This was one of those thrillers that is supremely easy to devour, you just keep turning the pages and getting deeper in the mystery to figure out what’s going on. The two viewpoints obviously lead you towards various theories and then, naturally, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way, but I’d never have guessed at the final twist! Definitely a worthwhile read when you’re in the mood for a fast ride.

I loved this! I don’t know when I bought it but stumbled across it in my digital to-read shelf and instantly started reading. It covers the first four series of this incredible anthology show, from it’s conception on Channel 4 to the difficult decision to move to Netflix, and the wider audience that continues to grow and grow. The book is formatted with an introduction for each series and then each episode in detail, and is the ‘in conversation with’ style of thoughts from different people involved in each - Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones throughout and then a rotating set of cast, crew, directors, set designers, hair, make up, and everything in between. Absolutely fascinating and I’d love a top up for the next few series’ as well.

As this story started to unfold, I could absolutely picture the TV adaptation of it that could exist if anyone ever did that. A firm Western style story, there’s everything - the Sheriff, the bad guys, the threat of disease and unhelpful medicine, guns and, as it’s Doctor Who, a bit of intergalactic stuff as well. It didn’t hit the highs that the previous story did for me, but still worth a look.

I saw this film a long time ago and remember being confused by the title, but the book at least explained what that was all about. Did the film? Was I just not paying attention? Anyway, no matter, this was really well written and an interesting structure around different personalities. I felt like it got a bit drawn out in the middle, and there were a lot of characters and villains and layers upon layers of conspiracy that I couldn’t quite keep track of but overall a very enjoyable read.

I really liked this Doctor Who story, featuring the Doctor and Martha landing on a ship that seems to be stuck in some kind of time situation. That’s as best I can explain it because what I really liked about this one wasn’t so much the story or the peril but the characters. They were well drawn, a lot of fun, and it’s always interesting to have a band of pirates who aren’t necessarily the bad guys, even though that’s how they first appear. A good read.

Well. Ncuti Gatwa’s first full series outing as the Doctor has drawn to a close and what an adventure it was. I last wrote about everyone’s favourite two-hearted time traveller after the bifurcation event in December which was our first glimpse at the Doctor’s new incarnation.

This year’s Apple WWDC has been and gone, and it’s taken me a while to get round to writing about what was unveiled during the Keynote. In part, that’s because it probably wasn’t as exciting as it could have been. The normal announcements and reveals felt very rushed because half of the presentation was saved up for the AI stuff.

I love Billie Piper and thought it was about time to dip into some albums from my year of the 90s - 1998! This is, obviously, cheesy 90s pop, but I love it. A couple of number one singles on there, maybe just a couple of filler songs but also some pretty good grooves. The only complaint, if there is one, is it feels like Billie hadn’t found her own voice yet - a couple of the tracks seem to channel, there are some with rap that don’t quite flow. But a good 90s pop listen.

I liked this album, it’s exactly what you think a modern Bon Jovi album would be - guitars, vocals, really easy to listen to without being easy listening. It doesn’t move the needle in terms of Bon Jovi’s career at all, but equally, it’s not boring or retreading ground, so I really enjoyed the process of listening to it. Definitely one you could have on in the background.

I’ve read some of Helen Russell’s work previously, detailing about adjusting to life in Denmark after moving with her family there. This book, whilst a fictional story about a woman trying to learn to let go and open up to life, feels like it draws very much on all those previous experiences and lessons about a life lived Danishly. It’s a good story, essentially throwing four mis-matched women together for a week of going native and seeing how they come out the other side. An entertaining read.

This was such a tense read from start to finish, knowing that one of our own was in danger the entire time. There was another crime somewhere, in the background, but none of that seemed to matter and I was fully focused on getting Denise back safe and sound. It was an adventure, and great to see how these events have an impact on our main characters. Be interesting to see if that is an end of it, or I’m having Sherlock vibes with the waterfall and everything.

Something about this book grabbed me even more than the first one - perhaps because the characters have bedded in a bit and we understand their motivations a bit more. There are returning familiar faces here alongside new friends and enemies alike. I really enjoyed the fact that Sharpe is searching for promotion without really knowing if he’s actually any good at fighting, but finally getting the chance to prove himself towards the end. Definitely keen to read more.

A really good, comprehensive and visual look at what are the challenges that are creating the environmental problems we can see and are forecasting to happen - from the burgeoning population to extracting too much from the earth, to the impact of the missing ozone layer or shifting seasons. It’s not all doom and gloom, there is a look at the future and what could be done, but let’s be honest, this is a necessarily brutal book.

I’ve loved the previous two books in this series that follows Lizzie Vogel through a troubling childhood and early work/life balance problems, now we’ve hit full adulthood and a full time job at a dentists. Just like the others, this is peppered with intriguing nuggets and fantastic characters, and the writing sweeps you along. I don’t feel like it was quite as strong as the others, maybe because the older Lizzie has a slightly different vibe to get used to - or because she’s now quite distant from her family. But it’s good, nevertheless.

What could be better than finding yourself on a sunny Sunday in the supposed UK summertime, invited into the back gardens of some proper posh countryside houses in the heart of the Cotswolds? That’s what Bibury Open Gardens Festival promised and whilst the title is a bit grandiose and misleading, it was surprisingly fun.

There’s always an odd feeling as you head towards the end of a Welcome to Wrexham series. You know what the result is going to be, and yet somehow, are still drawn along for the ride. The editing is extremely good to ratchet up the tension even when the events have long since taken place and everyone’s moving on to the next objective.

I’ve not been to the Watermill Theatre at Newbury before, tucked away as it is in the depths of the countryside. It’s an incongruous setting for a theatre - beautiful flowing river, overhanging greenery, a sense of countryside history, and then, oh yes, a regional theatre of some renown! My reason for going this time was to see Fanny, the show about the sister of Felix Mendelssohn who, of course, has been overlooked in history despite having plenty of her own successes to write about. I’ve got to be honest that it’s not something I would have ordinarily noticed, except that it was starring the wonderful Charlie Russell from Mischief Theatre.

Garbage popped up on the 90s Top of the Pops reruns although they were doing an earlier single than appears on this album. I’ve done a couple of Garbage albums already but had to add this one to the list - it’s SO good. Just great Britpop rock with a few standout singles but a really strong tracklist all the way through. Occasionally, it reminded me of the Pretenders, in the best way, but Shirley Manson still manages to stand apart.

This is such a good album. The songs themselves are your standard country - perhaps more traditional than more modern country pop and with Carly’s excellent vocals layered on top. Where it really shines though is in the lyrics, the clever twists on sayings and idioms, and the way the stories build and flow. Heels Over Head is genius. Rock Paper Scissors makes me smile every time, and I really like Fault Line and Pretty Please. From start to finish, this is an album that surprises whilst also being gently familiar to listen to.

Another fun mystery thriller in the Thursday Club series - one thing I do really like about this series is that the next book’s activities are usually pretty much a direct result of what went on in the previous book. It’s not like the Death in Paradise problem that this seems like a hugely dangerous place to live. And the characters continue to be fun, especially as we gradually unpick layers of them and learn more about them. Lots of relationships are developing now, people falling in and out of love and working through what that means for themselves. Part of me wants to dislike this series because it’s just SO popular but I can’t argue with it being a good read.

Ah, finally, the mystery is revealed! This was a good thriller, sort of back to form after the dip of the last book, and really good to finally be getting some answers and making some progress. It was agony to be following both sisters as they kept near missing each other, which of course made the moment of confrontation that much greater. And nice that they didn’t just fall into a hug and happy families - there’s still a lot to work through, even as we reach the conclusion. I’m glad to have finished this series but would be interested in seeing the characters popping up in other books occasionally.

I knew nothing about this film going in, but picked it at random from the iPlayer’s collection of old movies. I don’t really understand why it ended up with three directors as it doesn’t seem all that complex, but it was entertaining enough. It’s a classy spy mystery, and whilst it’s not all that suspenseful and the plot is vanishingly thin, the cast do an incredible job with what they’ve got and kept me watching to the end.

The BFG has never really been one of my favourite Roald Dahl books but I figured it was worth giving this movie adpatation a try, what with Spielberg at the helm and all. It’s pretty good actually, the graphics aren’t too bad, and the interaction between CG and the real world works pretty well. I thought Rylance did a great job as the scatty but friendly mini giant, and the staff at Buckingham Palace do a good job considering how unlikely all that is. Entertaining if a bit long.

This is a really interesting autobiography, well written and funny, although it starts off a lot stronger than towards the end. But it also goes some way to explaining (not excusing) the recent actions of Smith’s that have made him a bit of a question mark in the eyes of a lot of people. This is a magnificent story of rags to riches and then back down again, whilst also examining what to do when you have everything but it’s still not making you happy. I listened to the audiobook which had the bonus of a bit of character from Will, he’d burst into the raps occasionally or play clips of what he was talking about. Very intriguing book.

I was lucky enough to see Tim Rice on stage recently, as the musical legend toured the country to talk about his life, career and achievements. It was worth every penny of the entry price, with the famous lyricist sharing great stories and surprising facts, and a quartet of singers showcasing some of the songs that have littered his illustrious career so far.

I’ve scaled back my Zero Waste efforts recently because real life has gotten in the way, as it always tends to do. But I’m still always interested in people and companies that are thinking outside the box and being innovative in the way they design products. I stumbled on One Good Thing, OGT, who make a variety of protein bars that don’t have a wrapper - or they do but it’s edible so it doesn’t result in any waste at all.

The third book in the Atlee Pine series, and if we’re being honest, this one was a bit of a dip in form - it felt like there was the big mystery and we’re getting a bit closer but it’s just not happening quickly enough. I did quite enjoy Puller making a guest appearance and it was shocking when he got injured in the line of duty, but all’s well that ends well. Anyway, it’s an okay thriller but really feel like we’re just reading this one to get to the next one where everything will be revealed.

It’s taken me quite a while to pluck up the courage to watch this, as it’s such a cult classic and never really looked like it would be my cup of tea. Actually, I quite liked it. I didn’t understand any of it, and it all felt like a lot of nonsense - but I like the rock opera songs and the costumes and style were just incredible. Plus I’ll watch Tim Curry doing anything and this iconic role he inhabits to perfection.

I’d never heard of Big Country at all, but they popped up on a recent episode of Popmaster TV, with a video set around Corfe Castle. That led to a conversation about the band which inevitably led to me listening to them for the first time. I really liked it! It’s quite an eighties album, but is some nice, fun, rock pop that does the job really well. A thumbs up from me!

I love Becky Hill, it feels like she’s been around for ages and yet this is only her second or third album depending if you count Get to Know. It’s really great, engaging, boppy dance music, gets in your head and drags you on the journey - like enjoying a night out with a friend. I feel like there’s not too much in the way of variation, but because it does what it does so well, that’s not really a big complaint.

With the 80th annivery of D-Day this past week, there’s been a lot of remembrance and commemoration of the Second World War, so I dug this diary out of my to-read list and whizzed through it. Books like this are always fascinating, to read about the daily life of those just trying to get through the war - not on the front line, or necessarily in the thick of it, but still struggling day by day. The structure of the book was good with each month given context of the wider war picture, but some of the formatting went a bit wonky, and there were some significant gaps in the entries. But what was there was good.

Absolutely adored this book. It’s inventive and witty, self-deprecating but also full of pride in that our author is the protagonist of the book. Although fictional, there are plenty of factual bits and pieces in there to really make it feel like this could have happened. The meeting with Spielberg particularly sticks in the mind. But it’s also a fantastic murder mystery, told in a unique and fascinating way. Definitely moving on to the next book as soon as possible.

Ah Meat Loaf, such an iconic voice and sound. And another really good album from the rock opera genius. There are a few classics on here but actually the whole things works really well, as you would expect. My big complaint with Meat Loaf is that he just doesn’t credit anyone else on the album, there are female vocalists occasionally doing quite a lot of the work but not getting a namecheck. Anyway, small complaint for a great album.

I didn’t know Kate Hudson was embarking on a singing career, and I was really happily surprised. The album kicks off in great style with Gonna Find Out - it’s an interesting sound, quite unique, and pretty catchy. the first few tracks, in fact, are really good, but then I do think the album tails off a bit towards the end. But not at all a bad effort for a debut record!

The second of four books in the Atlee Pine series, and this one gets a lot closer to home as Atlee is given free rein to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her sister. There’s another set of murders to investigate at the same time, but it’s really the developments in the personal case that we care about, and already I can’t wait to read the third book to see what happens next.

This film has been sitting in my Apple library for ages. I don’t know when I bought it or what bundle it was in, as I’ve never heard of it. But it looked like a perfect action movie for a popcorn evening and it ended up being very enjoyable. It was reminiscent of Point Break in some ways, but was innovative and interesting, and eye-opening of the world of skydiving. It felt like the budget was pretty low, or maybe the visuals haven’t aged that well, it certainly didn’t feel very polished, but I completely enjoyed it.

I listened to the audiobook of this, and at first it took me a while to get into it - the three different timelines and threads and how they weave together. But once they did start to lean towards each other, I got more into it and wanted to know what was going to happen and whether there would be a happy ending. Spoiler alert: there is!

Love this. Dave Grohl is such a great guy and that shines through in this memoir right from the start. He’s close to his mother, he’s loyal to his friends, and sure people aren’t perfect but anyone who will fly back from Australia for a couple of hours for their kid is worth the time. Well written and an interesting life to read about. Great stuff.

There has been some talk about the sequel for this movie, and that made me realise that I had really wanted to watch it but had somehow let it slide by and get forgotten. Soon remedied that and absolutely loved it. It reminded me of Gone Girl in the twists and turns and deviousness, but it wasn’t quite so frustrating. This one was just entertaining, funny, great characters, and some interesting plot developments. Loved it.

I liked the previous Lohan and Netflix combo effort, a cheesy Christmas film that was a lot of fun. I had hoped this would be the same, and I suppose that’s what they were going for, but it really didn’t come off well. The acting wasn’t great, the storyline completely ridiculous and slightly forced and the chemistry off. Plus, clichés, man.

Love this! I know this album of old so many of the album tracks were familiar to me, and it’s just a great riot from start to finish. I’ve previously said that A Little Respect would be on my Desert Island Discs list, and it’s surrounded by other good rock-pop tracks. Short, sharp catchy guitar tracks, what else could you ask for?

I’m sad that I didn’t like this album at all, really, as I continue to be impressed with Billie and the way she manages herself and navigates the music world. But this one didn’t do it for me. The songs felt a bit like background music until they completely switched up in a jarring way. One song starts out piano ballad and ends up disco diva. I don’t get it.

I was recommended to read the second book in this series but realised I had the original one sitting and waiting to be devoured, so I quickly got through this one. It’s a good mystery, I like the setting of the Grand Canyon, it makes a change from the cities in peril. The mule bit was quite confusing and I thought the stonewalling went on just a bit too long - someone reveal something or we’re not going to get anywhere! - but it was another cracking read overall.

I mean, really. There’s very little redeeming about this film, it’s derivative of everything you can think of, the visual effects are not the best, and despite what could be a fascinating concept, underneath it’s actually pretty dull. Jennifer Lopez does the best she can with some poor material, but Simu is underused massively, and, biased that I am, not in the film anywhere near enough. Hate to jump on the bandwagon of bad reviews, but this one is definitely best avoided.

I finished watching the Apple TV show Sugar this week and had intended to tag it on the end of my television roundup post, but the last few episodes made it deserving of a longer review. Firstly, it’s important to say it was a good show and I enjoyed watching it. The first couple of episodes were interesting but potentially not mind-blowing, but some good online reviews convinced me to keep watching and it definitely got better. If you can get past the name Sugar, which is odd when people say it out loud, each episode was more intriguing than the last until episode six when everything was turned on its head.

I’ve watched quite a few TV shows recently that I wanted to give a mention of but couldn’t summon up the thoughts for a full blog post - so it seemed sensible to do a roundup of them all in one go.

I’ve read this before, a long time ago, and I had in my head a view of what it was like. It was an interesting experience reading it now because it hit differently - Hakeswill was more of a caricature previously, but now I can see the evil within. And the battle is so real, Cornwell’s descriptive writing is so engaging and thorough. I can’t wait to read more of this series.

I’m so aware of Marian and what a legend she is, but somehow haven’t actually read any of her books before - so started at the beginning with Watermelon, the story of a woman finding herself after being abandoned and then gaslighted by her soon-to-be-ex-husband. I love the detail in this, the characters, the many times our protagonist is spinning out, and how honest and relatable it is. Sometimes you just need to drink your sorrows away, and sometimes you don’t trust your own instincts, but eventually, things might just work out.

Just in the nick of time, I have finished rewatching the third series of Apple TV+ comedy Trying, as the new series starts this week. I do think as the seasons have worn on, the drama and loveliness has increased while the quotability levels have dropped. But I couldn’t love it any more, so here’s the best of the next eight episodes.

We have been waiting for this movie to be available streaming for such a long time, the expectations were huge. The only thing I knew of it was the iconic scene, so I was going in blind but oh my word, I loved it! Lloyd is such a great character, deep and interesting and complex but also just a teenage boy who wants a relationship and is super cute about it. The stuff about the old people’s home was darker than I was expecting but also somehow rounded out a great and classic movie.