Book Reviews: Jan – Feb 2019

On By cursedwithanexpensivetasteIn Books & FilmsLeave a comment

January

‘Don’t even think about It’ by Lauren Henderson ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best chums Sally, Jude, and Michael are living the single life in cool flats a mere stone’s throw apart in London. But the girls find the sitcom life they love taking an unexpected twist when Michael’s new girlfriend, Katie, moves in with him. Michael’s a notorious womanizer — he broke it off with Sally years ago — and the girls have gotten used to

I began 2018 with an easy/chic book, so I did the same again this year.  I started off with the above book Don’t even think about it.  It’s basically about a couple that have spilt up a little while and are now ‘just good friends’.  We know that 8 times out of 10 that never happens, but in this story it happens and then he realises that he is still in love with her and they end up getting back together and he pops the question!  It was a good read but I did find it hard at times to carry on reading it, but if you like a romantic chic story then I would say give it a read,

‘The Girlfriend’ by Michelle Frances ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances is a gripping and chilling debut psychological thriller, based on the fall-out following an unforgiveable lie. It looks at the potentially charged relationship between girlfriend, boyfriend and his mother, which most women can identify with, and locates it in an extreme but believable setting.

She loves your son. She wants your life.  A girl. A boy. His mother. And the lie she’ll wish she’d never told.  Laura has it all. A successful career, a long marriage to a rich husband, and a 23-year-old son, Daniel, who is kind, handsome and talented.

I completed reading the book in 13 days. I found it hard to get into the story at first, but after a few chapters in the story captured me. I enjoyed the story and how the author portrayed the characters. Cherry the girlfriend was very clever, nasty and manipulative and how she acted towards Laura later on in the book, but both were I feel competing for Daniel’s attention at different points of the story.  Cherry wants a better life for herself as she is from a poor background compared to Daniel, who is from a wealthy family.  Laura is Daniel’s mother and she seems to have this obsessive relationship for her son, but I can understand that a little as it explains that she lost a baby before having him.  So I feel that she was being a protective mother towards him and making sure he has a good life possible.

I was a disappointed by the ending, as I thought it may of been a better ending, but it all caught up with one of them in the end.  But I would recommend to have a read of this book, as it does capture you in the story.

February

‘The Sister’ by Louise Jensen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I did something terrible Grace. I hope you can forgive me…” Grace hasn’t been the same since the death of her best friend Charlie. She is haunted by Charlie’s last words, and in a bid for answers, opens an old memory box of Charlie’s. It soon becomes clear there was a lot she didn’t know about her best friend. When Grace starts a campaign to find Charlie’s father, Anna, a girl claiming to be Charlie’s sister steps forward. For Grace, finding Anna is like finding a new family, and soon Anna has made herself very comfortable in Grace and boyfriend Dan’s home. But something isn’t right. Things disappear, Dan’s acting strangely and Grace is sure that someone is following her. Is it all in Grace’s mind? Or as she gets closer to discovering the truth about both Charlie and Anna, is Grace in terrible danger? There was nothing she could have done to save Charlie… or was there?

I read The Sister in 7 days, this is the 2nd book I’ve read of Louise Jensen’s and I enjoyed this book, the book is a dark thriller full of twists, turns and some tense moments.  It was a page turner for me and I liked how she linked some of the characters together in the story.  This was a great debut Novel for Louise Jensen.

‘The Surrogate’ by Louise Jensen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

She can give you everything you want… But can you trust her?

Kat and her husband Nick have tried everything to become parents. All they want is a child to love but they are beginning to lose hope. Then a chance encounter with Kat’s childhood friend Lisa gives them one last chance. Kat and Lisa were once as close as sisters. The secrets they share mean their trust is for life… Or is it?
Just when the couple’s dream seems within reach, Kat begins to suspect she’s being watched and Nick is telling her lies. Are the cracks appearing in Kat’s perfect picture of the future all in her head, or should she be scared for the lives of herself and her family?

How far would you go, to protect everything you love?

Third book read by Louise Jensen in 11 days.  I liked the sound of the Blurb, is that the right word?  Anyway back to the review, I was excited to get started with this book as I thought it would be as good as the other two books I have read of Louise’s. I did enjoy this book and how it clicked from the present date to the past was good, also how they are all linked from there pasts. Was also good with a few twists and turns in the book, when I was reading this book, I was at times not wanting to put it down as I was getting in to the story, so I would recommend this to read.

Louise has written 4 books, I didn’t realise what order they were in so I read The Gift first then The Sister, while writing this I’m currently reading The Surrogate. I’m just on the look out now for The Date!
All of her books are good thrillers! So get reading these books

‘Dear Amy’ by Helen Callaghan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Margot Lewis is the agony aunt for The Cambridge Examiner. Her advice column, Dear Amy, gets all kinds of letters – but none like the one she’s just received:

Dear Amy, I don’t know where I am. I’ve been kidnapped and am being held prisoner by a strange man. I’m afraid he’ll kill me. Please help me soon. Bethan Avery

Bethan Avery has been missing for years. This is surely some cruel hoax. But, as more letters arrive, they contain information that was never made public. How is this happening? Answering this question will cost Margot everything . .

I started this booking on 18th Feb. Currently Reading. Review to follow…

 

 

Debt Update

On By cursedwithanexpensivetasteIn MoneyLeave a comment


I previously wrote an honest post about my ‘Debt’ situation back in May 2018, I thought I would write an update post to let you know where I am now and how I’ve been getting on.

My first positive is that I have started saving.. Yes I hear you say!  I started in Sept 18 with £50 a month and have recently increased it to £80 a month, I’m aiming to save £1000 by the anniversary date I opened the account.  My savings account is with Yorkshire Building Society with 2.5% interest rate, and you keep that rate if you don’t do a withdrawal within the year of saving.  I have had to give the paying in book to my sister and brother in law otherwise I would be withdrawing so for me its the best that I can do!

My second positive is that I paid off 6 small debts in 2018 and my goal was 5, so an extra one has gone off my list – whoop whoop.  One of my other financial goals was to get my old Capital One credit card down to £1000 which is what my limit was and another goal was achieved, currently owe £980.00.

My third positive is that I have cleared 3 debts in Jan 19, one was written off by the company but its a debt that can be taken off my list!  I am currently concentrating on my 4 lowest debts which total £720.00, two of these debts I will have paid two by the middle of June.  Then I will move this to another debt to make them payments higher to get that said debt down lower.

My current amount owing to date is £6283.31, I am currently paying 10 debts off at the moment, all small apart from Capital One. So I’m making small progress with getting the total amount down and I am honestly proud of myself for what I am doing and finally started to get my life sorted financially.   I’ve sat down at the beginning of January to go through my 2019 financial goals and set myself some more goals to achieve by the end of 2019.

Goal 1: Pay off 8 debts

Goal 2: Pay Phone, Council Tax, Electric and Rent on time and keep up to date

Goal 3: Check credit report and check Clearscore every month and make    amendments where needed

Goal 4: Keep on Saving… Saving… Saving…

Goal 5: Concentrate on paying off 4 lowest debts totalling £720.00

I do a few different survey sites which I do to help pay towards to my debts, my savings and sometimes just sometimes for a bit of a social life.

Hope you have all enjoyed reading this post, and if anyone has any tips of getting debts paid quicker then drop me a message or some comments 

Hope you all have a great weekend

Lots of Love

Carina

 💋

 

Chapter 2 of 2019

On By cursedwithanexpensivetasteIn EventsLeave a comment

January is finally over and February has appeared!  It’s the month of Valentine’s so lots of Love, Romance, Hearts and Cuteness…

What are my lovely followers have in store for Valentine’s?  Are you planning a special surprise for a loved one or are you being surprised?  Let me know in the comments below.. 

I’m hoping I get the whole valentines weekend with the OH with him coming down to Peterborough.  So I’m trying to plan a nice cute romantic relaxed weekend, need to decide what I will be cooking and some cute little presents, nothing OTT thou as the most important thing is that we have quality time together as its a long distance relationship, with him coming from Liverpool!

img_2185

Photos from Pinterest

Lots of Love

Carina

💋

New In; George Home

On By cursedwithanexpensivetasteIn Home & InteriorsLeave a comment

Been doing one of my favourite things, scrolling thru the Home section on the George website, I have selected some of my favourite pieces which are on my WANT list.

Bedroom

I have to say I do love George Home bedding, as they have some nice designs and they are also a good price, the three pictured below range from £12 to £15, which for a double is great value!  I will be popping to my local George Home next week once payday hits and pick up some new bedroom bits up….

Exciting!

Lighting

Loving these quirky lighting and lamps which George have for sale, love the tall lamp!

Kitchen

I’m a sucker for a funky mug!  Out of these four mugs I’d have to buy top right: Follow your Dreams mug at £2 and also love the set of 2 Copper mugs bottom right and for £6 again a bargain price.  And the mug bottom left would be a great part present if you know anyone who is getting married this year??

Accessories

Really think that George have really done well on the accessories they have out at the moment, I’ve had my eye on the globe for a few months now but not actually done anything about, I mean its not even expensive to be fair I mean its £15, I’m not sure of the size of it but it looks cute and reminds me of one my dad had when I was younger, so that will be going in my basket!  I’m also loving the set of 3 rabbits, these look too cute, and also the plant stand.

These succulents and fake roses are cute if you not very green fingered and not good at keeping plants alive!  The prices on these start from £5..

And I can’t not select some cushions, I mean who doesn’t love cushions, whether its for your sofa or your bed!  One I love and can relate to is the one at the bottom right..

Hope you have enjoyed this post and like the items I have selected..  Just have to wait till payday now to buy some of the bits I have selected..

Hope your all having a great Saturday with whatever you are doing.

Lots of Love

Carina

💋

Natural History Museum 

On By cursedwithanexpensivetasteIn Days Out2 Comments

It’s sad to say that I’m 34 (when I started this post, and I’m now 38 and I’ve failed on completing this post!) and I have never been to ‘The Natural History Museum’ or any of the other Museums which are in London that was until the 24th February 2015!!!

So my friend and I decided that we would have a day out in London, as she hasn’t really done the touristy thing either!!  The Natural History Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us.html) was our main focus point of the day, as neither of us had been.

We goggled to see what was on when we went, there are 4 zones Red, Blue, Orange and Green. The main area we were interested in was the Blue Zone which was dinosaurs to massive mammals, and able to explore the amazing diversity of life on Earth.  We spent just over 2 hours just in the Blue zone. so we have said we will go back in the Summer to look round the rest of the Museum! (we haven’t been back as yet…)

The Blue Zone Pictures


The Main Man – T REX

There is so still much to see in all the other Zones, I may take a day  onto London on my own to go and explore the rest of the Museum.  There is also a Fashioned from Nature exhibition cost of £12 on at The V&A Museum till the 27th Jan  which I would love to go and see, the exhibition will present fashionable dress alongside natural history specimens, innovative new fabrics and dyeing processes, inviting visitors to think about the materials of fashion and the sources of their clothes.

Its payday next week so may just jump on a train and go to London for the day and have a little day out on my own, which I love doing every now and again!  Just get out for the day and do what I want to do and take the city in..

Well I’ve finally finished this post, I’m not sure whey I’ve done it sooner!?  Anyway I hope you enjoy this post.. Enjoy

Lots of Love

Carina

💋

Chapter One • 2019

On By cursedwithanexpensivetasteIn QuotesLeave a comment

Hi 2019!

365 New Days..

365 New Chances…

365 New Pages to fill…

Another New Year has arrived! What will this year have in store for me? Lots of plans and changes for me, going to be grabbing all the chances I get thrown at me..

You hold the pen for 2019 story, make it magical & the best one yet ✨

Welcome January. Will be a quietist month, as the norm getting over Christmas, sorting finances, get back on health & fitness.

A few plans, Liverpool for a few days, sisters birthday, catch up with friends and travel planning.

Hope you have all had a fabulous New Year celebrating with friends and family ✨🥂❤️

Lots of Love

Carina

💋