Featured blog posts
I’ll see you at the bookshop!
Hello Kitty Cafe Brighton - Review
Here’s everything that you need to know about Art Box’s Hello Kitty and Friends cafe in Brighton. Keep reading to find out about the decor, food and how to book!
Lordington Lavender Farm Review- Everything You Need to Know
After two years of living in West Sussex, I was finally able to visit Lordington Lavender during their open week!
Here is everything you need to know about visiting the county’s only lavender farm.
Hotel Wedina Review - Hamburg’s Literary Hotel
When I planned to sail on Cunard’s newest cruise ship, Queen Anne, during her first voyage into Hamburg, I was delighted to discover that the city has its very own literary hotel.
Based in the St Georg district of central Hamburg, the hotel itself is very easy to find with its striking red exterior. We arrived after a short drive from the cruise port, which we booked on Uber, and were greeted by their friendly reception staff in their flawless English.
The Paddington Bear Experience Review - Is It Worth Going?
Here’s everything you need to know about London’s newest family friendly attraction.
Located in central London’s South Bank, The Paddington Bear Experience combines immersive theatre with interactive elements, set in the world of Paddington Bear.
Cunard’s Queen Anne Cabin Tour
I recently disembarked a wonderful two day mini cruise onboard Cunard’s Queen Anne and I’ve been so excited to write about it.
We stayed in cabin 7174 and paid £150 each for both nights (we travelled as a couple). For us, the cabin was perfect - it was always quiet with no noise from other cabins or entertainment venues. We also hardly felt the ship moving at all, and the lack of sunlight meant I had a fantastic sleep every night.
Review: Shakespeare’s Theatre Much Ado About Nothing Bag by Vendula London
Many long time followers of mine will know that I love a book themed handbag. I have a sizeable collection, and my favourite is a gorgeous Vendula London Old Bookshop bag that I received as a Christmas gift in 2022.
So I’m sure you can imagine that I was very excited when I saw that Vendula were releasing a new Shakespeare themed collection, based around the play Much Ado About Nothing.
Cunard’s Queen Anne Cruise Ship Tour and Review
I’ve just returned from a fantastic two day voyage on board Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne, and I can’t wait to show you around.
As the first addition to Cunard’s fleet for more than a decade, Queen Anne is unique compared to her sisters. Not only does she have the largest capacity to date, accommodating up to 3,000 guests and 1,225 crew, she’s also the most modern, seamlessly blending luxury with traditional features. Owned by the same umbrella company as P&O, I definitely noticed some similarities to their newest ships Iona and Arvia, while still remaining remained distinct to the Cunard brand.
Holly Jackson Books in Order
A fantastic bestselling writer, Holly Jackson has five books to her name and specialises in young adult thrillers.
To date her books have been translated into 25 languages, having won numerous awards and spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list.
Here are each of Holly’s books in order, starting with her first and ending with her latest.
Girl in Pieces Quotes
If you’ve read my review, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Kathleen Glasgow’s books.
Girl in Pieces is fantastic in that it’s highly emotive and covers lots of taboo topics in a way that is both sensitive and hard hitting.
Here I have gathered 18 quotes from the book that fit into four categories: hope, love, mental illness and self harm.
Lucy Foley Books in Order
If you’re thinking about reading Lucy Foley’s books, then this is the article for you. Here are all of her books in order, starting with her newest, and ending with the oldest. I’ve also added a note onto the ones I’ve read with my thoughts. Happy reading!
Rebecca Yarros Books in Order
Skyrocketing to fame after the 2022 release of Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros was a successful romance writer many years before penning her first fantasy novel. As a result, new fans now have an extensive back catalogue to work through, with a total of 23 books in the collection.
Here are all of the books written by Rebecca Yarros, starting with her first, and ending with the newest. Each is also either labelled with the series or marked as a standalone, so it’s easy to tell which series each book belongs to.
Harlech Castle: Everything You Need to Know
Tucked into the outskirts of the Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park, Harlech Castle, which is also known by its Welsh name Castell Harlech, dates back to the 1200s when King Edward I invaded Wales.
The castle was fiercely defended across the centuries, having been attacked by several Welsh princes, and changing hands between the Welsh and the English numerous times. Today, Harlech Castle has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside Edward’s other castles Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Conwy.
How to Make Friends With the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow - Book Review
First published in 2019, How to Make Friends With the Dark is Kathleen Glasgow’s second book. It follows similar themes to Girl in Pieces, and features a teenage girl who is experiencing unthinkable difficulties with her mental health.
For this reason, please take note of the trigger warnings above and make sure that you feel able to manage the emotional intensity of the book.
You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow - Book Review
You’d be Home Now was first published in 2021 and is Kathleen Glasgow’s third book. It’s a similar read to her previous two as it covers a variety of highly emotional themes, so please make sure that you take note of the trigger warnings before you pick it up.
20 Powerful Quotes from Looking For Alaska by John Green
John Green’s first novel, Looking for Alaska was published in 2005 and was adapted into a TV drama in 2019.
Here’s a reminder of what it’s about:
“BEFORE. Miles Halter’s whole life has been one big non-event until he starts at anything-but-boring Culver Creek Boarding School and meets Alaska Young. Gorgeous, clever, funny and utterly fascinating she pulls Miles into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart. But when tragedy strikes, and Miles comes face-to-face with death he discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.
AFTER: Nothing will ever be the same.”
Tatty Devine Jewellery Review
As a book lover, I’m always on the hunt for unique book themed jewellery, clothing, and household items to showcase my love of literature. So when Tatty Devine launched their World Book Day 2024 collection, I was very excited to get my hands on a few of their pieces!
In this blog post I will show you what their jewellery pieces actually look like, whether I think they’re good quality, and if they’re worth spending money on.
Hay-on-Wye Bookshop Guide
Welcome to the world’s first bookshop town, Hay-on-Wye. Here you’ll find more than twenty bookshops selling all kinds of books: from new to second hand, fiction to non-fiction and books for children and adults.
Hay-on-Wye also plays host to the annual book Hay Festival which sees 300,000 guests visit the town across eleven days.
Here are all of the bookshops that you’ll find in Hay-on-Wye!
26 Quotes from Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
First published in 2017, Turtles All The Way Down is inspired by John Green’s own experiences of living with OCD. It was well received by readers, instantly hitting number one on the New York Times bestsellers list and nominated for the Best Young Adult Fiction Category in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2017.
In case you can’t remember, here’s what the book’s about.
Richard Booth Bookshop Review
Welcome to Hay-on-Wye, the world famous book town located on the Welsh border. With more than 20 bookshops to its name, Hay really is a book lover’s dream, and an essential bucket list location for any reader.
You’ll find the UK’s largest book festival, Hay Fest, there each summer, along with a more modest iteration in the winter. It’s a cultural hub and the place to be for anyone who loves books.
Taylor Jenkins Reid Books in Order
So you’re thinking about reading a Taylor Jenkins Reid book, but you don’t know where to start?
In this post I outline each of her books in publication order, starting with the newest, and with a summary of my thoughts for each. The first four books are linked and, although they can be read in any order, they form a quartet centring around the lives of four famous women. Each of them is fantastic, and once you’ve read one you’ll want to read them all.
Welcome to the Viking Skaga - one of Viking Cruises’ noble river ships. She takes her name from an ancient Norse myth, where the Valkyrie Skaga rode into battle and escorted the dead to Valhalla, before preparing them to fight in the epic battle of Ragnarok.
A relatively new ship, the Viking Skaga only entered the fleet in 2020. At just 410 feet and carrying 168 guests and 48 crew, she was built specifically to sail down the Seine in France, although the specific itinerary will vary depending on the time of year. I was fortunate enough to join the ship for her week long Christmas on the Seine cruise, which starts and ends in Paris, calling at Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Honflour (via an excursion) and Les Andelys along the way.