Many bloggers write Monthly Favourite posts and it’s something I’ve always loved the idea of; sharing a few of your favourite things with your readers. Sharing things I’m passionate about is one of the reasons I started blogging again, so it seems a little ridiculous I’ve not started a monthly favourites series (aside from one poor attempt in October last year…)

So here’s the first of many, I hope, Monthly Muses posts. It’s less about sharing my new favourite nail varnish, and more about sharing things that have inspired me in the last month, in the hope that they might inspire you too!

Listening to…

Podcasts

Last year I was listening to podcasts pretty much non-stop, but got a little tired of the same old stuff, and replaced them with Spotify Premium on my commute instead.

This month, however, I hopped back on the bandwagon and found a few new favourites. It’s safe to say I’m now addicted and am constantly listening for inspiration. On my commute, when I’m at the gym, in the shower…it’s almost turning into a problem!

I’d like to write a full on post about these, but here’s a brief outline of my current loves for now.

March saw the launch of my talented friend Emma Jo Real-Davies‘s podcast, The Female Struggle is Real, and my discovery of the marvellous The High Low and The Guilty Feminist. These should be added to your downloads immediately. More on these – and others – later in April!

Reading…

We Are Called to Rise by Laura McBride

Thanks to my friend Corrie for lending this book to me! March saw me finishing this novel and I can’t recommend it enough. The premise is not one I’d automatically go for if I read the blurb in a book shop, but it was a riveting and unusual read from start to finish and – a testament to a good book nowadays – I never once got bored. It held my attention the whole time.

The book follows a number of American protagonists whose lives are all affected in some way by the Iraq war. It’s not your usual tale of conflict, focusing on the effect of the war back in America, and tackles some pretty tricky topics with style, compassion and care. This is definitely one to add to your book shelves this spring, if you’re looking for something new and unusual to read.

Watching…

Catastrophe

March saw me power through and complete my second full watch-through of Gilmore Girls on Netflix, and thus I was at a loss for what to binge on next.

One Twitter poll later, Catastrophe won, and I am hooked.

This series feeds my love for disagreeable and somewhat obnoxious characters, awkward situations and terribly British humour.  It’s also delightfully rude. I think Mark Bonnar’s bitter, dark character, Chris, is my favourite so far. No doubt I’ll be finished by the end of April – so perhaps Riverdale should be my next port of call.

Eating…

I’m adding this in simply because I eat a lot. I am currently specifically loving brownie at the new Docks Coffee House and cinnamon buns at Coffee Lab, both in Southampton. If you’re as much as a coffee-shop hermit as I am, and you live locally, you need to check these two little beauties out before they become so popular you can’t physically get in – or, God forbid, they run out of cake.

Writing…

• Review| Juliet, Naked – Nick Hornby
• Review| The Grapes of Wrath, Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Today’s thoughts in Haiku: World Poetry Day 2017
• The Introvert’s Hen Party Survival Guide

What have you been enjoying over the last month? Send me your links in the comments – or hunt me down on Twitter and share a few of your inspirational links – I’m always looking for more!