Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

 

I've been a fan of Agatha Christie's novels and short stories most of my life. I started reading her novels during my teenage years. Yet despite being an avid fan of Christie's writing, I haven't read her entire collection of published works... Mainly, because her entire collection of work is so vast and also because the Hercule Poirot is my favorite character created by Dame Agatha Christie. So, I've largely stuck to reading works that featured Hercule Poirit as a character.

I don't recall reading Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie in my youth. So, I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of this novel in July, which was well narrated by Hugh Fraser. Listening time is 6 hours, 41 seconds.

I was able to listen to Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie for FREE on YouTube. It's truly amazing to discover all of the free audiobooks one is able to listen to for FREE via YouTube at one's leisure! Click on the link above to listen to this novel for free for yourself.

Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie is a Hercule Poirot novel. It is different from other Hercule Poirot novels in that Hercule Poirot is working in conjunction with three other people to solve the murder. 

I was hooked into the storyline for Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie from the start of the novel. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the writing for most of the novel. In fact, I initially thought I would be giving Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie a 5 star rating... That is until I listened to the last 20% of the novel, when things went south fast! Too many plot twists at the end of the novel and a few other things just didn't sit right with me. I was forced to lower my rating.

Below is the plot summary for Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie from the Goodreads website:

A flamboyant party host is murdered in full view of a roomful of bridge players… Mr Shaitana was famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he was a man of whom everybody was a little afraid. So, when he boasted to Poirot that he considered murder an art form, the detective had some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana’s private collection. Indeed, what began as an absorbing evening of bridge was to turn into a more dangerous game altogether…

I am giving Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

 

A few of Grady Hendrix's novels have been on my radar for awhile now based on reviews I've read. However, it wasn't until July of 2023, that I actually chose to listen to my first Grady Hendrix novel. I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix based on the storyline, reviews and narrators, Bronson Pinchot and Tai Sammons.

I wasn't disappointed! Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix is a very fun, fast paced, and entertaining read. It offers a different take on horror and what it means to be inside a haunted house! I liked the 'Ikea like' themed setting in this novel too. The characters are well developed and relatable. The plot for the most part was excellent, except for a few uneven spots. Overall a great read. 

If you like audiobooks, then I recommend Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix in audio form.

Below is the plot summary for Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix from the Goodreads website:

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör is designed to retain its luster and natural appearance for a lifetime of use. Pleasingly proportioned with generous French flaps and a softcover binding, Horrorstör delivers the psychological terror you need in the elegant package you deserve.

I am giving Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!!

Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer

 

Earlier this year, I had my first experience with reading, well actually listening to, one of Belinda Bauer's novels titled, Exit. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this novel quite a bit and found it well narrated too. 

Because I enjoyed Exit so much, I decided to try another one of Ms. Bauer's novels. This time, I listened to the unabridged audio version of Rubbernecker. Again, I wasn't disappointed with Belinda Bauer's writing! Her novels are unique in terms of perspective, their storyline, and characters. 

In Rubbernecker, the main character, Patrick Fort, has Asperger's Syndrome. We learn a lot about how Patrick views and deals with the world around him through the specific filter/perspective of Asperger's Syndrome, which makes for interesting reading. I actually liked reading a novel where a main character has Asperger's Syndrome. Patrick has his quirks, but he is able to function in the world around him in his own unique way... All the while, attending classes and eventually solving a murder!

Listening time for Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer is 8 hours, 8 minutes. This novel is well narrated by Andrew Wincott.

Below is the plot summary for Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer from the Goodreads website:

The dead can't speak to us, Professor Madoc had said. But that was a lie. The body Patrick Fort is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things. But no one hears what he does, and no one understands when he tries to tell them.

Life is already strange enough for Patrick - being a medical student with Asperger's Syndrome doesn't come without its challenges. And that's before he is faced with solving a possible murder, especially when no one believes a crime has even taken place. Now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery. But as Patrick learns one truth from a dead man, he discovers there have been many other lies closer to home.

I am giving Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer a rating of 3 stars out of 5 star.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Mostly Missing In Action The Past Two Months

 

Apologies for my absence since early July. Yes, I realize several bookish quotes of the day have popped up and a couple of Top Ten Tuesday posts as well. These were posts I had originally created and scheduled to post on select dates and times prior to July 4, 2023. I have had a flare up with my Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) since early to mid July as well as dealing with a couple of ongoing health related issues regarding my left eye other visual issues for both eyes, which has affected my overall vision off and on since last November.

The condensed version of my eye health/vision is that a freckle/nevus and fluid build up at the back of the retina were discovered in my left eye near the optic nerve during an emergency visit with my optometrist late last November. It was these two things that had caused intense flashing light in my left eye's peripheral vision for roughly 10 minutes. This was how I ended up at my optometrist's office for an emergency visit in the first place.

I was sent to three different ophthalmologists to try and identify what the nevus/freckle was and why I was (and still am) having fluid build up in my left eye. Two of the ophthalmologists were ocular oncologists - one at UCSF Medical Center and the other at Stanford Medical Center. And yes, it was initially suspected that the nevus/freckle could potentially be eye cancer.

The good news at this point is that I recently learned that I DO NOT have eye cancer, but instead have an atypical nevus in my left eye. I still have to have my left eye routinely monitored every few months to make sure things remain stable within my left eye.

Anyway, I had a few weird visual issues on July 10th that landed me back at the doctor's office for an eye status update. The nevus/freckle looks to remain stable as of July 10th, so my most recent symptoms look to be related to having dry eyes and am on a dry eye protocol treatment plan for this condition and its symptoms at this time.

So this has been why you haven't seen me online recently. I was dealing with a few uncomfortable eye symptoms and also I couldn't type due to a crps flare up. 

In the meantime, I've been listening to audiobooks. Now that I am feeling better overall (thank goodness!!), I'm hoping to begin being more active with my blog again, catching up on my book reviews, and interacting with other book bloggers as well.

Take care and I hope you are all doing well!

Top Ten Tuesday - Water

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are ten books with the word 'water' in the title that I'd like to read.

1. Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

2. The Color of Water by James McBride

3. Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee

4. The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch

5. Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

6. Wade in the Water by Nyani Nkrumah

7. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

8. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

9. The Bookshop at Water's End by Patti Callahan Henry

10. Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith

Have you read any of the above books? If so, share with me what you thought of the book(s) you read in the comment section below.

Reading Quote of the Day!!

 

Reading Quote of the Day!!

 

Reading Quote of the Day!!