What the postman brought me 13

My poor postman had another heavy bag, he must hate me!

• The Reaping DVD- From Play.com, chosen this for the two fantastic actors Hillary swank and David Morrisey. Also the 10 plagues seem an interesting theme


• The Best of Louis Theroux 's Weird Weekends DVD- Another buy from Play.com, I bought this because I think Theroux is a highly intelligent with a very rare talent.


• Will and Grace Season 3- From Play.com, I laugh my head off at this, can't wait to watch it


• Feather Boy-Nicky Singer- Bought this from Play.com after seeing it recommended in the Guardian many months ago


• Belinda Jones-Living La Vida Loca, a kind donation from LovelyTreez http://http//www.lovelytreez.com/ . I always have a soft spot Belinda Jones, as she introduced me to chic lit,and I've never looked back since.

Katie Fforde -Paradise Fields

I love Katie Fforde books,to me they are like you favourite warm comfy sweater. Warm and reassuring. Paradise fields, was enjoyable but not one of Ffordes best. I found the lead character Nel, very self deprecating which became annoying after a while. But I did find the supporting characters better written, especially the 'sensible' boyfriend Simon. I found the fight for the fields a written very disjointedly and uninspiring at times. If this was a school report I would grade this as C+, needs to try harder.

Bridesmaid on Saturday

Well I am going to be a bridesmaid on Saturday, I am starting to get really nervous now! I am all prepared for the big day, bought my last bits and pieces today, just got to sit back and enjoy now!

Bargins of the day

Another charity shop haul

• Ultraviolet DVD-£2.99 from BHF shop, mainly because i liked the purple box, how embarrassed am I?


• The Phantom of the Opera DVD- £1.99 from BHF shop, whilst in the shop I had a realisation that I'd never seen this so i picked it up


• The Jane Austen Book club DVD- £1.99 from BHF shop, as it has Jane Austen in the title


• Friends Season 3 DVD- £2.99 from RSPCA shop, I m about 10 years late with Friends obsession


• Classic 1000 Babies names- £1.99 from Oxfam shop, no I m not pregnant got this for when I get stuck on names when I write short stories

Bargin of the day

Found this Winnie the Pooh tin in the British Heart Foundation shop for 99p. It contained 8 little notelets and envelopes. I bought this because I have an obsession with tins and collect them. I don't Know why I love tins so much, maybe it is because they are fabulous for storing crap in! I also hoard notelets as well, as a symbol of my fight against the modern technological world. Winnie the Pooh, who doesn't like Winnie the Pooh?

Bargin of the day

I found this fabulous bowl for 50p in the RSPCA shop and instantly fell in love with it. It was hand painted in Perth Australia.

Along came a spider- dvd review

http://http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0164334/ I am a massive James Patterson fan and eagerly looked forward to watching this film, and wasn't disappointed. I did think Morgan Freeman was a strange choice for Alex Cross, but he did really well. My only criticism was that there was no kids and Nana in the film. I didn't think that the film was true to the book, but hey I was not too fussed. I loved that the film moved as fast as the books and the baddie was a typical Patterson baddie. Overall a nice candyfloss thriller.

What the postman brought me 13

Another busy day for Mr Postman

• Just Like Heaven DVD- I bought this from Play.com mainly because Mark Ruffalo is in it and rather shamefully bought this so I could gawp at him for 2 hours


• Dead Poets Society DVD- Bought this DVD from Play.com, mainly because I love the title of the film


• Akeelah and the bee DVD,- I bought this DVD on Play.com after seeing a recommendation on Entertainment Weekly website


• Meg Cabot- Size 14 is not fat either- I bought this book on Play.com, after reading an interview with Meg Cabot in the writer and she sounded a really interesting women (and she lives in New York, which is always a plus in my eyes)

The Wire Season 1

http://http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0306414/ I watched this series over two days, and I was literally left speechless in awe of its greatness. The Wires gritty brutality and realism really struck a cord with me, in comparison with the other more gentler American crime shows. I loved that every character on the show was flawed ranging from the drunkard detective Mcnulty to the retribution seeking drug dealer Omar. The poverty and deprivation is (what imagine) very true to life. The cutting short of too many young men's due to drugs was rally shameful. The highlight of the show for me was Dominic West's accent, it is the best American accent I have ever heard, better than most Americans. The theme tune was really fitting, whats with HBO and theme tuns, thy pick the best ones.

Angel news

Since I last blogged about Angel she has developed some strange habits. She has a unhealthy obsession with my bathroom. She has taken to watching running taps, but bizarrely hates the water touching her. She enjoys balancing on the side of my bath. Last week I heard an almighty crash and Angel dashing out of the bathroom. On close inspection Angel had fallen in the bath and the only dry part of her body was her head. she didn't look impressed.Another habit of hers is sitting on my clothes horse, which i wouldn't mind but all my clothes are covered in cat hairs. Her playing habits are ls changing and developing, she has developed a liking for throwing and fetching, doggy style! On a positive note she is becoming very affectionate with me... just not any one else!

What the postman brought me 12

Enid Blytons Upper Fourth at Malory Towers. This is a swap from Read it Swap it, it was on my wish list mainly because I am interested in children's literature from a more innocent times. I am also a closet Blyton fan.

What the postman brought me 11

The post man must be very grateful to me when he only had to deliver one book, Julian Clarey's Murder Most Fab. I saw Julian Clary's Lord of the Mince recently and love him. I wanted to give his books a try this is the first one i could get a hold of... hope it is good.

Bargins of the day

Another haul from the charity shops

• Northanger Abbey £1.99 from RSPCA shop I am a huge Jane Austen fan and I've never seen this one so I'll give this a try


• Kramer vs Kramer £1.99 from RSPCA shop I only bought this because Meryl Streep is in it and I've never seen anything bad that she has stared in


• Mansfield Park £1.99 I enjoyed the Billie Piper version, hope this is as good


• Friends Season 2 £2.99 I never liked Friends when it was on TV know its coming off I cant get enough!

Sleepers

http://http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0117665/As strange as it sounds, it has taken me 8 years to build up the courage to watch this DVD. You may be wondering why. Well as an 18 year old I read the book on holiday and it traumatised me with its brutal child abuse themes, as a 26 year old I am inspired by the characters courage in the end and the love that they have, which was forged through the brutality they faced. I found the film equally moving and disturbing. The child actors were superb and so brave as young kids to portray such harrowing children. Even though the character that Kevin Bacon played was a despicable human being, Bacon was fantastic in his role. Robert De Niro also surprised me how compassionate and loving his character was. In the film there is a continuous reference to the Count of Monte Cristo, which I see Sleepers as a modern day Count of Monte Cristo

Charmed season 1

http://http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0158552/ I found this show an easy to watch a entertaining, if not a tad predictable.The on screen chemistry between the sister was realistic, there bickering was completely believable and the family dynamics was interesting. I spent most of my time in awe of the fabulous house that the sisters live in and the San Fransisco scenery. The 'monsters and demons were predictable but at times there were scary! Another series with a soundtrack from my youth, which always pleases me. I will definatly be buying season 2.

Derek Acorah- Haunted Britain

I feel a bit of a fraud to say that I enjoyed this entertaining book, even though it was amateurish and poorly written. The whole book was a collection of 100 most haunted places in Britain, but instead of developing n interesting story behind each place Derek just made fleeting remarked bold statements. There was substance to his points. There was also no 'evidence' about each place, he appeared to pluck these stories from thin air. There was a few things I noticed about the ghost of theses haunted places is they tended to be a black/grey/white nun, black /grey/white lady or a black/grey/white monk. Also there was no ghosts from the 20th century! I think because it was so bad, that is why I loved it.

What the postman brought 10

• Asking for trouble- Elizabeth Young and Noughts and Crosses -Malorie Blackman...I got these two as swaps from RISI but I can not remember why they were on my wishlist!


• Roseanne season 2- I got this for the hapy childhood memories it provokes

Gail Porter Laid Bare

I was not expecting much from this autobiography as I've read so much crap recently from this over saturated market. But was pleasantly surprised at how good this book was. It was an easy honest read, which portrayed Gail as a like able lady with demons to fight. It was really painful to read about her attempted suicide and battles with depression.

Bargin of the day

Angels new milk bowl 99p from BHF shop, how could I leave it in the shop?

Bargins of the day

My latest haul from town in includes

• Great Expectation £1.99 from BHF shop, bought this because I love Charles Dickens. A Christmas carol is my favourite story of his


• Identity £1.99 from BHF shop, Ray Liotta what more can I say


• Princess Daisy £1 from pound shop. The Poundshop have been selling a great range of DVDs lately, thought to myself I don't know the author but for a pound I'll give it a shot


• Sleeping With The Enemy £1.99 from BHF shop bought is because I cant believe I have reached the age of 26 and never watched it!


• 13 going on 30 £1.99 from BHF shop what can i say I am a cheese fan.

bargins of the day

Two more for my expanding reference library.

• Rogets Thesaurus- £2.99 from Oxfam shop I was desperate for a good thesaurus as one of my main problems is repetition


• The Oxford Dictionary Quotations - Great for inspiration

Bargin of the day

Alison Weir -Traitors of the Tower. A bargain at £1.99 in WHSmiths,am really interested in Tudor history after watching The Tudors, cant wait to read this.

James Patterson - Violets are Blue

I am a huge James Patterson fan, look forward to every one of his books. I am not naive to think his books are high art, I realise they are what they are i.e. very enjoyable, familiar fluff. But this was truly terrible and left me disappointed. As a character I admire Alex cross and enjoy reading about his latest cases. But this vampire case he worked on was downright bizarre and unrealistic.

Goodbye winter

I am one of those rare folk who love winter and with a heavy heart I welcome in spring. Don't get me wrong I am not anti sunshine and pretty flowers. I appreciate them as much as the next man. But nothing compares to a winter wonderland countryside scene scene or the feel of the cold on your cheek. I love laying in bed listening to the wind and rain lashing my windows pure bliss! I love dark nights, which enable me to hibernate ad indulge my love of films with out feeling guilty. I come alive in winter and hibernate in summer. So till we meet again winter, I will miss you while you are away.

Angel News

As Angels body grows her confidence grows twice as fast! She is extremely active and I am convinced she only sleeps when I am at work. The girl as no fear, she has chewed through a live printer wire and found her way into the kitchen cupboard and refused to come out. She is going through a biting phase at the moment, which I am struggling to break, so any advice would be much appreciated. She has started doing a Meerkat impression when she wants to look out of the window, which is incredibly cute. Morrisons have had an offer of two boxes of Rice Crispies for £3, she has loved this as I always end up spilling some and sh spends hours chasing them across my flat. Morrisons also had an offer for Bob Martin Spot On for £2.10,which Angel did not enjoy me applying, her tail fluffed up.

bargin of the day

Found this book in the Oxfam shop for 99p and couldn't resist it. Ettiquete is a dying tradition and I would like to read about it before it dies completely! this book now lives under my coffee table for me to dip into!

The Other Boleyn Girl

This DVD was a massive disappointment to me. The casting was shockingly miscast, Natshcha Elhone was too old and pretty for the role of Mary and Jodhi May was too young for the role of Anne. It was filmed too modernly with shaky cameras and the camcorder confessionals were down right bizarre. Philipa Lowthorpe left all the good bits from the book out. The only good thing about the DVD was that it had Philip Glenister in it.

The Other Boleyn Girl- Phillipa Gregory

This book does what it says on the tin. Tells the story of Anne's sister, Mary. Who was used and abused by Henry VIII and was usurped from the kings side by her notorious sister. If there was a line you could measure humanity on Mary and Anne would be on the opposite end. Vastly different and brilliantly developed as characters by Gregory. I was secretly pleased when Anne's head was chopped off, as Gregory wasn't sympathetic towards Anne, she was portrayed as a power mad vixen . This has been the best book I have read in a long time. I've never read any historical fiction, and loved how modern the themes of the book are, it really reminded me of our culture of celebrity relationships! It was brimming with sex and scandal... I loved every word of it, there was not a single, boring page and I never wanted it to end! Can't wait too read more about the Tudor's.

Paul O'Grady- The Auto-Biography

I am probably breaking every book review rule here, but I am going to describe this book as OK. Nothing special but not bad either. There was a few laugh out loud parts to this book which i enjoyed. I loved the language Paul (if indeed he did write the book), I can only describe it as 'northern' and very familiar to me. My problem with modern autobiographies, and this one, is they are unbelievable, and blatantly biased. Also the market is saturated with celeb autobiography's, but none of them are original!

The Namesake

//http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433416/ It saddns me to say this is the biggest film disappointment I have seen this year. I was really looking forward to watching this but within 10 minutes I could tell this was a pants film. The main reason I strongly disliked it was due to the wooden acting of Kal Penn, he clearly graduated from the Keanu Reeves school of acting. The low point of the movie was when Kal was playing the teenage Gogol, it was cringe worthy and reminiscent of Harry Enfields Kevin character. The plot was really slow and tedious, it didn't grip me and was constantly waiting for something to happen. The only highlight was how pretty the actress Tabu is, she was wasted on this stinker.