Body Positive Power by Megan Jayne Crabbe aka @bodyposipanda {book review and reflections}

It's hard to escape everyone talking about diets this time of year or people exclaiming that they need to be "good" now that Christmas is over. I don't know how many times I have to remind people that if they eat a biscuit/cookie or any other treat that they are not "bad" for doing so as they claim they are. Food should never be put into categories of good or bad because food is food.

I wasn't sure how I was going to write this blog post as it fits in my blog as I blog about food, but it's different then my normal posts. It's a review of a book and subject matter that is some what controversial. However, while I was reading it I made so many notes and thought of my own experiences when it comes to my relationship with food.

If you don't know who Megan is can I ask you a question - have you been living under a rock? She has taken instagram by storm and has recently started YouTube videos. She's bright, cheery, and not afraid to shake it in her underwear and share it on the internet. She is also brave, strong, and a survivor of anorexia.

It was interesting to read the parts on her experiences with anorexia, because it's something that has a bit of a taboo and that we the general masses don't fully comprehend. I mean why not just eat something right?

In this book Megan explains from first hand experience why it's just not that simple and I think that is very important for people to know and understand that. That a lifetime of food, exercise, and weight loss obsession is something that can't be solved by just eating something.

Also our media and fad diet industry has a lot to answer for. I mean everyone knows that, but no one pays any attention really. Megan's research and facts blew me away I had no idea how much they had to answer for. I may not be able to relate to Megan's experiences with anorexia, but I can relate to her experiences with body image. My whole life I have always had "extra" weight.

Talking about my weight with anyone, besides my sisters, comes with a lot of judgement. I mean I write a baking blog, I bake so therefore I am fat. I had someone tell me exactly that. I have to assume they assumed that I didn't eat any other food except for that which I had baked. Which was generally far from the truth as I bake to share with friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors and when I explained that I could see the disbelief in their eyes.

The thing is I should have never had to feel like I had to explain myself.  My diet, because a diet is what we eat, is really no one else's business. Nor does my love for baking define my overall diet and health; no more then my weight does.

One of the biggest things Megan gets thrown are those who say she is promoting obesity, but if you give this book a read or follow her on social media you will understand that it has nothing to do with promoting any sort of body type, but promoting people to love, accept, and embrace themselves no matter what size they are.

Because we are so much more then our body size.

I may never be comfortable enough to film myself shaking it in my underwear on social media, but I love the idea that if I ever decided too I know Megan along with other body positivity guru's and front runners would have my back.

If you are looking to grab a copy of your own click here and if you want to check out Megan's instagram click here. I'd love to know your thoughts on this please leave a comment below!!!

*I purchased my own copy of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own further information can be found above in the contact/policy page above!

My Summer Reading List - United Cakedom

We've had glorious weather for the end of spring and in England that may be it for us until August. In this country you can never tell what the weather might do and it's a constant topic for discussion. At some point if you live in England you just have to say whatever the weather will be, will be.

Summer however is the time for travel and holiday's and books are generally apart of any adventure or for those of us staying at home who need books and stories to pretend we are away on holiday!

Ahem.

Anyhow, I have an excessive stack of "to read" books and I have narrowed it down to the ones I like to get through by the end of summer. This is also my list of books I need to read before I allow myself to buy any more books new or used. Because the stack is getting ridiculous.

Wild Wood by Posie Graeme-Evens
synopsis - There are no accidents. There is only fate. 
1981. Jesse Marley calls herself a realist; she is all about the here and now. But in the month before Charles and Di's wedding all her certainties are suddenly blown aside by events she cannot control. 
Finding herself in hospital, unable to speak, she must write everything down. And as if her fingers have a will of their own, she beings to draw places she's never been to, people from another time. Rory Brandon, Jesse's neurologist, is intrigued. He knows the place she is drawing - Hundredfield, a castle in the Scottish Borders - and Jesse demands to see it. 
Unbeknown to them all, Jesse carries ancient knowledge that Hundredfield unlocks. She is key to the mystery that haunts this wild place, and she has a place in the legend of the lady who walks the forests …

- To be honest the cover of this book didn't draw me in. I won it in a twitter giveaway and it was part of a big box of books from the publishers Simon & Schuster. That was a good year or two ago and it's sat on my shelf since. It wasn't until I was looking for something to read that I picked it up and read the back again and became intrigued. I love a good historical mystery!

The Rosie Project by Graeme Smith
synopsis - Love isn't an exact science - but no one told Don Tillman. A thirty-nine-year-old geneticist, Don's never had a second date. So he devises the Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie - 'the world's most incompatible woman' - throwing Don's safe, ordered life into chaos. But what is this unsettling, alien emotion he's feeling?

- This is one of those best sellers I have been meaning to get around to reading. I picked it up at a charity shop, Age UK, for less then 99p! My good friend couldn't recommend it enough!

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
synopsis - Long before she was the Queen of Hearts, Catherine Pinkerton was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

- I am a sucker for twists on classic fairy tales and as I enjoyed the author's Lunar Chronicle series I couldn't wait to get my hands on this title! I bought it from Amazon and if you want to know more about the Lunar Chronicles check out my post here!

The Dead Zone by Stephen King
synopsis - The two things that conjured up that horrible night, were his run of luck at the Wheel of Fortune, and the mask . . .
Meet Johnny Smith. A young man whose streak of luck ends dramatically in a major car crash. Followed by blackness. A long, long time in cold limbo.
When he wakes up life has been turned upside down. His fiancée has met someone else. And Johnny is cursed with the power to perceive evil in men's souls. He's had these hunches since he had an ice-skating accident as a child. Now he has an ability to see into the future. An ability which will bring him into a terrifying confrontation with a charismatic, power-hungry and dangerous man . . .

- Gotta love a good Stephen King book and to be honest I haven't read loads, but I have read enough to know I need to read more! This one I picked up at work there was a book shelf of like leave a book take a book policy and I commandeered this one!

This I Know by Susannah Conway
synopsis - Part memoir, part creative journal, This I Know chronicles Susannah's journey through bereavement and healing, taking the reader on a ride into the possibilities of unravelling - and healing - her own life too. It's a guidebook of sorts, a collection of thoughts and theories, with creative exercises for you to try, and dreamy light-filled Polaroids dotted throughout the text. It's a cosy blanket for your heart.

- I have followed Susannah's blog for years now and I have been coveting this book for ages and I finally bought it used from amazon marketplace.

Happy by Fearne Cotton
synopsis - For many of us, life can feel like it's moving too fast with pressure bearing down on us from all sides - whether that's from school or work, family or social media. As a result, we find ourselves frazzled, lost and - too often - feeling blue.
It's a subject close to Fearne's heart. Drawing on her own experiences and including expert advice, HAPPY offers practical ways of finding joy each and every day. Happiness isn't a mountain to climb, it's just one foot in front of the other on the path of life, and here you'll find little steps that will help make the differences that count. With workbook elements to help you start and end the day well; get in touch with your creative side; and find peace through written exercises, simple practical ideas and visualisations, these are daily tricks and reminders to help you unlock that inner happiness.

- Mindfulness and happiness is a trendy thing at the moment. I do think it a bit sad that we are having to read books and seek advice on how to be happy, however my curiosity on what the hype is has me drawn in! I was given this as a gift from one of my best friends.

Plate to Pixel by Helene Dujardin
synopsis - Tips and techniques for making food look good before it tastes good! 
Takes you through the art and techniques of appetizing food photography for everyone from foodies to food bloggers to small business owners looking to photograph their food themselves
Whets your appetite with delicious advice on food styling, lighting, arrangement, and more
Author is a successful food blogger who has become a well–known resource for fellow bloggers who are struggling with capturing appetizing images of their creations
So, have the cheese say, "Cheese!" with this invaluable resource on appetizing food photography.

- This book is no longer in publication and all my fellow bloggers have always raved about this book so when it showed up on the amazon marketplace for a reasonable price I snagged it right away! It's something as a food blogger I am always looking to improve. So, this is my educational book for the summer!

What are you reading this summer? I love a good recommendation please leave them below in the comments!!! 

*I was not sent or given any of these titles in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own; please see my contact/policy page above for further information.

On My Book Shelf: 6 Titles on my Reading List

"We lose ourselves in books, we find ourselves there too." - Unknown

I have read a lot of books in my life, too many to count! However, there are probably 10 times the amount of books I've read that I haven't read. Here are 6 books I have sitting on my bookshelf right now ... the only thing I have to decide is which to read first!

My Lady Jane: The Not Entirely True Story by Hand, Ashton, Meadows
- At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.
+ This book kept appearing on my social media feeds and in the end I gave in and bought myself a copy. I am looking forward to it as it sounds like it should be a good laugh!

The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan
- Nina is a librarian who spends her days happily matchmaking books and people - she always knows what someone should read next. But when her beloved library closes and she's suddenly out of a job, Nina has no idea what to do next. Then an advert catches her eye: she could be the owner of a tiny little bookshop bus, driving around the Scottish highlands.
Using up all her courage, and her savings, Nina makes a new start in the beautiful Scottish highlands. But real life is a bit trickier than the stories she loves - especially when she keeps having to be rescued by the grumpy-but-gorgeous farmer next door...
+ I have read almost all of Jenny Colgan's books and they never disappoint. So, this one better not!

The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild
- When lovelorn Annie McDee stumbles across a dirty painting in a junk shop while looking for a present for an unsuitable man, she has no idea what she has discovered. Soon she finds herself drawn unwillingly into the tumultuous London art world, populated by exiled Russian oligarchs, avaricious Sheikas, desperate auctioneers and unscrupulous dealers, all scheming to get their hands on her painting - a lost eighteenth-century masterpiece called 'The Improbability of Love'. Delving into the painting's past, Annie will uncover not just an illustrious list of former owners, but some of the darkest secrets of European history - and in doing so she might just learn to open up to the possibility of falling in love again.
+ I have heard great things about this book. I am trying not to have too high expectations, because I am in fear of it not being as great as it's portrayed as.....

In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami
- It's just before New Year, and Frank, an overweight American tourist, has hired Kenji to take him on a guided tour of Tokyo's nightlife. But, Frank's behaviour is so odd that Kenji begins to entertain a horrible suspicion: his client may in fact have murderous desires. Although Kenji is far from innocent himself, he unwillingly descends with Frank into an inferno of evil, from which only his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, Jun, can possibly save him.
+ This book was recommended to me as I am a fan Haruki Murakami. It sounds like it's going to be an odd book, which is what appeals to me!

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
- Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. It's an eternal party, shown on TV 24 hours a day - gorgeous, glamorous, deadly! Because, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave...
+ Holly Black has quickly become one of my favorite authors so I asked for this book from Santa and he brought it for me. Actually I bought it and gave it to myself.

Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein
- A generation gap has emerged between parents and their daughters. Mothers and fathers have little idea about the pressures and expectations they face or how they feel about them.
Drawing on in-depth interviews with young women and a wide range of psychologists and experts, renowned journalist and bestselling author Peggy Orenstein goes where most others fear to tread, pulling back the curtain on the hidden truths and hard lessons of girls’ sex lives in the modern world.
+ I read non-fiction here and there. This title originally made me think it was going to be sex and the city like fiction book. However, I picked it up and started reading and I read a whole chapter before I decided to buy it and see what it's all about!

What is on your Book Shelf? 

I am always looking for new recommendations so, if there is anything you think I'd like or that you just love leave me a comment below!   

Portobello Road: Lives of a Neighbourhood (book review)

According to the author, Portobello Road achieved world wide fame from a movie. It’s not the same movie that makes Portobello Road attractive to me. Apparently there is a blue door and a book store that inspired a book store in the movie Notting Hill. Having never seen Notting Hill I have no idea what it’s all about.

The movie that made me want to visit Portobello Road and to read this book was Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I do realise that in the movie it was probably a set somewhere in America. However, the idea that there was this magical road where you could get anything you wanted with a catchy song was enough for me to day dream about visiting this road. 

Portobello Road has changed over the years and Julian Mash author, creative writer, journalist, musician, bookseller, manager and an events manager felt it important that these changes or history should be recorded. 

This is a book I wish I had written, the amount of people who talked to him and allowed him a glimpse into their lives is amazing. This book is more then facts or statistics on how time has changed a single road in London, it’s life. It shows the stuff beyond the gorgeous architecture and gives us a history; a history of food, fashion, music, and art! 

Portobello Road: Lives of a Neighborhood 
by Julian Mash
published by Frances Lincoln Limited (2014) 
RRP: £9.99/$15.99 

notes: the book was sent to me to review - all opinions are my own please see my contact/policy page for more information