The Woeful Tale of The Bad Blogger

I have been a bad bad blogger.

Writing is never easy but it's even worse when writer's block strikes.  It sucks.  Big time.  It's even worse when the ideas are there but the words were not.  My voice, metaphorically speaking, had gone.

It's been a new experience for me and to be honest it's been kind of nice to not have a constant noise in my head.

Nice but weird.  And totally not me. 

Thank God it is slowly returning.  A little bit stumbling, a little bit out of pace but still slowly coming back.

Hopefully you'll forgive me if this post  is not up to my usual standard.  It's almost like being back at the beginning and writing my first ever post.  Nerve wracking but exciting.

So what have I been up to during the The Great Silence.... well reading and listening and watching.  And as usual I just have to share.

The winter people by Jennifer McMahon

"In 1908 Sara Harrison Shea was found murdered, just a few short months after the death of her daughter. Now more than a hundred years later her ghost is said to haunt the fields surrounding her house.  But there is something far more frightening haunting the woods..."

I love a good spooky story and Jennifer McMahon's latest book is exactly that.  It is also the story of just how far a parent will go to save a child.  But is the price too high?

Fractured by Daniel Atkins

"What would you do if life gave you a second chance?  Five years after a terrible accident Rachel's life is falling apart. She would give anything to turn back the clock. But life doesn't work like that.  Does it?"

I don't want to give too much away but this is a great what-if story with an ending that will take you by surprise.

The Mindy project Season one

As usual I blame my online friends for getting me addicted to this show.  But if you're looking for a comedy then The Mindy Project is the perfect antidote to those wintry blues.

It's funny, it's romantic and just a little quirky and filled with weird and wonderful characters and it's also glorious.  Hint hint hint Season Two is even better.

It's Sex and the City for the 2010's.

Banshee The complete first season

Don't let the 1st episode of this show daunt you.  Carry on watching and you'll soon be completely hooked.

Trust me.

It's dark and disturbing and violent.  Like really really violent. Think decapitation by a truck no less.  And it has a Kiwi actor in the led.  And he is awesome!

So watch it.  Okay.

Old tyme religion by Hugo

A bluesy, rock mix with a touch of bluegrass and folk thrown in, this is a new discovery of an older CD  and one that I have to been listening to over and over again.

My favourites are 99 Problems and Bread & Butter.

I'm just a little disappointed that he hasn't done another album since this one.

The List: TV Shows I Need To Watch... Like Now

Today's the 1st of Dec which means 2 things. 1) it's 25 days to Christmas and 2) NaNoWriMo is finally over and I have my life back.  Which means that I can madly catch-up on all the things I have been missing out on, like books and movies and TV shows and music and... well you get the picture.

My list is pretty long. Like really long.  Actually in truth it's more like never-ending because I am always putting new and wonderful things on it. 

I blame the Internet. Well that and book/music/film review magazines and friends who recommend things.

Bad friends.

No not really.  I adore my friends and I adore all the recs they pass on to me.  Rec me is my catch phrase.  I'm even thinking of having it put on my tombstone.  That or List Girl.

Because I love making lists.  And trust me I have a lot of lists. And not just for books, music, movies and TV shows.  No I also have a travel list (which is long) and a fanfic list (which is REALLY long).  I almost need to start making a list of my lists. And no I'm not even kidding.

My current list compiling are TV shows I want to watch over the summer.  Especially since all my favourite shows will soon be on there Christmas hiatus. (damn hiatus).  Which means no more Supernatural, Person of Interest, Arrow and so on.  At least until late January.  Until then there are a few shows I'm dying to try out.

Hannibal

I don't want to give too much away but I can tell you is that it's bloody good.  And I do mean bloody.  Because yes it is just a little bit gory.

It also has the wonderful Mads Mikkesen who I adore.  So yes I just have to check it out.

Sleepy Hollow

Headless horseman? Check.  Supernatural going ons? Check. Hot male lead? Check.

So of course I had to give it ago and of course I'm now completely hooked and working my way through its first season.

The Blacklist

I'm keen to watch this just for James Spader a lone.

He was so brilliant in Boston Legal and I'm hoping that he is just as good in this, playing a master criminal.

Almost Human

Karl Urban. Do I really need to say anything more?  Except why didn't I know that this kiwi actor is seriously hot. I mean that gravelly voice and bad boy vibe.  I am so there.

Of course it's also a futuristic sci-fi with lots of high tech elements. Just my kind of show, really.

Banshee

Another kiwi boy in another American show.  This time Anthony Starr in a show described as being extremely violent and sex filled. It's also meant to be pretty damn good

Rectify

This is a serious show dealing with serious subjects. Life, death, guilt, redemption, judgement.

It's also critical acclaimed with reviewers and viewers alike so it's gotten my attention.

And 2 Shows I've Watched And You Should Too

House of Cards

Remake? Yes.  Though you wouldn't know it.  Because this US remake starring the amazing-as-always Kevin Spacey is not only seriously good but also different enough to the original that you can't really even compare them.

This is a show that you just must watch. Trust me it's that good.

Broadchurch 

I have a thing for David Tennant.  Tall, lanky, ever-so-slightly-crazy looking.

I also have a thing for good whodunits which this definitely is.