And Then There Were None

Type: Prose
Genre: Novel (Fiction, Mystery)
Author: Agatha Christie
Published: 2001
Publisher: St. Martin's Press


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Summary


Ten individuals from different walks of life were summoned as guests to a private island in Devon. It was a vacation that each of them looked forward to. Until, they discovered that their millionaire host was nowhere to be found. Apart from that, each of the guests wicked past was revealed by a mysterious voice from a gramophone record. It was the signal of the game. Each of them were players chased to pay for the crimes they committed. Their hours are numbered and all of them are prey to the unknown killer. There are no clues as to who will be the next victim. What they only have is the childish nursery rhyme hung on every room that hints the manner of death of every victim.



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And Then There Were None is a charming mystery novel that leads the reader to the next page till he's left unaware that he's come to the end.


It is a mystery that will intrigue you till the last chapter which only proves that Agatha Christie is really the Queen of Crime.

There are only 10 characters in the story. Each of them is suspicious. Each could be a suspect. From the very start, you'll already start wondering, who is their host. Who is the killer whn everyone seems to be innocent yet suspicious.

You will start analyzing the whole situation and have suspects. But then when you reach the last chapters, you'll be lost for you will realize that you were wrong all along for suspecting a certain character. Worst, you don't have any idea again on who's the villain.

Well, just read the book now for yourself. I'm sure you'll never even put it down.


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Memorable Lines from the Book



"Self-preservation's a man's first duty." - Philip Lombard

"In the midst of life we are in death." - Emily Brent

"Providence leaves the work of conviction and chastisement to us mortals - and the process is often fraught with difficulties. There are no short cuts." - William Henry Blore

"When a man's neck's in danger, he doesn't stop to think too much about sentiment." - William Henry Blore

"No good result can come from recrimination." - Justice Wargrave.

12 Steps to Quitting AJ

Type: Prose
Genre: Novel (chic literature)
Author: Faye Ilogon
Year Published: 2009
Publisher: Summit Books
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Summary

Grace and AJ have been friends since their childhood days. They have fallen in love and has an on and off relationship. One day, something important happened to Grace that might change the course of her relationship with AJ. She started to evaluate things and even composed a list of steps to quitting the guy.



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12 Steps to Quitting AJ tells us a story of a couple who always break-up and get back together again. You'll notice that in the novel, Grace, the protagonist, is just like any other girl, fickle-minded, hopeless romantic and quite childish. She wants her man to be expressive in every creative way. And, she also wants to be the one to handle the reins. But of course, that isn't always possible.

The plot of the novel might confuse you for it is full of flashbacks narrating the love story of Grace and AJ. But, it is one interesting novel because you'll learn a lot of things not only about humans but also on animals. This is so because AJ is a veterinarian.

Another thing you'll love in the book is that it has a magazine-feel. It is full of guides that at one point, you might even find yourself wondering, "Is this really a novel or a magazine article?" But at the end, you'll still enjoy the story saying it's a nice read and that you learned from it.


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Memorable Lines from the Book


"Men are like dogs. They like to chase catty sexy things. " - Grace


"Never make a man do anything he isn't ready for. He will give you hell for it and make up all sorts of excuses to get back at you. " - Grace's mom


"A man who has little or no self-esteem is just as bad as man with too much of it." - Elise

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Type: Prose
Genre: Novel (Young Adult Fiction)
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Year Published: 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

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Summary

This story is about the young vampire we encountered in the book "Eclipse". Her name is Bree Tanner, one of the newborn vampires. She was created not knowing the many interesting and important facts about her kind. Until one day, she learned that her creator is using her and the other newborns as an army against another vampire coven, the Cullens. Too late to escape, she finds herself trapped in the war between the Cullens and her creator. She decided to surrender and is given another chance to live. Unfortunately, this chance to live is only good for a short time because she would still be facing death. Not in the hands of the supposed-to-be-enemies but of the Volturi.


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This book is actually a companion novella to the third book in the Twilight series, Eclipse. What is interesting here is that we are taken to the other side of the story. The side of the vampires.


In the Twilight series, what we only read are things from Bella's point of view especially the first three books. Thus, we are not aware on how the vampires really live, how they feel about their situation and what is it like being a vampire. Well, those questions were answered by Bree.


This young vampire, Bree, somehow gives us a glimpse of what Bella Swan would be like in the fourth book, Breaking Dawn. Yet, unlike Bella, her story ends in a tragedy. Her love that hasn't even started has already came to an end. Which leads us to question the author. What really happened to Diego? Why did he just disappear in the scene? Does he really have feelings for Bree?


Actually, there are a lot more questions in the book that were left hanging in the air. If it's intentional, that we do not know. Still, it would be better if they would be answered if not in the same book, maybe in another one.


Short as it was, at least we were able to hear a vampire's point of view this time. How I just wish that next time, it will be Edward Cullen telling the story. I think Stephenie has a book for that. Midnight Sun, right? Well, hope she'll finish and publish it soon.

Table for Two

Type: Prose

Genre: Novel (chic literature)

Author: Marla Miniano

Year Published: 2010

Publisher: Summit Books

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Summary

The novel revolves around a small coffee shop that served as a quiet witness to the love stories of its customers. There's this long-time couple about to break-up after college graduation. A young teacher who decided to accept a dare from her brother to quit dating. A wedding photographer trying to stop the marriage of his bestfriend. A guy who never got over a girl. And a girl sitting alone reading romance novels thinking when will her loneliness come to an end.

It is amusing how the lives of these characters are connected and how their joys and heart aches lead them to the coffee shop.

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The book is divided into five parts narrating every story of the usual customers of the coffee shop. No, it's not a collection of short stories because as you move from one chapter to the other, you'll come across the previous main characters of previous chapters and realize what has happened to their story.

What is lovable with this book is that you'll find that you could relate to the characters. That these stories are somehow true and real for some people. That at one point of your life, you've heard their dialogues or maybe even said some of their lines.

The plot is not the traditional, rather, it was written in a way that will make you wonder and say "Hey! So that's just their story? What happened after?" Then you'll catch yourself hooked and flipping the next pages. You'll never know that you have reached the end. But when you did, you'll be grateful that you've found this good read.

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Memorable Lines from the book

"Girls don't like shy guys; they think they do, but they always end up with the ones who speak up and assert themselves and win people over with the grandest of gestures." - Mandy (in "Fresh")

"Anger, more than any emotion makes you lose control." - Mandy (in "Fresh")

"Guys are so easy to drive out of your life, especially when their interest in you has mostly been sustained by your blind, naive, hopelessly hopeful interest in them." - Jill (in "Timeout")

"Goodbye is a strange concept - if the person being left behind resents it and refuses to accept it, is it still goodbye, or simply a departure? " - Lucas (in "This Closure")

Shanghai Baby

Type: Prose
Genre: Fiction
Author: Wei Hui
Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Robinson Publishing UK
Main Characters: Nikki or Coco - a Shanghai woman who works as a waitress in a cafe
Tian Tian - Coco's boyfriend; an artist who frequently uses drugs
Mark - a married German businessman whom Coco got involved with.



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Summary



Coco, a young woman working in a cafe has always been struggling to become a writer. During her struggles, she met a young artist named Tian Tian who encouraged her to reach for her ambition. She fell in love with him, moved in with him and left her work. They lived together as they try to fulfill their dreams. However, one day, Coco met another man named Mark. The two became intensely attracted to one another. Tian Tian somehow sensed something's wrong and started to use drugs. Confused of what she feels for the two men, Coco became torn between conflicting emotions.



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A semi-autobiographical book, Shanghai Baby exposes a different face of the society. A woman blinded by love and lust.


Actually, this book was banned in China in April 2000. An estimate of 40, 000 copies were even publicly burned. However, a different reaction came when the book was brought to the West.


Shanghai Baby possess an aggressive voice that some people even don't want to hear. It's views on life, love and sex have never been so realistic. It was no doubt that the book became a bestseller.


If you want to have a feel of how complicated love is and how it is different from lust, then read Shanghai Baby.



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Memorable Lines from the Book



"Death is the expression of exhaustion, a solution arrived at rationally once one has known the deepest depths of tiredness." - TianTian (Coco's boyfriend).



"Life is like a chronic illness, and finding something interesting to do is a kind of long term cure." - Coco

Twenties Girl

Type: Prose
Genre: Fiction
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Year Published: 2009
Publisher: The Dial Press
Main Characters: Lara Lington - a twenty-something lady who just started with her business; frustrated over her break up with her boyfriend; and got visited by the ghost of her great-aunt
Sadie - great-aunt of Lara who seeks help in finding her necklace



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Summary


Lara has been undergoing the gloomy days in her life. Everything has been going beyond her control from her relationship with her boyfriend to her newly-launched head-hunting business. So she thought that because of these stress, she has been starting to see things like a ghost. But, she's wrong. Sadie, her great-aunt has come to seek her help. They have to find a necklace who has been in Sadie's posession for more than seventy-five years. Sadie said that she couldn't rest without it. And so, the hunting and haunting began. As they go into the journey in finding the necklace, they started to discover things about love, about each other and most important, about their family.



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Ever tried laughing over a ghost story? Well, now you would with Twenties Girl.


Unlike any other ghost stories, this one is filled with humor and amusing scenes from two girls who came from two different timelines. One of them alive and one is a ghost.


At first, one would have the impression that this is just another boring novel about a ghost who wants to play some more nasty stuff before he rests. But, as you go on with the book, you'll definitely be hanging onto it until the necklace has been found.


This novel is really a breakthrough for Sophie Kinsella. Not only did she make a good ghost story but she was also able to add humor to it.



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Memorable Lines from the Book


“People break up. It’s just the way things are.And you can’t dwell on what might have been. You have to look at what is." - Lara Lington


“Life is like an escalator... It carries you on regardless." - Lara Lington


“The worst thing a girl can do is trail after a boy when a love affair is dead.” - Sadie Lancaster

The Lost Symbol

Type: Prose

Genre: Fiction

Author: Dan Brown

Year Published: 2009

Publisher: Doubleday

Main Characters: Robert Langdon - a Harvard professor and symbologist

Peter Solomon - head of the Smithsonian Institution; a wealthy man who is a dear friend and mentor to Robert Langdon; a Freemason with the highest degree

Zachary Solomon - Peter Solomon's rebellious son

Katherine Solomon - a Noetic scientist; sister of Peter Solomon

Mal'akh - the villain who has his body covered with tattoos of diferent symbols

Warren Bellamy - friend of Peter who is also the architect of the Capitol

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Summary

Robert Langdon, the famous Harvard symbologist has received an invitation from his friend Peter Solomon to deliver a lecture in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Since Peter is his friend and mentor, he went to Washington D.C. without any idea that his trip is not just an ordinary visit. When he arrived, he was more than shocked by what greeted him. There were no audience at all for the lecture and the severed right hand of Peter is there at the place, tattooed and transformed as the Hand of Mysteries. From there, a series of events took place and a lot of puzzles surfaced. Will Robert Langdon be able to solve the mysteries and save his friend? And who is this tattooed man who kidnapped Peter?

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After years of waiting, at last, here's another Robert Langdon novel created by Dan Brown. And just like the other two previous Langdon stories, this one is again filled with mind-boggling mysteries and astonishing facts.

Yep, prepare to be hooked as you read this novel. Because once you start reading it, you won't notice that you're almost done with it. The mysteries will have you glued to your seats and the book.

This novel brings us interesting facts on history, arts and sciences. It gives us access to some undiscovered facts on Washington D.C. and masonry. And, readers will surely try solve the puzzles in this book by themselves too. Well, that's certainly expected.

Yet, apart from the trivias and puzzles, what makes this novel captivating is that it tells a story about family, faith and friendship. The tragedy of the Solomons teaches us the values that every family and person should have. What are they? Now that's for you to find out and realize as you read the book.

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Memorable Lines from the Book

"In the correct hands, fire can provide illumination . . . but in the wrong hands, fire can be highly destructive" - Robert Langdon

"Wide acceptance of an idea is not proof of its validity." - Robert Langdon

"Wealth is commonplace, but wisdom is rare" - Peter Solomon

"Transformation requires sacrifice." - Mal'akh

"God is plural because the minds of man are plural" - Katherine Solomon

The Wedding

Type: Prose

Genre: Fiction

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Year Published: 2003

Publisher: Warner Books

Main Characters: Wilson Lewis - a successful estate lawyer married for almost 30 yrs. but finds it hard to be romantic and expressive when it comes to matters of the heart.

Jane - Noah Calhoun's eldest child; an outgoing woman married to Wilson for almost 30 yrs.

Noah Calhoun - Jane's father and protagonist in "The Notebook". He sets a good example when it comes to love to his kids and children-in-law

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Summary

Despite being married for almost thirty years, Wilson Lewis had just realized that he is starting to lose his wife, Jane. As a successful estate lawyer, he was always busy with work and finds little time for his family. And, when his children started to move out and he is left with Jane alone in the house, it dawned on him that they are starting to fall apart. Determined to save their relationship, he struggles to win back her heart. Yet, he's been faced with wonders whether the woman he loves still have the same feelings towards him. One thing's for certain though - he never loved anyone but Jane in his entire life and his feelings for her has grown even deeper through the years. Inspired by the great 50-year love story and affair of his in-laws Noah Calhoun (from The Notebook) and Allie, Wilson is more than ready to transform himself to the husband he should have been and make his wife fall in love with him all over again.

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After being touched with Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook," prepare your handkerchieves again as this sequel novel "The Wedding" takes you into another tearjerking story of love, faith and renewal.

Like Sparks' earlier novels, this one is also filled with romantic scenes and lines that would surely bring out your "high school girl" attitude again whenever you see your crush. However, I must say that there is improvement in this piece because the lines are not too mushy compared to the author's other works.

The first chapters of the novel will already get you hooked to it till you finish the entire book in just one seating. The element of mystery was sustained enough up to the right chapter. And if you try to guess the whole plot, you might suceed but I'll bet that in certain chapters, you'll definitely doubt if your guess is right.

Other than that, the symbolisms in the novel were crafted well too. The story of the swan, teaches us about faith. While the five concentric hearts in rose blooms tells us of love's labors.

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Memorable lines from the book

"Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day." - Wilson Lewis

"Marriage is about compromise; it’s about doing something for the other person, even when you don’t want to." - Jane

"The more special something is, the more people seem to take it for granted. It’s like they think it won’t ever change..." -Pastor Harvey Wellington

An Ex to Grind

Type: Prose

Genre: Fiction (Chic Lit.)

Author: Jane Heller

Year Published: 2005

Main Characters: Melanie Banks -financial planner, ex-wife of Dan Swain

Dan Swain - pro football player, ex-husband of Melanie Banks

Evan - attractive painter; neighbor of Melanie

Leah - veterinarian; Dan's girlfriend

Desiree - matchmaker

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Summary

Manhattan financial planner Melanie Banks is pissed off. She has gotten divorced from his pro football player ex-husband Dan "Traffic" Swain but still trapped with him. She needs to share custody of their pet dog Buster. Plus, the alimony that she has to give him every month. It has been so stressing to her especially since her ex-husband doesn't even bother to look for a job and even spends her money recklessly. Because of that, she devised a plot to get rid of the alimony. The loophole in the arrangement which is the cohabitation clause that her husband needs to live with a woman for 90days. She then hired a matchmaker to set up her husband with another woman who happens to be Leah. Dan fell into the plan. In fact, he and Leah fell in love. Leah was able to motivate Dan and bring out good changes in him. Melanie noticed it and started to get caught in her own trap. She is falling in love again with Dan. Now she doesn't know how to clean the mess she just did. Will she pursue the plan or will she go after Dan?

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This novel is very witty and hilarious. You could easily relate to it since the setting is very much taken from the present time.

Jane Heller was successful in showing how a woman could be responsible for the success and downfall of her man. How a woman could do things that man could also do. Yet, she also showed that a woman is still a human being capable of being weak and getting hurt.

I can say that this novel is a perfect after-break-up read to all women out there. the story teaches us about moving on. letting go and taking chances.

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Memorable lines from the book


"You can’t have a marriage between strangers.” - Melanie Banks


"It isn’t possible to love two women. Not in the same way at the same time." - Evan


"What makes ordinary people heroic is when they give up the thing they want most." - Evan

Angels and Demons

Type: Prose
Genre: Fiction
Author: Dan Brown
Year Published: 2000
Main Characters: Robert Langdon - a Harvard professor of symbology
Leonardo Vetra - a scientist and priest who works at CERN and
invented antimatter
Vittoria Vetra - a scientist and adopted daughter of Leonardo
Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca - the Papal chamberlain who was
in command when the Pope died
Cardinal Saverio Mortati - eldest cardinal in the conclave
Maximilian Kohler - director of CERN

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Summary

Due to the death of Leonardo Vetra, Robert Langdon was called by CERN's Maximilian Kohler to verify the symbol in the victim's chest. With enough knowledge on symbols, Langdon was surprised to see that the one on the victim's chest is authentic. But, he is still confused as to whether the suspected secret society is really the one responsible for it. After the revelation of some evidence and discovery that the antimatter was missing, it was then that Langdon confirmed that the ancient brotherhood Illuminati must have done the crime. With that, Langdon together with Vittoria was taken to Vatican City where they find themselves helping the Church in stopping the explosion of antimatter and finding the four missing cardinals (Preferiti). As their search continue, a lot of new information on the brotherhood and its symbols are unveiled. And, so many shocking secrets and stories start to unfold too.

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Probably one of the greatest and most controversial books of the century. Dan Brown was more than successful in getting everyone's attention through his novel. The existence of the locations in the story along with some facts captured the readers' interest and made them get hooked to the book. In fact, you'll get so engrossed in reading it that you won't even notice that you have almost reached the end.

The plot is not like those of any other mystery novels. There is a twist in every chapter. And I bet you would never be able to predict the ending unless of course, it's your second time to read the book already.

It is impressive how Brown was able to come up with such fiction. How he was inspired to create a story on the famous places of Vatican. He must really have a very 'illuminated' mind to be able to produce a very bold imagination for the future of the Church, and Science.

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Memorable lines from the book


“Religion is like language or dress. We gravitate toward the practices with which we were raised. In the end, though, we are all proclaiming the samething. That life has meaning. That we are grateful for the power that created us.” -Vittoria Vetra

"Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searchingfor truth, that which is greater than ourselves." -Vittoria Vetra

“Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.” -Vittoria Vetra

"You are misguided. A church is more than mortar and stone. You cannot simply erase two thousand years of faith . . . any faith. You cannot crush faith simply by removingits earthly manifestations" - Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca

“Science can heal, or science can kill. It depends on the soul of the man using the science. It is the soul that interests me.” -Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca

For One More Day

Type: Novel
Genre: Non-Fiction
Author: Mitch Albom
Main Characters: Charley "Chick" Benetto (protagonist)
Pauline "Posey" Benetto (Chick's mother)
Leonard "Len" Benetto (Chick's father)
Catherine Benetto (Chick's wife)
Maria Benetto-Lang (Chick's daughter)
Year Published: 2006

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Summary:


Charley "Chick" Benetto was a baseball player who decided to commit suicide realizing that his life has become a trash. His mother died when he was out fullfilling a baseball endeavor for his father. His daughter disregarded him and didn't invite him to her wedding. His marriage is going nowhere. His work has become his own pandemonium. Fortunately, despite his attempt to kill himself through a 'car accident', he was still alive. However, the next events that occurred were inexplicable. He gained consciousness but saw his dead mother. Not only that, he gets to spend another day with her too. Thus, this day also makes him understand some events in his life.


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"If you had the chance, just one chance, to go back and fix what you did wrong in life, would you take it?"

This was the teaser at the back cover of Mitch Albom's "For One More Day". A book about second chances and definitely, life's value.

Like the author's previous novels, this one also has the power to touch your hearts and make you cry. Why not? A mother's unconditional love for her son. The son's regrets over his life. A person getting tired on his life. All can relate, for it's everyone's story too.

Unlike the usual plots for a novel, the book was divided into four main chapters (excluding the Introduction and Epilogue). Midnight. Morning. Noon, and Night. Perfect division since they truly suit and justify the title of the book. Also, there are pages that fall under two divisons: "Times I Did Not Stand Up for My Mother" and "Times My Mother Stood Up for Me", which contain the protagonist's memories of his Mom.

Chick's experiences and his mom's struggle on life will move you despite yourself. if you have been tired of your life, this book will give you hesitations now in case you are planning on suicide too. Though if you are not, still "For One More Day" is a good aid for your weariness. It will help you start looking at life on a different angle.

What does this book have? Well, from the very start of the story, you'll already wonder where the narrator will lead you. Is it a ghost story? Or, will it end as a dream? Truly, you will get hooked to it until you don't notice that you've already read almost the entire book. The charm of the author's words and heart-smashing autobiographical experiences will lure you to finish the story in one sitting.

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Memorable Lines from the book:


* "Kids chase the love that eludes them" (Chick Benetto)

* "An education is how you'll make something of yourself" (Posey Benetto)

* "All divorce does is divert you, taking you away from everything you thought you knew and everything you thought you wanted..." (Chick Benetto)

* "When someone is in your heart, they're never truly gone. They can come back to you even at unlikely times. " (Posey Benetto)

* "Sticking with your family is what makes it a family" (Posey Benetto)