Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 7 - A book recommended by a friend

Week 7 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is A book recommended by a friend.  Last week I planned to read 2 books, one of which was Paper Towns by John Green. I've only just started reading this so it will carry on into week 7. After mentioning I was going to read Paper Towns so many people told me I MUST read Looking for Alaska, also by John Green. This week is now John Green week!  

In addition to my ongoing interest in books with different editions having vastly different covers I have now come across another curiosity. The book blurb below is the exact blurb from my copy, yet this doesn't exist anywhere on Goodreads or Amazon. 

"Alaska Young. Gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, screwed up - and utterly fascinating. Miles Halter could not be more in love with her. But when tragedy strikes, Miles discovers the value and the pain of living and loving unconditionally. Nothing will ever be the same"

The current blurb on these sites is not only more detailed but actually includes story spoilers and has made me reevaluate my thoughts before I've even read the book.

Miles has a quirky interest in famous people's last words, especially François Rabelais's final statement, "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." Determined not to wait for death to begin a similar quest, Miles convinces his parents to let him leave home. Once settled at Culver Creek Preparatory School, he befriends a couple of equally gifted outcasts: his roommate Chip―commonly known as the Colonel—who has a predilection for memorizing long, alphabetical lists for fun; and the beautiful and unpredictable Alaska, whom Miles comes to adore. 

The kids grow closer as they make their way through a school year filled with contraband, tests, pranks, breakups, and revelations about family and life. But as the story hurtles toward its shattering climax, chapter headings like "forty-six days before" and "the last day" portend a tragic event―one that will change Miles forever and lead him to new conclusions about the value of his cherished "Great Perhaps."

I thought, wrongly but probably due to The Fault In Our Stars, that this 'tragedy' was a terminal illness and this was a book similar to A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks. It now seems to be a sudden tragedy/accident but also the mention of loving unconditionally in the blurb above suggests it's not Alaska's death (or someone elses?) that hurts Miles but something else (before or after)? I have no clue why the books are titled Paper Towns or Looking for Alaska either. A clue in the title? Anyway, I will have to read and find out!

If you want you can join in with my reading challenge any week by reading the same book as me or choosing your own. Lets make reading even more fun ;) If you want to join in this week please leave a comment below this blog post with the book you're reading and/or tweet your chosen book using #WSreadingchallenge and tag me @word_scribbler too. Share with others what book you're reading and maybe discover something new 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. 
3. A book with a red cover.  I READ Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong . 
4. A book with a colour in the title. I LISTENED TO the audiobook of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (read by Tom Hiddleston!) :) 
5. A book with 'Love' in the title. I READ A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll. 
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show. I READ Insurgent by Veronica Roth AND Paper Towns by John Green.
7. A book recommended by a friend. I'M READING Looking for Alaska by John Green.
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 7 is -  Looking for Alaska by John Green

 
This is a Young Adult Novel.

What are you reading for week 7 ? 

A book recommended by a friend.

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 6 - A Movie / TV Show Book

Week 6 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is A book that has been made into a movie or tv show. This week I'm reading 2 books, one I own and one from my local library (shout out to St Johns Wood library). Both of these books have been made into movies but neither movie has been released yet. The movie adaptation of Insurgent is on my Top Ten Films to See in 2015 list. I've mentioned before how many books have different editions/covers. This is obvious this week with 3 different Insurgent covers and 2 different Paper Towns covers! 

You can join in with my reading challenge any week by reading the same book I am or choosing your own. If you want to join in this week please leave a comment below this blog post with the book you're reading and/or tweet your chosen book using #WSreadingchallenge and tag me @word_scribbler too. Share with other book lovers what you're reading and discover something new to get from your local book shop or library :) 

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. 
3. A book with a red cover.  I READ Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong . 
4. A book with a colour in the title. I LISTENED TO the audiobook of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (read by Tom Hiddleston!) :) 
5. A book with 'Love' in the title. I READ A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll. 
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show. I'M READING Insurgent by Veronica Roth AND Paper Towns by John Green. SEE BELOW THIS LIST FOR MORE INFO. 
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 books for week 6 are -  Insurgent by Veronica Roth AND Paper Towns by John Green

 
These are both Young Adult Novels.

Book blurb for Insurgent (Book 2 of Divergent Trilogy):

I HAVE DONE BAD THINGS.
I CAN'T TAKE THEM BACK,
AND THEY ARE PART OF WHO I AM.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever... because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead

Book blurb for Paper Towns:

Who is the real Margo? Quentin Jacobson has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. She has disappeared. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance . . . and they are for him. Trailing Margo's disconnected path across the USA, the closer Q gets, the less sure he is of who he is looking for.

What are you reading for week 6 ? 

A book that has been made into a movie or tv show.

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 5 - A book with 'Love' in the title

Week 5 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is a book with 'Love' in the title week, perfect as it's Valentine's Day soon. You can join in any week by reading the book I'm reading or choosing your own. Most books have the same or similar title in different countries/languages. In week 3 and in upcoming weeks the book choice was/is based on the colour of the cover. This is a fun problem as many books have vastly different covers depending on country or edition but with titles they should be the same!

Even though this update is late (sorry!) I am still listening to last weeks audiobook of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner. Listening to Tom Hiddleston read is so good, but I have to keep repeating chapters to focus on the story ha ha. 

If you want to join in this week please leave a comment below this blog post with the book you're reading and/or tweet your chosen book using #WSreadingchallenge and tag me @word_scribbler too. Discuss and share what you're reading and discover something new 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. I'm still listening to the audiobook of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (read by Tom Hiddleston!) :)
5. A book with 'Love' in the title. THIS WEEK I'm reading A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll. SEE BELOW THIS LIST FOR MORE INFO. 
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 5 is -  A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll.

 
This is a Contemporary Romance Novel.

Book blurb:

Eloise Elliot is one of the youngest newspaper editors in the country. Respected and revered by her peers, she’s at the top of her game.

But, on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, finding herself surrounded by some pathetic looking balloons and mangy sandwiches in The Daily Post’s conference room, Eloise is hit by a long sharp pang of loneliness.

Suddenly, and with dazzling clarity, she realises what she wants to make her life more complete. A baby.

One successful trip to the sperm bank and almost three years later and she is the adoring mother of a gorgeous little girl, Lily. Juggling a high-powered job with motherhood is not easy and when she finds herself without childcare she sends an SOS to her sister Helen. Yet it’s when Lily starts asking about her ‘daddy’ that Eloise really starts to panic. What will she tell her?

So Eloise decides there’s nothing for it – she’s going to find Lily’s father. After all, she chose the perfect donor so surely there won’t be any surprises. Except that there are plenty, and Eloise gets a lot more than she bargained for.

What are you reading for week 5 ? A book with 'Love' in the title.

image source

Update on Eleanor & Park giveaway

Last week I set up a book giveaway for UK readers of my blog to win a signed copy of Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, using Rafflecopter. Today I should be announcing the lucky winner. Bad news. Unfortunately, after a week of promoting, the competition was Monday to Monday, I don't have an eligible winner. I received 15 entries via 4 people. 2 were in USA (UK only competition due to high postage costs and this being the UK edition of the book) and the other 2 somehow managed to enter within completing any tasks to enter (no follows or tweets). I am therefore going to restart my giveaway tomorrow Wednesday 4th February and this will be a 'Follow and RT to enter' Twitter giveaway lasting until midnight on Sunday 8th February.  Keep an eye on my Twitter for the giveaway tweet. You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/word_scribbler .

UPDATE - Follow me on Twitter and retweet this tweet -->  https://twitter.com/word_scribbler/status/563052737370554369