Category: Life

My 2025 book list

Hi guys 👋🏻

Another day, another bookish post! This is my complete 2025 list of booms that I read. So if you are looking for any recommendations, look no further.

I’ve added a little code to sort the books a little and represent the variety of formats I have read in and why I chose certain books.

Colour code:

  • Green: One of my ’25 books for 2025′
  • Red: Book Club Books
  • Blue: Borrowed Library Books
  • Bold: my favourite book that month

DNF – means ‘did not finish’

I have put either ‘Audible’ or ‘Spotify’ next to my audiobooks, so if you see that its the audio version.

DISCLAIMER: ’25 books for 2025′ was a little challenge I set myself – I almost read half of the books I needed to but, I did trail off a little towards the end of the year keeping up with Book Club Books and my seasonal reads. But 11 isn’t bad.

January

It’s a wonderful life: Illustrated Edition

The Teacher by Freida McFadden

I died on a Tuesday By Jane Corry

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Sleep by C L Taylor

This year’s for you and me by  Emily Bell DNF

February

The Other Tenant by Lesley Kara

A Company Of Liars by Karen Maitland (Audible) 1/2

Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding (Re-Read)

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (Re-Read)

Friends Forever by Danielle Steele

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime by Mark Haddon

March

With This Kiss by Carrie Hope Fletcher

A Company Of Liars by Karen Maitland (Audible) 1/2

The Doctors Wife by Daniel Hurst

Ward D by Freida McFadden

The Wake Up Call by Beth O Leary

April

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara

The Girls by Lisa Jewell

I haven’t been entirely honest with you by Miranda Hart (Audible)

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini

May

Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain

The Tenant by Freida McFadden

The Boy Who Lived by David Holmes

(Audible)

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee

Return to the Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee

(Audible)

June

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

(Audible)

The Split by Sharon Bolton

Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer

July

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

Book Boyfriends by Lucy Vine

Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer 1/2 (Spotify)

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

August

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden

Little People, Big Dreams: Lenny Henry

Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins (Quick Read)

Hotel Avocado  by Bob Mortimer 1/2 (Spotify)

A Gypsy in Auschwitz by Otto Rosenberg

The Story Spinner by Barbra Erskine (Audible)

Blackout by Emily Barr (Quick Read)

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

Strange Houses by Uketsu

September

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose (Novella)

The Crash by Freida McFadden

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis

A Slow Burning Fire by Paula Hawkins

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

October

Future boy by Micheal J Fox (Audible)

The Intruder by Freida McFadden

All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain

Love and Lattes at Pumpkin Hollow by Victoria Walters

November

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan (Audible)

The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)

The Cinnamon Bun Bookshop by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone by J K Rowling – Full Cast Audio Edition (Audible)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling (Audible) 50%

The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson

December

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling (Audible) 50%

All We Want For Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)

Not another Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton

Total no of Book Club Books: 8

Total completed books of my ’25 for 2025′ challenge: 11

Total no of books altogether: 63

A great year of reading! Here’s to more in 2026 😃📚

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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My 2025 cinema list 📽🎞

Hi guys 👋🏻

Here is my 2025 cinema list using my Unlimited card ✌🏼

Safe to say I got my moneys worth again!

January

Mufasa: The Lion King

With Mum, Tim, Noah, Casey & Dan

Better Man

With Sarah & Tim

Secret Screening: Companion

With Sarah

February

The Sloth Lane

With Tim, Noah & Casey

The Monkey

With Sarah

Heart Eyes

With Sarah

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy

With Charlotte D

March

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy

With Mum & Sarah

The Woman in the Yard

With Sarah

April

The Penguin Lessons

With Tim

Flow

With Noah & Casey

Drop

With Sarah

May

Warfare

With Tim

Sinners

With Sarah

Hallow Road

With Tim

Final Destination: Bloodlines

With Sarah

June

Clown in a Cornfield

With Sarah

Lilo & Stitch: Live Action

With Noah & Casey

The Salt Path

With Sarah & Tim

July

28 years later

With Tim and Sarah

Jurassic World: Rebirth

With Tim

UNLIMITED 25: LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring

With Tim

I know what you did last summer

With Sarah

The Wild Robot: Family films for £1

With Noah & Casey

Fantastic Four

With Tim

August

The Naked Gun

With Tim

Weapons (4DX)

With Sarah

September

The Roses

With Charlotte

The Smurfs

With Sarah, Noah & Casey

SECRET SCREENING: I Swear

With Tim

Dead of Winter

With Tim

The Long Walk

With Sarah & Christy

October

Night of the Zoopocalypse

With Sarah, Noah & Casey

Horror Double Bill

The Fog: 45th Anniversary

With Sarah

Horror Double Bill

The Strangers: Chapter Two

With Sarah

I Swear

With Mum & Sarah

Black Phone 2

With Sarah

November

SECRET SCREENING: The Running Man

With Tim

Regretting You

With Sarah

Christmas Karma

With Noah, Casey, Evie & Tim

December

45th Anniversary Screening: The Shining

With Sarah

Silent Night, Deadly Night

With Sarah

It’s A Wonderful Life

With Sarah & Tim

Fackham Hall

With Tim

Total number of Visits:

44

Favourite films I saw in 2025:

The Shining

The Sloth Lane

The Monkey

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy

The Naked Gun

I Swear

It’s A Wonderful Life

Worst film I saw in 2025:

The Strangers: Chapter 2

Top film (imo) that I saw in 2025:

The Naked Gun

What was your top cinema pick from 2025?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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2025 memories – 12/12

Hi guys 👋🏻

So, I had an idea to document some more memories on my blog. I used to do a lot more of these sort of posts before I started posting more book/reading content, and when I had more time haha, life seems to be busy these days!

Here is my fourth and final quarterly memories update to capture 2025, we made it!!

These are the final three months of the twelve of 2025!

Let’s take a look.

October

October was a fun month of pumpkin picking, autumn reads, football, trips to London to see Ruth Jones & James Corden at the Palladium and to see my uni friends – all topped off with a Halloween wedding.

The inaugural Ipswich Book Festival was a highlight of October ❤️📚 I went along on the Saturday and spent the whole day enjoying the talks, I went to three in total, visited my local bookshops, read, had some yummy food and bought some books. A brilliant day.

This was my highlights- meeting my favourite author Heidi Swain. Me and my Mum went along to her event at the Norwich Book Festival. It was so cool! She was lovely and she even recognised my Instagram!! Such a great evening that I won’t forget

November

November saw firework night, the start of the festivities. Lots of christmas lights, decorating, wreath Making, Christmas reads, Christmas nails and the first of the season 5 Stranger Things releases.

December

A super fun and festive month!

Christmas really has begun, even at the start with more decorating, at home and at work, we went to two Christmas light trails, including our usual trip to the Enchanted Light trail at Colchester Zoo. I went to a Christmas tree festival, did festive baking, Christmas reading. Christmas nails and lots of wrapping whilst watching Christmas films. 

Christmas itself was great with lots of family time, present opening, yummy food, laughs, games and relaxing. Perfect.

I hope you’ve had a happy 2025! Here’s to another good year in 2026 – let’s see what it brings.

Happy New Year 🎉🥂

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 24: Homemade Christmas Cards

Hi guys 👋🏻

IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE!!! WOOHOO

The penultimate Blogmas Day 😱

Each year I love to have a go at making my own Christmas cards and I try out lots of different designs and techniques.

I thought I would share a few designs with you from this years collection. I have predominantly gone for a hand drawn vibe.

Let’s take a look.

I love the hand drawn vibes, especially of the baubles, with the little gems to add a bit of detail and sparkle.

I love having a go at writing in different fonts too, I need to do a calligraphy course or something. That would be cool.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

🎅🏻

He’s on his way!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 23: Festive Cinema 🎥

Hi guys 👋🏻

Happy Christmas Eve, Eve

Me and my twin sister LOVE going to the cinema, its literally one of our most favourite things to do and we’ve had our Unlimited cards since we were 18/19! Love that thing.

My husband even got himself an Unlimited card when we got together because I liked going so much so he thought he might as well too haha.

There have been a couple of festive films out this season as well as their usual showings of old classics and family faves.

I’ll leave a link here to Blogmas Day 9 , where I reviewed ‘Christmas Karma’ the new Christmas themed musical comedy – drama based on ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. I watched that with my nephews and niece at the end of November and it was really good.

Christmas Karma

Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 9: Christmas Karma

I’ve also watched two other Christmas films at the cinema…

Silent Night, Deadly Night

I actually really enjoyed this film. I know in the grand scheme of horror films it was a bit random and less highly publicised but it was enjoyable to watch. They didn’t drag it out like some films do, it had a good flow. It was an interesting story idea that I haven’t seen before and it had quite a few surprising moments that kept it interesting.

My husband isn’t a horror fan so it was just me and my twin sister for this one.

I’d give this a solid 7/10.

It’s a wonderful life

This is my favourite Christmas film, I love it. I will never forget the first time I watched this film, it was so far from what I expected and it blew my mind at how lovely and brilliant it is.

I love how cleverly the story us weaved and portrayed to us. The characters are very likeable and its just so lovely to watch.

I love the message of the film… at the heart of it, it just makes you, the ordinary man or woman, want to squeeze out every bit of life you are given.

I love it and they usually show it at the cinema so I try and go if I can. My twin sister and husband came along to this one too. 

It’s a wonderful life gets an 11/10

My favourite Christmas films are:

  1. It’s a wonderful life
  2. Elf
  3. Deck the Halls
  4. The Snowman
  5. The Grinch
  6. Love Actually
  7. Last Christmas
  8. That Christmas
  9. Jack Frost
  10. The Holiday

Have you been to the cinema to see a festive film?

What have you been to see?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 22: Christmas Nails 💅🏻 🎅🏻

Hi guys 👋🏻

The end of Blogmas is in sight! I’m going to miss the festive fun, but we still have a few days of festivities to go!

I have done a few festive nails over the second half of November and into December, and I thought I would share them with you.

I am by no means a nail artist but I enjoy having my nails painted and I like giving different designs a go! Especially Halloween and Christmas nails 💅🏻

So let’s have a look at the three sets I’ve done 😊

First up are a simple set that I did in the middle of November. These are just a little festive intro to Christmas nails haha. I used a new red cat eye that I’d bought and I really love the cat eye effect.

The second set are probably my favourite although it is a close call. These are super festive. I tried out a hard gel this time and loved the sort of nudes colour so I kept that as my base. I then drew on some little festive adornments to each nail.

The candy cane are my fave. 🍬

This is my last festive set and will see me through to the big day and those special festive days afterwards. This is a close second as I like the glitters I’ve used and I also just think my nails look better because they’ve got a bit of length (thanks to the hard gel!)

I did a selection of glitters and cat eyes in festive colours. I then used this whitey/Gray toned cat eye as a base for the nails with nail art on. I couldn’t resist one last bit of festive nail art (and I had to include another candy cane haha)

I also did my twin sisters nails ready for Christmas. I used the same sheer white/silver cat eye as a base for all her nails. I then hand painted a candy cane and Holly on each middle finger as a little festive touch.

I think I’ll probably do another glittery set to start 2026 as whenever I use it I remember how much I love it on my nails.

Hope you like them 😊💅🏻

What nail designs have you had?

3 days to go!!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 19: A Christmas Carol Show

Hi guys 👋🏻

At the weekend me and my husband went to see ‘A Christmas Carol’ at our local theatre.

It was a one man show performed by Vincent Franklin. He has been in loads of famous shows such as Doc Martin, Happy Valley,  The Office and The Thick Of It.

He was brilliant and the show was really enjoyable. The way he performed it was haunting, entertaining and comical at different points throughout and he brought the story alive with his brilliant portrayal of this classic story.

The way he used a very basic, yet very effective, set ans very few props to create so much was mesmerising and clever. It is one of my favourite parts of theatre when your imagination is unlocked by the simplest props and sets. So enjoyable.

The post show talk was amazing, a really interesting insight into the show itself, as well as the actors love of the story of ‘A Christmas Carol’. It added a lot to the experience for sure.

I really like the story of ‘A Christmas Carol’ and I try and read it each year. I love the beautiful editions you can see in the picture above.

The story of ‘A Christmas Carol’ is so relevant in our current world, we all need to think of others and how our actions effect them more than we do, as a collective, and I like how it really makes you think about yourself, yout behaviour, the way you treat and view others etc.

Have you been to see a Christmas show?

6 days until Christmas!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 18: Christmas Tree decorating 🎄

Hi guys 👋🏻

ONE WEEK TO GO!! THIS TIME NEXT WEEK IT WILL BE CHRISTMAS DAY!!! WOOHOO 🎄

Here are some photos of me and my husband decorating our mains christmas tree, in our flat. We’ve gone for a new position by the window this year, I decided last Christmas I wanted it there as you can sit on both sofas and look at it and see it whilst you watch tv.

As usual we have gone for our red, gold and green theme 😍

Here are some of the new decorations my mum got us. She very kindly always gets us a new tree dec each year, in our chosen colour scheme. These ones are great.

Do you have a favourite Christmas decoration colour scheme?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 16: Christmas Lights Switch on ✨️🎄

Hi guys 👋🏻

Welcome to Blogmas Day 16!

A few weeks ago me and my husband went to our town Christmas lights switch on. It was a nice little Sunday evening festive activity and it made me feel very Christmassy in November.

Here are some pictures from the evening 😊

I haven’t been able to go to a switch on in our town for years as they’ve been on a Thursday when I’ve been at work so it was nice for it be on a weekend.

Perfect with a mint hot choc in hand.

Have you been to your local lights switch on?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 14: A Christmas Carol Concert 🎶

Hi guys 👋🏻

We are two weeks into Blogmas! Woohoo!

I hope you are enjoying it so far.

Today we have had a super festive day, this Christmas carol concert being the first of two festive shows (Check back in the next few days to see what the second show was)

My mother in law is part of a choir and we went along to her choir concert this afternoon.

They sung a selection of different songs, including lots of festive carols, as well as some poems and a lovely rendition of ‘Silent Night’ on the keyboard.

It was a lovely festive afternoon, listening and singing along to the Christmassy songs.

What festive activities do you have planned?

11 days to go!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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