April 2021 Monthly Round Up

It feels like only yesterday we were putting together last month’s Monthly Round Up as April truly flew by. This month we have been enjoying the warmer and summery weather. We’ve been spoilt for choice with amazing music this month which has helped us through our daily walks and activities. Disney Plus dominated our TV Show list this month and we look forward to the hope of more freedom in May with Ireland’s Lockdown finally set to relax significantly for the first time since before Christmas. But, until May and beyond adventures kick off it’s time to look back on the month that was!

Book of the Month

E: I haven’t really sat down to read much this month but when I did I really enjoyed Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Novels. They’re hilarious and I have been reading them for ages.

N: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. When it comes to my reading habits many people may have figured out I prefer all genres within YA and then fantasy/sci-fi and romance within Adult books. ‘The Night Circus’ blew me away. It was the first book in a very long time that I sat down and read within two hours with over 500 pages. A truly fantastic story with an easy to follow writing style.

Movie & TV

TV Show Picks

E: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – if you thought, for one second, that it would be anything else you were wrong. Oh my god! What am I going to do on Fridays now!

N: Since we are watching The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as a family, so we are a little bit behind; I’m gonna have to pick something else! ‘Shadow and Bone’ – The new Netflix series based on two of my favourite book series, did they do everything amazing and accurate? No but, I did binge watch the eight episodes in two days and enjoyed every moment of it! The first book to tv screen adaptation in what seems like forever where the casting was on point! I also enjoyed a number of the changes. No spoilers but Ben Barnes, Jessie Mei Li, Daisy Head, Freddy Carter and Calahan Skogman performances stole the show for me.

Good Movie Recommendation

E: For me it’s going to be Chaos Walking. I enjoyed it as a stand alone movie and I hadn’t heard of the books until I saw the end credits of the movies so I have some books to find and read now!

N: This month I have been rewatching The Mighty Ducks films as the Disney Plus Tv Show started at the end of March. I forgot how much I adored the movies. It was a massive blast from my childhood but nothing beats the original film!

Cheesy Bad Movie Recommendation

E: Not Another Teen Movie – Mash every teen movie trope into one hot mess of a movie and have Chris Evans as the male lead and I’ll watch it. It’s so bad that it becomes cringy and funny but that’s the whole point of the movie.

N: As I focused this month on reading more I don’t think I watched any cheesy films this month! Anything watched was either Marvel related or, action based. With two weeks next month being dedicated to sleeping and taking it easy watching films; I hope to have a good recommendation at the end of May.

Gaming Picks

E: I’ve really gotten into playing Ratchet and Clank and it looks so shiny and new on the PlayStation!

N: With my brother lending me his wireless headphones I’ve been spending a lot of time with Jeff, my head engineer on F1 2020. Yes, I am playing an F1 game, deal with it. I don’t massively suck anymore like when I first got it but I still have a long way to go! Also this month saw me FINALLY finish The Immortals Fenyx Rising after 60+ hours of gameplay so I have to mention the DLC expansion pack as the third one dropped this week and now there is a package deal for all three! Well worth the money so far!

Music

Single of the Month

E: F.L.Y by Ruthanne had to be my choice. I always adore this woman’s work, her ability and her sincerity in her music is unbelievable and this song is no different.

N: ‘Good Without’ Mimi Webb. This lady is going to be such a big superstar! Her voice is incredible and I honestly adore all her songs but, ‘Good Without’ is by far my favourite.

Album/EP of the Month

E: Sing-scream it with me! “And I don’t know how it gets better than this, You take my hand and drag me headfirst FEARLESS” Taylor Swift has dropped her first re-recording and now it hits even harder than it did the first time.

N: Taylor Swift ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Was it going to be anyone but Queen Tay Tay? I adore the new songs and the old ones too. An overall solid album that makes me relive 2008 feels through a new lens. Bravo Ms. Taylor.

Favourite Things

Favourite Thing About April

E: Can I say my undying love for Sebastian Stan? Because it’s back with a vengeance (let’s be real, it never left). And if I can’t, it’s Duolingo teaching me Hungarian. I would like to apologize in advance to the people of Hungary for butchering your language.

N: How quick it passed! Did anyone else feel like you blinked and boom it’s coming to the end of April! The days are staying brighter for longer and that is amazing to see; it was a very long winter.

Favourite Item of the Month

E: My PlayStation 5 because I could watch The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on it at 8 am on a Friday morning. I’m going to have no idea what to do with myself now that it’s over….

N: Books, Books and more Books! I had a solid month of reading and I am delighted I ended the month with seven books read!

Moment of the Month

E: Max Verstappen winning the Imola GP and Lando Norris on the podium with him. All of my F1 kids are doing well this month.

N: Imola, you guys I honestly don’t think my anxiety or, my heart has recovered yet! Delight for Max Verstappen but, LANDO!!!! Yasssss! A very proud moment and I now understand the anxiety and edge of seat moments Emma was explaining.

Your Quote of the Month

E: ‘There is stardust in your veins. We are literally, ultimately children of the stars.’

N: ‘Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.’ – James A. Michener

Three things you are most excited about for May?

E: First things first, May means new episodes of Lucifer! I will binge watch all of them as soon as is physically possible. I’m also really hoping we keep the good weather we’ve been having lately because I’m getting used to this exercising thing I have going on and May could mean intercounty travel in Ireland and a possibility of meeting my friends, I mean what are people? Should I Google ‘how to socialise’?

N: May is all about surgery for me. I am so excited to finally get sorted, recovery time will be spent taking it easy with a lot of movies and I’ll finally be back to work by the end of May! Oh also the Hurling is back! Watch me spend my weekends, when I can, watching sports!