Review for The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Blurb:
Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When the woman is killed, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery.

Review:
The Mysterious Affair at Styles was the book that started it all. It was Agatha Christie's first book and the debut of the eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. My mom always has loved Poirot and would, on countless occasions that I have asked her about her favorite books, include the adventures of the detective in her list.

So I thought for the 2015 Reading Challenge it was only appropriate if I read this. (Also it ticks off lots of categories in one go.. ;) :P )

Anyway, back to the review. I really quite enjoyed this book. At some points, I'll admit I was a bit frustrated having no clue about what was going on and what was the big "clue" that Mr. Poirot had gleaned from the seemingly normal evidence. But I understood his eccentricities.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is what I would describe as a classic murder mystery. With lots of drama, scandals, clues and mystery; this was a fun read. I'm looking forward to reading more of Agatha Christie's books!

Review for All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Blurb:

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
 
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
 
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
 
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

Review:

"The world breaks everyone and afterward, many are strong at the broken places."

"You are all the colors in one at full brightness"

Review might have spoilers!

Okay this isn't going to be like my usual reviews. All the Bright Places was such a moving read. The blurb will pretty much tell you what you need to know about the book. But after I read the book I just couldn't stop thinking. Those are the best kind of books, the ones that make you think and stay on your mind. When I first saw the cover for the book, way before it was released, I knew I wanted to read it. I had it marked on my TBR just as fast, and soon as it released I grabbed a copy for myself.

I like to think that there is a time for things. That sometimes everything aligns just so that the universe hands you exactly what you need, exactly something that will push you forward, something that just makes you understand this messy messy world we live in. I couldn't have read All The Bright Places at a better time. Let me warn you this isn't spoiler free again and I just need to get it out there.

So back on track.... this book somehow just made sense and just clicked. Maybe because I've been in a dark place and relating with a character makes it seem not so lonely. It just makes everything a little less morbid and maybe a little bit brighter.

It makes me think, think, think. I finished this in a day because I absolutely couldn't put it down. Couldn't shush the voices of Theo and Violet screaming at me - read, read, read.

Maybe all this doesn't make sense, maybe it does. But I just needed it to be out there. I just needed to let you know, whoever you may be. I especially loved the authors note (make sure you read it, for me please).
In the light of recent events I find it necessary to voice my support, to show my solidarity, to let all those that need it know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

I love how she put it in her note -
"If you think something is wrong, speak up." We all need to speak up, stand up to the bullies and to take a stand for ourselves and for those that cannot do it for themselves.

Love always
TJ ♥

Pieces of Mel: Poetry Collection by Melina Turner

Pieces of Mel: Poetry Collection by Melina Turner

Blurb:

The darkness...The light...The happiness and sadness...Where would we be without such raw emotional being?

Open the pages of international award-winning poets "Pieces Of Mel" and step into many of the portrayals, opinions, hopes, and beliefs the author expresses so deeply. From raw emotion to the miniature poetic stories you will find the proof of the authors passion and soul.

Review:

If life was so perfect

Would we be us?

Would we be the same?

Or would we just adjust?

- If (Part 2) by Melina Turner

I am eager,

To know.

Of what,

I am not.

But,

Should be.

- Destiny by Melina Turner

Pieces of Mel is a collection of poems spanning various themes. I admire anyone that can put up their poems for the world to see. Unlike most novels, poems tend to be far more personal and show the writer's vulnerable side.

Through this collection of poems you can see the writer's journey through different phases of her life. It allows you a look at snippets of her life as she sees it - The questions burning in her mind, the moments that have shaped who she is, the things she has seen, the person she has become.

Its quite wonderful really to see her transformation through these poems as they progress throughout the book. I loved the paranormal undertones in some of the poems. Some of the poems were like a complete story in poem form. I just wish the book was a bit more fine-tuned and edited a bit better, it would have made the book a stellar read.

Some of my favorite poems were A Hero in Blue, A Villan in Red, Loving One in Vengeance, and Deathly-Roses Poetry Part 1.

Review for How to Remember Things by Arthur Richards

How to Remember Things by Arthur Richards

Blurb:

As we become more and more reliant on electronics, we’re losing the arts of absorption and recall. Why should we need them when we can just enter our shopping list into a handy app or Google pertinent information?

~But what happens when our handy electronic friends decide to check out for a while?

~Have you ever been caught with no batteries on your phone and a list full of shopping you can’t remember?

~There are other times when you just can’t use your phone or tablet to retrieve information like when you are sitting for exams, or when you are invited to make a speech.

Inside, we will explore the 10 MEMORY TRICKS, take the time to absorb and explore each technique and experiment with each of them to see if they suit your needs.

Would you like to remember everything?

Let’s get started by clicking the buy button.

Review:

How to Remember Things, as the title suggests is a short self-help book on how to boost your recall power. I thought it would be a great read before the exams. I've been using some of the tips mentioned for years, and they are effective.

Some of the tips mentioned are more complicated than the others. But the author himself suggests that we pick, choose and mix up the methods that work best for us.

To summarize its a short, quick guide.

Review for Tell Me a Story by Ravinder Singh

Tell Me a Story by Ravinder Singh

Blurb:

There is always a story that changed your life ...
And that is the time when life happened for you!
Tell Me a Story is a collection of heart-warming stories about events and incidents that have affected or changed the lives of the writers in ways that they cannot forget. Happy or sad, inspiring or shocking, these are stories of moments that have left an indelible mark on their lives. Stories that they would love to share.
Edited by Ravinder Singh, Tell Me a Story is about the moments that make life worth living. This is the second such anthology, after the highly successful Love Stories That Touched My Heart.

Review:

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review.

Tell Me a Story is a collection of stories edited by the Indian Author Ravinder Singh. In this anthology each chapter is written by a different author. We are introduced to that chapter of the author's life where a particular incident made an impact on them, or changed the way they see the world. It was like reading snippets out of memoirs or a person's diary.

I hate writing harsh reviews but, I just have to get this out.

I did not enjoy this read. Maybe because the stories were so short I could not connect with any of the stories or the "characters". I kept putting off reading this book for so long. For me the writing style did not fit in with the premise of the book. For a book that has "Inspiring, Touching, Funny and Heartfelt Stories from Life", the writing style felt forced when it should have just flowed like a conversation between the author and the reader. These are supposed to be personal stories, real life stories, but some of them felt made up. Some of them were like dressed-up confessionals.

When I was reading some of the chapters, I remembered this episode from FRIENDS where Joey writes a letter of recommendation for Monica and Chandler and he uses the "thesaurus" feature to make his letter seem better.

The stories weren't all bad. There were some stories with merit. But the writing style missed the mark for me. Kind of disappointing.

Bound by RM Gilmore

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WARNING: This ride includes sudden, jarring movements. 

After Lupe drops her into the abyss of the otherworld, better known to Dylan as Hell, she wakes in a strange place. Terrified, Dylan attempts to regain control of her life for good.

Struggling to cope, she searches resolutely for the cause of her plight, while Mike, ever vigilant, remains skeptical and leaves her no choice but to lie to him.

Having survived a world beyond our own, Dylan comes face-to-face with a familiar foe, a fierce adversary she never thought she would have to encounter. Herself.

Fifth in the Dylan Hart series, Bound drags us further into the occult than we've ever traveled before.

Join the odyssey and discover how deep the rabbit hole goes.

  

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Want me? Win me!

Signed paperbacks + Kindle + More!!

  

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Start the journey from the begining. 

  

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And now for the GIVEAWAY! Enter in the rafflecopter here -  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Audiobook Woes

So, if you guys read my previous post, you know that I got my first ever audiobook for the 2015 Reading Challenge - The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.

It did not go well you guys.

Here's the thing, I'm more of an auditory learner. I learn better when I'm listening to someone explain something. So naturally, audiobooks MUST bring me joy. It should have been my thing.

But no... This is what happened -

 I totally dozed off. Then I thought maybe it would be better if I heard the audiobook while I was travelling. I usually listen to music while travelling, so this should be the solution. I'll surely finish at least half the book.

Nope.

I totally fell asleep again.

Maybe it was the narrator. I think because his voice was so calm, it started to feel like a lullaby and I just dozed off. Lovelies, I don't think audiobooks are for me. Am I alone in this?

Maybe I should try another audiobook next year? With a different narrator? Any recommendations?

Let me know in the comments below!
oxox