Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Author:  Agatha Christie

Genre:  Mystery, Thriller, Murder Mystery

Target Audience:  All ages, adult

Reading Experience:  9/10

Story:  9/10

Writing:  9/10

My Verdict:  9/10

Bienvenue à l'Orient Express! S'il vous plaît, venez à bord!

Pardon my French, but I couldn't resist!  Even though the train isn't exactly French, I couldn't help it.  The French language has a certain je ne sais quoi, and it kinda fits everywhere!  Okay, I'll stop.  Promise.

Welcome to the Orient Express!  Please, come on board!  (that's what I was trying to say in French.  I have no way of knowing if it's correct, so sorry in advance if you're French).  What we have here is one of the most iconic, well-known story of Agatha Christie's hero, Hercule Poirot!

It's the tenth book of a series of stories and cases led by the Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.  Even though it's the tenth, it's my first and only Poirot novel to date.  And i have to say, Christie has made a fan out of me with her eccentric, one-of-a-kind detective... and that's only with ONE book.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Author:  Shirley Jackson

Genre:  Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Gothic

Target Audience:  Adults

Reading Experience:  7.5/10

Story:  7.5/10

Writing:  7.5/10

My Verdict:  8/10

Nothing like a good, old-fashion, haunted house story that makes you question not only the character's sanity in all of the story, but yours as well.  This book is purely psychological; it messes with the character's head, as well as yours.  It leaves you wondering... how much of it was actually real?  

I'm back!!! *Cue applause*

Bookworms!  Hi!!!  Yes, it's me!  I'm back!!  It's been some time now.  Did you miss me and my GIFs?  I bet you did!  Sorry for the hiatus, but just got a new job, and between the training and the actual job, it's been... hectic.  But I'm back!  Back from the dead!

Cell the movie is here!

Remember Stephen King's book Cell?  There's a movie coming out!  This YEAR!  I'm so EXCITED for it!  I was a little worried about the casting, but the trailer proved me that it could become a great adaptation!  Plus, Stephen King himself helped with the screenplay, so you know it's going to be GOOD!  John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson and Isabelle Fuhrman play the main characters in this bloody, action-packed story of a cellphone-caused apocalypse that makes people behave like aggressive monsters, whose only purpose is too kill.  Watch them try to survive here, in the trailer!  AHH!  I can't wait!

If you want to read the book, then check out my review!

Also, you can buy the paperback of Stephen King's Cell here!

Paper Towns by John Green

Author:  John Green

Genre:  Adventure, Mystery

Target Audience:  Young Adult

Reading Experience:  8/10

Story:  8.5/10

Writing:  8/10

My Verdict:  8.5/10

In contrast to my review of Colleen Hoover's November 9, I thought I might add one of my favorite Young Adult novels.  

Paper Towns, by John Green, is the story of Quentin "Q" Jacobsen.  Q has loved his neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman  all of his life, since the moment she moved next door.  But from afar.  He never dared to tell her.  They had one moment together as children that marked their relationship forever.  Now as teenagers, Q and Margo rarely speak; they are strangers.  She's an enigma to Q, but he still loves her.  Everything is fine and normal until one night Margo climbs through his bedroom window on the second floor, like a ninja with a special mission.  She embarks Q on one of the most memorable nights of his life.  But when that adventure ends, and a new day dawns, Margo disappears.  And Q starts to believe that she left clues for him, so that he could find her.  Q embarks on his own mission to find her, following the clues she left behind.

I won't say more, 'cause I'll spoil it.  But if you thought the Fault in Our Starts was good, this one takes the cake, in my opinion.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Author:  Colleen Hoover

Genre:  Romance, Contemporary

Target Audience:  New Adults, Adults

Reading Experience:  4.5/10

Story:  5.5/10

Writing:  6/10

My Verdict:  6/10

As I stated in past posts, I'm not a fan of romance.  I'm more into action, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, thriller and horror.  If it's sprinkled with romance and comedy, I wouldn't mind - as long as it's done right.  Books that are made entirely of comedy and romance?  No, thank you.  Books with YA or NA in their labels?  I'll pass.

I read this for two reasons: 

• I was somewhat curious about the story and book, given that it was really popular among Colleen Hoover fans.  So I had a "hunch" that I might actually like this book, even though it was a romance novel.
• My sister insisted that I read this book.  Like, every single DAY.  I was still reading Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard when she was already pushing the book towards me.  It was only fair, since she read one I recommended her (which she loved it!).

My hunch was wrong, and so was my sister.  Sorry, Sis.  But this was not... enjoyable.  At all.  This is coming from someone that read ALL the Twilight books, most of John Green's (which were actually good) and even Fifty Shades of Grey.  I mean, I've read good romances and really bad ones.  This wasn't horrible, but it was cringe-worthy. 

I know I will be lynched by my sister and all die-hard Colleen Hoover fans, but I have to write about my experience when reading the book, and it was not pleasant.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Author:  Victoria Aveyard

Genre:  Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Romance

Target Audience:  Young Adults, Adults

Reading Experience:  7/10

Story:  8/10

Writing:  7/10

My Verdict:  7.5/10

I have to say it: I am not a big fan of Young Adults novels, and being a dystopian novel is even more of a deal breaker.  I feel like I've outgrown that genre (I'm 23), and that the genre has nothing new or fresh to offer anymore.  I feel like YA/dystopian novels will never have something new to offer.  To me, it's like an inflexible genre, that doesn't allow much originality other than the story, which become "slightly" different from other novels.  The writing is sometimes the same, the themes and even the love triangles.  Only the story changes, but its development is almost the same.  But I think I may have to reconsider my views on YA now that I read Red Queen.  I think there might be good YA novels out there.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Author:  Gillian Flynn

Genre:  Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Crime, Fiction, Suspense

Target Audience:  Adults

Reading Experience:  8.5/10

Story:  8.5/10

Writing:  8/10

My Verdict:  8.5/10

This should only be categorized as horror.  Pure, raw horror.  I felt like Carrie from Stephen King's novel of the same name, when they poured all that blood on her.  Instead of getting mad, losing my mind and going murderous on everybody present, I was shocked beyond all reason.  Like, literally shocked.  And scared!  I finished the book without any breath left.  I stared at it, in awe of its genius story but horrified of all the things I will never be able to forget after reading it.  Nothing can be unread.  NOTHING.  Once again, Gillian Flynn shows her brilliance in narrative and story-making, and, of course, the unexpected, brilliant, jaw-dropping ending.

Gillian Flynn, you are simply brilliant.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Author:  Gillian Flynn

Genre:  Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Psychological thriller

Target Audience:  Adults

Reading Experience:  8.5/10

Story:  8/10

Writing:  8/10

My Verdict:  8.5/10

Well, I think that after you finish this book, your view of marriage will be forever changed.  Gillian Flynn manages to take you into the mind of a seemingly perfect couple, deep into their psyche, as their marriage goes from the "perfect" union to a harmful one.  It deteriorates, withers and eventually turns into something wicked and downright horrifying.  I won't say anymore because I'll spoil it.  But rest assured, it's jaw-dropping, breathtaking and thrilling (in my opinion).   Makes you think about the fact that people like this actually exist.  Makes you think that things like this can actually happen.  It's a scary thing, my fellow Bookworms.  Very, very scary.

A Work in Progress by Connor Franta

Author:  Connor Franta

Genre:  Memoir, Non-Fiction, Autobography

Reading Experience:  8.5/10

Writing: 8/10

My Verdict:  9/10

You probably have heard of him.  Probably haven't.  If you're a fan of YouTube, like myself, you've probably heard of him and his generation of YouTubers.  There are hundreds and hundreds of YouTubers out there, some in the spotlight, some in the dark, some "getting there".  Connor Franta is one of them.  Still don't know him?  This is him: