Choosing your book

On 17th Feb 201917th Feb 2019 By dreamer2207In Books and Authors2 Comments

What is it that encourages people to choose the books that they do? I’ve always wondered this. There’s so many genres out there, so many different authors with different writing styles. How do we find the ones that suit as personally as people? Or do we ever find it and just continue to read different things in the hope that we do.

What does everyone out there like to read, also what do you hate to read? I’m very much into the romantic suspense/contemporary romance genre. I love a good romantic tale with a bit of action, a feisty heroine with plenty of sass and a dominating alpha male. I’m not a very patient reader if I’m not enjoying the book. I go between wanting to give the book a chance and carrying on and just giving up and moving on to something else.

I do review every book I read on Amazon and it’s amazing reading all the other reviews, especially when they differ from own (which incidentally I like because I like seeing someone else’s opinion). It’s amazing sometimes how there can be such differing opinions on the same book. Clearly what works for some doesn’t work for others. Which leads onto another interesting question. How do you tell a good storyline from a bad storyline? If everyone is so different, then surely every storyline will work for some but not for others?

Me personally, I think I can be unfair to a lot of books out with the genres that I like because I automatically assume I won’t like it and it’s not for me. If I’m going to spend three hours plus reading a book do I not want to know that I’m going to enjoy it? This is a habit I should really get out of. Maybe it’s because in other genres I’d be worried I wouldn’t keep up with the plot, for example a police thriller, would I be smart enough to put the clues together and figure out who the bad guy is etc. I remember years ago reading the “Da Vinci Code” and it taking me three attempts to start it.

When I was younger it was always Nancy Drew for me. I loved a good mystery. I’d spend hours locked away in my bedroom reading book after book. I ran out of space to keep them all. I used to love rummaging round all the charity shops in town to be able to add to my collection. It’s amazing the amount I found. I don’t know if nowadays Nancy Drew is still even around but was definitely my favourite at the time.

Disruptive passengers in aviation

On 9th Feb 20199th Feb 2019 By dreamer2207In aviationLeave a comment

Photo by Sourav Mishra on Pexels.com

We’ve all been there. There’s always that one person on your flight who can find fault with anything. They’re the ones who think that the cabin crew are glorified waiters and waitresses and think that they should come running when they click their fingers. Then there’s the ones that just have absolutely no respect for their crew or their fellow passengers.

What I want to talk about in this post though, is those passengers who cause so much disruption that the crew have no other option but to divert to have these people offloaded.

One of the worst causes for people to behave in this manner is alcohol and drugs. How many of you have been set for your holidays, at the gate ready to board your flight and then all you hear and see is rowdy, boisterous and drunken behaviour (and that’s at 7am). Yes we get that everyone wants to have a good time on holiday but does that involve being paralytic before boarding your aircraft.

Having worked in the aviation industry for many years I’ve seen a lot of things. One of the biggest things that are infuriating to deal with is people who have overdone it on the alcohol. We don’t enjoy refusing people travel but if we had to we would because at the end of the day we care about the crew and also about the other approx 150 passengers that are on the flight who shouldn’t have to deal with your behaviour.

Airlines themselves are now making a stand, which I think is fantastic. Leading the way for me is Jet2, who have a zero tolerance policy to anti social and drunken behaviour on their flights. It’s called the “OnBoard Together” policy. Jet2 launched this campaign in 2015 to raise awareness of the industry wide problem of disruptive passengers. Having seen this policy in action first hand there is absolutely no way to fault this airline on the stand they take regarding disruptive passengers.

Jet2 have absolutely no qualms in making decisions that will reduce aggressive and drunken behaviour on their aircraft to give all other passengers and enjoyable start and end to their holidays. The airline has handed out lifetime bans to disruptive passengers and also led them to start taking the passengers to court to recoup costs if a diversion to offload them has occurred.

In my opinion I think this is great as diverting costs airlines thousands of pounds in delay and fuel costs, not to mention the inconvenience to other passengers holidays. People have to realise that there are consequences to their actions and how they have to take responsibility for themselves.

I’ve seen so many videos of abusive passengers being filmed speaking to cabin crew in a horrendous manner; how they think that they are allowed to get away with that I will never understand. If you cannot handle your alcohol, it’s fairly simple. You don’t drink!

New title from EL James

On 27th Jan 201927th Jan 2019 By dreamer2207In Books and AuthorsLeave a comment

Well, the infamous author of the Fifty Shades franchise is releasing a new book come April this year. This I realise brings despair and excitement to a lot of folk, depending on which side of the camp you sat during the debates that came from Fifty Shades.

Myself personally, I’m intrigued to see how she has developed as a writer after the reviews that came from her previous writing style. It has although been noted that she has used one of the names from the Fifty Shades books in her new one for her lead male character “Maxim Trevelyan.” Now those of you Fifty Shades fans out there will know that “Trevelyan” was Christian’s middle name in the series. Does this mean there is going to be some resemblance of the two characters? Or does E.L. James have some attachment to the name? We could debate that one all day unless E.L. James herself gives us an insight.

The description for the new story which is entitled “The Mister” is:

“London, 2019. Life has been easy for Maxim Trevelyan. With his good looks, aristocratic connections, and money, he’s never had to work and he’s rarely slept alone. But all that changes when tragedy strikes and Maxim inherits his family’s noble title, wealth and estates and all the responsibility that entails. It’s a role he’s not prepared for and one that he struggles to face.

But his biggest challenge is fighting his desire for an unexpected, enigmatic young woman who’s recently arrived in England, possessing little more than a dangerous and troublesome past. Reticent, beautiful, and musically gifted, she’s an alluring mystery, and Maxim’s longing for her deepens into a passion that he’s never experienced and dares not to name. Just who is Alessia Demachi? Can Maxim protect her from the malevolence that threatens her? And what will she do when she learns that he’s been hiding secrets of his own?

From the heart of London through wild, rural Cornwall to the bleak, forbidding beauty of the Balkans, The Mister is a rollercoaster ride of danger and desire the leaves the reader breathless till the very last page.”

Now the blurb for the book is something I, personally would be interested in although I have read many, many similar ones that peak my interest. I just wonder now, if E.L. James is now just one of the many authors that are present in the saturated romantic suspense/erotic romance genres. Genres that I actually believe she made more mainstream and acceptable (regardless of the opinions myself or anyone else has on her writing style). Will this new book be as successful as her previous offerings? It will definitely be interesting to find out.

I think one big judgement I have at the moment is that she went to such great effort releasing the Fifty Shades franchise and then also re releasing two of the books from Christian’s point of view (something that I actually think was a great idea, getting into his mind was fascinating but everyone has their own opinion on that one, this is just mine) to only stop before the third. I know there are a lot of fans out there desperate to read the third instalment from Christian’s point of view. Now there was some debate sparked when E.L James has said she was working on new material. A lot of people thought she was actually working on the third book while some had said the opposite. It wasn’t until E.L. James clarified it herself in her newsletter that it was confirmed. Although she did state that she hadn’t forgotten about Christian and Ana, so the third book looks to be still a possibility in the future. I just feel that if you’re going to start something like that then you have to finish it but on the other hand I understand that you want to put your best into it and if you’re not feeling that you can give it you’re all it’s best to take a step away until you can.

Anyway that’s my rambling over for now.

The Kindle vs Paperback debate

On 18th Jan 2019 By dreamer2207In UncategorizedLeave a comment

So who has had the kindle vs paperback debate with a partner, friend or colleague? I know I have. What’s everyone’s thoughts?

I must admit I was most definitely the person that was totally against E-readers and digital books as my thoughts were that there was nothing better than having a physical book in your hand. Something tangible that you can feel and smell. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be staring at something so similar to a phone/computer screen to read.

The point were I decided to actually buy my own kindle was when I had spent weeks with adverts appearing on my Facebook page advertising books that I might be interested in but when it came to looking into purchasing them they were only on electronic format. It irritated me as the blurb for the books drew me in and I wanted to read them. So the only way to do it was to buy a kindle. I was extremely sceptical and was actually a bit disappointed that I’d given in and bought one. I bought one of the basic ones just to see how I would get on.

When it arrived it was pretty much all set up via my Amazon account which was a nice surprise, so all that was left was to start buying books and reading them.

I made a few purchases even coming across books that were free and a good choice at 99p. Once I got used to how to work my Kindle and to navigate the options and how to find what I wanted etc I genuinely had to admit that it was probably the best purchase I ever made. So many books at my fingertips on the one device. I must have roughly 450 books on my kindle at the moment. It was fantastic for going on holiday, no extra weight in the bag with trying to carry four or five bulky books. Again all on one compact device.

The other thing I hadn’t really thought of was that for the writers who released e-books was that it was the only platform for them to get their writing out there. On doing more research I discovered that a lot of the writer self publish which I thought was amazing. So now I do purchase far more e-books to support these writers who have had the confidence to give writing a go. Also if I have enjoyed a particular e-book I will buy it on paperback but not all the writers who release on the e-book format will have it on paperback.

Although don’t misunderstand me, there are so many established authors who use the e-book format now because it’s an evolvement of the day an age we’re living in and a lot of the folk taking up reading nowadays will be using some sort of electronic device to do it.

I’m very much a person who tries not to judge something unless I have tried it myself which is why I purchased a kindle and as I’ve said I’ll admit that I’m so glad I did, it’s made it so much easier for me to keep reading, even while on the move; although, to me, nothing will ever beat the smell and feel of an actual book in your hand.

The planning continues

On 10th Jan 201927th Jan 2019 By dreamer2207In travelLeave a comment

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

So, we’re beginning to plan our itinerary for our trip to Vegas in a few months. Now I love nothing better than itinerary planning. Making sure we have a list of everything we want to see and fitting it all in. My husband and I will be in Las Vegas for five nights while possibly spending one of those nights out at the Grand Canyon South Rim. I’ve always wanted to do the all American road trip but having never driven in the USA in my life I figured that the drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon would be a good starting place.

I’m a big lover of fitting in as many things as you can in the time that you are there so this will be a good challenge. I’m also a massive aviation fan so would love to fit in a visit to Victorville which is well known as the aircraft graveyard where most planes go to retire.

There seems to be so much choice for entertainment in Las Vegas. Music shows, illusionists, tribute acts, while also having established acts such as Celine Dion being a permanent fixture. Also who can forget the gambling 😀 . I’ve already been looking up all the different types of card games and types of other gambling you can do; I was pleasantly surprised to find out that some hotels do free gambling lessons if you want to learn how to play.

What’s everyone else’s thoughts who have done Vegas before? We both most definitely want to enjoy our time there and don’t want to be nursing hangovers at any point (although we do like to have a few drinks).

I have our trusty guide book to help and pin point a range of things to see and do but I very much like to get off the beaten path and do like the locals do.

My husband and I (I’ve probably mentioned it countless times on other posts lol) are attempting to try hillwalking this year as a way to get more exercise without actually feeling like were exercising. So have been looking at also visiting nearby Red Rock Canyon. I’ve always wanted to explore the USA in great detail, especially their national parks. Having been to a few in the past it just ignited my need to explore more in depth.

If anyone has any tips or advice about car rental or anything else about Las Vegas please get in touch, it would be great to hear from you 🙂

Here’s to the start of 2019

On 7th Jan 2019 By dreamer2207In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Happy new year everyone!!

So my first post of the new year. I know I had mentioned in a previous post about New Years resolutions and how I prefer to keep a bucket list for the year more than anything. So my bucket list is partially done, I know that I’ll probably add more to it as the year goes along. The biggest thing I’ve put on it, is trying to spend more time with family and friends.

When I’m on days off from work I like nothing more than to be cosy at home reading or writing. While I still want to do those things, I have to make sure I make those close to me a priority and let them know that they are.

What has everyone else planned for the year coming?

My husband and I discussed starting hillwalking and trying to be a bit more active and getting outdoors in the fresh air, plus seeing a bit more of the fantastic countryside we have. We will obviously have to do our research into walks and if their suitable for us.

The picture that is posted along with this post is very true. Unless you take the first step to do something you’ll never get there. I love an inspirational, gives me motivation every so often but no one can deny the fact that this particular one is true. How do you expect to get anywhere if you don’t put the work and effort in.

I hope everyone had the best 2019 and I hope that you all achieve everything your dreaming of.

Happy New Year!!

On 31st Dec 2018 By dreamer2207In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Who loves Seattle?

On 31st Dec 201827th Jan 2019 By dreamer2207In travelLeave a comment

Photo by Amanda Grove on Pexels.com

One of my most favourite places in the whole world is Seattle. It’s vibrant, calming and an extremely friendly city. Myself and my husband visited in September and the city was having an apparent unusual heatwave (not that we were complaining about it at all).

There’s so may different things to do in Seattle depending what you’re into. I made an itinerary filled with things we’d already looked at and decided we wanted to do. These included the MOPOP (Museum of Pop Culture), the Science Museum, the Space Needle and I have to say my personal favourite was…….. The Boeing Factory! Now I will admit that I am a MASSIVE aviation fan. I love planes, love everything about them (I will eventually write a post about my obsession but I don’t like to out myself as weird too soon lol).

I’m going to kick off with my favourite which was the Boeing Factory. Anyone who has any kind of interest in aviation will love it. There is a shop where you can buy all kinds of memorabilia related to the manufacturer. There is a museum which has aircraft engines on show, also explains about different engine types. The piece de resistance is when you are taken on the factory tour where you can see actual building of aircraft that are to be delivered to airlines that will be put to commercial use. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and do their best to answer any questions you may have. You are not allowed to take anything into the factory tour with you (ie phones and cameras) so all bags are put into lockers at the main entrance.

In keeping with the aviation theme another place to visit is the Museum of Flight which has a range of full size aircraft for you to board and have a look around and learn some of the history of these amazing machines. Again there are guides who can answer any questions you may have. We had a chat with a gentleman about the Air Force One aircraft and this man knew his stuff. There is also an area that takes you through the stages of early flight, to the war and to modern day jetliners. For aviation buffs a definite must see.

Pike Place Market located in downtown Seattle was an amazing place to be. I loved it down there. This is where you’ll find the original Starbucks, the queue was phenomenal. We took a previous tour guides advice and didn’t go in as he said you can get the same drink around the corner and not wait in line. We did take some photos outside though. You have plenty eateries in this area, there was lots of choice. We visited Peroshky Peroshky for a pasty. For those of you with a sweet tooth there is Le Panier, a French patisserie (we genuinely enjoyed the chocolate eclairs 🙂 )

In the Market itself we visited The Sound View Café for breakfast and had amazing views of the Puget Sound. The food was fantastic and the staff were lovely.

On our first full day in Seattle we booked a city tour to get our bearings and discover and bit more than what we might have on our own. The tour took us to The Freemont Troll, The Fish Ladder at Ballard Locks (there is an amazing deli a short drive from here called Fishermen’s Green Market and Deli – they make the most delicious fresh wraps), Kerry Park, The water homes, plus lots of interesting commentary from the guide telling us all about the history of each area, immigration and how many people actually move to Seattle each year.

For those of you who like a bit of jazz music, we visited a venue called Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley. The act we seen was a bass player called Marcus Miller. The venue itself is very small and intimate which was fantastic. You have the option of going to the show and sitting at the bar or being able to have dinner before the show. We went for the dinner option and the food was wonderful. Our final bill if I remember right came to roughly $120 and that was two mains, two desserts and two alcoholic drinks.

Seattle has so much greenery and park space that it’s impossible not to be able to find a place of quiet amongst a big city. It gave me a sense of calm which I really enjoyed, it was an intangible feeling that you can’t ever really explain properly. I’ve been to a lot of cities throughout the US and I can wholeheartedly say Seattle is my favourite. I seem to enjoy the west coast as opposed to the east coast. The east coast doesn’t have the same chilled out vibe that you can find in the west.

Anyway enough of my rambling for now as I could go on for ages about Seattle :D.