Well hello to you my reader chums! There's nothing better than thinking 'what an uplifting and moving read' when you finish a book, and these were my exact thoughts on 'The Secret Life of Bees'. I picked this novel up on my recent trip to Brighton. Over the past week or so, it has been the book to keep me fully focused on my daily short commute and I've loved every word of it.

Here are my thoughts on the book, The Secret Life of Bees.

Plot line

The blurb follows the story of Lily. Lily has grown up believing she killed her mother at the age of four and now at 14, constantly yearns for her mother's love and forgiveness. Lily lives on a peach farm in South Carolina with her harsh father and only friend Rosaleen, the black servant. On one summer afternoon racial tension explodes and Rosaleen is beaten and arrested. Lily is then compelled to act and fight for justice - and the story leads on with the pair following a trail from the woman who died 10 years before. Lily finds sanctuary in a home of three beekeeping sisters, and that's where her new journey begins.

It's one of those addictive storylines, that use beautifully written descriptions of each moment to hook you in. Although there are devastating moments, the whole novel vibe is very much uplifting and powerful in so many different ways.

Characters 

With books, one of my favourite things to talk about is the characters, as I always gravitate towards certain characters throughout. The entire story is told in the first person by protagonist Lily, which is one of my favourite ways of narration. Through Lily's story, you're able to connect with every single emotion she goes through, the bad and the good. I really connected with Lily as a character because although she lives with plenty of guilt surrounding her mother, she experiences pretty normal teenage girls thoughts, like I did at her age. 

I also really liked the character of Rosaleen and how she was portrayed. Rosaleen was hired to be essentially a servant to Lily when her mum died and ordered to help her out with anything she needs, but I see her as fitting in with the mother role. She's the only female role model figure Lily had in the past decade, and their up and down relationship, is similar to what a mother daughter one could be like. On the flip side, the father is a cruel character and described in a negative light. Lily never calls him Dad and you can see why considering the way he treats her.

 The other major players are the sisters in the bee house August, May and June. When Lily meets and stays with them, the flourishing relationship is beautiful to read, especially between her and August. Although her past was dark, by being in the bee house and surrounded by these lovely ladies opens a positive new chapter in Lily's life, and I loved reading the journey.

Structure 

The structure is pretty simple in this book, and I think this is why it's such a smooth read. It goes from chapter to chapter, and is broken up into the next chapter when most appropriate. By having those breaks, it gives you a smooth transition into the next tale of the story, and it follows on pretty well. As I mentioned, it's written in the first person by Lily and really gives insight into Lily's feelings and her story. Although this is told beautifully by Lily, I would have loved to of heard Rosaleen's side of the tale.

Ending

The ending of this book is a proper full-circle moment, and finishes in an uplifting way. I'm not going to give anything away, and although it's not climatic in any light, it is positive, happy and everything you wish the ending to be when you read this book.

Well hello to you my reader chums! Even though I say it every single month, I'm surprised how quickly June went by and that we're already over half way through 2018. June is my favourite month of the year, mainly because it's my birthday but also as I always somehow fill the diary up with exciting plans. I'm pretty sure I didn't have many days in June to chill as I was lucky enough to always have something on, whether that was a day out or hanging with friends. 

Despite how busy the month was, I've gathered a few favourites I've been absolutely loving and can't wait to share.

Here are my June favourites… 

Well hello to you my reader chums! From the beginning, this blog has always been a place to document my favourite life moments and today I wanted to share two the best concerts I've ever been to this past month: Demi Lovato and Ed Sheeran. Demi Lovato's tour was originally on the 10th June, however was postponed to the 25th and Ed Sheeran's took place on the 17th June. In the space of over a week I managed to see two of my favourite artists live, and experienced two of the best nights of my life.

Ed Sheeran's Divide tour

When it came to purchasing Ed tickets, I'm still surprised I managed to get four standing ones at Wembley Stadium. As you can imagine we we're all so excited before the build up for the event - and as we had standing tickets, we were determined to get as close to the front as possible. 

Fast forward to the actual day and we were lucky enough to get around 9 rows back from the stage - and out of all the concerts I've been to, I have never been that close. For Wembley Stadium especially, we felt even more lucky to get such a brilliant spot. 

The two opening acts were Jamie Lawson and Anne-Marie. I'm a massive Anne-Marie fan; her new album has such a cool vibe about it and seeing it live was something else. She's one of those performers whose personality shines through on stage - and honestly has the best natural sense of humour. I loved seeing her live, and would definitely go to a whole show of hers.

Ed's show was on another level of performance. Given it was only him and a guitar on stage, and he had to fill the whole of Wembley Stadium - he did a pretty epic job. As he is such a famous artist, I had a small worry about whether he wouldn't come across down to earth, however I was wrong. Ed was one of the most down to earth artists on stage, and sounded so appreciative for all his success. His performance was out of this world; he held the crowd, had the most sensational voice and really rocked the stadium. My highlights were Photograph, Perfect, Galway Girl, The A Team and Lego House. 

For my first time at Wembley, I had one of the most memorable nights! Standing up for 7+ hours was completely worth it as you really can't beat the electric concert atmosphere. I'm so thankful I got to see Ed Sheeran live!

Demi Lovato's Tell Me You Love Me tour 

Demi Lovato has been my idol for years and years, and I've wanted to see her live for the longest time. I've waited for her to announce a UK tour (as she's only really tours in the US) for a long time that when it finally happened, I had to get tickets. When they were released, I was actually on the train to Paris but didn't let the bad signal stop me and managed to get a pair.

Demi Lovato has spoke about her mental health struggles for years, through her songs, in interviews and on social media. In the hardest times of my own mental health, I really related to Demi's music and it helped me to an extend feel stronger, and feel like I can get through it. Having that sentiment behind her songs made seeing her live an even more special, and emotional experience. Her songs will always hold a special place in my heart, and I'll forever admire her strength of how she overcame the struggles and insecurities.

Her opening acts were Joy and Jax Jones, who both warmed up the stage in different ways for Demi's presence. When Demi walked on the stage, a whole new level of excitement came about along with my inner fan girl, and I couldn't believe the moment had arrived. She looked stunning, her voice blew the roof off the 02, and every single song was beautiful for different reasons. Demi sauced it up for her dance numbers, held herself for the more emotional songs, and really got the crowd going. It was a concert like no other and I couldn't help scream my heart out to every song! She did a mixture of the Tell Me You Love Me album and a few of her old classics, which was a fantastic surprise.

I had so many highlights, but the most special moment was when she sung Warrior. It's one of those songs which holds a big place in my heart and I couldn't help crying as soon as the first word played. As we were queuing up, all the fellow fans were handing out green paper to hold on the phone's light when the song was played - as the stadium filled the room with green lights (which represents strength), it was a touching and mesmerising few minutes. Sober, her newest song was another truly heart wrenching moment as you could really feel her emotional pain when she sung every word. Other highlights included Heart Attack, Sorry not Sorry, Tell Me You Love Me, Instruction, Give your Heart a Break and Confident.

I'm in awe I've seen my idol live on stage. It'll be a night I never forget and I hope to see her live once more. Demi, thank you for always teaching your fans to be strong, and to love themselves for who they are.

I hope you enjoyed this concert post. What was your favourite concert?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! If you follow my Instagram, then you would have seen I spent my birthday in Brighton. Brighton is one of my favourite cities; it has that city vibe with a beach appeal and calm atmosphere. I grew up by the coast, and love any destination with a beach really - so it made perfect sense to spend my birthday exploring Brighton. 

Day 1  - Brighton Pier, the Lanes exploring and city shopping

I set off on my birthday around 11am and got to Brighton at lunchtime, where the sun was at its highest. Every time I've visited Brighton previously I was never lucky with the weather, however this time, it was legitimate summer weather - perfect to celebrate my birthday.

Once I arrived in Brighton and parked the car, I set off exploring before checking into the hotel. Naturally, my first stop was the famous pier as that's one of my favourite spots in Brighton and makes for a lovely stroll. I stopped for a Pimms and a classic fish and chips, whilst soaking up the sunshine before heading into the Lanes.

The Lanes are one of the cutest things about Brighton. Picture tucked away individual stores, cafes, and everyone's favourite chains lined with colourful bunting. My first stop was to try the famous Boho Gelato. I've heard so much about this ice cream but never tried it on my previous visits. I can see why it's raved about, I'd put it up there with the best ice cream I've ever tried! I chose the carrot cake and blueberry muffin flavours and they were absolutely delicious. It literally tasted just like cake!

After a browse around the shops, I went to check into our hotel, The Lanes Hotel and it's safe to say, I was blown away! The spacious room had a four-poster bed and perfect views of the sea - it felt like pure luxury. I chilled there for a while and soaked up the view before heading to the North Laine area. Brighton always makes for a lovely walk, and from the hotel, I detoured through Pavilion Gardens and saw the Royal Pavilion to North Laine. This area is a wide selection of unique shops, chain stores, and eating establishments. As there weren't any individual restaurants that took our eye, I chose Bella Italia for my birthday dinner, as it's one of the more luxurious chains. I enjoyed a beautiful feast of delicious pasta, desserts, and cocktails.

The day ended with a taxi ride back to the hotel and watching the day turn to night on one of the longest days of the year. Hello, a 9pm sunset! 

Day 2 - Beach relaxing and brunching in the city

The second day began waking up to the bright blue skies shining above Brighton's sea, and a delicious hotel breakfast. I love hotel breakfasts; fruit, classic English egg, and soldiers and pastries, you really can't beat it.

I then ventured back to the pier to go on the rides (the Magic Mouse is my favourite) and have a play in the arcades. Then, I took a stroll down one of the walkways by the pier as there are plenty of beach-themed shops. I took a look around those and then sat down on the beach. I didn't get a chance to sit on the beach the day before, so spent a while soaking up the sunshine and chatting about everything and anything. The beach is my favourite place, as wherever you are in the world, you can always find a beach to escape to, and relax.

As I began to get a little peckish for lunch, I left the beach and headed back to the Lanes to find a café. I came across the Lost in the Lanes café, and I could recommend it enough! The rustic interior is every blogger and Instagrammer dream with a menu to match. It's one of those restaurants that when you walk in, you want to take a picture of it all. There are baked goods on the counter, a freshly produced menu, and a selection of local drinks. I chose the strawberry lemonade (very fresh to say the least), an acai bowl. This cake had mousse-icing and caramel sauce oozing from every bite. 

After lunch, I bid goodbye to Brighton and headed home. Brighton is the city of beach life, shops, quirky cafes, and a super cool vibe, and I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't visited. 

Things to know before going to Brighton

• Parking can be very pricey - Parking in any city is always tricky and it's good to plan in advance. If you're staying overnight, check if your hotel has parking, otherwise, the only car parks I'm aware of that are open at all hours are the multi-story ones. These workouts around £25 for 12-24 hours. You can also use the Just Park app (my latest discovery) which shows you all the available parking spots in the area for the period of time you'll be there.
•  Get the ride pass - If you'd like to spend an afternoon at the pier, using the rides, it's worthwhile buying the day pass. Otherwise, individually the rides can work out £5 each, per person, which can add up. 
•  Everything is accessible on foot - The best thing about exploring in Brighton is how accessible all the highlights are. The pier, beach, and the Lanes are super close to each other, and the station is also conveniently located. 
• Deck chairs - If you're looking to chill on deck chairs, it's worth noting they're free on the pier, but you have to hire them on the beach. 
• Enjoy the cool vibes - Brighton is a unique city and a lovely day out whether it's your first or 100th time. There's just something about the vibe that's ever so different and I love it, so ultimately enjoy your time there. 

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! Last week, my twin sister and I ventured on a short 3-day city break to Copenhagen. I have never visited Scandinavia before and wasn't sure what to expect, however, I heard many positive things about the city prior to arrival - and couldn't wait to see what it had in store.

Disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links.


The city of bikes, friendly folks and beautiful sights, Copenhagen is a place not to be missed. There are sights in the plentiful, an Instagram-worthy harbour and a calm atmosphere like no other city. With this guide, I'm going to share everything we got up to over the few days, where we stayed and my top tips.

Day 1: Tuesday 5th June - Nørrebro exploring and Nyhavn harbour


We set off from London Stanstead on an early morning flight and landed in Copenhagen around 12pm, the perfect time to begin exploring. Our Airbnb was located in Nørrebro, one of the quirkiest neighbourhoods in Copenhagen, and around a 15 minute walk to the tube station - a very fab and convenient location.

I fell in love with Nørrebro; the area has vintage shops by the bucket load, quirky cafes and a completely chill vibe. Our first exploration was walking around the area and getting an idea of it all.

• For exploring in Copenhagen, there are two options either hiring a bike or choosing public transport, and we opted for the transport. At the tube station, you can by a CityPass for either a day, 2 days, 3 or more which covers all tubes, buses and trains in zone 1-4. We picked the 3 day option and it cost the equivalent of £25 - and truly came in handy.
• There aren't as many tube stations as you'd expect, however you'll always have a tube station near-ish to the top sights - if not buses are quite regular.
• To fit in with the locals, why not hire a bike? It is more expensive than hoping on a tube but will give you the authentic experience.
• Copenhagen is generally quite an expensive location, and if you're on a budget when it comes to food, I'd suggest going to street food places (like the Bridge Street Kitchen), or hopping over to Nørrebro.
• Walk everywhere - I always say this in every city post, but the best way to see a location is simply get lost, and you'll find some hidden gems.
• Copenhagen is home to one of the oldest theme parks, Tivoli. It costs the equivalent of around £13 to get in and you'll have to pay for individual rides on top of that, or you can get a combined ticket for the equivalent of £47.
• The Christiansborg Palace has a few areas to visit, and you can pay to enter them all individually. However, I'd recommend getting the combined ticket for all areas as one, they are worth seeing and two, it works out better value for money.
• Embrace the freebies - As I mentioned this city is quite pricey so where you can save a few bucks, take it. There are many free sights including the parks, walking around the harbour, the Little Mermaid statue etc, that you can still get the full experience of Copenhagen without spending a fortune.
• When choosing where to stay, I'd highlight recommend Nørrebro. It's quirky, cheap and nearby to a tube station, so you're able to hop on and see the top sights. Our apartment was in the heart of this neighbourhood and complete Instagram goals. If there are only two of you going, you should stay here.

Well hello to you my reader chums! As I say pretty much every single month - these past few weeks have literally flown by, and I can't believe we're now in June. There has been a fair few events in May, and with that, I've got a couple of favourites to share with you.

Here are my May favourites...

Palmer's natural bronze body lotion

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been dabbling into the world of fake tan and recently began using Palmer's natural body lotion. It's proved to be a pretty fabulous tanning product, with an even coverage, creamy texture and natural-looking colour. I've written a full review of the body lotion if you'd like a more in-depth review.

Urban Decay's all-nighter setting spray

Urban Decay's all-nighter setting spray has been hyped in the beauty community for a while now, and I can see why, it's a lifesaver for long-wearing makeup days. In May, I've had a few events where I needed to wear makeup longer than usual and this setting spray has really come in handy. I noticed quite a difference in my makeup wear when using this spray - my makeup looked fresher and lasted that little bit longer throughout the day. I also like how fast this setting spray dries  - you spray it and after a few seconds, it'll sink into the skin.


Zoella Beauty 'snow polished exfoliator'

As summer season comes into play, I tend to exfoliate a little bit more as essentially I'll be wearing dresses and shorts, that I want my skin to look smoother. The product I've been absolutely loving for this is Zoella Beauty's 'snow polished'. The exfoliator is ever so gentle on the skin, but rough enough to really feel like it's doing the job. It has quite a sweet and fresh scent, and when accompanies with the moisturiser leaves a lovely lingering smell.

Benefit's Hoola bronzer

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'd know I'm a massive bronzer fan. Benefit's Hoola is one of my ultimate favourites, and this month it has been part of my everyday makeup routine. The bronzer doubles up as an all-over bronzing product and contours well, it holds a strong contour and, is the perfect brown tone for a bronzed look.

Asos Petite metallic tulle mini dress 

Towards the end of this month I had a summer ball and for the event, I purchased this beautiful metallic tulle mini dress from Asos. I absolutely fell in love with this dress - to me it was a combination between a princess and ballerina frock. Even though I only wore it once, I couldn't help mention the dress in my favourites as it is stunning and I felt super body confident rocking it.

I hope you enjoyed these favourites! Which products have you been loving this month?

Thank you for reading <3