I love my Fired Earth Chamomile & Violet Candle! I’m not big into overpowering floral scents but this candle has a really subtle fragrance. It’s probably something to do with the lemon blossom but not being a perfumier I don’t know exactly. Strong jasmine scents can give me a really bad headache! This stylish Fired Earth candle was perfect though and at £20 for around 55 hours of burning time, it’s not a bad price.

My Peony Candle from Wax Lyrical was quite a bit cheaper at a mere £8.50. Again it’s a subtle floral scent which I read on the website ‘contains a sweet floral bouquet of pink peony and rose with light green top notes resting on a sweet amber and musk base.’ It looks good, it smells great – what more can you want from a candle?!

Pigeon English by Steven Kelman – what a revelation! I had no expectations of this novel even though I read the splurge on the cover about it having been nominated for the 2011 Man Booker Prize. Mr. C bought it for me for Christmas and when I first started reading, I almost dismissed it after the first chapter thinking it wasn’t my cup of tea. Oh how wrong I was! The story is told through an 11 year old Ghanian boy who has just moved to London and it’s a pacy little read. I obviously can’t go into the story as I’d spoil it for you. Suffice to say it’s a powerful story of hope but hope in a very ‘real’ world of high-rise flats, stabbings and gang fights It’s also very much about family, love and laughter. Erica Wagner from The Times said ‘If you loved Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time or Emma Donoghue’s Man Booker-shortlisted Room, you’ll love this book too.’ And she is so right.

As a former English teacher I think Pigeon English will very soon be on school syllabi (syllabuses?) for English all over the country – that’s if it’s not already. Pigeon English is a kind of crossover book and adults and older children/teenagers alike will enjoy this book. I suppose a bit like The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and the Malorie Blackman Noughts and Crosses trilogy

And finally the trial pack of Rose & Camellia skincare products from Botanicals which I’ve just tried out. I loved the rose-scented Cleansing Melt. It made my skin feel soft and clean and it didn’t irritate my face in any way. Lots of cleansers do! The facial serum was a little bit too oily for me to use in the day but it worked well overnight. My skin still felt moisturised when I woke up anyway. The thing I liked best though was the Skin Tonic which hydrated my skin well without making it feel all clogged-up. I like the fact too that all Botancals’ products are hand-made in small batches and that they only use natural and organic ingredients.

The Thumbs Up to Pigeon English , Wax Lyrical & Botanicals!