It's been a little while but I am happy to report that my dissertation is submitted and my exams are finished. This leaves me with more time to focus on other things and one of those being blogging. As my first post back, I thought it was time to share with you again some entertainment I've been soaking up and enjoying both before my exams and, guilty, during them. 

READ

"MR SALARY" BY SALLY ROONEY

Sally Rooney is a current popular writer and is one everyone's TBR at the moment. With little time to read myself, I thought I would start with this short story published in a recent Penguin collection. It has definitely encouraged to read some of her other books in the future as it gave me a real sense of what kind of writing I should expect from her. It can be hard to convey a character's feelings and backstory in a believable way in such a small amount of pages but, there it seems no difficulty as I was fully invested in the character and really enjoyed the insight into the woman's life. If you too have heard of Sally Rooney and are unsure about whether it's your kind of thing, I recommend giving this a quick read and I am sure it will help make up your mind and, very likely, encourage you to read more of hers. 

"CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?" BY SOPHIE KINSELLA

Not every book you read has to be the work of a genius or a tedious read with lots of hidden meanings and layers. Sometimes, a bit of fluff is what we all need. This book came at the perfect time, acting as comic relief during revision which had me creasing at the characters. I have previously read a teen novel by Sophie Kinsella but this was my first Adult/New Adult novel by her. It's about a girl who, while on a flight, shares her deepest secrets with the man sat next to her. After the journey, she gets off hope that her life with carrying on as normal only to find this man was the CEO of the company she works for. This book really did have me laughing out loud and hitting my head out of second-hand embarrassment. If you're looking for an easy pool-side read this summer or something just a little lighter, this one is worth the read. 

WATCH 

OUR PLANET

Yes, I'm late to report my love for this one but as the hype begins to die down, I thought it would do no harm into bringing back everyone's attention and hopefully persuade those that are still yet to watch, to go and watch it. In this series, David Attenborough narrates on the extensive terrains across the world and sharing, as always the beauty of the world. for each episode has a different focus, but with the same overarching message- climate change is real and we can start to make a change now. What I particularly loved about this series what that, while climate change is devastating and reality, they shed some hope on how we can change today and really save the future of our planet. I urge you, no, beg you to watch this and hopefully you'll be as inspired as many to help make a difference even if it's so small. 

LISTEN

MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA

My music test is ever-changing. While for years I loved the indie-alternative music that so many my age loved, I've accepted now that my music taste really is a bit of everything and genre eans very little to me. The Korean group BTS have really influenced my love of different genres. This group is a real global success and yet there is still a surprising amount of people who still don't know who they are or have a real appreciation for what they do. I know they're not for everyone but the lyrics and the thought that goes into every part of this band is something you should at least give a go. They may sing another language but that doesn't ake your listening experiences and the message it holds any less than a song in your language. If anything, I feel it makes the listening experience and the conversation surrounding it even more interesting. "Map of The Soul: Persona" is their latest and probably one of my favorites and already one of my most played albums of the year. 

I am so excited that I will also be witnessing the spectacle that is their live tour at the end of this month which I will be sure to share over on my Instagram as well as maybe here on my blog, to really emphasize how bloody brilliant BTS are. 



Of course, there were other TV shows I was watching out of procrastination and music I listened to help me focus but these were some of my favorites of the last month.

 Have you any opinions on the things I've mentioned? I'd also love to hear your own recommendations!
Hope you're doing great, 
Sarah x