I’m a big bookworm. I love to read and a couple of my close friends do too; we can spend hours fangirling over our new favourite book boyfriends or rant about the author killing off a beloved character. And my love for books has only grown since I joined TikTok, and see all the videos creators have made for BookTok. On my bookcase, I have quite a few different genres, including thriller, crime, fantasy and classics; however, romance is my guilty pleasure genre! I tend to buy my books from Amazon, or bookshops like Foyles and Waterstones when I do eventually get to go to them. In my hometown, there aren’t any shops that are specifically bookshops, and whilst we do have a library it’s not one of those that every avid reader desires to go to. All around the world, there are places that people long to visit, and in many countries there are breath-taking libraries that are every bookworm’s dream. So, I decided to list the top 10 libraries, I think, every book nerd should visit at least once in their lives. George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland, United States Abbey Library of Saint Gall, Switzerland Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland The British Library, London, England Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart Library, Germany Admont Abbey Library, Austria Handelingenkamer Library, The Hague, Netherlands Bodleian Library, Oxford, England Now, some people aren't too fond of libraries and prefer the more cosy and personal atmosphere of bookshops. Below are two bookshops that should be on a bookworm's bucket list, which includes Europe's biggest bookshop: El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina Waterstones, Piccadilly, London, England If you're a bookworm, you should add these wonderful book destinations to your bucket list. Until next time...

One Tree Hill is one of my all-time favourite TV shows. It’s one of those series that you can watch again and again, no matter what mood you’re in, and never get bored. It’s timeless. Brooke Davis, one of the female leads of the show, is my favourite character; she is feisty, confident, and protective of her friends and family. Her transformation throughout the nine seasons is one of the best character developments I’ve seen in a TV show. In season 1, Brooke is a party girl, who flirts with boys and cares about cheer, but she changes into a entrepreneur, a woman who would do anything for the people she cares about and loves with her whole heart. She’s either a character you’ll love, hate or want to be. She is an inspiration to many, and the wisdom of Brooke Davis will never have an expiration date. Sophia Bush’s character possessed brains, beauty and gave us all undiluted honesty about the world, so I thought I’d share ten inspirational Brooke Davis quotes to help you get through life. “I used to be a bitch for the sake of being one, but now I’m a bitch for the sake of my friends and family. You do not want to test that!” “People are gonna label you. It’s how you overcome those labels that’s what matters.” “Life kicks you around sometimes. It scares you and it beats you up, but there comes a day when you realise you’re not just a survivor, you’re a warrior. You’re tougher than anything it throws your way.” "I am who I am. No excuses. But I'd like other people to know that there's a lot more to me than just some party girl.” “Let me tell you something about love…It doesn’t knock often. And when it does, you have to let it in.” "If you had a friend you knew you would never see again what would you say? If you could do one last thing for someone you love what would it be? Say it, do it, don’t wait. Nothing lasts forever.” “When you stop fighting, you stop living. We all need that thing that’s worth fighting for. maybe it’s a certain someone, or a special place, maybe just an idea. So find your fight, and fight like hell, ‘til your battle is won.” “I stopped letting boys define me and I started believing in myself and in my potential.” “At the end of the day, you are who you are, and it’s probably who you’ve always been.” “Love can be for a boy or a girl or a place or a way of life or even for a family. Where you find it is up to you.” Photo credits linked with images. 3rd and 4th photos - Fanpop.com 11th photo - Entertainment Weekly Last photo - studybreaks.com

At my last book club meeting, I got given the book Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon to read. This YA novel has had major success with it being made into a motion picture. It was released a few years ago, but I had never read it - or seen the film. The woman who runs the book club thought that I’d like the novel and oh how right she was. I read the novel within 24 hours, practically in one sitting, and I can safely say it is one that has taught me a lot about life as well as making me feel a whole whirlwind of emotions. The story follows 18 year-old Madeline Whittier, who lives in California with her mother. Madeline is allergic to the world, suffering from SCID, and has never really known anyone apart from her mother, Nurse Carla and online tutors...until Olly. Olly and his family move into the house across from Madeline’s, and she is instantly intrigued by the handsome guy who sits on his roof at night. Their friendship develops and before you know it, you’ve got butterflies in your stomach anticipating their first kiss - a type of physical intimacy that Madeline has never experienced. Their liking for each other grows and you are sucked into a world of firsts and are taken right along with them on their journey. Yoon created a plot that keeps you reading until the very end, with, in my opinion, a HUGE plot twist. To be honest it’s quite amazing I didn’t know about the plot twist before I read it as the book and film are rather popular. But when I read it, my jaw dropped, and I shot out of my chair in shock! The narrative held me in such a tight grasp that I kept reading, and my smile grew even bigger. The way Yoon tells Madeline’s story is different to other books I’ve read. It’s not just page after page of prose; it’s illustrations, graphs, emails, diary entries, definitions and even a swirl that has you turning the page and crooning your neck - literally, my family wondered what the hell I was doing! At first I didn’t think I was going to like this particular writing style, but I did. It kept the book fast-paced and action-packed whilst keeping the important aspects of a traditional prose narrative. Madeline tells her story in a way that’s spectacularly beautiful and humorous. She is smart, witty and such a relatable character that you instantly connect with her. You feel her desire to explore the world and her anger at her disease. Olly is your average boy next-door, who wants to escape his father. He’s a kind, sarcastic, math-loving guy, with a likability that doesn’t just apply to Madeline - or Maddy, as he’s called her. Every character is engaging and realistic, even ones you don’t like (Nurse Pritchert), and you can imagine them in your own life. The first-person point of view creates an intimacy between the reader and the characters that has you hooked until the last page. For a debut novel, Yoon certainly outdid herself and has gained a new fan! Until next time...

5 incredible women who are breaking barriers in the motorsport industry Motorsport is known for being a male-dominated industry with the most successful drivers being male, with the likes of Aryton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, and having male presenters/commentators, such as Martin Brundle, Paul Di Resta and David Coulthard. However, women are finally making their mark on motorsport, both with driving and presenting. With this weekend being the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Formula 1 debut of the sprint qualifying, here’s a showcase of a select few of these brilliant women and all their success to inspire and empower others to take a leap of faith to push the boundaries of a male-orientated industry. Rosanna Tennant – Journalist and Presenter Tennant began her presenting career in 2013 on YouTube, and is currently working her ninth season in Formula 1. Tennant is a presenter on The F1 Weekend Debrief on Sky Sports F1 covering all the key events of the latest race; she also anchors the F1 Live Pre-Race Show. Tennant covers both Formula 1 and Formula 2 and has worked on several podcasts. She has been the co-host on the F2 podcast, F2: The Road to Formula 1, where she interviews the future stars of Formula 1, and has most recently presented the F1 One Begins show, which revealed the car for the 2022 F1 season. She also led the first female commentary team for F1 in 2020 on F1’s pit-lane channel. Alongside presenting motorsport, Tennant is an ambassador for the group Girls on Track UK where she helps young girls develop public speaking skills and grow in confidence. Natalie Pinkham – TV Presenter, Pit Lane Reporter and Podcaster Beginning her F1 career, Pinkham was with the BBC as a Pit Lane Reporter for Radio 5 Live in 2011. In December 2011, Pinkham joined Sky Sports, covering the 2012 F1 season, and pit reporting during practice sessions, qualifying and the races. Pinkham then hosted The F1 Show in 2013, where she gave viewers an insight into the Formula 1 paddock and covered race weekends. As well as being a reporter and mother of two, Pinkham hosts the podcast ‘In The Pink’, in which she talks to various people from sports and entertainment, covering all kinds of topics, including racing ace Lando Norris, F1 pundit Karun Chandhok and singer Fleur East. Pinkham also runs the podcast F1 Nation with Damon Hill and Tom Clarkson. Jennie Gow – Radio and TV Presenter and Journalist Gow broke into the world of Formula 1 in 2010. She has reported with the BBC, and has been on Netflix’s Drive to Survive as an F1 expert, which has expanded the horizons of F1. With the introduction of Extreme E – an international motorsport series with off-road racing – Gow is stretching her career as co-lead of the series. Gow is also the founder of the webinar series, ‘Motorsport Media’, which focuses on a variety of topics, including content creation, photography and PR/Communications. She’s an excellent reporter, and is now an ambassador for the FIA Girls on Track programme alongside Tennant. Jamie Chadwick – British Racing Driver Chadwick started racing at 11 and is one of the most famous women in motorsport. She’s best known for being the first and youngest woman to win the British GT Championship in 2015. In 2017, Chadwick braved the world of Formula 3 and made headlines when she won a British F3 race, being the first-ever female to do so. Continuing her winning streak, Chadwick was also the first-ever female winner of the MRF title (open-wheeled motorsport) in the 2018-19 season. She is also a development driver for the Williams F1 team, and is the 2019 driver’s champion of the W Series – motor-racing series for women only, aiming to get women racing in Formula 1. Chadwick is currently competing in the 2021 W Series for Veloce Racing as well as being their female driver for their Extreme E team. Reema Juffali – Saudi Arabian Racing Driver Juffali is an inspiration to the women in Saudi Arabia. She is the first-ever Saudi woman to hold a racing licence, and the first-ever Saudi Arabian female racing driver. Juffali made her debut as a professional racing driver at the Toyota TRD 86 cup at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi; in 2019 she raced in the British Formula 4 championship, where she finished 13th overall. Now she competes in BRDC British Formula 3 championship for her debut season in F3. With her frequent point-scoring finishes in her racing career, it is likely we will see Juffali in Formula 1 sometime in the future. All women in motorsport deserve to be recognised for their work and success, but if I listed them all, this blog would be rather long! The five women above are a select few of the inspirational females in the industry, and hopefully if you’re an aspiring sports journalist, racing driver, or even an engineer and mechanic, these women motivate you to chase your dreams. Until next time… Cover image: www.autosport.com

The Princess Trials trilogy is a young adult dystopian series that follows Zea-Mays Calico and her quest for a better world. Zea lives in the lowest echelon of a kingdom, which once was a part of America, and the only way to improve life for all is a revolution. She is dedicated to the cause and will do anything to help, even if it means feigning interest for the prince’s heart. With one misplaced word, Zea catches the attention of Prince Kevon and must fight for her survival. These books are not standalones; they must be read together as the first two end on cliff-hangers. I chose to read this series because I was writing a dystopian piece myself, so wanted to get more of a feel for the genre. And boy am I glad I did. A lot of people say that The Princess Trials is The Hunger Games meets The Selection, and I would have to agree. Castel takes you on a journey of love and survival whilst transporting you to royal balls and fight-to-the-death games. The story is told from Zea’s perspective in a first-person point of view, and I think this really helps to get the story as a whole across. It creates an intimacy between you, when reading, and Zea and because of her ignorance towards the places in which she has never lived, the first-person narrative enables backstory. I think if the books were written in third-person (she/he/her/him) the voice wouldn’t have been that strong, and the story would have been weaker overall. The characters Castel created are some of the best I’ve come across; from the get-go you are immediately engaged with them and want to read on. They feel real as though they are living breathing people. Their characteristics, dialogue and actions all mix together to create a clear image of them in your head. When reading, you can picture Zea’s toughness, Forelle’s bubbly personality and Prince Kevon’s kind heart. The protagonists are Zea and the Prince, whilst the secondary characters form a more extensive list: Forelle, Garrett, Ryce, Berta, Lady Circi, Queen Damascena and more. My favourite character in the series is Zea (cliché, I know). At the beginning, I wasn’t too keen on her and preferred Forelle, but as the book continued and the series went on, I began to favour her; I like her character development throughout and how pure her heart actually is – she wants a better life for everyone, through non-violent ways. She cares about her family and is willing to do anything for them. When it comes to my least favourite character, it would definitely be Queen Damascena. I would divulge all the reasons behind my slight contempt towards her, but I can’t do that without spoilers, so you’ll have to read the series yourself to find out why. With regards to the plot, it definitely is intriguing. You are constantly trying to work out where the story could go, what will happen, will Zea survive. There are plot twists everywhere that kept me on the edge of my seat, and the way Castel creates tension and suspense is just – chefs kiss – amazing! The whole series was so well-written that at sad scenes I had tears and at happy, friendship/romance-filled scenes I smiled and laughed. The sensory description transported me to the settings in the books and I could picture everything that happened. If I had to pick a favourite scene, it would have to be in the third book, The Princess Crown, when Zea and Kevon have an argument. To fully understand why I like this scene so much, you’ll have to read it! I can’t decide which book is my favourite because I like them all – they’re all so good – so it’s hard to pick. I’m a big fan of the enemy-to-lovers trope, which is the first one, and the second and third books are more friend-to-lovers. But each one is just as intriguing as the rest. Overall, The Princess Trials trilogy by Castel is, in my opinion, a must-read dystopian fiction series. If you’re a young adult, a fan of enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers tropes, and a dystopian reader, then this series is definitely for you. I would give this series 4.5/5 stars! Have a read, and let me know what you think. Happy reading! Until next time…

When writing a story, the author needs to do some building of a plan or a blueprint. They need to have an idea of what is going to happen in terms of plot, and whilst it may not be helpful to plan the whole story down to the very last detail, it’s good to have something that resembles a brief plan. But making the plan can be daunting and rather stressful – trust me, I know. I’m currently studying for my degree in Creative Writing and one of the things I've learnt were ways to help build and develop my story. Depending on how you work best will decide which method suits you. I have a rather scattered brain with too many ideas for me to process at once; I have to get them all down in words for me to actually process them, but my brain works faster than my hand can write (bit problematic) so using one of the techniques below really aids my planning process. There are numerous versions of software that writers can use, for example Scrivener is a popular choice, but these techniques are all cheap, easy ways to brainstorm your story. Lists: As your ideas begin to take shape, you can develop lists. These can be lists of characters, settings, conflict ideas or even lists that include phrases of dialogue. It can be anything to do with your story, but they’re formatted in an organised, structured way. I use this technique when making a list of things I need to do, for example: Index Cards: This technique involves using little cards for each idea; you could have one for the protagonists’ appearance, one for the main setting and one for symbols you’re going to use. Using index cards allows you to shuffle your ideas around and see which structure or chronology you prefer. Just remember that if you use this technique, you don’t want to cram loads of information on the cards. Story-boarding: Just like in the world of screenwriting, authors can make storyboards for their stories. You can either assemble some photos or create your own, and use these however you like; you could arrange them in different orders, add relationships between them, reject some etc. This is a great technique if you’re a visual learner/worker. Fragmentary Notes: This technique involves you writing down ideas as they come to you. I have multiple notebooks for this and even use my phone as I tend to have that to hand the most. Fragmentary notes can be anything and everything; they can be character sketches, phrases of dialogue, lines of imagery, descriptive passages of settings, or even character names. They can also include thoughts on the story as a whole and how it’ll work, for example the structure, chapter titles, etc. A pegboard or whiteboard: This last idea is the one that I swear by. I use it so much in my writing that my four whiteboards aren’t enough. This technique allows you to write everything down, move it around and then if you decide you don’t want it, you can easily erase it. You can colour-code with different pens, have a board for different aspects of your story, and you can even use it for techniques like story-boarding. If you're writing a story, or developing an idea I hope these techniques can help you. Until next time…

When done properly, brainstorming can be highly effective so here are four principles and benefits We all have those moments in life when our minds become overwhelmed, cluttered with too many thoughts, and it can be difficult to navigate. Brainstorming is a technique that can help us do this effectively. There are many benefits to brainstorming, and some principles to follow during the process. As a writer, my mind is a crazy maze of ideas that I often get lost in; brainstorming is something I use with my beta reader to express my thoughts and "piggy-back" ideas off each other. I find it incredibly helpful, and so I wanted to share some of the principles of the technique and benefits. Principles of brainstorming: Crazy is welcome – thinking outside the box and generating crazy suggestions can open new doors to more solutions and create new ideas. Quantity over quality – brainstorming is all about what comes to mind; don’t force out ideas because they aren’t “good quality” or logical enough. Get as many ideas/solutions/words down as you can and the quantity will breed quality overtime. Mess is key – when it comes to brainstorming you’re allowed to be messy and frantic. Your notes aren’t supposed to be neat and refined; you want to jot down ideas as they come to you without wasting time on making sure your handwriting is tidy or that all your grammar is correct. But do remember they need to be legible and comprehensible to you. Don’t criticise – as ideas come to you, don’t criticise them; all ideas should be welcome during the process of brainstorming, so keep any criticism for the end to avoid hindering the generating of new ideas. Benefits of brainstorming: Declutters the mind – when your mind is overwhelmed with thoughts and ideas, jotting them down and brainstorming off them, can ease your mind and help you think more clearly as the ideas are written on a page – they’re no longer just floating around in your head. Combined creativity – group brainstorming can be very effective in generating lots of new ideas that you may not have thought of on your own. It allows for you to bounce off one another, quickening the process of creation. Generates a large number of ideas – brainstorming helps you come up with a large number of ideas so that you have lots of different options, but it also allows you to generate these ideas quickly. Combination of ideas – when brainstorming, everyone can generate ideas and whilst they may not be effective separately, they may be the perfect solution together. Brainstorming can help you combine ideas to find a better answer that you may not have come to on your own. Brainstorming is a great technique to generate ideas and expand creativity, so if you are stuck on finding a solution to a problem, or just need lots of ideas for a project, use this technique to help. Until next time…

Are actors the essence of a film, or does it not matter who the stars are? I recently watched the film RocknRolla, directed by Guy Ritchie, which had an all-star cast as its line-up. The film was full of action and crime, and follows a group of London’s delinquents – The Wild Bunch – as they try to steal millions up for grabs during a real-estate scam whilst a Russian mobster and London’s notorious gangster, Lenny Cole, try to come out on top. The film was great with some humour added to break up the action, but I don’t think it would’ve been as good if the characters were played by different actors. The main line-up for RocknRolla is: Gerard Butler – One Two Idris Elba – Mumbles Tom Hardy – Handsome Bob Mark Strong – Archy Tom Wilkinson – Lenny Cole Thandie Newton – Stella These actors, in my opinion, made the film. If, for instance, the characters were portrayed by the actors from the Harry Potter franchise, it wouldn’t have had the same effect. So, do actors really define films? There are other films, which work so well because of the cast. For example, the Fast and Furious franchise would not be as enjoyable to watch if Vin Diesel wasn’t the lead. And the same for Harry Potter; if the cast of RocknRolla switched with the cast of the wizarding world, having Gerard Butler as Harry Potter wouldn’t be quite the same. I feel this way about Mamma Mia too; the only actress to play Donna Sheridan, for me, is Meryl Streep. I think she owns the character and brings her to life, much like Julie Walters does to her character Rosie. Now, directors, producers and writers may have absolutely no idea on who they want to play certain characters, so they end up going through hundreds of auditions to find the perfect actor. However, sometimes they do know who they’d like and if they can get their preferred actor, then no other actor could do that character justice. I recently watched the Friends Reunion, and in that the writers had said that when they wrote the infamous character Ross Geller, they actually had David Schwimmers’ voice in mind. If you haven’t seen friends – let’s face it, who hasn’t? – Ross is one of the main six characters, and there is no one else who could play the paleontologist. Absolutely no one! So for me, I know that the greatness of a movie or a TV show does definitely depend on who is in the cast - as well as the script too. What do you think? Does the cast of a show affect its likability? Let me know in the comments of any examples and if you agree with me. Until next time…

10 reasons why reading is all the brain power you need I’m a bookworm, an avid reader, who would buy thousands of books – if my bank balance allowed it – but I know that a lot of people don’t read, or they just read when lounging around a pool in the Spanish sun on holiday. But as we get older, our memory fades and our brains become less active. We realise we don’t know facts that we once did, and we struggle remembering everyday things. We live in an age where you can read a book on your commute to work, on your phone, or buy it off Amazon and have it instantly delivered to your kindle. We can access books far more easily now than ever before, but what do we actually get out of reading? Is reading just for pleasure – to escape the stresses of life? Or can it benefit us for reasons other than enjoyment? Have a read below to see why you should get back into reading: Mental stimulation: Reading stimulates your brain, and as you grow a stronger reading ability, your brain’s networks will become stronger and more sophisticated. Physically reading is an active action – compared to passively watching TV – and it requires you to train your mind to focus on the information you’re given and to actually take it in. Reading stimulates you mentally; it’s a workout for your brain. Stress reduction: Everyone gets stressed at some point in their lives, some are even stressed every day; but reading has been proven to help decrease stress levels in just 30 minutes, by lowering heart rate, blood pressure and psychological distress. It has the same effects as yoga and meditation, but can be more enjoyable – in my opinion anyway – and can transport you to other worlds free of everyday problems. Builds your vocabulary: The more you read, the more words you know. The more words you know, the better you express your thoughts and feelings. The more extensive your vocabulary, the better the chance of a later mental decline. Reading can help you learn a variety of new words, which can in turn aid your ability to communicate with others, and perhaps prove useful in certain situations in life, like job applications. Knowledge: As mentioned above, reading can increase your vocab, but did you know that it can extend your general knowledge? If you read, you will instinctively pick up facts and bits of knowledge about various topics, sometimes without even knowing, and what you read doesn’t need to be hard-hitting non-fiction or prose for this to happen; it can be light-hearted, and you can still pick up tidbits of info. Analytical skills: When you read, you will undoubtedly analyse the words on the page; you’ll notice if there’s an incorrect spelling, or if a word is missing. If you like reading crime novels, you’ll analyse the plot to see if you can figure out who the culprit is – I know I do – and sometimes you’ll even analyse stories to see what events will happen, even when reading romance. All of this helps you use your analytical skills, and inevitably strengthens them. Improved writing skills: Writing is all about grammar, punctuation, syntax and other technical stuff, but those who read often, learn what makes “good” writing. Readers can absorb an author’s writing style and they’re able to imitate and emulate it within their own writing – sometimes even subconsciously. The more often you read, the more you’ll read good quality writing, and the better your own writing will become. Prevention against cognitive decline: Whilst it’s not definitively proven that reading can prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s, there is research that shows it can help against them. Reading keeps your brain engaged, and if you read a bit every day – or do some logic puzzles – then you can improve your cognitive functioning and maintain it. Strengthens empathy: Reading about different people and different situations in life can help you understand other people, with different circumstances to you, better. It can open your eyes to issues of the world, and help you see what other people are going through. This is called the ‘theory of the mind’ and it can even help you maintain social relationships. Improved focus: Focus is something that a lot of people struggle with; we flit between our socials, watching TV, and tuning into different conversations. We find it difficult to pay attention to something for a long time, but reading can improve our focus. Reading a substantial piece of writing requires you to focus on it for long periods of time, so that you know what is happening and don’t get confused by losing focus on the story. So if you’ve never picked up a book, or have had a break from your reading, remember these tips. Reading is beneficial for both our enjoyment and our health. Until next time…

Cinemas have finally reopened in England, films are making their way back onto the big screens, and popcorn will be eaten now more than ever. Films are a type of entertainment that people love, and so many films were postponed due to the pandemic, but they are finally being released, along with brand new titles, and I am very excited. I'm a big film buff - with over 100 DVDs and access to streaming services - and have decided to make a list of my top 10 films that I'm looking forward to most this year. I wouldn't say that I only watch one genre of film - quite the contrary actually - but a lot of the films I watch tend to have some sort of action in...or music! So here's my highly anticipated films of 2021: Fast and Furious 9 - June 2nd (UK) The ninth installment of the Fast and Furious franchise is probably the film I want to watch the most this year. The action never fails to grip me, the comedy has me laughing and the cars are always gorgeous. With the return of a beloved character and the fantastic cast, this movie will be epic! In The Heights - June 18th (UK) A musical written by the fantastic Lin Manuel Miranda, during his sophomore year of college, that has won three Tony Awards and a Grammy, is now making its way to the big screen. The soundtrack of the Broadway show, and the few songs released from the movie, have me looking forward to the film of the summer. I love to watch musicals, and In the Heights is no exception. Top Gun: Maverick - Not sure on release date The sequel to one of Hollywood's classic movies, starring the remarkable Tom Cruise, follows Pete "Maverick" Mitchell as he trains new pilots after more than 30 years of service himself. The cast, the action, the planes, and even the infamous theme tune; it all adds to the film being one that people watch again and again in years to come. Black Widow - July 9th (UK) The 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe follows Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, before she became an Avenger. The film explores her history with the KGB and the story of Natasha Romanoff. With the film being a Marvel superhero production, you can be sure that the action and graphics of destruction are going to be amazing. Spiderman: No Way Home - December 17th (UK) The third installment in Spiderman films sees the continuation of Marvel's phase 4 as Tom Holland takes to our screens once again as Peter Parker. Spiderman: No Way Home picks up where Spiderman: Far From Home left us...with the world discovering Spiderman is Peter Parker. As well as Zendaya and Marisa Tomei returning as MJ and May Parker, the film sees Benedict Cumberbatch enter Spiderman's world as Doctor Strange. I'm a big fan of Marvel movies, so can't wait to see Tom Holland's new film as Spiderman. Jungle Cruise - 30th July (UK) An adventure and fantasy film that stars two of Hollywood's biggest stars, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Johnson plays Frank Wolff who Blunt's character, Dr Lily Houghton, enlists to help her on an adventure down the Amazon. Based on Walt Disney's theme park attraction of the same ñame, the film already promises high expectations, and is one I'm very excited about watching. Venom: Let There Be Carnage - September (UK) Another Marvel superhero film - Marvel just don't stop! Tom Hardy reprises his role as Venom in this sequel that stars Woody Harrelson and Michelle Williams. Having seen the first film, I have high expectations of action and humour for Venom 2. Directed by Andy Serkis, I can already tell that this movie will be a great one to watch. Cruella - May 28th (UK) Disney's live-action film about one of fiction's most infamous villains; Emma Stone plays Cruella in this film that explores the evil exploits of Cruella de Vil. Also starring Emma Thompson, Mark Strong and Emily Beecham, Cruella is a family-friendly comedy/crime movie for all to watch. I for one, can't wait to see Emma Stone killing it as Cruella. Suicide Squad 2 - July 30th (UK) As a fan of DC Comics Suicide Squad, I am anxious to see this sequel. It follows some of the world's most dangerous supervillains - Harley Quinn, King Shark, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and more - take on a mission with only Colonel Rick Flag to keep them in check. If the first film is anything to go by and the cast, Suicide Squad 2 will surely be a film worth watching. Escape Room 2 - July 16th (UK) Horror movies aren't the kind of films I usually watch but I saw Escape Room in the cinema with friends, and thoroughly enjoyed it. So now with the sequel being released, I'm excited to see what happens next. Escape Room 2 picks up from where the first movie left off, and I can assure you, it will have you on the edge of your seats - or hiding behind a cushion! What films are you excited about seeing this year? Let me know in the comments or on my instagram - @writewatchwork https://www.instagram.com/writewatchwork/?hl=en-gb Until next time...

Do you ever pick up a book and can’t put it down? Do you ever just have to know what happens to the characters? Do you ever get attached to the characters in the book? This year I’ve tried to read more, for pleasure and for my degree, and so far I have read 27 books. 14 of these books are all by the amazing author Lexi Ryan. I discovered Lexi Ryan through social media and decided to begin her series, ‘The Boys of Jackson Harbour’, and since then I am obsessed with her stories. The latest book of Ryan’s I read was Every Time I Fall; it can be read as a standalone or part of the ‘Orchid Valley’ series as book three. Every Time I Fall follows the love story of Abbi and Dean, who just so happens to be her brothers’ best mate and her friends’ brother. Having followed Ryan on Instagram, I was already excited about the release of this book before having ever read the ‘Orchid Valley’ series. I knew I would enjoy the book because I like Ryan’s writing style – being a creative writing student, I’m continuously analysing other’s writing – but that wasn’t what initially drew me to this particular book. What caught my attention was the cover. Now I know there’s the saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ and that is completely true. You shouldn’t just look at a book cover and then read it purely based on the image; you should read the blurb, maybe see if you can read the first couple of pages (easier in shops than online) to see if you like it. But for me, the cover was the thing that caught my attention. It featured a big girl. The cover showed the protagonists, Abbi and Dean, but Abbi wasn’t portrayed as being a slim woman with the “perfect” figure. She represented the type of woman who isn’t normally written about or explored in fiction. She doesn’t have perfectly toned arms and a thigh gap; she’s not slim with a flat torso. Ryan created a curvaceous woman. After reading the other books in this series, I started Every Time I Fall. Whilst reading, I had knee-jerk reactions of smiling and laughter. I felt sad when Abbi felt sad (coincidence that our names are the same, just spelt different) and I shipped Dean and Abbi - I read the book as fast as I could just to see their happily ever after. The most captivating aspect of this book was that the characters felt real. They were relatable. Obviously not being a man, I related more to Abbi than I did Dean. There were scenes that were expertly written exploring Abbi’s insecurities as a bigger woman; she had accepted that out of her friends, she’d be the single one, the one who no man wants because of her figure. Ryan showcased all the worries every woman who isn’t slim has, and that was what made me love this book. I would say that the theme of this book is acceptance and the journey that Abbi goes on helps her learn this. There are times when Abbi sabotages her chances with Dean based on insecurities, or external forces plant negativity in Abbi’s mind, but by the end Abbi has accepted that she doesn’t have to change her appearance. She learns that she’s perfect the way she is – yeah, she may not be as slim as her friends but who cares – and that her own fears and worries about herself were getting in the way of having the guy she loves. Every Time I Fall holds such an important message that isn’t explored much in fiction, and because of this, I recommend this book to all you bookworms. Now, I just want Lexi Ryan to write a book about Savvy’s story (one of Abbi’s friends). If you fancy reading a Lexi Ryan story, here's the link to her website: https://lexiryan.com/ Until next time...

This month from the 10th to 16th of May, it is Mental Health Awareness week. During that week, people are encouraged to improve their mental health, take time for themselves and we’re shown the importance of taking care of our mental health. Journaling is one of the many ways mental health can be improved. It’s not just for writers or for those who have always kept journals and diaries full of their deepest darkest secrets. It can be for anyone. Writing thoughts down can really help alleviate stress and pressure that you may feel, so I wanted to share 6 journaling ideas that can help you find peace and tranquility. Gratitude List: Everyone at some point in their lives reflects on what means the most to them, on what they’re most thankful for; writing down a couple of things a day that you’re grateful for can help you realise what is actually important in your life, and what trivial things you can live without and might be causing stress. You may be grateful for completing a task at work or simply having a Starbucks coffee – whatever it is, write it down. Brain Dump: A brain dump is one of the best journaling ideas you can do. Just like Stacey Solomon (a happiness icon), write down everything you’re thinking, every negative thought, every negative emotion you’re feeling. Write it all down, get all your feelings onto the page, take all the baggage and waste out of your mind, and you’ll feel clearer, lighter and happier. Social Media Time Tracker: We live in a world where social media rules our lives. It’s our way of communicating, it’s how we keep in touch; but it’s also how we waste a lot of our time and how we fill our brains with negative thoughts. Hours can go by without us even realising it and we can become attached to social media, which can impact our mental health. Tracking how much time you spend on social media each day can be a real eye-opener and can help you improve your mental health with productivity and more human connection. Inspiring Quotes: Procrastination, self-doubt, insecurity. These are all emotions we all deal with, some of us on a daily basis, and they can be detrimental to our mental health. In your journals, create a page of inspiring quotes, ones that motivate you, make you acknowledge your worth and help you realise that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Having a page full of inspiration can help raise you up on days you’re feeling low. To-Do List: Our mental health can suffer badly when our brains are too active and over-crowded with tasks we need to do. Sometimes we can lose track of what needs doing, and we can find ourselves in a real muddle. Having a to-do list where you add everything to it, even emptying the dishwasher or eating dinner, can help declutter your mind and help you focus on what is important and essential. Greatest Qualities: We’re constantly bombarded with airbrushed photos and pictures of people who are deemed “perfect” and it can make us feel rubbish; it can make us wish we have a different body type, have a certain appearance and have more desirable traits as a person. Whenever faced with insecurity, we follow the yellow brick road to more insecurity, but if you were to list some of your greatest qualities – that you see and feel about yourself, not others – then you will slowly improve your mental health, learn to love yourself and accept that no matter what you look like or how you are, you don’t need to change. If you’re struggling with mental health, you are not alone. There are a lot of charities and people out there ready to help you, and the tips I mentioned above are ways you can help yourself too. Some key mental health charities include: Anxiety UK – www.anxietyuk.org.uk Men’s Health Support – www.menshealthforum.org.uk Mental Health Foundation – www.mentalhealth.org.uk Mind – www.mind.org.uk No Panic – www.nopanic.org.uk Papyrus – www.papyrus-uk.org Samaritans – www.samaritans.org.uk Young Minds – www.youngminds.org.uk Until next time…