The Melody of Evil by N.L.Holmes

The Melody of Evil by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This historic mystery is fourth in the series . As I did not read the previous three , I struggled a bit for the context but overall enjoyed the book . Neferet hires a bunch of musicians to play at her step daughter’s birthday party and one of them ends up murdered . The prime suspect is her step son in law .

Set in ancient Egypt the book offers vivid descriptions of the era and rich in details . It’s a cozy mystery which brings ancient Egypt to life . I really enjoyed the book.

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Dead Lawyers don't lie

Dead Lawyers Don't Lie by Mark Nolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a long book , but with lots of twists and turns. The lead character , Jake Wolfe , is an ex marine and a photo journalist who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time , clicking the picture of an assassin on hire . The assassin, nicknamed Artist is on a killing spree , eliminating a bunch of a lawyers for a sinister reason and now Jake is on the hit list .

It is a suspenseful thriller and keeps the reader on the edge of their seats . There is a bit of humor , bit of romance , lot of action . A wholesome entertainment package .

Rating : 👍👍👍👍   

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Get In or Get Out, But Don’t Stay in the Freakn’ Middle: by Lia Roth

Get In or Get Out, But Don’t Stay in the Freakn’ Middle: Snatch back your power and start over after divorce, separation, infidelity, and betrayal. Reclaim your boldest self! by Lía Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An insightful and helpful book, especially for people who are stuck in unhealthy relationships which aims to help one move forward in life with healthy choices. This book provides a lot of tools, strategies and advice to get out of the stagnant situation.

It’s a different kind of a self help book and am sure many people will benefit with this advice. Hope it reaches the wider audience and the book gets the recognition it deserves.
Rating : 👍👍👍👍

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You are not here : Stories and Inspirations

 Author : Michael Albanese

This book is a very inspiring read . Many times we get so carried away by things around us and surround ourself with such gloom and despair, about things we do not have or things we have to deal with. This book full of short stories, poems and anecdotes, gives us a reassurance that we learn as we go on in our journey of life. It is a very thought provoking book with deep insights. I really enjoyed it. 

Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

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Sarge : Going Deep

 Author : Stuart Ledwith

Sarge, going deep is a science fiction adventure story of Lieutenant Commander T J Madison, also called Sarge. I have not read the book about Mission 3047, where he was first introduced. This book is more about his personal life, his struggles, his character and his ability to overcome all challenges. With his determination and perseverance, he became a Navy seal, falls in love with a woman, marries her, comes to US and becomes a part of the secret Agency and the person he shaped himself to be in the Mission 3047. I did struggle a bit to understand the context but overall was able to grasp the bigger picture. I enjoyed the book.

My Rating : 👍👍👍👍

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Love Lettering

 Author : Katy Clayborn

Our December book club read is a different kind of a romance with two unique protagonists we don’t usually come across in books or real life. A lettering artist and a wall street Mathematician come together in this book which is primarily driven by letters, fonts and numbers. Meg, a lettering artist is hired to handwrite the wedding invitation of Reid and Avery. Meg’s instinct says that the wedding is not going to last and she weaves a secret code in the invitation thinking no one will figure it out. But it turns out that Reid is a mathematician and is proficient with numbers and codes, and he deciphers the message. The wedding is called off.

After an year, Reid walks into Meg’s shop demanding an explanation on how she knew that his relationship with Avery will not last. And then begins the game of letters and numbers. As they form a pattern, Meg and Reid are drawn towards each other. But nothing is as it seems. There are twists and turns before all is well.

This book is very creatively written about two professions which stand out. The internal struggles of the protagonists are captured beautifully. Both the protagonists are quiet and are low in confidence. For both of them to come out of the shell and get into a warm relationship is an effort by itself and that journey is very well captured in this book. Being a quiet person, Meg struggles with all relationships As the book progresses, each of her relationships, be with her clients, her friends or Reid take a unique turn. It is very heartwarming to see the change in her and how she deals with the crisis in the later half of the book.

My main issue with the book was that I could not understand the hand lettering part of it .The author goes in detail to explain the Fonts, the Styles and the Signs on the streets of New York City , how these signs are designed to reflect the vibe of the store. Being a novice in that field, the whole narrative around calligraphy and hand lettering went over my head. I really felt some visuals with the signs would have helped a lot for the amateurs. The games were also a bummer, I could not make out head or tail of those games with the letter and number puzzles. So, I ended up dissatisfied.

Because both the protagonists are quiet, it is also hard to find the chemistry between them. It’s a very quiet , slow burning romance. If you can see through the words and the descriptive language around the signs and letters, which few of my book buddies did, I think you will enjoy this book. I must admit, I flunked miserably.

My Rating : 👍👍👍

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The Round Box

 Author : Lois Wickstrom

This is a lovely story about a little girl who is missing her Grandma. Grand ma has moved across town and the little girl is missing her grand ma. She is very sad, nothing around her pleases her. Then she opens her Grand ma’s closet and finds a fascinator hat. The girl wears the hat and all her imagination comes alive. It’s a very heartwarming story, good for a bed time read.

Rating : 👍👍👍👍

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A Haunting in Venice

 Kenneth Branagh is a man of fine taste . He has taken up the project of adapting Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot on the silver screen on a large scale with grandeur and opulence. His two earlier movies , The murder on Orient Express and Death on Nile were a visual delight and a feast to watch despite being murder mysteries.

The third installment in the series , A Haunting in Venice , is a spooky spin to the Poirot mysteries loosely based on one of Agatha Christie’s lesser known works , Halloween game .

Set in post World War II Venice , in a pallazo haunted by the vengeful ghosts of children who died there , a grieving mother hosts a Halloween party and later a seance in a desperate plea to speak to the spirit of her daughter. A self exiled , retired Poirot is pulled into this gathering by his American novelist friend , a famous author to make sense of this supernatural phenomenon.

Poirot thinks it’s a fiasco until a murder happens right in front of his eyes and then another . He finds himself hearing the voices of the ghosts and later seeing them and talking to them . He is on the verge of believing that it is the work of the ghosts seeking vengeance . But is it ?? Is everything what it appears to be ? Or is there a mastermind behind all this set up? Will Piorot be sane enough to uncover the truth ?

Horror is my least favorite genre , and I did not read the book. I watched it because it’s Hercule Poirot in action. To my advantage, I watched it in a flight , so I wasn’t too scared . But this movie could scare you a lot if you watch it alone on a bigger screen .

Most of the action takes place in a haunted mansion , so the setting isn’t as lavish as the previous two films. There are lot of twists and turns , the suspect keeps changing till the end .you are left clueless on who actually committed the murders .

Kenneth Branagh is no David Suchet, he is not Agatha Christie’s Poirot . To his defense, he never claimed to be one . He donned on the hat with a style of his own , a serious thoughtful, brooding Poirot , who faces the ghosts of his own past . His film settings are far more lavish and his characters are a lot more glamorous and complex than the books . So there is no point comparing his movies with the books. It’s like apples and oranges .

So do not bring the books into the equation , enjoy his movies as standalone , and you will love them . There is finesse and charm in his work . It’s a fine film .

Rating: 👍👍👍👍

Rebel Moon

 This movie was bashed and thrashed , tossed and charred . I watched it with no expectations, if you like STAR WARS and Mandalorian, it isn’t bad . I guess the director Zack Snyder comes with great reputation and there was a lot of buzz around this movie . It is no way original , much has been borrowed from STAR WARS ( the concept of Empire , the world of imperialism and the rebels )and a bit from Avatar ( Tarak and the flying creature ). Overall it is pretty much a STAR WARS offshoot . If the makers contest otherwise, then they are in for a debate . Watch it only if you like STAR WARS and your blood doesn’t boil if some other franchise is copying it .

Rating: 👍👍👍

Barbie

Much has already been said about this movie . I will keep it short - I watched it , loved it . A journey to self discovery with a strong message on women empowerment, this movie is extraordinary . It’s a little complicated at times , but well , it’s a Barbie world , imagination, life is your creation

. Hoping it wins big - both in Golden Globe and the Oscars