Theatre Review: Les Miserables - The Staged Concert

While the Queen's Theatre, the West End home of Les Miserables, undergoes renovation work, the show has moved a few doors down Shaftesbury Avenue for a limited 16-week run at the Gielgud Theatre.

Billed as an all-star staged concert, this short run brings together some of the biggest and most noteworthy names who have been associated with the show over the years. However, it's not all massively successful stars, as some new names and potential stars of tomorrow have also joined the cast for these unique performances in the intimate surroundings of the Gielgud.

I'd been looking forward to seeing this show for months, but did it manage to live up to my expectations?

Book Review: The Things I Know by Amanda Prowse

Last Updated: 20 September 2021

From bestselling author Amanda Prowse comes a heartwarming tale of first impressions and lasting love.

Thomasina ‘Hitch’ Waycott loves living and working on the remote family farm and B&B. But she also wants more. To see the world. To own her own home. To fall madly in love.

But those are fairy tales, and if her life is a fairy tale, then she’s the ugly duckling. Her deformed lip, her crooked limbs and her weak heart have kept her from taking chances. But that’s about to change.

When Grayson Potts comes to stay, he’s unlike anyone Thomasina has ever met. He’s aloof, eccentric and exceptionally kind. He’s also totally unconcerned with the physical flaws that have always defined Thomasina.

The two form a bond that neither has had before. It’s possible that it could become something more, but Thomasina also wonders if it’s too good to be true. By putting her heart on the line, Thomasina may open herself to heartbreak. But she may also open herself to so much more.

Book Review: Sycamore Gap by L.J. Ross

Last Updated: 20 September 2021

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan believes he has put his turbulent history behind him. Then, in the early hours of the summer solstice, the skeleton of a young woman is found inside the Roman Wall at Sycamore Gap. She has lain undiscovered for ten years and it is Ryan's job to piece together her past. 

Enquiry lines cross and merge as Ryan is forced to face his own demons and enter into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who seems unstoppable.

Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular scenery of Hadrian's Wall country in Northumberland.

4 Tips to Help Deal with Life's Rocky Patches

Last Updated: 07 May 2021

AD* | Ever felt like you are just on a constant stream of bad luck? Do you find yourself dreading the next stroke of bad luck and assuming that all of these unpleasant situations come in threes? The thing is, we can all have a rocky patch every now and again. It may be to do with your working environment or workload, your home life and relationships, or even a mixture of multiple things.

But regardless of the cause, it’s never easy when you feel like the whole world is against you. However, this is where you can make a choice. You can either let the bad times roll, or you can tackle it head-on and admit that it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s a tough decision to make - and admittedly, sometimes you have no control over the cause of the situation - but where possible, it's always best to take the positives and move forward with your life rather than dwelling on the situation. 

This is why I've put together a handful of inspiring ways to help you get through any rocky patch you might be facing or dealing with in the future.

3 Things Bloggers are Looking for from Brands

Brand collaborations and partnerships are all part and parcel of being a committed blogger - but there's no reason why blogger outreach should be scary or confusing.

Instead, blogger outreach provides a valuable service for brands, bloggers, and consumers alike, providing a relevant and relatable promotional platform for a wide range of products, services, and organisations. However, as every brand collaboration is different, it can be difficult to know where to start.

There are plenty of resources and tools out there to help budding bloggers and brands just starting to branch out into blogger outreach and influencer marketing, but I've compiled my own experiences to outline three things that many bloggers will be looking for from a brand partnership.

Book Review: The Spitfire Girls by Soraya M. Lane

Last Updated: 20 September 2021

Three skilled aviators determined to help win the war. Three brave women who know their place is not at home.

At the height of World War II, the British Air Transport Auxiliary need help. A group of young women volunteer for action, but the perils of their new job don’t end on the tarmac. Things are tough in the air, but on the ground, their abilities as pilots are constantly questioned.

There is friction from the start between the new recruits. Spirited American Lizzie turns heads with her audacity, but few can deny her flying skills. She couldn’t be more different from shy, petite Ruby, who is far from diminutive in the sky. It falls to pragmatic pilot May to bring the women together and create a formidable team capable of bringing the aircraft home.

As these very different women fight to prove themselves up to the task at hand, they are faced with challenges and tragedies at every turn. They must fight for equal pay and respect while handling aircraft that are dangerously ill-equipped; meanwhile, lives continue to be lost in the tumult of war.

Determined to assist the war effort doing what they love, can May, Lizzie and Ruby put aside their differences to overcome adversity, and will they find love in the skies?

Book Review: Malibu Motel by Chaunceton Bird

Last Updated: 18 September 2021

AD* | Based on the incredible true story of a hapless lottery winner, Malibu Motel is a raw, timeless novel exploring the undercurrents of capitalism. Caish Calloway is struggling to maintain a stake in the land of limitless privilege. Blinded by pride and fueled by greed, Caish is a slave to the wiles of a moneyed mind, as only one who has tasted wealth's powerful fruit can be.