1. Julia Rose DarlingMambomatx [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)] Julia was born in 1956 in Hampshire but moved to the Toon in 1980 to start he career as a writer. Darling was predominately a poetry writer with such successes as Sudden Collapses in Public Places (Arc Publications, 2003), The Poetry Cure (Bloodaxe Books Ltd, 2005) and Apology for Absence (Arc Publications, 2005). Darling then went onto writing short stories and plays. Her biggest successes were Crocodile Soup (Anchor Books, 1998) and The Taxi Driver's Daughter (Viking, 2003). She received the Northern rock foundation writers award and was long listed for the Orange Prize for Crocodile Soup which was published in Canada, Australia, Europe and the US. Darling was involved in starting Proud Words which is the first English Lesbian and Gay Literary festival. Sadly Darling died of breast cancer in 2005. She holds a proud place on my list. 2. David Almond Sara Jane Palmer [Public domain] David was born in 1951 in the Felling area of Gateshead (just across the tyne from Newcastle) and is an author of children and YA fiction. He has won the International Hans Christian Anderson Award which is “the most prestigious prize in children’s literature”. He is only one of three in the UK to win this. His most famous novels are Skellig which was adapted into a film in 2009, The Fire Eaters and Kit’s Wilderness. Some of his books are set on Tyneside giving him that authenticity of remembering your roots. Almond used to teach children with special needs as well as writing. He currently lives in the Toon with his daughter. 3. LJ RossJR3592 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)] Ross is another highly acclaimed author who began her writing career in 2015 with her novel Holy Island. The book is set on Holy Island which is located in the North East and is breathtaking. The novel is part of the DCI Ryan series and managed to reach number one in the Amazon Book Chart in 5 months. Her books are bestsellers and her 6th novel in the DCI Ryan series is reported to have sold over 4M copies. Not bad eh? She lives with her husband and son in Northumberland 4. Paul William AndersonBrokenSphere [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)] Anderson is actually the person on this list who I am most shocked to find and read about. Firstly he is from Wallsend which Is where I was born and bred. Secondly he is married to Milla Jovovich, the successful actress from the Resident Evil film franchise and thirdly he went to the same Universtiy as I did. *jaw on floor*. Whilst Anderson is not a novelist he is still a film writer and has wrote the majority of the Resident Evil films. Ovbs where he met his wife. Love the fact he is a Geordie and produces top class films. Proud to have him on my list. 5. Nicky BlackNicky Black is a combination of two writers, Nicky Doherty and Julie Blackie. Julie being a scriptwriter and Nicky being the author.I have just recently stumbled upon Nicky Black since starting my blogging journey and she is an author I cant wait to get my teeth into. Black writes gritty North East crime fiction which is right up my street. Born and brought up In Alnwick just north of the Toon, Black is a born and bred Geordie with a passion for writing. Author of two novels, the best seller The Prodigal and The Rave which are both best sellers, I cant wait to see what Black does next. Have you read any of these authors? If so I would love to hear from you. Catch me on twitter, Instagram, GoodReads and email. Why not leave a comment below saying who your favourite is?
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10. Old Eldon SquareFirst on my list is Old Eldon Square right slap bang in the middle of Newcastle's City Centre. I know what your thinking "why would I wanna sit down with a book in the middle of a busy city centre?" I hear you. However it is not what you think. Completed in 1840 with a remarkable war memorial in the centre this makes the tenth spot on my list. Perfect in the summer with an array of cafes and coffee houses around the perimeter this is a great spot to just lie down with a good book and let the world pass you by. Pros Summer spot Good eating and drinking facilities Beautiful scenery Cons Busy especially on weekends Lots of pigeons chilling Noisy 9. Rising Sun Country ParkNext on my list is a one that is a little unusual however not something to miss out on. The Rising Sun Country park in Longbenton is another ideal location to get your head buried in your favourite book. The park is 162 acres of beautiful greenery. It has different walks based on the time you want to complete them in. A cafe with an outdoor playground for children, a farm, animals including horses and donkeys as well as beautiful lakes and a bird watching spot. The Rising Sun is a favourite with dog walkers and Newcastle's city centre can be seen from the top of the hill. The view is breathtaking. Pros Beautiful scenery Amazing cafe food Good for children Cons Busy with dog walkers Very nosy around cafe area in summer Very muddy 8. Town MoorNext is a place that brings back so many childhood memories that I just had to include it on my list. Newcastle's Town Moor is a place where at the end of June every year it is filled with the sounds and smells of a typical funfair. The Town Moor hosts an event called The Hopping's (Europe's biggest travelling funfair) every year at the end of June and is massively popular with the Geordies. However the other months of the year it is a perfect idillic location to go and sit and become lost in the world of imagination. You wont be spoilt for choice on where to sit because it is 1,000 acres of beautiful scenery and greenery. Being larger then New York's central park, this is a place I am proud to say I love. The Hopping's started in 1882 and local legend has it the fair is subject to a gypsy curse which ensures every year visitors are soaked by rain. I think it's true. Pros Impossible to be spoilt for choice on where to sit/lie Slap bang in centre of Newcastle Quiet Cons Dog Walkers Cows may or may not charge at you Do not go in June 7. OuseburnThis is a place where again I have very fond memories of and somewhere book lovers can go to unwind, de-stress and chill with an ice cold pint. The Ouseburn is hidden away in a valley of Newcastle's area of Byker. Known as the cradle of the industrial revolution in Newcastle, due to its location on the River Tyne, barges would load goods and coal from Ouseburn to be shipped around the world. The Ouseburn is now a hit with student's and older adults alike. There are many places to kick back and relax but I will leave it up to you to explore and find one that suits you. I just love going to try all the local beers and beverages. If you do go though you have to find time to go in the Victorian Tunnel (booking required) a underground WW2 tunnel where people would go to escape the bombings. Pros Vibrant, quirky and cool Superb pubs History filled Cons Very very busy in summer and bank holidays Bit whiffy (from river) Cobbled streets (although this adds to the quirkiness) 6. Leazes ParkNext is Leazes Park. Leazes park is situated in the heart of Newcastle and has views of St James Park NUFC's home ground. During the summer this is bustling and hosts many events throughout the summer months including Gay Pride. The park is the city's park, opening in 1873. Leazes Park is separated from Spital Tongues by Castle Leazes, an area of common land similar to the Town Moor. Beautifully maintained, it is another pefect place to go and read. Take a blanket, picnic and a cold bevy and you cannot go wrong. Pros Maintained Lush greenery Views of the toon Cons Read on trip advisor there is rats but only round lake I think that outweighs any other con! 5. QuaysideHitting the middle spot is Newcastle's iconic Quayside. The scenery here is just amazing where you can see the many famous bridges linking Newcastle and Gateshead. The Millennium Bridge also known as the winking eye (it looks like an eye when it lifts up for bridges to pass) is the newest of the bridges over the tyne and the place I got down on one knee to my fiancee. It is an amazing place especially if you want to read. You can sit and chill outside one of the many cafe's and bars that line the tyne. It has a manmade beach open in the summer with deck chairs and a fish and chip bar. Great for kids and lovely for walks. Pros Newcastle's heart and soul Variety of locations Great atmosphere Cons Drunk's Beggars Smelly from the tyne (sometimes) 4. Jesmond DenePhoto © Peter Turner (cc-by-sa/2.0) Jesmond Dene is amazing. Full stop. However this picture looks like one of them old picture frames you would hang on your wall and the waterfall would move. Anyways, Jesmond Dene is a place where you can go to unwind, relax and forget about every day stresses. Get lost in the pages of your book on the riverside, old manor ruins, a lush cafe or in one of the many fields down in the bottom of the dene. Situated not far from the centre of Newcastle, Jesmond Dene is a place of beauty, nature and good old fresh air. Pros Beautiful scenery Quiet Isolated Cons Lots of dogs Stay away from Pet's Corner (small petting zoo) very noisey Busy in Summer 3. Heaton ParkNext up hitting my top 3 is Heaton Park. Heaton Park is located in Newcastle's East End and is a lovely little spot for getting lost in any book. The park is full of trees, grass , flowers, memories and imagination. To walk around or through the park is a breath of fresh air in to days world. Children run free within areas designed for them. Adults sit and chat on the many seats and the world is at peace just as it was when it was designed. Lots of little history spots to go and view if you have time and are not totally immersed in your book. Plus you have to try the Sambuca's Restaurant located in the pavilion (pic above). It is so cheap, tasty and the staff are always smiling as they serve you your top class Italian food. Pros Idillic location Beautiful spots Amazing in summer Cons Some TLC wouldn't go a miss Not a lot of car parking spaces 2. Saltwell ParkJust missing out on the top spot Saltwell Park is by no means not top in my heart for one of the best places to go and read in the North East. Situated in Gateshead it is a magical place full of history and culture. Saltwell is voted one of the Top 10 parks in the UK so no wonder its second on my list. Relax and unwind in the many areas of the park and sit have lunch in the surroundings of the beautiful towers. Trust me you will not regret it going to this park to read. With over 50 acres of amazing scenery this Victorian Park should be a place to visit at least once in your lifetime Pros Everything Cons It's number 2 theres no cons 1. King Edward's BayKing Edward's bay as not difficult to place at the top of my list. The bay is situated at the mouth of the river tyne in Tynemouth and is the most amazing location to go and read. The views, sounds, smells and sights are those that are only read about in books themselves. Read and become lost with views of the North Sea and the smell of good ol' fashioned fish and chips from one of the many fish and chip shops. Beautiful and clean this beach as its own cove and is very sheltered. Dogs are not allowed between May and September so you do not need to worry about a furry friend coming and distracting you from that twist your just about to reveal. Perfect for gathering with friends, bring a disposable barbecue, few tinnies and just let the world sail on by visiting my top location to read in the toon.
Pros Have you seen the image? Not even writing the other word Book Review - Big Little Lies by Liane MoriartyMay 31st 2019 Description(From Goodreads) Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads: Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?). Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive. Review |
AuthorAlreet?! So my names Tom, I'm 25 I proper love to read and im just a general down to earth lad who loves my lass (Kayleigh). We are getting married in August 2020 (cue wedding bells). Orginally from the Toon (Newcastle upon Tyne) but currently live in the land of the Scots (Glasgow). Peace x ArchivesCategories |