This was a pretty good sequel, more intriguing puzzles and dangerous circumstances. I think it didn’t quite match up to the first movie simply because the characters are wiser and know what’s coming, whereas them figuring it out was part of the fun of the original. But it stacks up and introduces some new people to worry about. It’s not going to win any awards but a fun way to while away an hour.

Although the UK is suffering from a lack of summer at the moment, the sporting events continue apace. Some are enjoying the football, if enjoying is the right word(?) but for me, it’s all about the tennis. Going into Wimbledon this year, the field seemed wide open and even more so when Sabalenka pulled out of the championships. My focus has been on the women’s side, as always, but it’s hard to avoid seeing what’s been going down on the men’s side of the draw too. But here are some thoughts from the first week, anyway:

It feels like the blockbusters have been on the low side recently, but the next few months have quite a few famous names and faces back on the big screen. We’ve drifted from keeping up with the immediate and more expensive releases, but am really enjoying digging out hidden gems and older classics. However, may have to make an exception for some of these!

I enjoyed pulling together the previous TV roundup of shows I’d watched that didn’t really warrant a full post but where I did have some thoughts to share, so I thought why not make it a regular feature? I’ve not been well recently so my TV watching and book reading has gone up massively, but now the summer of sport has arrived, this may not be the case over the next month or so.

This movie and the sequel popped up on iPlayer, so there was no harm in giving it a quick watch - I had assumed it would be a bit of a silly slasher movie, but actually it was surprisingly good. The escape room stuff was smart, the characters interesting, the fact that they had flashbacks that related to the current situation added to the peril. There were twists and turns but it didn’t drag on, I was pleasantly surprised!

The first half hour or so of this didn’t fill me with a huge amount of hope - it felt like it was setting up to be a cheap, silly, derivative action movie, and took quite a while to get going. But once it kicked into gear, I really started to enjoy it. The dictator that turns out to not be what you think was well written and interesting, the ‘romance’ angle was different to other movies, and ultimately it was a fun ride. It maybe wasn’t as funny as I thought it was going to be, but maybe it wasn’t trying to be a laugh-a-minute ride. Worth a look, anyway.

I find costume and historical dramas very hit and miss, and thankfully this was more a hit than anything else. It’s a pretty tragic story, and once I’d got my head around all the different characters, it played out well. The screen is naturally owned by Ronan and Robbie as Mary and Elizabeth, and the rest pale into comparison. It’s a shame they didn’t get to share more screen time, but ultimately a watchable if not groundbreaking movie.

So Sugababes won Glastonbury for me this year, I loved their set and it just made me realise how many tunes they actually have… and what we could have had if it wasn’t for the missing ten years of fighting and lineup changes. Nevertheless, this album was after the first change, with Heidi new to the group, but that sound so familiar and the harmonies still on point. Great tunes, and a great album all round.

I love Imagine Dragons and this was another good album in their discography. It was all good, solid Dragons-style music, with the iconic voices and sounds we know and love. It didn’t quite have the bangers that I’d hoped for, although Eyes Closed is probably the high point of the album. I thought it was on there twice but it’s the deluxe version that has the additional one with the rap on. Anyway, great, if not perfect.

I bought this at the time it was released, midway through 2020, the heart of the pandemic, of lockdown, of the NHS’s most difficult times, when clapping on the doorsteps was considered the best we could do to support them. I couldn’t read the book at the time, though. I tried, and it all just felt a bit too much. But now I’ve read it and I love the love that’s contained within. More than 100 famous names contribute a varying amount of paragraphs to talk of their experiences with the best health service in the world, and why we should continue to support it. An incredible collection of writers, too, I knew almost all of them!

This was a surprisingly good film. Well, no, let’s be clear, it’s not a good film but it was really fun and cute and Emma Roberts shines off the screen. There are plenty of plot holes and it’s all a bit silly, but if you just forget that and go with it, and if you’re in the mood for something bright and breezy, it’s absolutely perfect.

I was in two minds about this to start with. It seems like such a niche subject, why did I even pick up this book? But gradually, I was drawn in and won over by the passion which Ms Wiltshire discusses her subject. The book is primarily about the little known and seemingly under-resourced subject of forensic investigation around pollens and minute traces in forests etc, but there are chapters looking back at her early life and how she ended up in this line of work - the difficulties and tragedies of a life, but the high points of successful cases as well. It ended up being a really interesting read!

The sequel to How to Build a Girl which I absolutely loved and it lived up to the original. The writing is just as exquisite as the first, drawing you in to Johanna’s world and not letting you go until the final sentence. Jo/Dolly has moved to London but is still dealing with her chaotic family, her sexist workplace, a burgeoning love life, and an unrequited first love. It’s almost difficult to describe how much I loved this, and the moments that take a feminist stance just made me want to shout out loud. I really need to read some of Moran’s non-fiction, because I just want more!

I listened to the audiobook of this next book in the Lincoln Rhyme series, and really enjoyed it. It had the usual formula of a serial criminal (not necessarily murderer) leaving trace evidence that allows our heroes to figure out what and who and why. But throw in bungled court cases, getting fired from the police department, and that stranger who is always suspicious when they appear… a little bit of everything for another sturdy Rhyme thriller.

I knew this wasn’t really going to be my cup of tea, but I’m always interested to listen to an album that on the surface kinda scares me. It wasn’t that bad, actually, but really not the kind of thing I want to listen to. To put on my good grandpa hat, it’s just noise, and the length of some of the tracks was just frustrating.

The last time Gabrielle released an album, it came as a surprise to me as it was absolutely epic - really captivating easy listening. This time, whilst the style is the same and it’s unmistakenly Gabrielle with her lush vocals and smooth beats, it didn’t quite reach the highs of the last one. Absolutely listenable but not really one that I would seek out as I would the previous one.

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!