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Dani Dunne - UK lifestyle blog



June and July have been such a whirlwind - I started this post intending it to sum up the month of June but look, here we are on July 29th and I'm still not finished! I say something every blogpost about time getting away from me, so pretend I've rambled about it for another paragraph, let's move on to chatting about things.

I kicked off June with a flying visit to Luxembourg to spend some time with my mum, siblings, and oldest friend, as well as our gorgeous pets. I miss my dog Molly so much and always subject her to hundreds of photographs when I'm home. She never minds and actually poses when she sees the lens - best model ever!

Next I got to take some more fab photos on my first outing as a wedding second shooter (documented in some detail here). It was simply the best experience - I can't stress enough how rewarding it feels when you've overcome any anxiety to do something that equally terrifies and thrills you. I'm hoping to assist at a couple more weddings over the summer, and continue to focus on developing my photography. Laura and Nicolas were such a gorgeous, relaxed couple and their wedding was a joy to photograph - I can't wait for the next one!


Another June highlight was a visit to the theatre - after half a year of excitement, nerves and all the feelings, I went to see a preview performance of Harry Potter & The Cursed Child. Fittingly, the only adjective that can possibly describe the experience is magical. It's a beautiful production - 5 hours of utterly spellbinding effects and performances. Without giving away any spoilers, the cast are perfect, the characterisation was perfect, and the story brought me to tears and made me howl with laughter in equal measure. If you'll allow me to be a little demanding and spoiled though, the only thing that could have possibly made it better would have been the chance to read it in book form. The screenplay will be the next best thing, I'm sure. And I defy anyone not to fall in love with the two leads, especially Scorpius (Anthony Boyle) - what a sweet, perfect cinnamon roll he is! My bestie and I are off to a special Waterstones event tomorrow night for the release of the screenplay and I have been eagerly assembling all my Potter paraphernalia so we can dress up! Cannot wait!


July has so far brought with it a host of fun outings, such as the Star Wars Celebration Europe event in London - I really wish we'd dressed up more as seeing all the cosplayers was fantastic! Jon even got to meet Carrie Fisher and her dog Gary, AND one of my tweets about seeing Rey as a role model was used by Warwick Davis ahead of the Carrie Fisher panel. Am I Twitter-famous yet?



 How could I possible write a post about July 2016 without mentioning Pokémon Go? I am just a little obsessed, even if my workplace is a haven for Drowzees and Rattatas... check out how many lures were nearby yesterday, and what my wonderful selection was -.- I have however managed to snap up a Dragonair which pretty much made my life! Bluewater in Kent is pretty excellent for Pokémon, as I found when hanging out with Minnie and Naomi last weekend, hitting as many Pokéstops as we did shops, and I finally got my hands on a Mankey (sneaky little critters). 

You may have noticed I am yet to mention the result of June's referendum - well, I'm still reeling, to be honest. I don't think a throwaway line in a summary post is quite enough to transmit my feelings on the subject. I'm sure if you're a long-time reader you can guess how my vote was cast, and one day when I can summarise my thoughts in a concise manner rather than a rant then I may be able to publish them. Until then... let's continue to spread kindness, tolerance and unity above anything else, because heaven knows the world needs those 3 things more than anything else right now.

Love Dani
xoxo










So I was an absolute reading beast in May. I powered through 10 books in a month. I was a reading machine.
And then June came and went without me turning a single page. How did that happen? I blame the television - I  spent too many hours watching the Euros, or eagerly catching up on Game of Thrones (how good has this series been, as a whole? Still hoping for Winds of Winter to be released soon though!). Thankfully I got through so many in May that I can actually build a post around them, although I'm very conscious that I must improve this month! So, in no particular order, I've been reading...

The Taming of the Queen
I have an inexplicable obsession with Philippa Gregory's historical novels - I just cannot get enough of them. I gobble up each new release regardless of how little fact is in them, regardless of their soap-opera vibe. I actually really enjoyed The Taming of the Queen, as the heroine is Katherine Parr and I knew relatively little about her life save for the fact she survived marriage to Henry VIII.

Cruel Beauty
Following my brightly declared adoration for Uprooted in my last round-up, I looked up recommendations for similar tales on Goodreads and Cruel Beauty was touted as being just as good - I would have to disagree here as I didn't find it as intriguing (a little predictable in parts) but it was a quick and enjoyable retelling of the Beauty and the Beast trope. It hasn't stayed with me in the same way Uprooted has though, so I'd only recommend as a holiday read, perhaps!

A Court of Thorns & Roses (reread)
A Court of Mist & Fury
I can't believe I only discovered Sarah J Maas' work last year, how out of touch am I? Whilst I enjoyed her Throne of Glass series, I was more emotionally invested in the world-building she has cooked up in her A Court of... series. I enjoyed ACOTAR as a story, but didn't particularly like one of the main characters (Tamlin), so it was a nice surprise to find he was not considered a main character as such in the sequel. I much, much preferred ACOMAF - the characters feel more developed and you become a little more embroiled in the story as a result. The love story is also a little more believable and I've found myself eager to re-read mere weeks after finishing it! My only criticism of Maas' writing is that her characters are all so really really ridiculously good-looking, it can become tiresome hearing how astonishingly beautiful they are... But it's not enough to take away from the enjoyment of the story. I happily gobble up each new release in hours.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
This was...okay. The film is far superior and some of the best and funniest moments on screen just did not translate on the page. I read this hoping for possible spoilers or to catch anything I might have missed, but alas my efforts to uncover secret happenings were in vain. It's a quick read though - I read it in mere hours. 
Me Before You (reread)
After You
Inspired by the recent film release (I have such a girl crush on Emilia Clarke, it's not even funny...) I picked up Jojo Moyes' Me Before You again before delving into the sequel. I remember laughing and sobbing at this simultaneously when I first read it a couple of years ago. After You, however, just fell short of delivering any emotional punches and it hasn't stayed with me in the same way; that said, it was an enjoyable read and perfect for curling up with while the rain beats against the windows (we've had far too much of this for summer 2016...).


Blue Lily, Lily Blue & The Raven King
I discovered the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater some 3 years ago and really enjoyed them! Stiefvater has such a dreamy style of writing, terribly evocative and emotional at the same time. I did have to google the plots of the first two books after reading 20 pages of Blue Lily, Lily Blue as I'd forgotten half the events, but once my memory had been refreshed I sped through both books and felt a little empty once I'd turned the final page! It's hard to sum up the plot for this quartet without giving too much away, but it revolves around the modern-day search for a hidden Welsh King, weaving magic, psychics, and school troubles into a beautifully drawn Virginia landscape. It's a beautifully written quartet - my own ramblings can't really do it justice, I'd recommend picking up The Raven Boys and losing yourself in it instead!

What have you been reading recently? What should I be taking on holiday with me in 2 weeks??

Love Dani
xoxo


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Dani - 31 - London/Essex

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