LIKES & LOVES| APRIL 2023

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What an absolutely amazing month April has been. We've not just had the Easter holidays to enjoy but we've met up with friends, did a cocktail masterclass amongst other things. So overall its been quite busy and I think now the weather is improving we will be doing alot more days out etc.

So lets look in more detail all the things that we have been liking and loving. 

Netflix

I've watched a few series this month on Netflix which I've really enjoyed:

Luna Nera 

In 17th-century Italy, a teenage midwife accused of witchcraft must choose between fulfilling her powerful destiny and a star-crossed love.

The Law According to Lidia Poët

Lidia Poët, Italy's first qualified lawyer, is banned from practising law because she is a woman. At the same time she investigates murders.

Murder in the Coalfield 

When a grisly murder brings Detective Maik Briegand back to his hometown, he finds himself dredging up bodies, clues and past traumas.

Transalantic

An American journalist, during 13 months spent in France in 1940-41, manages to arrange safe passage out of France and on to the US for more than 2000 refugees who are in danger of losing their lives.

Film:

Lyle Lyle Crocodile

When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son, Josh, struggles to adapt to his new school and friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle, a singing crocodile that loves baths, caviar and great music. The two become fast friends, but when evil neighbor Mr. Grumps threatens Lyle's existence, the Primms must band together to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places.

Uncle Henry's 

Uncle Henry's is a Farm Shop, Butchery and Cafe local to us. They have a few events on throughout the year and it was our first time visiting. Blake enjoyed behind the garden wall the most where there is a fairy trail, a jumping pillow and crazy golf. There is also a little outdoor play area for children to burn off some energy.

2023 READING CHALLENGE | WHAT I'VE READ IN APRIL

This month sees another great selection of reads. Most are books that are for book tours that I've joined in with,  so if you haven't read those posts yet I'll pop the links with them below. So lets see what I've been reading this month.

Bewitching by J.E.Nice

 A teenage girl tempted from this world over a carpet of bluebells… A house full of shadows and a presence waiting to be let in…

This is a easy to read fast paced fantasy which I really enjoyed. You can read my thoughts about the book here.

Thanks for sharing by Eleanor Tucker 

In this fascinating book, Eleanor Tucker sets out a bold vision of how sustainable sharing can save us money, and lead to a happier future. It's more of a memoir than a help guide which was what I was expecting, however you can read more here.

BOOKTOUR | CARING CONSERVATIONISTS WHO ARE CHANGING OUR PLANET BY KATE PERIDOT

 Ad – review. I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes and all thoughts are my own.

Today I am involved in the book tour for Caring Conservationists who are changing our planet by Kate Peridot. Kate is an author of both fiction and non-fiction children’s books. Originally from London, she now lives with her family in the South of France. She writes wild and adventurous stories about animals, people and STEM that encourages a can-do spirit, a quest for knowledge and a sense of adventure. 

Caring Conservationists (Walker Books) is her first non-fiction children’s books. A further nine books are in production launching between 2023-2025.  

BOOKTOUR | THE HEART LADDER BY SIBBY SPENCER

Ad – review. I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes and all thoughts are my own.

Today I am involved in the book tour for The Heart Ladder by Sibby Spence. Sibby Spencer is an author, poet, podcaster and regular book reviewer for BBC Radio Derby. She enjoys playing around with the themes of reality and possibility, and creating characters who are very human in their flaws - yet capable of revelation and redemption. She loves getting lost in a good novel, swimming in the sea, learning new things and dancing in her kitchen. She lives in Derbyshire with her husband and two children.

ARIA BY GYORGY HENYEI NETO

 Ad – review. I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes and all thoughts are my own.

Today I'm sharing a review of Aria by Gyorgy Henyei Neto. Born in Brazil, Gyorgy now resides in the UK. He is not only an author but also a trained anthropologist, musician, and artist. His unique perspective and experiences are reflected in his writing, making the stories all the more compelling.

About the book

Six months after the catastrophe known as The Scintillance, Dia decides that it is time to find the memories she had lost. However, while seeking for her own past, she is caught in a web of lies and betrayal. In a town governed by the ARIA foundation, Dia must learn about her own memories, her past, and the intricate connection between herself and the the Scintillance.

48 HOURS IN LEEDS

We've not long been back from 2 nights away in Leeds. We booked for something to look forward to during the second half of the Easter holidays. We love exploring different places and this was our first time visiting Leeds. It took us approximately 2 hours by train to get there and once we arrived we had an hour till we could check into our hotel room. So we decided to head to a nearby coffee shop called Laynes espresso. It's a great little coffee shop which is in an ideal location with it being in nearby proximity from the station. 

The Hotel

We stayed at the Leeds Novotel which wasn't too far from places we wanted to visit. We stayed for 2 nights in a standard room with a queen bed and sofa bed. Personally we felt the bed didn't feel like a queen bed more like a standard double.  There was an En-suite with a bath/shower which was super handy as quite a few places we've stayed in just have a walk in shower. The toilet is in a separate room which is handy especially if staying with children. Other facilities in the room included: a large working area, a 55" LCD TV, hair dryer, fridge with cans of water, Coffee/tea making facilities, a safe and complimentary WiFi. We had no issues with the WiFi so Blake was happy on his tablet in the evenings. 

Teaching your child to use social media responsibly

 *This is a collaborative post 

The internet is a huge part of our daily lives, with it being incorporated into our phones, televisions and tablets. This is great as it allows us instant access to huge sources of information and the chance to connect and contact others in seconds. Whilst this is a major benefit of the internet, it can also come with disadvantages that can pose as threats to young people. The introduction of social media has been amazing but has also played a huge role in the decline of young people’s mental health. As a parent, it is important to be the one to introduce social media to your child as you will be able to direct them in the right way and teach them the correct way to use it. Here is some advice from this sixth form in Halstead on teaching your child to use social media responsibly. 

How to raise a polite child

 *This is a collaborative post 

As a parent, you will want to raise the politest child around. Whilst this is possible, it is definitely a task that doesn’t come easily, and requires a lot of time and patience to get right. Children with great manners are not born with this great ability, but rather, are trained and taught these skills. However, whilst some children do pick up manners and politeness easier than others, it is still vital to reinforce and teach your child the correct way to behave and treat others. With the right approach and constant reminders, your child will be on the road to mastering these skills. Below is some advice from this senior school in Reigate on how to raise a polite child. 

How to foster a love for reading in your child

 *This is collaborative post

Over time, the number of children who read for fun has slowly decreased, with technology taking its place. With the instant entertainment received from social media and gaming, downtime is now completely consumed by devices, with books being something that has become forgotten by many. Unfortunately, this has become evident through schoolwork given that children are now lacking the skills offered by books and reading. So, what can be done? Below are some top tips from this private boy’s school in London on how to foster a love for reading in your child. 

Helping your child develop a growth mindset

*This is a collaborative post 

A growth mindset is when an individual believes that their abilities have the potential to change over time, instead of remaining stuck in one place. The majority of the time in children, a growth mindset is encouraged by activities such as unstructured play, which involves the thought of wanting to try and attempt new challenges. As a parent, you will notice that when your child was very little, they would be delighted to be presented with the chance to take part in something new that encourages them to be curious and develop their skills. However, compared to when they are older, you will notice that they now avoid challenges due to the fear of failing. So, what can be done to keep this love and excitement for change? Below is a guide that discusses how to help your child develop a growth mindset, as advised by this prep school in Cheshire. 

BOOKTOUR | BEWITCHING BY J.E.NICE

 Ad – review. I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes and all thoughts are my own.

Today I am involved in the book tour for Bewitching by J.E.Nice. J E Nice is a fantasy author who lives in a city filled with dragons, woodland where the fae hang out, on an airship home to a crew of sky pirates and, sometimes, on the outskirts of Bristol in England. Wherever she is, there is always cake.

About the book

A teenage girl tempted from this world over a carpet of bluebells… A house full of shadows and a presence waiting to be let in…

Finally, everything is going well for Erica Murray, witch and paranormal investigator. That is, until the mother of a missing teenage girl recognises Erica’s fae lover, Alfie, for what he is and begs for his help. Erica must step into Alfie’s world to find the girl, but it means discovering secrets about her lover that might tear them apart.

Meanwhile, Jess Tidswell has other things on her mind. Her parents are meeting Jess’s new dog and, more importantly, her fiancé for the first time.

That’s not the worst of her problems. Her parents, keen for a new adventure, have bought a house and it comes with some unexpected residents. Shadows that move of their own accord, a curious spirit and something malevolent that lives on the periphery.

Unable to contact Erica, can Jess handle this terrifying ordeal on her own and protect her family? 

Deep in another world, can Erica find the missing teenager and bring her out of harm’s way?

It’s going to be a long weekend.

Bewitching is an easy to read and fast paced fantasy novel. Bewitching is the fourth book in the Murray & Tidswell paranormal investigations series although works as a stand alone. Having not read the three previous books I was still able to read Bewitching without any confusion with what was going on. There are a great mix of characters and I really enjoyed what was happening with the characters Erica and Jess. My only pet peeve with this book was the use of the words "her bowels loosened" which I found was mentioned too often within the story. Otherwise this was a great read which I managed to finish within 24 hours. 

BOOKTOUR | THANKS FOR SHARING BY ELEANOR TUCKER

Ad – review. I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes and all thoughts are my own.

Today I am involved in the book tour for Thanks for sharing by Eleanor Tucker.  Eleanor Tucker is a former advertising creative and features writer for The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, Marie Claire, and Psychologies, commentating on gender, society, sustainability, tech and lifestyle. She now writes, speaks, and advises startups all over the world on the sharing economy space. Thanks for sharing is her first book.

UNCLE HENRYS | GAINSBOROUGH

We are almost halfway through the first week of  the Easter holidays. The start of the holidays for us involved a trip to Uncle Henrys farm shop and cafe. Uncle Henrys have a few events on throughout the year and it was our first time visiting. We visited Uncle Henrys as they had an Easter Trail and egg hunt going on.

Location

Uncle Henrys is located at Grayingham Grange Farm, Gainsborough DN21 4JD.  Unfortunately if you don't drive it's not accessible as not on the public transport route. As we don't drive we opted to take a taxi. 

Things to do:

Behind the garden wall

Behind the garden wall you will find a trail, a jumping pillow and crazy golf. There are also seasonal activities such as the Easter Trail, the maize maze during the summer and pumpkin festival/Halloween trail later in the year.

Play area

The farmers den play area is lots of fun for little people. With an 80m pedal tractor track, climbing frame, basket swing, sandpit and play tractor kids are sure to keep busy. Picnic benches give families the opportunity to sit and relax whilst children can play to their heart’s content.

Cafe

Uncle Henrys serves a delicious variety of meals including breakfast, lunches and afternoon tea. The homemade dishes are freshly prepared in their kitchen and they also do Sunday dinners. 

Farm shop

Uncle Henrys have a wide range of local sourced products in their farm shop. They have a butchery, deli, bakery, fruit and veg, a beer, gin and wine cellar  plus a store cupboard section for getting those essentials. 

Gift shop

Don't forget to visit the gift shop where you can find a special gift. They stock a range of mug ware including the sought after Cath Kidston range and china and textiles from Wrendale designs and Sophie Allport. They also provide a bespoke hamper service where you can pick the products to suit your taste and we will do the rest ensuring it looks beautiful.