Review: Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I

Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I by Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on my blog: A Poised Quill! :)
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It took me a few months to finish this, but I pushed on. It took a few pages to get used to. The late 19th century writing style is something I was previously unaccustomed to, hence the slow pace, but soon enough it grew on me. The gothic and gloomy vibe laced each novel and short story with deliciously dark undertones distinctive of Victorian England. I soon learned to love the long-winded and detailed narrations, all with the purpose of building up the feeling of suspense and anticipation of the big reveal.

What is it that I loved about Sherlock Holmes? Obviously, his practical application of logic is a gift I am entirely in awe of. But his sheer eccentricity amplifies that which he is best known for: his undeniable powers of observation and deduction. His relationship with the other characters in the novel provides his character with layers. I have yet to meet and read a more interesting sleuth as he. No disrespect to Christie's Poirot who remains one of the first detectives I've loved and is as formidable as Holmes, but Doyle's detective proves more layered and flawed in personality. One which I am more drawn to and makes an interesting read. Sherlock Holmes will remain as my favorite fictional detective.

A few of my favorites were The Final Problem and the stories under The Return of Sherlock Holmes. I will definitely be continuing with Volume II, but I need a bit of rest and space from Sherlock. I need a change of scene for a while before I accompany him and Watson again on their adventures.

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Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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I AM STUNNED. 😨😨😨

This belongs to my Top Reads of 2017. Every chapter put me on edge. This book made me feel a range of emotions from start to finish. Admittedly, the most common was frustration. The book was frustrating most of the time because of the presence of Sam/Tina. Another source of frustration was Quincy's recklessness. I really done know if that recklessness comes with being a Final Girl, or is it recklessness that comes with being Quincy? Wherever it came from, it became a constant source of irritation for me.

This is one of those books that gives twists one after the other, without being too confusing, and without being too absurd. Just when you thought you had it figured out, it pulls you again to another direction and it will leave you reeling. It's one of those stories that makes you feel complacent one moment knowing you understand it, but then you realize you absolutely know nothing.

It's a horror/mystery and it did a mighty job at scaring and leaving me breathless from the twists. I am looking forward to re-reading this book and reconnecting all the clues to have a better grasp of the story and be amazed all over again with Sager's brilliance.

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Review: Dark Matter

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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This review is also found on my Goodreads profile here! :)
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WOW. Here I am, staring at my phone's screen wondering what to write because nothing I say will justify the sheer intensity of what I went through with this doggone book. So far, this is my best read for 2016. I have been blown away by the magnitude of the bar for science fiction this book has set.

How to even begin to describe this? The closest I get to it is a "science-fiction-slash-thriller." This book got me questioning my existence; questioning my CHOICES in life. I'm not really sure if the few sentences that follow can be tagged as spoilers, but just to be on the safe side, I'm going to tag them anyway. I can't exactly explain to you the book for fear of getting swallowed by the plethora of confusing quantum physics terms, explanations, and theories, but I will try to put it as simple as my limited knowledge on it can offer. [spoiler] To explain it the way the book explained it, imagine the famous Schrodinger's cat experiment. The observer will only the know result of the experiment once the box is opened--and it can only be one of the two possible outcomes: alive or dead. The quantum law states that until the box is opened, the cat is in superposition. Until the moment the observer opens the box and influences the outcome of the experiment, the cat is in superposition, or to put it simply--it is both alive and dead. But that's a cat. What if there is a box that puts a human being in a superposed quantum state with a drug that changes the way the human being's brain perceives reality; a drug that forces us to loose our quantum coherence and collapses our wave function? It opens a gateway to multiple universes (or multiverse). What if it allows access to a multiverse where everything that can happen happened? [/spoiler][ To explain it the way the book explained it, imagine the famous Schrodinger's cat experiment. The observer will only the know result of the experiment once the box is opened--and it can only be one of the two possible outcomes: alive or dead. The quantum law states that until the box is opened, the cat is in superposition. Until the moment the observer opens the box and influences the outcome of the experiment, the cat is in superposition, or to put it simply--it is both alive and dead. But that's a cat. What if there is a box that puts a human being in a superposed quantum state with a drug that changes the way the human being's brain perceives reality; a drug that forces us to loose our quantum coherence and collapses our wave function? It opens a gateway to multiple universes (or multiverse). What if it allows access to a multiverse where everything that can happen happened. (hide spoiler)]