What we loved: August 2023
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What we loved: August 2023
Thrillers, merfolk, comfort viewing and Heartstopper.
It’s hard to know what to write now we live on opposite sides of the globe again. In Australia, things are sliding towards summer while in the UK, the days are getting shorter and the evenings crisper as autumn lingers sidestage.
I (Michelle) have been making our new house feel a little more cosy and picking up Percy the Pug after his globe-trotting adventures!
We’re also starting to plan for a new season of Better Words which we hope to be recording soon! As always, we hope you’ve had a lovely month – please leave a comment and tell us what you’ve been loving.
*denotes review copy
Reading
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
I’ve been raving about McAllister’s last book, Wrong Place Wrong Time, since I read it in January. So, obviously, I was eagerly awaiting Just Another Missing Person. Glad to report I was not disappointed. Yet another emotionally charged mystery – this time asking how far a parent would go to protect their child across three very different situations.
Just Another Missing Person follows detective Julia as she heads up the investigation for 22-year-old Olivia, last seen entering a dead-end alley. But there’s more to this disappearance than meets the eye and finding Olivia could expose Julia’s biggest secret – putting her family and life at risk.
– Michelle
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland*
I ended up with a last-minute ticket to the premiere screening thanks to work and watched the first two episodes of the new TV series without having read the book. A classic case of ‘I’ll get to it one day’ and even with plenty of warning ahead of the TV series I never did. So it’s been a bit of a strange experience, I watched 2 episodes knowing nothing, then read the whole book and have been watching the series as it continues to air. The final episode airs this Friday on Amazon Prime, so this is also an extra watch recommendation. But I didn’t read that much this month so here we are. About the book though, I mean it’s every bit as beautiful, moving, and heart-breaking as I’d been told it would be. I’m so glad I finally read it.
– Caitlin
Those People Next Door by Kia Abdullah
Ohhh, two thriller picks for me this month! But this was an unexpected read chosen for a new book club I’ve joined in Chesterfield. In a genre that often feels very white, I enjoyed reading a domestic noir with diverse characters. This one explores how simple, small actions can unravel into dramatic consequences. Honestly, I didn’t like any of the characters but I was emotionally invested in it right until the end.
– Michelle
Out of the Blue by Jason June
A queer rom-com with a fake dating storyline? Sign me up. Throw in merfolk and a literal fish out of water situation? What more could you possibly want?! Crest (or Ross, on land) is mer and on their Journey, they have to help a human during one moon cycle or stay stuck on land forever. Enter Sean, a competitive swimmer and lifeguard whose boyfriend Dominic just broke up with him for someone else on the swim team. Surely the new mer in town could make him jealous? Makes for a super fun and adorable read.
– Caitlin
Watching
Heartstopper (season 2)
Okay, so we actually both watched Heartstopper this month – and, of course, gushed over the beautiful joy of this story. I loved that in season two, the storylines really widened beyond Nick and Charlie’s relationship (even though I love them). It gave the show a real ensemble feel and made me so excited to see how everyone develops in the subsequent seasons. Side note: Isaac! The storyline I needed as a teen.
– Michelle
Air
The story of Nike, Michael Jordan, and Air Jordans. A sports movie recommendation from Caitlin? No, I’d argue this is a marketing movie. Featuring a star-studded cast, amazing 80s clothing, technology, and music. It all leads to a pitch meeting. Who knew a whole movie about one pitch meeting could be so entertaining and compelling?
- Caitlin
Designing the Hebrides
This spin-off from Interior Design Masters is delightfully wholesome, featuring the work of 2022 winner Banjo. The Aussie designer now lives on Scotland’s Hebridean islands and takes on design challenges for various people in the community – from an island fishmonger to lighthouse guesthouses. It’s just joyful, feel-good viewing and I really enjoy Banjo’s style along with his down-to-earth Aussie humour.
– Michelle
How I Met Your Father
If you were a How I Met Your Mother fan and sceptical about this refreshed reboot, I encourage you to watch it. One of the best things about HIMYM was the structure allowed by the narrator looking back on their life - misremembering things, jumping around in the story, flashing back to the past and into the future. HIMYF uses the same structure with a whole cast of new characters but learns from the franchise’s past mistakes. Hilary Duff’s character Sophie meets 5 men in the pilot, the night she (Kim Cattrall in the future!) tells her son she met his father. I think it’s so clever because as all the characters go in and out of relationships (as sitcom characters tend to do) we can still root for their true loves while life may interfere. Perhaps here we won’t feel let down if Sophie doesn’t end up with the father of her son? The first two seasons are on Disney+ now.
- Caitlin
Listening
Pride – Comfort Blankets
I’ve shared before how much I adore the 2014 movie Pride, so when I found the podcast Comfort Blankets it was, of course, the episode I listened to first. This show is simple: people talk about their comfort viewing/reading/listening. The Pride episode reminded me just how lovely this film is and made me want to re-watch immediately.
– Michelle
Snow Angel by Renee Rapp
Renee Rapp’s first album is here! I recommended her first EP when the deluxe version came out in February, but here I am again because she’s so good. Classic pop song categories: for singing in the car, ‘The Wedding Song’, and for my petty self ‘Poison Poison’. I am still completely obsessed with ‘Talk Too Much’, which came out ahead of the album's release.
- Caitlin
Off Menu podcast
WOW am I late to the party on this one, especially considering co-host James Acaster is one of my favourite comics. But I think the huge archive of eps and the fact I do love James so much put me off for a while. Anyway, I finally started properly listening with an episode featuring Angela Barnes (whose podcast We Are History I’ve been binging endlessly). It’s just a chatty podcast, perfect for commutes and general pottering-around-the-house listening.
– Michelle
What do you get out of being a fan? – Life Matters, ABC RN
I listened to this segment of ABC’s Life Matters after seeing it on Chris Cheers’ Instagram story. He’s the guest for the segment, both giving his perspective as a psychologist but also his experience as a fan of Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift. I never get sick of talking about and consuming content about fandom, and this was an excellent discussion that included so many people’s experiences.
- Caitlin
Something else
Coffee break and books
We’re waiting for our coffee machine to arrive in shipping, so I am frequenting cafes a little more than usual. It’s reminded me just how delightful it is to head to a cafe with a book and just sit and read for an hour or so. Although I find it so much more economical to make coffee at home, I think I’ll keep this up once or twice a week just to enjoy the cafe vibes.
- Michelle
Make the friendship bracelets
In preparation for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in February next year, I bought a lot of beads and have been making friendship bracelets. I’ve already made about 35 and intend on making more. If you’re a fan, going to a concert, and tossing up whether or not to make bracelets - I say go for it. Just a few! My favourites so far are ‘Fifteen’, ‘dragons’ (Long Live), ‘Oh my my my’ (Mary’s Song), and ‘It’s Me, Hi’ (Anti Hero).
- Caitlin