APRIL

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie

Summary:

First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond… then came the “suicide” that was murder… the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat…a suspicious death in a locked gun room… a million dollar bond robbery… the curse of a pharaoh’s tomb… a jewel robbery by the sea… the abduction of a prime minister… the disappearance of a banker… a phone call from a dying man… and, finally, the mystery of the missing will.

What links these fascinating cases? Only the brilliant deductive powers of Hercule Poirot!

Review:

While I have enjoyed short stories from Agatha Christie before, they all had an overarching storyline that connected them together. This collection did not.

Everytime a new short story began, I felt like I was being jerked around. It didn’t help that most of the short stories weren’t engaging to me. 

Rating:

2/5

She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

Summary:

From Emmy Award-winning writer Quinta Brunson (creator and star of Abbott Elementary ) comes a deeply personal and funny collection of essays about trying to make it when you’re struggling, the importance of staying true to your roots, and how she’s redefined humor online.  

Quinta Brunson is a master at breaking the internet. Before having any traditional background in media, her humorous videos were the first to go viral on Instagram’s platform. From there, Brunson’s wryly observant POV helped cement her status in the comedy world at large, with roles on HBO, Netflix, ABC, Adult Swim, BuzzFeed , the CW, and Comedy Central. Now, Brunson is bringing her comedic chops to the page in She Memes Well, an earnest, laugh-out-loud collection about this unusual road to notoriety. 

In her debut essay collection, Quinta applies her trademark humor and heart to discuss what it was like to go from a girl who loved the World Wide Web to a girl whose face launched a thousand memes. With anecdotes that range from the ridiculous—like the time she decided to go clubbing wearing an outfit she describes as “Gary Coleman meets metrosexual pirate”—to more heartfelt material about her struggles with depression, Quinta’s voice is entirely authentic and eminently readable. With its intimate tone and hilarious moments, She Memes Well will make you feel as if you’re sitting down with your chillest, funniest friend.

Review:

I first discovered Quinta through Buzzfeed, and I have just been amazed by all of the growth she has gone through.

This essay collection primarily focuses on her early childhood and her beginning on the Internet. So, if you’re hoping to read about specific moments about Buzzfeed or Abbott Elementary, this is not the book to read. However, if you love her personality and humor, this book is perfect.

She is hilarious, yet introspective in how she reflects on her childhood and the influences on her life. Whether it focuses on her family, her schooling, or being a meme, she injects her humor while also being realistic. 

Rating:

4/5

The Big Four by Agatha Christie

Summary:

Framed in the doorway of Poirot’s bedroom stood an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man’s gaunt face stared for a moment, then he swayed and fell. Who was he? Was he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what was the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? We follow Hercule Poirot as he finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life to uncover the truth about ‘Number Four’.

Review:

This was definitely different from the normal mysteries I’ve read from Poirot’s lineup. This led to some interesting ideas, but also because of how long it took to finalize the case, it dragged on in some places.

Rating:

3/5

Ex-Yakuza and Stray Kitten, Vol. 1 by Riddle Kamimura

Summary:

After being abandoned in the cold rain, tiny kitten Sabu should have been grateful to find a new home. But when he’s rescued by Jin, whose every atom screams “yakuza,” Sabu suspects he’s out of the frying pan and into the fire! Yet Jin’s scarred hands and face hide a sweet man beneath… a man who pampers kitties with bath and bottle-feedings!

Review:

This was a very adorable manga. Along the same vein as The Way of the Househusband, looks can be deceiving. This time, we get to look from the perspective of an abandoned kitten who becomes terrified of his rescuer due to his looks. 

Rating:

4/5

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 8 by Kusuke Oonoo

Summary:

The cozy yakuza comedy continues as everyone’s favorite househusband finds himself in even more crazy high jinks. Between a donut showdown and a new lady cop on the beat, Tatsu may have finally met his match! It’s just another day for the Immortal Dragon.

Review:

This one was less entertaining than the other volumes I have read in this series. A lot of the storylines felt too short or too random for me. 

Rating:

3/5

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

Summary:

A mysterious woman, a legendary cursed jewel, and a night train from London to the French Riviera — ingredients for the perfect romance or the perfect crime? When the train stops, the jewel is missing, and the woman is found dead in her compartment. It’s the perfect mystery, filled with passion, greed, deceit, and confusion. Is Hercule Poirot is the perfect detective to solve it?

Review:

This was an entertaining read all thanks to the new main character we get in this story. Katherine Grey was more observant and calmer than Hastings typically is in these stories. She provided a breath of fresh air, and it also allowed to have a slight connection to the Miss Marple series with her bing from Saint Mary Mead.

Rating:

4/5