Review: 'The Keeper of Lost Things' by Ruth Hogan

The engagement on Instagram has been at a real low in recent weeks and I know I'm not alone in noticing that. My feed, which for a while seemed to be vaguely chronological, has reverted to a really illogical order and I'm seeing posts from some of my favourites days later than originally posted or sometimes not at all. But in weeks where the general activity is at an all-time low, this book generated almost as much comment as the Eleanor Oliphant post did before it. And I love engaging in book chat and hearing from people who love a book as much as I do or recommend others I might enjoy.

And I really enjoyed this book!

Here's the cover blurb:

Anthony Peardew has spent half his life collecting lost objects, trying to atone for a promise broken many years before.

Realising he is running out of time, he leaves his house and all its lost treasures to his assistant Laura, the one person he can trust to reunite the thousands of objects with their rightful owners.

But the final wishes of the 'Keeper of Lost Things' have unforeseen repercussions which trigger a most serendipitous series of encounters...

Whimsical, absorbing and completely charming, I devoured this book in about a day and a half. There are a few stories woven through the main arc, which I enjoyed and kept me guessing how they would tie together in the end. The main characters themselves are as lost as the items collected by Anthony over the course of the years but in fulfilling Anthony's wishes, they are brought together and begin to discover what's important. 

I've read some reviews calling the book 'twee' but I was very much in the mood for that, it was a deliciously comforting book that was a pleasure to read, with wonderful well thought-out characters and moments of real humour and sadness. 

Have you read this book? Do drop me a comment and let me know what you thought if you did, as well as what you're currently reading and any other books you'd recommend - I need to build up a list pre-holiday!

Review: 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' by Gail Honeyman

If ever there was a post that got people talking on my Instagram page, it was when I shared the above photo and said I was reading 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine', and despite the fact that I had only just picked it up I was already completely hooked. So many people commented saying that they loved this book and whizzed through it but a few others said exactly the opposite - a bit of a Marmite book then, you either love it or hate it?

I joined a book group over on Instagram just over a month or so ago and when it came to choosing our first read, I suggested this book because I'd seen quite a few people reading it (usually on the tube!) and it had been on my wishlist for a while, so this would be the perfect excuse to pick it up. It was delivered to my office on a Friday morning, I started it on the train home that evening and had finished it by Sunday night - I'd probably have devoured it sooner only I had packing to do but I ran back to it every moment I could. 

What can I say without giving any of the plot away? The blurb on the cover reads:

Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live.
Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.
Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.
One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted - while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she's avoided all her life.
Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than... fine?

Eleanor is such an interesting character and I really enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes, and how she reacts to things which are so much part of the usual course of everyday life. While I guessed some of the elements that are gradually fed to you over the course of the story about her history and the events that have taken place, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book in any way. I was rooting for her so completely. She's a joy. 

Living in a city and looking at people all around you, going to work, travelling home, all in their own little bubbles, it really made me a think a lot about loneliness and how it's possible to feel lonely, even when you're surrounded by people everyday. 

This is the perfect book if you're looking for a real comfort-read, something to lose yourself in completely. It won't change your life but it's just a wonderful, heartwarming story and everyone needs at least one of those on their shelf. 

Have you read this book? Drop me a comment letting me know what you think - I find that a lot of the fun of reading is also sharing and discussing it afterwards!

A visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

As I mentioned in last week's Wonderful Wednesday post, I spent last Sunday enjoying the sunshine in Kew Gardens. I really can't believe that I've never properly visited the stunning Kew Gardens before, particularly when it was right on our doorstep, but that always seems to be the way with some of London's more 'touristy' sights. I know I'll be back again though, next time with a delicious picnic to fully appreciate the day. There are several restaurants scattered around the park but they were absolutely heaving on the day we visited. We did pop into the café by the main entrance at the end of our visit and I had a cup of tea and THE most delicious slice of a gluten free lemon and courgette cake - sounds dubious but it was super tasty.

I wanted to share some photos of our day...a little walk through the Gardens with us. Apart from the Treetop Walkway though. Did you know that giant metal structure shakes ever so slightly?! Neither did I. I was too busy praying/swearing to take any photos from there.

Onto the photos, beginning with the stunning Palm House.

The wonderfully peaceful Japanese garden:

All of your problems suddenly feel ever so slightly insignificant in the scheme of things when you're gazing up at the ancient Redwood trees...

Have you ever visited Kew Gardens? Did you love every moment of the Treetop Walkway?! Thoughts on making cakes with vegetables? After that courgette and lemon cake, I think I could be persuaded...

Review: Harry Potter Studio Tour

I have wanted to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tours for YEARS. Don't get me wrong, nobody was stopping me from going, I had just never got myself organised enough to grab a friend, pick a date and book the tickets. We've had my sister in law and her husband visiting us from Germany over the last week and the Studio Tour was at the top of their list of must-sees for this trip so on sunny Thursday afternoon, I made it there at last!

And was it worth the wait?! It really truly was. Fasten your trunk, grab your house scarf and a few chocolate frogs or some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans (whatever takes your fancy, there'll be no judgement here), let's jump aboard the Hogwarts Express and I'll tell you all about it!

(Just please ignore the ludicrous expression on my face in some of these photos...I was very excited.)

I'm a huge Potter fan so I was probably always going to love it but my husband really isn't (hilariously, he was given a stern talking to by his mum over the phone about not sulking during the trip!) and even he thought it was an interesting, well thought-out tour. He was also our official photographer on the day, capturing lots of memorable little details for us while we exclaimed over all the sets, props and costumes and reminisced about these books and films which were so important to me while I was growing up (and even as I've got a little older than that!) I know I've seen lots of blog posts pop up over the last few years, which I've done my best to avoid so as not to spoiler myself in advance, but before I spend the rest of my weekend marathon-watching all the films again, I thought I'd write a little about the day and my highlights for anyone like me who hasn't managed to visit it yet! (And hey, if you're looking for an excuse to go again...) Apologies for all of the photos - I think we came away with about 700 so this is truly an edited selection!

And yes, I was of course decked out in Ravenclaw blue, including this amazing 'swish and flick' pin, which I'd picked up from NutmegandArlo's Etsy shop in readiness for our trip. #nerdyandproud

First things first, make sure you allow plenty of time for your visit. You have to book in advance anyway - we booked weeks ago and there were only slots available from 5pm onwards. As I was bouncing up and down with excitement/terrified we'd be late and miss our time slot, we arrived at about 4pm but were allowed in earlier than our designated slot. By the time we left, it was about 8.15pm... I think they say that 3 hours is the 'norm' but having been in there for over 4 hours and still feeling there were spots I could have gone back to and looked at again, I would allow for at least 4 to 5 hours to ensure that you're fully able to indulge in some serious Potter-trivia.

The tour begins with a short film of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint talking about their experiences making the movies together with some snippets of all of the films, ending with them disappearing through the doors into the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The curtain rises and there are those very doors! You walk through and straight into Hogwarts' Great Hall - there are all the house tables, with some costumes lined up against the wall, the great fireplace and the teachers all stood at the very end!

You then head out into a huge area, filled with all manner of delights - props, costumes, sets, even the Mirror of Erised (perhaps I was just looking into the mirror the entire time?!)

Clearly I was hugely excited imagining that I was in the Gryffindor common room.

Peeking inside the Burrow was such a highlight for me - it's exactly the style I try to emulate for my own home, just look at that dresser!

Knitting needles captured mid-knit (not featured: the self-ironing iron and the knife chopping a carrot all by itself!)

 Apparently they filmed 40 kittens for the plates in Dolores Umbridge's study and the kitten were then adopted by people who had no idea that their cats were so famous!

Shortly after this was a section on the Death Eaters, which I found just as spooky as their scenes in all of the movies - the level of detail in each of the masks though, and some of the sinister props on display from Borgin and Burkes. It was so impressive.

The entrance to the Forbidden Forest, which is the new section of the tour that has only just opened.

 Hagrid lighting the way - detention with Hagrid wouldn't be too bad, although I'd choose to go with him rather than Fang...two scaredy cats wouldn't be good.

 Gorgeous Buckbeak!

You then head out onto the Back Lot, where you'll find the Knight Bus, the Hogwarts Bridge, Privet Drive and Godric's Hollow...among other things. It's also where you can find the Butterbeer. Now I'd heard really mixed reviews of the Butterbeer and I wasn't expecting much...but had to try it all the same. My goodness, it was truly vile. It tasted like cream soda and had a creamy head which bubbled in a rather sinister fashion. Butterbeer ice cream on the other hand?! That was truly delicious.

We were so lucky with the weather on the day we visited the tour and the sun shone gloriously throughout. By the time we left the Back Lot area, the sun was just starting to go in and it was getting a little chillier - perfect timing to head onto the next section, which was robotics and mechanics, together with all the amazing technical make up - Dobby, creatures like Buckbeak, Fawkes and the screaming Mandrake plants, and all the different goblin heads. This then leads into Diagon Alley, which I was SO excited to walk through, before the stunningly gorgeous artwork section and then the giant model of Hogwarts.

If you look over at the right-hand side of this picture, you'll see some people gazing at the model of Hogwarts - that should give you an idea of the scale of the piece!

If you haven't already picked up on how much I loved our visit to the studio tour, I wholeheartedly recommend it! The audio tour is worth investing in too because you hear so many interesting little snippets about the filming process that I had no idea about previously, and you can also watch some additional clips too. The section on training the animals was probably my favourite, as well as the section on the Burrow and how they managed to convince Ralph Fiennes to join the cast.

Have you visited the Harry Potter Studio Tour? What was your favourite part?