What If? :: Film Review

Romantic Comedies are my favourite genre of film. Anything from Notting Hill, to About Time, I love funny films with the element of romance thrown in. I was recently browsing the shelves of HMV and stumbled across What If?- I'd seen it advertised but never got around to watching it at the Cinema so was very excited to see what it was like.

I became obsessed witht the film pretty much as soon as I watched it, once it had finished I wanted to watch it all over again, which I think is a pretty clear indicator that this film is all kinds of wonderful. Set in Toronto it tells the story of Wallace who meets Chantry at a party and knows straight away that they are destined to be together. He is upset when he discovers that she has a long term boyfriend and so instead decides to be friends with her instead. The film follows both characters as they both develop feelings for each other while still trying to insist that they are better off as friends.

I thought this film was very reminiscent of 500 Days of Summer which is one of my favourite films of all time (I mean come on who didn't want to marry Joseph Gordon-Levitt after watching that film). It was very honest about relationships and the stuggles you have to go through to be with who you believe you are destined for. What I loved most about this film was the humour, it was very dry and sarcastic and the main protagonists were having banter with each other constantly throughout the film which I loved. It didn't feel forced or scripted at all which added to the honesty of this film.

All in all I adored this film and it has definitely gone up there in my top 10 films of all time. Have you watched What If?, if so what were your thoughts on it? Have you watched any other films that you've loved instantly recently, I'd love to hear your recommendations below!

Dealing With Stress

I have had probably the most stressful few months of my life. I'm in my final year of A Levels and while I love my courses, the three lots of coursework I had to do for every subject was a lot to deal with. Since January I've made a music video for media coursework and had to complete 3 3500 word essays. To say I've been stressed is an understatement. After multiple breakdown and crying sessions at school I've finally reached the end of my mountain of coursework. However whilst this term has been crazy, I have learned little things to make me feel a little less stressed so thought I'd share them with you- especially with exam season coming up!

Talk It Out
We all know that age old saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved'. Now I'm not one for talking about my feelings- I tend to bottle things up until the problem either goes away or I have a breakdown. I thought my coursework stresses were trival and not worth attention as everyone had to deal with coursework, however after telling my mum and friends how I was feeling I felt a lot better. Sometimes just offloading the stresses in your life to someone can make the world of difference- even if they can't help, they'll know how you're feeling and will want to support you.

Get Outside
If I have something I'm worried about I tend to sit inside and stew over the problem until I go crazy. Getting outside is such a small thing that can make such a big difference. Whether it's walking your dog, going on a bike-ride or just sitting out in the sun. Removing yourself from the situation and taking some time alone to clear your head can really help.

Treat Yo' Self
I find that treating yourself can be the perfect pick me up if you're feeling stressed. It can be anything from a Starbucks to a new book or new piece of make-up that you've been wanting for ages. Even taking an evening out to have a pamper evening with a bubble bath and face masks will help you to feel a little less stressed.

Binge Watch Crappy TV
Often when I'm stressed I need something to completly take my mind off the situation. My best remedy for this is watching loads of easy to watch shows that don't take much concentration. My favourites at the moment have been The Only Way is Essex and Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Meet Up With Friends
As well as getting outside- another great way to feel less stressed is to meet up with friends. There's nothing I love more than meeting up with my best girlfriends for a coffee and a gossip. 

Look At The Bigger Picture
What you're stressing about might seem like everything right now but sometimes the best thing to do is to take a step back and evaluate the situation. Is what you're worring about going to be a big deal in six months or a year from now? If not then try not to worry about it, worrying and stressing about things only makes the situation worse.

These are the things that helped me get through my crazy coursework term. I hope some of these tips help you- is there anything you do that makes you feel less stressed?

The Last Letter from your Lover : Book Review

A few weeks ago I shared my latest book haul with you and most of my comments were asking me to review the books once I'd finished them, so without further ado here's my first book review for Jojo Moyes' The Last Letter from your Lover.

I am a huge fan of Jojo Moyes, her novel Me before You is my favourite book of all time, so I knew I was in safe hands when reading this book. The Last Letter from your Lover tells the story of two women, Jennifer and Ellie, who share something in common although their stories are set 40 years apart. Both Jennifer and Ellie are involved in secret love affairs- Jennifer is in love with a different man to whom she's married, whereas Ellie is in love with a married man. The book tells the story of both womens' love affairs and how their stories intertwine.

The novel is set in three parts- the first two tell the story of Jennifer. Instantly we discover that Jennifer has been involved in a car accident and can't remember anything of her previous life. What I loved about Jennifers story was that, because she had lost her memory, you felt like you were finding out everything about her life with her. The narrative jumped between before and after her accident, and between different characters.Because of this I was never sure whether the other characters were telling the truth, or it was just Jennifer's bad memory, but the uncertainty lead to many shocking twists and turns throughout the novel and kept me gripped all the way through. 

Through the first two parts of the novel you find out about Jennifers love affair with Anthony, yet what I loved about this novel was that their story wasn't concluded by part 3 when the narrarative jumped to Ellie's story 40 years later, so you were still kept gripped as you read to find out what happened to them. During Ellie's part of the novel she is dealing with her own demons as she continues an affair with a married man, and desperatly tries to hold on to her job as a journalist. It's through her job that she finds the love letters sent between Jennifer and Anthony in the 1960s, and she spends the rest of the novel piecing together what happened to them, whilst still dealing with her own love story.

I loved that this book switched between characters and time peirods so quickly as it kept me interested and reading the whole way through. Both womens stories could have made a book on their own, but intertwining them made the book more refreshing and entertaining. I read the book pretty quickly, after only a few chapters I was hooked and found it difficult to put down! One final thing to note is the snippets of love letters that begin every chapter. Jennifer and Anthony's affair is built around the love letters they send to each other so Jojo Moyes began each chapter with a snippet of anoynomous and famous peoples love letters to each other that I thought was a genius idea and really in keeping with the mood of the novel. My favourite was Zelda's letter to F.Scott Fitzgerald 'I love you anyway-enen if there isn't any me or any love or even any life- I love you.'

Overall I loved this book and would definitely recommend it if you love reading love stories set over different time periods! Have you been reading any great books recently? 

Michael Kors Lexington

I've been wanting to buy a watch for a while now. There's something about a watch added to an outfit that makes someone look that little bit more sophisticated. After watching youtube and reading blogs for over 6 years I've been drawn to the Michael Kors watches that at least every fashion blogger owns. While I loved how classy the Michael Kors watches looked- I wasn't a huge fan of the chunky boyfriend style fit, and how expensive they were. I wasn't prepared to spend over £200 on my first watch! So I've put the Michael Kors watches out of my mind and on my *to buy wishlist*, yet after many months of searching I couldn't find a reasonably priced watch that I liked the look of. I've found that many cheaper watches aren't very good quality- whereas the more expensive watches just didn't have a style that I liked. That was until I found the Michael Kors Mini Lexington watch.

While I loved the Michael Kors watches- I wasn't a fan of the huge watch style. So I was delighted that the Lexington watch is a replica of the larger Michael Kors watches, yet just a little bit smaller to fit my tastes. Also the fact that it was smaller meant that it was cheaper from the larger style Michael Kors watches. So for my 18th Birthday I purchased the Mini Lexington for £157 and have been in love with it ever since. 

The Lexington is in a beautiful rose gold colour that looks gorgeous with every outfit. I'm a gold girl anyway but the hint of rose gold rather than yellow gold makes the watch slightly more sophisticated and wearable in my opinion. The face itself is a clean white, whilst the hands and numbers are gold, with the small 'Michael Kors' branding at the top of the face. The combination of rose gold and white makes the watch beautifully classic and easy to pair with every outfit. It's simplicity is beautiful, I love how it completes any outfit without being in your face- I can see myself wearing this watch for years to come. 

It feels so luxurious and I've been getting so many compliments from friends and strangers.This is the most money I've ever spent on an accessory but if you're in the market for a high end watch I couldn't reccomend the Michael Kors Lexington highly enough.  

Music Favourites #1

I listen to music constantly, when I'm doing work, reading blogs or taking my dog for a walk. I always love finding new music and rediscovering old gems so thought I'd start a series on my blog where I share my most listened to music of the moment.

Alt-J/Left Hand Free

Sam Smith/Lay Me Down

Ellie Goulding/Love Me Like You Do

The Weekend/Earned It

David Guetta/Dangerous

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros/Home

The Killers/All These Things That I've Done

The Killers/A Dustland Fairytale

Sia/Elastic Heart

Maroon 5/Sugar

Meghan Trainor/Lips Are Moving

What songs have been on repeat for you recently? I love finding new songs so if you have any recommendations leave them below and I'll check them out!

February Book Haul

It has been a while since I've bought any new books- with Christmas and my Birthday I hadn't had the chance to browse in bookshops since February. I picked up three books that I'm really excited to read so thought I'd share them with you.

The Last Letter from your Lover by JoJo Moyes
Me Before You is my favourite book of all time so I thought I'd try some other books by JoJo Moyes. The Last Letter from your Lover caught my eye as it's set over two different time periods-1960 and 2003- but the stories from both time periods are very similar. From what I gather from the blurb it's a story about two women who are in love with married men and the descions they have to make, whether to follow their heart or their head. I love books that have two stories that intertwine so I'm really excited to see if this book lives up to my expectations!

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
I'd never heard of this book until I saw a trailer for the film adaptation on TV and became really curious to see what it's about. I'm one of those people that has to read the book before the film so thought I'd give this book a go. Set during the Second World War it tells the story of Lucille who lives in Nazi occupied France and is waiting for her husband to return from the war. However as German Soldiers come into the village she begins to develop feelings for one of the German officers Bruno. That's all I really know about the book but I love historical fiction so am hoping I'm really going to love this one.

How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
This is one of the first Non-Fiction books I have bought in a while. After seeing rave reviews online and lots of interviews with Caitlin, I was excited to pick it up. It's essentially a book about Caitlin growing up and becoming a woman. The blurb describes the book as 'part memoir, part rant, Caitlin Moran answers the questions that every modern woman is asking.' After the rise of modern feminism over the past year, I've become more interested in reading about this topic so am excited to read this book.

Have you read any of these books, or anything else you would recommend recently? 

Listography

I've always loved the idea of keeping a journal or diary. Having something to look back on in later life and see what you were doing and how much you have changed over the years has always appealed to me. However keeping a diary is something I stuggle to do, I'm sure everyone can relate with keeping a diary for a few days and then slowly losing interest. I think it's hard to keep a diary of day to day life because at the time it seems trivial and dull, you forget how interesting you'll find it in later life.

Recently I found a way to record your life without the pressure of keeping a diary everyday. I was browsing Waterstones when I stumbled across Lisa Nola's Listography books and fell in love. There's a book for every different aspect of your life from music to books to films to travel. Inside are gorgeous illustrations and questions on every page asking you to list things based on the subject of the book from your favourite characters to your favourite actors. What I love about the books is that they don't just ask the usual questions, but are full of funny and unique questions that you'e never thought of before but find you have a answer for. Some of my favourite questions were 'List love songs you'd want to be serenaded with', 'List advice that you follow from lyrics', 'List controversial books I've read', 'Historical periods I vicariously lived through', 'List your so-bad-it's-good movies', 'List film quotes you'll never forget.'

As you can see these Listography books are really fun ways to record what you love and hate about certain subjects. I love that you don't need to fill it all in as soon as you get it, just when you please. I've only just started filling them in but think they'll be a really fun way to look back at things that meant  a lot to me over the years!

Do you have any listography books? Have you tried keeping a diary before?

Liebester Award

I was nominated by Mafer (who has the most incredible blog I'd totally recommend you check it out!) for the Liebster award- which is essentially an award to help new bloggers get recognition, and it helps to connect new bloggers. Mafer asked me 11 questions, then I have to tag new bloggers and to ask them questions to answer. It's a great way to find new blogs and reach out to bloggers.

Here are the questions Mafer asked me.

1. What country do you crave to visit the most?

I want to visit so many countries but I'd love to visit Italy!

2. What makes you happy?

Knowing everyone I love is happy and healthy and small things like Taylor Swift's music and Tulips.

3. What's your favorite tv show?

Sherlock!

4. What inspires you?

The fear of failure

5. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be & why?

Taylor Swift- she's my hero, I adore her.

6. What's your guiltiest pleasure?

Dancing to cheesy pop music

7. What was the last film you watched? & what did you think of it?

I watched Gone Girl last night, after reading the book I was intrigued to see how the film would live up to the book and I loved it! It was such a good adaptation of the novel and such a tense film.

8. What's the best advice you have received?

Do the your best because thats the best you can do.

9. If you could have any superpower which one would be?

Invisibility

10. What's your favourite quote?

'You could be the juciest peach in the world but there'll always be someone who doesn't like peaches'- it helps remind me that there's always going to be someone who doesn't like you no matter what you do so stay true to yourself.

11. What inspired you to start blogging?

I love watching youtube videos and started reading blogs last year and thought it looked like fun.

I nominate:

Karis-Eleanor-Nicole-Claire-Lizzie

My questions for you are

1. What's your favourite Disney film?

2. If you could live in another time period, where would you live?

3. Tea or Coffee?

4. What's one album you could listen to on repeat and never get tired of?

5. What's one thing you'd love to achieve in the future?

6. Favourite childhood memory?

7. Tumblr or Pinterest?

8. Favourite subject in school?

9. Who's your celebrity crush?

10. Favourite book?

11. Which 5 people would you invite to a dinner party, dead or alive?

The rules are simple link the person who nominated you and the people you nominate in your post. Notify the people you've nominated and thank the person who nominated you. Make up your own 11 questions and have fun spreading the blogging love.

I can't wait to read your responses!

Top 5 books from the last year

Reading is one of my favourite pastimes-  I tend to get through books pretty quickly so I thought I'd look back at the books I read last year and share my favourite ones with you.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
This was one of the first books I read last year and fell in love. Set in America it tells the story of Cath and her first year at College.As the novel progresses you're introduced to new characters and new struggles Cath has to face from getting drunk for the first time, to her first serious relationship.  I quickly related to Cath, she's an introverted girl that prefers writing fanfiction to socialising with people in her college. I love that she is so relatable and completly different to the generic heroines in other YA novels.This is a perfect book if you're starting College or University in the future, or if you are bored of the predictible dystopian novels that are the hype right now. 
4/5 stars

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
I was looking for an easy read one weekend and based on how much I loved Fangirl I decided to buy Attachments on my Kindle and devoured it in two days. Set in the nineties, Attachments tells the story of Lincoln, a man hired to moniter emails in a large company. Over time he becomes attached to Beth and Jennifer- two friends that email eachother during their working day. As he finds out more about them he finds himself falling for Beth, but doesn't know how to approach her. Attachments is a fresh outlook on romance, I found myself falling in love with Beth and Lincoln and hoped they'd end up together as I read the book.
4/5 stars 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Definetly the most talked about book of 2014. Gone Girl tells the story of Amy and Nick Dunne, a seemingly perfect couple but are left questioning everything when Amy goes missing on the morning of their fifth wedding anniversay. I don't want to say any more as I think this book is best if you go in knowing nothing. What I will say is that I was gripped the whole way through- I ended up taking the book to school with me when I started reading part two as I couldn't put it down. This book has so many twists and turns that leaves you questioning everything and everyone as you find out what happened to Amy. Read it!
5/5 stars

Paper Towns by John Green
I adored The Fault in our Stars so wanted to read some more of John Greens novels. Paper towns tells the story of Q- an average boy who loves his neighbour Margot. One night she knocks on his window and takes him on an adventure to get revenge on the people that have hurt her. However the next morning when Q wakes up, Margot has disappeared and Q makes it his mission to find her. This book kept me reading as I wanted to find out what had happened to Margot- I loved the scene when Q and his friends go on a crazy roadtrip against the clock to get to Margot. As always this book is filled with beautiful, tumblr-like quotes- it's beautifully written and is a great story about friendship and growing up.
3.5/5 stars

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
I bought this book on a whim and within the first few pages realised it was the book that inspired the 2007 film with the same name. A fantasy novel- Stardust tells the story of Tristen and his quest to find a fallen star in exchange for the hand in marriage of his love Victoria. While the story was captivating, what really stood out for me was the way Neil Gaiman writes. He has a bewitching, fairytale like way of telling the story that kept me engaged and reading the whole time. Definetly one to read if you love fairytales. 
4/5 stars

What have you been reading and loving recently?

Films to watch on Valentines Day

Valentines day is just around the corner and I've chosen a selection of my favourite films that anyone would enjoy, whoever you're spending Valentines with!

For the loved-up couple
About Time- I would go so far as to say About Time is my favourite film of all time. Set in England, it's a beautiful story of Tim Lake when he is told on his 21st birthday that all the men in his family can travel back in time. At first Tim doesn't know how to use his time travelling to his advantage, until he meets Mary, a young american girl who he believes he is destined to be with. The film follows Tim and Mary's relationship and the ups and downs that comes with being able to time travel. Written and directed by Richard Curtis, About Time is a beautiful rom-com that will make you happy to be alive.

For the group of friends
If, like me, you'll be spending Valentines Day with a group of friends rather than a loved one this year 10 things I hate about you is the perfect film to watch. Loosely based on Shakespeare's 'The taming of the Shrew', 10 Things tells the story of Cameron Jones trying to win a date from the high school sweetheart Bianca, however Bianca can only date when her older dates which proves to be a problem when it turns out Kat has no interest in dating boys. Set in the late nineties, this is a funny light hearted rom-com thats perfect to watch with friends. It also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Heath Ledger in their teens, so what's more to love!

For the anti-romantic
Whether you've recently split from a partner, or have no interest in Valentines Day 500 days of Summer would be great for you. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, it tells the story of Tom and the 500 days he knew Summer Fin. While it does centre around their romance- it's more than a rom-com, it shows a true reflection of the ups and downs of a real relationship, and how it isn't really how it's portrayed in the films. You have to watch this movie- if not for the perfect soundtrack alone.

For anyone and everyone
Silver Linings Playbook is one of those films that's perfect for any ocassion. So whether you're spending Valentines with your other half, friends or alone this is the film for you. Starring the gorgeous Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper it tells the story of Pat trying to get back in contact with his ex-wife, however all this changes when he meets Tiffany. This film has comedy, romance and some hard-hitting themes. It also has an incredible dance scene towards the end of the film which is not a reason to watch it I don't know what is!

I hope this helped some people who were looking for films to watch on Valentines Day, or just new films in general! What are your plans for Valentines day this year? 

A Month in Review : January

The first week of January consisted of finally eating the last of the Christmas chocolate and slowly attempting the work I'd been set over the break. I'd had a quiet New Years Eve with my family, eating chinese food and watching Jools Holland. I also took my first photos on my new polaroid camera and became instantly obsessed with polaroids- I have 14 shots left and I can't wait to take more!

On the 17th we took a family trip to London. As it was my birthday on the 19th I chose to go to the Sherlock Holmes museum at 221b Baker Street. 

Ever since I started watching Sherlock I've become a little bit obsessed with the character of Sherlock Holmes. I love his quirky but charming personality, and his ability to solve just about any mystery. While the Sherlock TV show sparked my love for the character, I started reading the books and watched the film adaptations of his adventures. Visiting the house was one of the best experiences of my life, there's nothing like seeing the house where one of your favourite literary characters lives in the flesh. The museum itself was a wonderful experience- being let in in groups of around 40 your allowed to explore the house at your own pace while museum workers are on hand to answer any questions you may have, This was perfect as it allowed avid fans to explore on their own, while new fans of Sherlock were able to have their questions answered when they wished. It was such a fun experience and one I'd reccomend to everyone, not just Sherlock fans!

Whilst in London I also wanted to visit the Shakeshack in Covent Garden. It was one of the best fast food restaurants I've eaten at in a long time! With fast service, friendly and helpful staff and views on Covent Garden it's a great place to eat if you want something quick and delicious. Whilst I wasn't a huge fan of the cheese sauce on the fries, the burger was delicious and i'll definetly be going back when I'm next in London. 

Monday the 19th was my birthday and I spend it with friends and family and a meal at Nandos. You can't beat mango and lime chicken with double creamy mash! I also ate at Prezzo on the 24th with my closest friends. It was one of the nicest evening I've had in a long time, and made me realise how lucky I am to have such wonderful friends in my life. 

So that was my January summed up in one blog post for you! It was fun, eventful and crazy busy. I wouldn't have changed a second of it but am looking forward to a quieter February!

What was your favourite moment of January?

The Bucket List

I've never been one for keeping New Year resolutions. I tend to either make too many that I never keep, or ones that are too difficult to achieve in a year. That's why I decided to start a bucket list instead. Rather than giving myself a year to complete a set of random resolutions- I would make a list of the goals I want to achieve throughout my life. Hence the bucket list. While it's no where near finished, I am pretty happy with the goals I've added so far, so thought I'd share them with you.

1. Visit Haddon Hall where Jane Eyre was filmed
2. Ride a Tandem bike
3. Visit Skagen and stand in two seas at the same time
4. Write a book
5. Dance with Tom Hiddleston
6. Make a British guard laugh
7. Kiss at Cinderella's castle in Disney
8. Watch movies in a home-made fort
9. Run a marathon
10. Get drunk with Benedict Cumberbatch
11. Visit Ireland
12. See a Broadway musical
13. Backpack through Europe
14. Go to Times Square
15. Visit Pixar Studios
16. Watch the sun set at the beach
17. Attend a masquerade ball
18. Float in the dead sea
19. Take a photo everyday for a year
20. Eat a pizza with Jennifer Lawerance
21. Watch the sun rise on the beach
22. Add a lock to the love lock bridge in Paris
23. Slow dance in the rain
24. Kiss someone at the top of the Eiffel Tower
25. Write a letter on Juliet's wall in Verona
26. Visit the Walk of Fame
27. Participate in a colour run
28. Ride a Gondola in Venice
29. Travel to Italy
30. Take a picture by the Hollywood sign
31. Go to an Ed Sheeran concert
32. Visit the Sherlock Holmes museum

Completed 17/1/15

33. Buy a micro pig

34. Get pit tickets to a Taylor Swift concert

35. Be in a TV studio audience

36. Visit New York around Christmas

37. Get a tattoo

38. Drink coffee and eat croissants in a cafe in Paris

39. Have a camp-fire on the beach

40. Buy a book from the Shakespeare and co. bookshop in Paris

41. Holiday in a cottage by the beach

42. Make French toast for breakfast

43. Read the entire adventures of Sherlock Holmes

44. Grow my hair to my waist

45. Go back to Amsterdam and visit the Anne Frank house again

46. Visit Auschwitz

47. Play twister with paint

48. Stargaze in a field 

49. Own my own apartment 

50. Take pictures in a photo booth  Completed 19/12/14

51. Give my favourite book to a stranger

52. Buy a meal for a homeless person

53. Live in another country

54. Dance in the kitchen whilst making breakfast pancakes

55. Bake with Taylor Swift

56. Eat at the 'Be our guest' restaurant at Disney world

57. Have a paint fight

58. Attend a movie première

59. Visit Abbey Road and recreate the Beatles cover

60. Make a wish at the Trevi fountain in Rome

61. Spend a night at the Savoy Hotel

62. Learn the 'Thinking out Loud' dance

63. Fly business class

64. Start a blog and keep it

65. Keep a journal for a year

66. Take up running and stick to it

67. See the Nutcracker performed live at Christmas time

68. Keep a scrapbook for a year

69. Drive over Brooklyn bridge

70. Drive in a sports car with the top down

71. Road-trip coast to coast

72. Watch the Victoria Secret Fashion Show live

73. Find a pen pal to exchange letters with

74. Learn how to do a cartwheel and a handstand

75. Try a yoga class

76. Own a free-standing bath

77. Take up dance lessons

78. Try Churros 

79. Make 'open when' letters for someone

80. Sit on a rooftop

81. Find a regular coffee shop where I can order 'the usual' and people will know what it is

82. Make someone a mixtape

83. Own floor to ceiling bookshelves with a sliding ladder

84. Work at Disneyland as a Disney princess

So, there are the goals I have so far. I was originally going to make a list of 100, but I think I would rather just add to the list throughout my life as I think of more goals I would like to complete. Do you have bucket list's? If so what is your number one thing to do before you die?

Molly