Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 9 - A classic (aka Tom Sturridge week)

Week 9 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is A classic. This could be many books. A classic romance or just a book that's more literary than what I/you usually read. This challenge is all about discovering new books to read. It doesn't have to be Austen or Bronte. This week I am reading Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. Although this is a very well known book this will be my first time reading it. As well as this weeks choice my 'to be read' pile includes A Room Of One's Own by Virginia Woolf and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Far From The Madding Crowd has recently been made into a film and is on my top 10 films to see in 2015 list . It stars Tom Sturridge (yay!) and Carey Mulligan and is released on 1st May. The picture above is the official film poster.

Book blurb - Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships

If you want to join in with my reading challenge you can read the same book as me or choose your own from your own collection or local bookshop/library. If you do want to join in 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 find 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 READ Looking for Alaska by John Green.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit. I READ The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny AND The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones.
9. A classic. I'M READING Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy.
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 9 is -  Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

What are you reading for week 9 ? 

A classic.

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 8 - A book set in a place you want to visit

Week 8 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is A book set in a place you want to visit. This is a tough choice as I want to visit everywhere! Many of the books I've already read and plan to read are set in places I want to travel to! The quote above is perfect.

I'm planning to read 2 books again this week. The first is set in Rome, Italy and the second is set in USA on the East coast.

Book blurb - The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny

When the past comes to your door, what can you do except let it in?

Gina's life is good. She is independent. She loves her adopted home in Italy and she is passionate about her work as a photographer. Maybe her lover isn't all she might hope and her beautiful apartment is in need of repair, but you can't have everything all the time. And anyway, she's all wrapped up in her latest artistic project, shots of the young men who arrive in Italy as refugees, destitute and vulnerable.

Until one day, Sasha, a lonely British teenager at summer school, crosses Gina's path, and unwittingly sets her world spinning. Sasha's innocent romance creates complications neither of them could have imagined, leading Gina to wonder, can she come to terms with her past?

Book blurb - The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

A delectable tale of love, friendship and cake...

Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves tea-time and travel. So when British baking treasure Pamela Lambert-Leigh needs a guide on a research trip for her new cookbook, she jumps at the chance.

The brief:Laurie and Pamela - along with Pamela's sassy mother and stroppy daughter - will board a vintage London bus for a deliciously unusual tour of the USA's East Coast, cruising from New York to Vermont.

Their mission:To trade recipes for home-grown classics like Victoria Sponge and Battenburg for American favourites like Red Velvet Cake and Whoopie Pie.

All the women have their secrets and heartaches to heal. As well cupcakes galore, there's also the chance for romance...

But will making Whoopie lead to love?

This weeks choices are both going to make me hungry as well as making me want to travel!

If you want to join in with my reading challenge any week you can read the same book as me or choose your own from your own collection or nearest bookshop. If you do want to join in 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 READ Looking for Alaska by John Green.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit. I'M READING The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny AND The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones.
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 8 are -  The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny AND The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

What are you reading for week 8 ? 

A book set in a place you want to visit. Where do you want to travel to?

quote source

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.