Author: Christiana

Locke & Key on Netflix ~ A Review

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Having hugely enjoyed the Locke and Key graphic novels’ series back when I read it a couple of years ago, I was simply over the moon to hear that Netflix was set to bring an adaptation to our small screens. I opted for a ‘premiere’ reminder and promptly found myself plopping on the sofa all starry- eyed and excited, popcorn in hand – to enjoy this extra special treat. My, oh my, was I to be sorely disappointed… Let me preface what’s to follow by saying: if you have never feasted your eyes on the awesomeness that is the graphic novels, then you’ll probably find my review slightly incomprehensible and my general distaste of the series absurd or, at best, far- fetched and kind of unfair. If, however, you are a fan of the original then you will understand where I am coming from and, in all likelihood, agree. Let me also note that when it comes to adaptations in general, I’m kind of a stickler for accuracy and staying as true to the source …

‘Normal People’ by Sally Rooney ~ A Review

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Sally Rooney’s second novel has been around for little less than two years and, in that short time, has managed (among others) to be hailed by public and critics alike, get longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2018, be voted Waterstone’s Book of the Year and win the Costa Book Awards Best Novel for 2018, get longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019 and be ranked 25th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best books of the 21st century. In 2019 BBC announced its plans to adapt the book for TV, with the series premiering a few days ago on BBC3. In the midst of all the hype, I somehow only heard about it a couple of months ago – from long- time favorite blogger and fellow bibliophile Anna Newton (of ‘The Anna Edit‘). It’s now been a few weeks since I finished the book and, for some reason, I have found getting around to reviewing it to be very difficult contrary, in fact, to what reading it felt like (in few words: …

Revive, Reset, Renew…

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If I’m being honest, I have to say that I highly debated my return to Lifestyle Counter after all this time (which is why it ended up taking up twice as long as it would have, under different circumstances). Eventually, it was the fact that this space is too much of a labor of love (with too long and complex a history) to just give up on… So, I’m back with the best of intentions but, I am afraid, no promises… Two years is a long time and I feel a little out of touch – and lost as to what I really want this to be. I believe that way too much is being said on every single issue, absolutely everywhere (everyone seems to be a blogger and/ or influencer these days) – so I am not quite certain as to what (if anything) worth mentioning is still left unsaid. The question of what my exact niche will be moving forward (or, indeed, if there will even be one) is one I will not tackle …

Latest & Greatest: Favorite Mobile Apps…

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OK, “latest” is probably a bit of a stretch here – I’ll give you that. Some of these have been around for a long time. That said, my personal obsession with them is brand new, thus the title of this post… So, without further ado, here’s the 3 mobile apps I’ve been tapping away at the most, these past couple of weeks: DAYLIO (for Android and iOS) I’ve always liked the idea of keeping a daily diary, but have never managed to come to terms with the  effort involved in recording proper entries every- single- day (!!). Best intentions an’ all that… Then, I accidentally bumped into this. Officially branded a “mood tracker and micro diary”, it offers exactly what I need – a hassle free, customizable and really fun way to record your daily life (in 60” tops/ day). Plus, it offers interesting statistics and insights (that might be especially useful for people struggling with mild depression and/ or mood swings). I love the monthly mood chart and calendar mode and have not skipped …

Holiday Gift Guide: The Fashion Lovers Edit

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As promised, today I will be tackling my 5th holiday gift guide – now veering into “specialised” interest territory. I’m pretty sure we all have a fashion loving girlfriend or partner that we want to buy something special for. The trends for Fall- Winter 2017- 2018 are quite diverse, allowing for all tastes and I have picked a selection of possible gifts based on my favourite ones – for you to peruse.   1. Jacques Vert- Ana Fit & Flare Coat 2. Loewe Contrast Panel Polka Dot Silk Scarf 3. Silver Chunky Heel Patent Leather Ankle Booties 4. Baublebar Gabriela Gold Plated Tassel Earrings 5. Alexa Chung for AG Jeans Laura High Rise Corduroy Pants 6. Mugler Technical Cady Mini Dress 7. Polka Dot Duvet Cover 600 Thread Count 8. Bebe Brookee Slouchy Boots 9. Dune London Heston Leopard Buckle Ballerina Shoes 10. Humble Chic Mini Tassel Vegan Leather Bucket Bag 11. Kate Spade New York All in Good Taste Deco Dot 12-Pc. Set 12. Coco Noir Eau De Parfum Spray 13. Beats Solo 3 Wireless …