Sheffield Meadowhall Waterstones and Haul

 

Hi Folks

Hope you are all well.

Today I went to Sheffield Meadowhall for the first time ever!  

One of the main reasons for visiting was to expand my tour of Waterstones stores, and I aim to visit more new Waterstones this year.

Meadowhall is huge and on the outside it looked like this Waterstones would be too.  Sadly it isn't as big as I thought, although is a decent size.

The Fantasy, Sci-fi and Horror section isn't too bad but I've seen more selection at smaller Waterstones, and a few favourite authors were missing.  I did manage to find Salem's Lot by Stephen King, which I've been after for a while.

I also looked at the prices on the books on sale.  In particular I looked at a John Gwynne book I've recently read and shocked to see it has gone up in price.  It is now priced at £10:99.  I bought it about 5 years ago at £8:99.

After visiting the WH Smiths in Meadowhall, I found the same books I had bought in Waterstones.  Plus there seemed to be as many books there.

Overall - Didn't seem as big as I first thought and less selection than I wanted. Plus no cafe or different floor. 

Score -  6/10

Below is my book haul. The new CJ Tudor book for Mum, which is signed.  Salem's Lot by Stephen King, which I'd been looking for, for a while and a new Aliens book. Well Aliens Vs Predator book.

Happy Reading!

Neil x

Megan - Film Review

 

Hi Folks 

Hope all are enjoying 2023!

It's already going too fast.  One slight highlight is going to see the new horror film from Blumhouse - the creators of the Paranormal Activity films and the recent Halloween remake.

The trailer looked really good yet the film was a slight let down.  It should have been R Rated with more kills and gore and is low on both.

The film starts with Cady, a lonely girl who is obsessed with her Furby type toy.  She is  going on a skiing trip with her parents. Until they have a Jeremy Renner style run in with a snow plow.

Her Aunt Gemma played by the gorgeous Allison Williams ends up with full custody of Cady, who is the sole survivor of the crash.  As luck would have it Gemma is a genius and part creator of the Furby type creature and has been working on a revolutionary interactive doll called Megan.  Gemma uses Cady to test out the creepy doll which links to its user and promises to protect Cady.

That's when the doll starts becoming more than it should be and going on a killer spree.

Overall - the film is quite good at building suspense, but sometimes the outcome can be too flat.  As I mentioned earlier there isn't enough kills or gore.  The acting from all involved is very good though.  It also seems to be a satire and warning of how we, as parents interact with our children and how we allow them too much time online or interacting with AI technology.

The film also seemed to have a few scenes similar to old films including near the beginning when we see through Megan's vision as she looks at a pen.  It reminded me of the classic tracking scene from the original Robocop film.

There is already a Megan sequel planned, which I'll be interested in seeing. Hopefully more gore though.

Score  -   6.8/10

My 2023 Books TBR

 Hi Readers 

Last year was the worst reading year in a long while.  Having only read three books and started a forth, which I'm carrying over into this year.

Last year I had twenty books down to read.  This year I've chosen more - twenty-five - which I've also added on Goodreads, hoping it will get me reading my books and out of my slump.

I will put the pictures of the books I intend to read below.  They are in no particular order, but the first two John Gwynne books will be read first.

The next set of books weren't on last year's TBR, but needed to make the numbers to twenty-five.  I have chosen shorter books.

The below were featured last year and I intend to read them this year.

Wish me luck and happy reading!

Neil x

2023 Happy New Year and Resolutions

 

Happy New Year Peeps 

Hope you've had a good holiday.  It's gone too quickly.

Just a few standard resolutions for this year.

Health - this year I definitely need to lose weight.  This will include cutting out bad food and sugar and exercising more.  This includes walking more and going back to the gym.

Work - will stay in the call centre job as long as I can but need another career - will keep you posted.

Writing - 2023 is my comeback year for writing.  This includes cancelling my Microsoft account as I haven't been using the £59 a year account for 3 years.  I am looking at a free/cheaper alternative.  I hope to sort memory out on laptop this weekend.

Reading - 2022 was a disaster reading wise and I'm still on book 4 of the year.  I only read 3 books.  For 2023 I've set myself the challenge on Goodreads to read 25 books.  Wish me luck.

Other - in 2023 I'm going to try and spend as much time with family and friends.  I also want to worry and stress less and travel more including going to Edge-lit in July in Derby.

A list of my proposed 25 books to read in 2023 will be my next post. 

Neil x 

2022 - A Brief Review

Hi Folks

This is just a quick overview of 2022.  It started really well on a visit to Scotland and a visit to the Kelpies.

Reading in 2022 -

Sadly only made it onto my fourth book this year. I hit a reading slump as soon as I began, in what I was hoping to be a productive reading year.  I think this was partly due to starting a new job and the months when I was out of work I was too fed up to read.  It wasn't even the books fault as I have enjoyed John Gwynne's Faithful and the Fallen series so far.

Writing in 2022 -

Well that has been even worse than my reading.  I've been meaning to sort my laptop out all year to get more space and still not done it.

Health in 2022 -

My health hasn't been great in 2022.  With being out of work on and off in the last few years, I've put on too much weight.  I'm now pre-diabetic, with slightly high blood pressure and have sleep apnea.  At least I've sorted the sleep apnea out. In 2023 I need to get to the gym, exercise and eat better.

Work in 2022 -

I started 2022 in an office job I hated which I won't detail here.  Needless to say I was back on Universal Credit for about 5 months.  During Covid it wasn't too bad as you had the £20 extra each week but they stopped that and I really struggled.

Luckily I landed a job in June.  Although it wasn't my usual back office administration job I'm used to, but a contact centre role taking calls which I thought I'd hate but isn't too bad.  I will see what happens in 2023.

Holidays in 2022 -

I actually did well for holidays in 2022 despite 6 months of it out of work.  This was largely due to the girlfriend.

I had a great time in Portugal in May in an all exclusive resort.

Then there were other places like York and Chester, Wigan and Skipton and Harrogate.

Plus there were my infamous visits to new Waterstones branches.

Other things in 2022 -

Well I tried to walk more in 2022 with various degrees of success.  Something I want to boost in 2023.

I've also spent as much time as I could with my Mum and Daughter in 2022 and work permitting, will spend as much or more time with them in 2023.

The last big thing in 2022 that happened to me, is that I ended up with a cat!  After years of being a dog lover, fate brought me a cat called Sweetpea.  I wouldn't change that now it feels like I've had her years.

Well here's to a better and prosperous 2023!

HAPPY NEW YEAR XX

Merry Christmas 2022

 Glad Tidings to one and all.

Already Christmas Eve.  This month. This Year, has flown by.  It doesn't seem like a year since it was Christmas of 2021.

I've not posted since the beginning of December, so apologies.  I've been busy with work and Christmas shopping and the dreaded lurgy.

Also, I've not had much to post.  I'm hoping to post more in 2023, by reading more books than this year.  Also next year is the year I start writing again!

Whilst I'm of work over the Christmas period I hope to get laptop memory sorted.

I'm also hoping to read and finish Ruin by John Gwynne.  It will only be the fourth book I've read this year which is shocking!

Well enough rambling. I will post after Xmas.

Hope you all have a great Christmas with family and friends, eating and drinking too much as the kids complain about their presents and grannies sleep in the corner chairs.

Quick question - will there be a Kings Speech?

That will seem weird!

It will also be weird having my first Christmas with my cat Sweetpea.

Merry Xmas.

Neil x

December 2022 - Update

 

Hello Peeps

December 2022 already.  Another year gone so fast. Thinking of doing these updates in a new way.  Comment your thoughts below.

November Roundup 

Writing wise - nothing!  Still looking to clear memory from the laptop and haven't had time or the motivation.  Been too wiped out after work.

Reading - started Ruin by John Gwynne. Enjoying it so far but behind on that due to being knackered when I'm home.

Going Cat Shit Crazy - My fairly new cat Sweetpea had a few weeks with the trots. At first I thought it was a chill she had.  Took her off wet food and just feeding her dry complete food biscuits and been fine.

Had a good birthday with plenty of drinks. Getting old too fast!

December Upcoming

Writing - going to leave any writing till next year as need to sort laptop out or buy new one in January sales.  Also need a free Word document or alternative.  So I'm not paying £69 to Microsoft each year to use it.  Even if I pay a one off payment for a program, it would be better.

Reading - Hope to finish Ruin and move onto the final book in the series Wraith.

Other - Hope to get to the gym for a few days I have off work in December. 

I will be busy like everyone else sorting Christmas out.  Buying presents, putting decorations up, drinking and eating.

Chat soon....

Neil x