What I’m reading, watching & listening to

Just realised that it’s been almost two months since my last all round debrief on what I have been consuming for the mind and soul through reading, watching and listening to. I love these posts as it gives me a place to accountable for actual content: rather than just scrolling through my phone and consuming crap that means NOTHING. Reading particularly for me has been a way to stay on the straight and narrow and especially with school holidays that we have had, I allowed myself extra time to indulge in reading which I just LOVE.

Reading

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Really enjoyed this book exploring themes of motherhood, mother and child and teenagers and their various relationships with friends, boyfriends etc…once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. Gave this one 4 stars.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Having loved Daisy Jones so much I was quick to grab another few books by the same author but was disappointed by this one. I think it must have been one of her earlier books as it just seemed a little naive in style and writing. A kind of Sliding Doors novel following two paths one young woman’s life could have taken. I was frustrated by the teenagery style of it all and only gave this one 2 stars.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

I do love to read Elizabeth’s novels – I think the Signature of all Things was an absolute favourite of mine from years ago – so I had high expectations about this one. I loved being swept up into a completely different time with fabulous characters, descriptions of the glamour and hedonism of New York City in the l940s and the first half really capture you. Beyond WW2 the story lost a little momentum but I still loved the strong female characters, exploring ideas and themes of promiscuity, relationships and fashion. Pure escapism! I gave it 4 and a half stars.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

I do love a historical family saga and drama and this one certainly gave me that spanning 100 years of a Korean Family living in Japan. Great characters (especially the female ones) and such an interesting insight to a time and place that I had no clue about. Loved the first two thirds of this book but found the last stretch a little confusing as new characters were introduced but went no where. All in all I enjoyed it but did find it a little hard slog at the end – I gave it three stars.

Hoping the keep up the momentum but know that things will definitely slow down as the kids are all back at school and work momentum will be picking up for sure.

Watching

Are we split for choice when it comes to quality drama to watch especially on TV? I can’t seem to keep up with it all!

Big Little Lies Season 2

We watched this one through Foxtel and finished it just last night. We were both frustrated with this season…the pace was slow and repetitive and some of the characters annoying (for me, Reese) and for the love of GOD that detective who showed up in the background and perhaps Nicole’s lawyer, but once we got to the last 3 eps I was hooked. Magnificent performances from our Nicole and Meryl and some really interesting ideas about motherhood and white privilege lies and keeping up appearances.

National Theatre Live: The Audience

I watched my first film of the National Theatre on the weekend: The Audience with Helen Mirren as the Queen. It was such a great performance from her and so interesting to see the Queen transform from a twenty year old woman to a 80 plus year old. Loved being able to see the theatre (which I love) but never get a chance to get to. If you get a chance to see any of these then do.

Queer Eye on Netflix – we love watching this with the girls it’s so great to open up conversations and it’s just so FEELGOOD. Haven’t watched any of Season 4 yet but we definitely will.

Handmaids Tale S 3 on SBS – haven’t watched all this as yet but need to get back onto it and finish as we really enjoyed season 2.

Chernobyl – this is also on the must watch list as I have heard amazing things about it.

Listening to

As ever I rely on my brother for some new cracking tunes and this one has been on repeat LOUDLY for many weeks now. You just can’t help but dance when you listen to it so add it to the playlist friends!

Kaytranada – Lite Spots

Astral Weeks – Van Morrison

This is such a great album which I have been revisiting. Sweet Thing is one of my all time favourite songs.

Have been churning through some podcasts as I walk (they make me walk much slower than I should though) also listened to a few as we drove up to the farm.

No Filter podcast by Mia Freedman

I listened to a whole heap of these episodes in the car which I enjoyed. A women who lives off grid in NZ for the past 9 years, Dave Hughes, an episode of mental load and overwhelm for women and the one about Michael Hutchence which I really enjoyed. Would like to see the Mystify film too.

Shameless podcast

Listened to a few episodes of this too (I think I started with the Em Rusciano one) haven’t listened to many more but am sure I will.

And of course there’s our podcast too.

But that’s enough about me and what’s been happening I need to know what’s good and what needs to happen next.

What have you been reading?
What have you been watching?
And what have you been listening to?
TELL ME EVERYTHING!

Comments

  1. Watch Shetland on Netflix! A British crime series set on the Shetland isles. It’s awesome

  2. Watch Fleabag – download Amazon Prime – Season 1 & 2 (only 12 episodes in total). I moved through season one OK, but Season 2 was sooooo good.

  3. where do you watch National Theatre Live please?

    • Sorry it has taken me so long to answer this…I saw it at our local theatre in Bowral (Empire cinemas) but places like Dendy do them all around the country.

  4. Hi Beth,
    If you like books and love reading then I invite you to join mine and my friend’s Facebook book group, The Plot Thickens.

    It is a group where people can share book recommendations, post what they like, didn’t like about a book etc. The official description says: A place where friends can discuss books! What are you reading? What would you recommend, or not recommend? What did you like or dislike about a particular book? Is there something that you are looking forward to reading (maybe someone has it and can lend it to you!)? Feel free to add photos and links to books.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/142432216428950/

    Anyway, no pressure, just thought you might be interested. And if you are, please feel free to share with any other book loving friends!

    Have a great day

    Emily

  5. We saw The Audience yesterday at The Dendy, Newtown. Just absolutely amazing, Helen Mirren nailed the part completely and the various Prime Ministers were hilarious. So worth seeing. We walked out and both said ‘How will the Queen deal with Boris?’

    We are now planning on watching The Lehman trilogy at the end of August.

    • So great being able to watch good theatre that I am never going to get to. I hope you enjoy that one too I saw the preview and it looked great.

  6. Avoid series three of the handmades tale until the series is complete. It’s dragging a little bit, I feel it will come to fruition but waiting for a new episode every week is getting boring because it’s miving so slow. Would definitely be better to watch as a marathon.

  7. Agree with you on Big Little Lies S2. Kinda had to feel for Renata at the end too. Understandable rage!!

    Currently reading “You will (probably) survive” by Lauren Dubois.

    I’ve got City of Girls on my ever-growing list of books to read!

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