Book Review Time!

I have chosen to do my first book review (which I'm hoping to make into a series) on the newest Jackie Collins book.

'Poor Little Bitch Girl' by Jackie Collins

While on my recent holiday in Wales, cut off from the outside world, I was able to read the latest Jackie Collins book in three days. Yes three days people. I'm not ashamed to admit, but reading the latest Jackie Collins book is a guilty pleasure of mine.
What I love about Jackie Collins's books is that each chapter centred on one of the main characters. This, I thought, made the story a lot easier to follow. But what I enjoyed more about this book was that it also included a member of the 'Santangelo' family. For anybody who hasn't read a Jackie Collins book before your missing out. You can't help but making comparisons though on who each of these characters could have been loosely based upon.
My favourite characters in this book were 'Denver Jones' and 'Bobby Santangelo Satanislopoulos' (I know a mouthful or what). Right from the start of the book I found these two characters a) the most like able and b) two characters I was bored of finding out more about. Denver is definitely a character any woman would want to look up to, as the smart hotshot attorney. And Bobby, well Bobby, is just a dream character to read about. (If its possible to have a crush on a fictional character he is the guy ha ha).
To set the story Annabella's dad (movie star Ralf Maestro) has been accused of murdering his wife. Along the way Denver Jones, Annabella Maestro, and Bobby Santangelo all cross paths. Three characters who's paths are going to cross again. Three people who are not the same people they were when they last knew each other. Meanwhile in what I'm choosing to call the less exciting B story we see Carolyn Henderson having an affair with her Senator boss in Washington.

But this story has everything you would want in a Jackie Collins book. Adultery, Sex, Hookers, Lies, Power and Betrayal. So sit back enjoy and get lost in Jackie Collins world. It won't disappoint!

Top 5: Most Annoying Things About Having Work Done At Home!

No 1. The Noise:

As I write this post it is halfway through week one and the drilling being done in the kitchen is directly below my bedroom. I'm excited to be going to work soon as it means I won't have to listen to it. The noise is even worse downstairs hence me retreating to my room with my laptop (since its too noisy to watch tv or listen to music).

No 2. Loosing A Room:

Some rooms you can afford to loose when having work done in the house. Rooms that don't require you to be in them as much. Or rooms you can substitute for another. When you are having your kitchen done it's amazing how much it messes things up. Not to mention the actual mess it creates.

No 3. Having To Change Your Routine:

When you are having any big jobs done inside your house, another big pain in the ass is the waiting around. This week between me and my mum we've had to share the staying in the house duties.

No 4. Not Being Able To Be Yourself:

We all do things in the house when we are alone. My personal fave is singing and dancing to my i-tunes (currently hooked on the glee soundtrack I know I'm sad). When you've got builders, electricians, plasterers and what what not in the house you can't do those things. Not without looking like a complete idiot at least.

No 5. Loosing Electricity &/or Hot Water:

This has been the least fun. Though not as bad as the noise. But when you are stuck in the house and then the work men tell you that they want to turn the power off in the house. Not fun. That means then you are stuck in the house and you can't watch any tv, listen to any music or even use the internet. Bad times.

At least at the end of all this we're gonna have a lovely new kitchen.

(Pics of the kitchen after the first day when the work men had taken everything out of the kitchen.)

140 years...

I was surprised when I opened my e-mail today. I found out that the British Red Cross is celebrating its 140th birthday!

A few months ago I started donating money to this charity after the awful situation in Haiti. What I like most about this charity is that they help people abroad and here in UK.

At the time I was unemployed and was not able to give as much money I would have liked. You are able to donate as little or as much as you like. Now however things have changed.

After finding out the charity had reached a rather impressive birthday I decided to share with you guys some of the facts that I found interesting:

• The first members of the British Red Cross consisted of 22 prominent men.
• Florence Nightingale was a member.
• The committee decided to give its first £40,000 to help sick and wounded soldiers of the French and German nations.

To find out more interesting facts about the early years of the British Red Cross check out there website.

Here's to many more years of this great organization and to many more hundreds of years to come. Happy Birthday British Red Cross!

A Family Holiday!

I have just spent the last week in Wales. With no internet connection and no mobile phone signal. I must admit that the first day was the worse. Especially considering it was rainy. But after the first day I decided to embrace the fact that I was cut-off from everywhere.

This was my first family holiday in about nine years. Just me, mum, dad and my youngest brother. Now then considering it was raining when we arrived at close to half past six in the evening, I did think to myself is the kind of weather I'm to expect for the next seven days.

All that changed however the next day. We walked from our beach (Oxwich Bay) and walked up hills and through forests to see this lovely view. While the weather didn't look so hot let me tell you it was!

On Thursday we went to 'The Mumbles' which was a pretty boring morning but still a change of scenery was nice. Me and my day also saw this gorgeous star fish.

 Friday morning me and my mum had a look round Oxwich castle.

 It wasn't a very big place but it was full of history. Both of the local area and Wales itself. Definitely worth the £2.50 to have a little look around.

Looking forward to next years family holiday now :).

My Top 5: Shops For Clothes/Accessories Online & Out 'n' About.

My Top 5 Shops For Clothes/Accessories Online & Out 'n' About.

I'm not known for being terribly girly. That's not to say I'm a tomboy either. I see myself as a good mix somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I like to hang out with my guy mates, sometimes I want to do girly things with my fave girls.

Anyway I recently cleared out my wardrobe and decided to buy myself some new clothes. So I decided to use one of my Top 5... posts on my fave places to shop. So here we go in no particular order:

No 1.) ASOS:
I have said it before and will probably say it again. I love ASOS. I think I love ASOS more than a girl should love a online clothing site. Here are some of my favourites: Blue Chiffon Bubble Hem Bust Dress, TFNC Tie Waist Detail Shorts, and ASOS Best Friend Forever Vest.

No 2.) Primark:
Ok, ok I know its a huge buget shop. But with the world in a recession what's a girl to do. I must admit though there are some great finds in there. And affordable.

No 3.) River Island:
This is my absolute favourite place to go to for jeans. I have yet to buy a bad pair of jeans from this shop. What else I also like from here is the accessories section of bags and purses. I tend to buy stuff from here that goes in my everyday wear section.

No 4.) Debenhams:
I love this shop so much. I always manage to get a nice dress from here for every special occasion. Weather its a nice going out dress for a wedding or a night out with the girls this place has something for everyone.

No 5.) La Senza/Ann Summers:
Ok so technically these two are lingerie. As my friends will vouch no shopping trip with me is complete without a little lingerie shopping. I have a problem. At least I know I have a problem though. I just have to approach either of these two shops and my bank card starts to get scared. Very scared. To the point where I have more draws of the stuff than most shops have. But oh well. Somebody has to keep them in business he he.

New Chapter, Onwards & Upwards

Today marks a new and exciting time in my life. After being in unemployed for the last four months or so things are now starting to look brighter. A lot brighter.

Today I attend my first 'Childminders Briefing Session'. Nobody was more surprised than my very close friends that I was choosing to go into child care. I have always been very adamant on the subject of not wanting any children of my own. Not to say I don't adore other peoples kids. Including my best friend KG's child. Now I have had time over the last two months or so (when I first decided this was something I wanted to do) to go with it or not to go with it. And I feel more than ever that this is something I am going to love to do. At the end of the day I'm going to be self employed and working from home.

With my mum already a registered childminder I see that I'm going to have a slight advantage here. I already know what I'm getting myself into (paperwork wise etc) and I know that if I have any questions she'll be a great help. After all she has been a registered childminder herself for over 15 years.

So here's to the start of a new chapter.

My Top 5: Things To Do On A Lazy Afternoon!

This weekend boy have I been lazy. Like really lazy. So while I was twiddling my thumbs Sunday night it got me thinking. Why not write a blog post about it. So I have decided to do a series of Top 5... blog posts over the coming weeks or so.

After all everybody does it. Some people do it alone. Some people do it with their boyfriend/girlfriend. And others do it with their pets. But at the end of the day its something we all do. So find below 5 things I love to do when I'm having a lazy weekend:-

No 1.) Sitting around watching a dvd box-set.
Its not something I do every weekend but every so often I love to just lounge around watching one of my many dvd box-sets. Sometimes it can be a new one (Criminal Minds). Sometimes it can one I haven't watched for ages (Prison Break).

No 2.) Surfing the net looking for new blogs to follow/clothes to buy.
I spent this Saturday just gone looking for new blogs to follow. Before I knew it most of the day had gone by :). I also like looking online for clothes as well and absolutely love looking on the ASOS website. They have some great variety of clothes weather your looking for something to wear during the day, or a new dress/shoes etc for a night out with the girls.

No 3.) Reading a new book or an old book off my bookshelf.
I am a huge bookworm. I have long lost room on my bookshelf for some of my newer books. I've currently got on my to read pile: 'Poor Little Bitch Girl' – Jackie Collins, 'I, Alex Cross' – James Patterson; and 'Club Dead' – Charlaine Harris.





No 4.)Watching really old movies either off the tv or from my DVD collection.
Its true what they say. They really don't make movies like they used to. I love sitting in front of the tv on a lazy/rainy afternoon watching old Humphrey Bogart/Alfred Hitchcock. There is a reason why its hard to find a film today that you would call a 'classic'. I think the main reason is because movies today you have to have special effects and what not to even get made. Back then though it was all about the characters and the story.

No 5.)Listening to my music collection while reading through magazines.
This is something I have not done for a while. Maybe the next time I decided to have a lazy day I'll do it. I have a pretty wide variety in my cd/i-tunes collection depending on the mood. Sometimes I'll listen to Rat Pack/Frank Sinatra collection, sometimes I'll be more in the mood for something along the lines of my Dashboard Confessional collection.

I'd love to hear what anyone else likes to do when they have a lazy day/weekend :).