My Top 3s of 2018 | Books, Podcasts, Bloggers, Fashion, Beauty & More!
2018 has been a weird one. I’m honestly not sure whether I enjoyed it or not. But what I do know is that I have enjoyed so many things. Reading things, listening to things, wearing things, watching things, seeing things. I’ve consumed so much stuff that I have truly enjoyed and so I thought I would share it in one big post. I’m going to try and restrict myself to a sentence or two on each thing to avoid this being the longest post on my blog, but I love every single thing I’m recommending it so excuse me if I do ramble a little.
I hope you enjoy this blog post and I hope you go and consume all of the things I’m recommending during 2019 because they are SO worth your time.
Books
Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (This book is equal-parts gripping and moving. I recommend it to everyone I know. In fact, on Friday I recommended it to 3 people in one day and bought it as a gift. Please read this book!)
Normal People by Sally Rooney (Another extremely gripping and moving novel. It’s beautifully written and easy to read- what more can you ask for?)
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton (I actually listened to this book on audible but it still counts doesn’t it? I love Dolly and everything she creates and this book is no exception.)
Blogs
Shot From The Street (So much creative content. I especially love Lizzy’s use of 35mm film photography.)
The Anna Edit (Anna uploads blog posts so frequently and all of her content is useful and interesting. I honestly don’t know how she keeps coming up with ideas.)
Ropes of Holland (I don’t read Lindsey’s blog as much as the other two I’ve mentioned, but Lindsey has created some amazing content this year, including her post on heartbreak.)
Instagram Accounts
@lucywilliams02 (Lucy’s Instagram will probably always be my favourite. Her wardrobe is to die for, as is her travelling schedule and she documents these things in a really authentic but beautiful way.)
@livpurvis (Liv’s feed is also beautiful, providing me with lots of fashion and travel inspo. But I also love her stories! She’s always chatting away on them and, just like her podcast, they make me feel like I’m talking to a friend.)
@alicecatherine (Alice uploads so much high quality, beautiful style inspiration. I love everything she uploads and I would kill for her vintage collection.)
Podcasts
The High Low (As I have mentioned, I love Dolly Alderton and I probably love and admire Pandora Sykes even more- my boyfriend often pulls me up on how much I mention her. This podcast is reliably insightful and interesting and it keeps me informed as much as it makes me laugh.)
The Fringe Of It (Listening to this podcast comprising Charlotte, of Betty Magazine, and Liv Purvis, of what Olivia Did, feels like a catch up with your best friends. It’s so easy to listen to and always brightens my day, plus the subject matter is usually really interesting.)
Nobody Panic (I would actually go as far to say that Stevie and Tessa, the hosts of this podcasts, have got me through some difficult times. This podcast never fails to make me laugh out loud and reassure me that I’m not failing at life as badly as I sometimes think I am!)
Youtubers
Sunbeamsjess (Jess is forever my favourite YouTuber because the content she creates is based around fashion and books, which are my two favourite things. I can always count on her vlogs, especially her Uni based ones, to cheer me up and she generally just always makes amazing content.)
Samantha Maria (Sammi is another Youtuber whose videos I always watch. I love her vlogs as much as her styling videos and she’s another one who I’ve followed for years so will always feel a little bit of a connection to.)
Emma Hill (I’ve discovered Emma’s YouTube channel, unlike the others, this year and since then, have watched pretty much all of her videos. Her content is so consistent- uploading 3 times a week- and her fashion and styling videos are always genuinely informative.)
Fashion/Styling Pieces
Charles & Keith Ankle Boots (This pair of boots only came into my life in the last month of 2018 but they’re still my number one item because I have found a pair of vegan leather boots that actually feel and look like real leather and don’t rub my feet. Plus they look amazing and are probably now the comfiest shows I own.)
THAT Topshop Satin Midi Skirt (This skirt has actually made me enjoy autumn/winter styling so much more. I have it in the red and the brown which are sadly sold out but there are lots of other colours available.)
ASOS Satchel Bag (This one is a little bit random. But my croc burgundy satchel bag from ASOS has been such a good styling tool for me during the last couple of summer months and during autumn/winter. I love it and it was a bargain.)
Beauty/Skincare
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser (I love this cleanser so much. It has not improved my skin by any great leaps and bounds but I love how it feels and smells and it’s the perfect non-offensive, easy cleanser for my morning routine. I’m on at least my third bottle and have a backup bottle waiting to go.)
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid (This is another one that I have backups for but, unlike the cleanser, this seriously has transformed my skin. A drop of this on any spots overnight reduces their appearance by at least 80% by the next morning and since putting it all over my face every night, any acne has been reduced so much.)
Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette (I have loved wearing eyeshadow this year and this has been my go-to palette for everyday and more formal occasions. My favourite shades are Bellini, Puree and Luscious.)
Films
Call Me By Your Name (This film is everything I could ask for. It’s a little bit pretentious but in all the best ways and it never fails to make me feel emotional and inspired.)
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (I couldn’t include a post on 2018 without this film because I just adored it. It’s jam-packed with ABBA songs and without a doubt makes me feel good every time I watch it.)
Ladybird (I’ve watched this film upwards of 5 times this year- for someone who doesn't usually like watching a film more than once, this is A LOT. It’s relatable, hilarious and as easy to watch as much as it is thought-provoking. Plus it has Saoirse Ronan AND Timothee Chalamet starring in it, both of whom I love.)
Music
Rex Orange County (The music of Rex Orange County has soundtracked my year- as my Spotify Wrapped will tell you- and I could never get bored of his wonderful voice and lyrics. From the feel good songs to the ones that make me cry, I love them all.)
Mahalia (Spotify Wrapped will also assure you of my love for Mahalia. Her music always makes me feel like I can take on the world and I can’t wait to hear more from her in 2019.)
Jorja Smith (I’m late to the bandwagon with this one but I’ve fallen in love with Jorja Smith’s lyrics as much as I have with her voice this year.)
I could go on with more and more categories but I’ll stick with these for now. It was so difficult to limit each category to my top 3 but I can assure you that these really are the best of the best. Please do go out and consume some of this stuff, whatever it is you enjoy, because I can’t recommend all of it enough and I know I’ll be enjoying it all in 2019 just as much as I have in 2018.
I’d love to hear about your favourite stuff of 2018! Let me know in the comments or on social media, or link me to your posts/videos discussing your favourite things of 2018 as I’d love to read/watch them.
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The Books on My Christmas List | 4th Day of Christmas
Today’s post is a relatively short one for some easy Sunday reading; I’m going to be taking you through the books on my Christmas List. As I feel like I’ve mentioned 1000 times already in my 12 Days of Christmas posts, I love receiving and giving books for Christmas. I always spend a fair amount of time thinking about the books I’m going to ask for for Christmas to last me for the following year and this is the list I’ve compiled this year (in no particular order, as Dermot O’Leary would say)…
Heartburn by Nora Ephron (as frequently recommended by Dolly Alderton)
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes (one of my favourite authors)
Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes (I told you he’s one of my favourites)
The Only Story by Julian Barnes (promise I’m not just doing this to prove a point)
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin (I’ve read a couple of books by Nigerian female authors this year that I have loved and I’ve heard great things about this one too)
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (one of said Nigerian authors who I’ve been loving this year)
Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Life by Katherine Ormerod (social media has become a huge part of my life with the launch of my blog this year so I think this is a book I should definitely read)
Refinery 29 Money Diaries: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Your Finances… And Everyone Else’s (I love the Refinery29 Money Diaries series and I also need help with managing my money so this book sounds good for me)
Milkman by Anna Burns (this won this years Man Booker Prize so I’m very interested to read it)
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (I loved Normal People so I’m DYING to read this)
What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons (honestly can’t remember how this one made it’s way on to my reading list- I think I just like/d the sound of the plot)
Weaverbird (this is a collection of short stories, one of which is by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ who wrote my favourite book of the year Stay With Me so I want this book as part of my quest to read everything she’s ever written)
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (another one that I don’t really know where it came from…I’ve heard lots about it and the plot looks interesting so, there you go!)
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short but sweet post compiling all the books on my Christmas List. Just a heads up, I’m not expecting to receive ALL of these! I’ve written them down for myself so if people ask me what I want from I can give them this list and they can pick one that they like the sound of too. Any that I don’t receive I might treat myself to after Christmas or just transfer them to my Birthday Books list (my birthday is in January so there won’t be too long to wait)!
I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these books or if you like the sound of any of them! Or, even more excitingly, let me know in the comments the books you’ve put on your list to Father Christmas this year.
The Best Holiday Reads
The Best Holiday Reads
I'm back with a bit of a different post today, although it is the type of post that I was planning on writing a lot about on my blog, a post about books. As I've just been on holiday (did I mention that I went to Corfu?) and it's summer holiday season, I thought I would create a post with my holiday reading recommendations. I don't know about you, but when I go on a beach/pool holiday, I spend 80% of my time during the day reading (the other 20% is spent eating and sleeping) and so I'm always prepared with lots of books. I find it a little bit scary taking books on holiday because I'm always worried that I won't like a book but will have to carry on reading it or, even worse, won't have anything to read at all. If you feel the same way, this post might be useful in providing you some trustworthy recommendations so you're not left in this position. My recommendations are split up into three sections, each with some books that I've already read. I hope you find this post helpful and be sure to let me know if you'd like to hear more about my opinion on any of the books or, if you live near me, if you'd like to borrow one of the books from me! Here are my categories...
1. The Page-Turner
This category is probably the one that most people's holiday book of choice falls into. Page-turners are easy-going, addictive and offer some serious escapism, which is perfect for a relaxing holiday where you're going to be spending a lot of time reading. I always bring book like this on holiday with me because I tend to read more 'serious' and 'literary' books throughout the year. I'm very aware that this sounds snobby but I can assure you it's not at all. I HATE book snobbery and people who refuse to consider any book as worthy if it hasn't been nominated for a Man Booker or was published post-20th century because I think, not only is this attitude offensive to those who read these books and, in many ways, inherently classist, but there's nothing wrong with reading a book purely for entertainment purposes and nothing else. Plus, these books are often interesting analytically and contextually because of their genre. Anyway, that was quite a tangent. But yes, I always read a book like this on holiday because I do tend to reach for more literary books throughout the year because they're usually the ones that have been on my reading list for the longest and I'm really eager to read and because my reading time is limited during the year, I really have to narrow down my choices. Anyway, here are some of my favourite page-turners to devour on holiday this year:
My Number One Choice- The Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson
This series is better known as the one that starts with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. This trilogy is often hailed as the biggest page-turner and if you read it, you'll find out why. I won't even try and explain the plot because it's beyond complicated but they are crime novels and they are so gripping. They're also pretty long so are perfect for your holiday as they will take you a while to get through if you're just reading a chapter every night. I'm currently half way through the last novel and am thoroughly enjoying it as a form of escapism (along with my other favourite escapist activity, Love Island). A fourth book has recently been added to the series written by a different author, as Larsson died before the books were published. I don't really know how I feel about that and whether I read it or not will depend on how much of a cliff-hanger the ending of the third novel is.
Other Page-Turners I Like (Perhaps More Literary Than I Previously Mentioned)-
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
1984 by George Orwell
2. The Classic Novel That You've Never Got Round To Reading
As mentioned, a holiday is a time where lots of reading can be done quickly. So it makes sense to read that book that you've always wanted to read but have been putting off due to something like it's length. You might think that a classic book is a little bit of a heavy choice for a relaxing holiday but I can guarantee that you'll enjoy it a lot more if you read it all in one go, rather than over a month or so at home, so a holiday is the perfect chance to do so.
My Number One Choice- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I'm choosing this purely because it's my favourite classic book and I've read it on holiday a few times before. There are many more chunkier books that perhaps might be a better choice for your holiday but this one is short and sweet and will certainly allow for other holiday reads if the thought of taking just one classic on holiday scares you.
Other Classic Novels I Like:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Animal Farm by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Lolita by Vladamir Nabokov
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
3. The Non-Fiction Book That Makes You Think
Once again, this sounds a bit heavy for a holiday. But these are the types of books that need to be gobbled up in one go in order for them to have their full effect. Putting them down and coming back to them just won't make you think as much as reading them in the space of a few days will. Plus, reading a book like this might be something you've been putting off so this is a good time to pack it in your suitcase, leaving you with no other choice than to read it.
My Number One Choice- Sapiens by Yual Noah Harari
I read this book on holiday last year and it's honestly so brilliant. It's a reflection on the history of the entire world. Educational and thoughtful, it is the ultimate book to make you think. If you read this on holiday, you will come back home feeling differently about the world and knowing more about it than you did before. I'm looking forward to reading the second instalment to this book on holiday this year!
Other Non-Fiction Books To Make You Think:
The Anxiety Solution by Chloe Brotheridge
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Women & Power by Mary Beard
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
A Room Of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Revolution by Russell Brand
I hope you've found some reading inspiration for any upcoming holidays in this post! All of the books I've mentioned I have read and can thoroughly recommend but do do some extra research on any of the ones that I haven't explained if they sound like they interest you. Happy holidays and happy reading!