Hello everyone! I'm in the process of writing my literature review on antibiotic resistance at university so I thought I may as well review some (non-scientific) literature on here too. I adore reading and the last book I read was Stoner by John Williams (highly recommend it) which I finished in September so a good read was long overdue. The book I have just finished reading is A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke which is centred around midwife Eva, her husband Jackson and Jackson's brother. Saul. After a fishing accident during a storm, Jackson dies leaving his wife of less than a year completely devastated. Jackson is originally from Tasmania so Eva heads out there as she is struggling to cope with her loss and wants to understandably be closer to her husband's loved ones to find out more about his past. When Eva arrives in Australia, Jackson's father, Dirk is cold towards her and not the man she thought she knew from the letters he sent her. Eva then goes onto meet Saul who Jackson fell out with years ago where she discovers her husband is not the man he told her he was. Over the course of the book, we discover amongst other things; why Jackson and Saul fell out, what Jackson was doing on the flight where he and Eva first met and why Jackson's death is not the only reason Dirk has turned to alcohol.
My favourite parts of A Single Breath were the detailed descriptions of free diving and the beach that Lucy provides. This book has really made me want to go travelling. I've always wanted to go to Australia to see all the fascinating species it is home to and Lucy's descriptions of the marine life have made that desire stronger. I loved the part where Eva and Saul spot the sea dragon, it may sound strange but when you read the book, you'll realise that it was a special moment. I mean obviously it was a special moment, have you seen how beautiful and surreal these creatures are? Organisms like this make me really appreciate being a biologist.
Anyway, back to the book, I also liked the way most of the chapters ended with a message from Jackson to Eva on the events described in the previous chapter. They allowed the reader to find out more about Jackson, some of the reasons behind his actions as well as building up the suspense quite nicely. A Single Breath covers several delicate topics ranging from broad issues like grief and trust to sibling rivalry and alcoholism rather well.
Although I could not put the book down, there were some twists that I predicted beforehand, one of them being the cause of the bush fire (that's all I will say as I don't want to give too much away). I also feel there was room to explore the relationship between Eva and her mother particularly after they both experience the same losses.
Rating: 4/5
Let me know if any of you have already read A Single Breath or if I have convinced you to do so!
Until next time, take care.
Love, Mancunian Sheep x
Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for not posting for almost 2 months. I hope you've all been well! I'm in my final year at university now and I have just been so busy with finals prep, researching for my literature review and keeping up with the reading and notes for lectures. In addition to living in the library (not even exam season yet); I'm looking for graduate jobs, trying to keep in touch with friends and of course, single-handedly look after my Mum. I feel like so much has happened since my last post: Great British Bake Off ended (who else thinks Richard and his pencil were robbed?), the trees are almost naked and the clocks went back. Now that we've had a little catch up, it's time for September/October favourites. I'm actually using this post as a research break because I've been reading scientific journal articles on why pharmaceutical companies are no longer carrying out research to find new antibiotics. As it is October, I have 10 favourites this month so grab a cuppa and get comfy :)
1) HTC One Mini- I bought a new phone in late September as the buttons at the bottom of the screen on my old one (HTC Desire C) stopped working. I love my new phone! I had my old one for 2 years because I was reluctant to buy a new one as they are all so big and won't fit in your pocket which is why I got the "Mini" (which still isn't what I'd call mini). The cameras and sound on this are of an amazing quality and it just looks and feels well made.
2) Dorothy Perkins blanket scarf- When you live in Manchester, winter can be colder than the rest of the UK (to be fair, we have had a decent summer this year and it's still relatively warm compared to other years now). I was in Dorothy Perkins looking for a coat and this caught my eye. I adore the autumn colours and the two classic patterns so it's something that won't go out of fashion. You can wear it as well, a blanket or a scarf. It was £18. I actually did an autumn haul video that you can watch here.
3) Water-yes I've included good old H2O in my Septober favourites. I've somehow managed to stop drinking tea and coffee because during my summer internship, none of the other interns drank tea/coffee so I kind of got used to not drinking them either. Also, as we have had such a warm summer, it wasn't really tea/coffee drinking weather. Now it's been so long that when I did have coffee this week whilst I was catching up with friends, I got the worst headache and felt a bit sick and shaky afterwards. I am sleeping a lot more sensibly and my skin will thank me for it. Available from a tap near you.
4) Witch Hazel Oil Control Foaming Face Wash- Since I found out Clinique were on the Israeli boycott list, I needed a new face wash. I remember my Mum using the Witch blemish stick so I thought I would give this a try. I have combination skin so my T-zone is oily but the rest of my face is normal. This has not led to any break-outs and I've been using it since August. If used morning and night, it prevents you waking up with an oily T-zone (bleurgh!). This was £3.99 and lasts ages.
5) Eau Thermale Avene Light Hydrating Cream with SPF 20- At £15, this is quite a hefty price to pay for a moisturiser but it is justifiable. For any of you who also have combination skin like me, you will know how difficult it is to find a moisturiser that does not make your T-zone extra oily which can lead to spots. In autumn/winter, the skin on my T-zone can get a bit dry and flaky so I needed a good moisturiser to prevent this. It also has SPF 20 which makes it suitable for all year round and you only need a tiny amount so it will last ages! It leaves my skin smooth and lasts the whole day. It's also available in a "rich" formula for those that require extra moisture.
6) Topshop Advent Chelsea boots- I love Chelsea boots because they go with just about anything! What I love about these boots is the v shape detail over the stretchy flap which makes them so unique. They are real leather but required very little breaking in; by the third time I wore them, they felt comfortable. The one thing I would change about them is their height, they are literally ankle boots and just about cover your ankle so I do wish they were a little higher. These were £55 and are now only available in black according to the Topshop website but check your local store.
7)Potato smiles- oh the nostalgia! I felt like I was in primary school. Best served with fish fingers, baked beans and lots of ketchup :D
8) Green & Black's almond- my lovely friend Melissa bought us the Green and Black's collection for Eid and the almond one was definitely my favourite. The nutty flavour complements the smooth, creamy chocolate so well. That reminds me, I need to go and buy a bar. #fatgirlproblems
9) Clean Bandit- I went to see Clean Bandit in October with my great friend, Lorna. They were at Manchester Academy and their support act was Years and Years who I mentioned in my Song of the Month post in August. Clean Bandit put on a great show, I love Neil and Grace so much and the vocalists with them were amazing!
10) Little Miss Sunshine Mug- My internship manager gave me this as a leaving present because she said she saw it and it reminded her of me as I'm always smiling and chirpy even during stressful situations. How cute! <3
Thank you for reading and hopefully it won't be 2015 before my next post. Until next time, take care.
Love, Mancunian Sheep x
Hello everyone, sorry I've not posted in so long! I finished my summer internship last Friday and have just been resting, reading and baking since. I go back to university tomorrow for welcome talks and lectures start next week. I'm feeling the final year fear now, not gonna lie! I am a lover of all things stationery but have realised that a lot of it has accumulated over the years e.g. flashcards, A3 paper, fineliners etc so I have decided to purchase just the essentials this year. To be fair, you don't really need much at university anyway as so much stuff is done online. Anyway, here's what I did buy and all for a reasonable amount of money too! If you want to purchase anything mentioned in the post then as ever, I've provided links where possible.
Good old Asda currently have a 2 for £3 offer on which I took advantage of. I don't need many pens as I make most of my lecture notes on my netbook.
I prefer these pens to the standard Bic medium pens which make my finger sore. (£2.50 from Asda)
All my favourite colours in one pen. Perfect for brightening up your lecture notes! (£2.50 from Asda)
That's the pens done, now for the paper! I've always had a thing for Pukka pads for as long as I can remember. Pukka Pad jottas are my favourite. The paper is of high quality, they have margins and the wire doesn't unravel unlike cheaper brands. With 200 pages in each one, there's more than enough to last the semester. Ryman currently have the A4 jottas on for half price at £2.14 each so I purchased one for each of the four modules I have this semester and accidentally bought an extra one and only realised when I got home! Oops, you can never have enough Pukka Pads in my opinion ;)
In previous years, I've opted for ring binders to store my lecture and revision notes in but this year, I've decided to go for expanding files. Not only do these take up a lot less space than ring binders, they are also resistant to any Manchester rain! I love how you are able to label each of the tabs too and there's no need to buy dividers or plastic wallets. These were £2 each from Asda (unfortunately, I can't find a link on the website but check your local store).
I hope you found this post useful and best of luck to everyone going back to/ starting school/college/university.
Until next time, take care. Love, Mancunian Sheep x
Hello everyone, sorry I've not posted in almost 2 weeks. I've been busy catching up with friends over the past fortnight but did film a What's In My Bag video last weekend which you can watch here:
Last weekend, my lovely friend Misbah and I met up for lunch and decided to try out 2 eateries in Manchester which we had not previously visited. I absolutely love the Northern Quarter, it's my favourite part of Manchester because of all the quirky boutiques and cafes that it is home to. First, Misbah and I went to Dough Pizza Kitchen as Italian food is our favourite! It has a lovely, friendly atmosphere and is family friendly for those of you with little 'uns. The staff provided a prompt and professional service and knocked up our freshly baked pizzas in approximately 10 minutes whilst we admired our cute Orangina bottles.Both Misbah and I had the Rustica which was topped with sun blushed tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, rocket and Parmesan.
After a cheeky photo outside Dough, Misbah and I went to Tea 4/2 for cake. The interior was beautiful with a white, grey and pink colour scheme but not too girly. It would be perfect for a Mother's Day treat. If you're in Manchester and love carrot cake then you have to go to this place. It was the best carrot cake that I have ever tasted, it was such a light and flavoursome sponge, the icing wasn't sickly and you could see the actual carrot in there for once! Misbah had chocolate cake which she enjoyed too. I really liked the chocolate decorations on Misbah's cake. To accompany our cakes, Misbah opted for the hot chocolate which looked lovely and I went for the macchiato but hadn't realised that it would be a caffe macchiato not a caramel macchiato so didn't end up having it as a 5pm espresso is never a good idea. I'm already thinking of going back for the afternoon tea which looked spectacular!
Mancunian Sheep recently hit 3000 views so as a thank you, I thought I would share this wonderful offer with you all. Now as regular readers know, I love books and have mentioned them in many a post. I'm not a fan of e-readers because there is nothing quite like the physical experience of reading a book (turning the pages in suspense, that gorgeous new book smell etc). For those of you who read books like they should be read, Amazon have a brilliant 3 fo £10 offer on hundreds of titles which you can check out here. This offer ends at 23:59 on Tuesday 23 September 2014. Thank me later.
Until next time, take care.
Love, Mancunian Sheep x
Hello everyone, sorry it's been over 2 weeks since I last posted on here, I've had blogger's block and have been busy at my internship. As we're in the final week of August (how fast has this year gone?), I thought I would share some things that I have been loving over the past month. As it's the 8th month, there are 8 favourites and this might become a regular feature on here so watch this space! Also guys, I have made a Facebook page for the blog so like the page to be notified every time there's a new post on here, here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/mancuniansheep 1) Cucumber sandwiches- Sitting at the desk all day at work, I was worried about putting on lots of weight by being tempted by all the naughty treats that the Sainsburys and Morrisons near university have to offer every time I went in to buy lunch so, I've been making my own. Cucumber sandwiches are my absolute favourite and I think I might make my own lunch when I go back to university as a student if I'm not too busy that is!
2) Nectarines/ Peaches- As well as taking my own lunch to work, I've been taking fruit as a mid-morning snack and have been loving juicy nectarines/ peaches in August so much so that some days I've been having two! I think I'm going to bake something with peaches/nectarines if I can find a good recipe. For those of you who have wondered what the difference between peaches and nectarines actually is, check this out: http://www.michiganpeach.org/facts/nectar.htm
3) Post- it notes - A firm favourite as any fellow stationery lover will know but these yellow rectangles have been lifesavers over the past few weeks. When you are organising a week of events for ~2000 people across 21 degree programmes, you need to remember a lot of things. I use Post-It notes for several daily to-do (and to email/to call) lists, making notes during briefings with my manager and of course, shopping lists! If you don't like having lots of bits of paper everywhere then I recommend the ColourNote app available here: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.socialnmobile.dictapps.notepad.color.note&hl=en_GB)
4) Lush Lip Service- With the recent change in weather and basically the end of British summer, my lips have gone incredibly dry and although I love Carmex as it works, I don't particularly enjoy the smell and taste so needed a new lip balm. I was in Lush buying gifts and spotted the lip products and ended up buying Lip Service as the very helpful assistant at the Market Street store recommended it. It is incredibly moisturising and leaves my lips so soft. It contains tangerine oil so smells like Terry's chocolate orange without being sickly sweet and sticky unlike some other lip products such as The Body Shop Born Lippy ones. I would however, change one thing about Lip Service- the packaging; I wish it was in a tube not a tin due to hygiene reasons.
5) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon - I'm currently re-reading books that I've not read since secondary school because nostalgia, y'know. We studied it in Year 9 for English so I've not read it for ~6 years and I love it even more than I did the first time around. The book is narrated by Christopher, a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome who is out to find who murdered his neighbour's dog with a garden fork :( Along the way, Christopher tell us interesting facts as he wants to be an astronaut when he is older and is doing his Maths A-level a couple of years early. Whilst collecting evidence for his detective work by speaking to the neighbours, Christopher finds out something that will turn his life upside down (but in a good way). I won't ruin the book by telling you the big secret but I highly recommend this book as it really opens your eyes to how talented children with disorders on the autistic spectrum are. By the end of the book, you're left feeling like Christopher has been one of your closest friends for years. I feel that it explains what life with Asperger's is like much better than The Shock of the Fall does with schizophrenia.
6) Last week, the other intern who I share an office with was away for 3 consecutive days so I was all alone and decided to stick on BBC Radio 1 to keep me company. I've already done a song of the month post for August but can't help myself as there are so many great songs out at the moment so I've included a couple in my August favourites! The first song is Giant in my Heart by Kieza, I absolutely loved Hideaway and her unique voice is so refreshing. This song is really catchy and I love the wow doo doo doo bit in the bridge :P I do wish the video had more of her dancing because my word, the girl can move!
7) The other song is Tell Her by Rizzle Kicks. I saw Rizzle Kicks live in 2011 when they were supporting Professor Green. I love Tell Her as it is foot tappingly good and the video just makes me want to be a child again!
8) My final August favourite is a TV show which I have been loving this month called Sweets Made Simple. It's on BBC Two and you can watch it on iPlayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b04d9lns
It's a 4 part series and the final episode is on this Friday at 8.30 pm. This quirky and cute couple show us how to make everything from a Walnut Whip to a Sherbet Lemon Dip (ooh that rhymes!).
I hope you've enjoyed this post and let me know whether you would like me to do a favourites post every month! I can't believe it's almost September and I start my final official year in education in 3 weeks. For those of you going back to school/college/university, make the most of the last few days/weeks of your summer holidays. I'm going to be meeting up with my friends and baking, reading and watching films to my heart's content. I watched 3 Harry Potter Films over the weekend (Order of Phoenix, Goblet of Fire and Prisoner of Azkaban- yes, in reverse order :P). Speaking of going back to school, for those of you who received your A-level results and are off to university this September, I've made an advice video- enjoy!
Hello everyone, I've not done a song of the month post since April because I haven't been listening to music much and when I have, it's not been anything new. I'm hoping this month's song will make up for the past 4 months because it's my favourite song so far this year! A few posts ago, I mentioned that I was going to see Clean Bandit in October so yesterday, my friend and I decided to find out who the supporting act is. It turns out it's a band called Years & Years so as you may have already guessed, August's song of the month is by Years & Years and is called Real.
I love the distinct sound of lead singer, Olly Alexander's voice. We have literally had this on repeat constantly for the past 2 days, it is so catchy! What makes it even better is that Q from Skyfall (Ben Whishaw) does some insane dancing in the video. I can't wait to hear this track live! Let me know what you think of Real by commenting below.
Until next time, take care. Love, Mancunian Sheep x
Hello everyone, I hope you're all well and those of you who celebrated Eid, I hope you had a great day! I turned 20 last month so I was thinking about my life goals the other day and apart from the obvious generic ones like get married and have children, here are four (because I like even numbers) life goals that are more specific to me (and maybe to some of you):
1) Read every single one of the Very Short Introduction books at least once. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, click here. There are over 400 books in the series with more expected so this will be a mammoth task that I'm willing to take on. I've currently read a whopping zero (not looking good I know) and own three. They're a brilliant way of broadening your general knowledge in my opinion and they just look so impressive on the shelves in Waterstones whenever I go in.
2) Visit at least 3 continents other than Europe. Due to my Mum having Parkinson's making it difficult for her to travel, I've only ever been abroad once when I went to Pakistan aged two. Ideally I'd like to visit Australia, Africa and South America to see all the wildlife.
Any excuse for a photo of a sloth!
3) Run a marathon for Parkinson's UK. I'm hoping to do the Great Manchester Run once I graduate so I can actually have time to train and if I survive that, I'll run a marathon. Parkinson's is a cause close to my heart and not only will I be raising money for a fantastic charity, it will help me by improving my fitness and stamina.
4) Become a debenture holder at Wimbledon. Most of you already know how obsessed I am with tennis, particularly Wimbledon so it comes as no surprise that I'd want Centre Court or Court 1 seats every day of the tournament secured for five years! Less spending and more saving methinks!
Again, any excuse for a photo of Andy!
Leave a comment below with one of your life goals!
