Hi all!
Welcome to my April Favourites in 2017. Thank you for all the positive feedback regarding my 30 Day Disney Blogging Challenge. It was so much fun posting these every single day and seeing how well it was received. I am truly grateful to each and every one of you. April was wonderful for so many reasons which you will see below. I saw a few fantastic shows, my Uncle got married, I read lots of amazing books and had a lovely Easter break. I hope you enjoy the following list:
THE BEST OF APRIL:
1.) Theatre Production – The Book of Mormon
In April, I was lucky enough to see three shows: 1.) Wil Anderson’s ‘Critically Will’ at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, 2.) An Evening with Eckhart Tolle and 3.) The Book of Mormon. Out of these, you can clearly see which one stood out the most for me. Francis and I went to see the Easter Sunday matinee and laughed from start to finish. From the makers of South Park, The Book of Mormon tells the story of two missionaries posted to Uganda in the hopes of converting the villagers. This production is not for those that are religious or easily offended. The language can be quite crude and it is a clear send-up of the Mormon belief system. The acting, the singing, the dancing, the story and the costumes were all brilliant. I rate it 5/5 stars and would definitely go see it again. It is beyond hilarious!
2.) Book – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This book…this book…oh what can I say about this book? To say I loved it is an insulting understatement. It was without a doubt one of the best books I’ve ever read and I want everybody to get on it right now! Any slightly nerdy, pop-culture enthusiast is going to take to this science fiction novel like a fish to water. This story is set in the future when the entire world is facing war, famine, devastation and mass poverty. The majority of the population spend most of their time escaping their miserable reality by logging into the OASIS (a virtual world where anything is possible) created by genius billionaire James Halliday. When Halliday passes away, a pre-recorded video of his goes viral stating that he has no heirs to his vast fortune and anybody who can locate his ‘Easter Egg’ (a hidden feature) within the OASIS, will inherit everything. Suddenly, the whole world are after his ‘Easter Egg’ including protagonist Wade Watts, a chubby impoverished teenager dedicated to solving the mystery within the alternate reality. When Wade discovers a vital clue, he finds himself facing off against evil corporations, friends and enemies in the race to the finish line. Filled with geeky references and homages to 80’s pop-culture, you will be hooked from the moment you enter the OASIS. The movie adaptation comes out in 2018. I’m so excited for it!
3.) T.V Show – Riverdale
In April, I jumped on the Riverdale bandwagon and binged the first season. Based on the Archie Comics (which I have never read before), this television drama takes place in a town called Riverdale, home to many sordid mysteries. The plot revolves around the murder of wealthy teenager Jason Blossom and the dark events that took place on July 4th. Aside from that, we have Archie who has spent the summer working in construction with his father and returns to school with a steamy secret. His best friend Betty Cooper, is in love with him and ready to confess her desires. A new student, Veronica Lodge, begins the semester at Riverdale High after moving away from her father’s crimes of embezzlement. Cheryl Blossom is hellbent on avenging her brother’s death and Jughead, Archie’s former best friend, narrates the episodes as an outside observer and recluse. These kinds of shows are my guilty pleasures. I won’t say more about it but I recommend checking it out. The mystery of Jason Blossom’s murder alone is enough to keep you intrigued let alone all the romance, betrayal and drama that takes place at Riverdale High…
Honourable Mention: 13 Reasons Why!
4.) App – Snapchat
In April, Francis & I both got Snapchat as another way to communicate with each other when we were at work. Soon, all of my cousins and sister formed our own Snapchat group and began sending each other messages daily. It has been such a great way to keep in touch with my family members and play around with the silly filters. I’ve really enjoyed following some of my favourite social media celebrities as well. I’m not going to recommend Snapchat as the majority of people most likely already have it. I just wanted to add it to my April Favourites because I used it consistently all month.
5.) Place – Bruno’s Sculpture Garden in Marysville, VIC
In April, Francis and I went on a road-trip to Marysville, VIC to visit Bruno’s Sculpture Garden in the forest. I had been wanting to visit this place for quite some time now and it was a really lovely autumn day for an adventure. We met Bruno himself who had carved over 100 pieces in his garden. He was quite eccentric but very friendly and eager to tell us all about the history of his works. The sculptures themselves were breathtaking. My photo of the Fairy Queen (my favourite) does not do it justice. I loved the little magical door hidden in the greenery. We took so many photos that day. If you ever come to Melbourne or live in Victoria, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s such a breathtaking, enchanting place.
6.) Food – Cashew Parmesan Cheese by Extraordinary Foods
I discovered this delicious gem in April and was forever changed…okay that’s a bit dramatic but I do love it an awful lot! I picked it up from the Cruelty Free Shop in Melbourne (which has now expanded as the biggest vegan supermarket in Australia) and finished it after a couple of days. I already had an addiction to nutritional yeast and this yummy product just amplified it. The ingredients are: chemical free cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, chemical free sunflower seeds, organic kale, organic lemon peel & Himalayan pink salt. I put it on everything and just had to share it on my blog!
7.) Event – Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon
On April 29th – 30th, I took part in Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon which only occurs twice a year. The basic premise is to read as much as you can in just 24 hours. I was so happy because this is a worldwide event and it just happened to fall on a weekend in Australia when I had lots of time to curl up with my book. I signed up online and assisted in raising money for Room to Read, a non-profit organisation focusing on literacy and girls’ education across Africa and Asia. In Melbourne, the readathon started at 10pm Saturday and continued till 10pm Sunday April 30th.
Here is how I went: I fell asleep before 10pm Saturday night. At 3am on Sunday, I couldn’t sleep so I read 100 pages of Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas on my Kindle (230/690 pages). I fell asleep after that. When I woke up, I finished My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier. It was incredible! I then began reading We Were Liars by E. Lockhart because it was only a bit over 200 pages long. The story hooked me in instantly. I finished it in the evening and was blown away. I think everybody should read it without knowing anything about the plot beforehand. For the rest of the evening, I read a bit more of Empire of Storms. All in all, I am so happy with how I went in the Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon. I read two books and made good progress on my Kindle tome. Such a great way to end the month!
8.) Memory – Best Moment of April 2017
On April 9th, my Uncle married the love of his life Cathy after being together for 7 years and bringing our adorable little cousin Oliver into the world. It was such a beautiful day filled with love, family and unforgettable memories. I feel really blessed to be a part of such a unique and special family. We are all so close. My Uncle and Cathy have been living in Macau with Oliver for years but hopefully by the end of this year, they will move back home for good and we can all be together again…
TOTAL BOOKS I READ IN APRIL 2017: 6
– The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – 5/5 STARS
– These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner (Book #1 of the Starbound Trilogy) – 3/5 STARS
– Started reading This Shattered World (Book #2 of the Starbound Trilogy) by Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner but DNF’d it (did not finish) because I did not enjoy it.
– Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (Book #4 of the Throne of Glass Series) – 5/5 STARS
– Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – 5/5 STARS
– My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier – 5/5 STARS
– We Were Liars by E. Lockhart – 5/5 STARS
I hope you enjoyed my April Favourites! In May I turn 28, am seeing Aladdin on stage and leaving for my epic European adventure with my husband. I cannot wait!
Peace & Love xoxo
Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Amazon & Book Depository Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own
It sounded like such a wonderful April for you 😀 I had NO idea Archie comics was turned into a series. I read a lot of the comics while growing up, and hopefully I will have the time to check it out soon. Also nice to see your shelf again. It is so neat and looks like Fresco has a playmate. What is that figure with the fancy dress at the back, on top of the shelf? It looks so happy.
My favourite moment of April has to be meeting and seeing Lindsey Stirling 😀
Thank you Mabel! I hope you had a great birthday! I never read the Archie comics but I love the show! Haha Fresco is very happy on his new shelf. I think you are talking about my voodoo doll that I bought in New Orleans. He is so cute! I love his feathers. There is also my Misa Misa Doll from Death Note. Meeting Lindsey would be a highlight for the whole year! What an amazing moment for you! xxx