
At this point, it is probably no surprise that I am turning into a serious Elle McNicoll fangirl. I can’t help it. She is just completely and utterly brilliant. Her […]
At this point, it is probably no surprise that I am turning into a serious Elle McNicoll fangirl. I can’t help it. She is just completely and utterly brilliant. Her […]
I received two free press tickets to this event. This in no way affects my honest review of the evening. If you’re looking for something different to do, I have […]
Sometimes, you just don’t feeling like cooking. You want something easy and tasty and you definitely don’t want to do the dishes after. When that happens, you make a few […]
You guys know that I love a fun fantasy book and The Secret of Haven Point definitely meets that category AND it’s from a Darlington author. Settle in for some […]
I was gifted two tickets for this performance in exchange for my honest review. This is no way influences my opinions below. There is just something about the opera that […]
Anyone who knows Darlington knows all about Bambudda. It is one of the most hyped places in town and has been for a little while. Which is probably why I’ve […]
You know I love Mexican food. I absolutely love it. But finding Mexican food that’s fresh and filling? That’s a challenge. Don’t worry though: I’ve found one for you all. If […]
If you’ve been following along on social media, you’ll have noticed that I recently went across the border again for another trip to Edinburgh. This time, I went with friends […]
I really, really , really love Jen Campbell’s writing so when I heard she was releasing a short story collection, I snapped it up. When I found out it was […]
Boy oh boy, this review has been a long time coming. I first wrote about When Shadows Fall a couple of months ago now and I have to say, my love hasn’t […]
Another Kiran Millwood Hargrave book? Another story about an island? Another strange newcomer who brings change. Yes, yes and yes but The Island at the End of Everything has very […]
Do you know when a book is so magical that you don’t want it to end? That was The Mercies for me! This took me an age to read but […]
Welcome back! I’m here with another gift guide for you. This time I’m focusing on the little things that you could gift for Secret Santa, in a stocking or even […]
This gift guide contains gifted products and PR samples from brands. Gifted items are marked with an *. This year I am on a real mission to shop small as […]
I was gifted tickets to this production in exchange for my honest review. This in no way affects my opinions. There’s just something about a Christmas panto, isn’t there? Maybe […]
Hello! And welcome back to This Northern Gal! I am so excited for today’s post as it is my stop on the blog tour for Sita Brahmachari’s newest book, When […]
I was sent a copy of Stormblood from the publishers in exchange for my honest review. This in no way affects my opinions on the book. What a book! Not […]
Guys, we’re finally allowed in the theatres again! Isn’t it wonderful? It’s been a delight to see the Hippodrome thriving again. I’ve been back for a couple of events now […]
Boy do I have a treat for you today! As I talked about in my recent post, we decided to try and venture slightly further afield in our recent trip […]
You guys know that I love poetry. Love it. So when I was in Topping & Co and saw a poetry collection from someone I used to go to university […]
Ah Scotland. I’ve made no secret of how much I love it and I was really, really starting to miss it. The solution? Time to hop on a train to […]
I’m so excited for today’s post. To celebrate the release of The Monster Belt, I got the opportunity to chat to the author, Ruth Estevez. We got the chance to […]
This book. THIS BOOK. I’ve been meaning to write this review for weeks now but I just didn’t know if I was emotionally ready or if I could even put […]
Gifted products are featured in this post. I have no obligation to share these with you, nor does it affect my opinion on them. Such products are marked with an […]
Boy oh boy, it’s been a while since I’ve managed to write a travel post, hasn’t it? I’m sure I don’t need to explain why so instead let’s focus on […]
Today I am welcoming J.T Greathouse to the blog to discuss his new book The Hand of the Sun King. I can’t wait to find out all about his […]
I was kindly gifted a copy of The Tower of Fools by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This in no way affects my review. I was so […]
Hands up if you like Italian food? I certainly do. All that pasta and pizza is a dream come true for me. And if you are looking for Italian food […]
I won’t lie guys, I definitely only bought this book because I liked the cover (can you really blame me?) and I didn’t really know much about it. That’s probably […]
I was gifted a copy of Seven Devils by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I am such a mood reader that Seven Devils has been patiently waiting […]
Sometimes you just read a book that is really, really lovely. A book that makes you think, makes you smile and maybe even makes you cry. That was The Midnight […]
Another historical fiction? Who even am I? I’m being a little naughty here because this is the pick for one of my book clubs and I try not to review […]
It’s no secret that I love classics (it’s part of my degree after all!) and when the mood strikes, I like to dive into a classical mythology inspired book. A […]
Is this set up looking familiar? It should because this post is a part two to my review for The Burning Chambers as it is a review for the sequel, […]
I feel long term readers of this blog will know my top tier genres. They know I love fantasy, gothic and dystopian books. But they might not know that I […]
Disclaimer: While I have previously worked with Darlington Hippodrome, I purchased this ticket myself and was attending as a customer, not as a blogger! While I could list hundreds of […]
Like so many others, I binged Bridgerton while I was off work for Christmas and I LOVED it. Such a fun bit of escapism from everything that is going on. […]
It’s been a while but it’s time for another book haul! It’s a respectable amount this time, rather than a large amount but I am really excited about them all! […]
While I may not have read as many books as usual this year, the quality of the books that I have read has been insane. Hamnet is no exception; despite […]
And just like that it’s the final day of my 12 Days of Christmas series. It’s been a lot of work but it’s been so much fun to share some […]
We’re on day eleven! I hope you’ve enjoyed the series so far but there are still some wonderful businesses to share, including today’s guest… Hello and welcome to This Northern […]
We’re calming things down for day ten today. I’m talking to Helen from Swastha about all thing meditation, balance and yoga! Hello and welcome to This Northern Gal! Would you […]
Day nine? Day nine! I had to double check for a moment there! But it is right and today I’m chatting to Laura from Earth Warriors about an eco-friendly Christmas! […]
Long time readers of my blog and followers of my Instagram will be well acquainted with my love affair with The Cheese and Wine Shop. I’m so excited to welcome them […]
I’m back! Today I’m speaking to Nicola from Bliss Gifts, a lovely little gift shop in town! They sell a true assortment of items and are always so helpful if […]
Can you believe it is the 6th of December already? I certainly can’t but I am very excited about the sixth day in this series. Today, I’m sitting down with […]
Are you ready for another edition of 12 Days of Christmas? Today is taking a boozy turn as I chat all things Christmas, cocktails and crackers with Colin from The […]
Hello again and thank you for coming back to this 12 Days of Christmas series. Today, I’m welcoming Diane, my (amazing) hairdresser and the Darlington based business woman behind Bowe […]
Welcome back to 12 Days of Christmas and to the second day in this festive series! I’m continuing with the smaller shops today with a lovely interview with Jenny from […]
Welcome to 12 Days of Christmas! This year, I’m sharing local businesses and gifts to help you plan an amazing Christmas. I think we all know that it has been […]
If you’ve been following for a little while, you might have noticed that over the last year or so, I’ve gotten really into crafts. I’m not brilliant but it brings […]
Full disclaimer, I was in two minds about posting this due to the imminent lockdown here in England but I don’t want to a)forget to share it or b) take […]
I was sent an uncorrected proof copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. You may have noticed that I’ve opened up my review slots […]
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love Dracula so I probably shouldn’t be surprised when my friends recommended this book to me. This is the origin story […]
Hello! It’s been a while hasn’t it? Life’s been hectic, as I am sure it has been for you too but I’ve really missed blogging. As such, I’m hopping back […]
Hello! It’s been a while hasn’t it? Life’s been hectic, as I am sure it has been for you too but I’ve really missed blogging. As such, I’m hopping back […]
What. A. Book. I don’t usually review sequels on here because it’s a tricky thing to do, spoiler wise, but since I stayed up until half 12 to finish this […]
During our recent trip up to Northumberland, we were looking for quieter things to do away from the crowds. Bonus points if they were also outside. Luckily, we saw a […]
As you may have seen, we’ve recently been on a little trip to Northumberland. It was wonderful and the best way to recharge after a stressful few months. We tried […]
There’s just something about afternoon tea, isn’t there? It just feels so self indulgent and is one of the ultimate pick me ups in life! Since I enjoy it so […]
You might have guessed that I’m having a real poetry moment (if you haven’t, you only need to go back and check my latest book haul!) and I am loving […]
This post contains AD- Gifted products. It’s that time again! Book haul time! I’ve opened up my review slots again AND done a bit of shopping so I’ve got a […]
Ooh it’s been a while since we’ve had one of these isn’t it? Well, just when you thought Food for the Fearful was dead and buried in the archives, I’ve […]
Hello! Well, things are changing again and many of us can now start to go out for dinner/lunch/ coffee again. I’m both very excited and a teensy bit nervous so […]
I am beyond excited for today’s post as I am sitting down to chat to the wonderful Laura Jane Williams about her newest book. Long time readers of This Northern […]
I’m having a real love affair with poetry at the moment. To be honest, I think lots of people are as I’ve seen so many amazing poetry collections being shared […]
You guys. This book is a masterpiece. An absolute masterpiece. Last night, I thought I’d read for half an hour or so and instead I had to stay up and […]
If you’ve been following along on social media, you’ll know I’ve been slowly but surely reading this book over the last few weeks. It took me a lot longer than […]
The crafts are back! I posted one of these plant pots on Instagram and you guys loved it so I thought I’d share them on the blog too. Like with […]
Well hello there. How have things been? It’s been a few weeks, hasn’t it? I promise I’ve got a good reason for disappearing for a few weeks and it’s not […]
It’s a fairly well documented fact that I’m a bit old fashioned when it comes to reading. I’m very, very loyal to physical books. I have a kindle that is […]
This book is getting a lot of attention at the moment and rightfully so. It is a compelling and captivating novel that I’m oh so glad I had on my […]
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, it won’t be a surprise to you that I’ve been crafting my way through lockdown. There’s been a lot of winging it and […]
This book. THIS BOOK. If my last read was long and complicated, Viper was the perfect antidote. I devoured it in 24 hours because I just couldn’t put it down. […]
Before I start this post properly, I’m going to ask for your forgiveness in advance. You see, this is a very strange book and one that I struggle to describe, […]
Yep, it is that time again! I was lucky to receive both books and book vouchers for my birthday so my shelves are being stocked up. One of the books […]
I’m going to start this post with a massive disclaimer: I am 100% winging it when it comes to all things craft and specifically for this post, embroidery. I don’t […]
Boy it’s been a while since I have done an unboxing isn’t it?! In all honesty, I unsubscribed from all of my book subscription boxes when I realised that my […]
Boy that’s a long title isn’t it? I wanted to try and make it snappy but it was a) cheesy and b) confusing on a post that should do exactly […]
I am in love with this book. Even though I finished it a couple of days ago, I can’t stop thinking about it. And I definitely had a book hangover […]
Yep, it’s that time again already. I’m going to show you how my TBR is looking at the moment. I do this for two reasons: it keeps me accountable for […]
I don’t even know how to start with this review. Or rather I do, but I think just writing ‘Wow’ over and over again might make the review a little […]
As much as I am glad that I am safe at home, I can’t deny that I’m missing the outside world just a little bit. Rather than moping about it, […]
It’s a strange old time isn’t it? I don’t think anybody really knows what to do or how to feel right now. I know I’ve certainly felt like I am […]
As some of you know, my lovely friend Steph (@eenalol on Twitter) runs a weekly blog challenge called Six for Sunday. I love reading them but am usually too unorganised […]
Are you ready for my final Nikita Gill review? I’m a little worried that I’m just gushing by this point but I’m a serious Nikita Gill fangirl and I’m not […]
I’ve made no secret about my recent love for Nikita Gill and that I’m currently devouring as much of her poetry as I can. There’s definitely something comforting about it, […]
Like many other people, I watched and loved the new BBC adaptation of Northern Lights. It was absolutely captivating and inspired me to re-read the series. The chance for this […]
Wow. This book is one of my recent favourites. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes it on to my favourite list for 2020. If you have spoken […]
I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher. This is no way affects my review. Lud-in-the-Mist has been on my TBR for far too long but I […]
If you’ve been following my social media, you may have noticed that I’ve been away in not so sunny Wales! We had a wonderful trip down there mid-week and spent […]
Poetry and mythology? We all know that that’s a winning combination for me! As such, it’s probably of no surprise that I picked Great Goddesses up when I was in […]
This might be the biggest delay I’ve ever had in reviewing a restaurant! The notes for this have sat in my drafts for almost a month which is a little […]
This book. I have a lot of feelings for this book and not much I can say about it other than just…wow. I have a sneaky suspicion that this time […]
I wasn’t expecting to be bringing you another book haul quite so soon but I was kindly gifted some new books over Christmas. I couldn’t wait to share them with […]
If you’ll allow me to be cliched for a moment, can you believe 2019 is almost over?! It’s been a long one, a tough one, but also one with another […]
This book, guys. This book. I think this might just slip into my favourite list for 2019. Some of you may remember that I read – and loved – the […]
Give me a gothic book and I am a happy woman. Give me a gothic retelling by an author I already love and I’m very happy indeed. That’s exactly what […]
It’s here. The book haul that I promised you over on Twitter. If you missed that tweet, you might not know that I went to Edinburgh last weekend. It was […]
In the interest of full (albeit confusing) disclosure, I was gifted these tickets, not as a blogger but as Kelly, friend of the crew. I like to think I’m fairly […]
I absolutely love it when a new restaurant opens in Darlington. It is the perfect excuse for a meal out and to try somewhere new. This time, it was a […]
And here we go again… That’s right, I’ve been book shopping and have some new titles to share with you all. I have picked these up over the last couple […]