Hi guys! I'm finally back with a new blog post... yeh ^^ Seriously, I missed the blog so much this past month! But I couldn't really help it either. I just had too much university work to do to be able to focus on the blog. Honestly, it's not just the blogging that had to take a back burner, but my reading as well. So yeah, I really missed the blog as well as my books this past month... Not to mention you guys ^^
And so, today, I thought I would ease back into blogging with a simple enough post. So here are all the things that I'm currently reading!
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
I've just been in a mood for children classics lately and this is one of my latest purchases. It's also a book that I'm thoroughly enjoying so far. In fact, I highly recommend you give this one a go. If you're not familiar with Dodie Smith, she's also the author of the 101 Dalmatians, the same book that inspired the Disney movies. Also, this Vintage Classics edition of the book is just beautiful.
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The story is narrated by a young girl, Cassandra, as she writes a diary recollecting what's going on in her life. Her father, who published a best-selling book years ago and who has since never written anything, now just stays at home and read detective stories. Her beautiful elder sister, Rose, is desperate to get married just to escape their wretched life. Topaz, their father's second wife and their artistic stepmother occasionally goes to commune with nature wearing only her wellington boots. This unusual family lives in an old, crumbling castle. Once their father had purchased it with views to renovate it. But with the money from the book earnings gone, they have since then sunk into deep poverty. One day though, new neighbors from America, two young and rich brothers, show up in their little town and very soon, all their lives begin to change.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
I've been slowly savouring this one, like one savours a box of chocolates. I read this when I'm waiting for class to start since I'm always a bit early. My edition, which is in French, is very light and floppy, which makes carrying it around on campus easy. I've been reading a little of it before each class but now I'm almost done with it, which honestly makes me a bit sad.
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The mysterious and eccentric chocolate maker Willy Wonka has decided to invite 5 children to explore his fantastical factory. Five Golden Tickets have been hidden in his Wonka bars and the children need to find those to be allowed inside the factory. Charlie Bucket comes from a very poor family and so, never expected to get any chocolate at all, much less one with one of the Golden Tickets. However, after an unexpected turn of events, Charlie manages to buy two Wonka bars and upon opening the second, he finds a glimmer of gold under the wrapping…
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
I started reading this in July and while it's really good, it's also quite the slow read. Usually I'm fine with Murakami's slow pacing but picking this book in the middle of the assignment period was not a very good idea. I read almost half of it but haven't picked it up in a while. I do plan to continue with it soon though.
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Toru Okada's cat has disappeared, his wife is growing more distant every day and he’s been getting mysterious, unsettling phone calls. As the story unfolds, Toru embarks on a strange journey, full of new acquaintances who each have a story to tell. This is a typical magical realism novel by Murakami, which is best enjoyed by going into it without knowing too much. Not to mention that no synopsis would ever do justice to the weird and amazing plot of this book.
The Child Thief by Brom
In the past year, I've realized that I've developed a soft spot for Peter Pan retellings. They don't even have to be the best books ever written. So long they are fun, I want to read them. So when I heard of this book, which is often described as a dark retelling of Peter Pan, I knew I had to read it. I've read about 40% of it and so far I'm really enjoying it. However, I was reading it around the time I had to return to Malaysia from my semester break, which I spent back home in Mauritius, and in between traveling and moving back into the dorm and beginning the second semester, I kind of stopped reading Child Thief. I want to go back to reading it soon though. Hopefully next month I'll pick it up again!
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When the charismatic and mysterious Peter saves him from a bunch of drug dealers who’ve been preying on his family, Nick believes he’s finally found a friend in the midst of his wretched, miserable life. When Peter asks him if he wants to join him in a land full of faeries and monsters, Nick thinks his new friend is just kidding and plays along in what he thinks is just a joke. Soon, Nick finds himself trapped in this land which is not only very real, but also very dangerous. As he’s unwittingly dragged into a centuries old war, the story of Peter’s dark past is slowly revealed.
The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
This one I was listening to on audiobook while working on assignments. I loved the Magic Faraway Tree series as a kid and this is the first book in the series. It's still as enjoyable as I remember it being many years ago. I just need to start listening to it again where I left off, especially since it's narrated by Kate Winslet, who did an amazing job with it.
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Jo, Bessie and Fanny’s family have just moved in a new home in the countryside. One day, after exploring the surroundings, the children come across a magical tree that grows in what they soon find is called the Enchanted Wood. The children thus go on many adventures together, meeting the magical residents of the tree along the way, and exploring the top of the tree where almost each day, a new land appears.
Watchmen by Alan Moore
During my break I was in the mood for watching movies and I ended up watching a lot of them, one of which was Watchmen. I know people have mixed feelings about it but I really enjoyed it. So afterwards, I thought I would give the original comics a go since I love reading graphic novels and comics. I've only read the first 2 issues and so far I'm enjoying it. I'm looking forward to reading the rest, as well as the prequel comics 'Before Watchmen'.
In a world where superheroes are not only known to all, but have also been outlawed, one group of ex-superheroes are forced to face a world they once left forever when some of them begin to fall prey to a mysterious assassin. What follows next is a story as unique as it is riveting, bringing you a superhero story unlike anything you probably read before.
So that's it for today's post guys. What book or books are you currently reading? Let me known down in the comments ^^
My previous post: 10 Reasons Why You Should Read This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
My next post: Upcoming book releases I'm excited for!
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