Puzzles Presents: Ultimate Reading Challenge 2015 discussion

Post the title, description, and your opinion of the book you read.

Looking for Alaska

"Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same"

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It was a verygood surprise from my TBR Jar. I havn't read any of John Green's books, I didn't know this was his first when I was reading. I'm impressed, he is good.

At the beggining I thought it would be one more average teen drama, but as I kept reading the chapters I changed my mind. It is a very deep book, made me think.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Poirot returns to a small village in England where a generous friend resides. Upon her mysterious death, he is asked to assist in the investigation. Hastings, Poirot's long-time friend and assistant, is also introduced.

This is the renowned crime author Agatha Christie's first novel and it ages well. The characters are uniquely drawn, the plot and elements are engaging, and the pace is finely paced. It's a classic whodunit. There are drags and unnecessary parts, descriptions, and narrations, however the overall effect is a suspenseful atmosphere. You become invested with these characters. For a first effort, this mystery is a fantastic read.

My suggestion to first-time Christie readers: choose a more well-known novel before selecting this one.

I also read Looking for Alaska by John Green. It is fascinating to compare his first novel to his later novels. You can definitely see an improvement in character development. I enjoyed reading the novel but I felt rather neutral about it in general.