Juno Dawson writes incredible YA fiction that doesn’t pander to the PTA, and instead, grabs society by the balls and yells the truth in its face
2018 Book Review Roundup – YA Fiction
Last year I read so many books and I told myself I’d review them as I went. Did I do that?! Did I heck! So here we are at the start of 2019 and I’m having to go back and review all the books I read in 2018! They won’t be super in depth because it would take me until next Christmas to do that many, and I also think it can be a good thing to just do a little teaser.
Epic 2017 Book Review Roundup!
Here is a huge post of reviews from every book I read in 2017 – Phew!
5 Books to Read This Summer
As I am 100% swamped with exam prep (#prayforCodie) and wedding planning (www.quirkynuptials.co.uk) and general life, I asked the lovely Maisie to write me a guest post and, of course, it was about books! I haven’t read any of these, so I will be downloading a few for the honeymoon (62 days and counting!)
Wilson in my 20s: Love Lessons
Another edition of Wilson in my 20s where I re-read Jacqueline Wilson books as a 20-something. This time it’s the inapproriate romance, Love LEssons.
2016: Mega Book Review Post
In 2016, I read a lot of books. Here is my (slightly late) book review round up of 2016 – buckle up kids, it’s gonna be a long one (humble brag).
Wilson in my 20’s: The Illustrated Mum
You may remember that a while ago I set myself the challenge of reading every Jacqueline Wilson book that had been published since my birth, as some sort of weird semi-midlife crisis. I was all set to start, but then other books happened. And I got a little carried away with life. But finally, this week, I picked up one of my favourite ever Jacqueline Wilson books, The Illustrated Mum.
The Devil’s Work – Mark Edwards
I’ve declared my love for Mark Edwards’ books plenty of times on this blog, however, after reading Catch Your Death and being a tiny bit disappointed (it just wasn’t as amazing as his others!), I was a little wary about The Devil’s Work. I needn’t have worried. In true Mark Edwards’ style, it was breathtaking.
Wilson in my 20s
I have always been a big Jacqueline Wilson fan – her books were such a huge part of my childhood but I struggled to keep up with them as I grew up and eventually I just kinda seemed to not bother. So here I am at 24 and a half and I have challenged myself to read ALL OF THE BOOKS. I headed to google to find out exactly how many books the Queen had written and no one could give me a good answer, but it’s clear that there is a whole load. I do know that it was over 100 in 2014… That’s a lot of books.
(Struggling to) Carry On – Rainbow Rowell
Okay, so I had decided a while ago to not write any individual book review posts and to group them together, however, for this book, I needed to give it its own post.
The (Broken) Vagina Monologues: Part 5 – A Vaginal Video Game
Hello again friends! It’s been a while! My broken vagina and I have actually been busy growing a little human (I am aware that it’s my womb doing the growing, but it makes more sense poetically to say it’s my vag), and in a few months time (December to be exact) I will be pushing him out of it too! If I thought sex was painful, I feel like childbirth is going to be a whole other level… However, I realise I left you on a bit of a cliffhanger (or a clit-hanger as my pals at My Dad Wrote A Porno blog would say), and it’s time to catch up!
The (Broken) Vagina Monologue: Part 4 – Vagina Physio
So back to physiotherapy we go. I did not know that Physio of the vag was a thing, and somehow I feel my life is better for knowing this.
The (Broken) Vagina Monologues: Part 3: The Serious One.
This is the slightly crappy, intense one. The normal hilarity will return next time, but I felt it important to get this bit out on paper (or pixels) to give a true and honest representation of the whole condition. TW: rape, abuse, police incompetencies etc.
The (Broken) Vagina Monologues – Part 2: Let’s talk about Sex
Steven, my future husband, is a very attractive man. The most attractive, I would say, and when we first got together, I was insatiable. We would rock up to everything, slightly late, with sex hair and that glorious haze that follows new couples around post-coitus. It was amazing. He was amazing and, fuck it, I was amazing too. Everything was wonderful.
Vaginismus and The (Broken) Vagina Monologues – An Introduction
I am an unashamed over-sharer. Whether it be ingrown hairs, repulsive (but hilarious) farts, or embarrassing moments, I’m not afraid to have a chat about the things that others shy away from. I’m not sure why this is – perhaps I just have no shame – or where it stemmed from, but one thing I have noticed, is that for every one person who is horrified and vows never to speak to me again, there are several who find it hilarious and one that finds it useful. That’s where the idea for this series came from.
How YOU can become a freelance writer in 2020!
I’ve written a few times about my journey to becoming a freelance writer, and over the past few years, I’ve been inundated messages about how to get into the industry. After all, who doesn’t want to be able to work for themselves, writing in the comfort of their PJs? For ages, I shied away from sharing too much, as I …
Viking Arty Party – Craft, Coffee & Cake!
I love me some crafts. We have an entire room dedicated to it in our house and a huge amount of my paycheck goes on craft supplies “for the wedding”, so when stationary bosses Viking got in touch and invited me to a crafternoon with coffee and cakes, you better believe I was all over that!
Blog Events 101
April is set to be a busy month for me in terms of blogger events (#humblebrag) and I thought it might be useful to write a little post about the various types of events and my top tips for attending, to hopefully help some newer bloggers, or those who have yet to venture to an event
Summer in the City – Creator Day
Summer in the City is the UK’s biggest Youtube gathering and I was lucky enough to go to the first day, which is the Creator Day. I also beat Steven dressed as a sumo.
So you want to go freelance?
I’ve seen a lot of questions about this on various Facebook groups and, suffering with imposter syndrome as I do, I’ve never felt quite legit enough to write about it. Not “freelance” enough if you will.
Top Tips for Freelancing or Working From Home
On Twitter, a rather lovely follower asked me for any tips I had about working freelance. Weirdly, I hadn’t even thought of myself as someone qualified (is that the right word?!) to give advice, however I thought it would be fun to put together a post of the things I would say are my top tips, after the past few months being my own boss. More than anything, these are tips for working from home – maybe when I get the hang of this freelance lark I’ll do another post on the real stuff!
Freelance Expectations Vs Reality
When I decided that I was going to go freelance, it’s safe to say that I had high expectations of how my life was going to change. A few months on and it seems the reality is not quite the same.
How to be a Blogger’s Best Friend
In a frankly typical turn of events, an idea I’ve been harbouring for a while, for a blog post, was recently written by someone else (probably far better than I would have managed) and went viral.
#BEDM – Why I’m Taking Part (and You Should Too!)
Whether you’re a blogger stuck in a writing rut, or someone wanting to start a blog and needing a push – Blog Every Day in May is the way to go, trust me.
So, I Quit my Job…
So… I quit my job! Okay, there’s a little bit more to it than that. It wasn’t a dramatic, slamming doors, “I quit” moment at all. In fact, I shakily handed in my letter of resignation, after spending a good while considering my decision and of course I still have to work my four weeks notice, whilst my boss tries …
AD| Spooky Treats you can make for a Halloween party at home
So, it looks like Halloween is going to be pretty weird this year and I have to admit, I’m a little gutted. That said, I’m determined not to let the Rona ruin everything, so if we can’t go out to parties, or Trick or Treating, let’s bring the fun home and make the whole of October full of spooky snacks and games.
Getting Control of my Finances*
I have always been a little bit rubbish with money. My parents were rubbish with money and it seems it rubbed off on me. There was a point in my late teens where I had to resort to payday loans, to, y’know, eat and stuff, so my credit rating isn’t the best. That said, I am determined to buy a …
What is a Life Coach? and are they worth it?*
We have one life, it’s very precious, and it deserves our fullest attention – Lauren Iles. When it comes to investing in myself in anyway, I’m a little stingy. I always find something that Ruben would like, or the house could use, and talk myself out of spending money on myself. So when Lauren Iles asked if I wanted …
AD| Planning our dream home
We’ve been wanting to buy our own house for years now, and there always seems to be something in our way – right now, it’s Corona and the banks changing their lending to a max of 80%, leaving us to find a 20% deposit! That said, because we have been looking and lusting for so long, I feel pretty confident …
Precious Keepsake Ideas for your Babies
Some of these products were gifted, but the words and opinions are all my own! I’m a sentimental person – even more so since having a baby. Just last week it was Ruben’s first hair cut and you better believe that I chose a salon specifically based on the fact that they provide you with a certificate and a lock …
AD| My Favourite Easy Veggie Meal for the Whole Family
This is a sponsored post with the supermarket, Jacks. But all words and opinions are my own. When it comes to deciding on weekly meals, I always try to find at least a few dishes that we can all have together – partially because it’s nice to all have the same thing, and it encourages Steven and I to eat …
AD| Using SVGs for Crafting
This is a sponsored post but all words and opinions are mine. One thing you might not know about me, is that I love to craft. Whether that’s decoupaging anything that stays in one place for too long, trying out some Pinterest painting techniques, or upcycling odds and ends from around the house, to create a DIY Music wall. That’s …
Life after Lockdown: A “When This is Over” Bucket list
The lovely Victoria from The Manifestation Collective mentioned writing a life after lockdown, When This is Over bucket list, and I thought it was a really lovely idea. I’ve been adding to it for a few days and I finally think I’m ready to share it. What will Life after Lockdown even be like?! I’m quite lucky on one hand, …
AD| Things I’ve learnt about getting through lockdown*
The photos in this blogpost feature paid-for sponsored items, however all of the thoughts, opinions and words are my own. I know that every blogger and their dog has posted a similar post to this, and it almost put me off doing it, but one reason I keep this blog, is fo ray own memories and reflections. I absolutely love …
The Best Board games to Beat Lockdown Boredom
In these weird, lockdown days, I feel like boardgames are finally having their day, and as such, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.
5 Reasons I love using cloth nappies (Plus a competition!)
I’ve been using cloth nappies with little Roo since he was 6 weeks old and I bloody love them. I love chatting to other cloth bum Mums and also to those who are just curious about the realities of using cloth – I know for sure I have converted a few families into cloth nappies and I love spreading the …
The Best Gifts for a One-year-old
Hilariously, it’s taken me 6 months+ 9 months to write this guide to the best gifts for a one-year-old, because having a baby is super busy. I started this when he’d just had his first birthday, and although it’s massively out of date now, I still wanted to finish it as I think it’ll be really useful for people looking …
Visiting Center Parcs after Lockdown (With a toddler and children)
We’ve just come back from a lovely weekend in Center Parcs – our third time visiting Center Parcs but first time staying in Sherwood. I’d love to try one of the other locations next. I was a little worried about going to Center Parcs after lockdown, and for a while I wasn’t sure if our little holiday was even going …
Precious Keepsake Ideas for your Babies
Some of these products were gifted, but the words and opinions are all my own! I’m a sentimental person – even more so since having a baby. Just last week it was Ruben’s first hair cut and you better believe that I chose a salon specifically based on the fact that they provide you with a certificate and a lock …
AD| My Favourite Easy Veggie Meal for the Whole Family
This is a sponsored post with the supermarket, Jacks. But all words and opinions are my own. When it comes to deciding on weekly meals, I always try to find at least a few dishes that we can all have together – partially because it’s nice to all have the same thing, and it encourages Steven and I to eat …
Yes, I’m Still Breastfeeding my Toddler
I love breastfeeding (most of the time, but deffo not always!), but this post isn’t to shame anyone who didn’t want to/couldn’t breastfeed, or who hasn’t carried it on as long as I’ve chosen to. I’m not about that, boo. On the 15th of June, I will have been feeding Ruben for 18 whole months. That is around 547 days …
DIY Music Wall
I’ve seen these cute music walls all over the lockdown parenting groups and I kept just writing them off as something nice, but that I won’t ever own. But then I suddenly thought – well why not? I’m a strong independent woman. My baby LOVES music. Why can’t I make him a music wall? And so it began! When it …
The Best Board games to Beat Lockdown Boredom
In these weird, lockdown days, I feel like boardgames are finally having their day, and as such, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.
AD| Roo Rocks Spanish Style with La Coqueta
I was gifted this little outfit before lockdown (remember those times?!) and I’ve been trying to find a good time to post. I figured that actually, I want to share my little ray of sunshine looking super adorable and Corona isn’t going to stop me. So here goes. As Ruben grows older, he is really growing into his own little …
I think I’m doing Isolation Wrong.
I’m not sure really where to start right now. In the past few weeks, everything has gone to shit (excuse my French), and we appear to be in a sort-of, not-quite-but-pretty-much Lockdown. While everyone else seems to be baking bread, learning Mandarin, renovating their houses and binge watching Tiger King, I… am not.
Visiting Center Parcs after Lockdown (With a toddler and children)
We’ve just come back from a lovely weekend in Center Parcs – our third time visiting Center Parcs but first time staying in Sherwood. I’d love to try one of the other locations next. I was a little worried about going to Center Parcs after lockdown, and for a while I wasn’t sure if our little holiday was even going …
AD | Exploring Liverpool
I think it’s true for wherever you live, that because something is on your doorstep, you just don’t appreciate what it has to offer. Liverpool is just a short train ride away from us, and yet we rarely explore it properly unless friends from elsewhere are visiting for the first time! It only then that we realise just how epic Liverpool really is.
Why Centre Parcs is the best place for a UK babymoon
Being pregnant is really bloody hard. I won’t go into all the reasons why, but if there is ever a time you need a holiday, it’s when you’re pregnant. A baby moon might seem a little extra, but when you really think about the fact that in just a few more weeks your life is going to be turned upside down by a tiny tornado and this is the last time you’ll be able to travel with your other half as just the two of you, you’ll start to see why it’s a necessity.
Why I Love Southport*
I love Southport! There’s so much to see and do – check out why I love it here!
Pre-Christmas Getaway Ideas*
As we will have a baby by Christmas(!) I am deffo feeling rather consumed by wanderlust. Sure, summer is great for holidays, but I love taking trips outside of the school holidays as things are quieter, cheaper and all-round better. I think if you only ever travel in the summer, you’re really missing out on seeing some beautiful places in the snow, or enjoying a bit of winter sun, and besides, the world is too big to limit when you visit! So, I headed over to Cickstay to check out some of their villas, apartments and holiday rentals to put together some dream destinations.
Haute Dolci Luxury Desserts*
When it comes to luxury, I am not a fancy lady at all. I don’t wear designer clothes, and I’m happy enough in a budget hotel, however, one luxury area I can get on board with is desserts, so when I was invited to try out Haute Dolci and their range of deliciously decadent desserts, I didn’t hesitate in saying yes!
A Week in Menorca – Where to Stay, What to Do
We just got back from Menorca and it was a dream! Check out where we went, and lots of pictures.
Why The Florist is the Ultimate Night Out
I was recently lucky enough to be invited to The Florist for their pre-launch weekend and it was incredible. Here is why you need to include The Florist for your next night out, boozy brunch or big event.
Family Festival Traditions (+ A Family Ticket Giveaway!)
I’m giving away a family camping ticket to Down by the River Festival!
Mind, Body Soul Experience Manchester Giveaway
Win one of 2 pairs of weekend tickets for the Mind, Body, Soul Experience in Manchester!
How I set myself up for a good week – Sometimes*
This post contains a gifted product A Sunday well-spent brings a week of content, or so they say. The way I see it, the more you can plan and prepare, the less terrifying the week might be (*depending on children/sleep/current events etc) and I’ve been working to hone this routine – it’s a work-in-progress but here’s where we’re at. Meal …
Win A CosmoGrill Gas Barbecue Worth £335!
Even as a vegetarian, I absolutely LOVE a BBQ! I love the sides, the drinks, the atmosphere, and of course, really good veggie burgers! We spend so much time in the summer at my in-laws, with the whole family, all the children playing in the pool, the adults enjoying those rare days of sunshine, drinks in hand – Bliss! I’ve …
#Ad – Personalised Socks with my face on?!
I don’t know if it’s because I’m someone who never found her name written in glitter on headbands, or on keyrings in gift shops – woe is me – but I am all about personalised gifts. So when Printsfield asked if I wanted to order some personalised socks with my FACE on them, I was super excited! I didn’t know just how much I wanted to see my mug on a pair of socks, until that email landed in my inbox and now it feels like a lifelong dream!
Why I’m making Yoga a priority in 2020 – and you should too!
View PostMusic In Unison – A Must-Try Class
Some people are wine connoisseurs (I personally like ‘em sweet and cheap – like me.) while others know everything there is to know about designer handbags, but me, I like to think of myself as somewhat of an authority on baby classes. I bloody LOVE a good baby group, whether it’s messy play or Makaton, a majority of my hard-earned …
Am I a mummy blogger now? Rebranding!
I’ve never really known where exactly (if anywhere) I fit into the blogosphere. I’m certainly not a beauty blogger – I barely remember to take my make up off, and just a quick look at my dinosaur dress will tell you that I am not a fashion blogger. I do write about travel, but let’s be honest, I don’t have …
How to support a nursing partner with breastfeeding
Just because you’re not lactating yourself, doesn’t mean that the process is nothing to do with you! Even if your partner isn’t planning on expressing or combi-feeding, which means you can’t help by giving bottled milk, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do to help. My husband was super helpful, especially in those incredibly difficult early days, and …
Simple Self-care for Busy Mums
When you’re a mum (which I have been for over 6 months now and still can’t believe it!), self-care is the last thing on your mind, behind feeding the baby, changing the baby, winding the baby, naps, cleaning, developmental milestones, sensory play, potential dangers, future schools, and attempting to leave the house with the least amount of vomit on your clothes.
How to celebrate your birthday during COVID-19*
Birthday parties are great excuses to meet your friends after a long time, and have a whale of a time with them as you party all night. However, in the current times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had very quiet birthday celebrations just within the four walls of our homes. Why let the pandemic dampen our spirits when we …
Being a Mum: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
I can’t believe that this Mother’s Day, I’m an actual Mum. Last year I was a bit sad as we had been trying to conceive and it felt as though it was never going to happen. Thankfully, this year I am writing this while Baby Roo sleeps next to me, looking precious and making my heart want to burst. Obviously it’s a bittersweet one, as it’s my first one as a Mum, but also my first without my own Mum. But today, I want to focus on my first 3.5 months of Mum’ing and what it’s really been like.
NumNoms: Crazy Creation*
NumNoms challenged me to create a #CrazyCreation and so – I grabbed some of our niblings (Did you know that’s the plural for nieces & nephews?!) and borrowed the mother-in-law’s kitchen and with an overly-extravagant video set up (perks of having a videographer as a future husband!) we got to work.
Summer in the City – Creator Day
Summer in the City is the UK’s biggest Youtube gathering and I was lucky enough to go to the first day, which is the Creator Day. I also beat Steven dressed as a sumo.
Chester Roomzzz Review*
impression that hotels should be nice and fancy (& a little pretentious), with an over priced restaurant and unnecessary room service. However, after staying in two Roomzzz apart-hotels, I am actually gutted that they’re not in more cities – I love them! (They are also incredibly priced if you’re on a budget!)
Guess Who’s Back Baby?!
Happy 2016! My Vlogmas was something of a giant failure, but I managed to film a few videos this month before Panto started, so hopefully I’ll be back in the swing of things soon! If you’d like to subscribe, please feel free to – it makes me feel all fuzzy inside!
#BEDN: Whining with Wine
Y’know those days where your brain doesn’t want to work and you can’t think of a single thing to write? That’s where I am right now, however I’m 20 days into Blog Everyday in November, so I thought I would cheat a little and post a video today instead! If you haven’t seen any of my Youtube videos, you should …
Being Diagnosed with CFS & Fibromyalgia
Last week, I was diagnosed with CFS & Fibromyalgia (incase you didn’t get that from the title – haha!), and I figured a video was a good way of getting all those feels out. It made me realise that I have stopped posting my Youtube videos on my blog, so I really need to try and get back on that. …
Lush Oxford Street Haul!
Read all about the embarrassment this video caused here!
Speaking Love Languages
I’m one of those people that loves to do little personality quizzes in order to find out about myself. Whether they’re the silly Buzzfeed ‘ How Compatible with Jim from The Office are you?’ (91% thank you very much) or the renowned Meyers Briggs type test (I was an INFJ but recently scored as an ENFP – who even knows?!), I just like to know.
The one that has actually been useful to my life, is the Five Love Languages. A short and simple ‘Would you rather’ type test which tells you your ‘love languages’ at the end – basically, how you like to be shown love.
HomeSense Wedding Haul!
The friendly beans over at HomeSense sent me a voucher a few weeks ago to spend in their store on wedding items. That’s like all of my favourite things!
Hubby? Fella? Bird? Bae?
Being engaged to the love of my life is pretty cool. Don’t get me wrong, this announcement is very often met with a look of disbelief – why on earth would someone want to marry you, you giant dork?! Honestly, I have no idea.
BEDN: Where shall we go on our Honeymoon?!
Wanderlust-inflicted travel-lovers that we are, Steven and I are already thinking about our honeymoon. We have so many ideas and (sadly) we can’t do them all, so I figured there was a blog post in there somewhere! Our first thought was Disneyland Florida, spending our days screaming on rides and watching amazing shows and taking selfless with princesses – the …
How my optimism has failed me…
Generally, in my everyday life, I’d like to think of myself as pretty low-maintenance. When it comes to buying gifts, for example, family and friends often remark how easy it is to buy for me. I don’t want diamonds or designer clothes, a battered old book, novelty socks or craft supplies would make me much happier!
So when it came to planning for the wedding, I figured my vision of a beautiful, outside, rustic themed ceremony was pretty low-maintenance too.
How bloody wrong I was!
Cute, but easy Bridesmaid Proposal DIY!
My mantra for this wedding is ‘I only plan on doing this once, so let’s do it right’. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean I want to spend a whole bunch of unnecessary money on it, but I do want it to be special. So, instead of just calling my friends to ask them to be Bridesmaids, I decided to make a little keep sake for them to pop the question as it were. I looked all over Pinterest but everything seemed to cost quite a bit, and with a fair few bridesmaids, I just couldn’t afford that!
As I was going home just a few days after we had gotten engaged, and I wanted to ask them in person, this meant I had to think fast, on a very tight budget. I got a multi pack of matches, in the bigger box, for about £1. Everything else used were just bits and pieces from my over flowing craft drawers.
WTF I’m engaged!
Holy crap balls, I am engaged. I, Codie Louise Austin, who has no matching socks or earrings, who would eat chocolate for breakfast every day, who still thinks farts are hilarious, am getting married!