The Best Fiction Books For Christmas

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Frostie

Sisters at War by Milly Adams

Brilliant historical fiction. Engrossing and riveting. Read our review of Sisters at War here.

Ruby Slippers: A Collection of Short Stories by Tracy Baines

A wonderful collection of short stories from one of the best short story writers working today. As fulfilling as it is entertaining.

Ruby Slippers: A Collection of Short Stories is available here.

For the poetry lover

100 Prized Poems: Twenty-five years of the Forward Books.

A brilliant collection of 100 prized poems from the prestigious Forward Books.

The Forward Book of Poetry 2017

The Forward books are the best way to find the best poets, and poems.

100 Prized Poems: Twenty-five years of the Forward Books is available here.

The Forward Book of Poetry 2017 is available here.

What do you think? A Collection of poems by Catherine Balavage

A great collection of poems from our editor, Catherine. Well worth a read.

What Do You Think?: A collection of poems by Catherine Balavage is available here.

The Dress by Jane L. Rosen

Fun, clever and entertaining. A great book. We really loved it.

The Dress: Nine Women, One Dress… is available here.

Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee

Touching and powerful. A unique and spellbinding novel.

Maybe a Fox is available here.

Blink And You Die. Ruby Redford Series Finale By Lauren Child

The series finale. Just brilliant.

Blink and You Die is available here.

The Fox and The Ghost King by Michael Morpurgo

A delightful book with gorgeous illustration from Michael Foreman. Children will love it.

The Fox and the Ghost King is available here.

Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson

This is a brilliant book from prolific author Jacqueline Wilson. A great story for children, well written and entertaining as ever.

Clover Moon is available here.

Imaginary Fred by Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers

Gorgeous and charming. We really loved this.

Imaginary Fred is available here.

There’s a Snake in my School by David Walliams

Colourful and fun. Children love this delightful book. The fantastic illustrations are done by genius illustrator Tony Ross.

There’s a Snake in My School!

Christmas Gift List For Her

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Frostie

Just Fab Cullen Bag

This bag is so gorgeous and well made. Smart, stylish and functional. It is the perfect present.

From justfab.co.uk

Pink Parcel

A subscription service that sends the woman in your life sanitary protection, tea, chocolate and beauty products every month. Makes that time of the month so much easier. Read our review of Pink Parcel here.

https://www.pinkparcel.co.uk

Jockey Pyjamas and shorts.

We love Jockey. You probably already know that because we sing their praises a lot. We particularly love the pyjama set (the bottoms are so soft, they look great, have great detail AND have pockets. There is no bigger win). The shorts are gorgeous while also being feminine.

http://www.jockey.com

Casper Sheets.

Good sheets are one of the most important things. The ultimate in luxury, nothing beats good bedding. You spend so much time sleeping it makes sense to splurge. There are few better presents than luxury sheets. These ones from Casper are high-quality and bang on trend. Win-win.

As the night’s get longer and the day’s get colder, Casper invites you to spend more time in bed with their cosy and comfortable sleep products – available at www.casper.com/uk

Engineered to perfection, the universally comfortable mattress, unique pillow-in-a-pillow, and perfect set of sheets ensure you have the best possible nights sleep every night
Head to bed in Covent Garden: Casper introduces Casper House – a brand new pop-up allowing sleep-deprived individuals to swing by for a well deserved power nap and an opportunity to test out products and re-energise (Open 10am-8pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm-6pm on Sundays, from 6th October until end of December, in Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House Arcade)

These pillowcases from Happy + Co also caught our eye.

Christmas Gift List For Him

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Frostie

Jockey Underwear and Pyjamas.

The quality is as amazing as the style. We love Jockey.

From jockey.com
Gillette Star Wars Gift Sets.

These Rogue One Star Wars sets were a huge hit with the guys. They love the Star Wars theme, but they also said the razors were the best they had ever tried. High Praise indeed. The Black one has a razor plus three replacement cartridges and is available from superdrug.com. The white one comes with a razor, two replacement cartridges and extra comfort shave oil. Which is really nice of the dark side. Available from boots.com

Lyons Coffee Bags

Coffee. In a bag. So genius. How has it taken so long for this to happen? Great as a stocking filler.

From waitrose.com, tesco.com, sainsburys.com, ocado.com and morrisons.com

Personalised word art prints and canvases from www.chatterboxwalls.co.uk

Christmas Cards from small independent card retailer https://postmarkonline.co.uk

Christmas Gift List For The Tech Lover

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Frostie

Tile Slim

This great gadget allows you to find your phone, wallet or anything else. It makes a great gift for the forgetful. It will even make your phone ring if you tap it twice, can be slipped into pockets and it adheres to flat surfaces. I am going to try to attach it to the remote.

Tile Slim is available here.

Meem.

This absolutely brilliant device ‘mirrors’ what’s on your iPhone in case you lose it or change it. It also automatically backs up your iPhone every time you charge it. We can’t praise it enough.

MEEM Memory for iPhones available here.

Roku

This great streaming stick just plugs straight into your TV. It then allows you stream from over 1000 channels. Yes, that is right, 1000 channels. From YouTube, 4OD, Netflix and the BBC iPlayer, there is lots to choose from. Will give hours of fun and entertainment. An ideal present for Christmas when TV watching is at its peak.

Roku Streaming Stick is available here.

Moov Now

Fitness is more popular than ever and we could not be happier about it. This personal coach and sports tracker not only talks you through your workout, but is also so stylish and gorgeous. It analyses and coaches your form, counts reps for you (very handy!), talks to you as you work out, and has sport-specific metrics. It will tell you if you are landing too hard and makes workouts more fun and challenging. It also does activity and sleep tracking. The perfect gift for a fitness bunny.

Moov Now Wearable Audio Coach is available here.

Alcosense Excel

We could not be more of a fan of this at home breathalyser. It is superb value and it can save your life and your job. It is hard to know if you are over the limit sometimes, especially the next morning. The Alcosense has been in development for three years and it costs less than £100. A brilliant device to keep in your bag. We can’t recommend it enough.

AlcoSense Elite Breathalyzer & alcohol tester is available here.

The Frost Food And Drink Christmas List

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Frostie

Panettone from Carluccio’s

It is just not Christmas without it.

http://www.carluccios.com/shop-online

I Sea Pasta

Organic seaweed pasta. Original, healthy and delicious.

From planetorganic.com

Żubrówka Embossed Bison Grass Bottle

Żubrówka Vodka, the Original Bison Grass Vodka, has over 500 years of tradition and history. Żubrówka’s exceptional character is emphasized by a single bison grass blade that is hand placed in every bottle. Each blade of bison grass is hand-picked and dried under natural conditions, making each bottle of Żubrówka an exceptional gift this Christmas.

For the perfect Christmas cocktail our brand ambassador, Przemyslaw Matuszewski, suggests our legendary Apple Zu, an extraordinarily smooth and aromatic cocktail, with a festive twist.

Glass
Highball

Ingredients
50ml Żubrówka
100ml traditional pressed cloudy apple juice
Squeeze of lime

Method
Fill a highball with ice, add all the ingredients and stir
Garnish with a few slices of apple and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon to tickle your festive tastebuds.

Available at Tesco.com, Waitress.com and Sainsburys.co.uk

Courvoisier VSOP

Cognac is experiencing a revival this year, with the discerning drinker opting for spirits steeped in sophistication, history and glamour. Whether you drink a quality cognac such as Courvoisier neat to enjoy the pure flavours of lavender and citrus, tobacco and patchouli, or as a part of an aromatic cocktail before dinner, let Courvoisier help you celebrate this Christmas.

Luxury cognac house Courvoisier has been an expert in celebration since the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 where its cognac was served as a drink of choice. The cognac can now be served at your own Christmas celebration, alongside your favourite Christmas indulgence. For a real delicacy, try our VSOP with your smoked salmon or alongside your coffee and a decadent chocolate Christmas treat.

Since no celebration is complete without Courvoisier, make sure to add a drop of luxury to your Christmas festivities this winter.

A gift for cocktail lovers – Courvoisier VSOP

Courvoisier VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a distinguished cocktail. This blend of Courvoisier is an elegant mix of cognacs that are up to 10 years old, from two of the finest crus in the Cognac region.

For a cocktail that is as indulgent as it is delicious to serve at your festive soiree, try the Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail with your chic canapés.

Tasty and decadent stuff. We love it.

Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 part Courvoisier VSOP
1 Demerara sugar cube
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Top up with Champagne

Method: Soak a sugar cube in bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Cover with Courvoisier VSOP and slowly top with champagne.

Casso Cocktails
Available from cassococktails.com

Casso Cocktails has launched in the UK with a delicious range of ready-to-shake cocktails. Served in their signature individual jars and available in both glass and plastic format, opportunities for cocktail sipping moments are now endless.

The carefully curated range features five ‘twist on the classic’ flavours; Raspberry Cosmo, Coconut Mojito, Apricot Mai Tai, Peach Appletini and Grapefruit Sling. With equal focus on flavour and convenience, this delicious array of cocktails has been developed under the discerning tastebuds of Casso’s in house mixologist team, perfect for those unforgettable Christmas parties.

A great idea. Just add ice for a delicious cocktail.

Harveys Bristol Cream

Let’s face it, Christmas isn’t Christmas without Harveys, so what better gift to bring to your next Christmas party? This year the UK’s favourite sherry celebrates its 220 year anniversary and has launched a new campaign celebrating the timeless moments that Harveys has been a part of.

Harveys Bristol Cream is not only the UK’s favourite drink at Christmas it’s also a world renowned icon for its quality and heritage, This unique blend of Sherry combines the character and body of aged olorosos with the aroma and finesse of finos and amontillados, sweetened with the addition of high-quality Pedro Ximenez wine. It has a deep golden colour with a full, fragrant aroma and rich, mellow and long-lasting flavours.

This Christmas classic is the perfect way to embrace the festive season whether it’s to refresh your palate with a classic serve over ice with a slice of orange, shared amongst friends over Christmas party snacks, or alongside the inevitable stocking sweet treats and heaving Christmas cheese board. You can even impress your festive guests with a simple Harveys cocktail like our delicious Frosted Apple & Ginger recipe below:

Harveys frosted apple & ginger
Harveys frosted apple and ginger is bursting with effervescent flavours and is great served in a punch bowl so you can share with friends

Recipe:
Fill a highball glass with ice (crushed ice looks even better!)
Pour over 50ml Harveys Bristol Cream and 50ml premium pressed apple juice
Top up with a dash of ginger ale
Swirl with a cinnamon stick and leave in the glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and apple slices

A Hamper

We got sent this wonderful hamper full of delicious and original products. Unfortunately it didn’t have a label and we couldn’t see a press release. We just had to feature it anyway. Please let us know if you know where it is from. Thank you!

Merry Christmas from Frost Magazine.

Christmas Gift List For Your Brother

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Frostie

Kingston Technology 8GB Micro SD

Because you can never have enough storage.

Kingston 8GB Micro SD is available here.

Cross Star Wars Pen

A great lifetime gift. We love this Star Wars click pen.

Cross Star Wars Click Pen is available here.

Framed by Ronnie O’Sullivan

A great debut crime novel from the sporting genius.

Framed is available here.

Mio MiVue 618 Dash Cam

Has extreme HD recording, GPS tracking, wide angle viewing and safety camera warning. A great present that will keep your loved one safe.

Mio MiVue 618 Car Dash Cam is available here.

Stocking Filler Ideas For Christmas

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Frostie

Let’s be honest, Christmas is just not the same without a stocking. Here are our picks.

Pure Reship Oil from Nelsons

Pure Rosehip Oil is a must have. Made from 100% pure Rosehip Oil, cold pressed to create the highest grade product, the richness of the Rosehip makes it wonderful for dry skin. Rosehip Oil was also reportedly favoured by Kate Middleton during her second pregnancy making her look radiant throughout, so it’s the perfect stocking filler for those who love to take care of their skin.

You can even keep a cool head over the busy festive period with Rescue Plus Lozenge. Whether you’redoing final checks on the turkey or flitting between family members, ensuring their Christmas spirit is still going strong, Rescue PlusLozenge has a soothing orange and elderflower liquid centre and contains pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) which helps support normal mental performance.

Christmas can be a hectic time, so help friends and family take a moment to unwind and enjoy the festivities, by putting Rescue Plus Spearmint Chewing Gum in their stockings. With the act of chewing suggested to help calm and relax the mind, RESCUE Spearmint Chewing Gum, with its liquid flower essences centre, is both a handbag and desk essential.

The winter months can often be harsh on hands and skin, so treat your friends and family to Nelsons Calendula Cream in their stockings this Christmas. Containing natural extract of calendula and known for its skin conditioning properties, it will leave their hands and skin in tip top condition, ensuring they look and feel their best throughout the festive period.

RESCUE, Nelsons arnicare and Nelsons Calendula are all available from Sainsbury’s, independent pharmacies and health food stores, grocery stores nationwide and online at www.amazon.co.uk.

We are fans of all.

Lord & Berry Crayon Lipstick

Lord & Berry 20100 Lipstick Crayon’s are streamlined lipstick pencils, the perfect size to fit in your travel makeup bag. They’re small in size but pack a punch with colour. Perfect stocking gifts.

by Sainsbury’s Small Hot Water Bottle with Socks

We really loves these. So comfy and fluffy. from sainsburys.co.uk

By Sainsbury’s sweet shop
Great retro sweets in great jars and a caddy. A good gift from sainsburys.co.uk

by Sainsbury’s Copper Coated Measuring Cups

Take the guess work out of cooking with these beautiful, yet functional measuring cups. From sainsburys.co.uk

Paw Paw Papaya

A great moisturising balm from Australia. Enriched with Bio Active Manuka Honey 20+, this is a topical balm that soothes, relieves and moisturises dry, sensitive skin. Great for chapped lips. It has no parabens and no sulphates. It can even be used on children and those with eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

Jojoba 100% Natural Jojoba + Rosehip Oil

Wonderful stuff that makes a difference to skin. 100% natural. Great for dry skin, strechmarks, scars and hair. Can be used on all skin types.

PMB Moustache Wax

One for the well groomed men. Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood & Clove Moustache Wax

A must-have product for men with facial hair, the moustache wax is designed with only the finest ingredients in mind. Naturally found in essential oils, our firm hold wax helps keep your moustache fixed in place all day long, as well as helping to moisturise and neaten the facial hair. Developed with their classic signature London barber fragrance of sandalwood and clove, skin is left with a subtle scent lasting all day long. Available from Pall Mall Barbers stores and http://www.pallmallbarbers.co.uk

No Stocking would be complete without some sweet stuff. We recommend…

Mr Stanley’s Salted Almond Brittle

A bit different and very yummy.

Mr Stanley’s White Chocolate Matches With Popping Candy

Unique and delicious. The popping candy is very subtle.

Mr Stanley’s Salted Chocolate Truffle Fudge

These were wolfed down quickly at Frost HQ. The best fudge we have ever tasted.

Mr Stanley’s Gummy Gingerbread Men

Original and they taste great.

All from mrstanleys.co.uk

Carluccio’s Fichi Al Rhum

Chocolate coated fig, rum and walnut bar. Wonderfully boozy. Perfect for Christmas. A winner.

Swizzles Drumsticks

A classic.

Swizzles Drumstick Squashies

Another classic but with a (relatively) new twist. We LOVE these.

Understanding Property Jargon Checklist

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Frostie

Buying a home is one of the most exciting times of a person’s life. Similarly, selling up to move into a bigger or more practical house, or perhaps dipping into the investment market by snapping up a buy-to-let property, are also moments to savour.

However, for those unfamiliar with the many terms of the housing market it can also be a linguistic nightmare, from the initial research through to contract exchange.

The guide below can help clear up some of the jargon associated with property. It’s perfect for either the aspiring homeowner or the seller moving on to their next home, a person aiming to make money as a landlord, or perhaps someone wishing to learn more about property and investment but unsure about some of the key terms and expressions.

By Patrick Vernon.

Frost Magazine

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