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thomas hardy

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Happy World Book Day! | #ImmerseYourself

Happy World Book Day! 

To celebrate, GWR are running a campaign to immerse yourself in the world of books and escape by train to the places some of our favourite books are set. They’ve hidden free return train tickets all over the South West and you can find out where to find your own on the Immerse Yourself page.

GWR have invited me to tell you about some of my favourite books set in the South West of England which is particularly handy because 1. it’s where I live and 2. it’s one of my very favourite places on Earth. I had so much fun picking out the books to feature – it made me realise just how many books are set in the South West, and some of my all-time favourites too!

Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy

Under the Greenwood Tree is probably a very controversial choice because I think most people would choose Tess of the D’Urbervilles as their favourite Hardy book – and I would too. Tess is a literary masterpiece that I insist everyone should read at least once in their lifetime. Under the Greenwood Tree, though, is an obvious choice for this list because I think it sums up West Country life in Hardy’s time perfectly.

Thomas Hardy created the fictional county of Wessex where he set the majority of his books, changing the names of towns and villages he was familiar with to make his own. Under the Greenwood Tree tells the story of a blossoming romance between a church musician and the new teacher that has moved into the village. It’s so much more than that, though – it’s an account of rural life, a snapshot of the beauty of the Dorset countryside. It’s a book that ambles along at its own pace and that’s why I love it so much.

The Rain by Virginia Bergin

Imagine this: a meteor hits Earth, which infects the water system — one drop can, and will, kill you. This is the premise of The Rain, and it is thrilling, fast-paced… and also hilarious. I love the main character Ruby so much because she reacts just like any other teenager I know would in an apocalyptic situation.

I especially loved reading it because of the mentions to places in the South West that I recognised — at one point, Ruby even drives past my hometown, which was very exciting! I could see a map of the places she was visiting in my head, like a SatNav moving along as I followed her. You’ll love this if you’re looking for more realistic apocalyptic fiction!

Red Witch by Anna McKerrow

Red Witch is the second book in Anna McKerrow’s Crow Moon trilogy, and is partly set in Glastonbury. I have fond memories of climbing up Glastonbury Tor a few summers ago, hair blowing wildly around in the wind, barefoot as I reached higher and higher into the sky. It’s a truly magical place, where you can feel the energy surrounding you. If you’ve never walked up the Tor, it’s something you should add to your bucket list!

Both of Anna McKerrow’s books have so far been set in the South West, with Devon and Cornwall separate from the rest of the UK due to the world fighting over the remaining oil reserves and on the verge of destruction. If I could, and if it was real, I would live in the Greenworld. I don’t even have to think about it; it sounds like my dream place to live.

Blue by Lisa Glass

Set in Cornwall, Blue combines surfing, romance, friendship and success. I love the main character, Iris, and as Blue is the first book in a trilogy, you get to know all of the characters intimately throughout the course of the books.

Lisa Glass invokes the setting really well – the windy beaches, the tourists, what it’s like to live near the coast. Having never surfed before, I was a little nervous about not understanding any of the references, but Lisa explains everything really well and is also a great advocate for girls in sport. A must-read for the summer!

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Northanger Abbey is, arguably, the most underrated of Jane Austen’s novels, although the first she ever wrote (but last to be published). It’s mostly set in Bath and, as my closest city, I loved reading about the society in Jane Austen’s time and recognising the places she wrote about.

The other half of the novel is set in the gothic Northanger Abbey and Jane Austen writes this perfectly – it’s a satirical look on the gothic genre and demonstrates Jane Austen’s humour really well. I wish more people would read this! There are parts that are even better than Pride & Prejudice.


GWR single fares for city day and weekend breaks can be booked up to 12 weeks in advance, plus are great value!

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I want to know your regional recommendations! What are your favourite books set near the place you live?

This post has been sponsored by Great Western Railway, although all views and opinions expressed are my own. I’m a GWR customer myself and only ever accept sponsorship that I 100% believe in myself. 

Book Haul

September Book Haul

I have a problem: I can’t stop buying books. My tastes have changed dramatically over the last few months so I’ve been discovering lots of new books and therefore can’t resist buying them all. I suppose there are worse problems to have!

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As soon as I saw the new re-issues of Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie‘s books, I had already mentally bought them. I’ve wanted to read her books for a long time, but have only so far gotten to We Should All be Feminists – which I think is essential reading for everyone! 4th Estate have brought out these new gorgeous editions of Purple HibiscusHalf of a Yellow SunThe Thing Around Your Neck and Americanah, which I think will really encourage me to read her books soon.

I’ve also been collecting the Penguin English Library series recently so I picked out a few more to add to my ever-growing pile. I bought The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne because I’ve been studying Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy recently and The Scarlet Letter, although American, has similar themes of sin and the idea of purity. So I thought it would be some good extended reading!

I then added Silas Marner to my collection of George Eliot novels; I started reading Middlemarch a few months ago and am liking it (although I’m struggling to find the time to read it amongst all of my other books – it’s massive!), so I thought I’d try some more George Eliot soon. I don’t know much about it but I do love the purple hue of the spine.

Two Charles Dickens novels then – A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations. I read A Christmas Carol at school a few years ago but can’t remember much of it other than the basic storyline so I’d like to revisit it before Christmas this year. I watched the BBC miniseries of Great Expectations a few years ago and really enjoyed it, but it’s never felt right to read it until now. So I’m expecting good things!

And then because I consider Thomas Hardy among my favourite authors, I bought The Mayor of Casterbridge and Two on a Tower. I am incredibly excited to read these because I’m in love with Hardy’s Wessex and could read his books all day, every day. I LOVE them!!

There is then The Woman in White and The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, which I didn’t know too much about beforehand but have been recommended to me by lots of people in the last few weeks. They’re mystery novels and Wilkie Collins was one of the authors who inspired Agatha Christie, so I’m sure they’ll be brilliant, even if they are slightly different to what I’d usually read.

Finally for my Penguin English Library pile, I bought Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. I have no idea when I’m going to get round to reading this huge book, but it was loved by Charlotte Brontë, which is why I want to read it. My Brontë obsession is getting out of hand!

The final three books are all by Vita Sackville West – The Edwardians, Pepita and All Passion Spent. Vintage have reissued these editions recently, and I knew I had to buy them. It’s my aim to read as many Bloomsbury and Virginia Woolf-related books as I can, and Vita Sackville-West was a friend of Virginia Woolf and partly inspired her book, Orlando!

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From Hachette, I was sent Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, the sequel to Six of Crows. I’m looking forward to reading them back to back, even if I didn’t love Leigh Bardugo’s other book, Shadow and Bone.

Also part of my quest to read Bloomsbury-related books, I bought The Waste Land and other poems by T.S. Eliot. The Waste Land was first published by The Hogarth Press, Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s publishing company and I also love poetry, so I can’ wait to read this. It’s a staple part of the poetry canon, in my opinion, so I’m hoping to read it ASAP.

I had recently read a little bit on John Keats’s life, so I thought I’d check out some of his poetry. He died tragically young and his life is very interesting to read about. I don’t know a lot about his poetry, so I’m looking forward to exploring it soon!

Anne of Green Gables is a children’s classic – but I’ve never read it, and I’m sure I’m missing out! I love the Vintage Children’s Classics editions and they even have fun little activities in the back. I can’t wait to start this series!

I first heard about Grief is the Thing with Feathers last year, when I did work experience in a bookshop. I’d been intrigued ever since, so finally bought a copy now that the paperback has been released and people are talking about it lots again. I did buy the hardback though!

Finally, because of my obsession with Virginia Woolf, I found this copy of The Charleston Bulletin Supplements which was written by Virginia’s nephews and which she contributed to too. I’d never heard of this before so it was a lovely surprise to find!

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Isabel Greenberg is one of my favourite graphic novelists so when I first heard about her new one, The One Hundred Nights of Hero, I was incredibly excited. Her artwork is amazing and couples with her ability to weave incredible, fairytale-like stories which makes for a magical reading experience. I’m going to curl up with it one weekend and devour the amazing stories within!

Another graphic novelist I like is Nina Cosford, who has previously published little graphic novels on the lives of Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf, and her latest book is My Name is Girl which looks like it’s going to offer a funny insight into the mind of being a woman. I’m looking forward to it lots!

And the final book on my pile is this gorgeous collection of three Brontë novels, published by Barnes and Noble. It was gifted to me by my lovely friend Lauren and I did feel rather emotional when she gave it to me – it’s one of the best gifts EVER. I’m incredibly in love with it and would take it everywhere with me if I didn’t think it would get damaged if I did. THANK YOU, Lauren!


Those were the books that fell in to my hands in September! I’m estimating that October will be a far less busy month in terms of book buying because I don’t think I have any more room for more books!

What books did you get in September? Are there any on my list that you think I should read immediately?

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Book Haul Booktube

Letterbox Love (21)

Letterbox LoveLetterbox Love is a UK based feature where book bloggers showcase the books that they received that week, be they e-books, paperbacks, hardbacks or any other format. It is hosted by Lynsey from Narratively Speaking.

I’ve got such a big haul to share with you this week! I bought an awful lot, but I’m really pleased with everything I got.

 

BOOKS MENTIONED:

Freaks by Lisa M. Forester
Storm and Stone by Joss Stirling
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Shattered Dreams by Ellie James
Hidden Among Us by Katy Moran
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Legend by Marie Lu
Jude the Obscure & Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

What did you get this week? Leave a link to your own book hauls!