Things I'd buy if I won the lottery tomorrow

Did you know you're almost five times more likely to be struck by lightning than to win the lottery. I did. Does it stop me making hypothetical lists of all the unnecessary items I'd buy if I did come into millions and millions of pounds? Absolutely not.

Shrimps

Susan Alexandra

I am torn between these two pairs of equally obnoxious, ridiculous earrings. I usually know I like something if I honestly can’t tell whether I love or hate it and would avoid wearing it in front of more conservative family members. Both these pairs of earrings hit those nails on the head, so they’re definitely going on my list to choose from when I get my impending lottery win.

Hades Wool

Need I say more? Pastel pink? The Cure? Beautiful quality intarsia knitwear? Into the hypothetical basket you go.

Mauritius Dodo Rum

This one might be the most ridiculous of the lot and that really is saying something. A 1 litre glass dodo filled with rum. Retailing at close to 100 Great British Pounds. For a glass dodo filled with rum. But imagine his little face on a swanky bar cart.

Prada

Very basic. Every influencer and her dog has these shoes, but it doesn't stop me wanting them. I just think they're classic, even if I'm getting blisters just looking at them.

And with that, I'm ending the blog post. The real list is endless and couldn't be contained within one blog post, so I might make this into a weekly series as I just love looking at things I can't afford.

Links

Shrimps earrings: https://shrimps.com/products/shrimp-earrings-silver

Susan Alexandra earrings: https://www.susanalexandra.com/products/shrimp-cocktail-earrings

Hades Wool The Cure Jumper: https://hades-shop.co.uk/products/the-cure-pink-black-womens-pre-order

Dodo rum: https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/mauritius-dodo/mauritius-dodo-gold-rum-dodo-bottle-rum/

Prada loafers: https://www.mytheresa.com/euro_en/prada-patent-leather-loafers-1545563.html

The 5 best books I've read (so far) in 2021

While trying to complete my degree I've found my beloved hobby cast aside. Some days I just can't fit any more words into my brain, and on those days I find myself dropping to sleep scrolling on TikTok (terrible habit, must do better). I have managed to do some reading though, so without further ado, here's the 5 best books I've read so far in 2021:

More Than A Woman - Caitlin Moran

Earlier in the year I read Moran's first autobiography, which details her life up until the birth of her children. I knew going into More Than A Woman that the book's tackling of middle age and motherhood is not something I can personally relate to. Surprisingly though, I resonated more with this one! It's so refreshing that Moran is unafraid to tackle her previous opinions and why they've changed.

Mayflies - Andrew O'Hagan

O'Hagan writes so beautifully of a coming-of-age in the 1980s Manchester music scene. Split into two parts, the book revisits the main characters in adulthood as they navigate separate lives. No spoilers, but this book left me in and out of tears for days.

The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett

Despite taking me an unusually long time to read, this book was the most fantastic piece of fiction I've read in a long time. The novel follows two sisters who are white-passing. When they run away from home, they lead entirely different lives heavily influenced by the race they choose to adopt. Bennett introduces complex themes in a way which is accessible for the average fiction reader, and I think that's great!

Quite - Claudia Winkleman

Let me preface this by saying I have little interest in the life of this woman. I don't dislike her by any stretch of the imagination, but I equally didn't anticipate reading her autobiography. After multiple recommendations, I'm so glad I did. A lot of the time, we (myself included) see television personalities like Winkleman as superficial and lacking in any real credibility. Winkleman actually has an Art History degree from Cambridge amongst other recognitions, and as an art lover I found this section particularly fascinating. The book just read like a dream; she is not pretentious or preachy, and the way she talks about the women in her life is just *chef's kiss*.

Hot Little Hands - Abigail Ulman

And last but not least, this one brings me up to date as the last book I finished. I've only ever dabbled in the world of short stories before, so Hot Little Hands was a challenge! Once I'd accepted the fact that I was only getting a snippet into a character's life, I relished each one as a memento of girlhood. A story titled 'Warm Ups' in particular knocked me for six!