We’re already midway through the week! It is also that time of the week again! Who’d have thought that I am already on my eighth WWW Wednesday! Yay! By the way, this meme is originally hosted by SAM@TAKING ON A WORLD OF WORDS. 

The mechanics for WWW Wednesday is quite simple. You just have to answer three questions:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What have you finished reading?
  3. What will you read next?

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I’ve been seeing this meme quite often in my fellow blogger’s pages. As it is bookish and quite simple to complete, I decided to take the plunge. Oh the bandwagoner in me! It’s been two weeks since my last WWW Wednesday update. I hope you get to enjoy my own version of WWW Wednesdays.

What are you currently reading?

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I am finally gaining some badly needed momentum as, one-by-one, I am crossing out items from my 2019 Top 20 Reading List. In two weeks, I have crossed out three more books from the list; I still have a lot to check out from the list but I am confident I will be able to complete all before the year ends. From the same list, my current list is Herman Melville’s classic masterpiece, Moby Dick. Giddy with excitement, I am embarking on this literary journey with so much expectation; Moby Dick is after all a highly regarded literary work.

What have you finished reading?

During my last previous WWW Wednesday post, I have mentioned about how I completed two books in two weeks for the first time in a while. I picked it up a notch after that and, thankfully, I was able to finish three books. More importantly, all these books form part of my 2019 Top 20 Reading List. After months of obstinacy, I am finally making a badly needed progress vis-à-vis the said list.

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The first book I have finished is the book that I was reading during my last WWW Wednesday post. Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible is a book I have constantly encountered in must-read list challenges. It also forms part of the 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, hence, the anticipation I have of the book. It is a heartbreaking story about four sisters and their adventures in the hinterlands of Africa. As I have mentioned, this book is both what I expected and  what I have not expected. It painted the contours of 1960s Zaire (presently known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo). It is the perfect combination of wonderful storytelling and a rough and rich backdrop. Moreover, it echoed some elements of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

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Another item I am crossing out from my 2019 Top 20 Reading List is Harriet Beecher Stowe’s sensational oeuvre, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (or Life Among the Lowly). Published in 1952, it is a generally anti-slavery novel related through the heartbreaking tale and experiences of the eponymous Uncle Tom and his quest for freedom from slavery that has plagued the antebellum South. It was an instant bestseller; it was the bestselling novel of the 19th century. Clearly, it was a literary classic that became a catalyst in the abolitionist movement. However, it is not only in the United States that its influence was felt. Our Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, wrote his first novel, Noli me Tangere, after being inspired by Beecher Stowe’s powerful tale.

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The last book I devoured during my two-week tear is Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. Ever since encountering the book in numerous must-read lists, my curiosity and interest was piqued. It possesses an enigma that was simply irresistible; I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a hardbound copy of the book. Because of the burgeoning anticipation, I included it in my 2019 Top 20 Reading List.

The novel didn’t fail to fascinate and deliver. It was what I expected, and so much more. Du Maurier did an amazing job in weaving an atmospheric setting and story that was filled with tense moments and wonderful twists that kept me engaged from the onset. It was truly an experience.

What will you read next?

October is nearly done. As per usual, the next books in my reading list all form part of my 2019 Top 20 Reading List. Thankfully, I’m slowly gaining some momentum over the past few weeks. With my last three reads (and my current read) forming part of this list, my hopes of completing the list are running high. Crossing my fingers as there seems to be so much more to do yet so little time.

It’s going to be a very tall order for me in the last two months of the year but I am more than up to the challenge. There are several interesting reads in line for me and this three are just some of them. Do look forward to the conclusion of my 2019 reading journey! I do hope everyone’s having a wonderful reading journey as well.

Happy reading everyone!