Welcome to a new post!
If you've been following my blog for a little while, you might know that I enjoy reading quite a lot. And if you don't, well, now you do haha. 😋 I had already put my reading goal to 40 books for this year, even though it's definitely not going to be one where I will be able to make much reading, especially towards the second half of the year. I'm trying my best though, and I'm absolutely loving it.
However, I am currently hoping to somehow find a way to finance my dream course at my dream university in Glasgow. I have been googling tons of different things for nearly three months about it, however, I didn't seem to come across such thing as a personal statement and wider reading. I don't think you have to do either of those things to apply to any university in Germany, so it kind of shocked me seeing Eve tweet about doing something like wider reading for a personal statement. I get why they are doing it, but I was a little shocked to find out and that definitely put a little more pressure on.
I mean I don't even know if I have any chance of going to that uni right now, but I might as well take the challenge. I do love a challenge, and reading a few different things to my usual romances and sci-fis won't hurt me. I've been wanting to try and read some more classics for a while and it's the perfect opportunity, although I am sure wider reading is not just about reading classics. I just haven't read many classic books in school yet, so I think it's the time to do so.
Whether I will end up making use of it in a personal statement for my dream uni or not, I am so going to do this. And here's what I decided to make my first purchases...although I have to be honest...some of these I bought a few days before I found out about all of this jazz, but I thought I would include them anyway.
Veronica Roth - Carve The Mark
I've been wanting to read this ever since I heard about it being released in January as I loved Divergent, but somehow it took me another month after the release date to finally order this. Obviously I already had to read this, even though I was a lot more in 50 Shades mode when I started it than one for one that is a little more Science Fiction or Fantasy...I am actually not quite sure on the genre of this. Sadly, it didn't get close to how awesome Divergent was, but it's still a very nice book. I found it a little hard to get into the world of the characters from time to time, but if you are looking for a lovely novel or you just love Veronica Roth to death - read it. Can we talk about how pretty the cover is, as well?
William Shakespeare - Romeo & Juliet
Well, to be fair, I was only half exited about purchasing this. I actually already own a copy of Romeo & Juliet, but I never finished it because I thought it was a good idea to make it one of the first books I read in English as a non-native English speaker (is that even a word?). Well, it definitely wasn't, because I never finished it as I didn't understand a thing. However, we are reading it for our Advanced English course this year, and I finally have the chance to properly read it. I mean I'm pretty much forced to, aren't I? I actually finished it yesterday, and even though I was off to a rough start once again, meaning I put it down for two weeks after reading Act 1, with learning about that wider reading thingy I actually got really exited to read it and ended up quite enjoying it. Yes, it's not my favourite thing ever to try and guess what the hell Shakespeare means with some words and phrases, but somehow it still didn't put me off of wanting to try another Shakespeare novel in the future.
J.K. Rowling - Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them:
The Original Screenplay
Being the Potterhead I am, and no one coming to see the film with me (which kinda broke my heart, especially because my mum (the one who introduced me to the series in the first hand and loves it just as much as me) didn't want to go with me because apparently she had no time...I'll just force her next time hehe), I just had to get the book even though I hate reading screenplays. I mean, I would have gotten the book anyway at some point, but I had actually planned on seeing the movie first before getting this. Well, I had to change those plans but now I am even more exited to get the DVD for Easter and watch it millions of times. Eddie Redmayne is such a nice guy, I have already watched all of his interviews for the film, and oh my god his accent! I am so exited to see this, can you tell?
David J. Peterson - The Art of Language Invention
If you read my recent blogpost on my writing you will know that I am currently sitting on the edits of my most recent novel. When I saw this book a few months back whilst googling Game of Thrones books, I got really interested in seeing what it was about. I put it in and out of my basket quite a few times but finally decided to order it. It's not that I need a particular new language for my book, but it might come in very handy with a few spells and if I ever decide to write a sequel (which I am hoping for). I haven't gotten very far into it as the Sounds part seems kind of boring to me because even with the explanation I don't quite understand most of it, but we'll see. I am hoping to love the rest of it, because the introduction was actually quite nice.
George Orwell - 1984
This was one of the main books that came up when I was researching wider reading, though there is not a proper list, and I saw quite a few people saying that it's one of their favourite books. I didn't even have an idea what it's about when I saw it in the book store, but I bought it anyway. I want to know what the fuss is about. I am yet to start it, but I think I'll make it the next one I read, because I am very intrigued to read it. If you've read this before, let me know what you thought of it!
Truman Capote - Breakfast At Tiffany's
I have never seen nor read Breakfast At Tiffany's. To be fair, I don't even know what it's about apart from what it says on the back. Considering how many people love the story, that might come a little shocking to you, but I somehow just never came round to reading it. For me it was never on any reading list until I was googling wider reading. This actually came up in a list or two, so I decided to give it a try. And to be honest, this gorgeous cover was just one of the main reasons why I decided to make it one of my first wider reading purchases. I'm quite exited to read it now.
Alan Bennett - The Uncommon Reader
To be fair, I had never heard of this book before until I was standing in the book store browsing the shelf full of school and uni books. I would have never picked it up if it wouldn't have had the queen on it because it would have gotten lost in the mass of other books around it. But I am absolutely obsessed with the British and Swedish royals, and it being about the Queen learning to love reading - I just couldn't put it down again, even though I knew pretty much nothing about it. It's actually my current read, and I am still trying to figure out what I think of it. If you want to know what I think of it, I actually put up a lot of my reviews on goodreads.
Sooo, what do you think of my most recent book purchases? I actually have quite the list now of books I want to read since I started obsessing over wider reading, even though that actually might not be that necessary, but if you have any other suggestions, no matter for what genre - definitely share them with me! I love love love reading and I have a lot more time to try and read all of the books in the world, so keep those recommendations coming in.
Have a wonderful start to the new week ♥
Lots of Love, Jacqueline Xx
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