Me Before You - Jojo Moyes When defining romantic tragedy, you make think of Shakespeare. For more modern romantic tragedy, Jojo Moyes’ moving novel, Me Before You fits the definition precisely. The clue of tragedy is not used lightly, where we meet Lou who lives in a quiet English town with a castle, living her easiest, best life working in a café [...]
LIZZIE READS … HALF A WORLD AWAY
#LizzieReads half a world away - mike gayle I managed to finish one of my many charity shop purchases. This is a story about a brother and sister separated when they were young due to the social service system. Kerry, a cleaner and single-mum in a small London flat, is literally half a world away from her brother [...]
MASTERCLASS: A REVIEW
During my unhappy time on placement, I decided to upskill myself which included the creation of this blog. As well as this, I came across MasterClass, an online subscription service where celebrities provide advice / lessons. I did some um-ing and ah-ing as the membership cost for £14.17 a month (works out at £170 a year!), with the option to share a free membership [...]
AUTHOR PICK – LUCY FOLEY
#LizzieReads My boyfriend recommends a lot of things, including books. I’m not one to immediately pick up a thriller book, or ‘who dunnit’, but love watching tv series. when I picked up these Lucy Foley books, I was instantly hooked! I believe these are her two most recent novels, both featuring small groups of people [...]
APRIL TV+FILM PICKS
Each month I try to recommend some film + tv picks. some are past viewings that I have loved and some I am currently watching. what are your picks this month? FILM Belle (2013) It's almost hard to believe this film is based on the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the love child of [...]
KEEP IT CLEAN HAIR … AN EXPERIENCE
keep it clean hair - Lee Stafford I’m sure there are many of you, like me, who are a sucker for a freebie or cheap goodie. This was the case when I came across Lee Stafford’s Keep It Clean range in Boots, along with my Grow Gorgeous hair experience. I got my hands on the [...]
LIZZIE READS…JUST F*CKING DO IT
#LizzieReads #JFDI first of all, sorry for the title of this book - but that's what attracted me to reading it in the first place! I’ve been slowly making my way through many self-help and motivational books I bought on my kindle some time ago to help adjust my mindset. I would say I have [...]
AUTHOR PICK – CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS
#LizzieReads Candice Carty-Williams as part of the #BLM movement last year, I made it imperative that I educate myself regarding history and literature surrounding this topic. This involved seeking authors I would have unknowingly dismissed due to a cultural difference: one of them was Candice Carty-Williams. QUEENIE the first of her novels I read. I will admit [...]
LIZZIE READS… I OWE YOU ONE
#LizzieReads I owe you own - Sophie Kinsella this week it’s another Sophie Kinsella book – I owe you one. I will admit this hasn’t been my favourite book of hers so far. nevertheless, I whizzed through this in less than a week, switching between the audio book (narrated by Fiona Hardingham, who is brilliant) and physical [...]
GROW GORGEOUS HAIR – OR NOT?
grow gorgeous Grow Gorgeous Intense Thickening Shampoo + Conditioner Who doesn’t love a bargain? I am a sucker for one, which is when I saw these in Boots. They had been reduced to £2 each, normally retailing at £16 a tube! After a few uses, I am kind of starting to understand why they might [...]
HOW I STUDY + FOCUS
study + focus tips this post was inspired by a blog post I wrote for my uni - I will be happy to share the link at a later date! The global pandemic has seen as all change our ways of working and studying as we spend more time at home. I was on placement [...]
LIZZIE READS…STARDUST
#LizzieReads Stardust – Neil Gaiman Upon looking on my (now favourite) Goodreads app, I saw that this book has rave reviews. It has been sat on my Kindle from the moment I got it about 5 years ago and I have finally managed to read it – in quick succession indeed! The first page instantly hit me [...]
A CHANGE OF BLOG
you may have noticed a few more #LizzieReads posts have been published recently. and I will admit there are even MORE coming your way! the fact is that I ADORE reading. And, I can't believe I hadn't made use of goodreads, a platform for rating, reviewing and keeping track of books you have read. I [...]
LIZZIE READS…CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS
Conversations with Friends - Sally Rooney #LizzieReads Sally Rooney’s debut novel. I consumed this book in a matter of days, as I did Normal People, immersed by her writing style which I know can irritate some readers due to its lack of punctuation on speech. The idea is that the reader interprets what is being said [...]
LIZZIE READS…ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE
i managed to read 'Elinor Oliphant is completely fine' in summer 2020 as part of wanting to read as much as i could cram in before starting my final year of uni. i started reading this based on the recommendation of various youtubers i watch and very seeing it on various instagram posts - including [...]
LIZZIE READS…SOPHIE KINSELLA
Sophie Kinsella - 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' + 'Can you keep a secret?' I must confess I am an avid bookworm and would prefer to read than watch tv or a film (that isn't to say I dislike them!) as I love the creativity that evolves in my mind, so you can expect a few [...]
MARCH TV+FILM PICKS
I get that we are pretty much half way through march (already?!), but it still means there is time to suggest some good tv and films to watch whilst we are still inside keeping out of the cold and away from a certain virus! of course, there is a plethora that I would recommend, but [...]
MY NEW FAVE SCENT – MOSCHINO TOY2
Moschino Toy2 This week I bring you a recent purchase of mine that to be honest, I bought on a whim which I rarely do with perfumes! I'd heard of Moschino Toy2 briefly - who can forget a cute bottle like this! Luckily, I found it on Boots for half price, so I ended up [...]
A REVIEW – WAKE UP! PIERS MORGAN
a controversial being for this week's post: Piers Morgan. probably a marmite person for most people. I've always been intrigued by Morgan, initially hating his attitude and interviewing style. however, since growing up and viewing him more in the media, I have come to somewhat admire and agree with his style. he gets to the [...]
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE USING A MENSTRUAL CUP
Image: BeYou online One word: SUSTAINABILITY. For the planet and your wallet. for some this may be a TMI subject, but I think it is important that we talk about these kinds of topics more often to avoid such stigmas. this little accomplice has become a very handy part of my life every month, saving [...]
PODCASTS YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO
podcasts have become increasingly popular over the past few years, particularly over the course of the pandemic as we have a little bit more time for ourselves. i have become an avid fan of listening to them, whether that be whilst i'm getting ready, doing housework, light uni study or even when on a run. [...]
CHRISTMAS 2020 PLANS + QUIZ!
i'm keeping this post simple, firstly because i, like many people, am bored of the Covid-19 puns and references, so i thought i would write a short one about my Christmas plans and share my CHRISTMAS QUIZ with you that i have made! (keep reading!) like many, these will be very different than other years [...]
SKYDIVING – WHAT TO EXPECT
It's become apparent that this year has been a write-off in terms of experience for many people. i have found myself reflecting more on the stuff i have done in the past years, one of them being my charity skydive last year. i've ALWAYS wanted to do one. It was just perfect timing that Fitzroy, [...]
SOAP + GLORY VITAMIN C FACIAL WASH
First, let's be specific. This post refers to the 'Face Soap and Clarity 3-in-1 Daily Detox Vitamin C facial wash'. Phew! I've been using this glorious facial wash for about 4 years now and there are a few good reasons why I've continued to use it. I've always been a big fan of Soap & [...]
A VISIT TO…VIRGINIA WATER
This may be somewhat delayed, however I thought it would be good to suggest some nearby places to visit during this strange time (or all year round), as well as use it as an excuse to post some lovely pictures! At the start of the year I managed to visit Virginia Water in Northern Surrey, [...]
MINI AVON HAUL
A couple of months ago, I bought a handful of products from Avon. I'd become familiar with the brand a few years ago when local representatives would post a brochure through our letterbox. Whilst this hasn't happened recently, especially due to the current pandemic, I found myself wanting to try out new products instead of [...]
2020 – MID-YEAR REFLECTION
a plump faced me from the archives (: Today is the 1st of July, which means we have passed the half way point of 2020. What?! I think we can all agree 1. where has the time gone - again?! 2. it's been a very weird one so far. Many of us probably had plans [...]
REVIEW – FEATHER AND DOWN LOTION + SPRAY
I've tried to find various reviews on the Feather&Down Sweet Dreams pillow spray and body lotion, but haven't been successful, so I thought I would create my own. I managed to get these both in a duo pack after Christmas for about £4. I don't believe they sell the body lotion on its own, however [...]
LIZ EARLE VS ALDI HOT CLOTH CLEANSER
I won't lie, I was quite excited to compare the Liz Earle cleanser to the Aldi dupe! I'd been waiting a while for Aldi stocks to come back in and voilà! Now I've used the Liz Earle cleanser before, but stopped as it hurt my eyes. But a few years later, I gave it another [...]
ALDI PINK CLAY SKINCARE
I've always wanted to try the Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay mask, however, I cannot justify the £41.90 price tag! Randomly, on my outing to Aldi of all places, I came across some dupes - not only of the mask, but also a scrub and cleanser. Intrigued, I purchased the set and can say [...]
CHATTY WEEK – BODY FAT
Body fat. We all have it. And we need it, whether we like it or not. This is a topic that I could spend hours going into, involving BMR, health, genes, gender, lifestyle, blah blah, but I won't bore you with that today! I'm also mindful that some PTs may be a little skeptical with [...]
REVIEW – BUMBLE + BUMBLE SUNDAY SHAMPOO
I was a little tentative to purchase this shampoo at first, mainly because of the mixed reviews and hefty price tag for 250ml ... £22.50! Honestly, I have wanted to try this for a while. I ordered it on lookfantastic and I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised. It claims to be a weekly [...]
CHATTY WEEK – VE DAY
Like many people in the UK, I was confused to hear why this year's Early May Bank Holiday was moved to a Friday. The reason: VE Day! WHAT IS VE DAY?This year is the 75th VE Day Anniversary which celebrates Victory in Europe Day, the day Prime Minister Churchill made a broadcast to the nation, [...]
REVIEW – MARIO BADESCU DRYING LOTION
I'm a little late to jump on the hype, but I thought I would give the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion a try. It's an award winning spot solution and has become a staple in my skincare routine. I've always suffered with blemishes from hormones and stress, so I invested in this small glass bottle (that [...]
VEGAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
I first came across this Risotto when I went to my work Christmas Do last year. Oh my, it was delicious! I thought I would give it a go and re-create it. This can be vegan and gluten-free, providing you keep an eye on the ingredients, especially the stock cube. I'm pretty pleased with the [...]
WHAT’S IN MY MAKE UP BAG?
I'm always curious to see what is in others make up bags and I'm sure I'm one of many. When I started this blog I said I would be posting some beauty posts, so hopefully this is the start of many. Whilst it may not be everyone's cup of tea, I'd be interested to see [...]
