young Adult Fiction on another level. It’s not a light read but it is so worth it and it’s the first time I’ve seen a young person depecited as actually having a drinking problem. Review to come, more information here.

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The Diary of Anne Frank

Reading this as an adult made it more remarkable and more heartbreaking. Anne would have had such potential, she had such an incredible talent as you can see in her writing from such a young age. Review to come, more info here.

Note: I have not included anything that will be released in 2018! These will be included in my 2018 wrap up!

 

Blogmas Day 24: A Christmas Message

I may not be the Queen, but I’m still going to give a Christmas message. Fun fact my Dad always watches the Christmas Speech, every year 3pm usually while we’re eating. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Tomorrow is Christmas day. At the time I’ve posted this I’ll be in my PJs, watching a Santa tracker online and feeling very weird about the fact that it is the first year Ali and I are in our own home for Christmas Eve. It’s so weird.

Christmas, we are told, is a time for joy and happiness and family. For many of us, it is all these things. But what if it’s not? Some people have to go to work on Christmas, some are alone, some are dealing with some pretty heavy stuff. This is the thing, just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean life stops, I wish it did.

So, I’m just putting it out there Christmas doesn’t need to be perfect. If, for you, this Christmas has to be just another day then so be it. We put so much pressure on ourselves all the time and it sucks! I’ve been really poorly at Christmas before and the pressure made it worse.

Really, what I’m trying to say is make Christmas what you want or can make it. We don’t all need to have the same day, the same time.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or, simply, I hope you have a good day.

 

Blogmas Day 23: A Blogmas Round Up!

While Blogmas officially ends tomorrow with my Christmas message (hey, the Queen gets one!) I wanted to do a round-up of Blogmas 2017. I’m not going to lie, it was tough doing a post every single day when I work full time but I enjoyed seeing the responses. Will I do it again next year? Possibly but I’ll do a lot more planning! If you want to catch up you can find all of my Blogmas posts below!

Blogmas Day 1: Welcome to Blogmas!

Blogmas Day 2: My Christmas Playlist

Blogmas Day 3: Shopping with Small Businesses this Christmas

Blogmas Day 4: Last Minute Gifts for the feminist in your life

Blogmas Day 5: Christmas Q & A with Adell & Nate

Blogmas Day 6: Costa Hot Chocolates Ranked!

Blogmas Day 7: Book Review – Trumps Christmas Carol – Lucien Young

Blogmas Day 8: Christmas Wishlist

Blogmas Day 9: How to Stay on Budget at Christmas!

Blogmas Day 10: Books to Give this Christmas

Blogmas Day 11: Christmas Q & A with Vikki & Zoe 

Blogmas Day 12: First Christmas in Our Own Home!

Blogmas Day 13: Holly Jolly Xmas Tag

Blogmas Day 14: Book Review – Christmas Poetry by Wendy Cope

Blogmas Day 15: Looking after your mental health in the holidays

Blogmas Day 16: Christmas Q & A with Midnight Madness and AllLadyA

Blogmas Day 17: Our Little Christmas Tree!

Blogmas Day 18: My Favourite Christmas Films!

Blogmas Day 19: Christmas Eve Traditions

Blogmas Day 20: Would You Rather – Christmas Edition 

Blogmas Day 21: Christmas Throwbacks

Blogmas Day 22: Books I read in 2017… so far

 

What’s been your favourite part of Blogmas? Let me know in the comments below!

Blogmas Day 22: What I’ve Read In 2017 so far…

Of course, this was coming! My annual Goodreads challenge is still going and there’s still 9 days to go. So far I’m at 98 books, yep 98. Last year I managed 120 and the year before I managed 80-something? I read, I read a lot. So I wanted to share with you all the books I’ve read in 2017… here we go! Also, links to any I’ve reviewed too!

January 

The Art of the Film: Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them

Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick

Illuminae – Jay Kristoff and Aimee Kaufman

February

Heartless – Marissa Meyer 

Falling Awake – Alice Oswald

Back to the Future: Untold Tales and Alternate Timelines – Bob Gale

How to Murder Your Life – Cat Marnell How to Murder Your Life – Cat Marnell 

Bad Feminist – Roxanne Gay

March: Book One – John Lewis

Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir – Stan Lee

Behind Her Eyes – Sarah Pinborough 

Here We Are: Feminism For The Real World – Kelly Jensen

Bullet in the Brain – Tobias Wolff

Happy Mum, Happy Baby: My Adventures in Motherhood – Giovanna Fletcher 

March

Without a Doubt – Marcia Clarke 

One of The Boys – Daniel Magariel 

Something in Between – Melissa De La Cruz

I Feel Bad. All Day. Every Day. About Everything. – Orli Auslanda

Nasty Woman – 404 Ink

April

The Princess Saves Herself In This One – Amanda Lovelace

Zenn Diagram – Wendy Brant 

Off Colour – Jackie Kay

Anne Boleyn: The Last 24 Hours – Marcell Mayfair

The Dead Inside – Cyndy Etler

In Contempt – Christopher Darden

We Should All Be Feminists – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Supergirl Rebirth – Steve Orlando

Cheer Up, Love – Susan Calman

The One – John Marrs 

The Best Awful – Carrie Fisher

Seriously…I’m Kidding – Ellen Degeneres

May

A Book For Her – Bridget Christie

Wildflower- Drew Barrymore 

Raising My Rainbow – Lori Duron

Brain On Fire: My Month of Madness – Susannah Cahalan

Doing It – Hannah Witton 

What Would Beyoncé Do? – Luisa Omielan

June

Mad Girl – Bryony Gordon

Nutshell – Ian McEwan

What the F*** is Normal?! – Francesca Martinez

The Girl Who Beat ISIS – Farida Khalaf 

Imperial Phase 1 – Kieron Gillen

The New Girl – Rhyannon Styles 

Alice in Brexitland – Lucien Young

All Things Kardashian – Kris Jenner

July 

You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain – Phoebe Robinson

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – George R. R. Martin

Dreadnought – April Daniels

One of Us Is Lying – Karen M. McManus

Men Explain Things to Me – Rebecca Solnit

Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family’s Nazi Past – Jennifer Teege

August 

Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse: One Twentysomething’s (Mostly Failed) Attempts at Adulthood – Alida Nugent

Our Super American Adventure – Sarah Graley

My Shitty Twenties – Emily Morris

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Woman – Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo

Diana Her True Story, In Her Own Words – Andrew Morton

September 

The Wrong Knickers: A Decade of Chaos – Bryony Gordon

Fully Functioning Human (Almost) Living In An Online/Offline World – Melanie Murphy

Depression & Other Magic Tricks – Sabrina Benaim

My Lovely Wife: A Memoir of Madness and Hope – Mark Lukach

See You in the Cosmos, Carl Sagan – Jack Cheng

Making Faces – Amy Harmon

How Not To Be a Boy – Robert Webb

Riot Days – Maria Alyokhina

Feel Good 101 – Emma Blackery

October 

The Sun and Her Flowers – Rupi Kaur

Raising Ryland – Hillary Whittington

How To Be Champion – Sarah Millican

Turtles All The Way Down – John Green

Female – Sujata Balaram

Final Girls – Riley Sager

The Tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris

Lumberjanes Vol. 1. – Noelle Stevenson

November 

Wild Embers – Nikita Gill

A Trump Christmas Carol – Lucien Young

I Wrote This For You – Iain S. Thomas

Helium – Rudy Francisco

Rabbit: A Memoir – Patricia Williams

It Only Happens in the Movies – Holly Bourne

Still Can’t Do My Daughters Hair – William Evans

Nina Is Not Okay – Shappi Khorsandi

Selling Manhattan – Carol Ann Duffy

Unqualified – Anna Farris

A Pearl For My Mistress – Annabel Fielding 

It’s All in Your Head A Guide To Getting Your Shit Together – Rae Earl

Christmas Poems – Wendy Cope 

Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amin – Wendy Cope

December

The Diary of Anne Frank

Serious Concerns – Wendy Cope

Leave This Song Behind – Various

Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions – Russell Brand

Family Values – Wendy Cope

What I Know For Sure – Oprah Winfrey

How to be a Bawse – Lily Singh

Love, Grief and being Mum & Dad – Rio Ferdinand

The Ladybird Book of Mindfulness

Sex Object – Jessica Valenti

 

More to come…

Blogmas Day 21: Christmas Throwback Pics

Today I wanted to share some great throwback pics that I’ve managed to find (although none of me as a teeny tiny person, these have all been snatched from Facebook). It’s so much fun to look back on Christmas, even if my sister will kill me.

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Christmas 2016, I think. Sums and I after we opened all of our presents in matching Cookie Monster pjs. I think it’s rare that we look similar in pictures but this is actually one where I think we look alike.

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This picture is way back in 2012! Mum and I had just gotten back from Kingston on a visit to see if the uni was for me (and the rest is history) and managed to get these Minnie Mouse ears.

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I have no idea what year this was, perhaps 2012? Not quite matching but all cuddled up in our fleecy pjs on Christmas Eve. All of the girls in the family have Christmas Eve pjs, Dad usually gets some of the non-fluffy variety.

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Fun fact, this selfie was taken at 5am. Yep, my sister and I are those kind of people we turn into excited children. One will wake the other up, it used to be me waking her up but now she’s the first one up…I love sleep too much.

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In town messing around on Christmas Eve, that’s just how my sister and I roll.

Blogmas Day 20: Would you rather -Christmas Edition.

I was so excited to have a tag pop up on my Twitter feed, the wonderful Shevy from Moonsomnia to do a would you rather tag! At the end of this post I will also tag some great bloggers so make sure to check them out!! Here we go –

Shevy’s questions for us:

Would you prefer a Summer or a Winter Christmas?

I think a winter Christmas, simply because I think it adds that extra bit of magic! Even if winter here normally just means rain! Plus if Christmas wasn’t in Winter there would be nothing to look forward to in the miserable cold months!

Traditional roast dinner or a modern twist?

Probably traditional, I like to know what I’m getting for my dinner.

Real Christmas tree versus an artificial one?

Artificial, getting the bits stuck in your feed hurts like hell.

Mulled Wine versus eggnog?

I’ve never had eggnog but hate mulled wine!

Pet presents or none?

Pet present, always.

Thanks so much for including me in this post! I’m so excited to put forward my own 5 questions.

  1. Presents first thing or after dinner?
  2. Indoor decorations or outdoor decorations?
  3. Dressing up for Christmas day or staying comfy?
  4. Boxing day sales or nowhere near?
  5. Christmas Pudding or Chocolate Log?

 

I now nominate:

Sophie from Puuuurpale 

Amanda from The Bellezza Corner

Paige from Currently, Lately 

 

Make sure to tag me once you have done your own post!

Blogmas Day 19: Christmas Eve Traditions

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Christmas for me is all about family and isn’t just about one day! Christmas Eve is full of little traditions for me, and I think as I get older these may adjust again and again. It’s weird that for the first time I’m not in a home with either mine or Ali’s families, it’s just the two of us.

I’m so pleased that Christmas Eve falls on a weekend this year, the thought of having to go to work on Christmas Eve makes me super sad, I don’t know why. So, what does my Christmas Eve usually look like?

  •  Wake up early and annoy Ali with the fact it’s Christmas tomorrow. Be hyperactive as hell.
  •  Shower and dress in Christmassy clothes, jumper or hat are suitable.
  •  Get picked up by Mum to go into town with her, my sister and my Nanna.
  • Get a coffee/hot chocolate to kick off the day
  • Mooch around the shops and pick up some last minute presents in the sales (Ali usually gets a few more presents here)
  • Go home, get any last minute wrapping done, blast Christmas music.
  • Go and visit family members start the Christmas cheer
  • Hit up McDonalds, ok hear me out. We’re usually so busy with family and the Turkey for the next day is slowly cooking so we get McDonald’s and it’s amazing.
  • Get given our Christmas Eve PJs, usually matching my sister
  • Be banished from anywhere near certain areas of my parent’s house.

Now, it’s slightly different now I’m older, I go to my own house which will be the first time in our own home! I have no idea if Ali and I will create any new traditions in our own space but I really hope so. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions? Let me know in the comments below!

 

 

Blogmas Day 18: My 5 Favourite Christmas Films!

Is there anything better than curling up when it’s cold outside with a blanket, hot chocolate and a good old Christmas film on. Now, I am in no way a movie buff, in fact, I’m regularly teased by friends and family because I haven’t seen some of the biggest films ever to be made. That said, growing up I liked nothing more than to put on a Christmas film and watch it again and again and again. So, this lists is a big mix of my favourite films to pop on. Note, these are mainly for children. Sorry, not sorry.

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Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas 

Now, I know there is another before this and I’m pretty sure I loved that too but this is what I remember having on all the time. We got it when my sister was tiny and I just remember it being on and it’s just nice and chilled as well as being fun.

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Miracle on 34th Street 

This came out when I was 2 and it’s just a go-to classic with an adorable Mara Wilson. I think this one is just because it’s always been on and around while I was growing up, it has a little girl (who in my mind was always Matilda, sorry!) and Santa. I was in, totally in.

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The Grinch 

Fun fact, I was slightly scared of the Grinch but couldn’t stop watching it. I wasn’t interested in Cindy-Lou I was fully invested in the Grinch himself and felt so bad for him and also loved him. Shout out to Primark getting on the Grinch train

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Elf 

SANTA OH MY GOD I KNOW HIM.

I don’t understand people who don’t like Elf, genuinely don’t understand them. This is hilarious but also can make me cry and it’s just silly. I just love it so much, the music is also adorable.

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Love Actually 

This is my favourite film. I don’t think it’s ever failed to cheer me up and I love every single actor in it and it’s just so good. Love Actually gets a lot of stick but I don’t think it’s deserved. All of the stories link and there’s just a warm feeling to it. If not just watch it for Hugh Grants dancing, worth watching just for that.

 

What are your favourite Christmas films? Let me know in the comments below!