Books I'm Reading: Death in the Clouds

 Book #5!

I try to ration my Poirot reading :") 
I don't want to run out!

So each time, I try to sip and savour it. 

This one is a good one to sip and savour hehe.
Because the story itself isn't that dynamic, in my opinion. 

There was a death at the beginning,
a long, on going investigation,
a slight twist at the end & the reveal.

That's kind of it. 

No secondary events happen in the middle 
I guess because in this case, Poirot tries to examine 11(-ish) suspects one by one. Eliminating them based on probability & possibility of committing a crime in an aircraft. 

So, we get to meet these different characters, 
follow or visit them in their 'worlds', while we are invited to guess who did it? 

Even though I was expecting more action, 
any chance of sitting with Poirot & Agatha Christie was delightful, always. 

Whilst the 'plot' of the book is rather simple, 
the crime itself was deliciously complex. I think that's one of the saving grace of this book. 

I think this is one of the books you can read again, just to see if you catch anything in the 2nd read! :) 

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Books I'm Reading: The Sephora Story

Book #4 - I got this book in BookXcess Rexkl as part of their 'blind date' book program. 
The blurb sounds interesting: a book about the power of branding, and building that brand identity. 

As it kind of relates to my work, I got it. 

& I thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

The Sephora Story: The Retail Success You Can't Makeup (The Business Storybook Series)

This is part of Harper Collins book series on business. 
Other brands in this series include Marvel, Target, NBA, etc. 

I think I enjoyed it most because rather than focusing on the data, 
the book leans towards the emotional side of the story. 

It recounts the journey of Sephora,
what they do (mostly do right), 

and what it is that gets them here today. 

I think they did a pretty good job at narrowing down Sephora's strength:

which is to create an omnichannel presence, and meeting its customers where they are. 

They create an interactive experience with the product (which I didn't realize wasn't the norm!) 

& they help make customers feel like the 'main character'. 

I also never imagined that the digital shopping experience could bring such a major boost 
when done properly like what Sephora has done. 

I know the book can be more comprehensive - some parts felt repetitive and minor, 

but without insider interviews from Sephora, 

I think they did a pretty good job digging in & finding exactly what Sephora's overall strategy is. 

Again, very enjoyable & now I see Sephora (& other beauty retails) with a new set of eyes!