I’m sure everyone involved in the making of this film is fed up with comparisons to The Hunger Games but it’s almost impossible not to. A young adult book turned into a movie in the early 2010s with a group of good looking young actors in a dystopian future. They’re very similar prospects. Unfortunately, this one didn’t do it for me as much as Hunger Games did - the story is okay, the concept intriguing, but the chemistry between the actors is missing.

This popped up on iPlayer to watch for free and so I gave it a go - I love a good shark movie but I’m not sure I would have paid for this one. It’s good, but not great. There’s not a lot of depth to it, even with trying to shoe-horn in the backstory about grief and medical school. It’s obvious the plot is being stretched, with an over-use of slow motion but as I mentioned above there are some good visuals - just a girl alone in a sea of danger. Entertaining enough, but not worth going out of your way for.

The second book in Michael Ball’s theatre series is very similar to the first - taking our characters, with a slightly expanded cast list, and following them through the trials and tribulations of inter-war life and love whilst also trying to keep a theatre up and running. It’s a great read to chart the ups and downs of both the theatre’s fortunes and the relationships of those within. It’s not perfect writing but there’s an enthusiasm for the subject matter that you can’t fail to enjoy.

A recommendation from my dad, I hadn’t listened to any Slade albums before, and if I’m honest, mostly knew them as that Christmas band. But hey, the album is really good! Credible 70s glam rock, with some great tunes and Noddy’s excellent vocals. I enjoyed the listen and will have to do more!

I love Robyn a lot and this is a great album from the dance pop queen. It’s short and sweet, mixing those dance beats with emotive lyrics and Robyn’s excellent vocals to creat a really good record. It’s just slightly too dominating, so it’s hard to do anything other than listen to it, but if that’s what you’re looking for, something to lose yourself in, then it’s exactly what you need.

I’ve loved Karen Carpenter for a long time, but stumbled upon this book in the library by complete accident - I didn’t realise there was a biography of the soulful but troubled singer. This is written by a superfan and comes at it entirely from the point of view of Karen, telling the story of her early life, how she and her brother became famous, the tensions that were created around the family dynamic and of course the eating disorder that eventually claimed her life. It’s heartbreaking of course, but a really great read.

I wasn’t as keen on this one as I have been others in the King and Maxwell series, mostly because the characters were just all a bit terrible. Even the supposed victims were awful and I didn’t like the twists and turns that we underwent. That being said, the writing is as always engaging and page-turning, and I did like the progression in the relationship between our two protagonists. Curious as to where we go next.

Of all the famous faces that appeared in Celebrity Traitors last year, Joe Marler seems to have had the best result - he pops up on any and every television opportunity you can think of. But not only that, he created his own podcast as well: Joe Marler Will See You Now. It definitely falls into that category of celebrities just chatting to each other, but with Marler’s deadpan humour and the vague theme of psychology, it’s a lot of fun. Initially, the guests were quite predictable - Nick Mohammed, Cat Burns, Lucy Beaument, all familiar faces from that Traitors castle. But the guest list has expanded, with recent episodes featuring Sue Perkins, Tom Allen and Michael Ball!

When I was learning how to code, one of the problems I had was no specific idea for an app to create. A vague idea cropped up since then but having done absolutely nothing about it, I’m glad to see that Apple have done the hard work for me. Their new feature Genius Browse is an interactive feature to help you pick what to watch next.

The list of films that we need to watch is outrageously long, and yet none of them were the right fit for when you need an easy going mindless bit of fun for when you’re feeling under the weather. So we look back to the early 2000s and this fab slice of feminist fun. Objectively, I don’t think this is a great film - there’s not a lot of plot, and what there is mostly comprises of characters objectifying each other (although at least it’s both men and women being objectified, so that’s a refreshing change). But it’s great to see women just out there, being slightly crazy and doing what they want, to make a fun, camp, friendship and love story. Great stuff.

I’m always annoyed at myself for getting sucked into these books that are written by already famous people, but who can resist the legendary Michael Ball? This book takes you back to the glory days of theatre and behind the scenes to uncover the mysteries and dramas behind the stage. Unique and interesting characters, plenty of storylines and threads to get stuck into, and that glorious feeling that you’re being told a story by someone who knows what they’re talking about. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel too.

Feeder are a band that don’t take up a lot of space in my memory, but when I listen to them, I love it! This is great indie rock for their second album, with Insomnia a proper tune that is very relatable. There are highs and lows through the tracks, giving you some nice space to rock out and then relax for a moment. Overall a great album, although probably not one that’s going to make the band remain in my mind!

Until I watched some of the country documentaries on the BBC last year, I hadn’t realised that Luke Combs was such a megastar in the UK. But reviewing his back catalogue, I can see why. This album is his sixth and is bumper in length with 22 tracks. They’re all good, and I never felt like the album was too long but it’s certainly taking up space. Good country songs, some deeper than others, some that you relate to more than others, and Combs’ excellent vocals layered over the top. No complaints!

This was an okay thriller, a man finding a bag of money and then having to deal with the consequences of his actions. I had hoped it might be a bit more airport-y, but I feel like this really could have taken place anywhere. And if I’m honest, none of the characters were particularly sympathetic, so even though he’d had a really bad day, I sort of thought he had what was coming to him. Oh well, definitely worth reading but maybe not as good as I’d hoped.

I had high hopes for this book as Adam Kay is a great writer and has done incredible things for raising awareness of the pressures the NHS is under whilst still remaining humourous and hilarious. The book took me a while to get into because none of the characters seemed that pleasant and certainly not relatable to me. But I’m glad I stuck with it because actually as a whodunit it was interesting, and as the characters began to twist and turn and take centre stage, it really got good. Definitely worth a read.

I watched this series thinking I’d check out a couple of episodes just to see what all the fuss was about and got hooked, like so many other people. So I thought it was worth reading the source material as well, just to cover all bases. The TV show is a pretty faithful adaptation but there’s a lot more to it than what’s in the book - as it’s a relatively short novel. The characters we know getting together for that fateful summer and everything changing. I’ll read the rest of the trilogy as well, for sure.

I’ve read this before, a long time ago, before I even started chronicling my book reads. Somehow I’ve managed to review the sequel to this book of short stories before this one, so I thought it only fair to rectify the situation. I love Jeffery Deaver’s short stories, there are always twists that you don’t see coming and this is no different. There’s a Lincoln Rhyme story in there as well, but ultimately it’s a host of different characters, lots of varying situations and plenty of twists to try and guess.

Sign me up for anything Nick Mohammed is in, and although initially you’re like, what a weird trio with BDH and Orlando Bloom as well, that’s kind of the point. This odd group are thrown in at the deep end and somehow survive various scrapes by being hilarious. It’s a silly film, there are plot holes aplenty and it’s really poking fun at the gangster organised crime scene, but switch your brain off and go with it and it’s brilliant. Nick does steal the show, but I was impressed with Orlando’s comedy take on method acting, and the three of them worked really well together. A fantastic watch.

This was a really good entry in the Doctor Who series of adventures. We’re still with the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond before Rory got involved, and this time we’re in New York. A mammoth was uncovered from the ice and comes to life when it is unveilved in the museum… but of course all is not as it seems. I loved the story, the interesting enemy who can deal with time and the resolution to it all. A fun adventure.

Hepburn popped up on one of the recent 1999 Top of the Pops episodes with I Quit, and I’d completely forgotten that song existed. I thought it would be fun to listen to an album of a one-hit wonder, only when I came to listen to it, I knew two other songs, particularly Bugs which was another good single at the time. Overall it’s a pretty good pop album, although you do have to get used to the strong accent that comes out occasionally. I’m surprised the band didn’t have a longer career, but they were dropped by the record label after the three singles. I guess there was a lot of other music out there at the time!

We’ve been inundated with ex-Little Mix albums recently, and of course it’s hard not to compare and contrast. I loved Jade and Perrie’s records, and this one probably didn’t quite live up to them for my tastes, but it was still very good and offered something a bit different. It’s got island vibes and reminds me a lot of early Rihanna in places - first listen through I wasn’t sure but it was growing on me second time round. Worth a listen, for sure.

I’ve been following the progress of the England Coast Path for a while now, since my obsession with long distance paths started. I love these trails, even though I have not, as yet, walked very much of any of them. There have been various coastal paths around the country, with the South West Coast Path being the most prominent, but now work has been pretty much completed on joining the dots and unveiling the new King Charles III Coast Path. The man himself opened the path today, although I’m guessing he didn’t walk very much of the almost 2,700 miles.

The second book in the Matilda Darke series, and I’d forgotten how dark this series is (no pun intended). This time, a couple who were having an affair are brutally murdered and it’s up to Matilda to figure out what happened whilst at the same time still dealing with the fallout from her previous cases and mistakes and a collection of colleagues who either support her fully or are getting in her way. A good read, interesting crime thriller, I’ll continue the series.

I’m a big fan of the TV show Death in Paradise (well, I used to love it, now I just watch it, it’s definitely not got quite the same buzz about it after so many character changes). This book is pretty much cashing in on the success of the show, but does tell the story of a real life situation where a UK police officer goes to the glorious sunny islands of the Caribbean and stays there a couple of years. It’s interesting and the stories are well told, so worth a read, but obviously nothing to do with the TV show at all.

I love Simon Brett’s writing and found this first in a new series book enjoyable… but maybe not as good as I was hoping. The main character wasn’t very gripping, and reminded me in places of Molly the Maid without the oddities that made Molly interesting. The mystery was good, although it feels a bit of a stretch that someone who declutters and deals with these challenging situations would also then solve a murder or two. Odd, not my favourite, but maybe I’ll give the second book a go just to see if it comes into its own.

I’ve heard of this film through its cultural impact, and noticed there was talk of a remake with Jenna Ortega, but I didn’t really know a lot about it. It’s painfully 90s - the apartment, the outfits, the very early computers, but as a story, it’s aged pretty well. It was good, and I enjoyed watching it, but it felt a little bit lacking and the pacing was drawn out. I don’t know if it’s just because it falls a little bit between genres - it’s not scary enough to be a horror, not quite thrilling enough to be a thriller, but with too much gore to just be a drama. It doesn’t quite hit the best of all worlds, but is an interesting and entertaining enough watch.

The lovely Pink was guest hosting the Kelly Clarkson Show recently so popped back into my attention and just asked for an album to be listened to. This is one of the older ones but it has some classic Pink songs on it - Trouble and God is a DJ kicking off the album in very familiar style. I like this era of Pink, it’s just before she got hugely famous and with absolute belting tunes, but still with some great songs to bop around to. Great stuff.

I’m not a massive fan of Harry Styles but am happy to admit that he’s a talented guy and has come out with some catchy songs in the past. He’s been away for a while so I was intrigued with what this new album would be like - unfortunately, it wasn’t my cup of tea at all. I found it really quite dull, well produced and with good vocals but just 100% background music and instantly forgotten once it was done.

Oh this was wonderful. I mean, it’s a heartbreaking thing to have happened but this book is gorgeous. Richard lost the love of his life, Joan Washington, in 2021 and this book is diary excerpts from their final year together. From the challenges of dealing with their current situation, dipping back through their forty years together and how their careers ebbed and flow, together and apart. It’s beautifully written, exceptionally candid, and just gently funny and moving in equal measure. An absolute must-read.

Back up to strength, I think, in this long-running DCI Ryan series. The underlying mystery is interesting - dead bodies and red running water - and of course there’s insight into our team, the characters we’ve grown to love. Rather than any major plot points this time, the team are mostly dealing with things that have happened in previous books, and these are the bits I like best. The gang learning, growing, falling out and making up, and solving crime along the way.

I love KJT and she’s always been such a private person this book was a great opportunity to get inside the mentality and ride that heptathlon rollercoaster with her. It’s a great read, from the early athletics days to participating in an Olympics so quickly, and that drive to keep pushing and achieve goals. We go through the various Olympics and that horror show that was Tokyo, and it’s really fascinating to read about how you can come back from that. Plus there’s insight into family life and everything that is sacrificed to get that elusive Olympic medal.

When I reviewed the first series of Hijack, I said “I’m assuming it’s not the kind of show that will get a second series…” and left it there. Well, I was wrong, the show helmed by Idris Elba returned to Apple TV for a second outing and it was really good.

I’ve had this in my to read pile for a long time and finally got round to it - it’s a good financial thriller, you have to have a bit of a head for finance to enjoy it I think. Even though the technology being discussed (virtual reality) has moved on a lot from when this was written, you can easily look past how dated it is because there’s always a technology on the horizon that could have the same impact. I think one of the big reveals was really obvious from the start, although I hadn’t connected all of the dots. So it was a serviceable thriller but maybe not perfect.

Immediately after finishing Tomb Raider II, it was only a couple of taps on the controller to just ‘see what TR3 is like’. Which of course ended up in playing it in earnest, trying to figure out all the puzzles and collecting all the secrets. Immediately it’s not that far removed from its predecessor but there are differences as you go along. The main difference is naturally in the locations that Lara finds herself in, and this game is a bit hit and miss. I really, really loved the subways of London and the Nevada desert was fantastic. But the jungle is really hard to navigate, and the underwater propulsion levels were so irritating.

I mostly know Neil Sedaka as that grinning face in front of a piano on the cover of some of my dad’s records, but of course I know some of the classic songs. This album has Stupid Cupid on it which is the main one I knew. Sedaka is very talented, and I like his style of rock and roll. It’s fair to say that his voice doesn’t reach the rich depths of other artists of the same time, but that just makes it more approachable and relatable. A good, fun, short, fifties album.

I’ve been in a bit of a huff with Gorillaz recently, because they don’t seem to be that bothered about pretending to be a virtual band anymore and it feels like they’re letting go of what made them different in the first place. But nevertheless, I was curious about this new album and the many, many guest artists on it. The album has a lot of Indian influence right from the start, and has a really intense and melancholy vibe about it. It’s an odd one, but it holds together really well and the variety of sounds is just right.

This was another enjoyable read in the Ryan series, but I have to admit it was less good than some of the previous ones. There’s a mystery of the week to investigate, but the big hook is Melanie Yates finding out what happened to her sister. Unfortunately, it was a bit disappointing that it’s yet another top brass copper who is the villain - but at least this time we knew that straight away and followed quite a lot of his thought process as we went along. The beach hut ending seemed unlikely, but go with it and we set things up nicely for the next book in the series.

One thing that comes across in all Ruth’s novels is an incredible talent for creating vivid, warm and wonderful characters, rooted in Wales of course. This story takes three best friends from their early connections all the way through some significant life events that split them up and draw them back together again. There are serious issues being discussed but there’s a humour and joy to it all, even through the rollercoaster of life. A wonderful book.

This is a really good autobiography, fresh and engaging, incredibly honest but with stories and insights about the author that were surprising. I had no idea Page had gone to RADA, but then also gone on to hate it and basically just survive it - using that training as an experience to grow stronger as a person, if not better as an actress. There are stories from various sets and productions, and quite a lot about having a family - I could probably have done with less about breastfeeding, but equally appreciate the candour which will probably speak to people having similar experiences. Overall a great read, and must be time to watch Gavin & Stacey again!

Pluribus was an absolute treat of a TV show at the end of last year, and the kind of show it is - well crafted and entirely mysterious - lends itself very well to an accompanying podcast. This official show is hosted by Chris McCaleb, an editor on the TV show itself and has a roundtable discussion focusing on each episode of the show and featuring actors, crew, writers, editors, directors and anyone else who can weigh in on what it takes to make a series like this.

I absolutely loved the first book in this Roy Grace series, and whilst the intervening few novels have been very good, none has quite grabbed me like that first one did. This, however, was right up there. There’s ongoing character and relationship development with the team that is always enjoyable, but the wider mystery was also really, really fascinating. The sad story of a teenage girl who needs a transplant, alongside the black market of organ selling, and quite a lot of dodgy characters in between. A cracking read.

No Scrubs has been a fixture on the 1999 Top of the Pops replays, and I suddenly realised I had only done new TLC music and not any of the classic stuff. This album is so good. There are a couple of interludey bits I could live without, but it’s not as annoying as some other albums are. And the tunes make up for it - obviously No Scrubs and Unpretty are stone cold classics, but the rest of it is great R&B with their intriguing blend of vocals and such a feeling of redemption (the band having gone through some stuff before this album that meant they may not have come. back!) Love it.

I missed Hilary Duff’s music career first time round, but have recently been watching her in the TV show Younger, so when I saw that she was releasing new music I was intrigued. I really liked this album - it’s a slightly odd one, because it is really bubblegum pop sounding, but with the perspective of a 30-something mum of 4. There are some influences in there, one track sounds very TayTay, another reminded me of CHVRCHES, but it all has it’s own spin on it so it doesn’t sound derivative. I liked it!

Obviously, I’m not going to be able to resist a title like that, what with my obsession with time travel. I did enjoy the book but I have to admit I felt a bit led astray because it’s not really about time hopping at all - it’s more of a magical fantasy land that you can visit depending on what you wish for. That aside, it’s a nice, heartwarming book about not taking for granted what you have, not wishing away your life, but also paying each other more attention and drinking plenty of delicious coffee. A cosy book without being saccharine, it’s a pleasant read, if not quite what I expected.

I really enjoyed this book, it felt like one of the better ones in the series and I think that’s because the characters that we’ve now grown to love have their own things to deal with alongside the major plotline. Elizabeth is gradually coming out of her shell, Joyce has a wedding to plan whilst having a fractious relationship with her daughter, Ron’s extended family are in trouble, and Ibrahim is mildly oblivious of crime happening right under his nose. And then there’s the interesting plot about missing bitcoin on top of all that. Really easy to read and enjoyable plotting, I liked it!

I’ll admit to buying this book because I enjoyed the wordplay of the title, but also figured the concept sounding engaging enough so it was worth a read. I think potentially the title is misleading, because it’s not really all about Sue, there are a group of friends and all of them need this connection and this bike ride to get their lives turned around. It was super easy to read and with some nicely drawn characters, some emotional and moving moments, and ultimately an uplifting book to zip through.

Way back towards the beginning of my knitting journey, I mentioned that I was making a jumper but then put it aside to focus on other things. I did finish that jumper, and I don’t know why I didn’t write about it at the time because it was hilarious. I was proud of it, a finished product, hooray! But it was enormous. I’ve not really invested too much time in gauging my work so far, which is a lesson I’ve learned now. But back then, I just had some chunky wool and a pattern and I wanted to crack on.

Over recent years, I’ve not given the Winter Olympics the attention it deserves. I wrote about it in 2014 and you can tell in that post I’m in two minds about the whole concept. Well, that all changed this past fortnight, with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The coverage in the UK was with TNT Sports, on Discovery+, but they included it in the £3.99 price plan which is an absolute bargain. If that was too much, though, there were elements available on the BBC - although from what I’ve heard they continued the tradition of mostly watching curling non-stop.

Reef popped up on the 1999 episodes of Top of the Pops that are replaying on the BBC, and I realised I hadn’t done this classic album from the band. I was a bit nervous, because that voice is absolutely iconic but could get a bit much over 12 tracks? It was fine. We kick things off with the iconic song, and then the rest of the album lives up to the hype with great pop rock but also slower moments and a nice mix of beats.

I did have a short inner debate about whether this album should count for this adventure, it being a soundtrack to the new movie of the same name. However, I figured if it’s a body of work in itself and makes sense even if you didn’t know it was connected to the film, then that’s ok. Plus I reviewed Purple Rain and that’s a similar idea. So the album itself, the first couple of tracks had me concerned, but once things really kicked into gear, I enjoyed it. It’s definitely a mood of its own - full of dramatic and discordant strings - but if you’re in that mood then it really works. Charli continues to push the boundaries and I like it.