The thing about Baldacci thrillers is they are just so readable. You are thrown straight into the action and it doesn’t let up until the mission is complete. I loved this one, putting Robie and Reel under pressure in a variety of different ways and circumstances, revisiting the wonderful Julie from the previous books and of course a bigger plot that has to be resolved. It’s interesting to see these two solo action heroes having to work together and start to rely on each other, and start to think about their future in the business. Good times and on to the next!

I loved this so much. Poor Emma! I listened to the author reading the audiobook, and she does so with such warm and humour, with great accents and a natural ability to be funny even in the worst of circumstances. I genuinely do not understand how this family could have kept attempting to go on holiday. Once is a bad trip, twice a coincidence perhaps but once you get to the fifth or sixth time, you’re really just asking for trouble.

If you’ve read any of my Film Watch posts for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you’ll have noticed a trend towards the end of the first three phases that goes something like: ‘I think this is a good film but I’ve totally lost the plot and don’t know what’s going on. I’ll have to go back and rewatch the movies and do some homework.’ Well, with the bonus of ever-extending lockdowns, I’ve actually managed to do it! I set about rewatching the Marvel movies all the way from Iron Man through the latest Spider-Man, and not just watching with my eyes but making notes at the same time. At first the notes were supposed to just be people and places, to try and keep track of who exists, the crossovers and the locations. It ended up a bit more extensive than that, but oof, it’s helpful.

I sort of thought this was going to be more rocky than it was, more powerful, a little bit more terrifying. Actually, it’s gorgeous gentle rock, unlike anything else. Bolan of course has that unique voice, and layered over the rest of the tracks, it makes for a really nice listen, and one I could listen to over and over.

A good album, really sits within Garbage’s trademark sound, although also there’s a clear lead with Shirley not so happy with the male form of the species. The first two lines of the entire album are ’the men who rule the world have made a fucking mess’. She’s not wrong but she’s also not pulling any punches. Good album though, helpful to get a bit of rage out without going full on punk rock.

This is a nice, sensible approach to getting some sense of organisation and control in your home, taking the good advice from other areas and making it functional. The no-nonsense attitude is also gentle, calm and confident, making you feel like it’s okay, you’re on a journey and everything is achievable if you just keep going - a little bit at a time. I’ll be honest, by the time I’d finished reading, I didn’t think my home was actually too bad, although there are some areas that could use this attention. Definitely worth a read and a subsequent application.

It turns out there is a film for pretty much any occasion. I don’t know this would have been high up on any of our lists, and it’s not exactly the best film in the world, but it was perfect for what we needed after a day of quite challenging manual labour. When you’re exhausted, what you may need is some mindless comedy. Step up, the spoof movie! Taking on Top Gun, this is a relatively good spoof - it’s got its funny moments and also less good moments but overall it works. It’s short, it’s stupid, it did the job!

In terms of the story, this is one that really aligns so closely with the film you can almost picture every scene, and it’s such a good adventure. I also thought Bond’s decision to marry was so interesting, this is probably one of the least fleshed out women of the series and this is who he chooses to attach himself too, I think it says a lot more about Bond at this time in his life. But that brutal ending was just as harrowing to get through as it was in the film. Great book.

This probably wasn’t my favourite Jacqueline Wilson’s books, but I’m conflicted by that. Wilson says she wrote the book after seeing a review from a politician who disliked a previous book where the kids in the family had different fathers. As if that matters? So I totally agree with Wilson’s reaction to write a book in which five kids have different fathers - none of that detracts from their family and actually adds quite a lot of interest and friendly rivalry.

It was brilliant from that point of view. Two incredible actors doing a stand up job, bouncing off each other, never being dissuaded from their main cause despite lots of difficulties. A great surrounding cast of characters too, and of course, always in the back of the mind, that this is true, that it is so high stakes, and just so interesting.

We wouldn’t normally watch two films with the same actor in as it can be confusing, but of course, dear Molly plays the same character in pretty much all these movies. And we were hoping to be able to complete the Sixteen Candles/Fight Club double bill that is all the rage these days.

I can’t remember why this album popped up on my radar, probably heard them on a soundtrack somewhere, but it’s some good pop-rock guitar music to bop along to. Only a couple of the songs stand out, and I later learned Hey There Delilah was just plunked on the end, even though it’s clearly the best song on the album. Not going to change the world, but a good album to listen to if you want a quick pick-me-up.

This is a really good album, Rag’n’Bone Man delivers yet again. His voice never fails to surprise and move me and there are some really good songs on here. And yet… I have to admit to being disappointed that there wasn’t a standout anthem - we know he’s good at that with Humans and Giant, but here it’s a more gentle collection of songs.

If I’m honest, I don’t totally get what all the fuss is about. It wasn’t that good a film, none of the characters were that likeable? I mean, Duckie is fun but then also kinda creepy. The only good one in it was Iona, the friend.

This one’s been on our list for a while - you can’t really go wrong with Brad Pitt and space travel, can you? It was different to what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it. It’s not an all-out action sci-fi movie, it’s a more introspective drama, focusing on the relationships of a family, the effect of space travel and adventure on mental health and ultimately, sacrifice.

So brutal, and even more so than usual because as a book written for children, it uses simple language that just hits home the hardship and horrors of war. But underneath that there’s a wonderful heart-warming story about family and honour, about doing your best at all times, and about doing what’s right even if it’s not what everyone else agrees with. Sad, sorrowful but so important.

This book features such a detailed journey of a woman’s journey to find herself after a significant period of grief, as well as some unknown family history that travels across the continent. I quite liked going on the journey with Sandy, although it felt like there were lots of moments that were detailed as though they were going to turn into something, and then they didn’t. Maybe like real life?

This is the last album I really listened to as a proper, hardcore Backstreet Boys fan. After this, they drifted, I drifted, it all changed. So I don’t know it as intimately as I do the first four but it was still nicely familiar to me. I like the quirky songs too, My Beautiful Woman is great and quite different to the rest of the songs on there. Great voices, great chemistry, a good album that I should listen to more!

A good, solid, rock album, but not really one that I’m going to remember. It’s always interesting when there’s such a huge gap between albums - not that I’ve done much of the House’s back catalogue. But 11 years between albums, what will they come up with next? Like I say, it was good, I enjoyed listening to it, but it won’t make any of my top ten lists.

I really enjoyed this book, more than the previous Palin outings, although they all stand up in their own right. There’s something about this one though, perhaps because there was no specific time pressure or stress in the normal way. I love the concept, it’s a great idea and not only visits a lot of countries that are usually missed off the travel agenda, but also shows some great variety in wealth and development. Also, at this point in Palin’s travel career, he’s returning to places he’s already been and seeing how they’ve changed which is also fascinating to learn about.

It’s worth saying that this movie was just what we needed after a long day, so it was well received, but that doesn’t mean it was actually a good film. There’s a great cast, and some great chemistry, but ultimately it was quite predictable and very slushy in places. I did like some of the quirks, the period mix and the carrots, and the burgeoning relationship of Patrice and Eli was adorable. But overall it was just medium good.

Mixed feelings on this one. If I’m honest, I almost gave up after the first couple of chapters but I stuck with it and I guess I’m glad I did. It’s so lovely to read, lyrical, poetry almost, a glorious glimpse of letter-writing between enemies turned friends turned lovers. But I can’t say I really followed what was going on, what the story was, where they ended up, it sort of went over my head. It was a pleasure to actually read, but I don’t know if I got anything out of it.

When I listened to this album, it was instantly familiar to me, I knew it far better than I thought I did… and I love it! From start to finish, it’s raging and raw, powerful and moving, and a whole assault on the senses. In The End is a proper classic song, but there are plenty more on there that live up to it. It obviously means more now that Chester is no longer with us, too.

I love Texas and this album lived up to all my expectations. Sharleen’s incredible voice layered over some great pop-rock songs. I don’t know if any of it stood out as exceptional to me, but as a whole it’s a really good album. I don’t totally understand why the single Hi is on their twice, I feel like the band should have picked which version they liked best and gone with that, but you can’t argue with a bit of bonus Wu Tang Clan.

I honestly can’t believe I’ve never seen this before - it’s such a part of pop culture history, and it’s about music and dancing, and it’s brilliant! The concept of banning dancing and music is bizarre to me but that doesn’t take away from the greatness of a group of kids rebelling against the system so they can live their best lives. And the soundtrack is epic!

Any movie that involves a time loop situation is going to be compared to Groundhog Day, it just is. Thankfully, this one doesn’t fare too badly! The logic of the problem is mostly sensible, although there were a few strands left dangling. Samberg and Milioti bounce off each other really well, and I liked how differently they approached the situation. Nyles was totally worn down by it all, Sarah uses the time to learn everything she possibly can about how to get out.

This is a fun tie-in to Mythic Quest - their second season standalone episode tells how Longbottom made his mark on the science fiction world and this is the book that did it. I listened to the audiobook, about 40 minutes long, in which Longbottom reads his story with added asides, and there are introductions and interruptions by Mythic Quest founder Ian. It’s not a good story, at heart, clearly, but what I really liked was the quickly dampening enthusiasm of Ian - starting out so keen to hear the draft, then gradually realising it’s not quite what he thought it was. Good stuff.

I’ve really enjoyed reading these How to guides from Merky Books, and seeing how they follow the same initial structure but then vary depending on the subject matter. Unfortunately, I think this was the weakest one for me - it had some good thoughts about taking care of yourself and how important it is to look after your wellbeing, but I wasn’t sure about all of the practical advice. I wasn’t sure about the scientific backing behind all the therapies suggested and recommended, so I think you’d have to take this book as a first port of call and then do some significant further research. But it’s always good to have a place to start!

I had no idea about this crash before picking up this book, but what an extraordinary and tragic event to have lived through! Strouch waited a long time to tell his story but does so with great sensitivity, honesty and reflection. The events unfold sort of chronologically, but more dipping into various areas of the event - spirituality, survival, hope, despair, telling what happened via emotions rather than via a timeline. It’s an eye-opening and incredible read.

I felt like I was walking a tightrope reading this book. Joe Lycett is a great comedian, and I love his approach to life, but there are times when this wobbled a bit for me. I’m not big on pranks, and so had to feel like the recipient of these messages and emails really deserved it… the spam festival one was great, whereas the woman just trying to keep pets out of her workplace didn’t seem so funny. But that’s my problem, not Joe’s, and I really like the way the book is laid out, the way it’s written, and the general feeling of positivity it gives you - you don’t just have to take things lying down, Lycett’s got your back!

It’s a bizarre concept, you do have to wonder what Ann had been drinking when she came up with this idea - although you can guarantee I’m going to go on and read the book now! It’s definitely an odd idea to hinge a friendship story on but if you can overlook that, it really is a nice coming-of-age tale of four friends learning to deal with the hand that life has dealt with. They’ve each got their own things to learn and they vary in degree of seriousness but are all handled sensitively and with equal weight.

I only first became aware of Richard Marx through the age-old debate over Hazard, but gradually I’ve really come to like his various works. A more recent Christmas song worked its way into my heart, and I’ve listened to a previous album that went down quite well. This one, with the aforementioned controversial song, also was far better than I’d expected! You have to go into it expecting some dated music, in fact it sounds very 80s despite being released in the early 90s, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As long as you like solid 80s pop, you’ll like this.

And regardless, with this album she’s absolutely earned her spot at the top of current pop royalty - it’s brilliant. A bit Taylor Swift, a bit Lennon Stella, but with her own stamp firmly on it. Kicking off with some grungy pop, before leading into the soul-searching pop that seems incongruous from a 17-year-old but somehow works perfectly. I loved it.

The reviews for this movie had suggested it wasn’t going to be any good, but I actually really enjoyed it. It’s very derivative with barely an original idea in there, but it told a good story and I liked following the twists and turns. I’ve seen 101 Dalmations before but remember very little about it because it wasn’t good. I don’t know a lot about Cruella, but I don’t understand how this slightly twisted but not horrific character turns into one that murders puppies - she had the chance here and opted not to… so goodness knows what happens later.

I’ve read a few medical memoirs, and they tend to follow a similar pattern - heart-warming stories offset by the frustrations of a sprawling mess of a national health service. This has that at its core but I think focuses more on the problems than the patients, although apologetically so. Edwards admits it himself that as he’s keeping this as something of a diary, it tends to be the bad days that draw more attention, the rants he needs to release, that hit the page. But there are some upsides to the down, some days that keep the spirits up, so that overall it’s a good and enlightening read.

What a weird entry in the Bond back catalogue? It’s like those Sherlock stories where the eponymous hero doesn’t come in until right at the last minute and there’s all this bizarre backstory that you have to fight to care about beforehand. This is similar, in that we hear all about Vivienne’s life history and it’s not until the last minute that Bond appears. Also, it’s not like a big conspiracy that the agent needs to resolve, it’s just a situation that he stumbles across and barely makes it out of alive. It’s just odd from start to finish!

Having watched the film on Netflix, I was interested in how the book would stack up. It’s very similar, just a few tweaks in the film to give it that extra edge. But I loved the book, it’s equisitely written, super simple, laying out the facts, following these few characters as they go about their business and change our understanding of history. It’s just wonderful, I was always disappointed when I had to put it down.

This was a pretty good film overall, very blockbuster-ish, tense and moving but actually quite gentle considering some of the more brutal war films that have been released since. I spent the first half of the film being agog at how many famous names and faces were in the cast, and then the second half thinking - we can’t have gone through all this and then find they don’t make it back, can we? But having just watched The Perfect Storm, I wasn’t convinced! Thankfully it was an okay ending, which made for a perfectly enjoyable watch.

To celebrate their 100th anniversary (there’s a lot of great history there that’s probably for another time), Kotex have launched a global She Can Initiative to support and promote menstrual cycle hygiene and education - getting rid of that never-ending stigma about the cycle that half the population live with for a good portion of their lives. As part of the intiative, they’ve launched a series of videos with inventor Simone Giertz to help visualise various areas of the menstrual cycle by the art of machine.

Overall a pretty good film, I thought. Gibson and Downey Jr made a good duo, the situation was pretty rubbish but the bad guys seemed to get their comeuppance, and there were plane crashes that weren’t too hard to look at. Top notch. The big downside to this movie is that it was supposed to be set in the 70s-ish, but it looked so firmly late 80s, like they didn’t even bother with historical accuracy. Not the end of the world though, a good way to pass a couple of hours.

Mr C was quite shocked that I hadn’t listened to any Clash so far in this album journey, so we rectified that quite quickly. I was a bit nervous going into it because these are the absolute pinnacle of punk, what if I didn’t like it? Not to worry, I did. The only downside to it is that the songs are all pretty similar, you jump on board the Clash vibe and that sustains you to the end.

Hmm, I just wasn’t bothered about this one. I remember enjoying the previous St. Vincent album I listened to and it being something of a surprise so I was looking forward to this but it just didn’t speak to me at all. To be honest, I can’t remember anything about it and I’m only a couple of days from having heard it.

I am completely in love with the show For All Mankind. The sheer audacity of the whole thing is wonderful. It’s out there but also somehow grounded in reality. If you’ve not seen it, or read my thoughts on Series 1, the premise is an alternative history where Russia landed on the moon before the US, and everything that follows from that. I read a review of the show that explained how anything that tries to exploit the butterfly effect - small things creating exponential changes - is bound to start slow but gradually pick up speed. That describes the first season perfectly. It took me two attempts to get going with it, but once I did, I adored it.

Syal writes with such intimate depth and expression that you get a wonderful and vivid picture of life as a youngster in the Midlands at that time. It’s a difficult book, touching upon the difficult subject of immigration which is layered on top of the already troublesome time of growing up. It feels like Meena is too young for some of the things she goes through, but life comes at you fast, and it’s a great, moving, alarming and comforting story about family, friends and everything in between.

This is a great entry in the Merky Books How To strand, very practical with a lot of good insight and tips into what a brand is, what different elements can be focused on, and how you should go about building the brand you want. Good stuff. However, I did find it quite difficult to read because having two authors meant they were both talking about themselves and/or each other in the third person, which made for a really weird dynamic. Good content but an odd style for me.

It’s just brutal. Such a good movie but so heart-wrenching, so tense, so ultimately sad. All these people risking their lives for what? From start to finish this movie is brilliant though, at first delving deep into the lives of these fishermen - the distubances of having to come and go and the struggles of those left behind. Then the boats take to the sea, the storm descends, and it’s a very visceral experience from there. It’s the kind of film that leaves you flat and depressed, but worth the ride.

I’m sure I’ve seen this before, it all felt quite familiar, but I didn’t remember any specifics of what was going to happen. It’s a good, solid John Hughes movie - a family thrown together in awkward circumstances, rubbing up against each other in all the wrong ways but learning to love each other by the end. Exactly what you’d expect.

Yay for the lovely manufactured pop sounds of the 1990s. There’s nothing particularly special about S Club 7 in the 90s pop universe, but they do have some good and memorable songs. I was a bit surprised that there were a couple of more Spanish-influenced numbers on there, and I liked it when it stumbled on to a track clearly letting the boys taking centre stage for a change. Overall just a nice, feel-good, pop album.

I really loved this! I don’t think I know this band, but I wish I did because that Ska beat is so uplifting. It’s almost impossible to listen to this without bopping along, tapping your feet, etc, etc. The only downside is a lot of the songs sound the same, looking at that track-listing I honestly couldn’t pick out which song was which now, but I loved it while I was listening. Definitely one to revisit in the future.