Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 4 - Tom Hiddleston week!

Week 4 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is Tom Hiddleston week! Ok, not exactly, it's a book with a colour in the title week but this weeks book is read by Tom :D I'm not even reading a book myself this week, I'm listening to an audiobook. I get to sit and relax as Tom reads to me for hours and hours. Bliss. 

The audiobook narrated by Tom Hiddleston is The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner. Scroll down for more info. Thank you to the awesome @cullenbutler for bringing this to my attention!

Who is (re)reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James just in time to watch the film version (out on 13th Feb)?? If you are please join in this weeks collective readathon. Yes, it's a book with a colour in the title!

If you're joining in this week please leave a comment below this blog post with what you're reading and/or tweet your chosen book using #WSreadingchallenge and tag me @word_scribbler too. Share and discuss what you're reading and maybe discover a new book to read :)

1. A book with 'Winter' in the title.  I READ Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones. REVIEW
2. A book set on or by the sea/ocean.  I READ The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen. REVIEW UP SOON!
3. A book with a red cover.  I READ Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong . REVIEW UP SOON!
4. A book with a colour in the title. THIS WEEK I'm listening to the audiobook of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (read by Tom Hiddleston!)
5. A book with 'Love' in the title.
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show.
7. A book recommended by a friend.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit.
9. A classic.
10. A book set in a city.
11. A book with an orange cover.
12. A book with 'Spring' in the title.
13. A memoir.
14. A book written by a UK author.
15. A collection of short stories.
16. A book with food in the title.
17. A book set in your favourite place.
18. A book your mum loves.
19. A book with a yellow cover.
20. A trilogy.
21. A book with 'Summer' in the title.
22. A book with a music industry theme/musician character.
23. A book that was originally written in a different language.
24. A book everyone has read but you.
25. A book where the main character has your dream job.
26. A book with a green cover,
27. A book set in France.
28. A book with a film industry theme/character.
29. A book set in your hometown.
30. A book by one of your favourite authors.
31. A book set in Italy.
32. A book with a blue cover.
33. A book set in London.
34. A book about a road trip/journey.
35. A book with a one-word title.
36. A book set in the countryside.
37. A book with 'Autumn' in the title.
38. A book with a purple cover.
39. A book set in New York.
40. A book with a number in the title.
41. A book with an animal on the cover.
42. A 'banned book'.
43. A book that was published the year you were born.
44. A book set in Los Angeles.
45. A book with a black and white cover.
46. A book with 'Chocolate' in the title.
47. A book published this year.
48. A book set at Christmas time.
49. A book by an author with the same first name as you.
50. A book with snow on the cover.
51. A book you learned about because of this challenge.
52. Reread your favourite book.

My chosen book for week 4 is - The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

 

This is a Young Adult Novel.

Book blurb:

The story of a remarkable boy called Yann Margoza; Tetu the dwarf, his friend and mentor; Sido, unloved daughter of a foolish Marquis; and Count Kalliovski, Grand Master of a secret society, who has half the aristocracy in thrall to him, and wants Yann dead. Yann is spirited away to London but three years later, when Paris is gripped by the bloody horrors of the Revolution, he returns, charged with two missions: to find out Kalliovski's darkest deeds and to save Sido from the guillotine. With a tangle of secrets, a thread of magic and a touch of humour, the follies of the aristocracy and the sufferings of ordinary people are unfolded as their lives move relentlessly towards the tragic and horrific days of the Terror. THE RED NECKLACE is not only a tremendous adventure story but a vibrant and passionate picture of Paris in turmoil and of a large cast of memorable characters.

What are you reading for week 4 ? A book with a colour in the title.

Win a signed copy of Eleanor & Park !

 

*  SEE UPDATE HERE TO ENTER http://wordscribbler101.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/update-on-eleanor-park-giveaway.html  *

Book giveaway! Enter to win a paperback copy of Eleanor & Park signed by Rainbow Rowell !

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My review of Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones

For week 1 of my reading challenge - A book with 'Winter' in the title - I read Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones (Contemporary Romance).

~~~
Book blurb:

Imagine waking up in a snow globe...

That’s how travel journalist Krista feels when she arrives in magical Quebec to report on Canada's glittering Winter Carnival.

Over ten sub-zero days Krista's formerly frozen heart begins to melt as she discovers an enchanting world of ice palaces, husky dog-sledding and maple-syrup treats galore. And then she meets Jacques, a man as handsome and rugged as he is mysterious…

The two share a secret that could bond them forever, but can they find a way to break through the protective layers around their hearts to warm up this winter wonderland?

…let the snow-spangled adventure begin
~~~

My review:

First of all, I've read a few of Belinda's novels before so knew what to expect. Travel, romance, and a happy (for now, at least!) ending. Winter Wonderland didn't disappoint! From the very first chapter it's obvious that Krista's work trip is going to be eventful! The romance is a cute romance and isn't overwhelming to the story as there's more adventures and mysteries for Krista than just romantic ones. The location is as equally an important character as Krista is. The vivid descriptions of all the places Krista visits makes you want to visit Quebec and Montreal and even long for snow (I personally hate the cold and snow but the setting is so pretty!). I now really want to visit everywhere in this novel. 

Warning, reading this book will make you hungry. This is as much a food diary as a travelogue with a side dish of romance (and not just between Krista and Jacques). Maple syrup, Poutine, Caribou (the drink, not the animal) and much more. Don't know what Poutine is? It's chips, gravy and cheese. Yes it sounds weird (sorry Quebecois), it does to Krista too, but I've tried this (in Vancouver, not Quebec) and it's actually quite nice. 

The husky dog sledding is a multi sensory experience on the page, I loved these scenes, and the Cirque du Soleil seems like a must see for Krista and myself! I liked that the romance storyline wasn't the only plot and this definitely isn't a straightforward girl meets boy and everything is perfect. There are lots of subplots and characters in this book which keep you guessing how everything and everyone is going to end up. 

Side note - Belinda Jones herself read my reading challenge blog post and responded to my tweets about reading this book! Thanks so much for reading my blog Belinda :) You can follow Belinda on Twitter here .

Have you read any of Belinda's books? Any other Contemporary Romance recommendations?


~ Winter Wonderland purchase links - UK  http://amzn.to/1HUA4vX  US http://amzn.to/1GJ17Zy ~

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 3

I am on week 3, and book 3, of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year). 

This weeks book is based on the colour of the cover and this presents an interesting addition to my challenge. As you can see from the links on the right, some editions of a book (and/or depending on which country you purchase it in) have different covers. My edition of this weeks book has a red cover.  

If fellow book lovers want to join in the reading challenge you can! I'm blogging and tweeting every week. Want to find some new books to read? You don't have to join in every week, just join in on the weeks you're able to :) Leave a comment on the weekly blog post and/or tweet your chosen book that week using #WSreadingchallenge and tag me @word_scribbler too. I'd love to see (and share) which books you choose!

1. A book with 'Winter' in the title.  I READ Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones. REVIEW
2. A book set on or by the sea/ocean.  I READ The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen. REVIEW UP SOON!
3. A book with a red cover. THIS WEEK I'm reading Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong . SEE BELOW THIS LIST FOR MORE INFO
4. A book with a colour in the title.
5. A book with 'Love' in the title.
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show.
7. A book recommended by a friend.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit.
9. A classic.
10. A book set in a city.
11. A book with an orange cover.
12. A book with 'Spring' in the title.
13. A memoir.
14. A book written by a UK author.
15. A collection of short stories.
16. A book with food in the title.
17. A book set in your favourite place.
18. A book your mum loves.
19. A book with a yellow cover.
20. A trilogy.
21. A book with 'Summer' in the title.
22. A book with a music industry theme/musician character.
23. A book that was originally written in a different language.
24. A book everyone has read but you.
25. A book where the main character has your dream job.
26. A book with a green cover,
27. A book set in France.
28. A book with a film industry theme/character.
29. A book set in your hometown.
30. A book by one of your favourite authors.
31. A book set in Italy.
32. A book with a blue cover.
33. A book set in London.
34. A book about a road trip/journey.
35. A book with a one-word title.
36. A book set in the countryside.
37. A book with 'Autumn' in the title.
38. A book with a purple cover.
39. A book set in New York.
40. A book with a number in the title.
41. A book with an animal on the cover.
42. A 'banned book'.
43. A book that was published the year you were born.
44. A book set in Los Angeles.
45. A book with a black and white cover.
46. A book with 'Chocolate' in the title.
47. A book published this year.
48. A book set at Christmas time.
49. A book by an author with the same first name as you.
50. A book with snow on the cover.
51. A book you learned about because of this challenge.
52. Reread your favourite book.

My chosen book for week 3 is - Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld Book 11) by Kelley Armstrong

There are 13 books in this series and I've read 1-10 so far. I love this series! Book 1 is titled Bitten. If you love Werewolves, Vampires and Witches you'll love these books. 

 

This is an Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Suspense Novel.

Book blurb:

When three young women are found dead - apparent victims of ritual murder - the small, fading town of Columbus is shaken to its core. But things are about to turn even more strange and sinister...

Private investigator Savannah Levine can handle 'strange and sinister'. As the daughter of a black witch, she has a lot of power running through her veins, and she's not afraid to use it. But her arrival in town has not gone unnoticed. Savannah may think she's tracking down a murderer, but could she be the killer's next target?

What are you reading for week 3 ? A book with a red cover.

image source book cover

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 2

Last week, as one of my New Years Resolutions, I started a 52 book reading challenge for 2015 (1 book per week for a year). To make it more fun I've made the list below and I'll be blogging and tweeting every week. It would be great if you'd join me! Maybe discover some new books you'd like to read? You don't have to join in every week if you're unable to, just join in on the weeks you can :) Leave a comment on the weekly blog post and/or tweet your chosen book that week using #WSreadingchallenge and tag @word_scribbler too. I'd love to see which books you choose!

1. A book with 'Winter' in the title.  I READ  Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones . REVIEW UP SOON!
2. A book set on or by the sea/ocean.  THIS WEEK I'm reading The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen  SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFO
3. A book with a red cover.
4. A book with a colour in the title.
5. A book with 'Love' in the title.
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show.
7. A book recommended by a friend.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit.
9. A classic.
10. A book set in a city.
11. A book with an orange cover.
12. A book with 'Spring' in the title.
13. A memoir.
14. A book written by a UK author.
15. A collection of short stories.
16. A book with food in the title.
17. A book set in your favourite place.
18. A book your mum loves.
19. A book with a yellow cover.
20. A trilogy.
21. A book with 'Summer' in the title.
22. A book with a music industry theme/musician character.
23. A book that was originally written in a different language.
24. A book everyone has read but you.
25. A book where the main character has your dream job.
26. A book with a green cover,
27. A book set in France.
28. A book with a film industry theme/character.
29. A book set in your hometown.
30. A book by one of your favourite authors.
31. A book set in Italy.
32. A book with a blue cover.
33. A book set in London.
34. A book about a road trip/journey.
35. A book with a one-word title.
36. A book set in the countryside.
37. A book with 'Autumn' in the title.
38. A book with a purple cover.
39. A book set in New York.
40. A book with a number in the title.
41. A book with an animal on the cover.
42. A 'banned book'.
43. A book that was published the year you were born.
44. A book set in Los Angeles.
45. A book with a black and white cover.
46. A book with 'Chocolate' in the title.
47. A book published this year.
48. A book set at Christmas time.
49. A book by an author with the same first name as you.
50. A book with snow on the cover.
51. A book you learned about because of this challenge.
52. Reread your favourite book.

My chosen book for week 2 is - The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen 

This is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Book blurb:

Colby may be just a small holiday beach town for the tourists, but for Emeline it's home.

It looks like its going to be another typical summer there with her gorgeous high-school sweetheart, Luke - until a New York filmmaker and her ambitious assistant Theo check in. They're obviously after a story. But, when getting the locals to talk proves tricky, Theo decides they need a guide and he's got his eye on Emeline...

Can Emeline decide where her loyalties, and her heart, truly lie before the summer ends?

What are you reading for week 2 ? A book set on or by the sea/ocean. 


quote source book cover source

My Top Ten Films to See in 2015

I watch A LOT of films every year at the cinema and at film festivals. Here are the top ten films I'm looking forward to seeing this year (and their UK release dates):

Avengers: Age of Ultron  (24th April)

You all knew this would be on the list, right?  I LOVE Marvel films, especially Avengers. Superhero films are just so enjoyable to watch. Also, they filmed at the university in my hometown (UEA, Norwich) for a few days !

Far from the Madding Crowd   (1st May)

Tom Sturridge, Carey Mulligan, beautiful scenery and romance. Perfect :) 

Insurgent  (20th March)

There are many Young Adult books being adapted into films. Confession. I haven't read this book yet. I've only read the first book Divergent and seen the film and loved them both. I haven't watched the trailer or read much about this film as I don't want to be spoiled. You can see the trailer on YouTube . I plan to read this book in week 6 of my 2015 reading challenge here. 

Jupiter Ascending  (6th February)

I'm a big fan of Mila Kunis and Eddie Redmayne who are both in this film, plus it was partly filmed in Norwich / Norfolk. It's by the same creators of The Matrix films, I love sci fi and the special effects look amazing! See the trailer here

Fifty Shades of Grey  (13th February)

I don't need to tell you anything about this film do I? Everyone knows? Good :) The books are fun to read and I'm always interested to see how books translate into film. Also Jamie Dornan is the lead actor so this is a major plus point! The trailer is on YouTube here .

Life  (25th September) 

Life tells the story of Life Magazine photographer Dennis Stock (played by Robert Pattinson) and one of his most famous subjects, James Dean (Dane DeHaan). There's no official trailer for this yet but from what I have seen of filming this is going to be great.

Clouds of Sils Maria  (15th May)

This stars Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloe Grace Moretz and Johnny Flynn. An aging actress (Binoche) is asked to star in the revival of the play that made her famous, this time playing the older role, not the younger (Moretz) and is confronted with an unsettling reflection of herself. She rehearses with her assistant (Stewart) in Sils Maria, in the Alps. Every review I've read has been positive. As it's already been shown at many festivals and been released in many countries I feel like I'm the only person who hasn't seen it! See the trailer here .

Lost River  (24th April)

This is the director debut of actor Ryan Gosling and stars Matt Smith. It's had mixed reviews at festivals but it looks weird and surreal and definitely my kind of film. The synopsis from the http://www.imdb.com/ page reads "A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town". It was previously entitled How to Catch a Monster. Click here to see a clip from the film.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens  (18th December)

I grew up watching the original Star Wars films on repeat. I used to know the dialogue word for word. I CANNOT WAIT for this!

Peanuts  (21st December)

Snoopy. Woodstock. Charlie Brown. Oh yes. 

Deciding on a top ten list was almost impossible so here are the rest of the films in my top forty ! High-Rise, Remainder, The Sound and the Fury, Wild, Furious 7, Minions, The Age of Adaline, Tomorrowland, Still Alice, Into the Woods, Song One, Walter, Pitch Perfect 2, Ex Machina, Tracers, Ant-Man, Pan, Blackhat, The Longest Ride, Queen of the Desert, Yosemite, We Are Your Friends, Crimson Peak, Trainwreck, White Bird in a Blizzard, Equals, American Ultra, Anesthesia, Victor Frankenstein, Hotel Transylvania 2.  There are some films with no UK release dates but expected to be released this year *fingers crossed* Even with this crazily long list I'll have missed some out ha ha.

Which films do you want to see in 2015? 


image sources
Madding Crowd poster Insurgent poster Jupiter poster Fifty poster Life poster Sils Maria poster Lost River

A New Place to Live and Write

The last 6 months have brought a lot of changes. I've finished university, become self-employed and very recently moved to another flat, in an area of London I've never lived in before. Life changes are stressful but to be honest I was getting stuck in a rut, going to the same places and having almost the same day over and over. Variety is good. This is a new start and a new year. Somewhere different to experience is going to be great for creative inspiration and motivation.

I've spent the last week or so exploring the new area I live in. New streets, new (book)shops, new community... and new coffee shops to discover and write in. *Shout out to Costa Coffee on Finchley Road* As well as being able to relax on a sofa and people watch from a seat by the window, my favourite thing about this coffee shop is the art on the wall. Italy and table football. Perfect inspiration for me :) I think this is a coffee shop I'm going to be visiting regularly!

My New Years Resolutions

It's a new year and this is the first blog post on my new blog. Hello!

As everyone does this time of year, I'm going to start with my New Years Resolutions. I think that New Years Resolutions that include doing something on a daily basis are doomed to fail. My resolutions are weekly or monthly to make them more achievable and there is still time to catch up if I get behind!

* With all the required reading I had to do as part of my degree, including non fiction books and analysing almost every novel I read, this year I want to read more fiction. I want to read for fun, not to study or because I have to. I want to enjoy reading again. I have set myself a reading challenge on www.goodreads.com of 52 books in 2015. I hope to read even more than this. The 2 books that Goodreads says that I've read this year I actually read over Christmas. To make it fun I have set up a reading challenge on the blog for anyone who wants to join me --> here!

* I want to finish writing the first draft of my debut novel. I'm not aiming for so many words per day or week.

* I plan to enter 1 writing competition a month. These may be flash fiction, short stories, novel chapters, scripts or plays. This gives me something regular to work on and a feeling of accomplishment just by entering. If I win anything that's a bonus :)

* This is probably a bit of a contradiction to the first resolution but I want to work on my screenwriting more and therefore read and study more screenplays. I'm going to aim to read 1 screenplay a month to make this easy to achieve.

* I'd like to edit/rewrite the short film scripts I've already written to a final draft/complete stage and get at least 1 made into a film.

* I'd like to edit/rewrite the short plays I've already written and get at least 1 play performed.

* I love live music but I didn't get to go to as many gigs last year as I was hoping to. This year I want to improve on last year.

* I love watching films, whether at home online/on dvd or at the cinema. I missed many films at the cinema this year, mainly due to study commitments. I want to go to the cinema more this year. At midnight on New Years Eve I was at the cinema (The Hunger Games; Mockingjay part 1) and I went to the cinema again on the 1st January in the evening (The Theory of Everything). I'm starting 2015 in the right way!

* Ditto Theatre.

* When I moved to London 5 and a half years ago I took so many photos and I really enjoyed it. Over the last couple of years this dwindled to hardly taking any and it's something I miss doing, I rarely use more than 2 or 3 settings on my camera and I'd like to learn to use every setting and experiment with photography more,

* Be more creative and go to more events. Writing, photography, embroidery, art etc. Go to more art galleries and photography exhibitions. Go to more book events.

* Get better at tech stuff - Photoshop, HTML, Windows Live Movie Maker.


What are your New Years Resolutions?



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image source

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge !

One of my New Years Resolutions is to read (a minimum of) 52 books in 2015.  To make this a fun challenge rather than an "omg i'm behind on my reading" guilt trip I have put together the challenge below.

If you'd like to join me I'll be tweeting and blogging every week. Leave a comment on the blog post or tweet your chosen book using #WSreadingchallenge and tag @word_scribbler too. I'd love to see which books you choose!

1. A book with 'Winter' in the title.  THIS WEEK :)
2. A book set on or by the sea/ocean.
3. A book with a red cover.
4. A book with a colour in the title.
5. A book with 'Love' in the title.
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show.
7. A book recommended by a friend.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit.
9. A classic.
10. A book set in a city.
11. A book with an orange cover.
12. A book with 'Spring' in the title.
13. A memoir.
14. A book written by a UK author.
15. A collection of short stories.
16. A book with food in the title.
17. A book set in your favourite place.
18. A book your mum loves.
19. A book with a yellow cover.
20. A trilogy.
21. A book with 'Summer' in the title.
22. A book with a music industry theme/musician character.
23. A book that was originally written in a different language.
24. A book everyone has read but you.
25. A book where the main character has your dream job.
26. A book with a green cover,
27. A book set in France.
28. A book with a film industry theme/character.
29. A book set in your hometown.
30. A book by one of your favourite authors.
31. A book set in Italy.
32. A book with a blue cover.
33. A book set in London.
34. A book about a road trip/journey.
35. A book with a one-word title.
36. A book set in the countryside.
37. A book with 'Autumn' in the title.
38. A book with a purple cover.
39. A book set in New York.
40. A book with a number in the title.
41. A book with an animal on the cover.
42. A 'banned book'.
43. A book that was published the year you were born.
44. A book set in Los Angeles.
45. A book with a black and white cover.
46. A book with 'Chocolate' in the title.
47. A book published this year.
48. A book set at Christmas time.
49. A book by an author with the same first name as you.
50. A book with snow on the cover.
51. A book you learned about because of this challenge.
52. Reread your favourite book.

My chosen book for week 1 is - Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones . What are you reading?

image source