Love this! I know this album of old so many of the album tracks were familiar to me, and it’s just a great riot from start to finish. I’ve previously said that A Little Respect would be on my Desert Island Discs list, and it’s surrounded by other good rock-pop tracks. Short, sharp catchy guitar tracks, what else could you ask for?

I’m sad that I didn’t like this album at all, really, as I continue to be impressed with Billie and the way she manages herself and navigates the music world. But this one didn’t do it for me. The songs felt a bit like background music until they completely switched up in a jarring way. One song starts out piano ballad and ends up disco diva. I don’t get it.

I was recommended to read the second book in this series but realised I had the original one sitting and waiting to be devoured, so I quickly got through this one. It’s a good mystery, I like the setting of the Grand Canyon, it makes a change from the cities in peril. The mule bit was quite confusing and I thought the stonewalling went on just a bit too long - someone reveal something or we’re not going to get anywhere! - but it was another cracking read overall.

I mean, really. There’s very little redeeming about this film, it’s derivative of everything you can think of, the visual effects are not the best, and despite what could be a fascinating concept, underneath it’s actually pretty dull. Jennifer Lopez does the best she can with some poor material, but Simu is underused massively, and, biased that I am, not in the film anywhere near enough. Hate to jump on the bandwagon of bad reviews, but this one is definitely best avoided.

I finished watching the Apple TV show Sugar this week and had intended to tag it on the end of my television roundup post, but the last few episodes made it deserving of a longer review. Firstly, it’s important to say it was a good show and I enjoyed watching it. The first couple of episodes were interesting but potentially not mind-blowing, but some good online reviews convinced me to keep watching and it definitely got better. If you can get past the name Sugar, which is odd when people say it out loud, each episode was more intriguing than the last until episode six when everything was turned on its head.

I’ve watched quite a few TV shows recently that I wanted to give a mention of but couldn’t summon up the thoughts for a full blog post - so it seemed sensible to do a roundup of them all in one go.

I’ve read this before, a long time ago, and I had in my head a view of what it was like. It was an interesting experience reading it now because it hit differently - Hakeswill was more of a caricature previously, but now I can see the evil within. And the battle is so real, Cornwell’s descriptive writing is so engaging and thorough. I can’t wait to read more of this series.

I’m so aware of Marian and what a legend she is, but somehow haven’t actually read any of her books before - so started at the beginning with Watermelon, the story of a woman finding herself after being abandoned and then gaslighted by her soon-to-be-ex-husband. I love the detail in this, the characters, the many times our protagonist is spinning out, and how honest and relatable it is. Sometimes you just need to drink your sorrows away, and sometimes you don’t trust your own instincts, but eventually, things might just work out.

Just in the nick of time, I have finished rewatching the third series of Apple TV+ comedy Trying, as the new series starts this week. I do think as the seasons have worn on, the drama and loveliness has increased while the quotability levels have dropped. But I couldn’t love it any more, so here’s the best of the next eight episodes.

We have been waiting for this movie to be available streaming for such a long time, the expectations were huge. The only thing I knew of it was the iconic scene, so I was going in blind but oh my word, I loved it! Lloyd is such a great character, deep and interesting and complex but also just a teenage boy who wants a relationship and is super cute about it. The stuff about the old people’s home was darker than I was expecting but also somehow rounded out a great and classic movie.

Time is running short before the fourth series of Trying begins, but I have finally completed my rewatch of the existing episodes and gathering the wonderful quotes from each episode. I love this show so much, I have to share! This time I’m keeping a full season in one post rather than splitting between episodes, because who doesn’t want a bumper crop of quotes to persue?

I think I must have owned this album at one point in my life because it was all very familiar to me, even the songs that weren’t singles (and a lot of them did hit the charts, let’s be fair). Some of them are bops, some of them a bit much (If You’re Not the One is iconic if whiny!) and I like it. I know Daniel Bedingfield is a marmite artist but I’m pretty middle of the road on him, liking this album fine.

I wouldn’t have put myself as a Kings of Leon fan particularly, but that one album WALLS captivated me and lingers around my top ten albums consistently. So it would take a lot for subsequent albums to live up to that, and if I’m being honest, this one doesn’t. It’s fine and easy to listen to, but it didn’t really grab me and I probably won’t be seeking it out in the future. I’ll stick with WALLS for now.

It was interesting watching this back to back with the first movie, they’re like two completely different things. This one was still really good, but so much more polished - the actors know what they’re doing now, there’s more money invested in it, and it feels more shiny even when it’s trying to be grungy. Even with the nods and references and callbacks, it’s a different story told in a different time in a different way. But still totally captivating.

I’m really getting invested in this series and these characters, but with this one I was probably more interested in the surrounding characters and their sub-plots than the main mystery. At first I was thinking it was just another big religious-style serial killer and haven’t we done that already? But have faith (pun intended), it’s deeper than that and as it unfolds it does get interesting. And then there’s a pretty big cliffhanger that means I’m going to have to read the next one!

I’ve always been scared of this film - what do I know of hard drugs and struggling for life in the hard streets of Edinburgh? And the iconic toilet scene… ugh! But finally got brave enough to watch it and LOVED it. It’s intense and funny, great music, great camaraderie, brutal scenes and a touch of heartbreak to keep things real. Didn’t know where it was going, either, so really enjoyed the journey.

Meh, don’t bother with this one. One of those un-necessary sequels made to cash in, without the input of the creators of the first, and not a patch on the original. Even with the first one, it’s not always my taste in comedy but the good was good enough to sustain. Not so for the sequel, switched off after twenty minutes.

This movie has elements that are good, mostly the cast. Patton Oswalt is always very watchable, and Charlize does a fab job at being a fragile but bitter woman. Of course there’s nothing wrong with having an unlikeable main character, and let’s praise having the guts to have a female protagonist who goes on just enough of a journey to tell the story but never really changes or apologises. But it was dull, and there wasn’t enough redeeming about the story or situation to make it worth watching.

I was so excited when I saw that Audible had commissioned and released an audio series of Green Wing, bringing back the original cast in all their glory for more barely medically-related shenanigans at East Hampton hospital. And now, having listened to the six part series many, many times through, I can only say it lived up to all my expectations and I love it!

Today it was announced that women’s tennis is returning to Queen’s club for the first time in more than 50 years, and whilst I can understand that this is an exciting announcement that brings together the two tennis tours at a high profile location, it feels disappointing to me. I’ve previously loved going to Edgbaston Priory Club to watch some tennis and now what was previously a 500 event (middle tier that can garner a few good stars) is now being bumped down to an ITF level event (not main tour).

If you had asked anyone a few years ago who would be shining the best light on what a brutal and thankless job farming is, who would have put their hands up and said Jeremy Clarkson? The guy continues to cause controversy but when it comes to this programme, he’s got it right. Showing the heart and soul of the farming world, the community, the animals, the care and the love that go into making this a vocation. It’s just perfect.

I’m not really sure what to make of this movie. It’s not good, right from the start it was clear this wasn’t a GOOD movie, but it was fun and watchable and got better as it went on. There are a lot of problems with it, though. The medical side is completely questionable, there’s a lot of cultural appropriation and insensitive remarks that haven’t aged well. And I didn’t quite get the tone, sometimes it was really well done and serious, sometimes it was adorable cute rom-com, and sometimes it was Adam Sandler making a walrus vomit on a colleague. But for every negative, you also get scream-crying the lyrics to Wouldn’t It Be Nice which is worth it all.

It feels like every year I go into the Eurovision song contest thinking, meh, I’ll watch a bit, see if it grabs me, but I’m really not that bothered this time round. Almost like moving the twenty minute rule from my film watching into the song contest arena as well. I can’t quite believe it’s been two years since Sam Ryder, and I pretty much just want to relive that year over and over instead.

I remember when this came out and swept the nation, and I specifically remember a couple of work colleagues discussing it - one loved it, one hated it. I should have been intrigued then but never quite got round to reading it until now. It’s an intriguing one, I think overall I liked it but I wouldn’t say it grabbed me as much as others who rave about it. I did quite like experiencing this character slowly opening up to the world and realising how society works, making friends and realising that she isn’t invisible, but something felt a tiny bit off with how the tragedy in the past was revealed. Worth a read though.

I binge watched the recent TV adaptation of this story, and it was fascinating, and I realised I owned the book already so quickly read through the source material as well. It’s good, obviously completely distressing from the moment Lali is torn from his family, but it’s an interesting story and amazing that they managed to find each other again. You have to read this with the right perspective - it’s a story told by an author who picked at the memories of one person who lived through it. Many other stories to be told out there, and other sides to other stories. But hard to argue with how eye-opening this is.

Babylon Zoo popped up on our Top of the Pops 90s rewatch, as Spaceman hit the airwaves and started its journey towards number 1. I figured they’re something of a one hit wonder, but was also curious what a full album would sound like. It was okay, but probably not something I would want to listen to particularly often. A lot of tracks have that stop start feeling, just like Spaceman, where there are multiple songs tacked together. So I’ll just stick with the single and move along.

I didn’t go into this album with expectations which probably served it well, but I was really pleasantly surprised by the outcome! It was a super fun, short and sweet, boppy pop album that entertains from start to finish. I don’t suppose it’s moving on much for Dua Lipa, but good strong pop is what she does and she does it well, so no complaints from me!

A slightly predictable but lovable all the same story about an odd partnership coming together to save a stricken lido from closure. The older lady with a long history and association with the pool, alongside the jaded and lonely younger woman who starts to open up as she ventures into the community. A cast of characters (including a fox!) prop up the story by adding their own stories to the mix as well. Quick to read, and a lovely ending to give you a warm glow.

I wasn’t so bothered about the first book that I was rushing to read the second but the audiobook became available and it’s read by the wonderful Lesley Manville, so I figured it was worth another go. Actually, I did like this book more than the first. Even though there were lots of twists and turns, it felt a bit more coherent and connected. As we know the characters already, it was more comfortable to get straight to the action rather than having to get to know them fresh, and it kept my interest right to the end. I probably will go for the third book now, too.

Yay, another novelisation and this time for the best film there is. Unfortunately, I stumbled across a pdf version of this book rather than any official physical or digital copy, but I couldn’t resist reading it - and even though the scan wasn’t great, it was SO worth it. Love this story, love the characters, love the extra little insights and slight deviations in the book, it’s all just more of the same brilliance.

It’s hard to review this book because it’s beautiful but of course, completely brutal. Rob writes with such honesty and humour and compassion and rage and everything you can imagine… although obviously you just can’t imagine it. An absolute must read.

I thought this BBC post about the future of the album was interesting, considering that I spend more time than I’d like trying to decide what counts as an album for my music listening project. The article is pondering the past and future of the album, given how much focus there has been on singles of late, with Taylor Swift leading the charge in a celebration of all things long play.

I’ve seen this before and love it, it has all elements that appeal to me: a crime drama, a mystery to be solved, and Sandra Bullock being amazing as always. It’s not so much a whodunit, because you know whodunit, but it’s a how and will they get away with it kind of story. I had forgotten or not realised that Ryan Gosling is in this, he’s in so many more films than I realised! But yea, dark crime movie that’s a must watch.

I’ve forged ahead and watched a lot of Trying episodes in an effort to finish my rewatch before the fourth season begins. I really can’t express how much I love this show, and how much I relate to Nikki. The only way is by continuing to share the best quotes.

The track Shining featured in a recent movie we watched (Win a Date with Tad Hamilton) and although the film was pretty terrible, I was reminded how much I loved this song and Story of My Life at the time. Kicking off this album with those two songs is a strong start and of course the rest of the album struggles to live up to its own hype but it’s all very serviceable pop, even the inoffensive cover of Fast Car. Ultimately a two-hit wonder, but perfectly easy to listen to the whole thing.

I have found recent Pet Shop Boys albums to be hit or miss so I was a bit nervous going into this one. The first listen through, I thought it was okay, but perhaps nothing to write home about. On the second listen, it started to grow on me a bit more and I quite enjoyed it. I still think there’s nothing outstanding on there but it’s very listenable, so no major complaints in the end.

The third novelisation of the original trilogy and another new writer in the series. I liked this one just as much as the second, maybe slightly more, but I have to admit the alien languages being written out was a bit annoying. We know Artoo boops and beeps but we don’t need to read whole sentences of it, do we? What’s the point? But outside of that, it was interesting to dip into the motivations of other characters - hearing about what Vader was thinking about as he was dying, and things like that. A good read!

I’ve seen this play twice, accidentally the second time as I’d forgotten I’d already seen it until the first scene seemed so familiar. But both times were great, what a classic. It’s interesting to read a play, the way it flows is so different to seeing it unfold on stage. The directions are less interesting, the focus is really solely on the dialogue, and although aging at this point, it’s still a brilliant mystery and whodunit. Keep the secrets, though!

I was given a physical copy of this book and boy was it a big book, so heavy that my hands (more used to ebooks at this point) were aching sometimes during a longer reading session. But it’s worth it. The book covers various interlinked characters across the world - their hopes, dreams, romances and losses - during significant events such as the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, the assassination of JFK and his brother, as well as race riots, communism, and much more. As you’d expect with Follett, it’s supremely well written, absolutely gripping despite it’s length and fully engaging from start to finish.

The second book in the series about Lizzie Vogel is just as good as the first. Slightly older now, our intrepid heroine gets a part time (although tends to take up a significant amount of her time) job at an old people’s home, and the book is filled with stories about the characters within, both residents and staff. There are inklings of romance as well, and the continuing adventures of having a difficult family to deal with. Loved it and can’t wait to read the next one.

This movie got off to such a slow start, we had to extend the 20 minute rule because I was curious to know what happened even though it was dragging the premise out. And then at about 40 minutes, I was enraged because there’s such an obvious solution - the guy is a lawyer, so man up, apologise and offer to help him out with his legal issues for free. Problem solved. But no, this is men just being terrible humans to each other. It did get better and a bit more entertaining, although still totally unbelievable, by the end, and raised some interesting questions around morality, but I think it could do better.

It is mad to think this was the first animated movie of its kind, the legacy that it kicked off, and just how long ago it was. It’s not the most exciting movie of all time, and the songs get a bit high pitched and gooey by the end. Plus, of course, the evil Queen’s strategy makes no sense. But for its time and what it is, it’s a really good effort!

I’ve noticed this series of TV films in passing occasionally, and thought they were probably worth a look - featuring lots of well known faces, and helmed by the lovely Sian Gibson from Peter Kay’s Car Share. But I tried this one, the first in the series, and it just didn’t grab me at all - very few laughs, a slow pace, and a weird idea that they would just ignore a murder and carry on.

I don’t know why I wanted to watch this one, as the previous animated Addams Family did nothing for me. But I am drawn to these kooky characters and wanted to see what they were up to. This is a weird film, the other one never felt like it needed a sequel and all this one does is stretch the limits of the characters, making them do things they would never ordinarily do. It’s okay, but not worth seeking out.

I must have owned this album on CD because I remembered a lot of the tracks that weren’t singles, along with the ones that were, obviously. I quite like it, there’s a great mix of stuff on there but on the flip side they do take a bit far in terms of it being slightly rambling and incoherent. But you can’t argue with Where is the Love? that continues to be relevant to this day.

Oh no, this was a slog. It was hard to know what to expect from this album because Taylor is in a more mellow era of her music but equally, this is a heartbreak album so there could be all sorts in there. Unfortunately, it was so mellow it was dull. It was really hard work to get through it twice. And worse, it feels like there could have been a couple of ragers in there, Reputation-style, but they’ve been dampened to the point of snoozing. I can’t wait for Taylor’s next evolution.

Another Paddington book that I really enjoyed, although slightly out of season with a focus on stories around Christmas. Singing carols but getting swept up into a waiter position at a posh party is just so Paddington, isn’t it? And honestly, who would trust this well-meaning but accident-prone bear with an important role at a wedding? A very fun book.

There’s not a huge amount to say about this film, it’s a mediocre rom-com at best, some cute ideas and I did like the foreshadowing of the ending that I absolutely should have seen coming. It doesn’t do so well that Topher Grace’s character is sometimes a bit creepy, and Josh Duhamel’s character isn’t enough of a bad boy to make the choice obvious and easy. But mostly and good watch and of course Kathryn Hahn steals the show at every opportunity.

I think this is probably a really good film. It’s got that dry humour that Carrie Fisher is famous for and Meryl Streep was doing a good job of that slightly unhinged but determined main character. I just couldn’t cope with it, it felt too close to real life and I sort of don’t want to know that about Carrie. I just want to remember her fondly. So probably more a reflection of me than the movie but unfinished.

I wanted to wipe my mind of the Blair Witch and you can’t find anything more different than a Disney princess doing what she does best. This is fun, great songs, and some enchanting (pun intended) characters. You love to hate Gaston, the clock and the candlestick are clearly a brilliant couple, and the beast learns some valuable lessons along the way. I do hope Belle gets to spend as much time as possible in that epic library!