Reading Challenge 6 month Check-in

We are halfway through the year! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?

Let's see where I am standing with my challenges for the year. 

Reading Challenges

Goodreads -  49/143. I am technically 11 books behind schedule. Eeek. I had bad couple of months thanks to life. I'm sure I'll catch up, but I'll have to put some hassle into it. 

Romance Reading Challenge - One Bingo done! Nearly done filling out the sheet. Click here here to check out the books I have read for this 

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge - 13 out of 16/25! Doing great! Nearly there. Click here to check out the books I've read for this. 

LIBRARY LOVE CHALLENGE - 11/24. Getting there. Click here to check out what I have read for this challenge. 

AUDIOBOOK CHALLENGE - 24/50+. Nearly halfway there! I think I can dooo it! Click here to check out the books I have listened to for this challenge. I picked Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands). 

Blodeuedd's Tuesday: There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

By: Sandhya Menon

Narrated by: Vikas Adam, Soneela Nankani

Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins

May 14, 2019 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Series; Dimple and Rishi (#2)

YA romance/bookbeat.fi

Oh you know, I looked for books by my favorite narrator and came across this one. I listened to Dimple years ago and really liked it. And now they had this one so I gave it a go.

Sweetie weighs too much in other people´s eyes. Her mother is always on her case and even if she is one of the fastest runners in the state then people always get stuck on her weight.

Ashish is always compared to his older brother. He had a bad breakup and now he is drifting.

His parents set him up with Sweetie. After some drama they go on parent ordered dates and fall in love. But there is some drama to get over first.

Sweet story. Family, culture and seeing past what others think.

Two narrators. I do love Vikas Adam because he is just so pleasant listening too. And I always like Soneela´s narrating too.

Ashish Patel didn't know love could be so...sucky. After being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up. The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl--under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he'll be taking his date on "fun" excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work? Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she's also fat. To Sweetie's traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death. Sweetie loves her parents, but she's so tired of being told she's lacking because she's fat. She decides it's time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she'll show the world (and herself) what she's really made of. Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there's an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?

Best of May

June! Halfway there! Here are our bests of last month!

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd -  Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

"Fun and different!"

Carole -    Book Lovers by Emily Henry           

"So refreshing and fun."

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole - The Little Mermaid (2023)

"Better than I expected! Suprising!"

Blodeuedd - Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

"Best movie!"

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Monk (season 5)

"Yup still watching Monk!"

Carole - The Rookie (season 6)

"Eeeee! More please!!!!!"

Best Cover of the Month:

C's favorite: Kitty and books!

B's favorite: A bit different!

Audiobook Review: The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Richard Armitage

Title: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Series: Hercule Poirot #1

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Classic

Format: Audiobook

Published: January 1, 1920

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

Agatha Christie's debut novel was also the first to feature Hercule Poirot, her famously eccentric Belgian detective.

A refugee of the Great War, Poirot has settled in England near Styles Court, the country estate of his wealthy benefactor, the elderly Emily Inglethorp. When Emily is poisoned and the authorities are baffled, Poirot puts his prodigious sleuthing skills to work. Suspects are plentiful, including the victim’s much younger husband, her resentful stepsons, her longtime hired companion, a young family friend working as a nurse, and a London specialist on poisons who just happens to be visiting the nearby village.

All of them have secrets they are desperate to keep, but none can outwit Poirot as he navigates the ingenious red herrings and plot twists

Review:

Been itching to read some Agatha Christie...it has literally been years! Last time I read one was in the early 2000s....High School time....dang. I've read a handful, but I never read them all. There are just SOOO many. Soooo I decided to start from the beginning. 

Poirot has settled in England after the Great War. He is settled in near Styles Court who belongs to his wealthy benefactor Emily Inglethrop. When Emily is poisoned and the authorities are baffled because everyone is suspicious and have motives, but all of them have alibis, Poirot is called in to crack the case. 

Not that this was bad, but you can tell this is her debut story especially after reading ones MUCH later in the series. However, it was fun seeing Poirot at his creation. You can tell she has a lot of plans for this poor man. 

The mystery was good and I was absolutely unsure of who did it. They all had motive but no real evidence to link anyone 100% to the crime. Lots and lots of red herrings littering the place. 

The ending did drag on a bit and it took everything I had to focus up. The mystery dragged on a bit too much. I would've preferred more time with interviews and looking around. 

The narration was fun! It was done by the famous Richard Armitage! Eee! Adorable. He was fantastic. Loved all his voices. I'm glad I decided to try this version of audio. 

All-in-all, a nice intro into Poirot. Not necessary to read the books in order, but it was nice seeing where it all began. The mystery was good and I had no idea! Nicely stumped there ;) But the ending did drag a touch. I'll give this 3 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Mysterious

Challenge(s):
- Audiobook #24

- Cloak and Dagger - #14