2017 Non Beauty Favourites

On Monday I shared my make up favourites with you, on Wednesday it was the turn of my skincare favourites and today it's time to share with you my Non Beauty Favourites of 2017.

TV

I didn't get to watch as much a TV as I'd liked to last year, something I plan on resolving this year but there were several series that I did enjoy and could happily watch time and time again. The first is the new series of Strike Back. With a different cast than previous series, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it but the combination of a fresh cast and a series of kick ass action sequences has propelled it into favourite status. Another favourite of mine is Criminal Minds. I quite like watching a few episodes of this after work to just switch off. But I also like the fact that it makes me think and I always give myself a pat on the back when I guess the killer correctly. And the last is a national favourite which took an overhaul this year. Bake Off season is my favourite time of the year. It's not only a thoroughly enjoyable programme but it also makes me want to unleash my inner Mary Berry and bake tons of goodies. I didn't think it would be as good without Mary Berry and Sue and Mel but I was pleasantly surprised and can't wait for the next series. 

Albums

This year has been a good year for album releases. My favourite album of the whole year comes from Kelly Clarkson. I stumbled across her single Love So Soft by accident back in September and knew from that one single I would need her album when it was released. And I was disappointed. Meaning Of Life is along the same lines as Carrie Underwood's Storyteller a couple of years ago. It instantly hooked me in and I've spent everyday since it's release in October listening to it. I can't chose an ultimate favourite from the album but Whole Lotta Woman is a very strong, female empowering song that I listen to when I get ready for the day. Lady Antebellum's Heartbreak was my Summer soundtrack and it's country/pop hybrid meant that the songs stuck in my head for days. Famous, The Stars, This City and Army are some of my favourite songs not only because the melody sticks for days but they hold a poignant note that coincides with my actual life. Kathleen Munroe released her highly anticipated debut album. And it certainly didn't disappoint. Oblivion is a folksy gem that has haunting melodies and thought provoking lyrics. Good Name is my favourite out of the album, it's unique melody a somewhat upbeat turn to the album. If you loved her self entitled EP then you'll love this as well. And finally my favourite artist Johnny Strong collaborated with Bryan Arrigo to release a five song EP that just screamed out to me from the first chord. It has that distinct sound of Strong to it but Arrigo's vocals give it a unique twist that makes it easy to listen to for hours on end. 

Films

To say 2017 was a good year for film is an understatement. There was something released for everyone and I made a valiant effort to go and see something new each month. The year started with Beauty And The Beast, a film I've since watched a dozen times and never grown bored off. The casting, the scenery, the songs and the film as a whole was amazing. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest you go watch it. Fast And Furious 8 followed on from that and this one I went to see with a little bit of hesitation. I wasn't sure how they were going to carry on the saga without Paul Walker's character but they managed to and produced a brilliant film that had laughs, shocks and plenty of action. Rumour has it that Jordana Brewster will reprising her role as Mia in number nine, so I'm intrigued to see how that plays out. June brought us Wonder Woman and whilst I'm not a big fan of DC, I am a big fan of Gal Gadot. And she brought the house down. Wonder Woman was full of action, laughs and comic book goodness but it also had a strong female empowerment to it and I for one left the theatre feeling as if I could take on the world. Which brings us to another strong female lead film. Atomic Blonde starring Charlize Theron was a whirlwind of action, female empowerment, a cracking soundtrack and a wardrobe to die for. It's a film you need to focus on otherwise you'll get lost but Theron knocks it out the park as does James McAvoy who is nearly unrecognisable in his role. And the final film of the year was the most anticipated for me. Kingsmans: The Golden Circle was the one release I was adamant about seeing. And it didn't disappoint. Like it's predecessor The Secret Service, TGC brought an outlandish take on the spy genre with a modern day twist. Taron Egerton was amazing as main character Eggsy and there was amazing supporting roles from the likes of Mark Strong and Elton John who is just a national treasure in my eyes after this. 

YouTube

YouTube is a big part of my year and I spend hours catching up with videos from my favourite YouTubers. However there have been four that created amazing content all year long and earned themselves a loyal subscriber. Victoria from Inthefrow not only creates gorgeous videos but has an arsenal of insanely gorgeous photos on her Instagram and blog. She works hard and is always striving to do the best she possibly can and in my eyes she is the epitome of a girl boss. The next two go hand in hand with each other. You can't watch one without watching the other. Alix from Icovetthee and Suzie from Hello_October are not only stunning but are down to earth and hard working women. I love the normality that comes from their vlogs which include cooking dinner and decluttering/cleaning their homes. Plus their friendship is the definition of friendship goals and reminds me a lot of me and my best friend Jasmin. And I couldn't talk about my favourite YouTubers without mentioning the Queen of skincare herself. Caroline Hirons may not post as regularly as the others but her videos are always enjoyable, humorous and informative. As somebody who has no qualifications in the beauty industry, I find Hirons videos to be great lessons in not only products and their uses but also in application. If you go subscribe to any new YouTubers this year, make sure it's one of these four, you won't be disappointed.